Glance Digitally - Travel the world with me virtually !

 I have started writing my travel articles for this blog since few days again and didn't get time to post it online.  I will probably post regularly from now onwards without any delay.  Dear readers, watch out for new posts on my blog https://sk-digilance.blogspot.com/ Few months ago, I visited Hamilton Viewpoint Park , a popular spot for tourists and locals located in the West Seattle neighborhood that offers panoramic views of the city skyline, Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains.  We went towards hillside and stopped at a small parking lot with a grassy area that is great for picnics and saw few benches to sit and enjoy the views. There was also a play area for children and a small shelter that can be reserved for private events. It's an amazing spot for photography, esp the panoramic views of the city which is often used as a backdrop. If you are visiting Seattle, I would highly recommend checking out Hamilton Viewpoint Park for its stunning views of the city and the surr

  If you all read my previous article about "Hamilton Viewpoint Park" ->  https://sk-digilance.blogspot.com/2023/02/hamilton-viewpoint-park-seattle.html ,  after visiting this place we were on our way to one of my Favourite place in Washington, one of the world's most recognizable brand -  " The Starbucks Center " -  the headquarters of the global coffee giant @ Seattle,  a must-visit destination for coffee/ Tea lovers. I must say, I am a tea lover and my spouse is a coffee lover. The headquarters is the largest  and oldest multi-tenant building. An impressive building with an interesting history. It was originally built in 1912 as a Sears, Roebuck & Co. distribution center and was converted into the headquarters of Starbucks in 1997. The building has undergone extensive renovations to transform it into a modern, sustainable workspace that reflects the company's values. While the Starbucks Center is primarily a working office building, it is also ope

Bellevue Arts Museum ( also known as BAM), a nonprofit organization established in 1975 is located in Bellevue, Washington across from Bellevue Square and has a history of hosting a diverse range of exhibitions and programs that explore a variety of themes and artistic mediums every season. The architectural model of Bellevue Arts Museum was designed by Steven Holl ( an architect) which opened in 2001. The building is a three floors distinctive and modern architectural design featuring a blend of concrete, glass and steel. This museum's mission is to provide a platform for artists to showcase their work and to engage the community in dialogue about contemporary art and culture. I recently visited this art Museum last week and to my bad luck only first floor was open for showcasing "Hamed Shirzadian's jewelry" and "Brain Injury Art Show" and the remaining floors were closed due to renovation. However, I loved both the showcasings - Hamed Shirzadian's jew

  We recently travelled to Canada for a week on a road trip. I will certainly write about each and every place I visited in this blog whenever I get time. So, do subscribe and check it out !!! We came across this dramatic 67-foot concrete white arch rises from the gardens on the U.S.-Canada border (US Interstate 5 - CAN Highway 99)  between Blaine in Washington state and Surrey in British Columbia known as International Peace Arch, an iconic monument devoted to peace and serenity was constructed in the honor to the centennial of the treaties resulting from the War of 1812.  Unfortunately the park was closed when we visited. I think COVID-19 triggered the closure of the park temporarily. But we came out of our car to snap some photos of the Arch. Worthy stop to see the Arch and a reminder that peace is possible. This area is the only place on the border where people can cross from either country to share the same space and be together but strictly under the surve

As I wrote before in https://sk-digilance.blogspot.com/2020/12/a-mandir-is-hindu-place-of-worship.html "temple" or "Mandir" is a place of worship to enlighten our souls with positiveness and request our deities to forgive our sins we have done knowingly and unknowingly. Bothell Hindu Temple is a traditional style temple designed with a South Indian style tower also called " Gopuram" on the top, the temple has a grand elevation and Dhwaja stumbha (flagstaff), a common feature of South Indian Hindu temples established in 1980's in Bothell , a city in the King and Snohomish counties, Washington, United States to worship Lord Venkateshwara , an avatar of Lord Vishnu, however other deities such as Lord Ganesh, Lord Rama-Laxman-Goddess Sita, Radha-Krishna and other God & Goddess idols are also situated in the second hall next to main hall.  This temple is similar to Livermore Hindu temple in California. Check the details here i

  Two weeks ago, we went to Leavenworth in Washington State and believe me I have two words to describe this paradise on Earth (at least to me ). 🤍💙 Picturesque perfect !!!!😍 This beautiful Bavarian charm style village @ Washington is quite similar to Bavaria in Germany which I heard is the most popular travel destinations with a mix of natural scenery, sensational authentic flavored restaurants and distinctive German culture.   Leavenworth is 2.5 hrs. drive from Seattle, You can take freeway I-90 or US-2 to reach this magical town with a view surrounded by Alps-looking cascade mountains 🏔 and alpine lakes . It's winter wonderland with a plenty of winter activities to enjoy for both adults and kids⛄🏂. Its been a top tourist destination in the Pacific Northwest . Of course Leavenworth is beautiful in all seasons perfect tourist destination with many events and festivals celebrated almost every month like Bavarian Ice festival, Spring festiv

Gorge Creek Falls Trail is a 1/2 mile loop trail located near Rockport along the North Cascades Highway 20 to pull off to take rest, stretch your legs and give kids/adults a restroom break. This place features the view of a beautiful waterfall once you reach the end of the trail by walking thru the mystical path of giant trees with overlook of the river and information plaques. It was surreal. It took us may be a quick 20 mins stop @ this trail for small walk, enjoying the majestic views of mountains/river and bird watching.  Ps: Definitely no entrance fee to this trail. Ample parking available. The waterfall was not that big compared to Multnomah Falls  - Oregon ( https://sk-digilance.blogspot.com/2021/06/multnomah-falls-oregon-usa.html )  or Yosemite Falls  - California ( Will upload the link soon ), but still worth a visit!  When I visited North Cascades ( https://sk-digilance.blogspot.com/2021/08/north-cascades-nation

Wallace Falls  is one of the most popular attraction with 4,700 acre park and an excellent hike location for both novice and experienced hikers in Snohomish County, Washington. This place is farther from Seattle but it was worth the drive.🌄 A  discover pass  is required for visitors to visit this State Park or you can purchase one at the trail-head near parking lot. Now, some might ask what's a  discovery pass  ? Washington State Legislature created the Discover Pass in 2011 to get access to millions of acres of state recreation lands in Washington including state parks, campgrounds, picnic areas, recreation trails, natural & wildlife areas. https://www.discoverpass.wa.gov/ Annual pass is $30 and Day pass is $10 . I would suggest for people who are staying in Washington State to get Annual pass.  https://www.discoverpass.wa.gov/133/Where-to-Buy Frankly speaking I enjoyed the  Wallace trails , which was well maintained

We went to Capitol Building during a weekend in January this year and it's an unfortunate that the galleries for the Senate, House and Supreme Court building were not open (or may be due to Covid restrictions ) so, we couldn't get a tour of the capitol inside. I highly recommend taking your kids to see this masterpiece, a great place to visit at least once. I definitely appreciate the beauty of the building and landscaping. There are a few statues/monuments here as well along with huge walking grounds outside. I heard there are free tour every hour unfortunately we went there during wrong time. But will definitely go again some other day in future with my family to check gallery indoors, will take more photos and will write in detail about Washington State Capitol Building again. PS: Parking is on the street or visitor center in front of the building and paid at the kiosk, well worth the small amount you

Hey Guys 😇, Hope u had wonderful time and stayed safe. I have been having busy schedule lately so, Its been few weeks since I posted articles about my travels.  Last Saturday, we have been to Crystal Mountain located in the Cascade Range of Washington (in the northwestern United States), southeast of Seattle. It's a bit of a drive from the city, however, its well worth it. Crystal Mountain was opened for business during winter of 1962. It's a great family destination and perfect for Ski or Snowboarding or   Gondola lift or  just playing in snow .  We visited Crystal Mountain for a day getaway from our busy schedule with our son and oh man, we had a wonderful time with unexpected snow and amazing scenery (I was totally surprised to see snow in April since its our first time visit to Enumclaw). Of course I don't know skiing 😛, so enjoyed the scenic and breathtaking view of crystal mountain. You also get to view Mount Rainier