The Sedona Vortex Deserted Me

Maybe it’s because I didn’t have the map.

I really, really wanted to sense the multiple energy vortexes that apparently litter the tiny town of Sedona, Arizona like so many steaming mugs of Chai tea. But alas, I didn’t feel a vortex at all. What I did feel was frustrated at the fact that I’d accidentally chosen the busiest weekend of the year – it was fall arts festival in Sedona, and it was crowded. Parking was a drag, and every place was packed. Tan, fit parents dragged bored children up and down sidewalks, and there seemed to be a wait for everything.

But. Sedona, a small mecca of New Age consumerism, is surrounded by gorgeous landscape, and the physicality of it is undeniably special. It’s a strange thing to say that I’ve never seen anything like it, and yet I never need to go back.

Peter and I went to Oak Creek Brewing in hope of inspiration, but even the tap room had a weird vibe. An undercurrent of anger and hopelessness, and the guy on guitar who seemed to know everyone couldn’t help with his Allman Brothers covers and easygoing hippie style.

Before.

After. (Please note I didn’t drink all these. I had help.)

A highlight was a fantastic meal at Elote Cafe. Yes, the wait is ridiculous, so grab a beverage and wait on the patio (or the benches in the hallway if the patio is full, which it probably is), while the friendly and incredibly organized staff move hungry patrons in and out of the restaurant. It’s worth it, trust me.

I was hoping to capture the gorgeousness with the Nikon but we were cursed with clear, blue skies, which didn’t make for terribly interesting photos. We took a Pink Jeep tour and though our guide was great, fun and knowledgeable, I didn’t get the interesting photo ops I’d hoped for. I did take a few obligatory shots, because how can you not when the rock is that pretty? (Our guide told me that iron oxide makes it red, but you probably already knew that.)

I suppose I should quit my whining about the lack of clouds. Sheesh.

Then there’s Slide Rock State Park, where you can slip down sandstone into pools. I was happy to stay dry with Sam, who wasn’t allowed in the water:

It took awhile to get this, since I had to wait for a gaggle of kids to finish climbing the rocks. Then a girl left her blue shoes on the rock smack in the middle of my shot, but I resisted the urge to be Ms. Crabby Pants and holler at her to move them. Patience was the word for the weekend.

Ahh.

I’d recommend Sedona in the off season, as I assume the crowds would be much less intense, though locals said it was busy pretty much year-round. And really, despite my crabbiness it was a good weekend, and at last there was this:

A vortex of golden light.

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