Sacred Places: El Malpais

Edge of Crater, El Malpais, April 2013, (c) Nancy Charak photograph

I have an affection for plants that anchor themselves into seemingly hostile environments. Here's this little guy who has decided, "Okay, I'm going to put down roots and try to earn a living here." This is the edge of a volcanic crater in El Malpais, which translates from Spanish to "the bad country." This crater last erupted 3,000 years ago, which in geologic time is just a split second ago.

Sacred Places: El Malpais

Vicinity El Malpais, April 2013, (c) Nancy Charak photograph

It shouldn't take a linguist to decipher what El Malpais means, the badlands.

Sacred Places: Shiprock

Shiprock, Nancy Charak (c) 2013 photograph

After touring the transcendent scenery of Canyon de Chelly, my buddy, Slim and I motored over to Shiprock. Slim talked me into driving the rental car across the cattle grate through the open gate onto the dirt road to see how close we could get to take pictures. We estimated later via Google Earth that we'd done six miles in and six out. Not too bone jarring.

Shiprock, Nancy Charak (c) 2013 photograph

Shiprock Road, Nancy Charak (c) 2013 photograph

Google Earth capture of dirt roads to Shiprock

Sacred Places: Painted Desert

Painted Desert, Nancy Charak (c) 2013

Sacred Places: Canyon de Chelly

Canyon de Chelly, April 2013, Nancy Charak photograph

Sacred Places: Painted Desert

Painted Desert, Nancy Charak photograph, April 2013