California: Long Beach Aquarium

Bicolor Anthias

California Moray Eel

Clown Fish

Clown Triggerfish

Rockmover or Dragon Wrasse

Leafy Sea Dragon

Giant Green Anemones

Strawberry Anemones

Moon Jellies

Spotted Lagoon Jellies

Zebra Shark

Fin Whale

Pacific White-Sided Dolphins

The Aquarium of the Pacific is a gem in Long Beach, California.  The displays are wall to ceiling and cover a variety of habitats.  You can also go out on whale watching excursions by aquarium naturalists from the dock outside.  An exciting expansion of the aquarium is currently underway.  We definitely will return again!  More info is at:  http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/

California: Huntington Garden Favorites

Chinese Garden’s Scenic Lake

Tranquil Japanese Garden’s Weeping Willow Overhanging Bridge

Japanese Garden’s Entrance to Bamboo Forest Walkway

Historic Mexican Pincushion Garden

Mammillaria Pincushion Cactus with Pink Flowers

Hundreds of Globular Golden Barrel Cacti

Shapes of Barrel Cacti and Agave

Desert Garden’s Blooming Agave

California Praying Mantis on Red Hot Poker Flowers

Matchstick Bromeliad

Sundew Carnivorous Plant

Flock of Wild Red Crowned Parrots in Garden

Sweet Dog Statue Beside Camellia Flowers

Besides favorites detailed previously on roses and orchids at Huntington Gardens, we also enjoyed seeing the Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden, and Desert Garden.  The plants and landscapes are stunning at this California treasure.  Some of the largest specimens were first planted in the 1920’s, and the golden barrel cacti collection is one of the largest in the world.  If you get lucky, you  might see a flock of wild red crowned parrots and hummingbirds too.  Our anticipated one day visit was not nearly enough, so we returned again a second day.  There are also multiple museums in the garden and so much more to see that is not detailed here.  If you would like to visit, more info is at:  http://www.huntington.org/

Huntington Gardens: Roses

Red and White Striped Rose

Vibrant Pink Rose

Pink and Cream Rose

Lavender Rose

Peach Rose

Butterscotch Rose

Red Roses

Huntington Gardens’ historic rose garden contains over 1,400 cultivars covered in thousands of blooms.  Two beds are devoted exclusively to fragrant varieties – joy! Roses do exceptionally well in the area, which explains why Pasedena, California, is home to the annual Rose Parade every New Year’s Day.

Huntington Gardens: Orchids

Showy Lady Slipper Orchid

Pink Lady Slipper Orchid

Spotted Lady Slipper Orchid

Yellow Lady Slipper Orchid

Complex Orchids

Huntington Gardens in Pasedena, California, has gorgeous orchids on display in the Brody Botanical Center.  The variety, complexity, and colors of these beautiful plants are amazing!  Pictures of unusual orchid species are at: https://www.boredpanda.com/flowers-look-like-animals-people-monkeys-orchids-pareidolia/

 

California: Gondola Ride and Christmas Lights

Long Beach: Orange Sunset

Long Beach Marina: Pink Sunset

Sailboats and Full Moon at Sunset

Pam and Richard in Gondola

View of Canal from Gondola

Decorated House and Full Moon at Sunset

Santa House

Dolphin Lights

Dragon with Santa Hat

Decorated Houses and Tall Palm Tree

Candy Cane House

Christmas Trees in Water

Recently when we were in Long Beach, California, we went on a gondola ride through the canals looking at Christmas lights at sunset.  We rode in an authentic Venetian gondola under a full moon.  It was spectacular!   The Naples canals are among the top 10 places to see Christmas lights in the Los Angeles area.   When we were there in early December, it was very peaceful and quiet.  Close to the holiday it gets quite lively, and sometimes the residents give out hot chocolate and cookies.  Info about Gondola Getaway is at:  http://www.gondolagetawayinc.com/default.asp

Palm Springs: Top 10 U.S. Places to Travel

Greater Palm Springs Area

Desert Oasis

Looking Up at Oasis Fan Palms

Golden Barrel Cacti

Roadrunner in Desert

Close-up of Roadrunner Face

Anna’s Hummingbird at Mexican Honeysuckle in Desert Garden

Greater Palm Springs was voted one of the top ten places to travel in the United States by Lonely Planet in 2017.  We visited in early spring and loved it as usual!

Palm Springs: Giant Wind Turbines

Wind Turbines by Mount San Jacinto

Trio of Wind Turbines

Wind Turbines in Desert Landscape

San Gorgonio Pass in Black and White

The San Gorgonio Pass near Palm Springs is one of the windiest places in California.  The area is famous for its huge wind farms containing over 4,000 wind turbines.  The largest blades measure half the length of a football field.  Currently engineers are working on a prototype that would have blades twice the length of a football field mounted on a tower taller than the Empire State Building!  Another post is at:  https://naturetime.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/california-palm-springs-wind-turbines/