We always enjoy seeing sunsets and since we have some wonderful views from our new place, we enjoyed watching the sun go down from our rooftop deck. Sunsets near water are almost always very vibrant due to the humidity in the air and this one was no different. We will certainly have the opportunity to see many more, but we will definitely remember our first sunset in Baltimore. The sun set near the downtown area of Baltimore, which silhouetted the skyscrapers with an orange hue that was quite stunning. Obviously, we enjoy seeing sunsets during our travels, but seeing them at home can be equally calming and relaxing.
Tag: sunset
La Quebrada Cliff Divers in Acapulco, Mexico
One of the highlights of visiting Acapulco is going to see the famous La Quebrada Cliff Divers. La Quebrada is the name of the cliffs where the divers climb to perform the death-defying dives into the narrow water below. The divers are all professionals of various ages that perform daily for the crowds that come to cheer them on. We chose to watch them from the La Perla restaurant in the El Mirador Resort that made them famous, but there is an observation deck where you can see them even closer without the expense of a meal.
The divers perform one show during the day at 1pm and then they do four performances in the evening at 7:30, 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30. While the afternoon performance might be best from a photographic perspective, seeing them in the evening is quite impressive. We chose to go to the 7:30 show as we were able to watch a beautiful sunset around 6:30 as we enjoyed our meal and waited for the divers to start their performance. Just sitting and enjoying the beautiful views of the La Quebrada cliffs and the water crashing into the “Gulch” is a worthwhile experience.
Prior to the start of the performance, some of the younger divers came out to dive from the smaller cliffs below the observation deck. In addition to practicing the diving skills and warming up, it was also their responsibility to clear away any seaweed that had been brought in by the tide. It was surprising to see how young some of the divers actually were, but they made sure to dive from the lower cliffs. Once the main divers arrived, also working they way down through the crowds on the observation deck, they also dove into the water and swam around in order to loosen up for the performance.
Once it was time for the performance to begin, the first of the divers began the climb up the steep cliff wall using only his hands and his bare feet to scale to the top of the cliff. Then other divers started to climb the cliff with several of them going to a perch just below the summit. Each diver then patiently eyed the water below before leaping from the cliff and soaring through the air and into the water below. It is quite a fascinating show and certainly worth seeing when visiting Acapulco.
The Beauty of African Sunsets
Sunsets can be beautiful no matter where you are, but there is something magical about watching the sunset over the plains of Africa. Since we spent eleven full days on safari, we got to see many different sunsets during our time there. For several of the sunsets, we were able to enjoy a nice glass of wine as we relaxed after a long day of animal watching. We also saw many wonderful sunrises, but we were usually driving around in the Land Cruiser at the time either heading out to see the wildlife or heading from one national park to another.
There were certainly too many wonderful sunsets to choose a favorite, especially since they each bring back wonderful memories. Whether it was watching the sunset over the hippo pond, sitting by the fire in the Serengeti, or watching the baby giraffes just outside of the Amboseli National Park, every photograph transports us back to those moments. Because we were in camps that were far away from any city or civilization in general, the moments were quiet, tranquil, and completely relaxing. Watching the sun set also meant that it was time to be sure that we were with a guide or heading to our tent as it wasn’t safe being out on your own after dark.
Each of these memories were magical. We often took many photographs of the same sunset as it changed from minute to minute as the sun went down below the horizon. Whether it was the sun shining through the clouds or the colors of the sky as the sun disappeared, every moment was uniquely different.