Perspectives and Musings…

We meet at a fellow travelers home around 4 am for a round of Bloody Mary’s, except our driver, toast in memory of my son Christopher (who died this very morning 4 years ago), and then make it to Meadows Field or The Bill Thomas Airport as 1 in 10 people call it. Bill has a lovely bronze bust there of himself (note to self: when I become memorialized in, stone choose age of 30, not current age, as representation of me) and going through Bakersfield Customs is a breeze. We board a mid size plane and in less than a hour find ourselves at Phoenix Airport, where a gate change has us rushing thru another security check and making our connection to Los Cabos International Airport, an Air Bus A320, just in time. This is one big plane, 320+ souls aboard, and it feels like the front “makes air” about a half hour before the back does. Then it is a 2-hour flight over cities, desert and the pacific ocean~ I see very few boarders in the sky or land. The earth and sky is open and so very beautiful from 4000 ft up, I came away with some interesting images in my head, and ones that need to make it onto canvas, soon. We land and make it through customs, pressing the button, it goes green and I am in!

The restroom is the first stop, I wait outside as my friend goes in and a mother and daughter come out. My turn, and as I am washing my hands I look up to see the attendant. She is about 4′1″,very old with the most lovely deeply lined face I think I have ever seen, offset with a humpback, coming towards me with open arms and speaking ~what I have absolutely no clue~ I am smiling and muttering “Gracias” I hug her back. We look into each other’s eyes and part ways. The interesting thing is there are only 3 stalls, my friend swears the attendant did not go in while she waited with the bags, nor was she in there while my friend, the mother and her daughter used the facilities…….jet lag? Mexico magic? My people, the freaks, the artists making me feel welcome? We get goose bumps, but I feel warm inside by this chance encounter with another woman, I feel especially welcome. I think of both my boys.

We find our big bus and take an hour and ½ drive up Hwy 1 to our hotel. The desert is strikingly beautiful, strangely like our deserts, but the odd plant to remind you otherwise. The guide tells us it rains in September, about a 1″, and it is like a national holiday. The surrounding dessert reacts accordingly, she says it becomes like a jungle, so thick and green. There are Saguaro, Agaves, Yuccas, and Cholla~ over 100 species of cacti, including Cardon, the tallest cacti. My favorite tree is called the Elephant tree~ it consists of a large whitish fat trunk (holds water) and the many small branches that emerge from it go all twisty, with the smallest green leaves one can imagine, making a fantastic looking plant. The landscape is definitely volcanic, with many a washes and hills, often the most lush spot hides a local home or small ranch~ these constructed of local materials, wood, thatched roofs stand in sharp contrast to the new arrivals. Yet the worst shanty’s we saw~ and these in the cities~ are slowly being replaced with better housing.

After going through a tollbooth, we enter La Paz and begin to see….home. First thing to greet our eyes is a McDonalds, then an Applebee’s, followed by car dealerships (Cadillac, Hummer, and Subaru), Bridgestone Tires, a Subway, a Coke processing plant and the kicker? A huge Home Depot~ with yes a place for day laborers to wait for work. I begin to wonder who is “invading” whom here and at home. My suspicions lay with the fortune 500~ not the North American peoples, no matter their country of origin.

Part 2 to follow, all about the magic of the orange bracelet, the food, the twisted foot, the town, Tados Santos~ which I fell in love with. The last vacation I had, with no children to worry about or look after, was when I was 24. I do not recommend a 30-year wait to anyone…go somewhere, disconnect for 4 nights, 5 days. It did me more good than I can say to see no news, or “check “the internet ~ I know things happened while I was gone. Nonetheless to connect with the real world, seeing the sun rise, the sunset, the moon do the same, as it has for so many years, does so much good for your soul. Perspective~ I think it has given me a much broader expansive outlook.
Musings Sans A Muse

I have been catching up on all the news, predictably mostly bad after a few days away from the TV, Internet and newspapers. Things do not look good around the world or here at home. The economy, food, lawlessness~ among corporations, governments and men~ has left many predicting a looming disaster. I fear that they may well be right, which lead me to wonder what things and qualities would best serve us if faced with dire circumstances. The usual litany of survival items and skills came to mind. Nonetheless there are some items from our not so recent past that we should consider packing with us. Honesty, bravery, personal responsibility ,ingenuity, compassion, spirit… the things I believe that are in short supply, and the reason we find ourselves in such a mess.

This thinking made me remember my childhood and those “Oz” books. No, not the forerunner of HBO’s “Oz”, but a land just over the proverbial rainbow. Nearly everyone has seen the movie but there are many more books by the author, and several others expanded on the world L. Frank Baum created. Each has unique characters and obstacles to overcome; usually some evil lurks ready to strike with magic or overpowering numbers. Nonetheless at the heart of each story is a mortal boy or girl who with straightforwardness, pluck, ingenuity, compassion, bravery and stouthearted companions wins the day.

Therefore, along with the shovels, seeds, rifles, canned goods remember to pack some good stories about good people, and a cautionary tale about those who choose the path of evil. If the direst of predictions become true, nothing less than the creation of a new society will be what is needed. Let us bring the best of the old with us to the new and let us hope for a miracle. Hope my fears are groundless~ I, for one, will be most happy, if they are.
Peace as always and in all ways~ sage