Thailand: Ayutthaya

The Wat Phra Si Sanphet section of Ayutthaya is known for its row of chedis (Thai-style stupas). A stupa is a Buddhist shrine. Note the photographs in this post are old and faded and were not that great to begin with. Hopefully, they will give you a taste of the area.

Siam keeps its ghosts close to home. Neither the diaspora of history nor the fluctuations of national boundaries affects these hearty specters who seem quite at home amidst the country's modern plethora of deities and crush of humanity. Such was my impression when I visited Thailand and the ruins of Ayutthaya 85 km north of Bangkok in the early 90s. Ayutthaya is a common tourist destination with river cruisers departing at 11:30 AM daily from the city. It is a fascinating place to visit.

Reclining Buddha with chedis in the background

Remains of a sitting Buddha. Note the tourists in the corner. Most of the other visitors were Asian.

Built in 1350, this ancient capital of Thailand was once one of the largest trading centers in Asia. Scented wood, ivory, camphor, rice, lumber and rubber were important commodities carried on the 1000 or more ships that traveled up the river each year.

Ruins of a Wiharn (a quiet place) at Wat (monastery) Thammikarat

The chedis totally fascinated me. There shape is like nothing else seen in western architecture.

At one point the city was the largest in the world with over 1 million inhabitants. Its temples and buildings were gilded in gold. Surrounded on 3 sides by rivers, canals were also dug to create a society that totally revolved around the water. Similar to modern Venetians, the citizens of Ayutthaya would travel about in dragon headed boats as they enjoyed over 400 years of peace and economic prosperity.

Such glory is always fleeting however...

“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Another view of Wat Thamm

A stylized view of a chedis

In 1786 Ayutthaya was sacked by the Burmese. The city was burned to the ground and it took the conquers several days to cart all the gold away. Perhaps the ghosts never left because they are still dazed by the city's sudden change in fortunes. What allegories can one draw for modern societies? All prosperity is fleeting under the relentless crush of time and circumstance.

Seated Buddha

My memories of this trip have been reduced by time to heat, stone, the press of other tourists and the unrelenting sense that something unseen hung in the still air. I was ill on this trip to Thailand with some stomach aliment and I had not eaten for several days but managed to nibble at the nice buffet the cruise put on. The river journey was pleasant. I sat in the stern with some Brits and watched the villages and Hindu temples, with their thousands of carvings, drift slowly by.

The author on the steps of one of the largest chedis

As with most such brief travel experiences, one does not get to see it all, but does get a sense of a place and for a young adventurer traveling alone, Ayutthaya was both mysterious and sobering.

This old photograph, blurry and faded, is like a window into my memories. Was I ever that young?

Nevadaville Ghost Town

The Masonic Block of Nevadaville. Inside is a masonic temple complete with painting of George Washington.

Nevadaville is a small ghost town near the gambling centers of Central City and Blackhawk. I drove there recently with my parents who wanted to see a Colorado ghost town. The day was bitterly cold and the sky was spitting snow. I could not imagine living in a small hovel during a Colorado winter, but certainly many did. The lure of riches kept many a man shivering.

Mining ruins that are already being reclaimed by the land.

6,000 people once lived in Nevadaville, which has also been called Nevada City, Nevada, and Bald Mountain. Gold, silver, and thirteen saloons drew many to the stark landscape. You can get there now via the Central City Parkway, but back in the day, the town was quite isolated.

Bits of a stone wall that stood alone on a bare hillside. What memories do these cold stones contain?

Nevadaville's boom occurred from 1860-1870 with occasional spurts in later years. I have to wonder if history will look back upon Colorado's famous ski towns (Vail, Aspen, Breckenridge etc) with just as much nostalgia and wonder what it was like to live during the boom times.

For fun, I played with the photos of the area to give the the reader the sensation of gazing through through an old photograph.

An aluminum-sided mining ruin. I have not seen many of these. Another accessible one is at the trailhead for Wheeler Lake just south of Breckenridge.

Austria: Melk Abbey

Melk Abbey

In 2004, I took a vacation to Austria. One of my favorite destinations was Melk Abbey (Stift Melk in German). Located between Vienna and Salzburg along the Danube River, Melk Abbey sits high on a rocky promontory. Originally a palace, it is both vibrant, opulent, and a must see if you are in the area.

The exterior, which retains its facade from the abbey's days as a palace

The inner courtyard

A close up of the fountain and dome

On this trip I fell in love with Baroque architecture. The marble columns, heavy gold filigree, and frescoes ceilings are hedonistic and outrageous. They evolved to express the Catholic Church's might as a state and not just as a religion.

An interior shot of the Abbey Church. I fantasized about placing a bed large enough for me and 4 courtiers in the middle of the nave. Sunk in feathers and covered in silks, I could gaze up at the cupola as I drifted off to sleep.

A frescoed ceiling

The library is two stories tall and filled with priceless medieval works. Every house should have a library like this!

A painted starcase

Melk is still a Benedictine monastery and monks still wander its halls. They isolate themselves, however, so don't expect to hear the swishing of robes on the tile floors.

The Emperor's Gallery. This simple hallway seemed more suited to a monk's life than the elaborate churches in the other part of the Abbey.

View of the town below. The Danube River is just out of site to the right.

An exterior sculpture

We had a wonderful lunch after a tour of the Abbey in a small restaurant near the town. I was on a low carb kick on this trip so I avoided the beer and woofed down large portions of protein, but my travel companion was under no such restrictions and ordered a beer that came in the size of a tanker truck. Our hostess spoke no English but we were learning German quickly and managed to order without incident. One thing I love about the Austrians is their habit of saying Gross Gott for a greeting instead of Guten Tag.

Aldefer/Three Sisters: Southside Loop

Distance: 4 miles round trip
Elevation: 7, 750 ft
Elevation Gain: 789 ft
Date Hiked: 21 November, 2010
Dogs: On leash only (Jefferson County Open Space)
Tags: #jeffco, #coloradooutdoors, #hiking
Nearby Hikes: Evergreen Mountain

The 3 Sisters rock formation gives its name to this pleasant open space in Evergreen, CO

Three Sisters in Evergreen, CO is part of the Jefferson County Open Space system. Its many interlocking trails wind through open fields, Ponderosa Forest, and cool rock formations. The trails themselves are very manicured and can easily be walked in athletic shoes.

Trail map of the area showing the route profiled in this post.

Old homestead located at the west (2nd) trailhead

Starting out counter-clockwise on the Ponderosa Trail

There are lots of options on this, the southern side of Three Sisters. On the northern side is the hike to Evergreen Mountain. On this trip I started out in the west parking lot, walked the short Meadow Trail to the Silver Fox Trail and headed down the Ponderosa Trail. This trail parallels Buffalo Park Road and arrives at 1.4 miles at the eastern (1st) trailhead. From there I headed up the Sisters Trail to the saddle of the Sisters itself at 2 miles.

A rockier trail segment

Approaching the east trailhead

From the Sisters "saddle", I connected again with the Ponderosa Trail (at 2.5 miles) and walked back to the Brother's Rock (at 2.8 miles). Brother's Rock is a large out cropping with stupendous views of Mt. Evans to the west and the Evergreen High School to the south. It is the perfect spot for a picnic lunch and Christmas card photo op.

Starting up the steeper section of the Sister's Trail. Rocks abound.

A more typical trail segment, in the trees and relatively flat.

From Brother's Rock, I backtracked to the Ponderosa Trail and rather than racing back to the car, detoured on the Silver Fox Trail and Homestead Trail counter clockwise around the large rock pile at the western extent of the park before looping back to the parking area at 4.2 miles.

Pine needles on the trail. In summer they give off a pleasant aroma. 

Standing on Brother's Rock, looking at Mt Evans in the distance.

Mt. Evans

Coming back down into the meadow by the trailhead

I love this openspace in the spring and fall. The thick and fragrant trees are welcome after a long winter, and the meadow grasses turn a rusty brown in the fall.

You get to Three Sisters by taking Hwy 73 just south of Evergreen Lake and then turning right onto Buffalo Park Road.

Old Dillon Reservoir Snowshoe

Distance: 1.5 miles round trip
Elevation: 9,066 ft - 9,193 ft
Elevation Gain: 127 ft
Dogs: Off Leash
Tags: #snowshoe, #lakedillon, #summitcounty, #coloradooutdoors

Buffalo Mountain seen from the trail around the Old Dillon Reservoir near Frisco CO. 

The trail to the Old Dillon Reservoir near Frisco CO is a short excursion to the top of a ridge with stunning views of Lake Dillion and all the peaks that surround the lake. In winter the shores of Lake Dillon are covered with snow and a hush seems to have fallen over the area because the outdoor enthusiasts have abandoned the water for the ski slopes.

Map showing the Trailhead location and general route

The trailhead for this snowshoe is located off of the Dillon Dam Road just north of the Heaton Campground. There is no signage for the parking lot, which can be easily missed. The Forest Service has recently culled many of the beetle kill trees around the parking lot, making the area look empty and torn up. It is rare to see more than two cars in the parking lot.

A snowy Lake Dillon

The route switchbacks up the hillside through Lodgepole Pine and Aspen, with plenty of open areas with views of the lake. In 2014, the Old Dillon Reservoir itself was completely redone and it is much easier to circumnavigate the area. This area is windy, which can mean large drifts on the south side of the ridge.

Looking back across the reservoir

Sally Barber - True Romance Mine Snowshoe

Distance: 3 miles out and back to the Sally Barber Mine, 4.6 miles out and back to the True Romance Mine, 4 miles for the loop
Elevation: 10, 280 ft - 10, 685 ft (Sally Barber) - 11, 000 ft (True Romance)
Elevation Gain: 405 ft (Sally Barber), 720 ft (True Romance)

The ruins of the Sally Barber mine near Breckenridge CO are a popular snowshoe destination. 

The road to the Sally Barber Mine is a short, easy snowshoe to a interesting mining ruin near the town of Breckenridge CO. The route itself is uninspiring except for some nice meadow views at the beginning but for history buffs or cross country skiers, this is a great choice. If you are going only to Sally Barber, you might want to leave the snowshoes in the car and walk up on spikes since this popular route is usually well packed.

The parking lot

Trailhead sign

The route to Sally Barber starts in the same parking lot as French Gulch. 500 ft up the road, is a spur road with a gate. Follow this for 1.5 miles to the obvious ruin on the right hand side. Interpretive signs provide history of the mine itself and the local area.

The gate that indicates where the route to the Sally Barber Mine splits off from French Gulch

This route is popular with skiers because it is wide and gradual.

Across the road from Sally Barber is another gate and post indicating the route to the True Romance Mine. The route to the True Romance Mine goes straight up the hillside 300 ft through deep snow. There are no trail markers and lots of backcountry ski trails to avoid, so only do this if the route has been tracked or you have a GPS.

Snow mushroom along the route

Meadow view at the beginning of the route

Using a GPS, head upwards to the 11,000 ft contour which dead ends at a small bluff. The True Romance Mine is off to the left. From this point on the route is flat and follows what might be an old flume around the side of the hill. A few views of the northern Gore Range present themselves along the way.

Passing a serene winter creek

At 2.3 miles is a small plateau with a post with the works "True Romance" inscribed on it. There is no other ruin to mark the spot. At this point you have the choice of turning around and retracing your steps (4.6 miles total) or following what appears to be a road off to the right. Having never been to the area, we did not take this path and ended up on a less than pleasant bushwhack straight down the hillside.

The ruins of the Sally Barber Mine

Post at the start of the route to the True Romance Mine

View to the north from the 11,000 ft contour

We made this poor choice because someone had sprinkled the trees with pink reflective tape indicating a route down the mountain. We thought this was the route to the unnamed road we passed on the way up to Sally Barber. After trudging through trees, willows, and deep snow we finally intersected with the road that probably starts to the right of True Romance. I can not guarantee this, but the track on the GPS makes it a high probability so I feel comfortable sending you that way. 

True Romance Mine marker

So, for a short snowshoe just travel to the Sally Barber Mine. For a longer loop or out and back head up the hill for some increased cardiovascular activity. The True Romance Mine is not a destination spot, but your body and cholesterol levels will thank you for the extra effort.