We all love that the perfect vacation spot that we venture to again and again.  But sometimes we crave something else, something that draws our senses.   A place that calls to our inner emotions, our inner poet.  Here are some places that do just this.

1. Kawachi Wisteria Garden

This garden is in Kitakyushu, Japan.  Wisteria is a very whimsical flower that drapes down and blows gently in the breeze.  The trunks twist around each other and grow in odd directions. The garden is designed so that you can walk through the falling flowers that hang through trellises.  There is one tunnel that is completly composed of wisteria. You are shaded from the sun, yey surrounded by a light hue of purple and sweet smell from the flowers.  

The gardens have over twenty different varieties and many colors ranfing from blue to white.  For the flower coinsurer, it is an amazing chance to see so many species, but for the general flower appreciator nothing beats a stroll through a lovely garden.   

2. Gorges de l'Aresuse

Here in Switzerland, the river Areuse has cut through the limestone rock formations in several places forimg gorges.  Visitors can walk through the gorge and even cross the river where it cut through the stone over the centureis.  The best place to start your hike is at the village of Noiraigues.  From here you enter the gorge and follow the path.  When you get to the spot where the river separates the rocks there is a small enchanting stone bridge that crosses over the blue waters.  The hike is an easy walk and only takes a few hours 

3. Red Beach

This beach in Panjim, China, is really a marsh.  The special grasses start out a light tinted red but as the summer season progresses they turn a dark red.  The red coloring is produced by a the high quantities of alkiline here. There are tuffs of green grass and pink/brownish sea grass flowers that stand out quite strikingly from the red.  

This marsh is also become a protected wetland as it is home to hundreds of unique marsh species.  The Red-Crown Crane, one of the rarests cranes in the world, also calls this marsh home for part of the year.  It is necessary to protect this wetland for them as this is their breeding grounds and without the marsh their numbers would dwindle even more.    

4. Voringfossen Waterfall

In the Bidfjord Gorge of Norway water tumbles down the side of the mountains on both sides of the valley to the river below in the gorge.  There are many ways to enjoy the falls.  You can walk through the paths listening to the distance roar of the water tumbling down teh side of the mountain. There is also the lower deck, getting you up close, experiencing the mist of the water in your face.  Or, you can enjoy the falls from up above at the look out decks at the top of the falls.

In the mornings, the mist rises off the water below and mixes with the water falling down.   The white water, the mist, and the vibrant green trees makes for a very relaxing and refreshing visit.