Kingfisher Spa Experience

Ahhhhh the Kingfisher Spa and Resort! I recently had a wonderful trip to this West Coast destination with my mom and sister. What a treat! We lavished for a 3-night stay in a comfortable room with a balcony overlooking the resort grounds and the ocean beyond.

Donning our white robes, headed to the Spa where we took part in the unique Hydropath (a private hour through a series of beautifully crafted west coastal caves with waterfalls, whirlpools river walks, rain and bubble pool and sea scrubs), a spectacular massage and a relaxing pedicure. The resort also has a first-class, award-winning restaurant where we experience a 3-course dinner, and two full-breakfast as part of our excellent package. I highly recommend the Prawn and Crab cake appetizer and the Chocolate Mousse!!

Here are a few photos I snapped on the last day, I just can't believe I forgot to bring my camera into the Spa! :)

View from our balcony, yes a big tree in the way, but quite private! The restaurant is on the left.

Front of the restaurant.

Waterfall feature in the restaurant lobby.
Beautiful jade stone floor feature in the lobby.
Our room was on the second floor middle.
Front of the Spa...decorations everywhere were made from local driftwood....so pretty!

View from the gardens outside the Spa....below is the roof of the Beachfront rooms.

Planet Earth

You may have already seen or known about the spectacular DVD series from BBC called "Planet Earth" but I'm spreading the news anyway. Planet Earth is a collection of the most breathtaking, awe-inspiring and amazing images and video I have ever seen!

I have only watched a few episodes so far, with titles such as "From Pole to Pole", "Mountains" or "Ice Worlds" but I have already seen wondrous places, views and creatures that I can honestly say I have never seen or known about before!!

If you can, borrow or buy this series and show it to anyone who will watch it. I think every child would be amazed at the awesome animals and their behaviours and learn a lot from evrey moment. I also think every person who believes that God is our Creator should watch this series. I was humbled and filled with emotion as I viewed the vastness of what our God has made. Every intricate detail was thought of, every balance, every nuance, every whisker and wing was lovingly laid out with a purpose.

Enough talking from me. Have a look at some beautiful and crazy images from the few episodes I have watched so far:

Have you ever seen Elephants swim like little kids with snorkels? I've seen some cool waterfalls but some shown in this series are so much more amazing and beautiful than I could have imagined!
After watching a lot of Shark Week videos, I found the footage from Planet Earth to astound me even more! What a shot!
The elusive Snow Leopard has rarely, if ever, been caught on film and the crew from PE brings this quiet predator right into our homes.
Flocks and flocks and flocks....you have to see it to believe it!


The caves that PE explores are like part of some weird and wonderful fantasy world!

These African buffalo herds look like flocks of birds, darting and swarming, avoiding or heading towards landmarks. Simply amazing!
This laughable guy is actually a male bird in the Amazon trying to entice the brown female in the foreground! I could not believe the crazy plumage and dance these little avians show off!
No, this isn't a scary stunt scene, it's crazy cliff jumpers diving into some of the biggest and longest caves on earth. (Don't worry, they have parachutes!)
Some of the film that PE manages to achieve is simply unthinkable! The tight spaces, the close proximity to wild animals....like this Giant Panda mother caring for her helpless tiny cub inside her den cave. How did they do it!
I also appreciate all the extras and bonus footage showcasing how they got a certain shot and the leaps and bounds they took with both technology and the methods used to attain such beautiful and stunning visions of our planet.

If you aren't impressed yet, well then, tough luck finding anything more wonderful than this video experience. Watch it, and you'll be amazed!

Spring Blossoms and Birds

Springtime comes early in Victoria....cherry tree blossoms,
flowers and birds fill the air and sky with lovely signs of a wonderful season to come.

Mid-March and the blossoms are already falling like soft, unmelting snowflakes
even as more buds only begin to burst.
Other colourful flowers carpet the interesting rock gardens in my neighbourhood.
Off in the distance over Clover Point there is what looks like a small flock of birds...
on closer inspection it's a tight cluster of aerobatic kites!
If you know me at all, you'll know I love taking photos of Trial Island and all it's different moods and backdrops. This day found it surrounded by billowy clouds with a sea bird resting in the foreground.

As I approached these blackberry canes I noticed some movement so snapped a quick photo. What I had captured was a big humming bird landing for a rest perched on the spiky branches.
I tried to slowly get closer, but the sweet bird scolded me with the most beautiful warbley trill I'd ever heard and promptly flew deeper into the brambles where he could hide.
Such dainty and pretty blossoms!
Oh and this little blue bird just happened to fly by!
Couldn't resist! I love my new baby, "Serenity"!
(10 points for anyone who can tell me what she's named after...
and NO it is not from a Seinfeldism.)

Pictures from me to you....

Here are just a few shots I've taken recently on around Victoria and my attempts at Lunar Eclipse photography.