Wild Wild West

Prickly Pear
Careful!

I’m in the wild southwest and I’m doing okay. We’re in Santa Fe tonight and its the first I’ve had wi-fi in a while!

We started this trip last Saturday… from Temecula we made it to Flagstaff, where we enjoyed the fresh mountain air. After Flagstaff we went on up to the four corners, which wasn’t in itself very exciting but I was pleased because growing up in Colorado, I always wanted to go and never got the chance. That afternoon we explored Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado and saw the famous cliff dwellings. They truly were amazing!

I wanted to move right in!
I wanted to move right in!

We stayed at a Super 8 in Cortez, CO and from what I saw of the town I was glad I didn’t live there. After that we spent a few days in Colorado Springs doing relatively little. It was nice to stay put after a few days on the road. Tomorrow night the fam is stopping at Phoenix and Saturday we’re rafting down a lazy river–apparently it will be several hours! Sounds relaxing but I’m going to try my best not to get sunburned. I haven’t gotten one yet this season and I don’t want to start now!

Several days in Colorado Springs were great; we saw some old friends and drove around the area where we used to live. Our old house was painted a strange mauve color (used to be white/beige) and the parents were in an uproar. Colorado is really beautiful; my friend and I got caught in a thunderstorm (okay, we were at Starbucks) yesterday evening which only lasted about half an hour… Colorado weather is amazing.

Its interesting what parts of the city I remember from ten years ago and what is new to the city, and new to me.

As alway, check the flickr for the most recent photos!

Day Trips are Still Trips

Yesterday I went to the LA area with my sister and visited a bunch of old friends. It occurred to me that this is the kind of thing I do frequently, yet there are people out there who only dream of visiting “glamorous” LA or Beverly Hills. Sure, parts of it are glamorous, even for a So Cal native like myself, but parts are pretty average, or even run-down. Its not all like you see in the movies! Also, it takes forever to get from place to place. Lots of driving! Not like Europe at all–America is so spread-out!

I did not take this photo.
I did not take this photo.

I love visiting other parts of America and seeing the subtle differences from state to state. For example, I always forget (until I visit) how important and influential the Jewish community is to Beverly Hills. I mean, even the sushi and gelato places we visited had rabbinical (I am pretty sure that’s the right word) certifications!

Speaking of seeing the good old US of A, the family and I are headed to Colorado tomorrow for about a week! We are going to see the Four Corners this weekend and probably spend a few nights in Arizona. I’m excited about returning to the wild west stompin’ grounds of my youth! Time to pack my birkenstocks and granola bars! No, but really, I will be bringing three or four books, my trusty camera (finally emptied of my Morocco pictures and ready to be refilled with gorgeous scenery) and lots of sunscreen!

Final Reading List

I sure racked up the books over this trip! I mentioned them before but here they are in list format. Plus it looks more impressive in a list like this, haha!

Some of these I loved, some of  these… not so much. I brought the first three with me but I was done with them by the second week. Eventually I was pretty much reading whatever English books I could get my hands on. If you want more info on any of them, or to find out what I thought, just let me know and I’ll be happy to discuss ’em :)

–Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
–A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon
–Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by  John Berendt
–Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult
–Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut
–Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
–God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy