Two Goats and a Llama

16/08/2024

Do all of our rangers have the same roles?

No! We have different divisions working in and out of Joshua Tree National Park!

Whether you are coming for a day hike or just checking out the visitor center, chances are you will meet at least two rangers in different divisions!

Park rangers work in various divisions, such as science, maintenance, law enforcement, administration, education, and fee collection. Pictured left to right are rangers in our Maintenance Division, Interpretation Division, and the Park Superintendent!

✨If you see a ranger working on roads within the park, chances are you are seeing someone in the Roads Crew making sure the roads are well-maintained and safe.

✨If you are in the visitor center or even reading this post, you may interact with park staff in our Interpretation Division. Their role includes educating all visitors, from kids to adults!

✨Lastly! If you visit our park headquarters, you may encounter our superintendent, who oversees our entire park and every department!

If you were to become a ranger, what type would you be?🤠

Photo by NPS/Robert Zuniga

24/07/2024

17/07/2024

The Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi) in Florence, is one of the most renowned art museums in the world. It is housed in a historic building called the Uffizi, which was originally constructed as offices (uffizi in Italian) for Florentine magistrates in the 16th century. Over time, the Uffizi evolved into a repository for the extensive art collection of the ruling Medici family and later became a public museum.

Some of the most notable works in the Uffizi include:
Sandro Botticelli: Known for masterpieces such as "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera"
Leonardo da Vinci: Notable works include "The Annunciation"
Michelangelo: Featuring sculptures like the "Doni Tondo"
Bellini: Known for “Lamentation over the Body of Christ”
Titian: Including the famous "Venus of Urbino"
Caravaggio: Well-known for "Medusa"

The Uffizi Gallery's collection spans multiple rooms across several floors, providing visitors with a comprehensive view of Italian art history from the 12th to the 17th centuries…and bonus, you can enjoy gelato at the rooftop terrace eatery while you look out over Florence.

16/07/2024

The Boboli Gardens (Giardino di Boboli) is a famous park in Florence, Italy, located behind the Pitti Palace, a former Medici family residence. It's one of the earliest examples of Italian gardens notable for its landscaping and collection of sculptures. The gardens were designed in the 16th century and have been expanded and modified over the centuries. It features beautiful landscapes, avenues, fountains, ponds, sculptures by artists like Giambologna and Ammannati, and multiple galleries. The gardens offer panoramic views of Florence and the Tuscan hillside.

15/07/2024

As with any Andrews Family adventure, we tend to befall amazing opportunities. Firenze Rocks just happened to be one of those experiences. You see, the first of our four nights in Florence started with a train ride from Cinque Terre into Florence mid afternoon. TOOL was the headlining act for Firenze Rocks and they just happen to be one of our favorite bands! When buying our tickets for Firenze Rocks, we chose the "Rocks Party Package'', which included food and drinks, just on the off chance we had an issue with the trains, ie; delayed, missing a train or what we later found out was an impending National Rail Workers Strike.

Needless to say, we made it to the Visarno Arena in plenty of time. The Visarno Arena is home to a grass racetrack for horseracing within Cascine Park, which has hosted several concerts since 2015 and home to Firenze Rocks. Upon arrival, we headed over to the VIP Lounge. It was a nice change from our normal concert experiences. The food was ok, a penne with bolognese, a vegetarian rice dish, bread, assorted meats, cheese and sweets, don’t forget unlimited Prosecco and beer. Nothing exciting, but it hit the spot after traveling all day without being able to stop to eat.

After eating and five to six drinks later, we caught our second wind and headed out to the Superpit. We enjoyed the show with people from all over the world who descended on Florence for the festival. We had the opportunity to see TOOL for two shows in Phoenix and are very familiar with their setlist.

Third Eye-Heartbeat intro
Jambi
Fear Inoculum
Rosetta Stoned
Pneuma
Intolerance
Descending
The Grudge
Flood
Invincible
(-) Ions
Stinkfist

We were shorted two songs, but any TOOL show that starts with Jambi, is a great show!

14/07/2024

Vernazza Opera Festival
Throughout Italy magnificent concerts are held in old churches, chapels and oratories. It’s an experience you should participate in if you get the opportunity. You can find these concerts in the Caravita Church in Rome, the Santa Monaca Church in Florence, Oratorio di San Giuseppe in Lucca, and we were blessed to attend a performance of the Vernazza Opera Festival at the SS Trinità Oratory in Vernazza during our visit to Cinque Terre. The concerts leverage the natural acoustics of these buildings to bring you a unique musical experience.

14/07/2024

The Cinque Terre National Park is one of the smallest National Parks in Italy at 3,868 hectares, but it hosts a Marine Protected Area. The park has 7 biking trails and over 50 hiking trails. Within the park lives approximately 4,000 inhabitants divided into five villages : Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare. The park offers trails that connect each of the 5 towns, though currently two trails are closed. We hiked the blue trail from Vernazza to Monterosso. The trail is 2.5 miles long and the elevation changes 700ft up and back down as we arrived in Monterosso. A Cinque Terre card is required (and checked) to use this trail from April to October, but the card also allows you to take the train around the five towns while it is valid. In the Vernazza to Monterosso direction, there are some stairs but mostly inclined dirt trails leading out of Vernazza, but there are a million steps into Monterosso (very little exaggeration here), but steps and all, it is totally worth it. We enjoyed beautiful views of the sea, cliffside vineyards, creeks, and sea caves. Pro Tips: Bring PLENTY of water, wear sturdy shoes/boots (they check when you enter the park), sunscreen and a hat.

04/07/2024

Cinque Terre (meaning the five lands) are five hillside coastal villages in the Italian Riviera known for their colorful buildings and vineyards that climb the rugged steep terraces. The five villages, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, are connected by hiking trails, but don’t worry there is a quick regional train that can take you from town to town. Even with the train, you will get your steps in walking uphill (or steps) from the train stations to the town center. In addition to their sweeping sea vistas, each town offers something a little different but all offer great seafood!

Monterosso is the largest of the five towns with the most hotels, shops and the only sandy beach in the area. You can walk (up) through the center of town or along the coastal promenade.

Vernazza (where we stayed) is the most picturesque and colorful of the five villages. The harbor hosts a number of fishing boats and beautiful seaside restaurants to linger at while you enjoy your meal. Know that a stay in this town will put your step workout to the test! Expect 6-7 full flights of town stairs just to get to the door of your hotel and possibly 3-4 more flights to your room. We were blessed with a 3 story spiral staircase on which to drag our bags up. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Corniglia is the only village not directly on the sea. It is built on a cliff 100 meters above sea level. It is the smallest of the villages and the least accessible. You can walk the road or climb 382 stairs to reach the village. There is a shuttle bus from the train station, but there is also a very very long line for the shuttle. Because it is not easily accessible to get to the town center, Corniglia is said to be the least touristy village.

Manarola is the second-smallest of the Cinque Terre towns. With a small piazza, the town boasts many incredible seafood restaurants and a beautiful harbor. Fishing boats are pulled out of the water and parked along the road leading to the harbor just like cars in other towns. You can swim here and if it’s your thing, cliff jump from the rocks.

Riomaggiore is said to be the most romantic of the Cinque Terre villages, boasting the best sunsets and some nightlife. There is a pebble beach and in the harbor there are companies that rent kayaks.

All five towns have good food and cute shops. Vernazza hosts an outdoor market on Tuesdays and Monterosso on Thursdays. La Spezia (not one of the 5 towns) has a market each Friday and is only a ten-minute train ride from Riomaggiore.

01/07/2024

Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino
Santa Margherita is a beautiful seaside town that serves as a public transit gateway to Portofino, only a worthwhile 40 minute train ride from Genova. With beaches (private and public), restaurants, boat rides, bars, and a 16th Century castle that defended against Saracen pirates, Santa Margherita is less busy but just as beautiful as Portofino. After exploring, we took the 3.5 mile stroll from Santa Margherita to Portofino along the seafront path, over hilly trails and through olive tree groves in the Portofino National Park.

Portofino is known for its beauty and as a resort for the world’s jet set, but excavations in the 1950s discovered remains that dated back to the 2nd or 3rd century A.C. The town boasts luxurious accommodations, fine food and wines, 80 km of hiking paths, and a number of historical structures. Castello Brown, an ancient military installation, sits high above Portofino. Formerly known as the Castle of San Giorgio, the first official information on the current structure dates back to 1425 when it was occupied by the doge of the Republic of Genoa. Over the centuries it has been renovated and expanded. In 1797, the fortress came under French rule, when Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Liguria. The town was included in the Kingdom of Sardinia and subsequently in the Kingdom of Italy, and was disarmed in 1867.

23/06/2024

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