Vienna, Austria

This photo personifies Vienna for me.  Extravagant rose gardens.  Stunning fountains.  Ornate buildings.  Clean.  It was everything I expected.  This garden was something I stumbled upon on my way to the nearby Palace.  And even though the day was warm and sunny, the park was filled with people taking in the sights.  It's funny to say that given the photo has only two people in it.  (Well, two people and two ducks.) But the park was large and there were many people behind me on the benches and walkways. 

Red Rocks

Halfway between Phoenix and Flagstaff AZ, in the Verde Valley, you will find Sedona and the great Red Rocks.  If you have time, the surroundings make for great reason to get off of the streets and head out via hiking paths or jeep tours.  

You may have also noticed this area as the back drop in many movies used throughout the middle of the twentieth century.  So between the places celebrating the vistas, and the feeling of the old west, you might also find a dash of Hollywood.

In addition to the great things that Sedona is known for, they also have some silly claims to fame.  For example, Sedona is the home to the only McDonald's with turquoise arches versus the common yellow ones that we see (literally) everywhere else in the world.

Las Vegas, Baby

I love things that make you stop in your tracks and just take in your surroundings.  That's what I did when I stopped in the Bellagio Hotel Lobby in Las Vegas.  What was just a normal hotel lobby became something special due to this installation from the artist Dale Chihuly.  

It is comprised of over 2000 glass flowers which is located on the ceiling of the hotel lobby.  I wish I could say that I was the only one impacted by this work.  But any quick Google search shows photos all over Flicker, YouTube and other sites on the internet by others who were similarly affected.

Grand Canyon, Arizona

There are few places where I can instantly relax.  For some reason, the Grand Canyon is one of those places.  I arrive and instantly feel calm.  And when I'm there, I force myself to get up and watch the sunrise every time.  It really is the best time at the canyon.  The other tourists are not yet out in full force, so it is one time when you can really watch the scene and take in the sights without a lot of others around.  

This photo was taken just to the east of Yavapai point one morning.  The sun lights up the entire face of the canyon in the morning light.  I was sitting with others and we were chatting watching the sunlight.  We could hear something walking behind us and found three elk wandering down the trail and finding the good eats for their breakfast.  It was awesome that they weren't afraid of us and continued to munch until they heard a couple wandering down the trail toward them.  It is experiences like this one that draws me back often.