Magic sunsets

It is not about making an absurd ranking, nor a classification, but perhaps more than anything to reflect, because sadly in our daily routine we hardly notice the star and yet when we are relaxing or on vacation it is one of the most anticipated moments of the day.

It happens to me that when I’m on vacation waiting for the sunset becomes almost a ritual. The icing on the cake A prize for an intense day kicking streets and discovering corners that were always there but that for one are so new. By the time the sun begins to descend I have already found a special place from which to contemplate it. And for the record, I don’t want to say much less that to see spectacular sunsets one necessarily has to be in an exotic country, it just seems that we are with the most acute senses and savoring the moments with greater intensity. Because they are images that are recorded on our retina to never disappear.

I have chosen some of the sunsets I remember as more special, some are the hallmarks of that city or that country and many others are fortunately yet to be discovered, being fully aware that it is a subjective appreciation, as the saying goes “Beauty is in the eye of who contemplates it. ” What are yours?

 

Bagan, Myanmar

The Bagan archaeological zone in Burma is famous for the beauty of its sunsets. From the upper terrace of some of its fantastic temples spreads a landscape dotted with temples that in the month of October, even with the last flickers of the monsoon, is leafy and exuberant, almost fluorescent. Look in the direction you look you only see greenery and the enormous sun that in all possible shades from orange to red slowly hides behind the mountains that rise on the other side of the Irrawady River.

 

U Bein, Myanmar

Another of the postcards of this country is undoubtedly the sunset from the famous teak U Bein bridge in Amarapura. People, tourists and locals end up coming together in this beautiful enclave and walk it calmly up and down. The children return from school in their green uniforms, the monks leave the nearby monasteries and many people do “contemplative fishing” from the platform. In the background, the Sagaing hills with their gleaming domes and the reflection of the sun in the waters of Lake Taungthaman. Balsamic.

 

Orchha, India

This tiny town in the middle of nowhere is home to some palaces and temples that are well worth a visit, but it is recognized by the imposing cenotaphs that sit along a

from the banks of the Betwa river. At sunset the neighbors finish housework on the shore, the children play and even some ascetic strolls along its shore waiting for the magical moment in which the immense sun hides behind the sharp shapes of their royal tombs.

 

Istanbul from the Galata Tower

This sunset It is one of the hallmarks of the city, but it is inescapable to mention it because Istanbul has one of the most beautiful and surprising urban landscapes in the world. The day falling over its extraordinary mosques and the panoramic views over the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn as the call to prayer spreads through the PA system to the four cardinal directions gives goose bumps. Precious

 

Istanbul from Üsküdar

But I have to mention another wonderful sunset this time on its Asian shore that you will love: next to the tiny island of Maiden Tower there are several kiosks-tearooms that have lined a tiered area by the Marmara Sea with rugs and mats . Estáis invitados a sentaros, a descansar mientras disfrutais de un té y a contemplar las vistas, son gratis. From here there are extraordinary views of the seraglio, the ferries and yachts that cross its waters and the skyscrapers of the European area. Magnificent.

 

The Nile, Egypt

All those who have been cruising on the Nile will agree with me, one of the best times of the day is when the excursions are finished and you start sailing. The sun sets early and is so intense that it is hard to forget. From the deck of the boat, the light, the river breeze and the adobe and palm trees landscape of its banks is a delight.

 

Sunset at Pura Tanah Lot

The sunset from the volcanic beach where “the temple in the sea” is located is one of the most beautiful in Bali because the Hindu temple carved in the stone is isolated when the tide rises and the waves crash hard on it. The building worn by the continuous erosion of the sea is harmoniously integrated into this landscape of beaches between rocks and cliffs. Very romantic.

 

Jimbaran beach

I have chosen Jimbaran beach but it could be any other beach in Bali. Despite not being especially beautiful and disappearing practically every day due to the strong tides to be returned on time, the sunsets that I have been able to contemplate are of an unusual beauty. It will be its latitude or the fact that it is almost in the antipodes of the world but the sky turns orange, pink, mauve and almost red before disappearing behind the horizon line. Beautiful.

Morocco, Djemaa El Fna square

Djemaa el Fna square is the heart of the city of Marrakech, the entrance to the labyrinth of the medina and its various souks. But it is not another place of passage. Declared as Intangible Heritage of Humanity in its perimeter we can enjoy a kind of open-air theater where crowds gather around the corridors that are formed along with storytellers, musicians, snake charmers … etc. From any of the elevated terraces of the restaurants that surround it, it is a delight to watch the sun go down and see how the square is illuminated with the lights of the hundreds of food stalls, the smell of embers, the music. The best place to end the day in the red city.

 

Morocco, sunset in the desert

If there is one thing that should not be missed while wandering around this world, it is undoubtedly witnessing a sunset in the desert. The warm sunlight at daylight slowly caresses the sand dunes, transforming its hard and rugged face into a golden, almost unreal, blanket that floods everything. Lying on the sand, wrapped in a play of light and shadow, a feeling of peace and serenity invades me, … while the first stars appear in the intense blue sky, harbingers of an infinite night.