nature Archives • The Bliss Movement

Five Things To Do When You’re In Salento

Salento was one of the highlights of my visit to Colombia. Set in the country's Zona Cafetera, or coffee district, Salento is a charming little town where you could easily find yourself extending your stay. It's beautiful, the people are friendly and it's where you go to take a look at the tall wax palms. While I spent most of my 5 days relaxing after Medellin, here are a few things to do in Salento to make for a memorable experience. Hike the Valle de Cocora Easily the most well known attraction in Salento is the nearby Cocora Valley, where you can hike to see[...]

Colombia, South America, Travel

Hiking Salento’s Valle de Cocora

Visiting Salento was high on my list of things to do in Colombia, mostly for the stunning Valle de Cocora. The valley offers a great hike that you can do easily from town. A new friend and I woke up bright and early, walking up the hill to Salento's one and only main square, where all of the Willy's (jeeps and the town's main form of taxi) are lined up eager to be filled with the absolute maximum capacity of people wanting to drive into the valley. GETTING TO THE VALLE DE COCORA The Willy's that I mentioned are the only way to get to the valley. About 3,000 CO[...]

Caribbean, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

The Richmond Vale Academy, St. Vincent

Melissa and I arrived in St. Vincent five days ago, hopping in a cab in the late afternoon that would take us on a journey through narrow, winding mountain roads to the leeward side of the island. The first thing we saw as we drove up was a fat, happy looking pig walking beside the road, free from any confines with as much room to roam as he liked. Isolated in a corner of the island just next to La Soufriere volcano, the Richmond Vale Hiking and Nature Center.. or more commonly known as The Academy... is an environmentally conscious gem away from everything. As[...]

Caribbean, Mood and Mindset, Self-Care, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Travel

Giving Yourself Permission To Do Nothing

I have a cup of tea beside me, a bowl of mangoes and am looking out over the waves from the Atlantic Ocean crashing onto the black sand beach at the bottom of the hill. My only plan for today is to have a pot of tea being constantly refilled and perhaps taking a stroll down to the water. There's no urgency to play tourist today, no desire to leave the house at all. I know, it sounds blissful, doesn't it? To be sitting up in a beautiful, open concept home for free thanks to an amazing offer on Couchsurfing.com, perched on a hill high above the sea in the Caribbea[...]

Caribbean, Travel, Trinidad and Tobago

Leatherback Turtle Nesting, Trinidad & Tobago

When night falls upon Turtle Beach it is transformed into a home for endangered leatherback turtles. A popular nesting site for these animals, they choose the hours of darkness to pull themselves from the sea and drag their massive bodies across the sand to settle in a spot of their choosing. We made our way to Turtle Beach around 10pm. As we walked along the shore, flip flops in hand, we saw her. A leatherback turtle, larger that I ever could have imagined, had nestled herself into the sand and was in the process of laying her eggs in the hole she had just finis[...]

Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago

Visiting Argyle Falls, Tobago

Our rental car was dropped off Thursday morning and like eager beavers, we hopped in ready to hit the road. Tobago can be difficult to get around within a car of your own and so for a modest fee of $300 TT per day, or roughly $60 Canadian, we opted to go on a road trip of the entire island. Narrow, windy roads featuring excessive honking, a few gasps of terror, and stunning coastal views took us from the south of the island all the way around it's perimeter. Along the way we stopped at countless bays and beaches, walking barefoot through the sand and dipping our t[...]

Barbados, Caribbean

The Man Behind the Stone

If you walk along a particular stretch of beach, from Paradise to Batts Rock, you'll come across a number of coral stone statues, each of different shape and size. Clearly made by hand, stones delicately balance atop one another in such a way to make an intriguing piece of art. These stone statues appear along the beach, placed individually or in groups. I noticed them on my first afternoon at the beach and they always made me wonder what their story were. A few days ago, my questions were answered. As the sun began to set over the sea a man made his way down t[...]

Alberta, Canada

The Devonian Gardens Of Devon, Alberta

This might sound like a repeat post, like you've read the name Devonian Gardens somewhere around here before. And you did, right here. But there are two Devonian Gardens in Alberta, apparently. One nestled on the top floor of a shopping mall (which is a great escape from the winter blues) and one that is located just outside of Devon, AB that greatly exceeds the size of the one I've previously talked about. The Devonian Botanical Gardens have been around since 1959 and cover a whopping 240 acres. Whether you prefer flowers or plants, a space that is polished and m[...]

Thailand, Travel

Volunteering At The Elephant Nature Park In Thailand

The Elephant Nature Park truly is a heaven on earth not only for elephants but cats, dogs, horses, water buffalo and a single moon bear. Lek, the founder of ENP has devoted her life to rescuing Thailand's mistreated animals, teaching better care techniques, delivering medicines for the hill tribes and village animals putting an end to the abuse of animals in Thailand. Many people consider Lek to be the Jane Goodall of Thailand. "Welcome to Jurassic Park," our driver jokes as we drive down the winding road, surrounded by trees, mountains and, in the distance, el[...]