Originally built in 1896, the Sutro Baths were a large swimming pool complex. It was open until 1966, when it was shut down due to limited finances, and a fire destroyed much of the structure while it was being demolished. The ruins are now part of the surrounding National Park. It’s a neat landmark near the western terminus of San Francisco, just downslope from the historic Cliff House. Larger version is viewable here.
It was a nice day and I had some free time, so I decided to explore a place I’d never seen before. I took the bus to the literal end of the road – Geary Boulevard, specifically – and ended up at Sutro Baths/Point Lobos. This is at the distant northwestern tip of San Francisco, and more remote than most touristy places. Aside from the long ride, it takes a little climbing to get down to this beach. Definitely worth the effort, though! Larger version is viewable here.
This was taken at the beach below the Eagle’s Point Labyrinth, about three miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge. This is at the bottom of the Land’s End trail, far from the more populated and touristy areas. I had planned to keep walking along the coastline, but the rising tide make it too risky. Larger version is viewable here.
This was taken at the beach below the Eagle’s Point Labyrinth, about three miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s a brief – but strenuous and quite vertical – hike away from the Legion of Honor. This isn’t the kind of beach you visit to relax. Be sure to bring a good pair of shoes and even better balance; falling off the cliffs here is deadly. Also, come early; I only had about half an hour before the rising tides came close to sweeping me out to sea! Larger version can be viewed here.
For the next entry into the muse challenge, here’s another shot along the same coast in Nuevo Vallarta. I think everyone should walk along the beach at least once in their lives; it’s peaceful, quiet, serene…and you never know what you’ll run into in the waves. Kind of like this friendly stray that was enjoying the day; I was worried about approaching him, but he only followed me for a bit before going back to his own fun in the sun.
When I was taking sunset photos in Nuevo Vallarta, I had to share a pier with several other sightseers. Once the sun vanished behind the hills in the distances, most people left. However, I stayed an extra half an hour to see how the weather would develop. I was rewarded by one of the most vivid and colorful night skies in recent memory. Large version available here.
This week’s photo challenge calls for some scaling. I remembered this photo I took at Waipio Valley on the Big Island. It’s an incredibly beautiful and historically significant place; it was considered sacred land and the capital of the early Hawaiian kings. While the overall view from the lookout was amazing, I almost didn’t notice the (relatively) tiny waterfall at the far end of the shoreline. Fun fact: this was taken literally five minutes before the valley was engulfed in an intense rainstorm. I was lucky to get the shot.
For this week’s Odd Ball Challenge, I thought I’d post an iconic area from Puuhonua o Honaunau National Park, Hawaii.
This week’s challenge calls for something twinkly, and my recent visit to Ho’okena Beach Park instantly came to mind. It’s one of Hawaii’s few gray sand beaches; it’s not exactly your typical postcard material, but it’s still quite beautiful.
Polymathically 