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autopartsandguitars t1_j6ylzua wrote

Absolutely beautiful.

You could probably get another several dozen earth-porn worthy photos from all over Sedona.

It is a uniquely beautiful place.

I remember being struck by the AQUA arches at McDonalds there - the town apparently would not allow the typical golden arches because of their clashing with the natural landscape too badly. https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-arches-bright-blue-2017-12

Top ten place in the country in terms of scenery IMO

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Thrushmassuh t1_j70ds4u wrote

Should have been a national park :( Sad to see it consumed over my life time, but nature would reclaim Sedona if we vacated it. It would be super truly to backpack through overgrown gift shops and resorts.

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TonalParsnips t1_j70hvkg wrote

I agree, but I feel enough of it is still preserved.

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j71z0th wrote

Agreed. Almost all of it is in National Forest, and within the forest there are a couple of large designated wilderness areas. Not as well protected as a National Park, but still protected.

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Fender088 t1_j71v75x wrote

The actual town of Sedona is such a trip, especially that "main street" area. Reminded me of Gatlinburg tbh. The surrounding hikes were breathtaking, but I was not expecting the town to be like that.

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j71zcn3 wrote

Very, very touristy. Lots of shops selling crystals, palm readings, photos of your aura, turquoise jewelry, etc. It has everything a self-styled "spiritual" person could desire.

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Fender088 t1_j71zsa7 wrote

When I told my better-travelled friend this, they agreed and suggested I go to Taos next year instead. Any experience with that town?

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j721a12 wrote

I was only in Taos for three days, and it was during the winter. So my experience there is limited. To be honest, I was actually kind of disappointed... in fact, kind of shocked. What struck me most about the place was the vivid contrast between extremely wealthy people walking around in fur coats and the addicts shooting up in the parking lots. I'm not trying to trash the place at all... I was just surprised. Three days was enough for me there... I doubt I'll return.

Sedona, on the other hand, is truly fantastic, which is why I moved here. It's very touristy and very crowded, for sure. But if you're willing to wake up early and hit the trails around sunrise, you can actually find solitude for a while. There are also some world class restaurants and spas, if that's what you're into. I'm clearly biased, but if I were you, Sedona is where I'd spend my vacation. I just wasn't all that impressed with Taos.

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Fender088 t1_j7233vy wrote

We went for our honeymoon and did Mariposa as our big meal. Excellent service and food. We woke up early every morning and managed to get to all of the trails we wanted. Appreciate the advice on Taos.

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j729v79 wrote

My wife and I went to Mariposa for our last anniversary. Excellent cocktails and world class views!

And like I said, I was only in Taos for a few days. It was around Christmas and I didn't do any actual hiking. Could be a totally different experience at other times.

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Augustus_Medici t1_j729cpq wrote

I love Sedona as well but have always been a little disappointed with the food. If I can't get into Hideaway, I end up at Picazzo's most of the time! I did go to Stagecoach and Shorebird the last time I was there and thought they were decent. Do you have any recs?

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j72ah3z wrote

I'm a fan of Shorebird... not always stellar, but definitely always good. I really like Dellapiane (Argentinian restaurant with empanadas and good burgers), but my favorite is Cress on Oak Creek located at L'auberge resort. That's some genuine fine dining.

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smalllpox t1_j70u7f9 wrote

Consumed? Rofl. October through April there's nobody there

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fgreen68 t1_j70z0fk wrote

I was there in November. It was packed. Maybe Jan and Feb are empty.

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smalllpox t1_j73lkxs wrote

Packed with what?. Nov 28th to Dec 3rd was empty. I got whatever air bnb I wanted cheap. Nobody in any water. Slide rock was empty

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fgreen68 t1_j73wajz wrote

People. Couldn't get reservations at some restaurants. On every trail I went to the parking lots were full or close to full.

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j71rr7q wrote

That may have been true at some point, but believe you me, it’s insane all year round now.

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smalllpox t1_j73l96p wrote

I just went in Nov for trout and it was a ghost town but ok I go every Nov and march

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j73lqc0 wrote

I live here. I see it every day. But ok.

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smalllpox t1_j73m8qn wrote

We must really have a different view as to what packed is. July 4th is a great example of packed

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j73ugat wrote

Room occupancy rates in Sedona in fiscal year 2022 averaged 66.3% for the entire year.

The July occupancy rate in 2022 was 62.6%. About average.
The November occupancy rate in 2022 was 76.2% - about 10 points above average.
The March occupancy is 2022 was 77.8% - about 12 points above average.

Them's the facts. The numbers confirm the informal observations I make on a daily basis. This place is not a ghost town in November or in March. In fact, both months are busier than average.

I've linked to the City of Sedona's report if you'd like to check for yourself.

https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:df4d7ef5-a778-31e1-a327-9274075ef22f

See you when you return to Sedona!

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[deleted] t1_j71cwhb wrote

[deleted]

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autopartsandguitars t1_j72fdhi wrote

The article was one of the first results I saw, but it's from around 10 years after I lived out that way.

I have no argument for turquoise vs aqua lol - I grew up in Massachusetts and am disqualified from having an opinion about the landscape beyond amazement.

The road to Sedona that comes down the mountainside from Flagstaff is one of the best drives you'll ever have. I still can't believe how gigantic the pine trees sprawling sideways out of the mountain reaching for the sun are.

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Lost_Opinion_1307 t1_j72dqun wrote

This is one of my favorite places on earth I love this trail When was this photo taken ?

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Classic_Cream_4792 t1_j6z3zdq wrote

Great hike and area. You can actually hike out or from the top of the rim down. You’ll get wet and may want to camp a night but it’s a great time.

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Whydmer t1_j6zs6sp wrote

I did that hike whfrom the top down when I was 18, it was a bit of a cluster fuck as we got a very late start considering the mileage and terrain involved. The guy leading the trip didn't pay attention to where everyone was and one guy got so far behind he turned around and headed back to where the cars were parked where we started the hike hoping he would get there before the AR owners were dropped off at them. Unfortunately he went up the wrong side Canyon and got rimmed out. Those of us who were in the car that was he was supposed to be in were waiting at the Oak Creek end for him and we had no idea this was happening. We waited a couple hours before calling Yavapai Sheriff department, and then I volunteered to go with search and rescue back up the canyon to try and find him. He was finally found alive by a helicopter the next evening. I was totally disgusted by the trip leader. I did learn to always know where people were and hike at the back of any group if I had concerns about people.

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ShawnBootygod t1_j70gba9 wrote

What a terrible trip leader but also did no one notice he was gone when he fell behind?

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Whydmer t1_j70j626 wrote

Frankly, no. I was at the front of the group most of the way, so I just wasn't paying attention. Once we got to the trailhead in Oak Creek then a couple of us sat down, waited and started counting people. Once everyone was supposedly there those of us counting realized we were missing one person, and I had been talking with the guy at the start of the trip so I knew who was missing. After the trip leader said he couldn't wait around one of the other drivers, myself and another guy or two volunteered to wait.

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ShawnBootygod t1_j70kefv wrote

Damn dude I wouldn’t hike with that guy again even as an experienced hiker that’s just a shitty thing to do. I had a similar experience in Paria Canyon when on the second day two of the most experienced hikers made it so far ahead we had to make camp without them. The next day I volunteered to get out early and basically jog for awhile to try to catch them. Eventually I decided enough was enough and waited for the rest of the group after not catching up to the two. We did 3 more days in the canyon without ever seeing them. Turns out they just hiked through the night with no regard for anyone else in the group and we haven’t hiked with them since.

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Augustus_Medici t1_j729x0x wrote

Wow sounds like a couple of pricks. I've mostly encountered friendly people on the trails, but the beauty of nature is appreciated by assholes as well I suppose.

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ShawnBootygod t1_j73alwh wrote

One of them was a decent hiker buddy of mine and had always had some weird quirks like that but he’d never done anything this bad. Thankfully it was a group of 12 and losing 2 wasn’t that big of a deal other than worrying about them. Myself and 2 others were experienced enough to still handle the rest of the group but the hiker that had ditched us was the only one who’d ever done Paria before so it was pretty messed up. Turns out Paria is a one way in one way out canyon so it ended up fine.

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Whydmer t1_j73dp3g wrote

I refused to go on any hikes with him for about 5 years, and then I was leading a short hike up Boynton Canyon and I allowed him to come, and he was an aggressive A'hole, and ended up trying to get people, many of whom were inexperienced hikers, to go off trail and bushwack on the way back out. Second and last time I ever did anything with him.

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j6za5ve wrote

I did an overnighter from the top down. There were places I carried my pack over my head with my eyes barely above the water line. Beautiful place.

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Barley_an_Hops t1_j70ufhv wrote

If you pay a attention there's a few spots you can find fossils of a coral reef in the rocks you walk over. Trippy to find in the desert.

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Fabulous_Killjoys t1_j6zkrqa wrote

My boyfriend and I have a running joke that Arizona doesn't actually exist

This definitely makes it look like a fairytale lol

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Whydmer t1_j6zsv49 wrote

The town I live in here in AZ just had our 3rd snowiest January on record at 61.4 inches of snow, it really looked like a fairytale a week or two ago.

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SnakesCatsAndDogs t1_j6zy9bi wrote

I live in Arizona. Can confirm that it doesn't exist

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SheepherderNo2440 t1_j70r6hk wrote

Yes, don’t come here. Don’t look for us. Please, for the sake of our housing market

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Alex_c666 t1_j712a28 wrote

When everyone at work finds out I'm from the next state west, I apologize. We don fucked up a good thing. I've been in AZ for close to 3 years and I have seen drastic change in just that. My uncle was the smart one and moved out here decades ago to purchase multiple properties.

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TonalParsnips t1_j70i0io wrote

Everyone thinks it’s flat desert and tumbleweeds. I hated growing up here, but in my adulthood I think its the most beautiful state.

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drainer66 t1_j7146xm wrote

Same I grew up in tucson and always thought the desert was always just dull and boring, but I realized over time that the desert is actually alive, diverse and beautiful. I honestly don't know how I couldn't see that before

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Fabulous_Killjoys t1_j70rf02 wrote

It really is lovely, I live about 5 minutes from the state line so I love to go and camp over in the non existent realm

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GPQ70 t1_j6z10e0 wrote

TIL Arizona has creeks. This photo made me take a deep cleansing breath.

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j6z1w9j wrote

I thought it was wall-to-wall desert until I moved here... there are even places you can ski in the winter, believe it or not.

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rataculera t1_j6zodtw wrote

There are creeks close to Phoenix - Queen creek, Cave Creek, Fossil Creek. The queen creek source in superior AZ is a beautiful hike with great bird watching perches

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ThatOneGuyYearn t1_j70pq6d wrote

Beware of the creek in Queen Creek. Tons of rattle snakes there

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Schister66 t1_j72197z wrote

I've lived in QC for 2 years now...never seen a single rattlesnake and I've hiked all over the place

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Whydmer t1_j6zsfwa wrote

Yeah it does, though I was driving with my dad across country from Arizona once and we were like what is up with these rivers, they have water in them.

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PugPockets t1_j70wfki wrote

What do you think is at the bottom of the Grand Canyon??

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GPQ70 t1_j71fgg6 wrote

I have absolutely no idea beyond my best guess of rocks and dirt.

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PugPockets t1_j72x2lb wrote

Haha it’s the Colorado River - that’s what formed the canyon in the first place.

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NinaRenee t1_j6z9flz wrote

This is by far my top favorite trail ! It is drop dead gorgeous in person

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_wormburner t1_j701ht9 wrote

Yep. Anyone who says it's overrated is full of it.

It's super popular but it's so amazing

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NinaRenee t1_j70232f wrote

I will say you gotta get there EARLY but in my opinion it’s so worth it. It’s literally jaw dropping and so beautiful!

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CharlieWA t1_j724nxw wrote

I was the first one on the trail when I hiked it. Didn't see a single person on the way out. It was serene. One of the best hiking experiences I've ever had.

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NinaRenee t1_j72k13z wrote

This trail does something to your soul. It literally moves you to your core. Sedona is gorgeous and this isn’t by far the only beautiful spot

But there just is something so peaceful about this trail that really does the soul and body good

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tan-499 t1_j6y4mow wrote

Damn 💛🧡♥️

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[deleted] t1_j70lsez wrote

[removed]

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Zomgirlxoxo t1_j74gpd8 wrote

Northern AZ is lush in the summer and a wonderland in the winter!

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pattyG80 t1_j6ynxxf wrote

Someone call ravensburger....NOW!

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j6yxnru wrote

Made me Google ravensburger. Now I realize that was a compliment - thanks!

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Raymondator t1_j7051m4 wrote

Been swimming in the deeper parts of that creek. Such nice clean water. I miss Sedona so much.

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EverydayCryptid t1_j70yigf wrote

This might sound dumb to the people from Arizona, but I didn't know until recently that Arizona had sights like this. I'll definitely be adding it to travel list!

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masterpainimeanbetty t1_j6ysudx wrote

i wish to sit on that bank all day, reading a well-worn paperback

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ShawnBootygod t1_j70g0uh wrote

This is the trip that broke my backpacking Cherry. So beautiful, I’ve done it every fall since and did it on Halloween last year. I carried a Jack O Lantern the whole way and back out just for some festive flavor. I’ve also harvested Turkey tail mushrooms on this trip a few times.

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Hello891011 t1_j70wnuj wrote

Saw this and instantly made it my Lock Screen. I so desperately need a hike in non freezing temps right now. Lovely picture 💓💓💓💓

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-nashbrown t1_j716bn4 wrote

Was just there a in december, river was almost completely frozen and everything was covered in snow. cool to see a whole different palette of colors in the same spot

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Worufi t1_j715r9j wrote

Me: Oh what marvelous beauty. I'd love to visit and witness this in person.

Also me: oh dang that place looks serene as hell

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Future-Radio-6550 t1_j71ex2h wrote

Nice light and beautiful colors, congratulations.

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kywildchild05 t1_j71i5zg wrote

Such a beautiful and peaceful place to just relax.

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justpissingthrough t1_j71nnao wrote

I've never felt more at peace than I did in Sedona. How do I go back and stay?

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isurfnude4foods t1_j72mw2x wrote

I’ve sparked a joint here once!

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j72v3y4 wrote

*GASP!* In Sedona? /s

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isurfnude4foods t1_j75w70f wrote

Not to take away from the beauty of your photograph. Absolutely stunning, and definitely nostalgic for me.

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j76m9b1 wrote

No, I didn’t think your comment took away from the beauty at all. If you’re gonna’ spark up on that trail, this is a nice place to do it!

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MrMindYaBidness t1_j73fbud wrote

Absolutely stunning. I gotta make the couple hour drive up there, I just gotta go back to northern AZ in general. Southern AZ gets boring after a while

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chickenseizuresalad1 t1_j74u24q wrote

I can't recommend his hike enough when the Fall colors are out. Amazing experience. 10/10 would recommend

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SnixSpit t1_j75hkp1 wrote

Holy whoa, this is gorgeous.

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Buck_Thorn t1_j70lku6 wrote

I look at that, and suddenly I'm not on Reddit anymore!

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Stealth8077 t1_j70mtzq wrote

This is so nice to see after looking at the real porn page. Ah.

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smoboaty t1_j70plnb wrote

Just missing a Saturday-kind-of-pink

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chigoonies t1_j71txsb wrote

It’s been years since I’ve been there ( used to live in AZ) sedona ( actually all of northern az) is one of americas gems .

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[deleted] t1_j71uar4 wrote

Oak creek canyon has been my special place since I was a kid. Definitely worth a visit. Park at Garlands Indian Jewelry and grab lunch at the market next door, then hike down to the creek and dip your toes in.

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GatorHaterJames t1_j71vetr wrote

Isn’t this 10 miles west of Boston? Lol

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j71ypmz wrote

You're the second person to say this. Clue me in - what does this mean?

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GatorHaterJames t1_j72k9i8 wrote

In the TV show The Last of Us, the show the characters in a scene similar to this photo and the caption says “10 miles west of Boston” which is comical to anyone who knows geography

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NikNova10 t1_j721fjw wrote

Look at these colors Wow

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SlapSnap t1_j726i9g wrote

These places look so unreal to me. I really really want to see them in real life someday. Wonder how i would feel

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cgibula t1_j72m6wn wrote

I’ve literally been here!!! It is nice

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