The Stanley

(133:  The Stanley Hotel.  Estes Park, Colorado.  Photo © 2009 by Robin)

I think Stevo will like this one.

I’ve seen better photos (scarier photos) of the Stanley Hotel but this was the best I could do since we did a quick drive-by and didn’t find the time to go back later during our trip (also, I’m not all that handy-dandy with Photoshop so I did the best I could).  I’d like to take a tour of the Stanley the next time we visit Estes Park.  The historic ghost tour sounds like lots of fun.

(Without the special effects of Photoshop)

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park was built in 1909.  One of the things that interests a lot of people is that the Stanley is where Stephen King began work on his novel “The Shining” (in room #217).

Standing near the bottom of the hill and looking up at it, with the mountains looming in the background, I can see how it might inspire King (sorry, my pictures just don’t capture it well).  And since the theme this month is haunted, I tried to work with that in the first photo but, to be honest, it was a gorgeous day (no dark and gloomy sky to go with the looming mountains) and the hotel looked quite beautiful and welcoming to me.

Then again, I suppose if it was an evil hotel, it would want to appear beautiful and welcoming, wouldn’t it?  Just to lure people in…

I’m not sure I could afford a night at the Stanley.  It might be worth saving up for as it looks like a gorgeous hotel and it would be fun to wander around the building and the grounds, and to get to know more about the history of the place.

In other news…

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