Thursday, September 25, 2008

The Fall Kaleidoscope (New England, USA)


Through autumn or fall, the forests of America's New England and parts of Canada are cloaked in a blazing palette of reds, oranges, yellows, golds and mauves. Through Vermont, this kaleidoscope of colour is highlighted in the Green Mountain National Forest which runs like a rugged backbone through the centre of the state, while in New Hampshire, the White Mountains and the Kancamagus Highway are the highlights.

Called leaf-peeping locally, the annual fall foliage is almost an obsession with some people. The newspapers publish a daily map to help pinpoint the optimal locations for the vibrant colours. Travellers in cafes, maps sprawled across small tables, speak surreptitiously of strategies to weave down sneaky backroads to get a better view. Whatever your method, ensure you get out and walk or ride among the narrow lanes and streets of the small townships and rural areas of New England. The forest areas are threaded with a variety of relaxing walking paths and trails.

The vivid white paintwork and timeless beauty of the high-steepled churches, elegant government buildings and old homely inns in the small towns of Vermont and New Hampshire make a wonderful backdrop for the riotous rich colours of the maples, spruces, oaks and beech trees.

And if all this colour builds an appetite, Ben & Jerry's rich premium ice cream in northern Vermont is among the finest I have ever eaten. What could be finer than gazing over the majesty of the autumn colouring feasting on a waffle cone filled with pecan butter cup and karamel sutra ice cream.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a mouth-watering description on ice cream mate... :) just feeling like eating ice-cream..
Autumn is always my favourite season aprt from spring. Both has beautifully coloured mountain scene and gardens.

Thanks for sharing.

Suzanne said...

Fantastic photos. In the North Island of New Zealand we miss out on those autumn colours because our seasons are not different enough. When I went to live in Italy, my first view of the country was driving through the mountains from Switzerland in autumn. The colours took my breath away.

Nomadic Matt said...

fall in new england is the best time of year. Lovely photos. I esp love october in Boston. I haven't had one in over 3 yrs and I miss it! :( the air is perfect, the weather just right...

Jasper said...

nice colors! i haven't seen fall season right before my eyes yet :( when is this usually?

Anonymous said...

@cecil: It is superb ice-cream.

@suzanne: It isn't the same in Australia either. Most of the trees are evergreens but even where they aren't, they don't seem to have these majestic colours.

@nomadicmatt: Not homesick are we?

@jasperjugan: Autumn/fall colours are around September and October, depending on the year and how far north you are.

Anonymous said...

Great photos. There are scenes like this in parts of Europe as well.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos! I believe fall is much more beautiful and nice than it usually is over here in Sweden. That's because we don't use to have so much sunshine. Mostly grey and cloudy even if the sun happens to be out TODAY :-)

Anonymous said...

@anonymous: Europe's golden forests must look great wiht the mountains.

@lifecruiser: Thank you. I'm sure the sunshine helps lift those fantastic fall colours.

VHappytravels said...

I love looking at Fall pictures. New England in the fall, this is my dream.
Great shots.
Véronique
www.veroshappytravels

Mark H said...

@VHappy Travels: One of nature's most beautiful offerings.

 
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