Orbit Friends

Some cool Vacations images:

Washington State Ferry – enjoy the ride

Image by woodleywonderworks
Today most visitor to the islands still travel by boat, but the only work involved is either walking or driving onto the Washington State Ferries which serve the islands of Shaw, Lopez, San Juan, and Orcas.

The ferries allow passengers to sit back, relax, perhaps sip a latte or glass of wine and enjoy the scenery. And what scenery it is — island shorelines edged with sinewy, red madrona trees, golden bluffs, or rocky beaches. On clear days, snow capped Mt. Baker rises in awesome splendor in the east. Marine life, including seals, a variety of water birds, and of course, the ever present sea gulls can be spotted cavorting in the aquamarine glacial waters. Sharp-eyed riders may spot a bald eagle perched in a tree or get a rare glimpse of a whale wandering the waters.

Washington State Ferries: Travel Puget Sound

Washington State Ferries is one of the state’s largest tourist attractions. It’s also the second largest mass transit system in Washington, and the largest ferry system in the United States. No matter how you look at it, a ferry is a beautiful way to go.

Sparkling waters, snow-capped mountains, cityscapes, salt air, leaping Orca whales, the call of the gulls-a journey aboard a Washington State Ferry appeals to the senses. And it makes a lot of sense when you see all the places you can go on any one of our ten different routes throught Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands.

More than 26 million people journey with Washington State Ferries every year-to get to work, to go on vacations, and just for the fun of it on a sunny day.

www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/

Golden Ships

Image by Peter E. Lee (catching up)
Ships at sunset seen from the Amtrak Cascades train to Vancouver, BC.

Another stunning view!

Looking at Google Earth after the fact I suspect this was the Fairhaven Shipyard in Bellingham, WA. There were a couple of Coast Guard boats docked there.

Note to Flickr friends: we’re finally back from our (fantastic) vacation. I’ll be catching up with everyone’s streams over the next few days. I’ll also be breaking my usual "no more than one photo a day" rule for awhile as I run through highlights of the trip chronologically. Please don’t feel obligated to comment on every photo unless they really speak to you!

Summer is the Target

Image by Gilderic (Very very slow internet connection)
The countdown has begun.
Summer days are coming.
Holidays. Vacation days.
Lazy days, sometimes. Adventure days also.
All this for the brightest season.

Le compte à rebours est lancé.
Les jours d’été arrivent.
Vacances. Voyages.
Jours de paresse parfois. De nouvelles aventures aussi.
Pour la plus lumineuse des saisons.

Nessebar, Bulgaria