Rene Cizio's Blog, page 15

Saguaro National Park and my Encounter with the Javelina

Seeing Saguaro National Park is like visiting another planet, but somebody should really warn you about the pigs. Really, how many people know that Arizona has a wild pig population? I sure didn’t. So colored me shocked when I ran into these feisty fellows on a trail and had to hightail out of there at the speed of light. Had I known then what I know now about Javelinas, I wouldn’t have run so fast. So let me save you from the same embarrassment. But first, those cactuses. Saguaro Cactuses Should Rule the Earth Saguaro cactuses are an icon of the old American West. The tall tubular cactus’ stands tall, green and spikey and looks like it has two arms. Put’em up, pardner. Seeing these cacti was my reason for coming to Tucson. I’d glimpsed them briefly a few years before driving from Phoenix to Sedona, and I knew I had to come back. Picture John Wayne or any cowboy in chaps with pistols in hand, big Saguaros rising up in the background. Just picture it. You don’t have to do anything special to see Saguaro’s while in Tucson, they’re everywhere, but still, you should go to the national park […]

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Two Arizona National Monuments Worth Visiting

If you want to see Arizona national monuments and parks you’re in luck – there are dozens. Twenty-four parks, including two national parks – the Grand Canyon and Saguaro National Park – in addition to four national monuments. I’ve been through most of Arizona and find every inch of it beautiful, fascinating, and repeatedly worth visiting. During my most recent trip I explored two lesser visited national monuments well worth the drive time. Not that drive time in Arizona is ever a hardship – it’s part of the reason for exploring the state; the driving is just so darn good. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Over on the southwest corner of Arizona, just five miles from the Mexico border, you’ll find a unique site – Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Now, when I first read that I thought, “Oh, a giant cactus shaped like a pipe organ? That’s interesting.” Well, that’s not what it is. Sure, the Organ Pipe Cactus’ can be said to look like a pipe organ, because they are a type of organ cactus that grows in a big bunch. Many “organ” stalks spring up in a straight pillar from the ground, like celery. Some are big, […]

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Seeing the Monarch Butterfly Migration in Mexico

Every autumn, the Monarch Butterfly migration takes place with millions of butterfliers traveling over 3,000 miles from northeastern North America to spend the winter in the forests of southwestern Mexico. There are four preserves about two hours outside Mexico City, where visitors can see the butterflies high up in the mountain. Experiencing the migration of the Monarch Butterflies in Mexico is something out of a dream and one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena in the world. It’s mind-bending when you ponder how Monarchs manage to travel so far without a “map” to end up in the same place year after year in a tiny area in the mountains of central Mexico where these specific butterflies have never been before. It’s a question for the universe. Going to the Monarch Butterfly Preserve I’d paid a guide to drive me to one of the reserves in the mountains, and when Gabriel pulled up in the morning, I was nervous. He was maybe in his mid-20s and clearly hadn’t brushed his teeth in this lifetime. This wouldn’t be a lasting friendship. But that’s not why I was nervous. I was nervous because I booked a woman guide, who, at the last minute […]

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The Tragedy of the Disappearing Xochimilco Floating Gardens

In Xochimilco, at least 25 colorful trajinera boats were stacked next to each other at the dock, and I needed to get to the one at the end. So, I jumped from boat to boat, laughing to myself. Things are different in Mexico. I wanted to come to Xochimilco because I’d once seen a picture of Frida Kahlo dipping her hand over the side of a trajinera in the crystal-clear water and it looked so peaceful and beautiful, so off I went. Xochimilco is a borough of Mexico City that used to be a lake town long ago before the lake diminished. It’s best known for its canals, leftover from an extensive system of almost hydroponic agriculture and transportation. Today, things are changing, and partying and tourism is taking over farming. Trajinera Boats in Xochimilco If floating down a canal on a boat sounds like a lovely afternoon, think again. It’s a wild ride. First off, you know you’re not in for a regular boat ride just by looking at them. They’re manically colored in every neon shade of paint you’ve ever seen and decorated with all sorts of fake flowers (once upon a time, they used to be real, […]

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Five Mexico City Museums Mostly Featuring Frida and Diego

Mexico City has more than 150 museums, but most are pretty obscure. There are museums for engraving, women, the revolution, chocolate, all cultures that have ever existed in Mexico, medicine, photography, constitutions, murals, any remotely famous people (including Jesus) and caricatures, to name just a few. Sadly, I only made it to about half a dozen while I was there—mainly the ones that offered something about Frida and Diego er, Diego Rivera and or Frida Kahlo—since they were the reason for my trip to Mexico City. Here are the museums I visited. 1 Palacio de Bellas Artes This place, aptly named, is beautiful just to look at. If you like architecture or gorgeous places, you want to make this stop. I went there to see the Diego Rivera murals they have. That’s the darned thing about murals—you can’t move them, so a trip to Mexico was necessary. I grew up in Detroit, where, at the Detroit Institute of Arts, we have the spectacular Diego Rivera Industry Murals that he painted about the automobile industry. They’re one of, if not my very favorite thing in Detroit (besides my family). I once wrote my Spanish final exam essay project about Rivera in […]

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Visiting Coyoacán, Mexico Where Frida Kahlo Lived

Coyoacán is a small town about a 45-minute drive outside Mexico City, where Frida Kahlo lived. As an avid Frida fan who visited her house/museum twice, I spent a lot of time in Coyoacán. It’s a great place, filled with live entertainments, and if I returned to the Mexico City area, I’d stay here. One day, I took a bike tour of the city and a walking tour another day. Traffic in Mexico City can be a bit wild, but in Coyoacán, there’s a slower pace, which makes bike riding manageable and the best way to get around and see the most of the city. Biking or walking around the several main blocks in the city center is a great way to explore the many shops, restaurants, historic homes and neighborhoods the city is made up of. The city is small, wildly historical, and bohemian, meaning it has modern updates that make it more approachable than other cities around Mexico. Coyoacán is an upper-middle-class community, so the streets are filled with shops, restaurants and plenty of public spaces and town squares every few blocks. Could you ask for more? Yes, you can always ask for churros – and in Coyoacán, […]

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Visiting Frida Kahlo’s House in Coyoacan, Mexico

I finally made it to Frida Kahlo’s house outside Mexico City. Actually, I made it there twice. What can I say? I love strong female representation in art and life. People often ask me how I decide where to travel, and this is a perfect example. I knew one thing about Mexico City before I decided to go there: Frida Kahlo had lived there, and now her house was a museum. This particular idea sat in my brain for several years before the stars aligned, and I finally found myself standing outside staring up at the famous “Casa Azul.” The house is the brightest medium blue and maroon colors. If you’ve ever known anything about Frida, it is immediately recognizable. Frida was born, lived most of her life, and died in this house. Much of her work was created here, so of course, it’s a mecca for lovers of the artist. Tickets to Casa Azul After the Anthropology Museum, Frida’s house/museum is the second most popular in Mexico. That’s pretty amazing since Mexico didn’t even celebrate Frida as an artist until the year before her death, but that is the way with many great artists. Obscurity, perhaps hate or dislike, […]

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10 Things to Do in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Fun, free, beachy and beautiful: this is Puerto Vallarta. If you’re considering going, or maybe you’re already there, these are 10 things I did that you might like too. I spent a month in Puerto Vallarta and in that time I was able to participate in several adventures. Below are 10 of the most popular places and activities I found in the city. You’re sure you find at least one you’ll love too. Click on the titles to read the blogs if you’re interested in learning more about my experience doing these things. 1 Snorkel Los Arcos There’s an entire underwater world just waiting when you go snorkeling at Los Arcos in Puerto Vallarta. I was relocated into its mysterious depths after a walk, a ride in a Volkswagen bus, and a short hike. Then: transcendence. These rocky outcroppings can be seen from downtown Puerto Vallarta, but you need to get close to them to appreciate their size and stunning beauty. They look like massive gray boulders that have been dropped in the sea by Zeus. Los Arcos is a flourishing ecosystem because of its protected status as a national park. In Los Arcos National Marine Park, you’ll find caves, […]

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Hiking and Exploring: My Top 5 Blogs of the Year

As a writer, I’m often surprised by the type of stories that people gravitate toward, while other receive little interest. Hiking and exploring were a theme of sorts for my year, though, so I shouldn’t be surprised they dominated as the most read on this blog. I don’t always know the ways my stories will connect with others but sharing them will get you there. Thanks for reading! Here are my top five most viewed posts that were written in 2021. 1. Angel’s Landing and the One Thing I Learned Solo Hiking Zion National Park I hiked Angel’s Landing which is the most strenuous trail in Zion National Park in Utah after deciding not to, but accidentally stumbling upon it and thinking, “Oh hell, why not.” Which is how I do most things in life. Angel’s Landing is only 5.4 miles long, but it has an elevation gain of 1,500 feet with long cliffside drop-offs. It is not for the faint of heart. Why you shouldn’t try The signs and information about the trail admonish anyone who is not physically fit not to attempt it. They further show graphics of people falling off the mountain and encourage you not to try it if you […]

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Experience the Rhythms of the Night in Puerto Vallarta

We headed toward the “Rhythms of the Night” dinner show on a boat as the last of the sunshine faded into night. After an hour, the sky above Las Caletas shifted into darkness and we pulled up to the shore. The only light across the dark blue jungle shoreline came from hundreds of tiki torches. A golden glow lit our path and music from wood flutes and drums guided us. Rhythms of the Night “Savia” The show, currently title, “Savia,” is staged in Las Caletas on a remote stretch of beach near Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico. It sits along the Riviera Nayarit in the Sierra Madre Mountains. The only way to get there is by boat. Vallarta Adventures manages the beach and produces Rhythms of the Night. Tickets for the show average $100, depending on where you get them – there are many vendors. Each ticket includes the boat ride, drinks, dinner, and the show. Rhythms of the Night is promoted heavily in Puerto Vallarta and promises to be like Cirque du Soleil with a circus ambiance. The show is written and directed by a co-creator of Cirque du Soleil. It promised to be “a celebration of spectacular acrobatic skill, […]

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