Tree Carmel California

Saw this tree on a recent quick trip to Carmel.

Memories of Aleppo

Aleppo has always been one of my favorite cities to visit. It had a population of over 2 million and is built around one of the largest citadels I have ever seen. It was built in 12th and 13th centuries on a large limestone outcrop towering over 100 feet high over the surrounding plain. Excavation has revealed a Bronze Age Temple From the 3ed and 2ed millennia BC. The large souk or market nearby is over 1000 years old.

 The last hotel I stayed at in April of 2011 was next door to the Baron Hotel, the oldest hotel in Syria built in 1870 for Pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem. Guests there have included Lawrence of Arabia,Theodore Roosevelt,David Rockefeller, and Agatha Christie who wrote part of "Murder on the Orient Express" there When it closed its doors in 2014 the lines between the government and rebel forces was only a few feet away.

Pictures that have gotten out now show a city in ruins. Russian bombing, barrel bombs dropped by Assad's forces, and chemical weapons used by Assad in spite of the "Red" line have killed many and created many refugees of those who are able to flee. In one cruel  day last week six hospitals were bombed and there is no end in sight.

Looking up at the Citadel

Stairs leading into the Citadel

Entrance to Citadel

Inside Citadel

View from the top

Cafe

Aleppo Clock Tower

Ottoman style wooden homes

Lexi Graduates, University of Washington

Lexi Jones

Kaija, Lexi, Samia, Amanda

Lexi and Aunt Karen

Lexi and Sister Amanda

The Three Princess

Kaija, Grandma Karen, Lexi, Grandpa  Jim

Selfie

Big Island Hawaii

Ranch Land on North Side

Waterfall on West Side

 The Big Island is one of the most diverse island you will ever find. The east side is the dry side and gets an average of 12 inches a year while on the west side Hilo gets around 157 inches of rain. The north side has a lot of green ranch land. Even ancient craters are covered with green grass. The south side is dominated by the volcano and lava flows.

  The island is composed of two Volcanos. Mauna Kea on the north side is 13,796 feet tall and last erupted in 2460 BC. The active Volcano is Mauna Loa on the south side which is 13,678 feet high

Abandoned Resort

 This resort at the black sand beach in Punaluu was destroyed by a tsunami in 1975.

Black Sand Beach

Looking across Pond to Black sand Beach

 At the south end of the island there is a black sand beach which once had a large resort on this fish pond. The resort was damaged in a tsunami in 1975 and only ruins remain.

Road to Mauna Kea

Looking Back to the Saddle Road between the two Volcanos

Near the Top

Two of the several telescopes on the Summit

 From sea level in Hilo it is only a couple hours to you reach the top of Mauna Kea at 13,796. On jeep trails in Colorado we routinely go over 13,000 feet but there we never start from sea level. The last 9 miles or so are dirt and 4WD is advised but the little rental car did fine going up. Unfortunately it would not shift into a lower gear going down making for a slow trip and hot brakes going down.

More from the Red Road

  There are Several Tree Tunnels along the Red Road

Thermal Hot Pool at Oceans Edge

Painted Church near end of Road

The scenery and vegetation makes the Red Road one of my favorite drives. There is also a park with a large hot pool. Some of the ocean waves break into the pool keeping it from being too hot. The Painted Church is near the end of the road where it had been moved too to avoid flowing lava in 1990.

The Red Road

 South of Hilo there is a great drive along the coast. It is or was called the Red Road as one time it was paved with red cinders but now it has been blacktopped. These two photos were at sunrise.

Roots, Hawaii

Vegetation

Out the Bedroom Window

 

Except for the Orchid all these photos were within a few feet of the condo. A few miles from the condo was a place were they raised Orchids and had over 20,000 Orchids.  http://www.akatsukaorchid.com

Lava

 Lava comes in many varieties from the very rough and sharp which you couldn't walk on to the very smooth with many textures.

Chain of Craters Road

The Top of Chain of Craters Road

Lava Flows Along the Road

One of Several Craters Along the Road

Sunrise at the Bottom on the Road

Some of the Steam Vents Along the Road

Looking Back from Bottom of the Road

The Chain of Craters Road starts at the park entrance an winds past numerous craters and lava flows for 22 miles before it ends where a large lava flow closed it. There was no lava flowing along the road or into the sea. It was the first time I have been to the Big Island without lava flowing. Apparently there was one place where lava was flowing but is was on private land and inaccessible.

To get to the bottom of the road for sunrise even though only 22 miles took about an hour in the dark as it is almost always raining with some fog an the numerous birds including the Nene birds crossing the road.