Saguaros only grow in a very small part of Arizona, yet they are recognized as an emblem all across the world of the desert landscape of the southwest, although they only grow in a small area near Tucson, Arizona.
Weekends are long days, yet not very long. It depends how one lives them. These two days felt very long, yet were not longer than any other. The desert landscape, with its horizons, can make the hours seem different, as the sunsets sweep in pinks and blues across the mountains and fade slowly into darkness, and the sunrises stretch long across the morning at dawn.
I watched them from the desert, looking at the stars at night – so many stars – there, as usual, as always, and yet often not visible. How much a metaphor of many things in life, there, yet not visible, yet so important nonetheless, and often insignificant and overrun in the mundane nature of the days passing? Life moves in a flowing stream of time as they say, on and on.
Being present, and living well, is perhaps the only thing we truly can achieve in life. The feeling of oneness with ourselves and everything else.
In those moments, everything is complete, and maybe it is easier in the quietness of the desert landscape to achieve, where everything is more muted, more subtle, yet teeming with poison, dangers, and life, unseen, amongst the rocks and sand.
Life, moving unseen, on and on, and yet we acknowledge its passing.
Many sights in Arizona are worth visiting, and there is not enough time to see them all in a day or two, really, to appreciate them. However, here are some worth seeing, if only for a short time:
Saguaro National Park, with its cacti and often mists in the mornings.
Patagonia – I have not been there, yet I have heard many good things from local recommendations.
Mica Mountain – there is a road that winds all the way up to the top that has nice overlooks of the Tucson city.
The college area around 4th Street in Tucson where many interesting shops and a food co-op reside. There is a lot of well-done street art on the walls of buildings that make this place vibrant, with quirky shops and interesting stores, like Witch, which had many Turkish lamps hanging in the windows and the promise of many interesting objects inside. There was not enough time to visit it this time, however, this is an area that is highly recommended.
Almost any of the nature areas nearby stretching from Phoenix to Los Cruces are worth seeing. You will find mountains with rugged features, like the Chiracahuas in the Chiracahua National Monument, the white sands in White Sands National Park, and desert landscapes stretching for miles.
However, travel wisely and safely, and use caution at night. There are lots of rattlesnakes around during the October – March months, and it is advised to be careful if walking around at night.
There are many places here that I like. I’ll keep my favorite places quiet to let others find their own- although some of these might be recognized still.
As always, all opinions are my own.
