Cottaging in Muskoka

Often living in the cities one doesn't get a chance to just sit outside for prolonged periods of time and watch creatures interact, observe a full glorious moon rise, catch sight of fireflies in the distance or be entertained by hummingbirds competing for a particular feeder. At our cottage I've even witnessed a black bear stumble onto our small beach. Life can be a show, in all its forms, and it's up north that I often find myself injected one again with the realisation of how spectacular life is and how much goes on outside of human life.

Georgian Bay -- Killarney, Ontario

Killarney, Ontario surely has to be one of the best camping destinations with its challenging and scenic hikes and serene canoe routes. The first two photos showcase Georgian Bay's pink granite and the last display the La Cloche Mountains, composed mostly of white quartzite. A treat was visiting the small town of Killarney and eating breakfast at a diner that served the most amazing strawberry jam.

Georgian Bay -- Blue Mountain and Tobermory, Ontario

The hot breeze and cool fresh water of southern Ontario makes for some of the world's best summer adventures. In anticipation of the upcoming season, the next posts will show some of my recent camping trips in southern Ontario. These photos were taken on Georgian Bay, a body of water that covers 13,000 square kilometres and is home to the largest freshwater archipelago in the world. We took a short hike up the Blue Mountain slopes, camping at a nearby site on the water, and then drove up to Tobermory where we camped next to its famous grotto. The waters here are crystal clear and while still cool, warm enough to go for a swim.

A collection from Egypt

This last post on Egypt, for now, is an assortment of photos from various locations taken over a few months. From Muhammad Ali Mosque to Coptic Cairo's Hanging Church, and then the City of the Dead, Alexandria's many small fishing boats, Lake Quran in the Fayoum (with and without the excessive garbage) and the Egyptian lanterns in Khan el Khalili.

Getting some height in Cairo

These photos were taken with a basic digital camera and the bottom three just with my phone. Nonetheless, you get a good sense of the immensity of the Arab world's most populated city, Cairo.  I took these from a variety of vistas: the top of Al-Azhar Mosque after creeping my way up a dark minaret, standing on the mountain in Garbage City, looking out from Muhammad Ali Mosque, on the top of Cairo Tower, and on the roof of the Tonsy Hotel which is a favourite expat hangout.

Egypt's White Desert

With the assistance of a skilled local Bedouin and his 4x4, we headed into Egypt's White Desert. These are chalk-rock formations and they look rather like crumbling mushrooms. We spent the evening camping in the desert under a bright moon and had frequent visitations by white desert foxes. 

Ancient Egypt -- Luxor

This spring I had the opportunity to pop on a short flight from Cairo to Luxor, the location of Ancient Thebes. The unstable political situation in Egypt has left few tourists keen to visit and we had space to take in ancient Egypt free from the usual crowds. Photos were taken at the Valley of the Kings, Medinet Habu, Karnak, the Temple of Luxor and the Temple of Hatshepsut. The photos of me were taken by my friend, Romain.