This place is about hour and half away from Las Vegas and it baffles me that even the locals do not visit it that often. Lovely , cooler nature sanctuary form the hotness of the town. Mount Charleston, it was on the second day of our trip that we decided to refresh our memories from this place. It was worth the drive. We drove to Mt. Chaleston lodge that is hidden at elevation 7,000 feet among the juniper and sweet ponderosa pine of Kyle Canyon.
it has been years since my prior visit, but I have to say that the sadness and poverty in so much more prominent today on the streets of Las Vegas. Also the ways various people are trying to make a living. I am posting these just to remind me and us that there is always the other side to glamour. I am not so used to seeing it. so it made me very sad.
No, I am not finished yet. These are mostly from the Las Vegas strip and from our hotel window. Light treatment continues in this post.
Those who have followed my blog know that I always take tons of photos, so did you expect me to have taken so few from downtown, really did you?
Here goes the blast of neon lights continues – sorry 🙂
If you travel to Las Vegas downtown is a must see, but I have to admit it is not my favorite place in Las Vegas. It is too loud, crowded for my taste. Different music surrounding you from every direction, the total cacophony of sounds. People just everywhere. But the lights are something different, not something you see at home that’s for sure. Though during the dark months they surely would considered as light treatment to the people who walk in in the darkness for several months.
I will still remain in Las Vegas, I am trying to keep the timeline right, I will also remain colorful even if it is not nature photos. Las Vegas night life and lights will be my next topic for several posts.
This is from down town Las Vegas. The sign caught my attention that is the reason for the topic.
my last post, for now , from Valley of fire. I thought we could do with a splash of warm orange hues, sunshine and warmth that has been in these photos. Sorry for the overload. This also works as my diary I gather my memories here. So these are smaller details, textures from this location and a bird and a lizard.
Valley of Fire consists of bright red Aztec sandstone outcrops nestled in gray and tan limestone mountains. The sandstone is from the Jurassic period and is the remnant of the sand left behind by the wind after inland seas subsided and the land rose. Early man moved into southern Nevada as far back as 11,000 years ago. The most obvious evidence of occupation from about 2,500 years ago. Here is the first set of photos 🙂
Valley of fire in Mojave Desert in Nevada. It had been about 35 years since my previous visit to this colorful place of red Aztec sandstone outcrops nestled in gray and tan limestone mountains.
The area plant community is dominated by widely spaced creosote bush, burro bush and brittlebush. Several cactus species, including beaver tail and cholla, are also common
The second day we where contemplating as what to do. As stated we do not gamble so instead of heading to the casinos we went to see sights. Our first place to visit was Valley of Fire in the Mojave Desert. It is unbelievable that in the middle of the desert you can find these beautiful red rock formations. I will post several post from there as I did take so many photos of this colorful place.
These photos are from the drive through the “normal” Las Vegas desert with the mountains surrounding it beautifully. It does not look that spectacular, but if you look closely you can see beauty here too. What do you think, have I captured beauty of the desert?
It is mid November, the darkness and grayness is starting to get to me. This is the time I start to hibernate. I have no desire to go out or do much. I have decided to try to pass this period by posting photos from my trip in October to Las Vegas and California. I have posted several in my FB profile but now I will try to tackle them in chronicler order. So my first photos are from the hotel that we stayed at in Las Vegas The Aria Resort and Casino. I am not a gambler, but I did spend some time at the pool and walked through the place several time. It is huge, just to get out you end up walking a kilometer
Beauty, majestic nature. Just beautiful, sunset at sequoia. All unedited photos 😀.
Last view from our room to the mountains lit by the morning light 
Last day at the pool, this afternoon light caught my attention 
The reflections on the main entrance door are rather good
Today we visited lake Mead and Hoover dam, it was not and warm even though it is October. I only took few photos with my mobile. Here is some pre photos as I will empty my camera when I get home 
numbers on the wall at the hotel
reflections on our hotel in Las Vegas
I am totally enjoying the weather here in Las Vegas. Pool day for me. The pool is not that big but we are safe. There is three lifeguards working the pool in 30 minute shifts.
This was a little sight from the plane, flying above Rocky Mountain 
I have been busy. I took up sculpture and painting again. Also planning our next trip. So I have not been active taking photos. Fall is here again so one for the road. Monday we are flying to LA and Las Vegas. I’m sure I will post some pictures taken with my mobile phone. 
The autumn 🍂 is here if you take a look at the colors in the garden 
It has been once again a day of rain and sunshine. Mostly rain. I drove to Lohja Hospital to have a Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of my foot that has bothered me for a year and a half now. Hopefully after these new ones they will know what to do with it. Operation or just continue as it is… well this is not what my picture are about. As I said I drove there, it was through the country roads and this is what I tooks photos of. Our ever changing clouds
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography 