sunrise/sunset in Palm Springs

sunrise at Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage (c) 2016 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

There's no mystery why sunset photographs outnumber pictures of the sunrise. Sunrises happen in the early morning, and most people prefer to sleep in when they're on vacation! I, on the other hand, have always been a contrarian, and I have always found the sunrise to be an inspiring experience.

The sunrise vigil begins by standing in the near darkness, starting perhaps 30 minutes before dawn. Even though the sun has not yet peaked over the horizon, its light has already begun filtering through. As you wait, you can see the dark sky gradually lighten, and you can discern large shapes in the distance — in this case, the mountains surrounding the valley. As you wait in the silence, the light increases imperceptibly moment by moment, and more and more details begin to appear.

But best of all is that magic moment when the sun finally rises above the eastern horizon, casting its direct rays on those distant landmarks. The sight of mountains glowing in the light of dawn is a special experience, one that never grows old for me.

P.S. — Here's tonight's sunset. Both the sunrise and sunset are brought to you courtesy of Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage, a great desert resort in Southern California. I've enjoyed my three night stay — great food, great pools, great spa ... and Palm Springs is an ideal destination for golfers.

sunset at Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage (c) 2016 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

copyright  (c)  2016 by Ourisman Travel LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.