Archive for the ‘Featured’ Category

February27

Tips for Traveling to the Riviera Maya, Mexico

By: JoAnna

Tips for Traveling to the Riviera Maya, MexicoThe Riviera Maya in Mexico is known for its awesome archeological ruins and ecological preservation. Though only just a short drive from Cancun, the vast majority of the Riviera Maya is far less developed. In general, protecting the land takes priority over providing huge oceanfront beaches for tourists. Natural species are allowed to flourish and are replenished when destroyed by Mother Nature. Wildlife (including creepy crawly critters) are allowed to live … and visitors just have to deal with them.

Just like other areas of Mexico, it is unique in its geographic location and local history, and the efforts in retaining its natural beauty make it a worthwhile stop on a trip to Mexico. However, this uniqueness also means that traveling to the Riviera Maya requires some special consideration and planning. If you are planning a trip to the Riviera Maya, here are a few tips to make your travels easier and more enjoyable:

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September26

Images: Great Reno Balloon Race | Reno, Nevada

By: JoAnna

I’ve always been in awe of the gracefulness and colors of hot air balloons. I love the huge swaths of fabric sewn together to create bulbous rainbows. I love the moment when the balloons go from laying on their sides to standing straight up in the air. I love how, even though all the hot air balloons are basically floating in the same place, they all manage to capture their own piece of space and move at different speeds and in different patterns than those around them.

Though I’ve been a spectator and balloon chaser, it wasn’t until this year that I had the opportunity to actually ride in a hot air balloon at the Great Reno Balloon Race in Reno, Nevada. Though I’ve always loved the spectacle of hot air balloons from the ground, this year I also got to enjoy the view from a basket high in the sky. Here are some of my favorite images from the event.

Images: Great Reno Balloon Race | Reno, Nevada

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July18

When a Place is More Than a Place | Walden Pond, Massachusetts

By: JoAnna

When a Place is More Than a Place | Walden Pond, MassachusettsSometimes the meaning of a place is more important than the place itself. The significance applied to such a place far exceeds what might be written on informational placards or brochures. These are places you’ve thought about visiting for years, read up on and talked about with others. They are destinations important to your family, your career, your spirituality. You’ve anticipated the moment of reaching these places, of actually standing there.

In all actuality, Walden Pond is just a body of water. It takes about an hour and a half to take a leisurely stroll along the two-mile footpath that circles the pond. Like most students, I read portions of Henry David Thoreau’s book Walden, and I was familiar with the other teacher, writer and lecturer with whom he is often associated: Ralph Waldo Emerson. They were both transcendentalists, which means they advocated individuality and encouraged each person to seek a spiritually fulfilling relationship with the natural world.

I remember liking this idea as a teenager, but I never pursued transcendentalist thought much beyond what my classroom assignments required. Had I been in the Boston area on my own, I probably would have visited Walden Pond, but going to the site was an absolute non-negotiable for my husband who is a high school English teacher and devoted believer in the transcendentalist movement.

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February7

South Rim vs North Rim | Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

By: JoAnna

When most people think of Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, they instantly conjure up images of the South Rim. This isn’t uncommon. In fact, many people don’t realize that there are actually two parts to Grand Canyon National Park. Though they’re separated by about twenty miles as the bird flies, getting between the two sides requires a five-hour road trip or 2 – 3 day hike across the bottom of the canyon (which also requires a permit).

Visiting the Grand Canyon isn’t like visiting other national parks. In fact, the two rims are so drastically different that they should possibly be considered two separate parks. They have different elevations, vegetation, atmospheres and activities. Which rim is best for you? Consider the following:

South Rim vs North Rim | Grand Canyon National Park, ArizonaSouth Rim

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon receives 90% of the park’s visitors for two main reasons:

1. It’s more accessible from several of Arizona’s largest cities and Las Vegas than the North Rim, which makes it easier to enjoy as a day trip.

2. It’s easier to catch the famous Grand Canyon views. A rim trail with several viewpoints easily accessible from the road makes it simple to enjoy the view without a whole lot of work.

I visited the South Rim of the Grand Canyon over Christmas. It was snowy, cold, stunningly beautiful and surprisingly crowded. We reserved a cabin several months in advance and enjoyed the picturesque views from along the trail on the rim, which was especially lovely in the snow. Despite the cold and icy conditions, there were still several tour buses running through the park. Hermit Road was closed to traffic, but the rim trail wasn’t, so hiking along that trail parallel to the road led to almost completed isolated conditions.

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July1

Images: Shoes in a Tree | Mojave Desert, California

By: JoAnna

On the long road that cuts through the Mojave Desert in Southern California, there are a variety of cacti, twisted Joshua trees and the very rare desert tortoise. South of Mojave National Preserve and north of Joshua Tree National Park there is a toppled tree on the side of the road that is just a bit more colorful and notable than others. I’m not sure if this particular tree is known by any particular name, but I’ve come to call it the shoe tree.

I’d love to know the shoe tree’s story. Who threw the first shoe onto the tree? Was it intentional or did someone throw a shoe out a moving car window in frustration? Now covered in hundreds of flip-flops and tennis shoes, hiking boots and slippers, the shoe tree has become a collection of wearable graffiti. Some shoes are worn with peeling soles and tattered laces. Others look new enough to sell in a second-hand shop. All of them, in some way, have a story to tell.

Images: Shoes in a Tree | Mojave Desert, California

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September18

6 Life Lessons I Learned at Burning Man

By: JoAnna

6 Life Lessons I Learned at Burning ManI’ve been home from Burning Man for almost two weeks. As I’ve decompressed and eased my way back into the “default” world, the people who I’ve found to be walking common ground are other burners who have also been readjusting to the lives we left behind before venturing into Black Rock City in northern Nevada. Some feel lonely and others frustrated or upset. Some have embraced a new direction in life. The readjustment process is not unlike what many Peace Corps volunteers experience when they return home from service. Just as two years of service in a developing nation can never be summed up in a single conversation, neither can Burning Man.

I’ve read articles and essays, looked at pictures and watched videos of this year’s Burning Man event, but none of them truly captures the spirit of Black Rock City. People keep asking me to tell them about Burning Man, but I’m not quite sure what they are asking. Everyone who attends Burning Man experiences something significantly different than everyone else. While we all share the same living space for a week, every experience is intensely personal and profound — and for many of us, it is life-changing as well.

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