On the north shore of Lake Chapala, Ajijic is not far from the central Mexican city of Guadalajara. Ajijic, pronounced AH-HEE-heek, is a native word meaning “the place where the water springs forth.” The ancient native Nahua people fished in the lake for its abundant...
Summer is a great time for a road trip. I went to Las Vegas! I had a purpose beyond the indulgences of Las Vegas. While I was there, I also took in the Real Bodies Exhibit, with real human specimens preserved to demonstrate different aspects of the human anatomy...
There is nothing like an early morning hike in the summer in Sedona. We chose to go out Thunder Mountain trail, circle Sugarloaf, then return on Andante trail. Marta and I had her two dogs accompany us. They were tired puppies at the end. Enjoy the...
Mind-blowing! Puts things in perspective like nothing else can! Hiking in the Verde Valley and Sedona, I wondered about the layers of rock I see around me and walk over. Doing some research, I found this wonderful explanatory video of the geology of the area. ...
When hiking in July, I find it best to start early in the morning. Before sunrise. It is plenty light, then I get to see the sun illuminate the rock formations as it comes up. Starting on the Courthouse Butte trail, we see Courthouse Butte, of course, and also Bell...
History Creativity Liveliness Color Fun St. Michael statue La Parroquia, the parish church of San Miguel Arcangel El Jardin (Plaza Allende) Mojigangas of a bride and groom A mix of the old and the new A mural at Instituto Mural at a parking lot General Ignacio...
I continue to be struck with the contrast between my life in Cottonwood and the way things happen in this region of Spain. Many buildings are old. In the old cities the streets are narrow and parking is mostly underground. All the plazas are lit at night. The colors...
My summer stay is in Guayrapa Spain. On arrival, Ananda took me to a beach cafe. Then we visited Park Guell. My housemates went to the local bakery "Forn de Pa" and gave us gold temporary tattoos. As you can tell, we love to go out to eat as well as barbeque at...
After the writing retreat, Rachael Jayne and Datta treated us to a dolphin adventure with our host, Hawaii Experiences. We rode a bus halfway across the island to the west side of Oahu where dolphins are known to hang out. Our group took up two boats! On the Island...
Stars from 13,000 feet - Mauna Kea, Hawaii This inactive volcano, the sister of Mauna Loa, is a spectacular place to see the stars. Telescopes care there because the air is not turbulent, which disrupts their images. Even from the Visitor Center at 6500 feet, the...
