http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Ksue44/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Ksue44 en-us Sat, 26 Dec 2009 17:41:10 +0000 Sat, 26 Dec 2009 17:41:10 +0000 I've been to Colorado Springs twice. The first time I went was over Labor Day in 2004 for a 4 day weekend. This year it was more to go visit my sister and her family but I did manage to squeeze in a couple of excursions on the side. The first 2 days of our visit was indoors it was constantly raining in Colorado Springs.My first visit to Colorado we went rafting down the Arkansas River. It had http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Colorado/Colorado-Springs/blog-405912.html My last day in Ecuador I decided to take a day excursion to Cotopaxi. It was close enough to Quito and I was rather curious about this volcano. I was really excited about getting up close and personal with a volcano even though there were no lava streams flowing down the sides. On a clear day in Quito you can see Cotopaxi. It reaches a height of 19347 feet and is the second highest summit i http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Centre/Cotopaxi/blog-355160.html Day 8 Our life on the boat would come to an end in the morning. We docked at Santa Cruz.Our morning and last excursion would take us to the Darwin Station. The Charles Darwin Research Station was established in 1964. It is a great place to visit to learn about marine conservation as well as terrestrial conservation. We got to watch a short movie which featured land and marine critters. Also http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Santa-Cruz-Island/blog-352536.html Day 7 We sailed to Santiago Island. Also known as James and San Salvador it has numerous landing sites. Santiago was a favorite island for whalers and pirates.Our first morning excursion was on James Bay. It was an easy walk. The sand was quite dark almost black but it was soft to walk on.We saw Fur Sea Lions. The difference between Fur Sea Lions and Galapagos Sea Lions is the Fur Sea Lion is http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Santiago-Island/blog-352520.html Day 6 We took a quick stop at Sombrero Chino on our way to Bartolome Islands. Snorkeling in Sombrero Chino was awesome The water was clear temperature was comfortable and it was sunny. While snorkeling I encountered a Shark underneath a rock took a photo but nothing happened. My camera had ran low on batteries. In the afternoon we arrived at Bartolome. We saw 2 Penguins on the shore. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/blog-352512.html Day 5 We sailed to the island of North Seymour. Seymour Island is one of the more exciting islands when it comes to bird life. We saw Frigate Birds Blue Footed Boobies and Swallow Tailed Gulls. The Frigatebirds were neat to watch. Frigatebirds are known for their red pouch on their necks. During mating season the males thrown back their heads inflate the pouch sometimes to the size of a socc http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/blog-352507.html Day 4 We sailed to Santa Fe Island and arrived early in the morning. Thankfully the sailing was much smoother than the night before. Santa Fe Island is located in the southeastern part of the Galapagos Islands.On our way to our morning excursion we were treated to a swim by of White Tipped Reef Sharks. Totally incredible It was hard to photograph them from the side of a dinghy.Our morning exc http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Santa-Fe-Island/blog-352500.html Day 3 Our sailing to Espanola was quite rough. It would take 8 hours to sail to Espanola. I was grateful to wear sea bands so I didn't experience any sea sickness. If I had to compare the sailing to white water rafting I would say this would be Level III. It truly was rock and roll in the boat.Espanola is the oldest and the southernmost island in Galapagos. This island is secluded so the wildli http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Espanola-Island/blog-352489.html Day 2 We arrived at the island of Floreana. This island is one of the oldest islands in Galapagos and is about 5 hours west of Santa Cruz Island. Floreana has quite a history of buccaneers whalers convicts and colonists. In 1793 British Whalers set up a Post Office Barrel to send letters to and from England. Today tourists drop off and pick up letters or post cards without stamps to be ca http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Floreana-Island/blog-352481.html Day 1 We flew from Quito to Baltra island on a 727 jet. I had visions of flying to Baltra on a puddle jumper but I was wrong. I was hoping to see Iguanas being chased off the runway as I had heard these stories. The only creature I saw at the airport besides tourists were Lizards. We were ferried over to Santa Cruz Island. Our ferry ride was entertaining we saw a Sea Lion sitting on a dingh http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Santa-Cruz-Island/blog-352474.html Day 5 September 6thAs they say all good things must come to an end. I got to go to all of the places that my little heart was content to go. There was an exception to that and it was a BIG surprise for me. I found out that the Concorde was on display in Barbados I was excited I had always wanted to fly on the Concorde.British Airways Concorde GBOAE or Alpha Echo for short was opened to http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Barbados/blog-322563.html Day 4 September 5th After my horseback ride I had some choices for that afternoon. I could go to Bridgetown and browse the shops or I could go to Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary. I wasn't interested in buying more dust collectors for the house nor am I into jewels. So the better choice was the Sanctuary. Wise choice The sanctuary sits on over 35 acres. It has the island's largest inland lake http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Barbados/blog-322552.html Day 4 Sept 5thToday I look forward to my horseback ride. First things first I chowed down on some breakfast. As I walked back to my room I snapped a picture of a lizard.I was picked up at my hotel by Bernard owner of Ocean Echo Stables. Our ride would be on the southeastern part of the island. The ride that I was going on is Bath Beach Riding Tour. It is a 1.5 hour ride leading down to the http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Barbados/blog-322121.html Day 3 Sep 4th.One of the things that I looked most forward to was swimming with the turtles and snorkeling over some ship wrecks.It was suggested that I go on a Catamaran instead of a regular powerboat. I took this cruise with Cool Running Catamaran Cruises. They will pick you up at your hotel around 830 or so and drive to Bridgetown to hop on your boat.From the start the crew was incredibly http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Barbados/Bridgetown/blog-321796.html Day 2 Sep 3rd.Our next stop would be St. John's Church.St. John's Parish Church is the first church of St. John that is presumed to have been a simple wooden building but its date is unknown. The parish along with St. George was carved out of St.Michael in 16401641. But successive churches were badly damaged by the hurricane of 1675 the Great Hurricane of 1780 and finally destroyed by the http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Barbados/Bathsheba/blog-321751.html Day 2 Sep 3rd I can't say enough words to describe Bathsheba it's a drive that you personally have to take. The giant rocks seemed to have grabbed my attention. If only our driver would've stopped there for a few minutes for even more grander picture taking.Our next stop was at Andromeda Gardens which are located in Bathsheba. There we spent over an hour. It's a well worthwhile stop especial http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Barbados/Bathsheba/blog-321382.html The name Barbados comes from the islandrsquos Portuguese christening of Los Barbados named after the bearded fig tree which grew abundantly on the island at the time of its discovery in the 16th century. This tree is unusual in that it sends aerial roots from its branches thus giving the impression of being bearded.The early history of Barbados goes back to 1620 when British soldiers landed o http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Barbados/blog-321340.html Memorial Day weekend 2008. The weekend that I was coming home to see family and take a walk down Memory Lane. An event that I was very much looking forward to and the chance to see some family members that I hadn't seen since the mid 1980's. In our family we have this standing joke the family gets together for weddings and funerals. Thankfully this weekend wasn't eitherMy plane landed at T http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Tombstone/blog-282593.html As a child we stopped briefly at the Grand Canyon. I remember how grand it was. The canyon seemed to go on forever but more so I knew it was deep and I couldn't see the bottom. It seemed beyond life like to me and I retreated to the safety of our car.Fast forward it was summer of 1994 the year of my 20th high school reunion. Part of my vacation was to see old high school chums the other pa http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-209604.html I've always been fascinated with hot air balloons. Perhaps to some it is another way to travel for others it may be for business or pleasure. Me I guess it is both it is a way to travel not just physically but mentally and spiritually. Pleasure ahhh there's not enough languages in pleasure to speak of hot air balloons.I went on a hot air balloon excursion over Napa Valley in 1995. We wen http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-Mexico/Albuquerque/blog-209247.html