This past weekend, I visited Yosemite National Park, California to officiate the wedding of my friend Tim and his bride, Lauren. The wedding ceremony was held outside in a snow-covered meadow. I had officiated four weddings thus far, and this was my fifth wedding, and the fifth time I have worn a suit in the past four years.

As for Yosemite, this was my first visit to the Valley. And honestly, I cannot come up with a reason, why I have not visited this God’s gift to humanity earlier. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and yet it is so close to home. Yosemite, like everywhere else in California, has been battered by storms due to an atmospheric river. As a result, there was a large amount of snow everywhere. And it was quite cold — though nothing like my cold weather visits to places like Yellowstone or Iceland.

It didn’t help that the hotel — the Majestic — was suffering from power outages and for two nights, my room was like an icebox. The puny space heater was like fighting a paper with a single-shot rifle. Unfortunately, the cold weather, problems with my diabetes and the resulting general wear and tear pushed me over the edge. I fell sick — nasty cough, runny nose, and mild fever. It was enough to put me in a bit of erratic mood. I didn’t quite get to enjoy the festivities with my usual enthusiasm.

The whiteout conditions and cold notwithstanding, I ended up taking a walk around the Valley, visiting the waterfalls and trudging down the snow-packed trails. I wish, I had more energy to soak in the beauty of Yosemite. Nevertheless, I did end up with a few photos, which I have shared on my photo blog. 

February 19, 2019, San Francisco