Too many things to write about individually, so here's the abbreviated version.
The List
1. Walked through downtown El Paso. Loved it!
2. Walked up to the Mexican Border Crossing.
3. Visited the El Paso Public Library.
4. Visited the El Paso Museum of History. Free = Awesome!
5. Visited a southwest pottery store. Bought a Mexican wall hanging and a gaggle of colorful, decorative ceramic chile peppers.
6. Strolled through the Munical Rose Garden. (1 of 134 official Rose Gardens in the U.S. due to the ripe blooming conditions all year long.) Free.
7. Drove around the University of Texas - El Paso campus (UTEP). Architecturally beautiful. It has good views of Juarez, Mexico.
8. Walked through the Chihuahua Desert Garden @ UTEP. Free.
9. Witnessed a dust storm. Exciting.
10. Drove over a tumbleweed while driving on a busy interstate. Sorry I crushed you with my rental car. :-(
11. Traveled to Las Cruces, New Mexico for a last minute view of a stunningly beautiful mountain peak before the sun went down.
Thus endeth my vacation in this sunny, arid land. I can affirm that El Paso offers much cultural heritage and history as well as friendliness from its diverse peoples.
Until next time, may the gods of travel be with you.
From the Sun City,
-kevin-
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
All in a Day...
Today was a day to be outside. Well that's an understatement. Everyday is a day to be outside in El Paso. The temperature is... perfect. The weather is... heavenly. The air is... breatheable.
I started off by visiting the Concordia Cemetery in El Paso. It's a historic landmark due to the fact that it was bought up in sections by Jews, Chinese, Mexicans, and Freemasons. One section of the cemetery is devoted to the Buffalo Soldiers- a Black military regiment from the Civil War who fought bravely. Also buried at Concordia is the infamous gunslinger outlaw and attorney John Wesley Hardin. He killed 30+ people in what he calls "self-defense." After doing his time in prison, he was released. He became an attorney and started his own practice in El Paso, but was killed by the city constable 3 months later. I can't exactly say I was going to pay my respects to the gunslinger. It's an odd feeling to visit the grave of a murderer, even if it is for historic and cultural education.
Later, I checked out the historical Mission Trail in San Elizario. I can't exactly say what the importance of it was, cause I'm not sure. I think it had something to do with some Christians who crossed the border in the 1700 or 1800s and tried to convert people. They built three beautiful, adobe-style churches within six miles of each other. Outside of one church, a Mexican festival was taking place. Teens were dancing to Mariachi music (I think); farmers were selling red, hot, shut-your-screaming-brat-up chile peppers, a man was roasting plantain bananas, and I was eating a chocolate-filled churro. Mmmmm. Good. Me likey.
On my way back to El Paso, I swung a couple of rights and lefts with my trusty rental Totota Camry and ended up at Hueco Tanks State Park. Formed from volcanic lava millions of years ago, the rock formations previously housed a certain tribe of Native Americans. Dammit, I really need to start taking notes. So anyway, they lived there from the B.C. era to the 1100s A.D. The rocks hold the remains of their secret language- pictographs of masks. Much of the land remains untouched and pristine. Enjoy the video-feed from the top of the rocks.
Buenos Dias!
I started off by visiting the Concordia Cemetery in El Paso. It's a historic landmark due to the fact that it was bought up in sections by Jews, Chinese, Mexicans, and Freemasons. One section of the cemetery is devoted to the Buffalo Soldiers- a Black military regiment from the Civil War who fought bravely. Also buried at Concordia is the infamous gunslinger outlaw and attorney John Wesley Hardin. He killed 30+ people in what he calls "self-defense." After doing his time in prison, he was released. He became an attorney and started his own practice in El Paso, but was killed by the city constable 3 months later. I can't exactly say I was going to pay my respects to the gunslinger. It's an odd feeling to visit the grave of a murderer, even if it is for historic and cultural education.
Later, I checked out the historical Mission Trail in San Elizario. I can't exactly say what the importance of it was, cause I'm not sure. I think it had something to do with some Christians who crossed the border in the 1700 or 1800s and tried to convert people. They built three beautiful, adobe-style churches within six miles of each other. Outside of one church, a Mexican festival was taking place. Teens were dancing to Mariachi music (I think); farmers were selling red, hot, shut-your-screaming-brat-up chile peppers, a man was roasting plantain bananas, and I was eating a chocolate-filled churro. Mmmmm. Good. Me likey.
On my way back to El Paso, I swung a couple of rights and lefts with my trusty rental Totota Camry and ended up at Hueco Tanks State Park. Formed from volcanic lava millions of years ago, the rock formations previously housed a certain tribe of Native Americans. Dammit, I really need to start taking notes. So anyway, they lived there from the B.C. era to the 1100s A.D. The rocks hold the remains of their secret language- pictographs of masks. Much of the land remains untouched and pristine. Enjoy the video-feed from the top of the rocks.
Buenos Dias!
Friday, September 23, 2011
The Mount-ends of El Paso - 9/23/11
My adventure today takes me to Franklin Mountain State Park in El Paso, TX. Overlooking the city of El Paso, it occupies 37 square miles of space. It is the largest urban park in the US. People didn't appear to be rushing to climb this monster when I arrived, not like in Sedona last year. This particular cliff is the Ron Coleman Trail, which is listed as "difficult." At the top of the mountain, dragonflies seemed to swarm the peak. It appears they suck the liquid out of the succulents that they land on. I was captivated by the view, yet weary of scorpions. I was told that I might see deer, perhaps a bobcat, and rarely a rattlesnake. Unfortunately, there were no such animals out today. This particular trail--had I completed it--would have taken me about four hours. I'm happy with the 2.5 hours I hiked, and out of breath with wobbly legs.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Desert Love
The desert is a star,
and I'm it's paparazzi.
I'll be shooting you baby,
so get ready for me.
Take off your bright flashbulb mantel
and pose for the camera.
There's nothing naked about
the sun exposing your raw flesh to the sky.
Your eyes are jagged--
green needles that poke through the lens
while I'm sitting here waiting
for you to show me your purple-painted trends.
As the night comes up,
you'll reveal your secrets in confidence.
And I will make love to you with a button--
just some fun between friends.
by Kevin Leitzel
(See the fruits of our labor on the right.)
and I'm it's paparazzi.
I'll be shooting you baby,
so get ready for me.
Take off your bright flashbulb mantel
and pose for the camera.
There's nothing naked about
the sun exposing your raw flesh to the sky.
Your eyes are jagged--
green needles that poke through the lens
while I'm sitting here waiting
for you to show me your purple-painted trends.
As the night comes up,
you'll reveal your secrets in confidence.
And I will make love to you with a button--
just some fun between friends.
by Kevin Leitzel
(See the fruits of our labor on the right.)
Friday, August 26, 2011
Between an Earthquake and a Hurricane... 8/23/11 - 8/25/11
...I found relaxation on a two-day vacation. By now, most of you have probably visited Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany, or Ocean City. Finding a soul who hasn't vacationed there would be the equivalent to finding a home without a television, I suppose. But I discovered a new way to vacation at the beach... Camping.
Oh yes, I love it. It's kind of funny how as our society grows forward in technology and architectural dwellings, many are reverting back to a primitive style to see the world. Reason #1 for me- it's cheaper. Thus, I happened upon Cape Henlopen State Park and Indian River Marina campgrounds in the Rehoboth-Dewey-Lewes area. http://www.destateparks.com/ Unfortunately, Cape Henlopen was fully booked, so I made my reservation at the tight and crowded Indian River Marina just outside of Dewey. For $30 a night, I can set up my tent, take a shower, use the toilet facilities, and visit any Delaware State Park until 12 midnight on the day my reservation ends.
I've been to Cape Henlopen State Park before, but this time, it held some sort of new magic for me. I was able to forego paying the $8 out-of-state entrance fee into the park because I displayed my Indian River Marina reservation tag. Woohoo! $8 saved. I got snapshots of the two lighthouses, walked up to the beach, strolled along the fishing pier while battling winds that whispered "Irene is coming..." I climbed the World War II tower just in time to watch the daylight close it's eyes upon the beach. As I stood gazing upon miles and miles of spruces and pines, sand, the Lewes ferry, and the distant lights of Rehoboth Beach waking up for a night on the town, I was stunned at the awesome-ness of it all. Then it struck me. Had I been at this very spot approximately 30 hours earlier, I might have been scrambling to hold onto the railing and wondering if the tower would collapse as the earthquake shook the east coast. Ten years ago, when I stood in the same spot, I didn't marvel at the beauty of the landscape. This time however, I smelled the burning of campsite fire-pits and heard the sound of children's feet as they hurried to ascend to my point of view. A wave of gratitude washed over me as I appreciated the moments in life that are rare. The stars twinkled at me and I felt safe looking upon the park as I quietly declared that it could all be changed by the end of the week when Irene rolls in.
The beauty of nature is that at any time, it could be ruined, destroyed, leveled. As I looked back at old photos of the 1960s hurricane that put a hurting on Rehoboth, I realized that with time anything can bounce back and be even more spectacular. So I learned that the Delaware coastline has a lot to say from up high.
The war tower, a massive structure that was designed and built at the cost of $29,500 in the 1940s to intercept German ships and set off underwater land mines, decorate the Delaware coastline. It's strange to think of something as utilitarian as a World War II tower, which was created for defense now serving in an almost spiritual capacity by allowing people to have an ah-ha or zen moment and discover the richness of the landscape. On the one hand is war--created by man; on the other hand is the earth--not created by man. And you can also have a bird's-eye view of incoming ships--to see how technology has changed our culture in less than a centenary. It's strange to think that 70 years ago we would need these hulking structures while today we have radar equipment and satellites that can spot the enemy from afar.
If you've seen Rehoboth from a hotel room, try camping there next time instead.
Oh yes, I love it. It's kind of funny how as our society grows forward in technology and architectural dwellings, many are reverting back to a primitive style to see the world. Reason #1 for me- it's cheaper. Thus, I happened upon Cape Henlopen State Park and Indian River Marina campgrounds in the Rehoboth-Dewey-Lewes area. http://www.destateparks.com/ Unfortunately, Cape Henlopen was fully booked, so I made my reservation at the tight and crowded Indian River Marina just outside of Dewey. For $30 a night, I can set up my tent, take a shower, use the toilet facilities, and visit any Delaware State Park until 12 midnight on the day my reservation ends.
I've been to Cape Henlopen State Park before, but this time, it held some sort of new magic for me. I was able to forego paying the $8 out-of-state entrance fee into the park because I displayed my Indian River Marina reservation tag. Woohoo! $8 saved. I got snapshots of the two lighthouses, walked up to the beach, strolled along the fishing pier while battling winds that whispered "Irene is coming..." I climbed the World War II tower just in time to watch the daylight close it's eyes upon the beach. As I stood gazing upon miles and miles of spruces and pines, sand, the Lewes ferry, and the distant lights of Rehoboth Beach waking up for a night on the town, I was stunned at the awesome-ness of it all. Then it struck me. Had I been at this very spot approximately 30 hours earlier, I might have been scrambling to hold onto the railing and wondering if the tower would collapse as the earthquake shook the east coast. Ten years ago, when I stood in the same spot, I didn't marvel at the beauty of the landscape. This time however, I smelled the burning of campsite fire-pits and heard the sound of children's feet as they hurried to ascend to my point of view. A wave of gratitude washed over me as I appreciated the moments in life that are rare. The stars twinkled at me and I felt safe looking upon the park as I quietly declared that it could all be changed by the end of the week when Irene rolls in.
The beauty of nature is that at any time, it could be ruined, destroyed, leveled. As I looked back at old photos of the 1960s hurricane that put a hurting on Rehoboth, I realized that with time anything can bounce back and be even more spectacular. So I learned that the Delaware coastline has a lot to say from up high.
The war tower, a massive structure that was designed and built at the cost of $29,500 in the 1940s to intercept German ships and set off underwater land mines, decorate the Delaware coastline. It's strange to think of something as utilitarian as a World War II tower, which was created for defense now serving in an almost spiritual capacity by allowing people to have an ah-ha or zen moment and discover the richness of the landscape. On the one hand is war--created by man; on the other hand is the earth--not created by man. And you can also have a bird's-eye view of incoming ships--to see how technology has changed our culture in less than a centenary. It's strange to think that 70 years ago we would need these hulking structures while today we have radar equipment and satellites that can spot the enemy from afar.
If you've seen Rehoboth from a hotel room, try camping there next time instead.
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