Snapshots From the Air: Blue Ridge Mountains Ballooning!

I recently took a hot air balloon ride over the glorious Blue Ridge Mountains outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, United States.

This is what the whole world should look like.

Okay, maybe I exaggerate, but I have never once seen the Blue Ridge Mountains and not felt extraordinary joy.

Okay, maybe I exaggerate, but no, no, I don't really. Mountains bring me great joy.

How cool is this?  I must say this is an experience that I'm now looking for excuses to do allllll over the world.

The balloon's shadow over houses near Charlottesville.

The mist rising off the morning reminded me of the awesome mist from this fantastic hike in Chimanimani, Zimbabwe.

The barn near where we touched down after gliding across the Charlottesville skies.

Excellent views, even better company, and my glorious Blue Ridge Mountains--how can this not be beyond wonderful?

Charlottesville from the balloon.

At times the ride felt like a tour of all the fantastic homes on the outskirts of Charlottesville.

I saw a few I wouldn't mind having...but suspect I couldn't afford :)

So incredibly different from my last snapshots from the air!

A Hot Air Balloon Adventure!!

I recently had the luck to cross something off my bucket list: a hot air balloon ride!!

While on a (too) short visit to Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, I went on a hot air balloon ride...so different from my last flying adventure!

This is the pilot using the jets of hot air to blow up the balloon.

And let me tell you: the balloon ride more than exceeded expectations.

In fact: it was pretty awesome.

And just begged to be photographed.

This may be a silly observation

but I had no idea how ridiculously large the balloons are...

or how hot it really does get!

We rose very early to take a flight just after the sun had come up over the Blue Ridge Mountains with Boar's Head Ballooning.

If this isn't on your list of things to do, you really need to add it right now.

Actually it was so cool that you pretty much should have already had it on the list!

It's hard to believe the balloon looks this small prior to it being inflated.  Stay tuned: pictures from the air coming soon!

For more information on Boar's Head Ballooning.

The Academical Village (An Ode to Mr. Jefferson)

The University of Virginia's Rotunda and Lawn -- Charlottesville, Virginia, United States

The columns of the Rotunda.

View of the Lawn from the Rotunda.

The Academical Village, combined with Monticello, is one of only three modern man-made sites in the United States
on the UNESCO World Heritage preservation site. 

(The other two?  The Statue of Liberty and Independence Hall.)

American president Thomas Jefferson designed the Academical Village, with its Lawn, Rotunda, Pavillions, and student rooms, to be a place of learning.  UVA professors still live in the majority of the ten pavillions and the pavillions' classrooms are still used.

An UVA student walks across the Lawn towards the Lawn rooms and the rest of Grounds.  

Lawn rooms.  It is an honor for fourth year students at UVA to live on the Lawn.

The opposite side of the Rotunda with its statue of Thomas Jefferson.  The Rotunda was the University's original library.

Take a virtual tour of the Academical Village here.

The Lawn in Summertime

Jefferson's Serpentine Walls near the Gardens

The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States

The Rotunda at UVa

The Lawn Pavilions - UVA

The Rotunda

The Lawn and Old Cabell Hall - UVA

The University of Virginia Chapel

The Lawn and Rotunda from the Lawn Rooms - UVA

The Lawn

The Serpentine Walls

The University of Virginia