Keahiakawelo, Lanai City, Hawaii

 

   Often referred to as the Garden of the Gods, Keahiakawelo is a rocky, almost barren region. It can be located in a remote canyon part of the island, approximately seven miles from Lanai City, at the end of Polihua Road. However, the road requires four-wheel drive, and it will take around 30-45 minutes to get from Lanai City to the site by car. 

     This land may not seem that exciting... until you know about the strange rock formations that are scattered everywhere. These rocks are what make Keahiakawelo so famous, and they are so precious to Lanai that it is forbidden (or "kapu") to move or stack them. Sources say that "the rock garden's various towers and spires look like something from another planet, especially when the sun sets at the end of the day and casts an eerie orange glow over the rocky landscape. In the windy and dry environment, with the rocks and ground painted in reds, purples, and oranges, it's easy to imagine yourself on Mars".

     Hawaiian lore says that the creation of the land was caused by two kahunas, or Hawaiian priests, from Lanai and Molokai. They had a competition where they each had a fire to keep lit, and whichever island kept the fire burning the longest, reward would follow in abundance. The Lanai kahuna supposedly stoked his fire with every little piece of plant in Keahiakawelo, resulting in the environment you can see today. Still, there are some plants and vegetation that have not disappeared. Another piece of lore suggests that the rocks were dropped by gods who were tending to their gardens in the sky. Which version do you like best?

Agos-Vidalos, France

    Before handing you guys the fun portion of a region, I usually like to write about the history first, but finding information for this place proved to be a little tricky. Agos-Vidalos is a small town in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in southwestern France with a population between 300 to 400 people. I had the privilege of traveling there once with my family, and boy oh BOY; it was beautiful. I was surrounded by gorgeous greenery and mountains. Sheep and cattle were everywhere, and fields of crops flourished every which way.

      Beyond all that, the opportunity of immersing in the countryfolk life was probably my favorite part of the trip. People usually think of Paris when the word "France" pops up, and although Paris is nice, Agos-Vidalos succeeds at bringing a new perspective of experiencing a foreign land.

      If you are curious to take a vacation in any of the places I've blogged so far, I'd deifnitely go for this one. Of course, viewing the landscape is not the only activity to do. The town is relatively close to a zoo, a zip-lining park, cave tours, and the holy city of Lourdes. If you happen to be interested in this region, I suggest you check out the Camping Le Soleil du Pibeste. It's the campground I stayed at during the trip. You either rent a small home or you can bring your own tent.

For those who are curious of the trip, here are some photos I got:

Margaret River, Australia

 

    While many tourists go for Australia's eastern coast, the Margaret River region provides a great excuse to venture toward the western side of the country.

     Before we wander into the exciting parts about Margaret River, it's best to know a few historical facts. Migrants originally established the town in the 1800s for timber logging, but as time went by, settlers were attracted to the land with promises of fertile farm soil. Its name is believed to have originated from Margaret Whicher, a step-second-cousin of John Bussell (an early settler who founded the city Busselton in Western Australia).

     

   

 

     Today, Margaret River is recognized for its wineries and surfing spots. With a Mediterranean-style climate, lacking extreme summer and winter temperatures, the land provides perfect growing conditions. Since the humidity is ideal during that time, wine here results as a consistently high quality fruit of intense flavor. As for the region's surfing spots... well, even Hugh Jackman (a.k.a Wolverine from freakin' X-Men, HELLO??) has cited the surfing to be a perk of Margaret River. Movies such as Drift, starring Sam Worthington, have even filmed surf scenes in the area. Besides that, major surfing competitions are hosted around as well.

     Just for the heck of it, I thought I'd throw in a couple of fun things that are also accessible in Margaret River. One of them is cave exploring. The most popular cave to tour is the Mammoth Cave, and it's one of the few caves in the south west to still contain fossils. Aside from that, the other neat activity to investigate is the A Maze'n Margaret River. This place is scattered with gardens, mini golf courses, and contains a huge maze to solve. 

Xilitla, S.L.P, Mexico

Hightop view of a portion of Xilitla.

      Xilitla is a closed-off municipality and town in the state of San Luis Potosi. Mountains, natural springs, and caves scatter all across the land, and with the amount of precipitation the town receives annually, Xilitla is considered one of the most humid parts of Mexico. Most of the residents speak spanish, but interestingly enough, influences of Nahual and Huastec cultures thrive as well.

Stairs leading to closed off platforms, part of Edward Jame's garden.

      What makes this place so special, you might ask? Well, Xilitla is especially known for its coffee and Las Pozas, or "the pools". Created around 1947, Las Pozas served as a garden of surrealistic art provided by a British poet and artist, Edward James. Initially, James owned a coffee plantation in the area. For several years, he used Las Pozas as a sanctuary for orchids and exotic animals. When a frost destroyed his flowers, James decided to create the beautiful garden that is exhibited today. This vast subtropical jungle holds sculptures with staircases that lead to nowhere, and shapes that are supposed to portray plant-life. Photos of his sculptures remind me of some kind of sci-fi movie. If anyone were to visit this place, Las Pozas would definitely be a hotspot to check-out. 

     Parties such as Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and Procesion de Silencio (Parade of Silence) have been known to be greatly celebrated in Xilitla, giving the town a religious character.