Brazil is known worldwide for various things, including soccer and coffee. Another feature the country is known for is its long coastal line entirely on the Atlantic Ocean: 4,500 miles or 7,400 kilometers. I could not share all my beach … Read More

In December 2014, we spent a few days exploring the Amazon region in northern Brazil. We visited the capital city of the state of Amazonas, Manaus, and its luxurious Opera House. We also navigated the Amazon River to see nearby … Read More

As the year 2023 is about to close, I looked at the photos I captured this year and tried very hard to pick a few that I had somehow overlooked to post whenever I published a new article. We had … Read More

— A couple of months ago we went for a visit at our favorite Austin nursery, Garden Seventeen. We were looking for some native plants to add to our front and back yards. After the 2021 February snowcalypse, a few … Read More

— Christmas in Brazil is not much different from what we experience in the northern hemisphere. Well, if you set aside the fact it is summer in Brazil during Christmas, then not much else is different. The malls are packed … Read More

Who is not enamored by bridges? I cannot resist seeing a bridge without stopping to photograph it. There is something more about bridges than just connecting two points. The Pecos River Bridge in West Texas is a feat of engineering. … Read More

In a recent conversation with a friend, I was asked where I felt more comfortable, whether on the beach or in the mountains. My answer came out without any hesitation: both. I can enjoy myself on a sunny beach just … Read More

Bear, Nymph, Dream, and Emerald Lakes — Rocky Mountain National Park has a number of wonderful lakes. The easy 1-mile (1.6-km) roundtrip hike to Nymph Lake rewards visitors with a trail through a pine forest until reaching the waterlilies covering the … Read More

With the turmoil the world is experiencing, it becomes tough not to be reminded every minute of the pain many people have been suffering in Ukraine and other parts of the world. One way or another, our lives are impacted … Read More

Back in 2006, on our first trip to the Southwest USA national parks, we made a three-hour stop at Natural Bridges National Monument. We wanted to see the three natural bridges in the park. Luckily, a scenic drive took us … Read More