Bandelier, New Mexico, USA. ©
Defining Magical [maj-i-kuhl]:
1. Beautiful or delightful in such a way as to seem removed from everyday life.
2. Mysteriously enchanting.
To me, a magical destination isn’t so much a place of great mystique, or a destination loaded with lore and epoch fantasy, it’s a place that transforms my mind, beliefs, and understanding of my own existence. These places are almost always serendipitous at best, surprising you with their beauty, immensity, emotion, and power. Typically, I visit areas of the world that are known for their natural beauty, for as a photographer, I’m drawn to these types of lands. As a writer, these are the regions of the world that tend to inspire me the most – they play upon my hopes and dreams, bringing forth my fears, judgements, and inhibitions, while tempting me to feel and to understand. I leave with part of my soul left behind, as I am forever romantically intertwined and intimate with these kinds of destinations.
1. Beautiful or delightful in such a way as to seem removed from everyday life.
2. Mysteriously enchanting.
To me, a magical destination isn’t so much a place of great mystique, or a destination loaded with lore and epoch fantasy, it’s a place that transforms my mind, beliefs, and understanding of my own existence. These places are almost always serendipitous at best, surprising you with their beauty, immensity, emotion, and power. Typically, I visit areas of the world that are known for their natural beauty, for as a photographer, I’m drawn to these types of lands. As a writer, these are the regions of the world that tend to inspire me the most – they play upon my hopes and dreams, bringing forth my fears, judgements, and inhibitions, while tempting me to feel and to understand. I leave with part of my soul left behind, as I am forever romantically intertwined and intimate with these kinds of destinations.
I’ve not toured every area of the world, nor will I ever, but of all of the places I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing, these are my favorites – based on the magical aura I’ve felt and connection I’ve made…
Grindelwald, Switzerland. ©
Snæfellsnes, Iceland. ©
Glencoe, Scotland. ©
Isle of Skye, Scotland. ©
White Sands, New Mexico, USA. ©
While my ‘must see’ list expands ever more, the more destinations that I cross off, there are quite a few countries that always hang around the top, and will likely be visited sooner than later. For example: I can NOT wait to tour around India for the culture and the meditative understanding – the same goes for China too. But as far as naturally stunning locales - New Zealand tops my list – it’s one of the top play lands for photographers, hands down! For other reasons, I hope that someday in my life I will be able to visit the beautiful beaches of the Maldives, the fascinating formations of Antarctica, Argentina, Nepal, the wildlife of Botswana, and the mountain peaks of Alaska, among countless others. As I said, my list goes on and on, and on, but even if I may never find myself in these locations, I will always have those special memories and magical moments of organic connection to revel in.
Now, tell me, where have you found magic in the world? What is on your ‘must see’ destination list?
Now, tell me, where have you found magic in the world? What is on your ‘must see’ destination list?
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