I'm not one for crowds of tourists, especially when I am admiring a natural beauty such as the Grand Canyon in AZ. I need time and quiet to take my pictures so I walked a bit away from the crowds and found my own ledge to view from. There were no fences or rails and I think Gerry might have been momentarily worried when I turned around and waved at him to take my picture on the jutting piece of rock on which I stood. The drop was steep, but as someone who is not bothered by heights... it was exciting as well. As I stood and gazed at the wondrous shades, colors, and patterns of the canyon, I knew it would be of little value snapping hundreds of pictures. There is no camera (or at least one I could afford) that could ever do justice to the spectacular splendor that lay before me in three D delight. I was content to watch a condor circle the air currents overhead and then below and it was amazing how utterly quiet my surroundings were... as no one followed me. And so I just stood there for many many minutes, mesmerized and alone with my thoughts, wishing I could fly as well... until Gerry found me. He was able to spend time alone in reverence from his viewing spot closer to the tourists (he is not a fan of heights, as he gets vertigo) but I thought he took a nice photo of me and my shadow up there on the ledge. Often we have joked that if life on the road gets too tough we will do a "Thelma and Louise" flight in the Eurovan over the canyon. But from the look on Gerry's face at the edge, I don't think we have to worry about that... as long as he is driving.
Monday, September 21, 2009
The Vast Beauty of the Grand Canyon
I'm not one for crowds of tourists, especially when I am admiring a natural beauty such as the Grand Canyon in AZ. I need time and quiet to take my pictures so I walked a bit away from the crowds and found my own ledge to view from. There were no fences or rails and I think Gerry might have been momentarily worried when I turned around and waved at him to take my picture on the jutting piece of rock on which I stood. The drop was steep, but as someone who is not bothered by heights... it was exciting as well. As I stood and gazed at the wondrous shades, colors, and patterns of the canyon, I knew it would be of little value snapping hundreds of pictures. There is no camera (or at least one I could afford) that could ever do justice to the spectacular splendor that lay before me in three D delight. I was content to watch a condor circle the air currents overhead and then below and it was amazing how utterly quiet my surroundings were... as no one followed me. And so I just stood there for many many minutes, mesmerized and alone with my thoughts, wishing I could fly as well... until Gerry found me. He was able to spend time alone in reverence from his viewing spot closer to the tourists (he is not a fan of heights, as he gets vertigo) but I thought he took a nice photo of me and my shadow up there on the ledge. Often we have joked that if life on the road gets too tough we will do a "Thelma and Louise" flight in the Eurovan over the canyon. But from the look on Gerry's face at the edge, I don't think we have to worry about that... as long as he is driving.