globallagarto

This is an amazing place. High in the Huachuca Mountains near Sierra Vista, Arizona. Totally forested, cool temperatures even in summer. I think the newer cabins are perfect, incredible views. Hiking and birdwatching opportunities are fantastic. I highly recommend this place.

If you have an interest in watching beautifully colored birds in a green, remote canyon setting surrounded by high mountains rising above the desert, this is the place. Day visitors are welcome to sit in the garden and watch the wild bird visitors for a suggested donation of $5. There are dozens of bird feeders of various types, attracting an incredible number of birds. This mountainous area is known for having far more hummingbird species than any other location in the United States, as well as many other birds not found elsewhere in the States. Mary Jo, the proprietor is a very helpful and hospitable person. A great place to visit.

Tashkurgan is an extremely remote town on the Chinese side of the China/Pakistan border on the Karakoram Highway. I took a rickety old bus from Kashgar into Pakistan and this was our overnight stop. There is an old walled fortress on the edge of town. I was there in November and it was very, very cold! Surrounded by beautiful mountains.

The climbing is unique here in that you have to start by rappelling to the bottom of the seaside cliffs. Then you have to make sure you finish your climbs and get out before the tide comes in. Which can be interesting when you’re climbing with someone who wants to check off every climb there, and therefore is willing to push it until the last possible moment! Good climbing in a gorgeous setting.

This is one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen. The mountain is on fire. There is so much natural gas under this region that in some places it just escapes. I was told that a foreign archaologist in the 1950’s lit a cigarette here (bummer for him) and that it has been burning ever since. I don’t know how accurate that story is, but it’s certainly burning now. It’s in the middle of nowhere, there’s nothing else near it except a cafe that tries to get business from the people who happen to come see Yanar Dagh. It certainly is a unique natural phenomenon. It’s not worth a trip to Azerbaijan, but if you’re already in the area, check it out. I thought it was pretty amazing.

When I was there they were having a free exhibit on the French artist Georges Rouault, who happens to be my favorite artist. So it was an amazing combination of Gaudi and Rouault!!

I visited during an annual Christmas celebration called “Gouda by Candlelight” where all the electric lights are turned off and the town center has only candlelight. It’s really beautiful. There are Christmas songs and other Christmas related events that go along with it. Worth visiting!

For a few dollars they agreed to let me throw out my sleeping bag on the floor of the office and spend the night in the park. The office is a corrogated tin arch shaped barracks type of place. Before leaving me on my own I was warned about the cobra that likes to coil up outside the office door during the night, the black rats that run across the tin roof throughout the night, and the Giant Gambian Rats that scream periodically! Wow! At first I have to admit I was a bit freaked out by all this when it got dark and I tried to go to sleep. But in the night I woke up and thought, hey, there might be some good wildlife viewing at night, so cobra or not I carefully opened the door (no cobra there) and crept around a bit. Didnt’ see anything but I was glad I made the attempt. During the day I was amazed at the birdlife. They have a bird observation blind up on a raised platform next to a lake. The exotic birds just kept coming one after another. I really liked this place a lot. A little known gem.

This was a very fun Italian restaurant in the middle of Chinatown in Los Angeles. It was there for decades, but sadly now it’s closed. The food was great, and it had a fun, casual atmosphere; straw all over the floor, etc. I miss it.

Another gorgeous Paradise Valley resort. This one is smaller and has been around much longer than most of the others. Great food at the restaurant. I learned how to swim here as a kid.