The Haights

It’s actually quite coincidental that yesterday I was referring to Jack Kerouac who is seen as one of the pioneers of the beat movement. And today I’m writing about a neighborhood that became a center for this beat population in the early 60′s. I’m...

On the Road Part 2

Route 66. It’s a symbol of freedom. Every teenagers dream. It has inspired writers, singers and composers. Road Trips are my favorite way of holiday-ing, so it made me feel ecstatic when we hit this legendary highway in the USA. And the fact that it takes you to...

…and Down the John Muir Trail

Nevada Falls is twice as high as Vernal Falls and the path towards it twice as steep.The trail is a little less misty, but again with a huge waterfall and a steep climb. Once you reach the top you have amazing views all over the valley and of Half Dome, something we will...

Up the Mist Trail…

Sometimes after a really great trip we suffer from a reverse form of homesickness. Only the really special places do that to us, and Yosemite Park is definitely one of them. We did such an amazing hike, I just wish we could go back there now and enjoy it all again. We...

In the Arizona Desert

You see it in wild wild west movies. Dry land, cactus plants and a horizon that’s trembling from the heat. To actually be in the middle of this kind of landscape feels like walking through a movie set. It’s beautiful! The flora and fauna are so different from...

Death Valley #3: Badlands

Sometimes your eyes play tricks on you. Or your mind just doesn’t know what’s in front of you. Ever had that? Well I have! In the Death Valley Badlands we stopped at what seemed to be a snowy field or an icy lake. Even the sound it made when we stepped on it,...

Lower Antelope Canyon

Can you imagine, you’re walking through the desert and all of a sudden you spot a crevice in the ground, hiding an underground canyon? A path 400 meters long shaped by wind and water and showing the most beautiful shapes? It must have happened to someone a long time...

The Grand Canyon

Some places are so amazing, you have to pinch yourself to truly believe what you’re seeing. Grand Canyon is such a place. It’s so huge, so big, so gigantic, so..uhm…Grand that it almost looks unearthly. Or maybe that is exactly what it is. Many hikes...

Highway 1

I remember seeing an article in National Geographic 7 years ago about Big Sur. The images were breathtakingly beautiful. Since then, this coastal route has been high on my destination wish list. Finally, during our USA road trip we hit the A1 from L.A. to Monterey. This...

Bear Spotting in Yosemite Valley

“If you follow the sandy path along those rocks, cross the river behind the bend and follow it till you reach a fresh green meadow where you might spot a bear.” When we get this advice from a ranger in Yosemite Park we don’t really know what to think of...

Yosemite At Night

Sometimes you’re in the right place at the right time. That happened to us, when we were in Yosemite Parc when it was “Super Moon”, the 5th of May. During the day, everybody was nervously talking about the perfect spot and when and where to see the moon...

Sequoia Grove

Once upon a time the world was covered in red forests consisting of gigantic, humongous, mammoth trees. These days, you’ll only find them along the Californian coast in one of the national parks. I can tell you: they are huge! In fact, they are so tall and big, they...

Santa Barbara Do’s and Don’ts

“I wanna live here!” Every now and then we visit a place and as soon as we cross the city limit I am certain: I want to buy a house here. I had that same experience in Santa Barbara. Of course it helped that it was a late afternoon, with an orange setting sun...

Death Valley #3: Dust in the Wind

Another highlight in Death Valley: the Mesquite flat dunes. Even though the area looks small,  you can walk around for hours if you want to, following the sharp lines of crescent dunes further into the desert. You might be surprised by a sand storm, scrubbing your face...

Death valley #2: Mosaic Canyon

Who ever thinks Death Valley is just desert is wrong. Ok, there are beautiful sand dunes (more about that soon), salt plains and lots of pink, purple and beige rocks, but the canyons are maybe the most impressive spots to visit. Mosaic Canyon is one of them, and the name...