We love the sunsets that we get to see over the mountains of Colorado, they are especially vibrant during winter. As we watch the sun make its way toward the horizon, the skyline changes almost second by second. Just when we think that it can’t get any more spectacular, a minute later we are even more amazed. One of the places that we visit quite often has wonderful views of the mountains and we watched a couple of different sunsets over a two week period. After the sun made its way below the horizon, the sky turned to such a deep red in different ways on both occasions. We didn’t have our camera with us, so these photographs were taken with our phone. We have provided each sunset here in chronological order, so you’ll have to imagine enjoying a nice glass of wine and watching these beautiful sunsets.
Day One When the Sunset Caught Our AttentionFocusing on the Mountain PeaksReflecting Off of the CloudsAbsolutely Stunning with the Snow in the ForegroundOne of the Last Views of Day OneDay Two as the Sun Dipped Below the HorizonStarting to Reflect Against the CloudsChanging from Yellow to RedIt was Like the Sky was on FireFinal Views from Day Two
It is hard to believe that it has been more than five months since the last time that we boarded an airplane to go someplace new. Several years ago we started taking photographs through the windows of the airplanes, cars, and trains that we travel on. We actually find it interesting to look back not only at the locations that we’ve visited, but also the journey itself, to, from, and around the various countries. When we visited Acapulco in Mexico this past February, just prior to countries shutting down, we boarded a plane prior to the sun having even starting to rise. We watched the sunrise as we flew into Houston to catch our connection to continue on to Mexico. We look back at that particular journey with a combination of sadness and longing to travel once again.
First Hint of the SunriseThe Mountains of MexicoLooking Out of Our WindowSun Just Crossing the HorizonFirst Sign of the CoastAnother Airplane on the Tarmac at Sunrise
There are many interesting locations to see when taking a tour of Halong Bay in Vietnam and Titop Island is certainly one of them. There is a sandy beach where visitors can go for a swim to get out of the heat, but the highlight is climbing to the observation deck with the incredible views of the bay. Titop Island is one of the most popular islands in Halong Bay, so be prepared for plenty of crowds coming and going during your time there.
Beach on the Island
Statue of Gherman Stepanovich Titov
Hazy Scenery
360 Degree Views
Titop Island was one of the first locations that we visited during our two day tour of Halong Bay. The island itself is named after Gherman Stepanovich Titov who was a famous Russian cosmonaut and there is a statue dedicated to him on the island. We were told that the island was named Titop instead of Titov due to the translation to Vietnamese. After passing the statue of Titov, there is a place to purchase refreshments and access to the beach with a few chairs for those that want to relax on the beach.
Climbing the Stairs
Ships Cruising
So Many Amazing Views
Absolutely Beautiful
The main reason for visiting Titop Island is to climb the approximately 400 steps to get to the top of Titop Mountain and see the amazing views from the observation deck. It is a steep climb, but well worth the effort as you can see Halong Bay from every direction stretching out away from the island. It also gives you an opportunity to see how many different cruise ships are also touring this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Standing on the Observation Deck
Sign for Titop Island
Definitely Worth the Climb
Halong Bay
We enjoyed all of the excursions that we took from our cruise ship during our tour, but Titop Island was probably our favorite location. We didn’t walk on the beach or go for a swim, but we definitely made our way to the observation deck to see the views and take what are probably some of our favorite photographs from Halong Bay. We spent about two hours on the island, but we were pretty much finished in less time than that.
