Category: travel

Sunrise over the Atlantic on Fort Lauderdale Beach

Something forgotten after yesterday's sunset sets the stage for today's sunrise. View of the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean from Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida. - photo by Joe Alexander
Something forgotten after yesterday’s sunset sets the stage for today’s sunrise. View of the sun coming up over the Atlantic Ocean from Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida. – photo by Joe Alexander
Maybe sunrises and sunsets at the beach are no big deal if you live there.

I’ve never gotten tired of seeing the sun rising over the Atlantic Ocean or setting over the Pacific.

Sunrises especially seem to attract me. It’s like God’s way of giving us hope for a fresh start.

And since it was just a short walk from my hotel to the sands of Fort Lauderdale Beach, I had to dedicate a little time one morning to see and photograph the sun coming up.

Notre Dame of Paris back in the day

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2000. - photo by Joe Alexander
Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2000. – photo by Joe Alexander
I was fortunate enough to visit Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris about 20 years before the fire of April 15, 2019.

In the first photo you can see the famous spire that collapsed in the fire.

It was wonderful to watch on TV earlier this week as Notre Dame reopened to the public.

You can see the famous spire atop Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2000. - photo by Joe Alexander
You can see the famous spire atop Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2000.

You can see the famous spire atop Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2000. - photo by Joe Alexander
You can see the famous spire atop Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2000.

Remembering a stroll through Paris

The Eiffel Tower around sunset in Paris, France in spring 2000. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Eiffel Tower around sunset in Paris, France in spring 2000. – photo by Joe Alexander
I spent almost a week walking the streets of Paris in the spring of 2000.

The weather was mostly cloudy and sometimes rainy – not unusual for that time of year in Europe.

Although it is easy to get around via the Metro (subway), Paris is a great city to see on foot.

New Jersey Shore: Atlantic City, Stone Harbor, Wildwood

Atlantic City, New Jersey in late September 2024. - photo by Joe Alexander
Atlantic City, New Jersey in late September 2024. – photo by Joe Alexander
Long before the beaches of New Jersey hosted reality TV, my family used head this way for summer vacations.

I made it back in late September. It was well past tourist season, especially on a weekday, but it was still warm enough for some enjoyable walks on the sand and boardwalks.

Memorials and public art in Atlantic City, New Jersey

9-11 Memorial near the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J., in September 2024. It honors first responders lost at the World Trade Center in New York. - photo by Joe Alexander
9-11 Memorial near the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J., in September 2024. It honors first responders lost at the World Trade Center in New York. – photo by Joe Alexander
There are a number of murals and other public art near the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J.

The New Jersey Korean War Memorial and 9-11 Memorial are also just steps from the Boardwalk.

Dissent is Patriotic mural in Atlantic City

Dissent is Patriotic mural near the boardwalk in Atlantic City in late September 2024. - photo by Joe Alexander
Dissent is Patriotic mural near the boardwalk in Atlantic City in late September 2024. – photo by Joe Alexander
This is my favorite mural of those I found near the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

“Dissent is Patriotic” is even more colorful if you get to see it when the sun is shining on it. I just happened to be passing through on a cloudy day in late September.

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Sunset at Canadarago Lake in New York

A late September sunset on the banks of Canadarago Lake in New York State. - photo by Joe Alexander
A late September sunset on the banks of Canadarago Lake in New York State. – photo by Joe Alexander
I spent a quiet evening in the back yard of an inn on the east side of Canadarago Lake near Richfield Springs, New York.

The lake is not far from Cooperstown and about halfway between Albany and Syracuse – but off the beaten path of the interstate system.

It was the last weekend of September and was still warm enough to enjoy the sunset without needing a jacket.

A late September sunset on the banks of Canadarago Lake in New York State. - photo by Joe Alexander
A late September sunset on the banks of Canadarago Lake in New York State.
A late September sunset on the banks of Canadarago Lake in New York State. - photo by Joe Alexander
A late September sunset on the banks of Canadarago Lake in New York State.

Fall foliage begins changing colors in Poconos

Trees beginning to change colors along Interstate 81 in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania in late September 2024. - photo by Joe Alexander
Trees beginning to change colors along Interstate 81 in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania in late September 2024. – photo by Joe Alexander
Some of the trees in the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania were beginning to change colors as I drove through on Interstate 81 last weekend.

The weather hadn’t turned cold yet but it looked like autumn with drizzly rain and fog.

Peak time to see fall colors is probably another week away at the higher elevations and later in October in other parts of northern Pennsylvania and southern New York State.

Colorado Day 7: State Capitol in downtown Denver and Art District on Santa Fe

Colorado State Capitol in downtown Denver. - photo by Joe Alexander
Colorado State Capitol in downtown Denver. The statue of the bison and Native American was done by Preston Powers in the 1890s. – photo by Joe Alexander
The Colorado State Capitol, Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and Civic Center Park are all in close proximity in downtown Denver. The best known mural in the Art District on Santa Fe is Love This City Denver by Pat Milbery. There’s plenty more art around just about every corner of this neighborhood.
Love This City Denver mural by Pat Milbery on Art District on Santa Fe in downtown Denver, Colorado. The colors of the mural will look much brighter if you catch it on a sunny afternoon. - photo by Joe Alexander
Love This City Denver mural by Pat Milbery on Art District on Santa Fe in downtown Denver, Colorado. The colors of the mural will look much brighter if you catch it on a sunny afternoon. I just happened to be in the neighborhood in the morning when it was in the shade.

Colorado Day 6: Garden of the Gods and Rocky Mountain Lake Park

Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs in late August 2024. - photo by Joe Alexander
Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs in late August 2024. – photo by Joe Alexander
I’ve been to the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs a few times before and I was looking forward to going back. Showing up late in the morning on one of the last weekends of summer vacation, however, killed any chance I had for much room to myself. Both parking and views that were free of other tourists were hard to come by. I found a parking space in one of the more isolated lots, that was still almost full, and I hiked in far enough to get a few pictures.

From there, it was north to Denver. I was pleased to find a nice little park with a small lake (or very large pond) near my hotel on the north side of Denver. Other that a healthy throng gathered at a softball field and a few joggers, I had Rocky Mountain Lake Park mostly to myself. With a noticeable lack of humidity on a warm afternoon, I got in a good walk without breaking a sweat.