El Paso is beautiful.

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Naima

Yes, you heard me right.  El Paso is beautiful.  It’s all about perspective. 

The Chihuahuan Desert offers sandy valleys with a backdrop of rocky mountains and the occasional oasis.  We recently had a chance to visit two spectacular and easy to access outdoor areas, the Wyler Aerial Tramway and McKelligon Canyon both located in the Franklin Mountains about 10 minutes from downtown El Paso.  The tramway is $7 per person to ride a tram to about 5,500 feet or bring your hiking boots and lots of water and hike up for free.  This time we chose to ride.  The view was amazing and included El Paso, Mexico, New Mexico, Fort Bliss, the Rio Grande, and everything in between.  The ride only takes four minutes to the top where there is a gift shop and plenty of viewing areas.  Next time, pack a lunch and have a picnic up high!

 A view of Fort Bliss, El Paso airport, and the east side of El Paso.
  Downtown El Paso and in the distance is Juarez, Mexico.
 David looking out into New Mexico.  Bring quarters to use these! 
The tram hanging and moving at a blistering 8mph.  It feels fast though!

Located about two minutes from the tramway is McKelligon Canyon.  We arrived at the canyon late (about 6:30pm) to meet a friend to do some climbing.  The canyon has some amazing walls to climb, but due to the time we chose the closest one.  As the sun went down the canyon got dark very fast and next thing we knew we had to hike out in the dark!  But I was prepared and brought a headlamp and boy did it pay off because I SAW A RINGTAIL!  Yes, I did my masters research mainly on ringtails so I have held them, caught them, etc etc but it has been a long time since I have seen one and they are the cutest and coolest animal ever!  Ringtails are in the same family as raccoons but very different.  They are extremely agile and inhabit steep cliff faces denning in cracks and crevices and weigh less than five pounds.  I will dig around my old computer files and find my ringtail pictures and post them soon. 

 David completing his first lead climb!  Climb on!
 The sunset was beautiful.  It was a great time of day to be in the canyon.  A cool 95 degrees at 10pm too.
 McKelligon Canyon offers camping, climbing, and hiking/biking trails.  They also put on a play of the history of the area in the amphitheater shown.
 D-Ray rappelling down at dusk. 

You can tell it is getting DARK!  The gate closes at 10pm so we had to rush to make it out before we were locked in.

Oh and one more tidbit of info:  Franklin Mountains State Park is the largest urban park in the nation! 

Perspective.

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Take Action.

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Naima

It has been about a week since I last posted and I have been busy!  Everyone at the zoo has been very helpful and I continue to learn everyday.  There are over 200 species of animals at the El Paso Zoo and every individual has their own personality.  They all serve as ambassadors for their animal counter parts in the wild and when a visitor catches a glimpse into the personality of one of the animals, it makes a huge impact.  The Education Specialists in collaboration with the animals and zookeepers, give creative and informative programs every day and encourage people to take their message home and take action in any way they can.


Savannah and Juno, two Asian elephants, explore their habitat looking for enrichment items hidden by their keepers. 
There are so many opportunities to make a difference in your everyday life but one of the initiatives the El Paso Zoo takes part in is the palm oil crisis.  In short, palm oil is used in so many products from food, candy, soap and is found in about half the items in the grocery store.  Palm forests are cut down destroying animal’s habitats but also vast areas of tropical rainforests are cut down in order to grow palm oil.  In Kalimantan it is estimated that an area the size of three football pitches is cleared every minute.  Ok but I won’t go on and on about it, if you would like to read more or see some pictures of the devastation click here or here or here.  Or watch this two minute video on the crisis here.  To make a difference all you have to do is read the back of labels and make sure the products you purchase DO NOT have palm oil in them.  Simple right?  If you watch Juno and Savannah (two female Asian Elephants on exhibit at the El Paso Zoo) conduct their enrichment training for zoo visitors, it is almost as if they know the people watching can help their friends in the wild. 
 Impact.
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Checking out the Scene.

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Naima

Every town around the world has something to offer and it’s your job to get out there and find out what.  Check out the newspapers, listen to the radio, get on the internet and start reading.  Twitter and Facebook are excellent sources to keep up with and find out what’s going on around the city.  And of course, pester people that live there to show you the ropes!  (Thanks Jeremy, Arielle, and D-Ray!)

One thing I have mentioned in previous posts is how close El Paso is to Mexico.  My commute to work every day has changed from a two lane road alongside green pastures and rolling hills into an eight lane highway on the border of Mexico and the US.  I love the exit off of I-10 to the zoo, the options are literally 1. go to mexico and pass border control or 2. road to the zoo.  I can’t stress enough it is very safe in El Paso even right on the border, no need to worry.  I did take a picture exiting I-10:

 Border crossing is about 200 yards from this sign and the entrance to the zoo is about 300 yards. 

On Thursday night we heard on the radio that Fort Bliss, the military base in El Paso, was hosting the Eli Young Band for FREE.  The free concerts are part of their marketing to encourage people to check out the new Freedom Crossing, an area with lots of shops and restaurants on the military base.  To get on the base we only needed our ID and proof of vehicle registration.  The concert venue was sweet: a great stage, grass seating and restaurants all around.

 
Eli Young Band at Fort Bliss.  Free.

Las Cruces, New Mexico is about 45 minutes away which means the best sopapilla of my life is 45 minutes away.  We knew “Si Senor” would be good when we couldn’t find a parking spot!  The drive up into the mountains was beautiful right at sunset.  It was an impromptu trip, therefore I need some more time to report much on Las Cruces.

 The Franklin Mountains off of I-10 on the way to Las Cruces, New Mexico.

We had the chance to hang out with my friends from graduate school (Jeremy and Arielle) and visited the Ardovinos Desert Crossing (farmers market) and played frisbee golf on the East side of town.  The course may not be the best but it was great for us!  Make sure you get their early because the park is a recreation area used for fiestas.  Every park fiesta must have one of those big blow up jump on things for the kids.  Not easy to throw a frisbee around a fiesta.  The farmers market was small but cute and the stone oven for the restaurant there was Amazing.  Pictures below.

 Ardovinos Desert Crossing Farmers Market.  

The stone oven at Ardovinos.  The materials were shipped in from Italy.  Yes, I would like to try a pizza cooked in this!

Frisbee golf party!

Sunday morning 6:15am alarm = Do not like!  But, well worth it.  When you live in the desert to avoid the heat and baking sun you have to get up early to do anything outside.  A friend and well experienced climber (D-Ray) took us on our first climbing in El Paso.  Sneeds is part of the Franklin Mountain State Park and located about 15 minutes from our house.  The rock is granite and challenging.  David and D-ray easily shimmied up to the top while I enjoyed the birds, lizards and scenery.  We also hiked up to the Aztec caves and saw LOTS of lizards!  It was a short, steep and beautiful hike.  We will definitely do more exploring of the Franklin Mountains.  After the hike we fully enjoyed Torro Burger, a local burger joint with my favorite, sweet potato fries!

Let’s climb!

 
 Collared lizard.  So cute.
 
Climb on David. 

 
The Aztec Caves at the Franklin Mountains State Park. 
 
Where’s David? 
Guess who?
OUTSIDE!
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First two days at the El Paso Zoo!

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Naima
 
Drive by picture of the entrance sign. 
Well I am now an Education Specialist at the El Paso Zoo!  My first two days on the job were full of meeting lots of employees and trying to remember names and keep everyone straight.  Not only meeting lots of people but also meeting lots of animals.  There is so much to learn and I am excited about filling my brain with it all, although I am definitely going to need some time.  I am also a huge fan of learning things together with kids and visitors to the zoo.  Nobody is going to remember or know everything and learning is half the fun.  I have a quote over my bathroom mirror that I read everyday, “Everyday you don’t learn, means there is more you don’t know.”  So be inspired and be curious and go find out the answers!
And now for some more pictures:  I ran into one of the keepers of the Malayan Tigers at their outdoor exhibit who just so happened to have interned at Turpentine Creek in Northwest Arkansas where I drove by everyday on my way to work.   Small world.   Anyway, the tigers have only recently been introduced to each other in the hope that they will reproduce.  The male, Wzui, is six years old and his chosen mate is Seri, only three years old.  Today was an extremely hot day and Wzui enjoyed much of his day swimming in his pond playing with a plastic container and splashing in the water.
The female, Seri stalks her boyfriend Wzui. 
Malayan tigers are Endangered and recent counts showed there are 600–800 Malayan tigers in the wild.  The Malayan tiger is found only in the Malay Peninsula, southern tip of Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia.  Until 2004, it was not considered a subspecies in its own right.  To find out more about the Malayan tiger visit the El Paso Zoo Malayan tiger fact sheet here.  To find out ways you can help support tigers in the wild and protect their environment, like become a Tiger School or Holiday gift wrap for tigers click here.


I also peeked into the Asian indoor exhibits and snuck up on someone that was sleeping:
A cute sand cat was awakened by an annoying picture taker, me.
The sand cat is distributed over arid deserts in Africa and Asia.  Apparently they are even found in Tunisia!  For those of you who do not know, my dad is from Tunisia and I recently visited with him in May 2010.  Sand cats inhabit the most arid regions on Earth and can survive months on only the water in their food.  They retreat into burrows to survive conditions from 23 degrees F to 126 degrees F!  And I thought 110 was hot here in El Paso.  Sand cats are considered Near Threatened due mainly to hunting.  Support the Sahara Conservation Fund which works to protect wildlife of the Sahara and surrounding grasslands. 

I have so much more to chat about!

But for now you can also “like” the El Paso Zoo Facebook Page. 

Learn.

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Moving is Exhausting especially in 110 degree heat.

Posted on June 26, 2011 by Naima

I am so glad it worked out that we had to unload our Uhaul on one of the hottest days of the year (note extreme sarcasm).  At one point while we were moving the truck thermostat said 118 degrees F.  Honestly it was not too bad and was over pretty quick.  All of our stuff was out of the Uhaul and the two vehicles in less than four hours with two people working at it. We definitely missed all the help we had packing the Uhaul!

Some Uhaul/moving tips: In most cities they have take a box/leave a box outside their stores so you can re-use boxes and also recycle them there.  Roadside assistance was great, just be knowledgeable that it is there in the first place.  No need to flip out over a flat tire, just call for help and they have to be there within 60 minutes, it is their policy.

 
Yes – we are on the second floor. 
 If only the boxes did have legs!
The day was ended with a glorious and surprisingly refreshing dip in the pool overlooking the mountains of New Mexico.  It takes some time to recognize the mountains and distinguish if they are on Texas, Mexico, or New Mexico soil.  
The apartment pool… amazing.
I was up early on Saturday although still feeling under the weather, and ready to head to the flea markets downtown.  Most people here no matter what ethnicity seems to be bilingual.  It is very impressive and I am super jealous.  I need to dive into my Rosetta Stone and then start practicing.  The flea market was a bit too hot for us today, but I did manage to find a nice sun hat for 6 bucks.  I also received my first parking ticket… I did pay but it turns out we put our money in the wrong parking slot.  Lesson learned the $25 ticket way.  The market mostly had clothes, but anyone in the market for costume wear (all my friends in Eureka Springs) this is the place to be. 
On June 1, El Paso broke its 118 day dry spell in the form of a Bit of rain but none has fallen since.  There have been reports of animals (mountain lions, bobcats) coming down from the mountains, probably in search of water.   As I sit watching a grackle (bird) wipe its beak across the drops of water a car air conditioner has left behind, I think to myself… instead of putting out a bird feeder, I am going to put out a bird bath.  Maybe this bird bath will become an oasis of sorts and all kinds of animals will come to my porch!  Can not wait.  Starting off with a small bowl of water until I figure something else out.
The view from our balcony.  Oasis location TBD.

As for tonight… sitting in the air conditioning and watching a movie on the couchless floor = heaven. Oh and a bit of organizing:

 Boxes, boxes everywhere.

Exhaustion.

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Exploring El Paso, Texas

Posted on June 24, 2011 by Naima

El Paso is right on the border of Mexico and New Mexico.  At first, while navigating the city I was afraid I would make a wrong turn and end up in Juarez, Mexico.  I am fully aware that you would have to pass through border patrol before entering Mexico but after hearing, “Do NOT go to Mexico” more than a few times it got me on my toes.  It is not a worry at all though!  And the Rio Grande… not very Grande in El Paso in June.

After exploring a few neighborhoods we settled on living on the West side of town which is a nice area with shops and restaurants.  It is easy access to downtown and to the zoo which is located in the south central part of the city.  The city is fairly spread out but you can quickly get from one side to the other via I-10 in maybe 30 minutes.

 A view of El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico from the scenic drive up the Franklin Mountains.

The cost of apartments are fairly priced for a medium sized city.  We found a two bedroom, two full bath for $800.  We are excited about the two bedroom and the hard to find, washer and dryer hook ups yet it is still a small space.  Oh and did I mention there is a pool and work out room!

Our first meal in El Paso was a random place called Carousel.  It ended up having great Mexican food and a half an avocado on my plate… YES please.  I will be back.

The Mexican plate at Carousel. 

Explore. 
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Night numero uno.

Posted on June 24, 2011 by Naima

I have had a fantastic last couple of weeks in the Ozarks of Northwest Arkansas.  For the past three years I explored the well kept secret of the beauty of the region.  In the weeks leading up to the move I was able to make time for some amazing friends, enjoy one last kayak trip on the Kings River, try sport climbing at Horseshoe Canyon followed by a refreshing dip in the nearby Buffalo River and soak in the sun at Beaver Lake.  How amazing!

In three years I met some amazing, unselfish, and caring people.  I am fortunate to have crossed paths with so many great people and appreciate all of their help while I was in Arkansas and beyond.

The journey en route to El Paso was long, twenty hours long.  It had its moments of all the usual road trip emotions including, delirium, life is a highway, exhaustion, panic, thoughtful, and on and on.  South Texas has a lot of high fences in which you must look for exotic animals.  I kept my eyes peeled for “crazy” animals that I have seen in the past but this trip around didn’t see any.  Next time you drive through Texas make sure to check the high fences!

 
A beautiful sunset on a deserted I-10 headed west in Texas.

Let me recommend some music.  My stereo was pumping out Mumford and Sons and the Kris Lager Band!  I am sure most people have heard of Mumford and Sons, but if not download their latest CD today.  The Kris Lager Band played in Eureka Springs, AR where I heard them live and picked up a CD.   They are a blues band from Nebraska.  Best part is their drummer freestyle raps during their live shows!

Late Tuesday night (June 21, 2011) we arrived in El Paso, Texas.  We are staying in the La Quinta until we find a place to live.  Tomorrow exploring the city to find out where we will live!

Excited.

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