Can't I have Both?

I like living in a city. I enjoy the convenience and activity, I really do. But I often find myself wishing I lived somewhere more isolated. Of course, this thought is almost always followed by an acknowledgment that I'd hate not being able to run to the grocery store and back in 10 minutes if I forgot something, or having the ability to go out to eat at where-the-heck-ever-I'm-in-the-mood-for.

Nevertheless, I find that I am at my most content when I'm outdoors. Not just outside, but somewhere beautiful---woods, parks, gardens, lakes, beaches, mountains...  Just taking a walk around campus in college could lift my mood immeasureably if I was stressed out. Breathing in the air makes me feel healthier and more alive. It's all so complex and awe inspiring.

I've traveled to a few breathtaking locations before: Jamaica, Costa Rica, Arizona, Colorado

They can't be described later by words or truly captured in pictures or videos. You have to be there. You have to stand looking at a rock taller than a skyscraper and feel small. You have to experience the colors you'd forgot even existed in nature. You have to be still and quiet and just absorb it all.

In those rare moments when a picture can capture some of the beauty of nature, I find myself longing to be where it was taken. Here are some recent examples:

So I guess my options are to always vacation in the mountains or to buy Casa Loma. :)