A trip to Denver, Colorado

This is the new Union station in Denver. It used to be an abandoned rail yard.

After our visit to the Rocky Mountain National Park, we drove to Denver, where we stayed for the remainder of our trip. We were fortunate that our friends Efraín and Cathy live there, so they could show us around. Everywhere we looked there seemed to be construction going on. Denver is creating a new city within a city.

Here is the old station, and the new together

I love this sculpture of a blue bear, staring into the Colorado Convention Center

Although everyone refers to the above sculpture as the "Blue Bear", its real title is, "I see what you mean". The structure is enormous at 40 ft (over 12 metres), and is already a star of TV and film.

We decided to escape Denver and visit the surrounding area. Mainly because of the vast numbers of tourists pouring into Denver. Many had come to take part in The Marijuana Festival, with thousands of people crammed into the park taking advantage of the, now legalised, drug.

We, on the other hand, went to visit Dinosaur Ridge, and the Colorado's Red Rock Amphitheatre in Golden.

Dinosaur ridge is a fascinating glimpse into the past. More than 300 Iguanodon-like dinosaur footprints have
been preserved here.

A dinosaur's footprint

Red Rock Amphitheater

The Red Rock Amphitheater is used widely as a music venue for visiting bands, although, when we went there, university students appeared to be using it as a fitness training center.

Golden City was formed in 1859, during the days of the gold rush.

I was amused by this historic sign next to the bridge in Golden.

And here, they claim,  is the resting place of "Buffalo Bill" Cody, on nearby Lookout Mountain

...as it says here

While in Denver, we also visited the Botanical Gardens there. Unfortunately, they were being renovated, but there were still some lovely sights to see.

Sadly, that was the end of our visit to New Mexico and Colorado, and it was time to say goodbye. Thank you to all new and old friends, but especially to Pamela in Santa Fe, and Efraín and Cathy in Denver. Hasta la vista!

Elizabeth Coughlan

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

We stayed in Estes Park, nestled in a valley of the Rocky Mountains

On a whim, Juliana and I decided to drive up to the Rocky Mountain National park. We stayed in Estes Park. Unfortunately, our visit was too early for the summer hiking season, and too late for the snow shoeing and skiing season, so the town was pretty dead. We had intended to stay up in the park for two days, but it was so cold, that we came down after just one night there.

We drove through the most stunning scenery

We did manage a drive in the park itself, however, even though many of the high passes were closed due to snow. The views from the park are spectacular and, apparently, it is home to a variety of wildlife, although we only saw elk, hundreds of them! Among those we didn't see are bighorn sheep, black bear, mountain lion, mule deer, and moose, although we were happy not to come across the black bear or mountain lion!

We saw elk grazing beside the road...

...and tree-covered mountains rising up from the plains

More elk in the woods...

...and beautiful vistas

I would definitely like to go back in summer.

by Elizabeth Coughlan

From Santa Fe to Boulder Colorado, by Road

Red Rocks at Ghost Ranch

We reluctantly left New Mexico and followed Highway 84 to Colorado, through the Village of Abiquiu, past Ghost Ranch, and up to the Carson National forest.

The different layers within the sandstone cliffs

We marvelled at the amazing rock formations we saw, and stopped to photograph them. These sandstone cliffs have been formed over millions of years, and the different layers, formed through the millennia, are distinctly visible.

Echo Amphitheater

One spectacular stop was at Echo Amphitheater, with a natural stone rounded structure that makes you want to shout with joy, just to hear the echo reverberate all around.

Could this be blood, or just a strange configuration of the rock?

There is a legend attached to this particular formation. It is said that in 1861, a group of settlers were executed by a band of Navajo Indians  here, and their blood spilled over the walls. Three years later, there was a revenge attack by the settlers, and more blood was spilled, which seeped into the rock, and is supposedly this, clearly visible today.

Although the paths were lined with fragrant sage bushes,
we also saw lots of this lethal-looking pencil-cholla cactus

After visiting Echo Amphitheater, we climbed higher and higher, 

so high that we drove through snow-covered land.

Our Lady of Guadeloupe, Conejos

Our next stop was in Conejos, Colorado, where Colorado’s Oldest Church stands. Our Lady of Guadeloupe Parish Church was built in 1858 and dedicated on December 12, 1863.

The beautiful sign over the arched doorway dates from the reconstruction of the church after a fire

Tiled mural of Our Lady of Guadeloupe, in the church

The grotto outside the church is a shrine to Our Lady of Guadeloupe

This really is a vast expanse of country. Just imagine going to school in this every day. Magnificent!

by Elizabeth Coughlan

El Santuario de Chimayó, New Mexico, USA

El Santuario de Chimayó, from inside the gate

Another interesting site on our itinerary was El Santuario de Chimayó. Every year, as many as 30,000 pilgrims make their way to the Sanctuary, especially during the holy week before Easter. It is believed that miraculous cures happened here, about 200 years ago, and that is why it is also called "The Lourdes of America".

View from outside the gate

The miracles are said to have occurred on the spot where a wooden cross was unearthed. And it was on this place that the local residents built the chapel (completed in 1816).

One of the reasons for visiting this iconic building, was to take photographs. Efraín Padró's book, The Photographer's Guide to New Mexico, accompanied us everywhere, and we diligently followed his tips and suggestions of how to get the best shots of the chapel in Chimayó.

We tried to copy one of Efraín's images from his book

In his book, Efraín encouraged us to walk around our subject and find a wide range of compositions.
We spent ages trying to figure out how Efraín got the above shot. Our conclusion was that he must have been lying on the floor! My shot is not quite as accomplished as I would like, as I didn't get the top of the gate in. I really needed to get down even lower, or use a wide-angled lens. One for my wish list!

Another view of the chapel

Efraín also talks about using creative editing in a program like Photoshop. So here is my attempt at a painting-like rendering of my subject, below.

This was another great site to visit in New Mexico. We were so lucky that Pamela was happy to take us around, and especially delighted that we had the companionship of Buckley, too!

Buckley

by Elizabeth Coughlan

Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, New Mexico, USA

This is Pedernal - the flat topped mountain to the south of Ghost Ranch - which O'Keefe loved to paint.

Once the Ultimate Money Making photography Workshop was over, Juliana, my traveling companion, and I,  were free to explore the area. Fortunately, my wonderful friend, Pamela, lives in Santa Fe, and she offered to drive us to some of the local must-see places. Our first adventure was to Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico. This area was made famous by the artist Georgia O-Keefe, who lived there, and painted its iconic landscapes.

This easel is set up in the Georgia O'Keefe Museum in Santa Fe, and shows the typical landscape

that she could see through the window of her studio.

O'Keefe's interpretation of the red rocks found in this part of New Mexico

The colourful rocks, typical of this area of New Mexico

Once at Ghost Ranch, we opted to go on a tour of the area to see the places where O'Keefe set up her easel, and view the area through her eyes.

This is the actual tree that Georgia O'Keefe painted in her work, Cedar Tree with Lavender Hill, in 1937.

Chimney Rock, also made famous by Georgia O'Keefe in her art

As we wandered around the site after our tour, we came across this old cart...

...and this abandoned wooden chalet. (That's Pamela taking photos).

What a glorious day we had, certainly one to remember!

by Elizabeth Coughlan