This past summer, I discovered something. I discovered that I have a small obsession with one feature of mountain ranges that has been elusive to me –… Read more “Layers | Mt Shasta, CA”
Tag: Photography
Bongeun-Sa (봉은사) | Finding Peace in the Middle of Seoul | My Korean Odyssey
Seoul is a busy city. Forget New York as the city that never sleeps. Seoul brims with life all day and night long with 24-hour shopping centers,… Read more “Bongeun-Sa (봉은사) | Finding Peace in the Middle of Seoul | My Korean Odyssey”
Crater Lake | One Photo
I’ve wanted to visit Crater Lake for… a long time. Last year, when I took my parents on a road trip, we drove just 30 miles south of it – but because our schedule was packed that day, we decided not to take the turn and go to the lake.
Crater Lake has been nagging in the back of my mind even more consistently since. And this month, I finally got to visit this wonder. What I can’t say, however, is that the lake would stop nagging. Ever since I laid my eyes on it for the first time, my mind has been trying to wrap itself around it. How does something like this even exist? No photos can do justice to the blue of the water – the bluest blue I’ve ever seen – or to the size of the lake, or to the gradient of the sky above it. To take it all in in one look is impossible; you have to turn your head from side to side to be able to take in the whole lake.
Yet again, I was completely amazed by the wonders of the planet we live on as I stood on the top of the lookout where we hiked with my boyfriend . It took some time and convincing for him to get me to start hiking back down. I could be staring at that lake for centuries and never be able to comprehend it, never have enough…
Logan Pass View | One Photo
The view from above Logan Pass, most probably Going-to-the-sun Mountain or Matahapi Peak in the center and a part of Hanging gardens on the right. Glacier National Park, Montana.
Because sometimes, I just want to share photos that have a really special place in my heart or I’m really proud of, here and there, You’ll start seeing these published. I didn’t know how to do it for some time because honestly, I’m not very well off with website design, but I’ve decided to just do it the way I know. So here goes.
It was on my back from the very-not-pleasant weather that ruled the mountains above Logan Pass in Glacier National Park. Every other part of my body was drenched to the bone, but thanks to my rain shell jacket, at least my torso was more or less untouched and wasn’t going straight hypothermic. I encountered some interesting weather up there – hail/thunderstorm with winds that almost blew me off the mountain. Fun. A lot of fun…
It was only when the thick clouds/fog lifted that I could see anything; before, I was just drowning in the white nothingness surrounding me. The mountains showed themselves for a couple minutes and I could enjoy the beauty of it all, and see that in the eastern part of the park, it’s probably nice and, if not completely, at least almost-sunny.
Below, you can see a couple edits of this original image. I couldn’t decide which one I liked the most!
Bridalveil Fall | One Photo
Bridalveil Fall, Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California
Because sometimes, I just want to share photos that have a really special place in my heart or I’m really proud of, here and there, You’ll start seeing these published. I didn’t know how to do it for some time because honestly, I’m not very well off with website design, but I’ve decided to just do it the way I know. So here goes.
It was amazing to see the first light after a long drive through the dark. Coming to Yosemite often, it was a little different this time; I was on a mission. I was on a mission to show my parents why I love this place so much, to have them understand why I love the life I live.
It was easier than I thought. Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite Valley, our very first stop of the road trip I brought my parents on, did the job almost immediately.
The soft morning light made the waterfall seem to be falling right from heaven. Cold droplets of pristine water carried by the winds landed on our faces. One look at my parents’ eyes was enough to see that they, too, were immediately charmed by the beauty of Yosemite. And we’ve barely just begun…
Half Dome | One Photo
Half Dome from Tioga Road.
Because sometimes, I just want to share photos that have a really special place in my heart or I’m really proud of, here and there, You’ll start seeing these published. I didn’t know how to do it for some time because honestly, I’m not very well off with website design, but I’ve decided to just do it the way I know. So here goes.
That morning was cold. I shook the dew off my tent before starting to pack up, my headlamp the only source of light. I could see the touch of dawn in the sky, but it wasn’t enough for my eyes to be able to see what I was doing.
That morning was cold. Cold like my heart whenever I have to leave this little piece of miracle that Yosemite National Park is.
That morning was cold. I left Tuolumne Meadows and stopped by to say bye to Tenaya Lake. By that time, the sky was nectarine orange and grey-deep blue.
That morning was cold. The lone road led me through the mountains and then, Half Dome showed itself to comfort me. The sun has just started to come up somewhere in the East and that prominent piece of granite appeared to be the one emitting the orange light.
The morning became warm.
And I didn’t say goodbye to this place I love.
The morning was warm and I said, “See you soon.”
I Am All And All Is Me | Searching the Aloha
The sand was wet from the recent rain. The surf was high, breaking over the barrier guarding the cove. The sky was grey with heavy clouds. And… Read more “I Am All And All Is Me | Searching the Aloha”
Foggy Redwoods | One Photo
Because sometimes, I just want to share photos that have a really special place in my heart or I’m really proud of, here and there, You’ll start seeing these published. I didn’t know how to do it for some time because honestly, I’m not very well off with website design, but I’ve decided to just do it the way I know. So here goes.
This eerie picture was taken when I drove through the redwood forest towards the campground where I was staying. The sun hasn’t touched the ground there for a few days. Everything was covered in dew, including me; whenever I walked even for just a tiny little while, little drops of water condensated on my eyelashes.
It’s around midday in the picture, even though it might not seem so. The clouds, the fog, and the tall trees made the it seem like if the ground was experiencing twilight all day long. Everything was unbelievably quiet and tranquil; all sound were softened and muffled by the fog and all seemed perfectly still…
Grand Teton | One Photo
Because sometimes, I just want to share photos that have a really special place in my heart or I’m really proud of, here and there, You’ll start seeing these published. I didn’t know how to do it for some time because honestly, I’m not very well off with website design, but I’ve decided to just do it the way I know. So here goes.
This is Grand Teton. The Tetons stole my heart probably even before I got there. I’ve wanted to feel and be the place for a long time, but never found the time to go there. And then, finally, I saw them for the first time – dusted with snow from the green fields of Idaho. Driving through Teton Pass on the slopes of Mt Glory in the darkness of early morning, the sun starting to come up when we stopped in Wilson, a strong wave of emotion swept over me once more.
The hike on which we got caught up in a thunderstorm. And the views after the rain stopped and the clouds lifted and revealed the mountains tops covered in fresh snow… That was the moment I knew I was lost, hopelessly. There was no coming back; the Tetons found their place in my heart that’s been waiting only for them and started to call it home…
(Photo) The Windy Night, The Morning of Wild Waves, The Green Turtles, And the Black Beach | Searching the Aloha
It was a bit windy at night. All right, it was a bit more windy than that. Woken up into the endless starry night sky, I realize that the thing that is pulling on my sleeping bag isn’t any animal but strong gusts of wind. Good thing I’m not sleeping in a tent – it would have probably given up on me and flown away by now.
I’m in the same spot as yesterday; on polished lava flow, only with my sleeping pad and sleeping bag. But apart from yesterday, it feels like everything, including myself, is going to get blown off the rock into the ocean. I make sure the sleeping pad is right under my body (being rarely glad that I’m the way I am and not one pound lighter so I’m not floating in the air by now), tighten the sleeping bag around my ears and watch the shining sky. It’s almost unbearably beautiful. I can’t believe how many stars there are, up and beyond what we can see and comprehend. My eyes get all teary – but that’s probably because of the strong wind.
I need to get some sleep before tomorrow (well, today) comes and so I turn my back towards the wind, close my eyes and let the sound of wild ocean sing me back to a bit uncanny sleep while my hair gets all wild, caught up in a play with the moving air (needless to say, it’s not easy to comb it in the morning).
♥
The morning comes quick and I’m woken up into the feeling of somebody’s feet moving somewhat nervously very near my head. I open my eyes to see a plump and very friendly looking Hawaiian man. It’s the same one I saw yesterday while watching the sunrise, he’s even wearing the same raincoat (even though I don’t know what for – there’s not one single cloud in the pink-blue sky)
“Morning,” I say.
“Morning,” he answers a bit startled and then continues: “Sorry I woke you up, I didn’t know if you were all right.”
“No, no, it’s fine, I didn’t expect to sleep so long.” A moment of quiet.
“Why did you sleep here?”
“I wanted to”
“Do you have no tent?”
“I do but it’s so beautiful outside, it would be a waste not to sleep under the open sky.”
I don’t think this young man understands exactly what I’m trying to say but he must get at least a part of it – after all, he came yesterday and today to watch the sunrise – and maybe he comes here every day. Who knows?
He walks away and I collect my stuff, put it in the car and go watch the ocean, the waves, and green turtles (!) before the heat drives me out again.
PHOTOS:
- The Life of a Wave I. (a time-lapse)
2. The Life of a Wave II. (a time-lapse)
3. Honu – The Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles (an endangered species of turtles, native to Hawai’i, up to 4 feet long and can weight over 300 pounds)
4. The Palms, Sands, And Lava Flows of Punalu’u
5. (Bonus) My ‘Bedroom’ And The View from My ‘Bed’
Please, let me know how this way of showing photos works with you – is this good, or do you prefer to have the photos separately, one by one? Thank you so much for any kind of feedback!
Love,
Pina
The previous Searching-the-Aloha article is HERE.
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And have a day full of beautiful sights! 🙂
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Hit the Road with Me 