9 articles tagged with mountains
The human brain responds powerfully to elevation—both literal and metaphorical. Standing 2,300 feet above Rio de Janeiro on my first morning atop Pedra Bonita, watching hang gliders launch themselves into the void, I experienced what psychologists call 'awe'—that rare emotion...
The morning mist clung to the slopes of Mount Batilamu like a lover reluctant to leave, revealing glimpses of emerald valleys below as I sipped my coffee from a chipped enamel mug. Most travelers come to Fiji for the postcard-perfect...
As someone who grew up with Manitoba's flat prairies, Vancouver's mountainous backdrop still takes my breath away every time I visit. While Whistler gets all the glory (and the crowds), I've discovered that some of the most soul-stirring mountain experiences...
The first time my running shoes touched the rust-colored dirt paths winding through Eldoret, I understood why this place produces marathon legends. The air here at 2,100 meters feels different—thinner yet somehow more nourishing, like the perfect thread tension on...
After decades behind the wheel of buses in two continents, I've developed a keen eye for terrain. Mountains, though, that's where my heart truly soars – far from the scheduled routes and traffic lights. Bogota, Colombia's sprawling capital, might seem...
When most people think of Rio de Janeiro, images of Copacabana's golden sands and the rhythmic sway of samba dancers immediately come to mind. But having just returned from a week-long winter escape to this Brazilian metropolis, I'm here to...
The first time I stood atop Mount Sentinel overlooking Missoula, my nurse's instinct to monitor vital signs kicked in – but it was my own heart racing from the panoramic beauty that caught my attention. Having spent countless nights observing...
The first time I stood at the base of the Sandia Mountains, I closed my eyes and just *listened*. The whisper of ponderosa pines, the distant call of a red-tailed hawk, the subtle percussion of hiking boots on rocky trails...
There's something utterly mesmerizing about the way Madeira's levadas carve their way through the island's dramatic topography. These ancient irrigation channels—some dating back to the 15th century—now serve as arteries for adventurers seeking to explore the heart of this Portuguese...
