Dordogne River Valley, Southern France

© Ellen Barone.A panoramic view of the Dordogne River valley as viewed from Castlenaud, France.

This month’s featured photograph takes us to the Dordogne region of southwestern France, home to exploration and settlement since the days of the Neanderthals. Today the scenic landscape still harbors hundreds of caves containing prehistoric creations, as well as remnants of more recent history. This panorona of the cultivated plains of the Dordogne River Valley and the 13th-century Château de Beynac, was created during an October seven-day walking vacation with The Wayfarers.

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About Ellen Barone: Consumer travel expert Ellen Barone is the founder and publisher of EllenBarone.com and YourLifeIsATrip.com. Learn more here and connect on Twitter at,Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.

Venice, Italy

This month’s featured photograph comes from photographer  Michael Wiggins. You can see more of Michael’s gorgeous imagery at www.wmwiggins.com

OMG, I am the kid in the candy store. “They are everywhere, they are everywhere”. I want to “capture this one with my camera…..I NEED to capture that one”.

As I complete my 360 degree turn in Venice’s Piazza San Marco, I realize like the lagoon waves, they just keep on coming.

THEY being the costumed model participants of the annually “Carnival” of Venice.

Starting at mid morning and running until late into the evening, colors of every  hue and saturation excites my eyes. Venues galore, my challenge is to pick ONLY one place to be at a time.

Geeeeeeez…..this is just not fair!

My daylight gives way to the night light.

Now, a completely  different view of the ever changing ubiquitous models.

Some night colors simply pop. “Lady of the Night”, this “Lady in Red ” is one of my favorite shots. I do not know if this model was a member of a troupe from Paris, Berlin, London, or wherever. All were so equally gracious and accommodating to the photographer.

Eye candy? You betcha’, and lots of it.

Ciao,

Michael Wiggins

Michael Wiggins is a recently retired airline pilot. Having flown for Delta Air Lines for almost 30 years, he developed a love of photography while flying to international destinations and continue to travel to the world capturing images to share with others. He currently reside in Texas with my wife, Gail, and three dogs.

La Paz, Baja, Mexico

© Ellen Barone. CostaBaja Resort. La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

I’m a sucker for Mexican design and CostaBaja had me hooked at hello. What a gorgeous new addition to the accommodation options in La Paz. Totally yummy! Better yet, the staff was every bit as warm and welcoming as the surroundings. Learn more about this resort community at www.CostaBajaResort.com.

 

About Ellen Barone: Consumer travel expert Ellen Barone is the founder and publisher of EllenBarone.com and YourLifeIsATrip.com. Learn more here and connect on Twitter at,Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.

New Mexico Storm Clouds

© Ellen Barone. Storm clouds at sunset

Sure, it may be cliché to extol the beauty and drama of the New Mexico sky. But, it’s cliché for a reason - the skies are magical!

When I’m home, my favorite evening ritual is to sit outside on our back patio and watch the drama of the night sky unfold. Each night is a new performance. I never tire of it.

A summer storm was brewing the evening I captured this image. Thunder rumbled while the hypnotic sky transformed minute-by-minute in color and form, as if someone was turning the dial on a virtual kaleidoscope. The photo doesn’t do it justice, but it felt like I’d been dropped down the Rabbit Hole in Alice in Wonderland.

If you haven’t traveled to New Mexico, you should. But be forewarned: “if you ever go to New Mexico, it’ll itch you for the rest of your life.” - Georgia O’Keeffe

Like this photo? You can buy it!

To purchase fine art prints and photo gifts of this image, or any of our most popular images, please visit our online photo store.

 

About Ellen Barone: Consumer travel expert Ellen Barone is the founder and publisher of EllenBarone.com and YourLifeIsATrip.com. Learn more here and connect on Twitter at,Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.

CasaBlanca, Morocco

©Ellen Barone. King Hassan II mosque.

The Hassan II mosque is about exotic as Casablanca gets. The vast mosque, built to commemorate the former King Hassan II’s 60th birthday, can accommodate 25,000 worshippers and is one of the few Islamic religious buildings open to non-Muslims. Featuring the work of more than 6000 Moroccan artisans, I loved photographing the phenomenal building. But if you want inside be prepared to take a guided tour, be ‘respectfully’ dressed and, once inside, remove your shoes.

Like this photo? You can buy it!

To purchase fine art prints and photo gifts of this image, or any of our most popular images, pleasevisit our online photo store.

Or better yet, go make your own. Join visual artist Lisl Dennis on a Morocco photo tour. While Lisl is a professional photographer and will be available throughout the tour to offer personal photo assistance, conduct on-location demonstrations, and lead group photography discussions, the tour also attracts videographers, writers, poets and the culturally curious. Learn more

 

About Ellen Barone: Consumer travel expert Ellen Barone is the founder and publisher of EllenBarone.com and YourLifeIsATrip.com. Learn more here and connect on Twitter at,Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.

La Cañada, Mexico

La casa de Doña Hermina. © Ute Hagen. texture by Insan Stock.

This month’s photograph comes from a new ‘Countryside along the Sabino River’ series of images by Mexico-based artist Ute Hagen. For the past decade, I have been blessed by Ute’s friendship, vision and passion and am honored by the opportunity to feature her work here.

Here’s Ute’s description of the experience behind the creation of the photograph:

…she [Doña Hermina] lives here alone. i saw her standing by the stone wall watching her village’s life go by. there was a can of water by her side which she threatened to throw at me if would take her picture (((((; we chatted and laughed for a while and whenever i lifted my camera she lifted her water can…….. hmm, i never got to find out if she really meant it (((;


See more of Ute’s photography and art at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uteart/

Backcountry New Mexico

© Ellen Barone. Pronghorn antelope near Carrizozo, NM

I love little more than a New Mexico road trip.  I’ll take any excuse to hop behind the wheel and cruise the state’s scenic back roads. And you can bet there’ll be a camera on the seat beside me!

I spotted this group of antelope off Hwy 54 just north of Carrizozo on one such trip. The drama of a stormy gray sky and the spotlight ray of sunshine lend the shot, and memory, a tinge of New Mexico magic. It’s just this kind of natural beauty that makes me glad that 12 years ago I came to New Mexico for a week, and decided to stay for a lifetime!

I have my New Mexico; now you can share yours for a chance to win Fodor’s guides and a subscription to New Mexico Magazine. Enter the “Show Us Your New Mexico” contest at Fodors.com  Entry deadline May 15, 2009.

Click here for details. 

San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico

© Ellen Barone. Low Tide at San Felipe beach.

Through the good fortune of travel and the generosity of friends made on the road, my husband, Hank, and I find ourselves enjoyng a quiet three weeks housesitting in San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico.

Who knew when I met Bob & Lyn Sheedy (http://www.planetbob.com) on a flight to Barbados in 2003 that five years later they’d find my business card tucked into a suitcase and reconnect. Who knew that they’d end up spending three months in our casita in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico, or that we’d end up keeping their cat, Meow-Meow, and bird, Bud, company in their desert home in Baja.

For those of us who travel, chance encounters that transform into lifelong friendships, are never a surprise, and in fact, one of the nicest perks. Not to mention, a trip to the beach!

Have a similar story? Share it here! I’d love to hear it.

Life is good,

Ellen

Old Mesilla, New Mexico

©Ellen Barone. Patio view at Josefina’s Old Gate Café and Inn, Mesilla, New Mexico.When I’m cravin’ an Old Mexico fix in New Mexico, I head straight for the lively little village of Old Mesilla near Las Cruces. Dating from 1849, the village of about 2,000 boasts one of the Southwest’s most charming historic plazas. First stop is usually Josefina’s Old Gate Cafe, a homey little cafe where I load up on homemade quiche and fresh-baked croissants. Next, it’s off to The Potteries to see what new and irresitable ceramics potters Janice Cook, Bill Cook, and Jeanne Rundell have on the shelves to tempt me. And finally, there’s people watching, a green chile cheeseburger and a margarita (or 3) to be had at the Double Eagle.

Curaçao

© Ellen Barone. Harborfront Buildings of Punda, Willemstad, Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean

How can you not love a place that paints the town the colors of the rainbow? You just gotta smile. And, smile is just about all I did during a memorable girls getaway to Curaçao. Based in a rented villa, I joined five friends for a laid-back week on the island. Our mission: To hang where the locals hang, eat at the local hot spots, and, in general, do the things that any Curaçaoan might do.

Get the full scoop on where to stay + play in my destination guide “Back Stage Curaçao” published online at TripConnect.com.

To plot your own adventure visit http://www.curacao.com the official source for Curaçao tourism and vacation information.

Sea of Cortez, Mexico

© Hank Barone. 

My husband, Hank, captured this photograph as we paddled back to our floating base camp - the luxury yacht, Safari Quest, you see in the distance.  As I look at this picture now, nearly a year later, it summons up a rush of sensory memories from the voyage - the sound of our paddles as they dipped in-and-out of the water, the fresh smell of salt and sea, the exhilaration of exploration and present moment awareness of Universal connection.

This is the picture I go to when I need a mental image of contentment. This is the image I remember when I’m filled with gratitude and appreciation.

Grand Teton National Park

©Ellen Barone. Bull moose in autumn snowfall, Grand Teton National Park, near Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Any opportunity to observe wildlife in its natural habitat is a huge thrill for me. So, imagine my excitement when this bull moose practically walked in front of my lens during a recent visit to Grand Teton National Park. But, apparently, it wasn’t just good luck. Grand Teton National Park ranks as one of the nation’s top hotspot for wildlife viewing.

To read my article ‘The Suite Life in Teton Valley, Idaho’, and see more photography from my recent stay at the elegant Teton Valley Lodge & Spa , click here.

Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico

© Ellen Barone. Colorful Mexican Weavings, Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico

Mexico is on my mind today. I first fell in love with life south-of-the-border during a yearlong road trip with my husband in the mid nineties. Since then, the infectious allure of Mexico’s people, colors, cultural traditions and way of life has drawn me back repeatedly to travel, work and live.

It’s been nine months since my last visit, and I find myself homesick for its vivid colors, raucous sounds, shimmering sunlight, friendly smiles and boisterous exuberance. And, truth told, I wouldn’t mind a freshly made margarita right about now.

Vamanos!

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona USA

© Ellen Barone. 

Most people know the Grand Canyon as America’s most scenic hole in the ground. But few know that deep in the heart of the gigantic slash there exists a primeval world of heaving and boiling white-water rapids, plummeting waterfalls, emerald pools, graceful ferns, cherry-red monkeyflowers, sandy beaches and billion-year-old rocks.

A six-day rafting vacation with Western River Expeditions  ranks as one of our most memorable adventures. A once-in-a-lifetime must-do for travelers seeking unparalleled whitewater excitement and scenic wonder.

View my video slideshow of the voyage > CLICK HERE

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

©2008 Ellen Barone. Milwaukee Art Museum

I went to Milwaukee expecting to return home with photos of Harley-Davidsons and beer. But, like many first-time visitors, I was pleased to discover a wealth of urban pleasures in this delightful Great Lake city. For instance, the spectacular Milwaukee Art Museum designed by famed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Perched at the water’s edge, this is a must-stop for visiting shutterbugs - inside and out.  And, after you’ve filled a memory card - or two - there’s Harley’s and beer!

Inside Passage, Alaska

©Ellen Barone. Humpback Whale Tail, Inside Passage, Alaska.

Our second voyage through Alaska’s Inside Passage with American Safari Cruises did not disappoint. Aboard their new flagship vessel, Safari Explorer, the luxury expedition-style yacht cruise served up plenty of opportunities for up-close-and-personal wildlife viewing, gentle kayak explorations in remote bays, gourmet dining and the pleasure of traveling with interesting and inquisitive ship mates.

Click here to view a full gallery of images produced on the voyage!

Provence, France

©Ellen Barone. Poppies paint the Provençal landscape near Lacoste, France. 

I’ve just returned from the sensory high of a Provençal walking vacation with The Wayfarers. If you’re picturing a forced march weighted down by heavy backpacks and hostel-style lodging. Think again. A walk with The Wayfarers falls into a travel category “luxury adventure.” Which is to say, after a day of rambling through the luminous hues of the Provençal landscape and lingering over café lunches in pretty villages tumbling down hillsides, you get to  take a long bath, eat a gourmet dinner, drink fine French wine and sleep in the comfort of luxury hotel. Myself, I can’t imagine any other way to discover the flavors, fragrances, scenery, food and joie de vivre of Provence.

Click here to view my photos of the trip.

Sydney, Australia

©Ellen Barone. Sydney Harbour Bridge as viewed at night from Circular Quay, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Circular Quay is the hub of Sydney Harbour, situated at a small inlet called Sydney Cove, the founding site for Sydney and Australia. It is a stepping-off point for most attractions based around the harbour and an exciting place to be day and night.

On the southern side of Circular Quay is a walkway that leads to the Sydney Opera House and Royal Botanical Gardens; while on the northern side, a short walk along lovely landscaped walkways takes you to the Harbour Bridge and The Rocks, one of the oldest, most attractive and most interesting parts of Sydney. 

The quay is a vibrant, bustling place with ferries leaving every few minutes to different parts of the harbour. Alongside the ferry terminals are a number of small outdoor cafes and the area is a magnet for buskers of every description.

 
To learn more about Sydney, one of the world’s most popular travel destinations, click here.