A weekend getaway in Colorado

Traveled around the state last weekend visiting or passing by the Collegiate Peaks near Salida, the Great Sand Dunes National Park, Comanche National Grasslands, Two Buttes, and the Camp Amache National Landmark site, to name just a few!

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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

-David Lean

 

GRAND CANYON SUNSET

Grand Canyon

BACKLIT TREES

Palatki Heritage Site

DESERT BLOOMS

Near Chapel of the Holy Cross

SCENIC VIEW

Near Chapel of the Holy Cross

CROSS

Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona

SEDONA BLUE

Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona

SEDONA PLAZA

Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona

SEDONA SHOPS

Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona

STAIRWAY

Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona

TUNNEL

Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona

SEDONA SUNSET

Sunset on Sedona

VORTEX TREE

Sedona Vortex

YUCCA

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

 

Malta

Valetta, Malta

Blue Grotto Malta

The Blue Grotto, Malta

Maltese Port

Ancient fishing village of Marsaxlokk, Malta

Medieval City of Mdina

Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.

Medieval Mdina

Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.

Casa Mdina

Casa Mdina. Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.

Mdina Door

Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.

Mdina Statue

Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.

Mdina Streetscape

Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.

Mdina Wall

Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.

Mediteranean Volcano

A smoldering volcano in the Mediterranean.

Mediterranean sunset

A beautiful end to the trip of a lifetime!