Photo info: Apple iPhone 12 mini, 4.2mm, f/1.6, 1/1900 sec, ISO32 “Critter Tracks” Cedar Park, 2021
Today happens to be my birthday, and to celebrate, I took the day off from work. 😄 So with time on my hands, I was wondering what to do… maybe go for a ride on my motorcycle? Maybe go for a long bicycle ride? But after all, I decided to go running. I’ve discovered that I really love it!
I admit that part of my motivation for running so far today was because I knew that I was going to feast on pork katsu curry for dinner. Normally I request oyakodon for my birthday dinner but I’ve been craving curry for a while now!
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/2.8, 1/40 sec, ISO800 “Katsu Curry” Cedar Park, 2021
All in all, I had a very nice birthday. I’m looking forward to my next year!
Photo info: Apple iPhone 12 mini, 2.71mm, f/2.2, 1/900 sec, ISO25 “Let’s Run” Cedar Park, 2021
The activity we came to Durango for was the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad round-trip journey through the San Juan National Forest in the Colorado high country (recommended by my friend). There are a couple of different trains, but we opted for the steam train which has been in continuous operation since 1882. What a long history!
There are different cars you can choose from, including outdoor “Gondola” cars, dining cars, and 21+ cars. We opted for the Deluxe San Juan Coach which is an indoor car with bathroom. It was barebones, but the seats were comfortable and the views were great.
I did wander up to the concession car to grab a beverage, and checked out the open-air cars. It looked really fun, and ideal for a photographer. It was a bit chilly when we went (and rain was forecast) so I was glad we chose an inside car. But, everyone in the open-air car seemed to be having a great time!
Our seats were on the left-side of the train, and when we booked there were only two single seats available, one in front of the other. That worked out perfectly because both of us had window seats! If you were wondering, the train turns around for the return trip, so everyone gets to see both sides of the track.
At the town of Silverton, the train stopped for a 2 hour layover. Mariko and I wandered into the town (along with the rest of the passengers) and immediately spotted the Golden Block Brewery and decided to have lunch there. We ordered a pizza, salad, and two local beers and dug in. The pizza was mediocre, but cold beer elevates any meal. 😀
At around 6:15 pm we arrived back at train station in Durango. It was a wonderful day, and we’re so happy to have ridden the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. I highly recommend it!
One of the things we were looking forward to was to eat some New Mexican food in Santa Fe. Last’s night’s meal was yummy, but this morning’s breakfast was off-the-charts! Cafe Pasqual’s is in the historic part of town, so you really get that Santa Fe vibe. The interior of the restaurant is cool and fun and the menu is filled with delicious-sounding treats.
I ordered the Trout Hash with poached eggs. It was excellent. Mariko ordered the tofu-chorizon breakfast burrito, Christmas-style (both red and green sauces) and it was one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten. It was so good! The burrito was massive but we really cleaned up and ate everything on the plate. Definitely recommended!
After stuffing ourselves, we walked around the area and did a little shopping before hitting the road. Another long drive was in store for us as we traveled into Colorado for an afternoon visit to Mesa Verde National Park. Here are a few more photos from Santa Fe:
Today was the start of our road-trip vacation to New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. The first leg of the journey took us through north Texas (not quite up to the panhandle). We saw plenty of cotton fields and had to stop and take a few photos. The cotton was so clean and soft. Amazing!
After a short lunch (sushi!) in the town of Snyder, Texas, we made our way across the border and into New Mexico at the town of Texico. Of course we had to take a photo of the sign, which was not so pretty, as well as the water tower which was much more photogenic (first photo).
After that it was a long push towards Santa Fe, where we checked into our hotel and then headed to Café Castro for a yummy meal of New Mexican Steak and Carne Adovada. It was served with a side of sopapillas and honey. I asked the waiter how to eat them, and he said you can put honey on (or in) it and have as a dessert, or just eat as you would a tortilla with the meal. The sopapilla was really good and it was the first time that I had it not as a dessert. I highly recommend Café Castro. We left very satisfied.
Photo info: Apple iPhone 12 mini, 4.2mm, f/1.6, 1/40 sec, ISO400 “Dinner in New Mexico” Santa Fe, 2021
One of the cool things about the drive was that the sky was full of cloud activity, which is heaven for a cloud enthusiast like myself. 😀
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 55mm, f/4, 1/110 sec, ISO3200 “Morning Tea Set” Cedar Park, 2021
I’ve been enjoying my daily tea for the past couple of months now. It’s especially nice to drink out of the ceramic cup. It has a great feel to it. 🍵
The only problem is that our cat, Yuzu, also like to drink from it, and when I leave the room I have to put the cup on a shelf, otherwise I return to see her face inside it! 🐱
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 55mm, f/4, 1/160 sec, ISO2500 “Cat Being a Cat” Cedar Park, 2021
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 18mm, f/2.8, 1/100 sec, ISO800 “Dinner from Tarka” Cedar Park, 2021
This evening we ordered take-out from one of our favorite “fast-casual” Indian restaurants, Tarka Indian Kitchen. Koa was out with friends for dinner, so it was just for Mariko and I eating at home. Before we started eating, I sent the photo above to him to gloat a bit, and he replied with an unhappy emoji. Later that evening, he said the food looked so good that he and his friends ended up getting food from Tarka later! 😁
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My camera & photos
I use a Fujifilm X-series camera for most of the photos on this site and my Instagram. Why not pick one up for yourself?
