Iceland

Best devices for photography and videography?

/ Cate Spader / 3 Comments

For those of you who have been following my blog for a while, you may recall this amateur “music video” from my time in Iceland:

Videos taken May, 2018

I’m planning a European adventure with one of my best friends this September, but I don’t want to bring my bulky Canon Rebel – no matter how much I still love it. I have basic video editing skills via Camtasia and Vyond, and am hoping to take my videography and editing skills to the next level!

Which ‘smaller’ cameras or devices would you recommend for photography and videography alike? Which video editing software(s) would you recommend aside from Camtasia?

As always, thank you for your advice and for joining me on my journey. I *caved* and recently created a travel Instagram (because I do NOT want a ‘personal’ account again), which you may follow: @adventureinspades

Happy Birthday, Bethany!

/ Cate Spader / 2 Comments

One of my best friends turns 27 today, and I can’t help but reflect on our adventures together. From Kalmar to Chicago, Reykjavik to Cortez, Colorado, we always have a spectacular time together!

Bethany is always a consistent source of joy and happiness in my life, and I know she always will be. Every conversation is meaningful, every adventure is purposeful, and every laugh or inside joke is cherished. This gal is truly my best friend!

Happiest birthday to you, Bethany! You’re more than anyone could ask for 🙂

Why I Left Social Media (Part I)

/ Cate Spader / 12 Comments

Those of you who know me outside of WordPress know that I LOVED Instagram! It was my favorite social media platform and it’s the only one that had remained with me (I’ve kissed Facebook and Snapchat goodbye years ago)! With that said, however, there are loads of issues I encountered with Instagram.

Despite the fact that traveling is and always will be a huge part of my life, it isn’t for a lot of my Instagram friends (who are also my friends in life – I only added people I knew). In fact, one of my best friends on this earth has never been on a plane! That’s the beauty of my closest friends: we are so different yet so similar. Instead of sharing about myself, I want to hear about my friends and their successes (their schooling, careers, relationships, etc.).

In a roundabout way, I’m trying to say this: this blog is a community where we all love traveling. We can all share our experiences without envy, without bragging… it’s storytelling and an exchange of memories. Instagram has become a bragging mechanism, which will I expand on in part two, and I don’t want any part of it!

I want to leave travel stories here, not Instagram. And if my best friends ask about my travels, I can share photos and stories in person as opposed to social media (and vice versa).

One positive thing about Instagram is that it made me love WordPress even more! It’s true. I love chatting with bloggers from all over the world, sharing travel adventures, hearing about others’ goals and what we’ve overcome. I absolutely love my blog and it’s definitely here to stay 🙂

Throughout this post, I included some of my favorite photos from my now-deactivated Instagram account. I hope you enjoy; thank you for reading!

So many “Foss’s”! Seljalandsfoss and Svartifoss Falls, Iceland

/ Cate Spader / 1 Comment

“Foss” in Icelandic is “waterfall” in English, so there are many long names with “foss” at the end in this country!

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Seljalandsfoss and Svartifoss were two of the last sites seen on our South Coast tour.  It was breezy, hailing and damp, but well worth it 🙂

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That’s a wrap for my Iceland posts!  Thank you for reading and following my story.  Now I need to start writing about Peru… 😉

Black Sand Beach, Iceland

/ Cate Spader / 1 Comment

My mom and I returned from Peru yesterday evening!  I really need to wrap up my Iceland posts to start my Peru ones…

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After Bethany and I left the glacier, we were able to visit a black sand beach!  It was great because the sun was out (at first) and the landscape reminded me of Ireland all over again!

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As you can see, the sun doesn’t stay out for long in Iceland…

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The sand was so pure and dark, that my boots blend in here!^

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My Michigan roots have always led me to water, and I’m happy to have seen this side of Iceland!

Sólheimajökull (South Coast Glacier)

/ Cate Spader / 2 Comments

I can’t pronounce, let alone SPELL, the name of this glacier.  What I CAN tell you is that this glacier is a must-see on Iceland’s southern coast!

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The walk to get here from the parking lot wasn’t short; however, with views like these, I would’ve walked an extra mile!

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I had Iceland layovers in 2014 AND 2016, so I had to make 2018 count 🙂 Going outside of the city is something I should’ve done four years ago…

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Being so close to the water made me want to swim in it (or at least go kayaking)!

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The walk back consisted of hail, rain, snow, and sunshine all in one!  But with the sunshine came a lot of green.

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Note: I chose not to lighten any of these photos because I want you to see the glacier (almost) as I did!

Downtown Reykjavik & Street Art

/ Cate Spader / 4 Comments

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Reykjavik is truly a melting pot, mainly due to increased tourism over the years!  Even though the city had more authenticity when I first visited in 2014, this May was the first time I truly experienced all Reykjavik had to offer…

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The “pops of color” and street art took over its downtown area, which is something I always feel the need to photograph!

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Reykjavik is unique in many ways, one being that you feel like you’re in Norway, Ireland, and the early 2000s (at times) all in one!

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Oh, and the gluten-free dessert AND savory crepes were beyond amazing!!!

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No matter where you turned, you saw something special; you definitely weren’t in the States anymore!

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My message to you: always go off the beaten path!

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The Golden Circle, Iceland

/ Cate Spader / 6 Comments

It has been FOREVER since I’ve taken the time to write.  But it’s important for me to write and reflect on my travels; I need to make more of an effort to do so 🙂

On Bethany’s and my first full day in Iceland, we went on a 10-hour tour of the Golden Circle!  Each location on the tour kept getting better and better!

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Here were the stops we took:

  • Þingvellir National Park
  • Geysir
  • Gullfoss Waterfall

The national park was full of history.  When we were walking on the main pathway with our tour guide, we essentially had one foot in Europe and the other in North America.  This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, as someone who loves geography and travel!

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The Geysir was much appreciated for two reasons:

  1. It’s the “original” one!  This is how ours out west received their names!
  2. The warm mist kept me much warmer than the wind tunnels at the park did…

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I have never been out west with my family, unlike many other American families I know, but I got my fix in Iceland!

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Our last stop was the Gullfoss waterfall, which was BY FAR my favorite destination!

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Mind you, every-other 10 minutes hail would hit you diagonally; however, with these views it was incredibly worth the unpredictable weather!

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Oh, and we saw some Icelandic horses along the way 🙂

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Tip: DRESS IN LAYERS…that are waterproof!!!

Blue Lagoon, Iceland

/ Cate Spader / 6 Comments

I’m about to head home (or back to Toronto, THEN home…), so I might as well post about what kicked off this adventure: the infamous Blue Lagoon!

You get here, and you’re immediately hooked! The water is a misty blue color, to the point of not being able to see your body underneath the calming waves. The skies above are filled with Iceland’s unpredictable weather, yet somehow the on-and-off hail/snow doesn’t faze you once you’re immersed in the pools…

As my friend Bethany put it, “There are no adjectives to describe this experience.” She’s absolutely right! You’ll just have to check it out for yourself!

You can even enjoy mud masks AND refreshing smoothies in the water!!

Highlight of the day: finally being in the water, despite two previous Iceland stopovers!

Worst part of the day: not being able to get the nasty, Icelandic salted chocolate taste out of my mouth!

Second worst part: combing my hair after the lagoon…it’s STILL gross four days later!

Pro tip: wear your hair up ladies and gents!