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“The Valley of the Sun”

Downtown Phoenix, Arizona

As seen from the top of the United States’ largest city park, South Mountain. Phoenix has quite a few mountains that offer hiking with exceptional views, but none quite compare to the view from this mountain top. Check out the  stunning view at dusk I posted a few months ago from this same location.

Read more: Photo of the Week – The Valley of the Sun or visit EscapingAbroad.com blog for more travel stories, photos and videos.

Out of Africa, the 3rd Arizona “zoo” I’ve visited in a short time period. This one is located a good distance north of Phoenix and has a show that makes it quite unique from any in Arizona, or anywhere in the world for that matter. That’s the Tiger Splash Show – where zoo staff play with a Bengal tiger without any protection, even jumping right into a pool with it! Dangerous? Crazy? They’ve been doing it for over 15 years and nobody has been seriously injured… yet.

Even though it was only March, and the news keeps tell me that the U.S. is having the coldest spring on record, somebody forgot to tell that to Arizona – as we sat and waited for the show to begin it was hovering around an uncomfortably hot temperature with the sun shining down directly on us. A large tiger was set lose and proceeded to do as big cats do when it’s hot out – lay around.

After a few minutes of anticipation the show was ready to begin. As an older gentlemen began giving us the usual talk about tiger facts and the zoo, behind him several other staff members decided to start the show by hopping right onto the beast!

A few more minutes of talking go by about animal behavior, instincts, etc but it’s hard to pay attention to anything other than waiting to see this giant tiger get annoyed by the guy sitting on it. Next they bring out out the toys… and proceed to tease it and run in hopes of getting chased into the pool.. absolutely bonkers!

After a few unsuccessful attempts of jumping into the pool without the tiger following they managed to get it to take the bait and dive in! Check out the video below to watch them play tug of war as the show ended (make sure to watch in HD).

And another video from the zoo:

While the Out of Africa zoo has all kinds of animals, including white tigers, bears and a large variety of reptiles the tiger show is what really makes this place stand out. Check out this NY Daily news article for some really incredible photos of the tiger diving in the pool.

More details at the Zoo’s website: http://outofafricapark.com/experience/tiger-splash/

Read more: Out of Africa’s Crazy Tiger Splash Show or visit EscapingAbroad.com blog for more travel stories, photos and videos.

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Mandrills, the world’s largest monkey and often said to be the most uniquely colorful of all mammals. They stand out with their bright red and blue face markings and oddly bright colored rear-ends. I photographed these during my visit to the San Diego Zoo, easily the best Zoo I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting!

This was the last exhibit I stopped at on my way out of the zoo, it was late in the afternoon and the temperature was cooling down. The Mandrills were actively bouncing from one tree to the next and showing off their large fangs biting at the trees. Even though I always come to the zoo most excited to see big predators more often than not the smaller animals ended up being the most entertaining and fun to watch.

Read more: Photo of the Week – The World’s Largest Monkey or visit EscapingAbroad.com blog for more travel stories, photos and videos.

Cabrillo National Monument

Point Loma – San Diego, CA

Let me start this by saying San Diego was a beautiful city, I enjoyed it far more than Los Angeles but not quite as much as I love San Francisco! There were excellent beaches, pristine hiking, delicious restaurants and an endless amount of things to do.

The Cabrillo National Monument held the best views of anywhere I visited around the city. Just a 20 minute drive west of the downtown area it’s easy and convenient to visit. The sky was mostly clear and I could see the downtown skyline, the harbor, Coronado Island, and of course the ocean.

Pictured above is the incredible view from looking down from the Old Point Loma Lighthouse. The statue itself towers over visitors at 14 feet tall and is made up of limestone, it was a donation from the Portuguese government in 1939.

Old Point Loma Lighthouse

The old lighthouse is perched atop 400 foot high cliffs, shut down for decades it is now a well preserved museum, which is a must see on any trip to the park!

My favorite part of the lighthouse was the wood spiral staircase that went up all 3 stories for access to operate the lamp tower (unfortunately closed to the public).

The Peninsula

The park is located on the Point Loma Peninsula and features hiking trails, protected tidepools, an old military radio station, and if you visit at the right time you can see whales swimming by on their migration south.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a plant quite like this one before, it was sitting out in front of the visitor’s center. Quite pretty!

On the way out we pulled off the side of the road to soak up the sound of waves crashing into the rocky shore. A large group of resting birds provided addition entertainment.

For more information on visiting the park check out their official website: www.nps.gov/cabr/planyourvisit/

Read more: Amazing Views at Cabrillo National Monument or visit EscapingAbroad.com blog for more travel stories, photos and videos.

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This week’s photo is from the Botanical building and reflecting lily pond located inside the amazing Balboa Park at San Diego, California. This historic building was constructed in 1915 and is one of the biggest lath structures ever built. The building’s interior is home to more than 2,000 plants and the surrounding 1,200 acre park features numerous lush gardens. Any trip to San Diego would be incomplete without a visit!

More on the Botanical building here: www.balboapark.org/in-the-park/botanical-building

Read more: Photo of the Week – The Balboa Park Botanical Building or visit EscapingAbroad.com blog for more travel stories, photos and videos.

I’m escaping the normal American lifestyle and moving abroad on June 11, 2013.

Happiness in Belize

I chose the word moving rather than traveling because I have no immediate plans of returning to life in the States. Unlike many RTW or long-haul travelers I don’t have a set itinerary, return date, or budget. Instead, I simply booked a 1-way ticket out of the country and plan to travel around from place to place at my leisure – while I continue to work and make money over the internet. I do however have some limitations – to work I need a decent, reliable internet connection and in many places this will be challenging if available at all, and I’ll have to work my travels around it. If I lost my monthly income plans would have to change, but for now I intend to keep my monthly expenses at or below my income and not use my savings unless necessary.

Introducing Jessica

All of the trips I’ve taken over the last few years I’ve been accompanied by Jessica and this new experience will be no different. She’s finishing up her bachelor’s degree in education and teaching in May; and now is the perfect time and opportunity for her to get out and explore the world. At some point she’ll be trying out teaching jobs in various countries and sharing those experiences here on Escaping Abroad.

First Stop: The overdue return to Belize

If you’ve been following this blog, my tweets or Facebook page you know by now that I have a love affair with Belize. It was my first big trip abroad and it changed my life forever. The first destination on my new life abroad is Belize and we’ll spend 3 weeks here returning to familiar and new parts of the country for scuba diving, snorkeling, jungle adventures, beach relaxation and all around bliss.

TripAdvisor named Ambergris Caye the Travelers’ Choice #1 island in the world for 2013 and we’re headed there the minute we get off the plane. Other destinations in the country include Caye Caulker, some small towns on the mainland before heading to the Southern end of Belize’s coast to Placencia; where I hope to check off a big one on my bucket list – diving with whale sharks.

July: Sunny Mexico

Leaving Belize we’ll head North to Mexico, where we’ll be renting a furnished apartment for the entire month of July – located on the beach in Playa Del Carmen. This city is not only beautiful but is also a perfect location for short day and weekend trips to surrounding attractions like cenotes, ruins and beaches. Waking up every morning with a beach view is something I can’t wait for!

August and beyond?

July is as far as my plans have come so far. We might stay put in Playa for a few months or head up to Cancun. I’ve been doing a lot of research on the rest of Central America and a bus tour from Mexico all the way through to Panama is a big possibility. If a great deal on a Caribbean island or a flight to Asia pops up we might jump on those too. Balancing a new life of constant travel with work is going to take some adjustments, especially for a couple that’s never spent more than 10 days at time outside their home country.

Stay tuned and read along as we head out on a new chapter of our lives

Read more: Finally, I’m Escaping Abroad or visit EscapingAbroad.com blog for more travel stories, photos and videos.

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The San Miguel Mission (also called the Chapel of San Miguel) was originally built in 1610 and is the oldest church in Santa Fe, and claimed to be the oldest in the entire United States. Unlike the other outstanding and historic churches in the area with Gothic-European architecture and feel this one if made of adobe, a construction material more traditional to the area. The mission is home to a sculpture of San Miguel, that was carved in 1709 in Mexico. It was rebuilt in 1710 but it’s said that some of the original adobe walls still stand today (covered by the newer construction).

In case you missed the others, here’s my photos of Santa Fe’s other beautiful churches:

• Santuario de Guadalupe
• Loretto Chapel
• Saint Francis Cathedral

Read more: Photo of the Week – San Miguel Mission of Santa Fe or visit EscapingAbroad.com blog for more travel stories, photos and videos.

Holi Festival of Colors

Spanish Fork, Utah – March 30-31, 2013

So it happened again. A good friend contacted me with an off-the-wall travel idea that neither of us really thought we’d follow through on. He mentioned something about a Hindu festival in Utah and right away I was thinking to myself I’d never attend that and he was as crazy as ever. I’m not Hindu and Utah is a long drive from my current home base in Phoenix, AZ. Besides… I’m saving for my big move out of the U.S. that’s only a few months away.. why spend money on something like that? But then I saw videos on YouTube of this enormous gathering with 50,000+ people and started reading the meaning behind it all. I was blown away… I couldn’t believe a festival of this size was going on in Utah…. and just like that it was too unique and too fun. I had to go! Over 650 miles, a highway detour and 9 1/2 hours later I made it to Spanish Fork in time to get my party on.

The festival is of Hindu origins, is mainly celebrated in India and Nepal and from my understanding was started after a demon named Holika was burned to death by fire. It’s also considered a time to celebrate the arrival of spring and ending of winter. The throwing of colored powder symbolizes the love of Lord Krishna and his followers. And right here in a tiny town called Spanish Fork is the huge Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple putting on the largest celebration of Holi in the western hemisphere!

Unlike many other very large gatherings of this size there were no drugs, no alcohol, and people of all ages showed up to have a great time. There were traditional Hindu foods to try and non-stop music playing all day. Every few hours a synchronized “throwing” of colored powder took place that engulfed the sky and was unlike anything I’d ever seen or experienced before.

Everyone starts out wearing white but seconds after entering someone will have drenched you in colored powder. And before long you’ll have multicolored hair, stained teeth and powder caked all over every inch of your body.

DJ’s played modern Hindu music all day and kept the crowd energized as they chanted along, crowd surfed, break-danced, and threw colors all over each other.

Pictured above is the crowd as seen from on top of the Krishna Temple balcony with the DJ’s stage centered below and the stunning mountains in the background.

I tried unsuccessfully to keep my camera covered in a plastic bag, not wanting fine powdery colored dust being the death of my new expensive toy; but it was no easy task trying to operate under conditions where any second a complete stranger could launch an assault. I saw a several people who had fully saran wrapped their entire camera body and lenses but it was too late for me! I was able to get a few hundred photos – I’ve shared some of my favorites with you here, and earlier this month on the weekly featured photo.

Later in the afternoon there was even a burning of the evil demon Holika!

Wait, there’s video too!?

I wasn’t able to capture video that showed how incredible this event was, so I’m sharing 2 of my favorites that others have put out:

A day to be Remembered!

This was one of the funnest days I can remember having! I didn’t even know this celebration existed 2 weeks before attending it and now I’m delighted to be able say I’ve been – and can’t wait to experience one in India!

While Spanish Fork remains the biggest event they’re also organizing these celebrations across the country! For more info on the Holi Festival:

• www.utahkrishnas.org
• www.holifestival.org

Read more: Celebrating Holi Festival of Colors or visit EscapingAbroad.com blog for more travel stories, photos and videos.

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This week’s photo is of the Navajo Bridge looking out from the edge of Marble Canyon, near Lee’s Ferry (Northern Arizona).  It was a cloudy afternoon and the canyon’s red rock was beautiful. The original bridge (left side) is 834 feet long and 467 feet tall – in other words it’s a long, long way down. Built in 1929 it became too old and unsafe for all traffic and a new bridge was built (right side) in 1995 which is a little longer and higher.

Marble Canyon, Looking out from the bridge

Interestingly this bridge is the only road crossing of the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon for nearly 600 miles.

More info: www.nps.gov/glca/historyculture/navajobridge.htm

Read more: Photo of the Week – Historic Navajo Bridge or visit EscapingAbroad.com blog for more travel stories, photos and videos.

Entry to the park is free but parking is not. There is parking right after you enter with quick and easy beach access or you can park up the hill if you don’t want to walk it. Pictured above is the beach right next to the parking.

The park features miles of trails with varying degrees of difficulty and length. We decided to hike a few connected ones that were all pretty easy – just be aware there is little shade out there.

Beautiful views from the top of the ocean, the beach and the city below.

Several of the trails come together and provide access to the beach below. It’s a little steep but nothing too strenuous.

From the trail access you can walk the full distance of the beach all the way back to the parking and park entry, perfect and convenient! Unlike so many of the beaches I’ve been to in California this one wasn’t crowded or polluted..  and the cliffs provided beautiful scenery. After a great day here Torrey Pines is now my favorite beach in California!

This was a perfect day of easy hiking and relaxing on the beach, if you’re in the San Diego area and have time to kill don’t miss it!

Check out these websites for current and up-to-date info before visiting the park:

• Torrey Pines Hiking Trail Maps
• Torrey Pines Natural Reserve Info

Read more: The Pefect Day – Torrey Pines Beach & Hiking or visit EscapingAbroad.com blog for more travel stories, photos and videos.