Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been traversing the USA and have been treated to some sensational sunsets. Some of them I just watched in awed silence, but others I managed to capture on camera. Here are a few of my favourite sundown moments.
My first glimpse of the Mississippi River was from a train window. As luck would have it, we crossed the river right at sunset, when it was bathed in the loveliest lavender and rosy pink light.
I’d been watching a herd of buffaloes in Theodore Roosevelt National Park for a while, but when I noticed these two against the backdrop of sun-kissed clouds, I couldn’t resist intruding upon their quiet moment.
I took this next photo in Yellowstone Park. Just as the sun was setting, heavy mists rolled in, and the glow of the sun through the fog looked eerily like the flames of a forest fire.
One of the most dramatic sunsets I’ve seen was in the Badlands, which is quite fitting, as the Badlands themselves are pure drama. The streaks of dark clouds were lit up from underneath with a fiery red that put me in mind of a lava flow.
Now I know there have been previous photo challenges on sunsets, but I also believe it is a universal truth that we cannot resist reaching for our cameras as the sun puts on its goodnight performance. You’ve probably got a myriad of dazzling sunset shots just waiting to be put online, so if you would like to join in this week’s travel theme, create your own post titled Travel theme: Sunset and don’t forget to put a link to this page in your post to make it easy for others to find it. Don’t forget to check back in next Friday for a new travel theme.
xxx Ailsa
Where's my backpack? 
I love the shot with the buffalo – just beautiful!
Thanks Denise, the buffalo were working the camera! 🙂
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Lovely shots Ailsa. You know I love my sunsets! http://ayearinmyshoes.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/travel-theme-sunset/
What a fabulous sunset, Livvy – just the thing to cheer you up on a wet and rainy Irish morning! 🙂 Ailsa
Irresistible Ailsa!
http://lucidgypsy.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/travel-theme-sunset/
Haha, sunsets really are irresistible, Gilly. Lovely photo, Rajasthan must have fun.
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Great theme.. awesome pictures from so many.. wowowowow.. nature
I agree, rfl, isn’t nature great? 🙂
Yes it is.. you need to forward me some early themes as I will be gone into the wilds for part of next weeks.. just Friday through monday but it would be a good scavenger hunt for me with my camera.. I will be rafting in the jungles of Venezuela.. (not as dramatic as all of that) I just bought a water camera and it was stolen but the friend who borrowed promised to have a new one by monday. so .. picture this.. white water rafting.. very small cowboy town.. chickens at the posada along with other birds.. lots and lots of nature… what would be the picture.. (think of more than one) you are sooo good at this..
http://mostlymonochrome.wordpress.com/2011/07/09/industrial-sunset/
Not the cleanest sunset in the world.
…and yet strangely beautiful in it’s griminess. Wonderful capture, mostlymonochrome.
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Great shots again, Ailsa! Here’s mine..
http://perceptionsofareluctanthomemaker.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/travel-theme-sunset/
Lovely shots from your hubby, Deepa. Keep on enjoying those sunsets! xxx Ailsa
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Thank you for the theme this week Ailsa.
It was a much needed for me.
http://joycannis.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/travel-theme-sunset/
Well I’m very glad I chose sunsets this week in that case, Joy! Love your post, beautiful sunsets and I love the piece from Rabindranath Tagore.
Thank you friend.
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Here is my quick submission. 🙂
http://eludingennui.com/2012/08/18/travel-theme-sunset/
Nice one, eludingennui, looks like your part of the world gets some pretty great sunsets.
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The sunset you took are just gorgeous! I have enjoyed reading your train trip very much, Ailsa..You should write a book..I felt like I was reading a book..very interesting…Thanks so much for sharing..:)
Here is my sunsets:
http://carolloethen.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/travel-theme-sunset/
Thanks for the compliments, Carol. My recent travels have given my plenty of stories, I may just have to write a book about it, how much fun! Wonderful blue moon sunset! xxx Ailsa
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Hei Ailsa! Lovely theme and thank you for the inspiration once again. Your pics are gorgeous, the first is my favourite.
Here is my take on the theme, http://cocoaupnorth.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/travel-theme-sunset/
Have a lovely weekend:-)
Ooh. loved this, cocoa. Wonderful seasonal variations from Finland! xxx Ailsa
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http://firstandfabulous.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/travel-theme-sunset/
Hope all’s well in the moving business. 🙂
Love the skyline shot, Gemma. Moving is still a work in progress but going well! xx Ailsa
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Beautiful Ailsa – I particularly the 3rd one. I have posted some from my corner of the world here – http://lynneayersbeyondthebrush.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/when-the-sun-sets/
Fantastic paintings, Lynne, and I love the name Frog Hollow! xxx Ailsa
haha – Frog Hollow – one might think I made it up, but I didn’t. Thanks for the comments on my paintings, Ailsa – appreciate it.
Beautiful as always 🙂
Thanks Juanita 🙂
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Dazzling traveling photo show!
Thanks Annie, hope all is well with you and your travels! xxx Ailsa
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Great shots… I love the buffalo one. Looks like they are chatting 😉
I couldn’t narrow all my pics down, so I have made a slide show of many sunsets worldwide. From Canada to China to Cuba and a few in between 😉
http://canadiantravelbugs.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/weekly-travel-theme-sunset/
Oh wow, CTB, these are wonderful – the colours in the ‘plane to Cuba’ shot are delightful! xxx Ailsa
Thanks… I happened to look out the window and thought WOW… cool sunset from a rare point of view.
Thanks for visit and comment 🙂
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Hi Ailsa, we’re a little late to the party. Rather than put different photographs of sunset from different places, I focused on quite a number of sunset pictures taken by my husband while we were in Indonesia. I hope you enjoy them. Here’s the link: http://gatheringbooks.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/photo-journal-travel-theme-sunset/
Not late at all, Myra, and I’m playing catch up responding to everyone’s wonderful entries as I’ve been on the road for the past month, so getting internet access isn’t always assured. Love your sunsets, and the accompanying quotes, especially the Steinbeck one. Wonderful!
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Great colors, some beautiful sunsets! Here are mine: http://ididitforjohnny.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/travel-theme-sunsets/
Lovely selection of sunsets, ididitforjohnny, the window reflection is my favourite. xxx
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Here are a few memorable sunsets over the years: http://windagainstcurrent.com/2012/08/18/travel-theme-sunset/
Ok, you’ve had more than your fair share of insanely beautiful sunsets, Vlad, these are incredible. That shot of Johna (I’m guessing) along Long Island Sound in 2012 is spectacular.
Dazzling Sunset filled with adventure and wonderful dreams.
Thanks, Mr B! I love that shot of your son on the pier with his shadow, just lovely! xxx Ailsa
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I have always loved sunsets, even more once I started taking photographs. Here are a few of my favorites: http://wp.me/p1tzBV-1BP
Incredible shots, Anne, the first two are spectacular! xxx Ailsa
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Your sunset photos are truly stunning, Ailsa. Here is my contribution to your theme.
http://adinparadise.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/travel-theme-sunsets/
Oh ad, you just brought back the best memories of Venice for me – I arrived at night time and did the water taxi with all the lanterns lit along the way, so, so beautiful. xxx Ailsa
Thanks so much, Ailsa. It’s such a magical place, especially at night. 🙂
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Oh, Ailsa, I’m about the 100th contributor to your photo challenge this week. How do you keep up with them all? Your photos and story were very interesting. The colours in the US sunset photos are really soft, very different from sunsets that I’m used to here in Australia. But the sunset that was unforgettable for me was in New Caledonia. See my pingback…
There have been so many incredible entries this week Trish, and I have had a hard time keeping up, mainly because I’m on the road and don’t have regular access to internet right now. Still, better late than never. Wonderful sunset, and I loved your writing too. xxx Ailsa
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Ciao Ailsa,
Great theme this week, thank you. Here’s my submission: http://laavventura.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/travel-theme-sunset-by-jennifer-avventura/
Gorgeous, Jennifer, that Boracay Island one is my favourite! xxx Ailsa
It’s one of my fav’s too. So old skool! 😉
And here is my submission: http://ingriddendievel.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/travel-theme-sunset/
Lovely shot of sunset in the Dordogne, Ingrid! xxx Ailsa
Hi Ailsa, here is my sunset contribution from what I believe is the sunset Capitol of the world 🙂
http://ronmayhewphotography.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/travel-theme-sunsets/
Wow, after seeing your photos, Ron, I believe it might just well be the sunset capital of the world. Stunning! xxx Ailsa
Lovely shots Ailsa. The Yellowstone one is stunning? Were they all shot from the train? How do you stop ‘blur’?
Thanks, Photos. I love the Yellowstone one too, it looks pretty mystical. The only one shot from the train was the top one crossing the Mississippi and I zoomed in pretty far, so that the foreground objects that would have caused blur were out of shot. 🙂
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Here’s my contribution to this week’s theme. 🙂 Thank you for the link-up, Ailsa. Have a blessed Sunday to you and to all. http://mywordwall.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/travel-theme-sunset-in-the-big-city/
Hi Imelda, loved your post – just getting caught up on responding to everyone’s wonderful entries. That top photo of yours is really wonderful, I love the greys in it, so unexpected. xxx Ailsa