Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Idaho, U.S.A. (August 1, 2008)

When geologist Harold T. Stearns described this area in 1923, he likened it to “the surface of the moon as seen through a telescope.” The bleak and rather bizarre landscape does indeed look otherworldly, but its appearance is actually due to huge amounts of lava that flowed from long fissures across the Snake River Plain, also known as the “Great Rift.”

Approximately 15,000 years ago, eruptions along the Great Rift produced the vast lava fields that can be seen today, complete with spatter cones, cinder cones, fissures, rifts and lava tubes. The arid environment supports a surprisingly diverse plant and animal community, although one sometimes has to look closely to find it.

The area was named a national monument by President Calvin Coolidge in 1924, and in 2002, Congress established the national preserve. An interesting fact: NASA’s Apollo astronauts Alan Shephard, Edgar Mitchell, Eugene Cernan and Joe Engle came to the monument in 1969 to learn basic volcanic geology in preparation for their moon missions.

The otherworldly landscape of Craters of the Moon, with the Idaho hills behind

People climb Inferno Cone for a view of the Great Rift

These spatter cones are like miniature volcanoes; the people on the path to the cone will give a sense of scale

This trail leads across a lava flow to a series of caves formed by lava tubes

Having never been to a “tame” cave, I cannot provide readers an accurate comparison

Inside the Indian Tunnel cave, formed by a lava tube; a lava tube is a lava flow that hardened on the outside first, while the lava inside continued to flow through

More Photos from the Road, California to Wyoming, U.S.A. (July 31 - August 1, 2008)

A classic drive-in sign in Idaho Falls, Idaho

A brief history lesson along Highway 93 in Idaho: Arco, Idaho was the first city in the world to be powered by atomic energy back in 1955. The nearby Experimental Breeder Reactor I was the first electricity-generating nuclear power plant in the world.

Idaho farmland on the road to Swan Valley

Palisades Reservoir in southeastern Idaho

Almost there…

The Cowboy Bar in Jackson, Wyoming; apparently, today’s cowboy rides a Harley

On the Road from California to Wyoming, U.S.A. (July 31 - August 1, 2008)

I spent two days driving from San Francisco, California to Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, with a quick overnight stop in Elko, Nevada and a detour to see Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho.

The drive from San Francisco up into the mountains of Lake Tahoe (along Highway 80) was scenic but surprisingly congested. Crossing Nevada (still Highway 80) was, for the most part, flat and empty, but with a certain unique beauty. Southeastern Idaho offered the most variety: relatively flat and arid terrain near the border with Nevada; the bizarre volcanic landscape of the Snake River Plain; rolling farmland near Idaho Falls; and finally, the picturesque Swan Valley and nearby mountain ranges bordering Wyoming.

Here's just a small sampling of photos from the road:

A fitting sign for the start of my road trip!

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear

On the road in Nevada; this sign was slightly unnerving

This deserted old main street in Wells is the most intact abandoned railroad row in northern Nevada. Many towns like Wells felt the effects of the West’s transition from rail to road to superhighway.

Two states down, one to go…

The Snake River Canyon in southern Idaho. In 1974, Evel Knievel attempted a motorcycle jump over the canyon, but one of his parachutes deployed on takeoff, and he floated to the canyon floor.

More Photos from Bath, England (July 20-22, 2008)

The Royal Crescent, built in the 18th century by John Wood the younger, is another fine example of Georgian architecture and is one of Bath's best known landmarks

A bustling pedestrian street near the city center, lined with quaint shops and tea rooms

Pulteney Bridge, built in the 18th century by Robert Adams for William Pulteney, connects central Bath to the area east of town across the River Avon. It is one of the few historic bridges in the world to have shops built into it along the span of both sides.

The Parade Gardens in central Bath, along the River Avon

The Tory in Bradford-on-Avon, a short distance from Bath

The view over the Wiltshire countryside from the Tory in Bradford-on-Avon

Bath, England (July 20-22, 2008)

Bath is a beautiful historic town in the southwest of England, situated along the River Avon. During the 1st century AD, the Romans built a spa and temple complex atop the natural hot springs they found there. The city grew and flourished over the next several hundred years, until the Romans withdrew from Britain in the 5th century.

During the Georgian era (early 18th to early 19th century), Bath experienced a revival as a fashionable spa resort, and many of the city's impressive buildings date to that time period. Today, Bath is a UNESCO protected World Heritage Site and one of England's most popular tourist destinations.

Bath is an easy city to cover on foot, with many of the historic buildings and museums within close distance of the city center. Tea rooms and Cornish pasty shops tempt passersby with countless varieties of sweet and savory treats, while the gently flowing river and the lush rolling hills of the surrounding countryside beckon visitors to explore farther afield.

The view from the terrace of the Great Bath, with Bath Abbey in the background; the statues lining the terrace date to 1894 and were carved for the grand (re)opening of the baths in 1897

A closer view of a wall in the Great Bath; the Great Bath stood at the center of the bathing complex and was fed by hot water from the Sacred Spring

The 18th century neoclassical Pump Room was the social center of Bath for more than two centuries. Today, visitors can enjoy afternoon tea or try hot Spa water (with supposedly curative properties) in the Pump Room restaurant.

The busy pedestrian street leading from the Roman Baths and the Pump Room to Bath Abbey

Inside the 15th century Bath Abbey; the present Abbey was built atop the foundations of a 10th century Norman cathedral and an 8th century Anglo-Saxon Abbey church

The Circus, built in the 18th century by John Wood the elder, is one of Bath's most famous examples of Georgian architecture

Canal Scenes from Amsterdam, The Netherlands (July 17-20, 2008)

Bicycles and flower boxes line the bridges over Amsterdam's pretty canals

Swans and people alike enjoy the sun

The Westerkerk towers above the surrounding buildings on Prinsengracht canal

A classic Amsterdam scene

If these buildings look crooked, it's because they are!

An evening stroll or boat ride along the canals is a perfect way to finish a day in Amsterdam

The Other Side of Amsterdam, The Netherlands (July 17-20, 2008)

The Dutch have long been known for their religious and intellectual tolerance; during the 16th century, Amsterdam became a haven for Jews and Huguenots from Spain and France, as well as merchants and printers from Flanders. Today, the city's tolerant attitude manifests itself most visibly in the notorious Red Light district and ubiquitous cannabis coffee shops, which together attract a great deal of visitors.

A "coffee shop" in the Red Light district; coffee shops sell cannabis, while cafes sell coffee – an important distinction!

A creative window display in the Condomerie

A Red Light district window, the morning after

The sign is pretty self-explanatory. Permanent urinals are stationed throughout the city on many street corners, while additional temporary plastic urinals are brought in for weekend or holiday nights.

Public art in the Red Light district, ironically located adjacent to the defunct Oude Kerk (Old Church), which now serves as an exhibition hall

Sensi seeds, not suitable for export