Word-Of-the-Week #660: Surreal

March 30, 2017 by · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #660: Surreal 

Surreal – dream like, unreal, fantastic.

Can you remember the last time you had a surreal experience? Do any have any past memories that were dream like, unreal or fantastic? Did you know that Surreal was Merriam-Webster’s 2016 word of the year?

When we were planning our trip to India last year, Sunil our travel agent remarked, “You are going to three of the most surreal places I have ever been. The Himalaya’s, Hampi, & Bagan in Myanmar.” And he was right!

A couple of years ago I thought about comparing international sites to those I have seen in North America. And since a picture is worth a thousand words I will keep it short and sweet.

  • We stayed in Leh in the Himalaya’s which is a high desert at 11,000 + feet.

The Himalya’s

  • In February we were in Palm Springs and when I looked up at the mountains surrounding the valley, some capped with snow, it reminded me of the Himalaya’s minus the monks, monasteries, and altitude sickness! High desert – low desert – looks pretty much the same to me. What do you think?

Palm Springs

  • Then last week we headed out in search of the Wildest Desert Bloom in Decades! And since I had never been to the Joshua Tree National Park we went there first and came into Borrego Springs on the back roads.

Hampi

  • When we were driving through Joshua Tree it struck me that it looked just like Hampi with all the crazy rock formations (well of course minus the ruins which is why we went.) What do you think?

Joshua Tree

  • And for Bagan, there just isn’t any place like it! Sorry about that.

This week’s focus is on surreal. What would you like to see that would qualify as unreal or fantastic? Do you enjoy just being out in  nature? Have you had your recommended dosage of Vitamin N this week? Check out the Wildest Desert Bloom in Decades!

FUN-fact – The Joshua tree, the largest of the yuccas, grows only in the Mojave Desert.

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FUN-photos: Wildest Desert Bloom in Decades!

March 30, 2017 by · Comments Off on FUN-photos: Wildest Desert Bloom in Decades! 

  • Finding the Wildest Desert Blooms in Decades was our day’s agenda. Since I had never been to the Joshua Tree National Park that was our first destination. Massive boulders and rock formations jutted up from the earth. Some stacked neatly while others looked as if they were tumbled out of a giant bucket. And thousands of Joshua Trees in varying stages of life & death filled the desert in every direction.
  • Then as we continued on to Borrego Springs using only the back roads, the “hills were alive with blooms” that ranged from vanilla, to soft pale butter & vibrant sunflower yellow, periwinkle, fuchsia, tangerine, lilac & lavender.  Clinging to the side of the rocks and roads were perfectly formed big bouquet-like mounds of miniature daisy bushes.

And the rock formations in Mecca were incredible. Unfortunately Mr. Jaded, AKA Chris, didn’t stop so I could take some pix. Quote “It’s just a pile of rocks.” This is what I live with!

  • La Casa del Zorro was our overnight stop and the next morning was spent driving and hiking in search of the fields of flowers dotting the desert landscape. Our “big bonus surprise” was discovering 130 full-sized metal sculptures that are inspired by creatures that roamed this same desert millions of years ago. The artworks, spread out over 10 square miles, range from prehistoric mammals to historical characters,  dinosaurs, and a 350-foot-long fanciful serpent.
  • Heading home we came out of the desert via Hwy. 78 to Julian and got more incredible displays of bountiful blooms that got bigger the higher up the mountain we went.

FUN-fact – The Joshua tree, the largest of the yuccas, grows only in the Mojave Desert.