Southeast - 1: New Orleans

Traveling back in time to winter break of 2012/2013 just before our flight to San Diego, we packed the car and drove to explore Southeast: Louisiana and New Orleans, Florida and Everglades National Park, Seaworld in Orlando and Atlanta Aquarium

For some unfathomable reason I was shooting jpeg-only up until Florida, so here it goes

Family outing: Caprock Canyon with Mom and Dad

One sunny Texan day in February of 2013, my parents and I found our way through dusty planes under the blue sky to Caprock Canyon to visit bisons.

Southwest part 7: The Pacific Coast, California

The last part of the journey - south on snaky Highway 1 along the ultramarine waves of the Pacific Ocean

Southwest part 6: San Francisco

From Lake Tahoe we drove South-West and finally reached the Pacific Coast at wonderful San Francisco.

Southwest part 5: From Yosemite to Lake Tahoe

Leaving Yosemite Valley, we drove through Sierras with the view of mountains...

Southwest part 4: Yosemite Valley

After Utah, Death Valley and Sequoia's we reached the place that for me so far is the crown jewel of California - the magnificent Yosemite Valley. The first panorama is the view on the valley from the Glacier point, Half-Dome is on the right

Southwest part 3: Giant Sequoia's

After Utah (part 1) and Death Valley (part 2), we explored the Sequoia National Forest and finally saw the giant sequoia's, the world's oldest and tallest living organisms. (Finally, since we miserably failed during last year trip from Oregon, as I hit some metal cord on the road, and instead of coastal Redwoods we spent two days in creepy town of Eureka - but that's totally another story.)

Southwest part 2: Death Valley

The second leg of our journey through the Southwest (part 1 is here) took us through ...

...the Death Valley National Park

Southwest part 1: Bryce Canyon and Zion

May 2013 found us on the road through American Southwest and to the Pacific Coast in California:

I will be adding links to other parts, once the posts are up.

The first leg of our journey took us to South Utah: Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park (red on the map above)

San Diego: Zoo

During our last day we visited San Diego Zoo, one of the largest zoo's in the world, pioneered the concept of open-air, cageless exhibits that re-create natural animal habitats. Below are just pictures in no particular order. Well, in order we saw the animals. Because I am lazy to come up with any other order :)

San Diego: USS Midway

USS Midway was an aircraft carrier in US Navy. Commissioned right after the end of World War II it served for 47 years until 1992. It was the biggest ship in the world until 1955 and was the first US Navy ship to pass the Panama Canal. Now it's a museum ship in San Diego.

San Diego: HMS Surprise

I wanted to visit HMS Surprise ever since... I started reading Patrick O'Brian Aubrey-Maturin series and of course watched Peter Weir's movie "Master and Commander". There will be lots of pictures and not many words :)

San Diego: the City of Contrasts

January 2013. After coming back from the road trip to Florida we flew to the conference in San Diego. We were there only for a couple of days, and did some sightseeing in the city and around the bay. The place struck me as the one full of contrasts. There is, of course, downtown filled with concrete, glass and palms...

Acadia - part 2: To the sea, to the sea...

Leaving Elvish woods Lothlorien Acadia, treading the stony paths we entered a different world of fog, mist and dominating ocean. Part two of Acadia adventures will be all about ocean. But at first the Elven magic transported us somehow to, perhaps, Patagonia?

Acadia - part 1: The woods of Lorien

Some two weeks after my Adirondacks adventures  I found myself heading up to Main, for lobsters, ocean and enchanted lands of Acadia national park.