A short trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for a little R&R.
Flowers at Fish Creek Falls
Scenic Rocky Mountain Ghost Town
I was lucky enough to get away for a couple days this week to spend time with two dear friends at the newly opened Crystal Mountain Ranch in Crystal, Colorado. The centerpiece of this silver mining ghost town is the Crystal Mill – one of the most photographed historic sites in Colorado. The Mill is on the National Register of Historic Places and is not exactly easy to reach, especially by car. My friend, Phoebe and I drove to Marble Colorado from the Denver area and were greeted by staff of Crystal Mountain Ranch in a quite capable 4×4 vehicle for a 50-minute nail biter of a ride up a breathtakingly beautiful and steep mountainside. The Ranch owners, my friend Heather and her fiance’ Chris, who own land and much of the property in Crystal including the Mill, have been working tirelessly to open Crystal Mountain Ranch to the public. The Ranch has several cozy and rustic cabins and campsites available. Check them out at Crystal Mountain Ranch. This is definitely a bucket list kinda place!
The Crystal Mill, Crystal Colorado
The Crystal Mill operated as the powerhouse for the small mining town of Crystal Colorado from the late 1890s until 1917
Looking toward Whitehouse Mountain from Crystal CO
Crystal, Colorado
Alpenglow on Crystal Peak
The Crystal Mountain Ranch Store, Crystal CO
Alpenglow on Crystal Peak
Alpenglow hits Crystal Peak at sunset
Crystal, Colorado, elevation 8,950 feet above sea level
Crystal Peak, elevation around 13,000 feet above sea level
A mystical waterfall near Beaver Pond in Crystal Colorado
Red Columbine
Mist from the top of Inez Falls
The Crystal River
View to Whitehouse Mountain
Put this place on your bucket list!
A trip to the local garden center makes my heart happy!
A Trip to Arizona
When you’re in the desert, you look into infinity…. It makes you feel terribly small, and also in a strange way, quite big.
Grand Canyon
Palatki Heritage Site
Near Chapel of the Holy Cross
Near Chapel of the Holy Cross
Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona
Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona
Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona
Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona
Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona
Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona
Sunset on Sedona
Sedona Vortex
Yukka
The Vacation of a Lifetime continued
A spectacular 12-day Mediterranean cruise! Departed from Barcelona, Spain and made stops in Cannes/Nice/Monaco/Monte Carlo Casino in France. Then on to Italy with stops in Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino. Next up was Rome, Italy where we toured the Colosseum and Vatican City. Then on to the Acropolis in Athens Greece. Another stop in Mykonos, Greece for great food and ouzo. Up next was Santorini, Greece (Mamma Mia!). Our last stop was Valetta, Malta with a special trip to Mdna or Città Vecchia- the Silent City, a fortified medieval city.
Malta: Valetta, Mdna or Città Vecchia
Valetta, Malta
The Blue Grotto, Malta
Ancient fishing village of Marsaxlokk, Malta
Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
Casa Mdina. Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
A smoldering volcano in the Mediterranean.
A beautiful end to the trip of a lifetime!
The Vacation of a Lifetime continued
A spectacular 12-day Mediterranean cruise! Departed from Barcelona, Spain and made stops in Cannes/Nice/Monaco/Monte Carlo Casino in France. Then on to Italy with stops in Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino. Next up was Rome, Italy where we toured the Colosseum and Vatican City. Then on to the Acropolis in Athens Greece. Another stop in Mykonos, Greece for great food and ouzo. Up next was Santorini, Greece (Mamma Mia!). Our last stop was Valetta, Malta with a special trip to Mdna or Città Vecchia- the Silent City, a fortified medieval city.
Greece: Athens, the Acropolis. Mykonos. Santorini
The Parthenon on the Athenian Acropolis, dedicated to the goddess Athena.
The Parthenon on the Athenian Acropolis, dedicated to the goddess Athena
The Porch of the Caryatids (or Porch of the Maidens) on the north side of the Erechtheion, dedicated to Athena and Poseidon.
The Agean Sea in Mykonos, Greece. Also known as the Island of the Winds. Ornos Beaches
Ag Ioannis or Ornos beach. Not sure which!
View of the Mykonos coast
Panagia Tourliani Monastery on Mykonos, Greece
Panagia Tourliani Monastery on Mykonos, Greece
Interior of the Panagia Tourliani Monastery on Mykonos, Greece
Pyrgos, Santorini, Greece
18th century monastery, Santorini
Pyrgos, Santorini, Greece
Pyrgos, Santorini, Greece
Pyrgos, Santorini, Greece
18th century monastery, Santorini
18th century monastery, Santorini
18th century monastery, Santorini
Interior of 18th century monastery, Santorini
Candles. Interior of 18th century monastery, Santorini
Pyrgos Village, Santorini, Greece
Pyrgos Village, Santorini, Greece
Pyrgos Village, Santorini, Greece
Pyrgos Village, Santorini, Greece
Venetsano’s winery, Pyrgos, Santorini, Greece
Santorini, Greece (or Mykonos, I don’t remember exactly!)
Fira, Santorini, Greece
The Vacation of a Lifetime continued
A spectacular 12-day Mediterranean cruise! Departed from Barcelona, Spain and made stops in Cannes/Nice/Monaco/Monte Carlo Casino in France. Then on to Italy with stops in Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino. Next up was Rome, Italy where we toured the Colosseum and Vatican City. Then on to the Acropolis in Athens Greece. Another stop in Mykonos, Greece for great food and ouzo. Up next was Santorini, Greece (Mamma Mia!). Our last stop was Valetta, Malta with a special trip to Mdna or Città Vecchia- the Silent City, a fortified medieval city.
Italy: Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino. Next day Rome: The Colosseum and Vatican City
Italian countryside heading toward the hamlet of Rapallo
Santa Margherita Ligure is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa and 16th century castle
Shops in Santa Margherita Ligure
Santa Margherita Ligure
Portofino, Italy is a fishing village and resort. Looks like George Clooney’s yacht!
Arch of Constatine in Rome, Italy.
The Colosseum. Rome, Italy
Inside the Colosseum. Rome, Italy.
Corinthian style Roman columns. Rome, Italy
Church near the Piazza del Popolo (the Plaza of the People)
St Peter’s Basilica. Vatican City, Italy
Vatican City, Italy
Vatican City, Italy
