The Southwest

The problem with photographing the national parks is that, no matter how much practice an amateur gets with the architecture of Italy or the Riverwalk of San Antonio, nothing equips you for something as magnificent as the Grand Canyon or Carlsbad Caverns.

So I'm going to tell you up front that if you'd really like to see photos that do these places justice, please go online and find something taken by a professional.  

For those of you who are either lazy or disinterested, I'll provide our rather pitiable samples.  Nothing that will blow your socks off, okay?  Don't expect much.  

Sharon gave us the suggestion to go to the caverns and we're so glad we did.  All four of us were impressed, Mihai most of all.  It's not so much a visual experience as an all-five-senses experience.  The coolness of the caves, the darkness, the quiet.  Those things can't be captured in a photo.  (Not to make you jealous or anything)

As difficult as it was to capture the glory of the caverns, the Grand Canyon was harder.  Apparently it was also difficult to impress Lucian who looked around and said "So, is this it?"

Really son?  

It's one of those moments when you move subtly away and pretend you don't know who this bratty kid belongs to.

My photos are nothing to write home about.  Also, we made the timing error of arriving at noon which, as everyone who has ever snapped a photo knows, is the photographic equivalent of hoping for a gourmet meal and getting a microwave frozen dinner instead.  

See what I mean?

I know Silvia requested that we take lots of pictures and we did.  But this is what they all looked like.  Yawn.  It was beyond my meager skills, plain and simple. 

But then there were all of these other lovely scenes along the way so I'm including these to try and redeem myself and bring a bit of visual pleasure to you all.  The fact is, the southwest is so lovely and large that even I couldn't mess up those photos.