After Sidewinder Canyon in Death Valley, we took the long drive to Dante’s View. Dante was an Italian poet in the 1200s who wrote something called “The Inferno”, an appropriate sort of name for anything associated with Death Valley. Many places there refer to death and other unpleasant sorts of things, which is fitting when one considers that most things in the desert are designed to stab, kill, or poison the visitor. And almost everything in Death Valley National Park is a long drive.
I found a very pretty rock, but experience tells me that rocks turn meh when they get home, so it was a Leverite – “Leave ‘er right where you found ‘er”.
After Dante’s View, our hostess/tour guide/dear friend showed us a magical place, appropriately called The Inn at Death Valley. It was opened in 1927, and it was truly beautiful.
There was a burned out building that got turned into a beautiful garden, ponds surrounded by palms, stone steps and paths, classic architecture, and a mysterious palm orchard, for which I can find no explanation. These aren’t date palms.
I have questions. Always.
And maybe you have a question for me. Ask away!
Okay, just two more photos.
And thus we conclude another road trip with the Central California artist, with the hopes that some seed of new creativity lodged in her inquiring mind.
2 Comments
You just wonder how ANYTHING can survive and even thrive in that desert, both flora and fauna!
Is that oasis “Scotty’s Castle” or is that in a different location? Why anyone would build there is beyond me! But add water, and it’s quite a beautiful place to visit in the winter. Summer? Not so much!
Sharon, I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of the desert. I wonder what sort of personality types are attracted to such an unwelcoming environment. On the other hand, there are a lot of surprising places and sights. Scotty’s Castle is on the northern end of the park, sort of north-east-ish; this inn in more centrally located.
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