Southern Yukon Photography Tour

 

Carcross, YT

I have always wanted to see Canada's North. I went on a photography tour to the Yukon in September. It was a jam-packed, photo-op filled trip! A full five days of fun!

The tour guide was a photographer from Calgary and there were seven women, including me, on the tour. It was a new and fun experience. My first flight and trip since 2019 before the COVID lockdowns.

Carcross is located where Lake Bennett and Nares Lake meet. Originally called Caribou Crossing because this location was where Caribou would cross during their annual migration, this settlement served as an important stop on the Klondike Gold Rush trail.

Bird houses in Carcross, YT

Throughout the village are several unique birdhouses. They are designed as miniatures of actual buildings in the area. These include the Post Office, the Caribou Hotel, St. Saviour's Anglican Church and a few shops.

I had no idea that there was a 'desert' in the Yukon! It is actually a field of sand dunes, but it is called Carcross Desert. This 'desert' was created by a glacial lake that dried up and left sand deposits in the area. Winds from Lake Bennett make it difficult for vegetation to grow and thrive in the area.

It is interesting to see sand that far North!

We checked the skies nightly and our second night we were in luck! We got up at midnight to head out and photograph the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). Our guide stopped at the side of the road and we all got out of the van to watch and experience the show. This was pre-emptive in case the lights were not active by the time we got to our viewing spot.

But, we were in luck again! We stopped at Marsh Lake Campground and set up our cameras. This was my first lesson in photographing the night sky - always check your focus. I found out when I got back to my suite that most of my photos were not in focus! I was very excited to have two photos turn out!

I don't usually get up during the night even if an astrological event is happening. It was worth it, though. Despite the cold, I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to experience the Northern Lights!

The Aurora Borealis

One of the highlights of the trip was taking a flight over the glaciers! It was out of Haines Junction Air Field, in Kluane National Park, in a five seat plane that we took a flight over the ice fields. Wow! It was amazing! We could see all the way to Alaska and the Pacific Ocean. We flew over Mt. Vancouver and Mt. Logan. The glacial ice at the bottom of Mt. Logan is 1 kilometre thick! It was incredible. So pure.

This was by far my favourite experience of the trip!

I almost didn't get any photos, though. I had an extra camera card that I forgot to put into my camera before the flight. I made sure that my camera had a full battery, and that I had the correct settings. I was two minutes up in the plane when I got a message: "Camera card full". What?! Oh my gosh! My camera bag with the extra card was on the ground!

My tour guide, a professional photographer, loaned me his extra card. What a lifesaver! I was prepared to take photos with my iPhone. He was having none of that! So, I have fantastic photos of the ice fields that almost didn't happen.

I was prepared to enjoy the flight, none the less.

That was my second learning experience. Always take your photography equipment with you, even if you know there will be limited space. And change the camera card!

Live and learn.

This tour was in mid-September to allow the experience of Fall colours on full display.

Trees in Autumn colours

This was a fantastic trip! The Yukon is such a special place. It was quiet and there were very few people and vehicles on the highways. The scenery was amazing! I have great memories of fantastic experiences!

~Angie

The Pyramids of Giza

 The Great Pyramid of Giza is one the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one still standing along with three smaller pyramids. Constructed 5000 years ago, the Pyramids of Giza are truly amazing and something to experience. I grew up reading National Geographic magazines and books about the Pyramids. It was truly the trip of a lifetime to be able to travel to Egypt and experience them for myself!

The Pyramids

I traveled to Egypt during low season in July. It was extremely hot - average 45 degrees Celsius! But a plus to those temperatures and low season is that the crowds stay away.

My tour guide always made sure that we did the opposite of what everyone else was doing to avoid the crowds. So, I visited the Pyramids first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds and the heat. There was so much information to take in that I took notes and kept asking questions long after we had left the site.

There are 124 pyramids all over Egypt that were burial tombs for 30 ruling families or dynasties. The Pyramids of Giza are the most famous. These were built for one family - the 4th dynasty so they are from the Old Kingdom. The Great Pyramid was built for Khufu, who was the pharoah. The Second Pyramid was built by his son, Khafre.

It was amazing to be there! Three members of my group decided to go inside the Great Pyramid. Our guide told us that it is very claustrophobic and hot inside that there is nothing much to see. The people who went inside said the same thing.

I decided to stay outside. Most members of my group climbed up to the entrance to look in. The blocks are huge and uneven, so I decided to stay on the ground and just walked up to it and touched a few blocks. It was exciting to be there in person! I touched a piece of history!

I had the opportunity to ride a camel at the Pyramids. I rode from the Great Pyramid to the Second Pyramid. I wasn't securely settled in the seat on my camel so I spent most of the journey trying not to fall off! I did manage to get one photo near the end and the camel guide took a photo of me with the Second Pyramid behind me. It was a very cool experience! I rode a camel at the Pyramids! We went through a quarry, which was interesting.

There is so much history and things to remember about the Pyramids! I took a lot of notes, but it is a lot of information. I highly recommend visiting the Pyramids if you ever get the chance!

~Angie

Flying Over The Rockies

The first weekend of October, my mom, dad and I traveled to Canmore, Alberta, for a helicopter flight over the Three Sisters Mountain Range. The helicopter flight was booked through Alpine Helicopter Tours with the hopes that the views would be amazing!

We arrived early. The flight was supposed to be for my parents, but my mom surprised me by saying that I could go in her place! Due to COVID-19 health measures, I had to check in and have a temperature check and wear a mask on the flight. My dad and I went to view the safety video prior to our flight. There was another couple who was on the flight with us.

It was awesome! The helicopter actually went pretty high. I was surprised because we were at the mountain tops. We flew past the Three Sisters to the other side over the Spray Lakes. I had no idea that anything was back there. It was beautiful! Our flight took us very close to the tops of the mountains! Very cool! Then we came around the other side of the Three Sisters and flew over the town of Canmore back to the launch site. 

Our flight was short, but well worth it! It was fantastic! The weather was perfect with clear, blue skies. It was a great way to see the Fall foliage in the mountains.

~Angie

Four Activities and Sites In Prague

Prague, in the Czech Republic, is a beautiful city. There are a lot of things to do there.  Four things you should do include:  The Dancing House, The Astronomical Clock, and The Petrin Tower.

The Dancing House

Designed by architect Frank Gehry, the Nationale-Nederlanden building, called the Dancing House, is quite unique. The design is inspired by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and depicts two sides of the building 'dancing'.

The Astronomical Clock

The Astronomical Clock in Prague dates from the medieval period (ca. 1410 AD). It is one of the oldest in the world and the only clock still operating. Every hour, when the clock strikes the hour, the Twelve Apostles move across the open doors at the top of the tower. This procession is visible from the Old Town Square.

The Charles Bridge

The Charles Bridge, named after Charles IV, is one of the most famous bridges in the world. Construction started in 1357 AD and lasted until 1402 AD. It was originally known as the Stone Bridge or Prague Bridge, but has been known as the Charles Bridge since the late 1800's. The bridge is very crowded at all times of the day. Artists and artisans arrange themselves along its expanse. Halfway across is a shrine with a crucifix - the Crucifix and Calvary. There are also statues of various saints that span the entire length of the bridge. 

The Petřín Tower

The Petřín Tower is often referred to as a little Eiffel Tower. It has an octagonal shape and stands above the entrance hall. It is located on Petrin Hill, which has an excellent pathway that is great for hiking.

~Angie

Bruges - A Beautiful Medieval City

I was in Belgium for a few days in late Spring. A great day trip from Brussels is the medieval city of Bruges. The town of Bruges was formed in the 12th century and eventually grew to be a city. Bruges is known for its canals, chocolate and lace.

A canal in Bruges

Things to do:

Canal Cruise

I took a canal cruise which was a great way to get acquainted with the city. There were lots of beautiful historic buildings along the canal and the cruise went under the Meebrug Bridge - the oldest surviving bridge in Brugge dating to the 14th century. It was beautiful and a lovely adventure at a very reasonable price.

On the canal cruise

Burg Square

The market was open on the day my friends and I went to Bruges. We were in luck! We bought fresh strawberries to eat! It was interesting to look around at all the wares. Burg Square is where the first Count of Flanders had his headquarters. The architecture of the buildings is impressive.

Belfry Tower

The Belfry Tower is a medieval tower in the central square in Bruges. You can go to the top for great views. This tower was featured in the film In Bruges. The square is surrounded by beautiful buildings.

Belfry Tower

Chocolate

I bought lots of chocolate in Bruges! I had the best hot chocolate made with steamed milk and melted chocolate. It was delicious! There are lots of stores on almost every street that cell Belgian chocolate.

A Belgian hot chocolate!

Bruges is a beautiful city. It was easy to get to and a great day trip!

~Angie

The World of "Avatar"

I went to Disney World a few months ago. It was so much fun! 😎

I went with a group of girlfriends. We bought a three day pass that allowed us access to all the parks. We went to the Magic Kingdom, the Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios.

The newest attraction at Disney World was Avatar: Flight of Passage. In the Animal Kingdom, you can go to Pandora, the world of Avatar. There are two rides there: the Flight of Passage, and the Na'Vi River Cruise.

The Tree of Life

As this was a new ride, the lineups were very long. We arrived at 9:30am, and the queue for this ride was already three hours long! We decided to do other things and come back in the late afternoon. So around 4pm, we came back again. The queue this time was about and hour-and-a-half.

Rides at Disney World are set up so that as you are going through the queue, there is a lot to look at while you wait for the ride. The queue for the Avatar: Flight of Passage ride started outside. This was in a rainforest area that is set up like Pandora, with lots of plants from the planet. As you walk through, you come to the research station. This was cool! There were lots of computers and workstations, and test tubes of samples. Also, a tank held a life-size Avatar.

Inside the lab area

When it is finally your turn to go, you are asked how many of your group you are with. All four of us got to go at that same time. In total, there were 16 people. You are led into a room where you are given a number to stand on. You watch a video about the research in Pandora. Then you go into the room where your "banshee" is waiting for you. You sit on the "banshee", a seat that resembles a motorbike. This is a 4D Virtual Reality experience.

As the ride begins, you fly off a cliff into the world of Pandora. A breeze blows on your face and a scent is present as well. As you fly you go over an ocean. I jumped when a whale-type creature jumped in front of me! As you fly, the seat beneath you moves so it feels like you are on a "banshee" that is flying. The ride lasts about 3 minutes and it is an amazing experience!

I loved it! My friends and I went back to go on it again before the park closed.

Another ride in the Pandora section of the Animal Kingdom that is great for families, is the Na'Vi River Cruise. This is a boat cruise through an underground river that shows the world of "Avatar". It is a calm river cruise and is very pretty. The foliage of Pandora glows in the dark.

The Na'Vi River Cruise

~Angie

The Most Notorious Concentration and Death Camp

"Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana

The gate to Auschwitz

I visited Auschwitz-Birkenau this past June as part of a tour of East-Central Europe. It was a somber, thought-provoking, humbling experience. I recommend that everyone visit this former Concentration Camp. We were given headphones that we could program so we could hear the tour guide.

At Auschwitz, there were sections where photographs were not allowed - these are where the more personal and disturbing artefacts are displayed. I thought it was interesting that the storage rooms for Jewish and Polish personal items were called "Canada 1" and Canada 2". I am from Canada so found this fact intriguing. They named the storage units after Canada because it is considered a safe haven.

The barbed-wire fence enclosing the buildings

We went by Rudolf Hess' house, which was surprisingly close to the "showers" and crematorium.

A fifteen minute transfer took us to Birkenau. This is where the trains arrived and Josef Mengele did his "experiments". We saw the remains of the "showers" and toured a former bunker where a lot of women shared a small, rancid space and slept five or six to a bunk. 

A train car on the track at Birkenau

I was surprised by how much space Birkenau occupied.  This part of the tour takes place outdoors, so wear sunglasses and a hat, if you are there in the summer.

It was a sobering and thought-provoking tour.

~Angie

Welcome to Hogwarts!

I visited the "Harry Potter" film set in Leavesden, UK in July. It was fantastic!

I booked the tour through Golden Tours and this included the transfer on a special "Harry Potter" bus from London, plus the entrance fee. I bought a ticket for a butterbeer, which was extra and optional.
The bus left London at 9am for entrance at 11am. I actually entered at 10:40am, so it was great!

The door to the Chamber of Secrets

First you are greeted in a room with eight screens. A short film is shown about the film production and the aftermath showing the film openings. Then in the next room, which is set up as a theatre, a short film is shown where Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint talk about filming. After that the tour starts in the Great Hall.

This is one of two large sets. The detail was amazing! Only one table is set up showing how the plates etc were placed. At the far end there are mannequins of the professors in costume showing how they stood to greet the students.

After the Great Hall, you enter first part of the studio. This had a lot of sets all meshed together. By that, I mean that the outside of the Great Hall was decorated with Umbridge's plaques beside a wall of portraits with a staircase. Just one staircase was used, the others were added in post-production. Then, you can see the Gryffindor Common Room, Hagrid's Hut, the clock, Dumbledore's office and the Ministry of Magic all in the same large studio.

One of my favourite sets was the Malfoy's home where the Deatheaters and Voldemort met and the lady was tortured in the Deathly Hallows. The lady who was tortured is hanging from the ceiling. It is quite impressive!

The Deatheaters meeting in the Malfoy home

The Forbidden Forest was a new attraction that recently opened. This was a small section of trees and spider webs. You are met at the entrance by Hagrid, ready to lead you through. This is a mannequin with a lamp. There is Buckbeak and of course, Aragog. It was quite creepy. I kept thinking: "A spider had better not fall on me!"

The next room was the other larger set. It was Platform 9 3/4. This included the train, a train station platform, and three areas where you can take photos pushing carts through the wall. You can also go through the train car that was used for filming. I felt a bit rushed in this part, as there was limited space and a line-up of people on my heels. Not my favourite part of the tour. I wish I could have taken more time to take that set in.

Platform 9 3/4

I bought some souvenirs at the shop there and then went to enjoy my butterbeer.

After this there are some sets in the back lot outside. These included the Knight Bus, #4 Privet Drive, the Potter home in Godric's Hollow and the rickety bridge. The rickety bridge was only one section that was used during filming. The Visual Effects department added the rest of the bridge during post-production.

The Art Department came next. It was amazing to see the different masks and props that were used. A gallery of paper models showed the various houses and sets in simple first-draft form.
My favourite part of the tour was seeing the model of the Castle grounds. This was amazing! the details that went into the massive model were awesome! The model was the size of the entire room! I loved it!

Castle model

My tour allowed three hours to go through the entire set, eat something and shop at the gift store. I think, overall, that was enough time.

There is so much to see, I wish I had spent more time in the first part with the actual sets.

It was an amazing experience!

Beautiful Cathedral!

Years ago I read a book that took place in Saint Patrick's Cathedral. Ever since, I wanted to see the cathedral if I was ever in New York City.

The cathedral was closed every time my sister and I walked past, though. I got a photo in front of it earlier in the week. An Advent Wreath hung above the doors, with one candle lit - it was the first week of Advent. 

On our last evening in New York, we were walking down 5th Avenue and saw that the doors were open!

We went inside. It was beautiful! My sister lit a prayer candle and we walked around. There is so much to look at! The organ in amazing! There was a Nativity scene in the corner - Jesus was not in the manger yet as it was only the first week of Advent. The details on the walls, in the Nave, the Rose Window, (everything!) are amazing and the cathedral is beautiful! There is a lot to look at and take in.

I highly recommend it.

Central Park

One great free thing to do in New York City is visit Central Park. My sister and I were in New York at the beginning of December. The weather was great that day, it had stopped raining and the sun had come out. It was like a beautiful Autumn day...in December! The leaves were still on the trees and were very colourful. We were able to wear our Fall jackets to walk around Central Park. It was the best of both worlds - Fall weather and Christmas decorations!

We entered from Central Park South and the first thing you see from that entrance is the famous stone bridge! The Gapstow Bridge is the bridge featured in famous movies about New York, including Home Alone: Lost in New York. We took some photos near the bridge and on it with views of the Plaza Hotel behind us.

Gapstow Bridge

We then wandered on. We came across Wollman Rink and watched people skating. We said hello to Santa Claus, who was greeting people there and continued on.

Wollman Rink

We continued on. There is a road not far from the rink where cars and the horse drawn carriages travel. We crossed that road and came upon the pathway also featured in movies. The Mall and Literary Walk is where spies in movies meet. It is a famous tree-lined avenue with benches all along. We came across a girl selling paintings. They were beautiful and I bought one from her on my way out of the park later on. 

After the Mall, we came upon an advertisement for a book fair happening just under the Bethseda Terrace. Unfortunately we couldn't get down to have a look because it turned out that a TV show called Time After Time was doing a location shoot there. The book fair was actually part of the set. We watched the actors for quite some time. It was amusing.

One of the attractions that I really wanted to see in Central Park was Strawberry Fields. This is a garden that Yoko Ono created in honour of John Lennon, who was killed in front of the Dakota Apartments across the street on December 8, 1980. It is supposed to be a quiet place of reflection, but people were generally ignoring that instruction. I took at photo of the Imagine mosaic at the centre of the garden. This was a week before the anniversary of John Lennon's death. 

The Imagine mosaic in Strawberry Fields

We wandered on across the Bow Bridge. This bridge is beautiful and crosses the manmade lake with the inspiring and original moniker, The Lake. We found a bench and sat by this bridge to do some people watching and relax.

There was a lot of activity in Central Park - musicians, dancers, actors, tourists - all doing their thing. It was a beautiful and peaceful outing and I recommend visiting Central Park if you are ever in New York City. It was one of the highlights of our stay.

~Angie

What a Ride!

I recently had the opportunity to travel the "Road to Hana." 

It was incredible! It is believed by a lot of people to be really treacherous to drive. Not at all. It is very curvy, but the road was in very good condition. My friends and I were advised to leave before 6am. We left at 5:45am - a very good idea. This way we stayed well ahead of the traffic, including the tour buses that came hours later. 

We had to stop to let vehicles through from the other direction on the bridges. Bridges are one lane only, but are very short, thankfully. There are yield signs to allow for traffic coming from the opposite direction. We passed the town of Hana and headed into Haleakala National Park. The road in this stretch was not as good as previous sections, but not awful.

A bridge on the Road to Hana

The scenery was amazing! That is why you drive the Road to Hana! There were incredible views of the ocean, waterfalls, and the foliage was amazing! The road is very curvy. I was okay, but I don't suffer from motion sickness. To me, it was a really fun amusement park ride! My friends took Gravol and they were okay.

Curves on the road

Once in Haleakala Park, we hiked up to the waterfall. Along the way we walked through a bamboo forest. This was incredible! Admission to the park is $20 USD, and is good for three days.

We stopped at the Black Rock Beach on the way back. This was really cool to see. It is located at Pa'iloa Bay.

We started in Lahaina and it takes about 3.5 hours from there to drive the road. The entire trip took us about 12 hours, so plan an entire day, including stops.

The Road to Hana is definitely a bucket list item. It is worth the ride!

~Angie