Farsighted Fly Girl

My island lovers dream will come true this week with an exciting visit to Nevis , the tiny sister island to St. Kitts. Just 36 square miles and with about 12,000 residents, Nevis defines the old school Caribbean lifestyle with a slow pace and community focused lifestyle. I will be covering the island's annual carnival celebration, Culturama, which commemorates emancipation from slavery in the 1830s with parades, parties and pageants. I'm thrilled to actually participate in Culturama's street parade, where I'll be donning a red feathered costume and jumping up with the locals. Please stay tuned for my posts about that festive experience as well as my visits to the Nevis capital of Charlestown, where Alexander Hamilton was born, the botanical garden, calypso shows and the island's famous, secluded beaches.

There's nothing more iconic than a bald eagle soaring over the mountains so I was excited to get a close up experience of this in Quebec's Laurentian mountains. At the summit of Mont Tremblant, a Birds of Prey show demonstrates the beauty and skill of native aviary predators. It was raining and cold but I was determined to see and grab some shots of the birds and I was rewarded with the image above. That striking profile against the sweeping mountain backdrop makes it my fave animal photo so far. The falconer explained how there used to be only six nesting bald eagles in Quebec, just 15 years ago. Now, thanks to conservation and the banning of DEET insecticide, there are 200 nesting bald eagles in the region. We got the chance to see owls and smaller birds dive through the sky, and capture meals mid air but I liked the eagle the best. It's a rare thing to get so close to these majestic creatures and I feel lucky to have been close enough to gaze into its eyes. Have...

If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a huge fan of Quebec. I love the culture, the beauty and the hidden discoveries of the region. This week, I'll be traveling to The Laurentians, a mountain area just North of Montreal. Mont Tremblant is the main town, just brimming with charm, as you can see above. The region boasts 9,102 lakes, 103 rivers and two sprawling national parks. I'll be visiting the Mont Tremblant International Blues Fest as well as dipping into the Scandinavian outdoor spa in the Red River and exploring an alpine! aquatic! park. Please stay tuned!