Red Rocks

Where is the most beautiful place you've ever been?

Do you choose something around you that's special to you, a scene that is local that you can see everyday? Do you choose a place far away that took your breath away? What do you choose?

It's a tough question, but I'm sure you at least have two or three options that come to mind. Please let me know. I like to see where everyone has gone and what has made the top of the list of all those places.

For me, it's Red Rocks in Las Vegas. Last year, my family went out to Vegas for my brother's soccer tournament, a great excuse to visit Sin City. The strip was nice, pretty much exactly what you see on any postcard or aerial view on television. But, on the outskirts, Red Rocks really blew me away. The vast land, the arid climate, that orange color just spreading across the land for miles and miles. It was really breathtaking.

If I lived out there, I would be there all the time. Now that would be my thinking spot. Maybe there are nice and beautiful spots around where I live, and maybe I take them for granted. I just hope I wouldn't do that for Red Rocks.

Some great bands have put out live CDs from Red Rocks, such as Dave Matthews Band and Incubus, Live from Red Rocks. The sound must carry really well from off the enormous rocks.

On our trip, we climbed around the rocks like it was God's giant playground, maneuvering in and out of boulders, hiding in the caves, walking along the tops of tall rocks, and looking down to see more and more rocks piled on one another. It was absolutely incredible. I collected a bunch of red rocks, dispersed some to my friends back at school, and have some decorating my dresser in my house, a constant reminder of this beautiful place and the feeling attached to it.

On a side note, I do collect physical artifacts from beautiful places or monumental times in my small world. I have rocks from the Falls in Ithaca, flattened coins from railroad tracks, railroad spikes, black sand from Hawaii, sea shells from Long Island, Rochester, and Caribbean Islands, and of course, the red rocks. It looks a bit strange, but it's a great memory collection for me. It will only grow from there.

Anyway, I will show you some pictures from the Red Rocks trip. We went in 2006, a few months shy of my 21st birthday (which meant that I was not allowed to drink or play any casino games--how ironic is that?). Please feel free to comment and answer my initial blog question.

My family at Red Rocks.



Some landscape shots, absolutely gorgeous.







Look at the texture of the rocks on this one...













If you look closely, the rock looks like a silouette of a face...



My mom on a rock, looking peaceful.



My dad at the rocks, happy.



My brother, climbing and exploring.



Me in a little cave.



And in another little cave (I guess I like caves).



Me, sitting on a rock.



I'm climbing.



It was a bit breezy, but you'll sure get some clarity thinking and looking at the rocks.





Where's the most beautiful place you've ever been?