Waterfalls, palm trees and lush ridges. Hawaii, part 13

To read previous part McBryde Botanic Garden. Hawaii, part 12

One of the biggest attractions of Hawaii are waterfalls. There are a lot of them and they are amazing. But before going to look at them, let's take a look at the coconut tree. They are one of the most common plants on the island and... look quite impressive. If the palm tree is growing on the cost, it always has a weird shape, because of the winds they need to resist.

 

McBryde Botanic Garden. Hawaii, part 12

To read previous part History and beauty... Hawaii, part 11

McBryde Botanic Garden is the second "official" botanic garden on Kauai. It's located on the south end of the island and you need to take a nice overgrown road to teach it out. Once you are in... all you need just walk around and admire the lush tropical forest, flowers and palm trees...

 

History and beauty... Hawaii, part 11

To read previous part Waimea Canyon, surfers and sunset... Hawaii, part 10

Most of the people expect the beaches and sun when they have a vacation in Hawaii. But you also can find some interesting places to visit there too. So the next day we decided to look at the place of history and business. Growing sugarcane was a main business for Kauai for a centuries. But now no one does it anymore. So the plantations that bloomed there either died and repurposed or found a new life with changing of the product. Small town of Koloa was a home for a few big sugarcane plantations and one of them is still blooming. They don't produce sugar anymore, but use all the experience of growing sugarcane. Koloa Rum Company is quite young but already has a good reputation and produces a really good rum. They become famous also for producing flavored rum (their Chocolate Rum, infused with Kauai grown cocoa nibs is a mindblower) and ready to drink cocktails.

 

Waimea Canyon, surfers and sunset... Hawaii, part 10

To read previous part Hello, rain! Hawaii, part 09

The forecast was mostly good for the next day and we decided to try seeing Waimea Canyon again. So we took the same route as the day before and... we were really excited. But... we had no luck again. Definitely the landscape looked much better. There was no fog this day and the lower part of the canyon was quite visible and really bright. But... once we drove a bit up on the road, we found the clouds so low and thick and covering everything even better than fog a day ago. So we just turned around and drove to Poipu, the small town with perfect beaches where we spent most of the day.

 

Hello, rain! Hawaii, part 09

To read previous part Plantation Gardens. Hawaii, part 08

The previous day was foggy and a bit rainy. In fact this is quite common for Kauai. Rain, I mean. Generally it is raining every day. A few times every day. But mostly the rains are short, light and warm. So they bring no problems, a few minutes of rain and the sun dries everything in just a minute. And as I said you can pick the location with lowest probability of you getting wet. But sometimes (especially in Spring) the day just stays opposite. I mean it is mostly raining, with the sun taking over from time to time. So that was a day like this during our stay. I cannot really complain, because the rain wasn't strong (more like a shower), warm and the sun still was able to come through the clouds and make some difference.

 

Plantation Gardens. Hawaii, part 08

To read previous part To all coffee lovers... Hawaii, part 07

Do you remember I told you there are two real botanic gardens on the island and one more. Let's take a look at this one. It was a garden of a planter's wife someday and now it is a part of the hotel territory. They do a really good job of keeping it impressive and nice. The best part is that it is open for everyone. You can just drop by and spend as much time here as you wish. Isn't it a paradise?

 

To all coffee lovers... Hawaii, part 07

To read previous part Hedgehog in the Fog. Hawaii, part 06

This day wasn't just rainy and gloomy... It also was a bit sleepy (not a surprise). And we thought it was a great reason to stop for a coffee. In a very special place. So on our way back we just made a turn and stopped for a steaming cup of coffee... and something else ;)

There are a few coffee companies on Hawaii islands. Kauai Coffee is the only company that grows coffee on Kauai Island. And it is also the biggest american coffee company as well. They have a very big orchard close to the coast line of Kauai (3,100 acres). You can drive along this orchard for at least half an hour and they grow 4 millions of the Arabica coffee trees there. 4 millions trees! It's more that the people are living in most of the American cities :-) !

 

Hedgehog in the Fog. Hawaii, part 06

To read previous part A bit more of North. Hawaii, part 05

The next morning was rainy and gloomy. Right, I remember I told you if it is raining on one side, it is sunny on the other side, but... sometimes it is raining everywhere. Especially during the rain season and the end of April is also the end of the rain season, so you need to be ready for some totally rainy days. Or at least half a day of rain all around the island. So next morning was the morning of one of these days. The best we can do is to check where the rain is lighter and drive there. In hope when we get to the target place the sun is going to take over.

 

A bit more of North. Hawaii, part 05

To read previous part Limahuli Botanical Garden, Hawaii, part 04

Finally we left the botanic garden and slowly moved back to the hotel. We stopped here and there to look at the mountains and beaches...

 

Limahuli Botanical Garden, Hawaii, part 04

To read previous part North. Hawaii, part 03

We didn't make big plans when we were on Kauai. We tried to be flexible and follow the weather and our guts. We definitely had a few scenarios in mind every day but played by ear. So when we left the north beach and caught a light rain, we decided to go and see the botanic garden. There are three botanic gardens on Kauai, two official and one not. Limahuli Botanical Garden is located in the north, so it was a logical choice for us to stop by and spend some time there.

 

North. Hawaii, part 03

To read previous part The sun, blue ski, white clouds, green grass and colorful flowers... Hawaii, part 02

Spending all day outside, overwhelmed with new impressions, we slept like babies. But the next morning the roosters woke us up again. We didn't complain actually, the earlier start was in our plans as we were eager to explore more...

Do you know what is the best about Kauai island? The weather. Yes, it is not stable, but... this is incredibly rare having the same weather all around the island. So if it is raining on one end, it'll be sunny on another. All you need is to check the forecast and make a decision, where are you going today - north or south. That morning we were driving to the north end of the road, towards the sun... We planned to go all the way to the end of the road and start exploring from the far end. Once we reached there, we stopped the car and stepped outside, amazed with the view to the taro fields. Popular tropical vegetables growing on the wet fields. Honestly - we never saw anything like this before.

 

The sun, blue ski, white clouds, green grass and colorful flowers... Hawaii, part 02

To read previous part View from the window... Hawaii, part 01

The morning was just amazing, despite the early start (say thanks to roosters). The skies were deep blue... the clouds were pure white... the chicken were colorful and noisy... and we started exploring surroundings...

 

View from the window... Hawaii, part 01

Close your eyes... imagine you are on vacation... you are sleeping in your bed peacefully and... SUDDENLY you hear a loud rooster crow! You open your eyes to find out it is just 4AM and the roosters are crying outside and you cannot go to sleep anymore... Welcome to Hawaii, the place where the roosters are free to wake you up with the first rays of sun bursting from the horizon line ;)

 

Prickly beauty...

It is a Winter now. No complaints, not too much snow and the weather is not too cold either. But everything is grey-brown and not as bright compared to the Summer time. So, let's travel back, to the hot summer day, filled with colors and flowers. And first, let's go outside early in the morning and find a White Prickly Poppy, the beautiful flower so common for Colorado.

 

Saturday hike at the end of November

Some days are good for staying home and some days are good for a short hike. Sometimes you are ready to drive for hours just to find a nice place to be and sometimes you are not in the mood for going places. Or you just wake up too late and don't have time for a long trip. If so, Mount Galbraith trail is right for you.

 

Denver, city of the West

What do you answer when someone asks you - Where are you from? I am from Denver, you say, right? But what is Denver for you? What is Denver for others? What is Denver for the travelers passing by? Did you ever think about the city we are all living in?

We moved here about decade ago and we had no idea what to expect at this time. And I bet it would look differently in the eyes of someone who just arrived here today. And I heard it was way different a couple of dozen years ago... Let's take a look at the city of Denver how we found it a dozen years ago...

Denver is located in the center of the United States. Just in the middle of it. It's the capital of the state of Colorado, which traditionally positioned itself as western state and state of cattles and cows. Friend of mine, who has lived here for almost 40 years, told me he was unable to order a fish in the restaurant when he just arrived here. Steak, steak and only steak was the meal for the real man! OK, burger for everyday and steak for all other occasions. It has changed now and you can order not only well done fish, but also a suchi, which was impossible just recently...

Not only food had changed, actually. The lifestyle is not the same either. The skyscrapers and web of highways, fancy stores and technocenter, busy neighbourhoods and technological hub... Everything is different nowadays. But so many things are still the same and changed very little during hundreds of years.

 

Orchids and snow

Denver Botanic Garden is beautiful. It looks like a huge part during Spring and Summer. Thousands of flowers are blooming during this time and everyone is charmed by them. It's different in the Winter though. Not many flowers outside, but it is still a nice and gorgeous place to walk around.

But... you still can find something new there. Frozen waterfall, for example. It looks amazing, isn't it?

 

Snow, snow, snow...

Winter in Colorado... It is not like Winter in other places. Isn't it cold? It is... Isn't it snowy? It is... but... I mean BUT ;)

Right, it is cold during the Winter time, but also most of the time it is just chilly or even warm. It is snowing, but only for a couple of days following with quick melting. This is really rare if the snow is falling for more than two-three days in a row. But sometimes even one day of snowfall can bring a lot of snow. So that happened a few years ago when about two feet of snow fell overnight and transformed the city from boring to Winter fairy tale.

Next morning after the snowfall everything looked just amazing. Thick puffy snow and bright sun. What can be better to see? So we drove around, stopping here and there, taking pictures and having a good time. So let's bring the memories back and travel in the past to see the sunny snowy day in Denver...

 

Spring in October

October is an absolutely beautiful time in Colorado. Bright colors and mild weather, but some days are not as nice. So was a Sunday when the temperature dropped down to almost freezing point. It also wasn't really sunny, but still we decided to go out. We drove down to City Park.

Honestly... it was a brutal cold and we wanted to jump back into the car just after five minutes out. But... c'mon... isn't it a beautiful day? So we stepped down the slope and stopped frozen. Not because of the cold, but because of the flowers. Roses...

 

Sparkling glare of Christmas lights

Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright...

What can be better than driving around the city late December to enjoy looking at Christmas decorations people put on their houses...

 

Lavender Festival at Botanic Garden at Chatfield Farms

There are thousands of flowers blooming in Colorado every year. You can find all colors and shapes, all sizes and scents... But this is one flower that attracts thousands of people in July and makes them drive all the way up to Chatfield Farms to spend a hot day in July wandering around and enjoying looking at this flower. It's a lavender... 

 

Beautiful Saint-Petersburg - The Venice of the North

Peter the Great is the most famous Russian king or Czar. Why? Cuz of many deeds of his. 

 

Golden, old cars and fresh flowers

Town of Golden is the best place to escape from Denver if you are tired and not ready to drive for hours. Clear cold water and mountain peaks are always there and I can stay on this bridge for hours looking at running water.

 

One green day

The flowers are beautiful... They are bright and colorful. But sometimes you just get tired of colors and want something not as bright... something green, perhaps. And once you go green, you find there are at least 50 shades of green (actually, fifty is underestimation, but who cares).

 

July hike, Central City

That was another toasty July day in Denver and I just needed to escape somewhere. It didn't really matter where as long as the air would be cooler and fresher. So I drove all the way up to Black Hawk and turned to Central City. But walking in the town wasn't in my plans, I wanted to be alone. And I just passed the town and dropped the car next to the cemetery gates. Got my camera and some water and started hiking up to the hill, hoping to find something interesting once I climb to the top.