Hi Neighbor,
I am convinced there is no greater phenomenon in nature that universally attracts people from all walks of life and from all over the world than a sunset. I have witnessed this first hand in different seasons, different states, different coasts, and even different countries. There is something magical and mystical and magnetic about a sunset. And we, the people, cannot get enough of it.
I first started chasing sunsets with my sister and niece. For years they had a shore rental overlooking the bay, prime real estate for watching the sun go down. Every day for a full week, they would time their day and their dinner around the sunset. I couldn’t understand their passion. I watched them race off the beach and from one end of the street to the other, vying for the perfect view, sometimes even driving to catch the perfect glimpse.
A few years ago, I was traveling with them in California and found myself running toward the Santa Monica Pier to watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean. I have to admit, it was pretty cool. Since then, I have traveled with them to the beach and back, and to Florida several times. On each trip, we make plans around the setting sun, and slowly I was swayed, snap, snap, snapping dozens of pictures because towards the end, the sun seems to disappear instantly, even though we watch the slow progression for at least thirty minutes, lest we miss something.
Here’s the truth: the sunset is always spectacular, always different, and almost always a shared experience because we are not alone in picking the perfect lookout post to view this daily occurrence. Unlike the sunrise, most people are not awake to witness the start of the day. But the sunset? Yes, we are alive and kicking by then.
My complete rapture with all things related to the sunset happened this spring when I traveled to Porto. My friends and I raced across the Ponte Dom Luis I, spanning the Douro River, to the hillside of Gaia where, to my surprise and pleasure, a throng of people gathered to watch the sunset on a glorious day abroad.
It was a party. Wine and beer flowing, acoustic guitar player entertaining, and people of all backgrounds anticipating this moment. It was magical and mystical and magnetic energy congregated to celebrate the end of the day on a hillside overlooking a river across from an historic city. Perfect ending to a poetic day. I’m convert.
Chasing sunsets,
Jackie
July 25th Newsletter: 🌅 Loving Sunsets, 🥣 Breakfast w/ Kelce Bros, 5 Country Fairs + more… on the Main Line
