The Accidental Tourist

The digital Pentax camera that P bought me, forcing me to retire 1.5 years ago the held-together-by-tape old 35mm camera I had been using for over 10 years - has a small recording memory that I try to use when I think about it. I have a few videos posted on youtube (under 'elsamart' of course) and I also post them on here. They may be short, they may be shakey, but they are, at least, another memory (I love memories) captured for me to look back on fondly.

Here is an accidental video from Machu Pichu, Peru (October 2006, see previous blogs). You can see on P's face the good patience he has towards such a dorky, technology-challenged girl friend... he he he

Final day - Sedona

Alright, alright. I know: I am very far behind in blogging these last 2 months. The ironic thing is that I have tons of subject matter in my head to write about, but it's been busy lately. That or my pretty, but blind eyes were just not letting me be on a computer for more than a few minutes without the utmost pain.

 

So, back to the 3rd and final day of Patrick and my roadtrip to Arizona. We woke up to a beautiful, crisp but not freezing like the previous morning in Sedona. After a hearty meal we set out to do some hiking and picture-taking.

 

I have to admit I like a bit more warmth like my previous trip, but the rocks were still red, and P was happy with the clouds in the sky which gives his pictures some extra texture.

 

Admittedly, we didn't spend enough time in Sedona to enjoy it as much as I did the first time I had been there. P was duly unimpressed with the supposed 'vortexes' and twisted trees (resulting from their energy) - - saying it was all new-age believers and Democrats that believe that stuff hehehe. Before we hit the road home we stopped at a very cool store with knick knacks and home decor imported from Mexico, Asia and also made right there from the Native Indians. We lost ourselves in that place for an hour - I bought 3 small, brightly colored overpriced wooden Mexican crosses - I love stuff like that. Ethnic, bright - cool... An enjoyable time with a quicker drive home. So glad we did our little getaway.

 

The Grand Canyon

Once we finally left the Salton Sea and got lost by taking a few wrong turns which led us to having a GREAT, inexpensive buffet lunch at some obscure El Centro casino - - Patrick and I continued our road trip to Arizona via 'the road less taken'. Patrick really believed that mapping out our own mapquest road map (more or less by crow's flight) was going to be much quicker than the map it originally gave us using main freeways. I pointed out that it said it was about 2 hours longer driving according to the map, but Patrick responded that also according to the map it said that it was only about 40 miles longer which shouldn't be that bad.

Well....it turns out it DID take a lot longer and a harder trip on my little 1.5 cylinder Scion XA hatchback (which we opted to take due to my excellent gas mileage). We had to cut through many miles of twisty, slow mountain turns which really slowed us down - but the bright side of it all was that we got to see the little towns off the beaten track. P and I love seeing that kind of stuff! :)

 

For example, taking the long route we went through the main street of a lovely, small town with a big square and town hall lined with trees. The buildings on the main drag were old-fashioned brick with cool pubs and older hotels with tons of character. We both agreed we would have loved to get out and walk around had we more time.

Another treat was driving (not too far from Sedona) the town of Jerome. An old mining town, it is amazingly built into the side of a mountain - you'd have to see it to really appreciate it. Not only that but it was ridicuously quaint, with a touristy, nice small main street and, of course, a spectacular view. It kind of felt like the suburbs of San Francisco.

 

Enough chit chat of the drive - we finally pulled in that evening to our hotel - the Best Western - I recommend it for location and amenities. Starving we drove into the main street of Sedona - I've been there previously (see blog) and know my way around decently. At 9pm, it was freezing - with a biting wind - in the 40s and hardly a person in sight. A far cry from my previous trip in the warm spring time.

Still, we had a good Oaxacan Mexican meal and walked the shops that were still open before hitting the hay for our early rise.

 

Which brings me to our day at the Grand Canyon! Less than 2 hours away, it was a must-see - my 3rd time there and P's first. Boy, was it cold, though! Whew! The sun was out most of the time, but it was very windy and cold. Everyone walking around had on mittens, hats and scarves.

P, of course, with his new lenses and camera was ready to take pictures. We went to several different viewpoint locations where we could then walk off by ourselves so to get away from the crowds.

But my favorite stop was at a lookout tower that wound itself up 4 levels and had great painted murals inside and offered fabulous views outside. I highly recommend going there. There is also a great giftshop right there as well as access to trails.

Unlike my last suicide trip where my ex Italian and I spontaneously (and stupidly) decided to hike in 1 day in the heat the entire trail down to the Colorado River and back - - Patrick and I only descended a couple hundred feet down the South Kaibib Trail. Stopping to sit on a rock and take in the scenery at one point I turned to him and commented, "Now after doing the Inkan Trail in Peru, I see a big trail and I just want to keep going no matter what." He agreed that one day with more time we'd love to hike and camp at the bottom of the canyon - it will be a strenuous one, but I am pretty determined about doing it.

In a race with the sun going down we rushed to a viewpoint that was recommended to us. Patrick really was hoping to get great shots of the sunset but unfortunately it was a little bit of a let-down in that the sky didn't change the colors this time of year that it does in the summer. Still, we had a fabulous full moon - but, boy - did the temperature drop in a snap!! Suddenly it was low 30s with a stinging wind that kept us chilled all the way back to Sedona - even with the heater on full-blast. It was a colder wind than normal we were told - but it didn't stop our adventure to one of the Seven Wonders of the World!

 

Click on slideshow below!

Grand Canyon

A spiritual time in Sedona, Arizona

By the time I visited this lovely desert haven, my Italian ex boyfriend, Mik and I had mutually decided that after close to 5 years it just wasn't going to work out. It's hard to move on from someone you are so used to and who knows you at your best and worst. And here I was just shy of turning 30 and for the 2nd time in my young life having another relationship of 3+ years end. That said, Mik and I were still on good terms and meanwhile, he had very generously (and without my being consulted!) invited his childhood friend, Neno, from Italy to live with us for a few months. After about 1 month of this very crowded setting Mik and I decided we needed some fresh air and took a free couple days at a timeshare resort in Sedona, Arizona. Like I said: we were still on amicable terms and we definitely already knew how to travel well together. (We also both needed a break from taking care of Neno - whew!) So this was to be our last trip together before I moved out.

I came to love Sedona's awesome beauty. I HIGHLY recommend it - the Spring is perfect! Summer, I hear, the heat is almost unbearable to be outdoors, and I know that it snows in the winter. We were there during perfect weather. It was right up our alley (neither of us like cold vacations). One of the big draws to Sedona are the natural red tones in the region. Driving and exiting the freeway, heading west after a couple bends in the road you suddenly spot the majestic red hillsides. You can imagine how picturesque it can be at sunset. Everything is red!

We stayed free at the Hyatt Pinon Point timeshare. Wow - what a great place! Definitely the nicest timeshare we had stayed in. It was set up like an upscale condo - complete with large kitchen (we saved money by driving to a nearby store and mostly cooking inside the whole time), living room, 2 TVs, great stereo system, fireplace, huge bathroom with huge shower, separate large round jacuzzi bath with jets, tile flooring, patio and balcony with great view if you were on the 2nd or 3rd floor like us. We didn't go but there was also a gym and the pool with 2 Jacuzzis were beautiful and modern.

As nice as our housing was, the real treat was being outside in Mother Nature. Another big draw of the majestic red mountains is the fact that for whatever reason Sedona is a major vortex capital in the world. A vortex is the funnel shape created by the motion of spiraling energy. The vortexes in Sedona are swirling centers of subtle energy coming out from the surface of the earth. They characterize Sedona as a spiritual power center. The energy of the vortexes interacts with whom or what a person is in their inner self. Some strengthen your female or male side. Very interesting stuff! It resonates with and strengthens the Inner Being of each person who comes within about a quarter to a half mile of it. This resonance occurs because the vortex energy is very similar to the subtle energy operating in the energy centers inside each person. We were able to get a map to the several that are in Sedona. Some are longer hikes than others. But the interesting fact was that as we approached closer and closer to a Vortex, the Juniper trees that dotted the region would actually twist due to the spiral-like energy. Sedona is now a center for Spiritual Awareness and Evolution. Mik and I eat up this stuff! There were New Age shops in the very quaint main street where we bought some cool crystals - I really believed mine worked by the way (but that will need to be another blog).

One memory I won't forget was during one hike when he was in front of me about 10 feet as we walked the trail ledge of a cliff. Suddenly I saw Mik in mid-stride with his left leg swinging in the air - do a strange, exaggerated leap forward. "RATTLE SNAKE!!" And indeed it was! It was nearing sunset and it was coming out from under some rocks where it had probably been sleeping during the day in the shade. Mik had almost placed his left foot on the rock on top of it when he saw it and thus did the dramatic hop forward! (See web photo album for picture.) The ironic thing is that since I had met Mik he has been intrigued with seeing a California Rattlesnake. Well, here was his final opportunity! And thus, Mik and I enjoyed a couple otherwise peaceful and spiritual days hiking beautiful trails and meditating at the couple vortex sites we reached. I definitely plan to go back!

Sedona, Arizona

Click on webalbum above and watch slideshow!