Category: North America

Travel Totaled my Car – How we Barely Escaped Eastern Oregon

Posted on by Aaron Shade in Oregon, Stories

Having never been to the far reaches of Eastern Oregon, we felt like this was a good time to get that knocked off our bucket list. Some of the highlights of the area are Steens Mountain, Alvord Desert, Leslie Gulch, and Jordan Craters. This would be our one last road trip before departing on our round-the-world trip. With it being such a remote part of Oregon, good preparation was critical as anything could happen. Fortunately we had an incredible trip, but it wasn’t quite what we expected.

Page springs campground

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Hidden Gems of Central Oregon: 3-Day Itinerary

Posted on by Brianna Shade in Hiking, Oregon, Photography, Stories

Oregon is a beautiful place, especially if you know where to go!  Everyone typically thinks of Multnomah Falls or Timberline Lodge or Cannon Beach or Crater Lake…  While those are undeniably stunning, and everyone should see them at least once, there are some hidden gems far less frequented.  If you have a few days to spare, check out these unique sites in Central Oregon.

painted-hills-5

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Truly Unique Dining in Vancouver B.C.

Posted on by Brianna Shade in Food, Vancouver

This was the most unique dining experience I’ve ever had. I highly recommend this restaurant if you’re willing to try something new; it will change your outlook… pun intended!

LotsaSmiles Photography

This experience warranted its own post, as I have never before had a dinner quite like our last in Vancouver.

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World Highlights: Our Favorite Costa Rican Animal Encounter

Posted on by Brianna Shade in Costa Rica, Favorites, Stories

Costa Rica is known for their wide array of fauna.  From crocodiles to sloths, birds of every color, bugs, frogs, etc., there’s so much to look at and appreciate.  While we were there, we went on numerous canopy tours and boat rides, all to catch a glimpse at the elusive wildlife.  And Costa Rica delivered.

But which was our favorite animal encounter?

© LotsaSmiles Photography 2017

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Grouse Mountain

Posted on by Brianna Shade in Hiking, Vancouver

After a trip to Capilano, we had to make our way to the nearby Grouse Mountain. There was so much to discover and more hiking than we had time for. We’ll have to go back sometime!

LotsaSmiles Photography

While somewhat a tourist attraction, if you find yourself in Vancouver, you’ll want to check out the views from atop Grouse Mountain.

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Capilano Suspension Bridges

Posted on by Brianna Shade in Vancouver

Bridges and boardwalks and trees, oh my!
While I would have preferred to get in earlier, it was still a fun experience!

LotsaSmiles Photography

If you find yourself in Vancouver B.C., chances are, you’ll wind up checking out the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.  To be frank, this is a tourist attraction (which I tend to shun).  However, this was interesting enough to draw us in, and the resulting verdict was that it was worth the visit.

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Our Favorite Restaurant in 2018

Posted on by Aaron Shade in Favorites, Food, Stories, USA

We like to eat out quite often, and we tend to splurge more than we should. There are so many good restaurants that it is hard to pick a favorite. For us a restaurant is more than just the food it serves; it is also the experience. To be a favorite means that we enjoy our time there even without the food. A great restaurant has staff that is present when we need them, food that is timely and well prepared, and there’s a good atmosphere. The taste and quality also matters. After our Favorite Japanese Meal post, our favorite food shouldn’t surprise you. And that leads us to our favorite restaurant experience in 2018. Drum roll please….seattle-1

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Steam Clock – Vancouver B.C.

Posted on by Brianna Shade in Vancouver

I love the tiny discoveries in a new city. This filled me with a fascination so simple and true… reminding me it’s the little things in life that are worth living for!

LotsaSmiles Photography

If you’re anything like me, a little child still resides in your heart, excited to pop out when the world manages to amaze an experienced and jaded mind.  This child oohs and aahs at simple mechanics and perfect patterns, tiny memories of less complicated times.

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Stanley Park – Vancouver B.C.

Posted on by Brianna Shade in Vancouver

Stanley Park offers acres of forest to explore, play, and exercise. And the best part? The locals are really friendly and happy to chat you up!

LotsaSmiles Photography

One of the highlights of our brief jaunt in Vancouver was Stanley Park, a vast, 1001-acre public park that dominates the peninsula north of downtown Vancouver.  It’s mostly old, dense forest (many trees are hundreds of years old), and it features bike paths and trails spidering throughout.  It’s understandably a popular destination for daily exercisers.

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Welcome to Vancouver!

Posted on by Brianna Shade in Vancouver

Switching gears once more, we thought we’d give you a taste of our adventures in another place: Vancouver, BC. A long drive, a beautiful city, and a midnight fire scare.. welcome to Vancouver!

LotsaSmiles Photography

Overall, we found Vancouver B.C. to be a very welcoming city.  After all, it appeared to have more tourists than residents, spanning the entire globe.  And it was quite the destination for Canada Day celebrations.

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