Tagged With "Aladdin Desert Camp"
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Re: Auschwitz Concentration Camp, Poland. The infamous 'Arbeit macht frei' sign at the entrance
I have not been to Auschwitz but have been to some in Western Europe such as Dachau, Bergen-Belsen and Buchenwald. It is an experience like no other. The atmosphere is oppressive and dark. It is almost like nature knows these are sites of unspeakable horror and you can sense it. When we went to Dachau it was a sunny day walking to the camp but once inside it seemed like everything clouded over and there was an absence of the birds singing that we heard outside the camp.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan, 21, 2014: Raccoon, Vancouver, British Columbia
And they are smart. When my kids were young, we used to camp every summer in Maine, at a site where raccoons came every night to feast at the cans. One year I decided I'd had enough, and brought chain tethers to keep the lids on. Worked fine, the lids stayed quiet all night. But in the morning, when we left our tents, we found that our two stryofoam coolers (which were not in use) had been shredded, all the implements from the table were on the ground, and the ropes securing our storage tarp...
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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.
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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...
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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."
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Re: In Egypt: Philae Island
A fascinating (and detailed) look at a site that many visitors completely miss, even based in Aswan ! The rescue (as with Abu Simbel) is a story in itself, but the 19thC visitors take the biscuit for hubris - wasn't it Edward Lear who set up his camp in the temple ?
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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.
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Re: Kettering, Northamptonshire: Where Gumbo Was (#38)
When I was researching the history of the land my house is built on I opened up so much information. During WW1 the land was used for a temporary Army Camp. Many new soldiers were from Wales - 20 miles away - who spoke no English ! But on the 8th June 1917 Capt. (later General) Patton arrived in the Port of Liverpool England on his way to France. He took a train to Litherland Railway Station and stayed here in my garden until he left to catch a Train from Liverpool to London. I often find...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, November 25, 2014: Fall colors at Upper Kananaskis Lake, Alberta
Hi GarryRF, Yes, this part of the world includes vaste stretches of wilderness. Lots and lots of unspoiled mountains, valleys, forests, rivers and lakes. It is only an hour's drive from west Calgary, so lots of those of us who live here spend our weekends in the Rockies. Much like those in Denver. Camping is wonderful in the summertime, as the weather is mild and the days very long. It's also great to hike here at that time. Camping in the winter is only for the brave of heart. You need to...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, November 25, 2014: Fall colors at Upper Kananaskis Lake, Alberta
My Wife - she who must be obeyed - loves a single Kayak and the open sea. So I presume this would be on a lake. Much safer I think. Sounds like you have the perfect location for a wilderness family like ours ! When we camp in summer you'd mistake some of the tents for aircraft hangers. But the kids and babies come too. Canoes and Fishing rods. Wet suits and waders. We go to Shell Island in Wales - but only when the tides out. Need to plan your journey ahead. They only have Grizzly Sheep.
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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!
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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.
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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!
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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....
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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.
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Re: Walking the Burgundy Canal
Every walk is different, of course, so planning, for someone like me who isn't a distance walker, is essential. I can walk comfortably up to about 10 miles with my little pack, more if I must but try to avoid it, so there's no rush in the morning to be out early. I enjoy a leisurely breakfast and head out mid-morning. I'm never in the position of looking for a place to overnight because I've reserved in advance, either well in advance or at least a day or 2, knowing where I'll be. In France...
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Re: A visit to Great Basin National Park
Well, for a start, make sure you visit Reno, Travel Luver. It's a much small town than Vegas but still has all the casinos, restaurants, etc that you'd expect from a Nevada City. From here it's easy to do a day trip to Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, or down to Carson City. Reno is actually the closest major city to Great Basin National Park, say about a 3-4 hour drive. Vegas is 6-7 hour drive away. Salt Lake City is closer to Great Basin than Vegas. But you really can't do it as...
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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
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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.
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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!
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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.
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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!
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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.
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Re: Tuktoyaktuk: A village on the Arctic Coast of Canada
Thanks for this post, Tom, and I also appreciate your involvement with TravelGumbo. A few questions. The town seems too small for even basic tourist services. Did you just camp, or was there someplace you could stay? Also, a question about waste water. With permafrost, how is this drained from the homes so that it doesn't freeze in the pipes?
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Re: Tuktoyaktuk: A village on the Arctic Coast of Canada
Originally Posted by DrFumblefinger: Thanks for this post, Tom, and I also appreciate your involvement with TravelGumbo. A few questions. The town seems too small for even basic tourist services. Did you just camp, or was there someplace you could stay? Also, a question about waste water. With permafrost, how is this drained from the homes so that it doesn't freeze in the pipes? The town has a few places for accommodations including bed & breakfast places and two grocery stores but...
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Re: Finding Reiner #2: Chasing Ghosts
Another brilliant post, HistoryDigger! Thanks. I think you've described the situation many young German men were in, and it's a lesson for all of us to fight tyranny at every step and with all we have. It is also a reminder to me how a government that is "a friend of the people" can crush those same people if their power isn't checked. After the Nazis had seized power, there was no tolerance for dissent. You were either with them -- or you were in big big trouble (possibly even fatal...
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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.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, July 29, 2014. Shira Plateau, Tanzania
Hi Garry, By law, you can not climb or go on Mount Kilimanjaro without hiring a local "crew", which would include guide, cooks, porters. Most people do this as part of a travel package, as did I, which for me also included a week of wildlife viewing on the Tanzanian savanna. They take good care of you -- show you the way, warn you of dangers (mostly the altitude and dehydration), carry most of your gear and boil your water and prepare your food. So while remote, it was not a really tough...
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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.
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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...
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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...
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The Bear Blog
I had a hunch when Shelly and I were planning our 59 National Park in 59 weeks tour that wildlife would be center stage. I knew that the buffalo would roam in Yellowstone, that the tropical fish would dance...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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....
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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...
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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...
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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.
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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...