TheWordWire.com: Wanderlust Sunday: Come to Your Senses

Wanderlust Sunday: Come to Your Senses

Rufus and I have probably thousands of travel photos, and only a handful do any kind of justice to what we've been lucky enough to see. Sometimes you miss subtle nuances when you're so intently focused on the camera. Travel is not just about sight-seeing — it's a treat for all your senses.

So this week's Wanderlust column is dedicated to the things you won't find in a picture. Snap away on your travels... just don't forget to stop and smell the roses.

Eight Places to Come to Your Senses Alpha by State, Province, Territory
	CATHEDRAL ROCK Sedona, AZ There's no question that photos of Sedona are stunning, but you can't take one that captures the vibe. If you find yourself soaking in the sun and spirit of this place, you can tell how beautiful it is even with your eyes closed. Because Sedona is a place you feel as much as anything else. Sedona is famous for areas of concentrated energy called vortexes, and there's said to be one at Cathedral Rock. Some people think this is complete bunk, of course — you just have to go there and judge for yourself. Photo: Robbie's Photo Art
	LA BUFADORA Ensenada, Baja California - Mexico La Bufadora means "The Blowhole" in Spanish, and this Ensenada attraction is named for the geyser-like spray of the ocean. Even if you happen to get a nice shot of the water as it shoots as high as 80 feet above the rocks, no photograph can capture its thundering roar or the mist you feel in your face. Photo: liloh
	FLOWER FIELDS Carlsbad, CA Pictures of flowers are beautiful, but missing one key thing. The smell. The glorious, gift-from-God smell. When Carlsbad Flower Fields are in bloom, it's like a visit to OZ. Fifty acres on a hillside overlooking the Ocean are completely awash with vibrant colors. Wander through it and just try not to skip. Take pictures as you please, but please... don't forget to stop and smell the roses. Photo: Akaprn
	BADWATER BASIN Death Valley NP, CA This photographer has done a stunning job capturing the unique beauty of Badwater Basin, but the picture is quiet and still. You can't hear the wind. Or feel it on your skin. Depending on the time of year, this place is like a giant, powerful hair dryer blowing in your face. At 282 feet below sea level, this surreal spot in the Mojave is the hottest, lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. You can take a picture of the sign that says so, but your most vivid memory is likely to be the hot wind that whips through this place. Photo: rajeshvj
	TEMPLE STREET NIGHT MARKET Kowloon, Hong Kong - China From Boston Market to Seattle's Pike Place, most of the bustling markets I've wandered are in the United States. I highlight Hong Kong's Temple Street Night Market here because it's the farthest I've been from home, and therefore, the most exotic experience of its kind on my personal list. But no matter where you are on the globe, a bustling street market is like a carnival for all five senses. A two dimensional photo only captures one of them... a mere fraction of the feeling of truly being alive. Photo: dreistreifen
	JAZZ AND HERITAGE FESTIVAL New Orleans, LA A festival is another kind of carnival for the senses, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is my all-time favorite to attend. Sure you can take pictures of the crowd dancing and living it up. But a still-life of the good life is missing the whole point. The Jazz Fest is a feast for the ears and a love song for the tongue. You've got to hear it and smell it... taste the crawfish beignet... Photo: wallyg
	WHALE WATCHING Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland - Canada My Mother and I visited Newfoundland several years back, and had an experience on the highlight reel of life. Don't have a single picture, but that's OK — there's not one that could capture the memory. We sat on the edge of a cliff like this one picking wild blueberries and watching the whales below. They were close enough that we could hear them "talking" to each other. No way could an image top that. Photo: Calypso Orchid
	NATIONAL GALLERY Washington DC It would probably take the better part of a year to see and absorb everything there is to explore on the Washington D.C. Mall. The choices are overwhelming for a weekend visitor, and it's easy to go picture crazy trying to capture it all. The National Gallery is a place to put the camera away and appreciate. Original work from every master you've ever read about is on display. You can photograph a Degas sculpture and bring the image home. But you have to see it in the round in a whole grand collection of his work to feel humbled by the piece. Photo: Danny McL