Birthday Road Trip - Palm Springs Splurge

I celebrated my 70th birthday this past week.

As I typed that sentence I had a slight dissociative experience...as though it was some other 70 year old who was typing and certainly not me.

Anyhow, before I bore you with photos of our birthday trip to Palm Springs, I want to say a word or two about the March for Our Lives protests this past weekend. I was truly inspired and extremely proud of the young people who organized and marched and gave such poignant speeches. Among them were Emma Gonzalez and 11 year-old Naomi Wadler whose eloquence put to shame every do-nothing politician in America.

The young people who have come together in cities all over the United States (and the world) have a cause that will propel them into the future, as voters, as activists, as politicians, as men and women who can turn around this country that has gone astray.

I really hope these kids kick ass and vote out every lazy, hate-mongring, bought-and-paid-for by the NRA politicians cluttering up the halls of congress.

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Now for a few photos of our road trip to Palm Springs, California. I call it our Palm Springs splurge because we really blew our wad on this trip.

We stayed at the Triangle Inn - a gay guest house with very nice accommodations, swimming pool, hot tub and continental breakfast.

Let's just say it was not Econolodge or Red Roof Inn. Can we say "splurge?"

The gardens and the bougainvillea really made for a relaxing tropical/dessert atmosphere.

[click photos to enlarge]

We did Joshua Tree National Park which was about a 5-hour tour. Amazing rock formations, vegetation and Joshua Trees which look like something out of Dr. Seuss.

The Palm Springs Tram took us to 8,516 feet at the top of Mt. San Jacinto (I think that's the name of the mountain). I didn't take a whole lot of pictures...there are more, but they're not great photos.

The Indian Canyons were interesting. A babbling brook in the dessert, flowing down through a palm tree lined canyon lush with vegetation. A real oasis.

A light rain one day made a visit to the museum a nice change. We saw an Andy Warhol exhibit. I never really appreciated Warhol. I think most people associate his art with Campbell Soup. He really is so much more than that.

Some other exhibits included Mid-Century Modern, Glass Sculptures, and an art piece made of white bread, or was it toast?

In town, while Spanish architecture is one of the more prominent styles, Mid-Century Modern rules in Palm Springs.

We did some "furniture shopping" as Leon wants to redecorate the house in Mid-Century Modern, a style he always liked.

But we blew our budget on a groceries from Aldi (so we could make a few lunches and dinners without spending half our IRA) and ate out a few dinners and a lunch. I thought P-town was expensive. Yikes.

We did pick up a couple of bargains at an antique/flea market store and got a new rainbow flag at the local Q-Trading Co.

All in all, we had a very nice time - a great respite for Leon (who's been working 60-hour weeks) and a memorable 70th for me.

Ugh. I said it again. Can't possibly be...I still feel 27 on the days when nothing hurts.