Ten Thousand Waves and Zen
November 24, 2009 | Filed under: Grace in Small Things, Planes trains and automobiles
“The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.” ~G.K. Chesterton
I went on a business trip to Santa Fe and because I returned late last night I ended up crashing at my mom’s. I took out my camera with the behemoth Tamron lens still attached. She looked up from editing a paper and said, “You brought your camera with you to New Mexico?”
“Yeah…”
“Por qué?”
“Porque…”:
I’ve never wanted to go to Santa Fe but when the opportunity to discuss pedagogy AND politics presented itself, I packed up my Samsonite and not nearly enough moisturizer and off I went. It’s beautiful. One of the most beautiful places I’ve been to and I’ve been to Versailles. But there was something magical; almost powerful something about Santa Fe that made me want to put it on my To Do List for another time.
That last photo was taken from the mountains at Ten Thousand Waves. A Japanese inspired spa and bath house where I spent three hours completely nude and receieved a massage that got (most of) the anxiety ridden bitch out of me.
Santa Fe was by no means gentle on me. I got nose bleeds and altitude sickness and by Sunday I lay in my bed for three hours praying that I would just puke and get it over with. But what it took from me in energy it made up for in just sitting back and relaxing. Santa Fe makes you sick because it doesn’t want you to do anything except soak up the pretty and appreciate every wave, ripple and burst of wind.
Carrie @ Who Knew? says:
Hmmm. . . I think I’ll add Santa Fe to my list of places to visit. Thanks for the gorgeous pictures.
She Likes Purple says:
Funny, I’ve actually been wanting to go to Santa Fe for a while now and this reminded me. I’d love to go for New Years, if I could find us a nice package. You reminded me I really should make that trip happen.
Laurie says:
I’ve always said if I went there I’d probably never want to leave.
I think it would be an awesome “non-mom roadtrip” destination.
Melis says:
Ah! I LIVE in Santa Fe! Had I been the faithful reader I should be,and knew in advance, I would have proposed drinks on the plaza! It’s an awesome place isn’t it? I can never get over how gorgeous it is. If you fare better on your next trip to the Land of Enchantment, I suggest a day trip to Taos. The mountain drive up the “high road” is some of the best scenery in the world.
Glad you survived! Even more glad you loved it!
Aimee Greeblemonkey says:
You know you love the west. You can admit it right now, missy.
norm says:
Altitude sickness! Oh no! You and my wife must be the only people in the world who get altitude sickness below 8000 feet
But Santa Fe, really wonderful.
Momo Fali says:
I want to go to there.
Kelly says:
Yay Ten Thousand Waves!!! I was there last February while visiting some friends. New Mexico is great and I think it may have the most awesome skies anywhere!