Beautiful Thieves
-
Road Trip Through Craters of the Moon
Craters of the Moon National Park was the first real stop on our American road trip. Located near the town of Arco, Idaho, Craters of the Moon is a protected park close to the mountains and covered in lava. The park was established in 1924 to preserve the unique and beautiful lava fields. The plants and trees that have broken through the lava make the landscape more appealing. It is incredible to see how nature can withstand any environment. The park has even been visited by astronauts. In August of 1969, four of the man who were going to take flight on Apollo 14 came to the park to understand the geography of the moon…
-
Road Trip Through America Day Two
Day Two of our road trip through America featured a lot of driving. We finished Washington and Oregon and tried to get through as much of Idaho as possible. The first and one of the only lookouts we found in Oregon was on the top of a mountain, overlooking beautifully sculpted fields and farms. As we continued the drive we noticed the mountains creeping on the right side of the car. The snow capped blue giants in the distance looked stunning against the dark fields. Our last photo stop was in a small town after a long bout of mountain driving. We were just in time for the sunset and…
-
Road Trip Through America Day One
I just moved from Vancouver, British Columbia to my hometown in Georgetown, Ontario. My incredible father came out to help me move and we had a road trip back through the United States. It was a really long drive, but we were really lucky and had great weather. We had a few places we wanted to see – Craters of the Moon, Yellowstone National Park, and Mount Rushmore – but the rest was just driving. Day One was a half day of driving through Washington. There were tons of army trucks on the roads and a base near where we stopped for the night, it was strange to see the…
-
Art and Graffiti – Portland’s Art District
The art and graffiti in Portland’s Art District is outstanding. There are large pieces scaling the length of a building, to overlapping graffiti, to paintings hanging outside stores. Some of the art uses paint, but others use objects to add texture to the pieces. The mermaid piece has old CD’s that make up her sparkling tail. One student even used an alley for their thesis, trying to make every inch of Portland beautiful. They allow people to interact with the pieces in the alley, and decide what they would like to see in their city. The art district is stunning, and walking the ten blocks was one of my favourite…
-
Portland’s Art District – Part One
Portland’s Art District was my favourite stop in the city. We first drove past on our way to The Kennedy School and knew we had to go back. The street is ten blocks of street art, adorable shops and incredible restaurants and bars. We didn’t explore much of the food scene but did try to find as much art as possible. This was not difficult. The buildings were covered with sensational artwork. Even the graffiti was stunning – bright, bold and beautiful. One alley was redesigned as someone’s thesis, trying to make every inch of the city appealing. Downtown Portland is interesting but not what you imagine when you think of the…
-
Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls is the main stop on the Columbia River drive. This 620 foot mammoth waterfall is breathtaking from every angle. The Native American lore behind the falls states that it was created to win the heart of a young princess who wanted a private place to bathe. From the road you can only see the top of the falls, as you move closer you notice a thicker bottom tier that only adds to the beauty. There is a trail all the way up to the top of the falls – we opted out of the walk – but there is a stop at the Benson bridge. The Benson bridge was…
-
Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls was my favourite waterfall. Everything in Oregon is so lush and green, that the white from the falls was dazzling. The walk from the car is ten minutes through thick trees along a trail. From the top of the hill you can hear the stream but cannot see it until you get around to the front. Since we were there in early May, and during the week, it was quiet. The waterfall is thicker than the others on this drive, and flows down from Larch Mountain to make its way to the Columbia River. There is also another hike, a loop around the forest, that you can do…
-
Latourell Falls
Latourell Falls is the first waterfall along the Columbia River Gorge and it is a stunning first stop. When you get your first glimpse, through the bright green foliage, it looks tiny but by the time you reach the bottom of the cliff you are the small one. Standing at 224 feet, this waterfall packs a punch, even if the stream is small. The bright yellow lichen covering the side of the cliff, and almost neon moss around the base, make the falls outstanding. You don’t even realize how much time has passed while watching the water flow. It is incredible how close they are to these stunning waterfalls. Latourell Falls definitely…
-
Historic Columbia River Highway
In early April a friend and I took a trip to Portland, Oregon. We had no real plan so my family took us to the Historic Columbia River Highway, to see the gorgeous waterfalls. The first stage of the journey was the stunning lookout at the Portland’s Women Forum of the Columbia River and the gorge. The cascading mountains along the water, even on a grey day, was breathtaking. Everything is already so green from the mild winter, and the trees lining the hills were beautiful. The second stop was the the Vista House at Crown Point. I saw the building at the first lookout and was immediately drawn to…
-
Vancouver Fan Expo ’15 Pt 2
Vancouver Fan Expo 2015 featured incredible cosplay. Even when two people were the same character, their costumes were unique to themselves. As you enter the convention on the longest elevator in existence, the excitement builds. Lots of costumed characters line the walls, clump together in corners and wander the floor. The floor is a different story. You move as one entity, taking small steps as your eyes move from booth to booth. This slow crawl makes it slightly difficult to catch people for photos. It is great to see the detail in the pieces, and the makeup is often spectacular. This is my last Vancouver Fan Expo, but I hope I can…
