Travel
Back In State Game Lands 141: Another Hike To Tank Hollow.
I had seen a lot of different species of birds on my last couple of hikes to Tank Hollow in the State Game Lands 141 in Carbon County. So , last Saturday I decided to return to the Game Lands for another five mile hike. . It was partly sunny when I parked at the…
Read MoreA Wet And Cloudy Morning Walk At Niagara Falls And A Smokey And Rainy Drive Home.
I slept well after my first visit to the unbelievably beautiful Niagara Falls. It was cloudy when I awoke the next morning. However, the view of the Falls from my window was still mesmerizing. I sat with my coffee and just stared at the beauty below me. I watched as the waters of the Niagara…
Read MoreA Sunny Sunday Morning At The Susquehanna Wetlands
It was sunny, and cool Sunday morning here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. As I often do, I headed to the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County to enjoy the Summer sunshine and the beauty of the wetlands and river lands along the ancient Susquehanna River. I always walk to the river to check out the water level…
Read MoreA Visit To The Delaware State Forest In Pike County, And 20,000 Year Old Glacial Bruce Lake
This past Saturday, like the week before, I again visited another lake I had never heard of before. This time it was Bruce Lake in Pike County. Located in the Delaware State Forest Bruce Lake is a natural lake created when the glaciers melted 15, 000 to 20,000 years ago. There are over 2,500 lakes…
Read MoreA Cloudy But Pleasant September Hike In The Susquehanna Wetlands
It was cloudy here in Northeastern Pennsylvania last Saturday, not the best weather for wildlife photography. A few of my birding friends texted me about the first sighting of flamingos in Pennsylvania. They were seen on a pond in Franklin County , about a 2 1/2 hour drive from my home in Hazle Township in…
Read MoreBeautiful Trails, A Lake And A Lot of History But No Wildlife At Ricketts Glen State Park
It’s been a year since I last visited Ricketts Glen State Park. This was too long. I need to visit this wonderful park more often. It is about 40 miles, and a one hour drive, from my home in Southern Luzerne County. It located atop the edge of the Allegheny Plateau in Luzerne, Colombia and…
Read MorePanama Day Two. My First Morning At Canopy Tower. As Advertised, It Is A Nature And Birding Paradise
It was only about a month ago when I first learned of Canopy Tower. Canopy Tower is one of a family of ecolodges located in the biodiverse tropical rain forests of Panama and operated by the Canopy Family. There is more on how I discovered this remarkable place in my previous blog. The Tower is…
Read MoreThe Panama Canal. On My Bucket List For Decades. The Journey Begins
I am writing this blog in one of my favorite places, an airport, this time the Newark International Airport in New Jersey. I am enjoying a view of the cotton-like cumulus clouds floating over the New York City skyline. I am on my way to Panama City where I will stay at the Canopy Tower,…
Read MorePanama Day 2: Torrential Rains And A Visit To Summit Botanical Gardens And It’s Famous Harpy Eagle
After our morning hike near the Canopy Tower eco-lodge in Panama we gathered to discuss the birds and other animals we saw on our walk and add them to a very elaborate check list provided by the lodge . It was a very informative experience. We the enjoyed a nice lunch. Soon afterward the skies…
Read MorePanama Day 3: Canopy Tower: A Rainy Afternoon And A Visit To The Panama Rainforest Discovery Center.
It was an amazing morning hike on the Pipeline Road on my third morning in the Soberania National Park in Panama. The Pipeline Road lived up to it’s reputation and provided us with the sightings of many tropical birds. But the day wasn’t over and a visit to the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center was planned…
Read MorePanama Day 4: Canopy Tower: A Morning Hike On Plantation Road In Soberania National Park
It was another overcast morning when I awoke at the Canopy Tower in the Soberania National Forest in Panama. It was Thursday , only my third morning at the ecolodge, but I already felt at home. Once again I was up before the sunand soon on the rooftop of the abandoned U.S. military radar facility. …
Read MorePanama Day 4: Canopy Tower: A Sloth, A Snake And A Visit to Summit Ponds
My Thursday morning hike on the Plantation Road further convinced me that my decision to visit the Canopy Tower ecolodge in the Soberania National Park in Panama was an excellent one. Once again our experienced guide introduced us to many more of the wonders of the rainforest. It was only my third day at the…
Read MorePanama Day 5: Canopy Tower. A Vist To The Gamboa Sloth Sanctuary And A Kinkajou And Night Monkeys Visit
It was a great morning visit to Panama City on my last full day at the Canopy Tower. This ecolodge is located in the Soberania National Park in a Panamanian rainforest. But the day wasn’t over. As on all my days during my stay at the Canopy Tower, another adventure was scheduled for the afternoon.…
Read MoreA Hike Along The Scenic And Historic Schuylkill River In Valley Forge
A doctor visit for a sore shoulder and a chance to visit my niece took me to King Of Prussia in Montgomery County on Tuesday afternoon. I was staying at the Springhill Suites By Marriot. It was my first stay in this town in the suburbs of Philadelphia. I only knew it had a large…
Read MoreMy First Visit To The John James Audubon Center. It Won’t Be My Last
During my recent stay in King of Prussia I was planning to hike in the Valley Forge National Park. However, in researching hiking trails near the hotel I learned of the John James Audubon Center. It was located only a few miles from my hotel. Of course, I had heard about this famous illustrator of…
Read MorePanama Day 6: My Last Hike At The Canopy Tower And Off To Explore Panama City
It was my last morning at the Canopy Tower ecolodge in the Soberania National Park in Panama. As on the previous mornings during my stay , I was up early, 6 am., hoping to watch the sunrise from the roof of the tower. Once again it was cloudy. But the views of the misty hills…
Read MorePanama Day 7. Panama City: A Morning Hike in Metropolitan Natural Park
I awoke early Sunday morning on my recent visit to Panama . I was staying at the Marriot Panama Hotel near the Albrook Mall. I chose this hotel since in was within walking distance of the Metropolitan Natural Park. This almost 600 acre park has the largest rainforest in a city in Central America. . …
Read MorePanama Day 7. Checked Off Another Bucket List Item On A Visit To The Panama Canal
Followers of my blog would know my desire to travel the world started in elementary school. As impossible as it seemed at the time ( my family was very poor), I wanted to see the Great Wall of China, Ayers Rock, the Pyramids, the Acropolis , the Panama Canal, and so many others exotic and…
Read MorePanama Day 8. A Peaceful Morning Hike And Then Some Afternoon Chaos On My Last Day In Panama
It was partly cloudy with rain in the forecast when I awoke at the Panama Marriot Hotel on my last full day in Panama. I had planned to hike one more time in the beautiful Metropolitan Natural Park . I had learned during my short stay, there is always rain in the forecast in Panama…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day One: Back On The Road And Up In The Sky Again
It’s 5 a.m. as I begin writing this blog 0n Friday January 5 . I am back on the road again, at the Wilkes Barre-Scranton International Airport in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is a lot less stressful flying out of this airport. It is a 40 mile drive from my home in the Green Ridge section…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Two: A Morning Exploring A Few Of The Many Trails At The Arenal Observatory Lodge
I was up before dawn on my first morning in Costa Rica. I was staying at the Arenal Observatory Lodge at the foot of the Arenal Volcano. After a cup of coffee in my room I walked to the observation deck and found the volcano was still shrouded in clouds. I had not yet scene…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Two: Arenal Observatory Lodge: An Afternoon Walk With An Anteater After the Rain.
After my morning walks at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica on Saturday I was going to spend some time on the observation deck watching the many species of birds attracted to the fruit that is put out by the guides. However the skies clouded and rains came and continued into the afternoon. The…
Read MoreCosta Rica: Day Three. Arenal Volcano Observatory Lodge. More Rain In The Rainforest
My alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. It didn’t take me long to remember I was in Costa Rica and in a rainforest. It was raining again. And this time it was a torrential downpour. Even though I was staying at a lodge on the lower slope of the Arenal volcano it was again shrouded…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Four: Arenal Observatory Lodge. More Rainy Walks, Some Mushrooms, And A Waterfall
It was my third morning in Costa Rica, where I was staying at the Arenal Observatory Lodge, at the foot of the Arenal volcano. And, for the third morning, it was raining when I awoke. It was a steady rain but there were still some folks on the observation deck, dressed in full rain gear.…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Five: Finally, A Clear View Of The Arenal Volcano And A Long Hike At The Lodge
It was my fifth day at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica when I awoke early Tuesday morning. And it wasn’t raining! It had rained much of the last five days. I still had not seen the summit of the Arenal volcano even though t he lodge is located only a few miles away,…
Read MoreCosta Rica: Day Six. Arenal Observatory Lodge. Birds, Butterflies And Spider Monkeys
I had seen many beautiful tropical and migratory birds, wildlife, exotic flowers and plants during four day stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica. I am sure I would have seen more if we didn’t have the daily steady rains. And it was difficult to discover where the birds were in the many…
Read MoreCosta Rica: Day Seven. More Rain, And A Change Of Plans At The Arenal Observatory Lodge
One of the main reasons for my stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica was the many hiking trails that were accessible from the lodge. I would be able to explore the surrounding gardens, ranch lands and rainforest whenever I wanted, without relying on transportation. This certainly was helpful with all the rain…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Eight: A Last Hike At The Arenal Volcano And On To San Jose
I was up early again, before the sunrise at 6 a.m. , on my last day at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica. My ride to San Jose was scheduled to leave at noon. I wanted to get in one more hike before I left . There are so many trails on the lodge’s…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Nine. A Early Walk In San Jose And Back Home To Northeastern Pennsylvania
I decided to sleep in a bit on my last day in Costa Rica. I was staying at the Holiday Inn next to the San Jose airport and my flight wasn’t until 1 p.m. So I didn’t set my alarm . It wasn’t until around 7 a.m. when I awoke. This was late for me…
Read MoreTrudging Through Deep Snow On The Greater Hazleton Rails To Trail
After a mild December and January, with little snow or ice, Winter finally showed up this past week here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. . We got a Valentines’ Day present from Mother Nature, over a foot of snow. And, when I awoke Saturday morning it was snowing again. There was over three inches of new snow…
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