Park 8
Water, glorious, blue, abundant water ringed by snow-capped mountains, Lake Tahoe was a vacation from the vacation. It was pure joy to be on water, in chill air and covered by a perfect sky. Best of all was to be still in the mind and relax. After days of desert, this abundance of water felt like a glass of perfect wine at the end of a crazy week.
Signing up for the Tahoe lunch cruise was a most excellent choice. The main attraction was the lake itself. We hurried through the basic lunch, eager to be on deck in the open air. I expect our four-legged friends who love to ride in cars with their heads out the window, know better how I felt than I can express. Yes, it was dog ears flapping in the wind wonderful.
On the far side of the lake, is a fine tribute to Scandinavian architecture, Vikingsholm Castle. Built in 1929, it was the summer home of Lora Josephine Knight. After visiting Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, she initially wanted to purchase historic artifacts. When the governments declined to part with them, she took design inspiration. Knight had the 38-room house constructed using only natural materials from the area—no nails, pegs, or spikes. She also built a small teahouse on Fannette Island in the middle of the bay, which is unfortunately, largely destroyed by unregulated visitors.
Returning, I let my dog ears fly free and wrapped my jacket close. This was a most perfect moment.
