Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Friday, July 15, 2011

Sunset in the Grand Canyon

We spent three days at the Grand Canyon.  One thing which we didn't want to miss was the SUNSET.   SO---we went to the canyon two different nights to see it... The first night (June 15) --we went to Mather Point (near the  center area of the canyon, close to the Visitor Center).   The sunset was gorgeous that night ---but our vantage point was not the best.   Then--the next night (June 16),  we went all the way to Hopi Point,  toward the west end of the canyon.  The vantage point here was better --but it was hazier outside that evening and there were more clouds...  SO---I'll show you pictures from each night --and you can choose which night you liked the best...

It was hard narrowing the pictures down to about 8 (for this post) ---but there will be more posts upcoming I'm sure.  Anyhow,  the first four pictures were taken on the 15th and the last four on the 16th.   I don't know which is more beautiful:  looking at the sun as it sets or looking at the shadows and sun hitting the canyon... I almost think that looking at the canyon is more awesome!!!!  The picture above will show you why....  NOBODY needs to miss a sunset when visiting the Grand Canyon!!!! Wow!!!   (Be sure and click on these pictures and make them larger!)




Is this not just totally breath-taking??????




Looking the other way,  here is the actual sunset.




As the sun disappeared,  the sky just got more and more beautiful...




These next four were taken the very next night from 'supposedly' a better vantage point (recommended to us)... BUT--I'm just not as sure that they are as good as the first group.  But---this just proves that sunsets are all different,  from one night to the next... At this location (Hopi Point),  we could see the Colorado River below --but you can't see it in the pictures since the sun wasn't hitting that area. Aren't the clouds pretty?




This picture shows quite a bit of this massive canyon. You cannot believe how large it is until you see it yourself.  What a gorgeous place!




Don't pictures like this just take your breath away?   I can watch a sunset from various locations --but you haven't 'felt' the tingle one gives you until you see it at the Grand Canyon.




And here is one more picture of the sunset on June 16.  I was sitting on a big rock --and loved having that pine tree as my 'border'....  As you can tell,  there were clouds ----so only a bit of the sun jumped out as it was going down.  BUT--I love the color of the sky.

Hope you enjoyed our Grand Canyon Sunset pictures today.  I hope you share this post with your family.   AND---like I've said,  IF you ever get to the Grand Canyon,  be sure and see the sunset...  (I'm sure the sunrise would be great also---but we didn't manage to get up THAT early... By the way,  they are on Mountain Standard time --which meant that it didn't get dark out there until after almost 10 p.m. OUR time--Central).


Hope you have a fabulous weekend.  I will see you on Monday.
Hugs,