The West Point Inn

This last weekend I went on a mini vacation with my family to the West Point Inn. Located on top of Mt. Tamalpais in Mill Valley, CA, this inn allows it's occupants to enjoy the beautiful surrounding wilderness and views with few distractions. It does not have electricity, but uses gas lamps instead. That, along with the extremely spotty phone reception, makes this place a perfect escape from the technology-filled, fast-paced world. 

The inn has rooms available in the main building in addition to having five tiny cabins on the grounds. 

We stayed in one of the cabins, and it was very rustic and pretty. It has the almost bare minimum required for an area meant for sleeping, which is great to encourage the inhabitants to go out and explore the mountain trails. 

One thing that should be mentioned is that there is no easy road access to the West Point Inn. People aren't usually allowed to bring their cars, the only exceptions being if they rent out the entire place or if they have an ailment that prevents them from being able to walk up. The wide walking trail that leads to the inn is about two miles but boasts amazing views and scenery the whole way. 

The best feature of the inn is the view. The sunrise in the morning was absolutely AMAZING. The pictures below were taken looking out off of the balcony on the back of our cabin. Looking down through the clouds into the valley with the sun shining was the perfect way to wake up. 

An Oregon Drive

Last week I went on a road trip! One of the places we drove through was Oregon, these are just a few pictures I took on the drive. If anyone is planning on driving through Oregon, I recommend driving on Highway 101. It is a bit slower than the other options (one being to drive Interstate 5) but it is absolutely gorgeous. Some of the 101 leads you along the cliffs next to the beach while other parts lead you through hills and dense forests! It is an amazing contrast. 

An old rotting tugboat in Gold Beach.

Another boat (that is still usable!) in Gold Beach.

It seemed like we were driving between green walls (pardon the spotty windshield). 

We finally reached Portland when the rain hit. 

Scotland

For the third and final post in my little "UK Series," here is the beautiful Scotland! 

We started up in Fort William. Here we went on a cruise down the loch, went on a short hike (not up Ben Nevis, that would have been too much for me!), and explored the adorable little tourist town.

The boat ride on the loch was interrupted by some rain, but not for long! It added a bit of excitement and left us with some breathtaking clouds to admire. 

And then it was down to Edinburg! The trip between these two is about four and a half hours on the train, but it's worth it. I wanted to stop and see more places on the way but unfortunately we did not have enough time.  

Inside one of the courtyards in the Edinburg Castle.

Looking back towards the entrance of St. Giles Cathedral.

 I highly recommend visiting St. Giles if you ever find yourself in Edinburg, even if you are not a religious person. The architecture is absolutely stunning and the stained glass is amazing, plus it is full of history! The famous room  in the back of the cathedral is definitely worth visiting. It is called the Thistle Chapel, this is where people can get knighted (for all you history/royalty buffs).

Many of the buildings in Edinburg look like these, giving the city a fun historical feel.

Conwy, Wales

A couple of months ago I traveled around the United Kingdom. One of the places I visited was Conwy, Wales; a little beach town on the northern side of the country. It's small but it is packed with history! Most of it is quaint, except for Conwy Castle. It has presided over the town since the 13th century, when it was instructed to be built by Edward I of England. From the castle the old and decrepit (but gorgeous) protection walls expand to surround most of the town. Some pieces of these walls are now missing due to the wear and tear of time but you are still able to walk along the top of the sturdy remaining ones.

If you plan on visiting Conwy in the future I highly recommend you go visit the castle! The views of the surrounding town, water, and bridges are definitely worth the climbs up the steep stairways. 

One of the (more modest) turrets.

The view from one of the castle turrets looking down on the town and water.

We walked/hiked up to the top of Conwy Mountain in order to get this view! The sign originally read "Sheer Drop" at the bottom but someone changed it to "Sheep Drop," so funny. 

Another place in Conwy that is worth visiting (that I unfortunately did not get a good picture of) is "The Smallest House in Great Britain." It's adorable!

PS: I apologize for this post being so darn late.

England

Here are some more of the pictures from my trip as promised! These ones are just some I took in England. I cannot find the words to fully express my love for this country, I am thoroughly jealous of anyone who gets to live here.

The gates of Regent's Park (in London).

We found a bunch of herons, it was amazing!

The view from the hotel room. 

Looking along the side of a boat in the Lake District.

A graveyard next to a beautifully old church in Keswick. 

One of the many boats-and ducks-along the water's edge (also in Keswick).

 

Looking out the window from the Sherlock Holmes Museum in London.

Reminiscing

Lately I've been going through many of the pictures that I have taken over that last year. I find it enjoyable to just reminisce and look back on all the memories that are attached to photos that I have taken. The ones below are just a few of my favorites. I am in no way a professional photographer, just someone who likes to travel with a phone and camera! If you have any tips for me on making my pictures better please let me know. I am always eager to improve my photography. Enjoy!

Taken while driving through the Southern California desert.

On the coast in Northern California.

Taking advantage of the rain in my backyard. 

On a coastal trail in Northern California. 

In a local cafe. 

Taken while hiking in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. 

Looking across the water to Vancouver. 

All photos were taken by and belong to me.
(c) 2014 The Logic of a Student All Rights Reserved.