LIFE Books has released a book called Heaven on Earth: The World’s Must See Destinations, and it is breathtaking.

Today we’re looking at Iguazu Falls which are located along the border of Brazil and Argentina in the Iguaza River.

The legend of the falls, according to Wikipedia, states that a god was going to marry a mortal woman, but before the wedding she fled with her lover via canoe. The god was so angry that he  broke the river, condemning the lovers to an eternity of falling. This backs up my long-standing theory that the gods must be crazy.

The site is made up of 275 separate waterfalls, half of which flow into the Devil’s Throat, a narrow chasm which sounds very hot.

Visitors on the Brazilian side of the falls can hike to the bottom of Devil’s Throat and take helicopter rides over the river. Argentina does not allow either due to their negative effects on the environment.

Please note, travel between Brazil and Argentina is an affair heavy with bureaucracy. Tourists are encouraged to research and acquire the proper paperwork and visas before crossing the river.

Photo: Iguacu Falls by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, courtesy of LIFE Books

Photos of Savannah, Georgia frequently feature stately buildings and elaborate wrought iron created by talented architects and artisans, but there’s plenty of natural beauty to be found in this small coastal city courtesy of Mother Nature.

Tourists may be most familiar with the live oaks that line the streets and squares of the National Historic District. These twisting giants draped in Spanish moss give the town its decidedly Southern charm and, as legend has it, have often served as much-needed bumpers for drunk drivers fresh from the city’s many bars and street festivals. Savannah is, after all, a city that prides itself on knowing how to throw a party, but not every guest over the centuries has been able to handle the liberal drinking laws responsibility. Many of the live oaks (and a few of the city’s statues) bear the resulting scars. Read More »

The Presidents of Rock

It seems that someone should say something here about how far-fetched National Treasure 2 was, but I’m going to let it slide. You probably didn’t see it.

Mount Rushmore, on the other hand has seen a lot. Located near Keystone, South Dakota, the National Park and memorial are visited by over 2 million tourists per year. That’s a lot of souvenirs.

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

Photo by Mike Tigas via Flickr

Diamond Head - the peak is the edge of a huge crater

I didn’t do much research before I went to Oahu.  There, I said it.  I was fine just going with the flow, no guidebook to refer to, consulting the internet for information.  So when the airplane was touching down in Honolulu and my seatmate, a local resident, pointed out Diamond Head to me and said that you can hike to the top, I mentally put that on my to-do list.  Other island dwellers suggested I hike early, before it gets too hot, and at sunrise if possible.

No, not possible.  I was on the run from the moment I woke up until the moment I went to sleep every one of the few days I was there, so the best I could do was set my alarm for 6:15 on a Sunday morning, the day I was scheduled to catch a 12:30 PM flight.  My hotel was just a short ride from the Diamond Head Visitor’s Center, and my internet research told me the hike would be short, so I figured I could fit it in before breakfast.

And so I did.  And because I was not up there literally at the crack of dawn, I had a better time of it.  You see, this is one of those bus tour type of attractions, and that morning there were several on site with loads of tourists who had ascended to watch the sun come up.  I had the pleasure of greeting them all on their way down, which left a few stragglers at the top once I arrived, and even pockets of pure, quiet solitude. Read More »