photography

Rodeo Beach, California

If I had to exhile from humanity into a dessert island, I’d take Rodeo Beach with me. To avoid confussion and potential claims, let me say it’s exactly the opposite of a paradisiac beach.

The feeling of sand under your feet is similar to walking on gravel; water is freezing cold year-round; swimming isn’t advised because of strong currents and sneaky waves… and to round it up, there’s frequent shark activity.

Basically only experienced surfers dare swimming in its waters. I know, you might think what’s wrong with this guy. But the truth is that this beach feels alive, and it has a different story to tell every time you walk on it.

When tide is low, you can reach the southernmost side, and you find yourself walking among massive pointy rocks covered by seaweed. They seem like monsters walking out of the ocean, running towards mainland, like if they were trying to escape from merciless Pacific Ocean. This other-wordly seascape makes me feel transcendent, in sync with nature.

Walk for Wishes

Last weekend I was lucky enough to participate in the Walk for Wishes event organized at San Francisco’s East Bay. For those who aren’t familiar with this foundation, you can visit their Website at Make a Wish

Basically they concede a wish to those kids who, very sadly, suffer a serious illness. Last weekend it was a young boy who saw how an airforce pilot handed him an invitation letter to make his dream come true and be trained to be a pilot.

So far it’s been raised over 90K for this event which will help other six kids see their dream become real.

Organization of the event was sponsored by a number of companies based in San Ramon area, together with the help of their employees who raised money and were volunteering during the event.

The 5K walk was fun and everybody seemed to enjoy a warm, feeling-good morning. When people gather together for a good cause, positive energy builds up; just see the volunteer’s face in last picture.

Unfortunately there are many children out there still waiting to materialize their dream… You can help them achieve it and become a proud member of this big family. During this month of August you can still make a donation to SAP Team trough this link

Mount Shasta

Legend says inside Mount Shasta there’s a hidden city inhabited by advanced beings from the lost continent of Lemuria. Thousands of years ago, when Lemuria sank into the Pacific Ocean, the Lemurians who survived decided to settle in this magic mount.

Red Pines along Bunny Meadow Trail, Mount Shasta

It is believed that they built a complex system of interconnected tunnels inside this dormant volcano, and they have been seen wandering along the mountain and dressed in white robes by many generations of locals.

Mount Shasta from Shastina Lake, California

Some even claim that the unique clouds usually surrounding the mount are the way Lemurians travel with. They can hide inside clouds using their state-of-the-art technology…

Mount Shasta from Weed, California

Reality or myth, the only thing certain is Mount Shasta’s other-worldly beauty. It is omnipresent by miles away, showing you a different face every turn, every ray of light shining on it.

McCloud Falls, California

Scattered along Mount Shasta’s skirt, there’s millennial red pine forests, sugar pines, and incense cedars hidding waterfalls and shaded ponds like oasis where to rest and contemplate.

The Fillmore Jazz Festival

“Soon you will be where your own eyes will see the source and cause and give you their own answer to the mistery.”– Dante Alighieri, Inferno

“Hope rises and dreams flicker and die. Love plans for tomorrow and loneliness thinks of yesterday. Life is beautiful and living is pain. The sound of music floats dow a dark street.”– Hunter S. Thompson

The Fillmore Jazz Festival is held annually on the first July weekend at Fillmore District, San Francisco.

Patagonia

Original Text by Cesar Sandoval / English Translation by Robert Ruz

This land stares at hope from down south, and carries one short story inside everyone of us. This continent made of bended silences sneaks into us under the shade of blistering, copper sunsets.

Puerto Madryn, Argentina

Patagonia is the course of dreams. We get there empty-handed, only with our dry, empty, silent soul. Slowly, like short sips, like an invasion of deafening, allucinating winds, the word is born just to slip from our lips inwards, and become chant.

El Chaltén, Argentina

Time wandered along the gorge. One man, one only man for such a vast landscape. The never ending agony of tundra memorizing ancient rains. That was the new land. A man’s land is forged in blood, as wind blew its rugged flute. And you stay without even realising it, letting time slip away idly.

Viedma Glacier, Argentina

Later, like short sips again, the miracle comes to us.

Torres del Paine, Chile

Now is time for long trails, stretched distances, dilated expanses. But you are not alone anylonger, even when the sandy wind strikes fiercely. You are not alone. The army of dusty, ancient deaths settles in your memory, bones, word.

Torres del Paine, Chile