My favorite photos: Snow drift

Snow Drift on Bruce Trail

This photo was taken on one of the snow-shoeing outings on the Bruce Trail. There was a big snowfall right before this trip, so we were lucky to see all kinds of strange shapes made out of fresh brilliant white snow.

My favorite photos: Wild Apples on Bruce Trail

Wild Apple

As it finds its way through southern Ontario, Bruce Trail passes through many abandoned apple orchards. Hiking there in the fall easily turns into apple tasting, as many of the trees still bear fruit that taste as great as they look.

My favorite photos: Ancient Bristlecone Pine

Ancient Bristecone Pine in White Mountains

This magical grove is located in the White Mountains, east of the Owens Valley of California. It has some of the longest-living trees on the planet, Ancient Bristlecone Pines. These trees have adapted to survive in very harsh conditions, and even after they die the sturdy trunks remain standing for thousands of years. This specific one may not be the oldest, since the exact location of the 4,750 years old “Methuselah” is kept secret to protect the tree. Nonetheless, it is definitely a very ancient tree.

I will be writing about our trip to the Owens Valley in more detail quite soon, so stay tuned!

My favorite photos: Suburban Savannah

Coyote Hills Regional Park

When I first saw this photo, I thought, “Wow, this is how I believe African Savannah must look like”. However, this photo was taken thousands of miles away from Africa, in Coyote Hills Regional Park of Fremont, California. You can even see the suburban housing developments if you look closely at the background.

My favorite photos: Paintings at Ellora Caves

Elephant painting in Ellora Caves

Ellora Caves is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the state of Maharashtra, India. The caves are actually temples which were excavated between 5th and 10th centuries. Unfortunately, most of the temples do not have any of the paintings remaining. This one survived though, and allowed us a glimpse into how magnificent these temples must have been back in the days when they were still active.

My favorite photos: Cabin with a view

Cabin with a view

We were out on a sail in Lake Ontario with Humber Sailing Club. We were trying to practice some navigation on an old chart in the cabin when another boat came into the view and aligned perfectly for a nice photo.

My favorite photos: Waiting for the Guests

Waiting for the Guests

We were exploring the white sandy beaches of the Gran Bahia resort at Riviera Maya when we came across this wonderful location. This is one of the places where the resort holds wedding ceremonies. We were lucky to arrive there before the guests came in, so we were able to enjoy the beautiful white decorations and the breathtaking Caribbean Sea in total solitude.

My favorite photos: Bruce Trail in St. Catharines

Bruce Trail in St. Catharines

This photo makes me smile. It summons so many pleasant memories of my life in Ontario. In the foreground, we have the white blaze of the Bruce Trail. It’s one of the most well-known and popular hiking trails in Ontario, and over the years I’ve spent many-a-days hiking there. The background will be familiar to any Canadian. Tim Hortons is the quintessential Canadian coffee shop, and a welcome sight for an early morning trip.

My favorite photos: Little Crab’s Secret Hiding Place

Secret Hiding Place

This photo was taken at Mickey’s Beach, a popular rock climbing spot on the Pacific Coast near San Francisco. The little crab got scared of our approach and scuttled to hide between the rocks. However, Vitaly waited it out and got this shot just as the crab poked his eye out to see if the danger is gone.

My favorite photos: Abandoned Car

Abandoned car in Hampi

This photo was taken in Hampi, India. On our last day there, we decided to go bushwhacking in the hills, in the hopes to find some nice boulder to climb on. We didn’t find what we were looking for, but we did find this car, abandoned in the middle of nowhere, not even a road in sight.