Tagged With "Kalahari Desert"
Comment
Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? # 8.8
Or California. The plants in the foreground are interesting too. The tall shrubs/short trees are similar to joshua trees, a desert plant, while the white flowers are, I believe, hydrangeas, which do best in a moist climate. Altogether, with the conservatory, I'm reminded of England, maybe Cornwall, which is referred to as having a sub-tropical climate. Which, of course, means it could indeed be Australia.
Comment
Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #8.5
What a beautiful church Gumbo has found! WITW? The clues: 18th century Spanish colonial architecture, typical of Franciscan missions; Banner in English; Materials are not typical of Florida or Texas missions; Various effigies of animals and unreal creatures, often incorporated by the Franciscans into their liturgy in order to convert American Indians. Typical of US southwestern states; Not one of the remaining California missions; Not in Santa Fe; Checked missions in Arizona. Found (as did...
Comment
Re: A Springtime Walk in the Desert
Great color and variety! Thanks...I'm going to have to get to the desert in spring, sometime. I visited the Sonora desert in December, and recognize some of these from seeing them without their brilliant display (click HERE for that blog) This is certainly a reminder of how little we know a place when we only know it "in season."
Comment
Re: Where Gumbo Was #17: Death Valley, USA
Yes, it's really amazing how colorful and varied desert plants can be. Did you also see the blog from a few weeks ago on the "Spine Garden" of cacti in Arizona? It's at https://www.travelgumbo.com/blo...zona-s-sonora-desert
Comment
Re: July 27, 2016: Bighorn Sheep at Hemenway Park in Boulder City, NV
Wow! That's a lot of sheep! I imagine there are few places that offer such succulent moist grass for these desert dwellers. Must have been fun to stop and study them. And good that you didn't let those little dogs out of the car, as the sheep likely would have killed them.
Comment
Re: Mall of the Emirates
Unbelievable technology to maintain a ski resort in the desert. I believe the world's largest indoor ski resort just opened last summer which is the Wanda Indoor Ski and Winter Sports Resort in Harbin China.
Comment
Re: Water rationing set for Rome
Fortunately, I've booked a ground floor apartment. But I know about rationing & conserving, having lived in the desert and through droughts more than once. I promise I'll be careful.
Comment
Re: A Culinary Adventure in Portugal
Sagres and Superbock Beer are a Portuguese favourite. I always have a supply in the fridge. For drinks after dinner I prefer a Mateus Rose Wine. Strong in alcohol content - sparkling and not dry. Portugal has an all year warm climate as the prevailing winds come up from North Africa and the Sahara Desert.
Comment
Re: Cruising down the Nile (part 2)
Your pictures really bring out what I learned—and taught—in school: how narrow a margin of arable soil along the river was able to feed a great civilization, and how close desert and disaster were if the flood and the crop failed. But where it is lush...I had no idea how lush!
Comment
Re: Under the Cirio Tree
There are in the Sonoran Desert part of the Baja Peninsula. I drove the peninsula and back. But who needs an excuse to go. It is one of my favourite places.
Comment
Re: Colorado National Monument
Excellent idea, rbciao! Although I'd recommend visiting the desert regions of the southwest in the shoulder seasons, rather than during the heat of summer. No question in my mind that some of the best scenery in the world is in North America. Ciao!
Comment
Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#115)
We are in a desert, but it's not New Mexico or California. Here's another photo clue for today. We have arrived at our destination, although it's spread over several square kilometers....
Comment
Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#112)
The plant in question is a yucca, I believe, and grows, as DrF says, all over the SW US, including the Sonora Desert that extends into Northern Mexico. But the one in the background of the flower is, if I'm not mistaken, a Joshua Tree and that may narrow down the location, maybe in the Mojave Desert. Or maybe not. Having lived for decades in the Sonora Desert near Mexico, brush fires are uncommon so maybe that fact alone, mentioned by The Puzzler, will help pin it down.
Comment
Re: A visit to Great Basin National Park
A friend who was a park planner for the National Park Service said his favorite park was Big Bend in Texas. He's a lover of desert landscapes, wide-open spaces and, in the case of this park too, almost no visitors. Another orphan, no doubt. http://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm
Reply
Re: California road trip ideas
Hi Mrs. Briggs! What sorta stuff do you like to see? Nature? Mountains? Desert? Wine areas? Big cities? California has it all. Would help to know this to give you better advice. Whatever you decide, its a great place to go. One of the best in the world. Look forward to hearing from you.
Reply
Re: Weekend getaways. Where's your favorite spot
That's a fun question! Living in SoCal, there's lots of great places to getaway to. But there are 2 I really like. In the winter I like Palm Springs. Great weather, wildflowers, the mountains and desert. It's great! In the summer I like to go to Big Bear in the mountains. Beautiful mountain scenery. Great trees and lots of cabins. Both places are great!
Reply
Re: Need help planning Morocco trip
I've traveled independently in Morocco a number of times now, it became my favorite destination from the first trip 15 years ago. You've made a good choice. Regarding your reading, literature aside, I have a number of guides and my first choice is still Lonely Planet, bought prior to my first visit and subsequent editions as the years have gone by. If you don't have one I suggest you get one. I won't suggest you not go in February but don't think because it's largely desert that it's...
Comment
Re: A Visit to the “Spine Garden:”Cactus in Arizona’s Sonora Desert
As it snows and storms outside, a welcome diversion! I find all cacti interesting but there's something captivating about the saguaro forest around Tucson. While visiting Saguaro National Park (years ago, before it was a national park), I remember a newspaper clipping tacked onto the park's information board. The headline read something like "Saguaro cactus involved in double homocide". Seems a drunk yahoo with a shotgun drove out to the desert to kill himself a giant saguaro. He did, the...
Comment
Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Mar 10, 2014: Fiori di Como, The Bellagio, Las Vegas
Well, when you're in Vegas for your anniversary sometime GarryRF, spring for the Bellagio for even just one night and let your beloved wife see the fountain show from that side of the street! I enjoy Vegas in small snippets -- 2-3 days every few years is about perfect. Great place to meet friends, eat well and enjoy a show. Gamble if you want, though I find it too painful to have my wallet stripped that way. I like to go there in the spring and fall so I can head into the surrounding desert...
Comment
Re: Baja California: La Paz — John Steinbeck’s “The Pearl”
Thanks for the note, TravelandNature! AeroMexico has pretty regularly scheduled flights into La Paz, though through Mexico City, so you'll have to connect. Worth checking major search engines like Expedia or Kayak, though, because it is a rather long drive, though I enjoy the desert scenery of Baja California.
Comment
Re: Where in the World is Gumbo #17
This reminds me of desert in the American Southwest, maybe Death Valley or Joshua tree or Baja California. I imagine it's pretty hot out there on a summer day!
Comment
Re: Gumbo’s Pic of the Day, February 27, 2015: Postcards from Morocco - the camel train at sunset
Very thought provoking photo. Life hasn't changed for a thousand years - and they're still happy. We define a desert as a waste land, but its obviously not.
Comment
Re: Gumbo’s Pic of the Day, June 20, 2014: Hamburg Harley bikers, Germany
Great photo! A couple of weeks ago we passed about 20 HD enthusiasts who were all German, sitting in a Burger King outside Moab in Utah's desert. Quite an interesting sight.
Comment
Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, May 10, 2014: Essaouira, Morocco
Such a pretty jumble of blues! Interestingly the same shade of blue as the robes of the Tuareg tribe's people from the desert regions of the south.
Blog Post
Gumbo's Pic of the Day, January 29, 2015: The art of lava
I'm often amazed at how beautiful the small things in nature can be. Whether a bee pollinating a flower, a wild animal stopping to look at you, a blade of grass struggling to grow in a desert, or how sculpted lava can seem. These photos...
Blog Post
Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 9, 2015: "Teddy Bear" Cholla
When you see a group of them at a distance in the "Cholla Cactus Garden" (Joshua Tree National Park), they're a memorable site. With their arms outstretched, these cacti seem rather fuzzy, almost soft, and hence the name "teddy...
Blog Post
Dry Falls – Home of The World’s Largest Waterfall!
Imagine a waterfall with a precipice over three and a half miles (5.5 km) long and a drop of over 400 feet (120 m)! By comparison, Niagara Falls is about 1/10th as wide. Think of the millions of gallons of water pouring over it each...
Blog Post
A springtime hike on the Yakima Rim Skyline Trail
After a rather long winter I was ready for a pleasant dayhike. While I’d rather head up to the mountains for a stroll in an alpine meadow, there’s way too much snow up there in April. Fortunately in the Northwest there are some...
Blog Post
Washington state's Wild Horses Monument & Gingko Petrified Forest
The Columbia River is one of the most interesting and beautiful geographic features of the Inland Northwest, from its headwaters in British Columbia to the dramatic Gorge just east of Portland, Oregon. When...
Blog Post
Columbia River Gorge, Where Gumbo Was #82
Gumbo was visiting the beautiful Columbia River Gorge, which straddles northern Oregon and southern Washington states. Specifically, Gumbo was enjoying the amazing view of the Gorge through the lobby window of the Skamania Lodge in...
Blog Post
Colorado National Monument
While many of the units of the US National Park system are frequently visited and very busy, there are also a few less crowded places. Colorado National Monument (known to locals as " The Monument" ) falls into the latter category....
Blog Post
Tahquitz Canyon, Palm Springs
It's a great time of year to be visiting the desert regions of the Southwestern USA. The weather is warm and pleasant, the wildflowers are starting to bloom, and the oppressive heat of summer is a distant...
Blog Post
Palm Springs Air Museum, California (Where Gumbo was #104)
Gumbo was visiting the Palm Springs Air Museum in the California desert, and specifically had the privilege of sitting in the cockpit of a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber (like the one in the above photo). Congratulations to the many who...
Blog Post
The Living Desert Wildlife and Botanical Park, Palm Desert
Palm Desert's LIVING DESERT offers a place to see several desert ecosystems, as well as an interesting assortment of animals from the Americas and Africa.
Blog Post
Under the Cirio Tree
One of the strangest plants I have ever seen is the Cirio Tree. It is a bizarre tree found mostly in the Baja California peninsula in Mexico. A few also grow in mainland Mexico and in Arizona. It is also known as the Boojum...
Blog Post
Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 10, 2015: Arizona – The sunshine, the red rock desert and the survival of the fittest
Recently I attended a medical course in Scottsdale, Arizona. Using one afternoon, a few late afternoons plus evenings, I got chance to explore the area around Phoenix and Scottsdale. The clear...
Blog Post
Why You should visit Nevada's Valley of Fire
Tired of the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas? Had enough of the concrete canyons and smoked filled casinos of Sin City? Not sure if it's day or night (there are no clocks allowed in Vegas casinos)? Then you should do...
Blog Post
Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#108)
Gumbo's left the vast desert of the southwestern United States and traveled to this place of culture and sophistication. Lovely, isn't it? But this image contains just a small part of this enormous and very special...
Blog Post
The Cabins, Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada (Where Gumbo Was #107)
This was a tough puzzle which eluded even our great TG travel sleuths. In the above quiz photo we see evidence of a constructed dwelling in a place of red-rock, but not much else. As Jonathan L pointed out, the image screams...
Blog Post
Brooklyn's Spectacular Botanic Garden (Where Gumbo Was #112)
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a pint-size treasure that always seems bigger than it is (and which occupies an outsize place in botanical research) was this week's answer to Where in the World is TravelGumbo? Because the Garden presents an array...
Blog Post
Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#112)
Gumbo is staying outdoors for another week's puzzle. Gumbo like it outdoors; you can tell by the number of blogs here that feature gardens and parks and hikes and streetscapes. Sometimes the tropics, sometimes a desert, this time...where? ...
Blog Post
Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#116)
Gumbo's wanderings continue. This journey takes him from the dry etched desert of coastal Peru to a place that's more civilized -- or is it? Gumbo's quite curious about the place he's found today. Do you...
Blog Post
Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 24, 2015: Where is Apache Trail??
Located at the northeastern edge of greater Phoenix area, the Apache Trail was recommended by our friend as Arizona’s oldest and most scenic driving trail. The winding 40 mile road takes you through the magnificent scenery of sometime steep...
Blog Post
Scottsdale By the Numbers
Scottsdale Attractions: 1) Hot Air Expeditions: Start your day in a hot air balloon soaring over the desert with the sun creeping over the mountains. 2) Taliesin West : Frank Lloyd...
Blog Post
Amtrak's Auto Train - Relax your way to Sunshine
There is a rhythm to train travel that is different. This is especially true when you are taking a train for a long distance. I recently took a round trip excursion on Amtrak’s Auto Train. And it immediately reminded me why I enjoy train travel...
Blog Post
Route 66 - Pasadena to Needles
Last summer I had the opportunity to do something I had always wanted to do - drive a significant portion of Route 66. Having spent 4 days in LA, I started a drive to Albuquerque to meet up with The Amazing Ms. D. Instead of rushing down the...
Blog Post
Historic Route 66 (pt 2) - Needles CA to Flagstaff AZ
Leaving Needles CA, I drove a route that is a MUST DRIVE if you are the kind of person that loves road trips. The main portion of my day was spent on the longest continuous stretch of the original Route 66 that is still in place - From Topock AZ to...
Blog Post
Historic Route 66 (pt 3) - Flagstaff to Gallup
The next leg of my trip was the shortest distance I had to drive, but it took the longest time. There was a lot to see along the way. Flagstaff AZ I was last in Flagstaff 20 years ago. It was a dismal depressed town in which nothing was...
Blog Post
Death Valley National Park
Death Valley is one of the most desolate place I have been. Others include central Greenland and the Dead Sea. Death Valley is the lowest place in the western hemisphere at 282 feet (86 metres) below sea level. The Dead Sea in Israel is 1,370...