Ashford Castle – One Of Ireland’s Most Romantic Hotels

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An image of Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland.

It had been a long day prior to our arrival at Ashford Castle, having left Killarney that morning, explored the Cliffs of Moher, and subsequently hiked about The Burren and discovered the history of Poulnabrone Dolmen.  Ashford Castle is located in the picturesque village of Cong on the shores of Lough Corrib in County Mayo, and when we first spotted the magnificent sprawling edifice, we were in disbelief.  It would be our “hotel” for the next couple of days, and it was strikingly impressive. Read more

Dunguaire Castle In County Clare in Ireland

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dunguaire castle the burren - ireland 2

It was very late in the afternoon when Bob and I came by the famous landmark that is Dunguaire Castle, and the place was pretty much  deserted.  It was en route to Ashford Castle, our accommodation for the night, that we happened upon this ancient castle near Kinvara.  Dunguaire Castle sits on a rocky outcrop on the southeastern shore of Galway Bay in County Clare.  Its simple yet magnificent architecture features a 75-foot tower, and both the tower and the defensive wall have been meticulously restored to their original condition.

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X-Cross Skiing At Lake Louise

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On our second day of X-country skiing at Banff National Park , Bob and I had decided on the Pipestone Trail system and were planning on tackling a trail of moderate difficulty for our second ski of the season.  The extreme conditions forced us to opt for one of the easy trails instead. Read more

The Poulnabrone Dolmen In Ireland

An image of the Poulnabrone Dolmen on the Burren in County Clare in Ireland. Photography by Frame To Frame - Bob and Jean.

An image of the Poulnabrone Dolmen on the Burren in County Clare in Ireland. Photography by Frame To Frame - Bob and Jean.

After our initial exploration of The Burren, Bob and I continued to the peak of the limestone plateau in order to locate   Poulnabrone Dolmen  .  There, 8 kilometres (5 miles) south of Ballyvaughan in County Clare, it rises majestically and sits conspicuously in the middle of a field.  Poulnabrone Dolmen, and many others, still stand today as stone sentinels at the gates of our civilization’s history, history that is laid bare on The Burren. Read more

Walking The Burren In County Clare, Ireland

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exposed limestone bedrock in the burren - burren national park - ireland

After leaving the Cliffs of Moher, Bob and I still had quite a distance to cover since we would be hanging our hats that night at Ashford Castle in the village of Cong.  One area we wanted to investigate on the way was The Burren, a uniquely fascinating bit of landscape near the village of Ballyvaughan.  The stark, mournful terrain of that region is the result of little soil cover and sweeping expanses of exposed Limestone Pavement. Read more

Ice Climbing In Johnston Canyon At Banff

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While visiting Banff National Park,  Bob and I learned of a hiking trail at Johnston Canyon that promised views of frozen waterfalls after traversing the length of a deep river gorge beneath sheer canyon walls.  We knew the experience would be right up our alley.  What we did not anticipate was finding a group of ice climbers actively ice climbing the frozen waters of the Upper Falls. Read more

Magical Ice Skating On Ward’s Island Lagoon in Toronto

Magical Ice Skating On Ward’s Island Lagoon in Toronto

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One of our objectives when visiting Ward’s Island was to go ice skating on Lake Ontario!  We had heard from a friend, a long-time resident on the Toronto Islands, that, over the years, rare opportunities had arisen when people could actually skate around sections of Toronto Harbour and perhaps, more dependably, on the ice of the frozen lagoons.  Those occasions have been few and far between. Read more

Playing The Street Piano On Ward’s Island

Jean plays the street piano at Ward's Island Ferry Terminal in Toronto, Ontario

Before winter draws to a close, Bob and I wanted to make a visit to Ward’s Island in Toronto Harbour.  With the coldest winter in years still embracing Ontario, we set off on the ferry at the bottom of Bay Street for the 10-minute ride across the frozen harbour.  I think it took a bit longer since the vessel had to cut through a thick veneer of ice.  Once on the island, and near the pier, I found a Street Piano. Read more

Crushing through ice aboard a Toronto Island Ferry

toronto harbour in the winter

One winter, Bob and I decided to make a trip to Ward’s Island aboard a Toronto Island Ferry in Toronto Harbour.  It is one of 13 in the chain of islands that gives protection to Toronto’s Inner Harbour.  With the winter of 2014 being the longest and coldest in recent memory, the bay separating the mainland from the islands had become totally frozen over.  We thought it would be a neat experience on board the ferry as it negotiated the icy waters on its way to Ward’s Island. Read more

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