This past weekend, I went down with our ward's youth to Moab. The Sunday before leaving, one of our friends in the ward, Mandi, mentioned that Delicate Arch was her favorite place on the earth. I admit that I was one of about 10 people laughing at that comment. Somebody mentioned that she must not get out much.
I have since repented of my initial reaction. It was amazing. I can't believe I have lived in Utah for nearly 20 years and I had neglected to visit this place. For those of you who haven't been, you should go. After visiting the arch, I apologized to Mandi and told her that although it is not #1, Delicate Arch definitely makes it into my top 10 most beautiful places I've ever visited. She asked me for a comprehensive list, so here goes. As a disclaimer, the nostalgia of some of these places definitely influences their ranking (i.e. I don't think Maple Creek would make most people's top 10?):
1. Lake Powell. If I had to pick a spot, I'd say Gunsight Bay. Maybe Iceberg Canyon.
2. Yosemite. Probably in Mariposa Grove. Maybe Vernal Falls. Maybe at the top of Half Dome.
3. The beach in the Dominican Republic just east of Las Terrenas airport.
4. Iao State Park, Maui, Hawaii. I would mention the road to Hana if I would have flown over it rather than drove that tremendously windy road..jpg)
5. Delicate Arch, Utah.
6. Trunk Bay, St. Johns.
7. Chichen Itza, Mexico.
8. The Columbia River Gorge.
9. Maple Creek. Right before the fence on the trail to the spring (where the maples bend to touch each other over the trail for about a half mile).
10. The back porch view at the Anderson's Place in Soldotna, Alaska (at dusk).
Honorable Mentions (in no particular order)
- Buckskin Gulch, Utah.
- Pine Creek Canyon, Utah.
- Flaming Gorge, Utah.
- Farmington Canyon, Utah. At the glacier lakes.
- 27 Charcos, Dominican Republic.
- Yellowstone, Wyoming.
- Palancar Reef, Cozumel, Mexico (underwater).
Have I forgotten anything? I'm sure my list will change as I visit more places (like Europe). I would enjoy seeing your lists as comments or otherwise.
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5 comments:
Interesting.... I have favorite places but I haven't ever put together top 10 beautiful places. Here I go:
1) Mt. Rushmore
2) Havasupai Falls
3) Lake Powell
4) Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
5) West Bay Roatan Honduras -sunset
6) Manhattan Island, NY
7) The BYU Jerusalem Center - including its view of the old city
8) The Great Pyramids at Giza
9) Rome in its entirety
10) Newport Beach
I just realized that 7 of my 10 are man made... I really am an Ayn Rander.
Wow
1. Lake Powell. Escalante Canyon and of course Gunsight
2. Santorini, Greece
3. Dominican Republic ( somana?)
4. Grand Tetons
5. Giant Sequoias
6. El Captain
7. Rome
8. Manhattan
9. Cozumel Reef
10. Cliffs at St. George
11. Newport Beach
Where should we go first? I guess Powell then Newport are a good start.
Here is my list (not necessarily in order, and I couldn't keep it to 10)
1) Victoria Falls
2) Zion National Park (Kolob Creek, Imlay Canyon, Angel’s Landing, the Narrows, View from East Rim)
3) Cape Town (Chapman Peak Drive, Cape Point, Table Mountain, Noordhoek & Llandudno Beaches, Hermanus)
4) Chobe National Park at Dusk (Elephants and Hippos as far as the eye can see)
5) Okavango Delta
6) Yosemite National Park (View from Half Dome, Sequoias, Nevada Falls)
7) Lake Powell (Escalante Canyon, Black Hole)
8) Prague (Charles Bridge, Old Time Square at Christmas, Prague Castle)
9) Buckskin Gulch
10) Escalante (Neon Canyon/Golden Cathedral, Spooky, Brimstone, Peekaboo, Egypt 3)
11) Trunk Bay – St John’s
12) Grand Teton National Park
13) Arenal Volcano/Lake Arenal - Costa Rica
14) Arches National Park
15) Canyonlands National Park
16) Yellowstone National Park
17) Lake Tahoe
18) Kruger National Park
19) Seward Highway
20) The Algarve
I think I have a picture somewhere of that exact spot you mentioned at the cabin! I'll have to think about my 10 places.
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