SWITZERLAND
Welcome to God’s Canvas
A few years ago, while exploring the San Juan mountain range, I stumbled upon the town of Ouray, Colorado. Ouray is a former mining town highlighted by gravel roads, western-style buildings and the Rocky Mountains towering over the town. After taking some time to explore the shops, I made my way to one of the handful of waterfalls, Cascade Falls. I had it all to myself for about five minutes before someone came to stand right beside me.
While I was admiring the towering waterfall, an older gentleman in hiking gear sideled right next to me. He took at deep breath, looked over to me and commented,
“This truly is the Switzerland of the Rockies.” The moniker has always stuck in my head and since I love Colorado so much, I knew I had to visit the actual country of Switzerland.
There aren’t many places that can replace Colorado in my mind — however, after seeing what I have seen in Switzerland, it had definitely earned a top spot. I hope you enjoy these photos from the actual country of Switzerland as much as I enjoyed taking them.
- Correy Overton
The Region of Luzern
London boasts so many iconic landmarks that it was hard to decide where I would begin exploring. With landmarks like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the London Eye all within reach, the choice was difficult but I chose to head over to Tower Bridge — a towering drawbridge that sits downstream from London Bridge along the River Thames. The bridge and it’s surrounding area offered tons of personality and was crowded with people admiring one of London’s most defining pieces of architecture.
Tower Bridge has aged wonderfully as has the surrounding area. At well over a century in age, it was surprising how well-maintained the bridge had been. Cobblestone streets lined the walkways under the bridge giving it an Old World charm.
I spent the better half of an afternoon walking from London Tower, across Tower Bridge and next to the river hoping to capture shots of this London beauty
The City of Thun
One thing I quickly learned about London — you are very likely to get rained on at some point during your visit, which is exactly what happened to me the day I visited Westminster. Westminster is quite possibly one of the most notable parts of London with landmarks like Westminster Bridge and Palace of Westminster, all which I had no idea of the significance before visiting England. So it was no surprise to see the bridge and surrounding area crowded with people on a Wednesday afternoon, in the rain.
The interior of the church blew me away. The paintings on the walls, gold statutes and historic sculptures inside the church were astonishing. Most surprising to me was just how much of the homage was paid to the State and the former British Empire — a testament to just how intertwined the Church and the State used to be.
St. Paul’s Cathedral was a “must-visit” landmark when initially found out I would be visiting the city. Luckily for me, it was right down the street from my AirBnB and really hard to ignore. Like many of the churches in Europe, its Baroque-style architecture and ornate beauty made it hard to miss. The view from the exterior is exquisite but to truly admire the cathedral, I paid to go inside.
You could probably get in for free if you attend mass but since it was a Friday, the option wasn’t really there.
ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL
London has been a great way to dip my toes back into the European continent. Culturally different from the States but familiar enough I could explore without feeling awkward. These were just a few of the places that stood out and even though they were mostly landmarks, it felt like a great way to get a feel for what to expect in a European country.
I usually want to avoid the touristy areas whenever I visit a new place but in a place like London, it felt needed. This visit was less of “do as the locals do” and more “sightseeing” but I can’t say I would change much — other than having more time. Always need more of that.