Daron here. At DB's request I'm adding my 2nd installment to "our" blog.
Last week we returned from a 2 day excursion to Palm Springs, CA. We actually were in the city of La Quinta, 30 minutes south of Palm Springs and just south of Indian Wells.
Leading up to this little vacation I was certainly excited and ready for a little break from work, however, it typically goes against my principals to go on a vacation where we spend as many days at the destination as we do travelling to and from the destination. But, given that we were going to be with great company and DB was more than passionate that we make it happen, it happened.
I don't think I've ever been more surprised with the outcome of a vacation. That's probably partially a function of the fact that I was expecting a very short trip and also had no idea what to expect. But non-the-less, we had a blast. I ended the weekend with 2 main take-a-ways from our trip:
1. Palm Springs...Not Just for Old People
Prior to this weekend, when I thought of Palm Springs, I envisioned a small desert oasis where a surplus of the elderly permeated with the smell of menthol drove golf carts with yippee dogs around to various leisurely activities. Now, i'm not saying that above isn't true, but there is so much more than that. I want to know who first visited that barren wasteland and thought, we need a resort here. However when you throw hundreds of thousands of palm trees and millions of flowers, a resort is exactly what it becomes. The place is beautiful. I don't think I've seen public city grounds and sidewalks as well maintained as I saw in Palm Springs. It was the first time I saw legitimate evidence of a reasonable use of California tax revenue. I'll let DB arrange the photo evidence below.
2. Waking Up Early...Who Knew
Who knows what caused us to wake up on Friday morning at 7:00am when we had arrived the night earlier at 2:00 am. But I can honestly say that waking up early dramatically enhanced our vacation. It's just a fantastic feeling when you wake up at 7:00, get out and enjoy the location, lay out under the sun then look at the time and realize it's only 10:30. Do it. I promise blessings.