What is it about the fall season that makes people fall in love?  Well, not just with another, but also fall in love with the season as well?  It is the crisp, cool air, the bulky sweaters, or the smell of apples freshly picked from the fields? Actually, none of the above compares to the magnificence of the autumn leaves in various shades of orange, red, and gold falling slowly from their branches.  There are so many splendors one can witness just by watching autumn leaves unfold. So here's a list of the top places that offer the best views of autumn:

Columbia River Gorge: Autumn in Columbia

The Columbia River Gorge is a ravine of the breathtaking Columbia River and it stretches to about 80 miles.  Over the years, it has become a famous recreational destination in the United States.  Autumn cool, crisp air is just perfect for the many things one can do when visiting the Columbia River Gorge:  you go rafting on the rivers, exploring many hiking trails, or simply driving along I-84.  Nevertheless, the gorge itself is considered a wonder in the geological field because it snakes between the Cascade Mountains.  The gorge separates north Oregon from south Washington.  The gorge is home to the Multnomah Falls and a variety of trees whose leaves turn into various autumn shades during the middle of September until the middle of October.

The Catskills: Autumn in New York

Take a break away from the concrete jungle and head to The Catskills, which is located just north-west of the Big Apple.  Traveling here during the fall season will not only feel like going back in time or into an alternate universe because of its charming historic towns, its bountiful harvests that are being sold at the people-friendly marketplace, the arts and crafts fairs, quaint shops, the warm and friendly townspeople, and of course, the magnificent autumn leaves.  The Catskills was quoted as the country's First Wilderness because of the wide array of trees that can be found in this region.  They burst into various shades of red, gold, and orange during winter that makes the perfect backdrop for family-friend activities and bed-and-breakfast type of accommodations.

Aspen: Autumn in Colorado

Aspen, Colorado is, no doubt, one of the top places to visit during winter for some skiing.  Even celebrities like John Denver and Charlie Sheen have not only visited Aspen but also wrote songs about this place.  While it's one of the favorite winter spots for most people, the so-called "Autumn in Aspen" has been said to be something that one shouldn't miss in a lifetime.  Just the way the leaves change in color with the mountains as the background is one of the reasons why people are lured into Aspen not just during skiing season.  Visiting Aspen in the middle of September is just perfect.

Eastern Townships: Autumn in Quebec

The Eastern Townships in Quebec has always been the favorite getaway spot of the rich but for those people who know this region's secret, they head here during the fall season.  It is located in the south-east of Quebec, Canada and stretches to the border of Maine.  The location of Eastern Townships explains its similarity to New England but has the flair of a French province.  Apart from the beautiful fall scenery, small towns like the North Hatley and the Knowlton are two of the quaint places once can visit in Eastern Townships during the fall season. Visitors can enjoy the scenery either by walking or horse riding.   Of course, the maple tree is number one here.

Lake of the Ozarks: Autumn in Missouri

The Lake of the Ozarks is a large basin in Missouri that has a length of more than 90 miles with various branches that sustain it.  If your knees turn to Jell-O just by looking at the beautiful autumn scenery of the hillside, then the autumn scenery by the lake with do just the same.  The Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri is particularly beautiful during the fall season and it gets better because of the many activities you can do by the lakeside.  There are also hiking and aquatic trails you can explore.

Great Smoky Mountains: Autumn in North Carolina and Tennessee

The Great Smoky Mountains is located right between Tennessee and North Carolina.  It ranks as the country's national park that has the most visitors and holds as much as 100 kinds of trees that , no doubt, turn into magnificent autumn foliage during this season.  That's why the so-called Smokies is the number one choice for autumn lovers and leaf watchers so expect heavy traffic when traveling here during the season.

Autumn in Ohio

Fear not, the state of Ohio does not suffer shortage of lush trees in time for the autumn fireworks.  There are hybrid varieties here called the "Prairie Torch" and the "Autumn Splendor" that turn into brilliant shades of gold, red, and orange during the fall season.  Apart from these hybrid types, there are about 125 kinds of trees here like the elm, red maple, and dogwood that are simply perfect for Halloween.  Of course, it's not only the autumn foliage that is best loved here in Ohio during the fall season.  The awaiting fields of barley and corn are simply breathtaking.  You can experience all these by foot or by zipping through them in the Hocking Hills.

Washington County:  Autumn in Maine

New England is packed with loads of visitors during the fall season.  So if you're one of those people who like to bask in solitude amidst the canopy of falling leaves, head to Washington County in Maine instead.  You'll surely love the fact that lobster is abundant in this place and that the sunrise is just beyond words.  Blueberries are also famous in the area so if you're a fan of blueberry cheesecakes and pies, you will surely love the food, the charm, the solitude, and the splendid fall foliage here.

The island of Java can be considered a true melting pot of the world’s religions as it hosts Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism and Christianity in its 51,0357.7 square miles. What adds to the thrill of this faiths existing side by side each other is finding relics of some of these major religions strewn across the plain s and hills of the island. Walk a little in the grasslands and you might chance upon the ruins of old temples or a weathered rock which you can tell was once an image of the Buddha. You might doff your hat off to pay your respects to your find but sooner or later the plumes rising out of a nearby volcano will remind you that nature itself is something to be reverential to in Java.

The interesting mix of faith and the primal energy exhibited by nature in Java has created a land steeped in mystery and adventure. For a complete trip to Java, here are six sites which will impress you with spirituality of the human race.

Dieng Plateau

The Dieng Plateau is an adventure in itself. It is a caldera which houses the weathered ruins of ancient Hindu worshiping sites which can be found jutting out of the grasses in this steamy terrain. Rotting temples suddenly coming out of the mists make up Dieng Plateau’s otherworldly beauty. Despite the activity of hot springs and sulphorous ponds and lakes, the plateau remains cool because of its height. This is a great place to lay still even in the heat of day.

Gedung Songo

This cluster of temples traces its creation as the same time as those found in the Dieng Plateau, making that group and Gedung Songo the most ancient of the Hindu places of worship in Java. What differentiates the ruins of Gedung Songo from the other group is its higher use of cornices and plinths. Gedung Songo can be reached through hikes with views rivaling that of the trail in the Dieng Plateau. Expect cloud covered mountain tops and lush vegetation along beaten paths. After a long hike, visitors can wallow in the warm waters of the hot springs.

Yogyakarta

If you want to experience all there is to see in Java, you can make Yogyakarta your home base during your vacation. It is not difficult to reach the places mentioned above as it will only take most a half day to reach and even less.
To get there fast, you can ride planes departing from Kuala Lumpur, Denpasar and Jakarta. However there is also the choice of taking the train from Jakarta by way of its Gambir Station or rent a car with your own chauffeur.

Prambanan

Why settle for one temple when you can have over 200? Prambanan is a religious complex which construction dates back to the 9^th century. This sprawl of temples is primarily dedicated to the Hindu gods. Right at the central square, there are eight temples with very high steeples and detailed mythological reliefs.

The largest building in the area is made for Shiva, while the accompanying temples are for Brahma and Vishnu. It only takes a walk to reach all nearby structures and a cart ride for farther ones. Unfortunately Prambanan was visited by misfortune in the form of an earthquake in 2006. Now some of the temples are damaged and preservation is yet to go on a headway.

If you want a piece of Prambanan without having to clash against shoulders or get blocked by crowds, go to Ratu Boko instead. Ratu Boko is the ruins of an ancient palace. Look at the expanse from where you’ve perched yourself and imagine how majestic and tranquil the structures and the land would have been.

Borubodur

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Borubodur is more than a millenium old and is Java’s hottest tourist destination.

Borubodur was constructed around 760 A.D by the Sailendra Dynasty who were also responsible for commissioning Hindu temples in the area. These rulers permitted Buddhists to build Borubodur despite being Hindu. It only shows that the landmark was built during an age of great religious tolerance in Java. Borobodur was abandoned when a majority of the Javanese shifted to being Muslims. For a long time, the site was considered as a source of bad luck and that merely visiting it can imbue a death curse on its visitor. Thus for hundreds of years, Borubodur was left to be overrun by the forest only to be discovered by the British during the 1800s.Borubodur was reconstructed during 1973 due to drainage problems which are hastening the site’s breakdown.

This construction takes the shape of a mandala which is made up of nine levels. A t the topmost level, a pagoda can be found by those who are able to reach the pinnacle. Tourists and pilgrims hike Borubodur in a clockwise direction while meditating on life as a walk not unlike the one they are taking.

The best way to experience Borobodur is to go around 5 a.m. when the tourists have yet to wake up and make a beeline for their buses. Sure it may cost you a little extra but nothing is quite exhilarating and at the same meditative as going up the tiers by yourself in the dark before dawn and looking at the Buddha statues encased in the stupas. Hopefully by the time you reach the pagoda, the sun is breaking out among the clouds mirroring the thoughts bursting in your head.
Gunung Merapi

Although, one would laugh at the idea of locals paying homage to a volcano and dismiss it as something coming out of a Hollywood flick, this case is particularly true in Java. The Sultanate of Yogyakarta as well as the villages surrounding the volcano of Gunung Merapi or Fire Mountain make offerings to the spirits they believe reside in it.

Locals do not think of taking the volcano for granted. History says that a thousand years ago, Gunung Merapi exploded and completely burned away a Hindu kingdom. The volcano erupted in 2006 with such a show of force that it caused an earthquake in Yogyakarta. People were again reminded of the temper and the power that is Gunung Merapi.

The sultanate sends a mystic every year to placate the anger of the volcano. However, the mountain is not restricted only to these holy persons. You can get a guide and climb up the volcano’s flanks in order to peer into its cauldron of lava. For the right price, there are travel companies which offer hikes from Kaliurang and Selo. However, if you want to save, you can get a resident to guide your way.