Christmas Trip to Bell Rock, Sedona

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Christmas Trip to Bell Rock, Sedona

May 23, 2021

Sedona landscape from Bell Rock

Back when I was alone in Flagstaff on winter break 2018. Most of my friends went to their relative's place or travel to other states. I stayed in Flag for the whole winter break. One day, one of my professor invited all Indonesian students (there were five of us) to go hiking with him and his wife on Christmas day. The other girls couldn't make it because they were away, so it was just me, my prof, and his wife. I was very happy and delightful that I can go travel with them.

My professor, Dr. Paul Beier, would like to go hiking trip to Sedona. Of course I liked that idea! I really like Sedona. I think it is one of the prettiest town I ever seen. Some people even said it is one of the most beautiful place on earth. I've been there couple times and I am still amazed with its beauty. The landscape is just amazing. 

Sedona is located in Arizona. It is very close to Flagstaff just about an hour drive. In Sedona, you can find red rocks formation, canyons, cute little shops, and pretty houses. The red rocks intensify the beauty of its landscape. Every where you see, you will see beautiful landscape.

Stacked stones with a view

Capitol Rocks (left) and Cathedral Rocks (right)

Bell Rock Trail

Paul picked me up around 8 am. Then, we went to Sedona right away. We took the 89a road, which is also my favourite route. You can see in this video how pretty the panoramic landscape of the 89a road. It is breath taking route. We drove down hill about 1,300 meters and then we can see the view changing from white sand rock formation to red rocks formation. The trees in between rocks make it even more beautiful.

We made a stop at the Oak Creek Vista Point. I love this one. We can see the scenic canyon. I went there for the first time on Thanksgiving holiday in 2017 with Tyler. Since then, I probably have been there for 3-4 times with different groups. I still enjoy the view from this spot.

View from Oak Creek Vista Point

The Midgley Bridge

Steamboat Rock from the Oak Creek Vista Point

After stopping by at the Oak Creek Vista Point, we went to the Bell Rock trails. It is relatively easy hike, only took about an hour to hike the top. There is a little parking spot just right before the trails. It was pretty packed that day but we got a spot near the trails. We walked to the top of the Bell Rock. The view was amazing. 

Paul is a regular hikers in Sedona. He probably has hiked all the trails there. During the trip that day, we were talking about Sedona, family, research, and many more. He told me the name of rocks that we saw from Bell Rock. I also took a selfie with him on the top of Bell Rock. Looks pretty good!

Trails to the Bell Rock

From Bell Rock Trail, we can see the Courthouse Butte.

After the Bell Rock trail, we went to the Baby Bell Rock just next to the Bell Rock. This one was also pretty. We can see different view of Sedona. We spent another hour in the Baby Bell Rock.

After we had fun in Sedona, we went back to Flagstaff. Drove back home, we ate tasty and fresh oranges that Mary-Ann brought. Mary-Ann is Paul's wife. She is very lovely and warm. 

Then, we went to Paul and Mary Ann's house for lunch. Mary-Ann cooked pasta with artichoke. It was my first artichoke! It tasted delicious. We also ate ice cream and had a drink. Three of us played card game, which I was forgot what was the name of the game, but I do remember the laughed we shared between the games. It was really fun and comforting to spend the day with them.

Playing cards with Paul and Mary-Ann

I also love Paul and Mary Ann's house. They put crystal balls in the windows, so when the sun come through the window. It creates sparkling rainbows all over his house. It was super pretty. I love it so much, that I got crystals for my self right after I came home.

I was happy to spend time with Paul and Mary Ann on Christmas Day. I hope I can see them again someday.

Bell Rock (left) from 

Life is a Gift

journal

Life is a Gift

May 07, 2021

It came across my mind again, couple weeks after my birthday, that life is truly a gift.

Through life, we found meaningful connections. Sometimes we meet those who will inspired us for a long time. Sometimes we meet certain people in a brief, but that person leave marks deeply in our heart. Sometimes we meet people in random places, but end up friends for life.

I used to be easily awe-struck with smart people, but now I think I am more enjoy connecting with kind people. There is something inside kind people's heart. Especially those who speak and act kindly, honestly, respectfully to their self, to others, and to people around them.

Life is a process. For example, apparently, our parents, who we look up for, are not perfect. They are also human with all the imperfection. It isn't easy to accept that they are not perfect. We want them to be perfect, we saw them being perfect and it seems like they knew everything in life. By the time we reached certain age, we realised that they are not perfect. And that's totally okay. We can process our feelings and gradually learn to love them unconditionally, as they love us unconditionally.

Life is vibrant. I am privileged to see beautiful places. I saw pretty things, pretty places. In landscape, in forest, in somebody's ocean blue eyes, and many more. 

In my life, I am surrounded by things I like and things that give me joy. That everything is come to place exactly in the right time. I am in a right place and mind. That things are enough and I am enough. 

Life is a gift. A gift in term of time. We can fix what has been broken. We can learned from our mistakes in the past. We are alive that's why we can be a better version of us.

Life is a gift. A gift to love and loved, by people who truly care about us and we care about them. We have time to give appreciation, affection, and compassion to those people. We can share our happiness, sadness, and all things in life that come up along the way. 

Life is a gift. It gives us space to learn anything we want to learn. We can learn foreign language, new subject, learn about life, or anything we want. We are still living that we may have the resources to learn anything anytime.

The picture in the post inspired me to this note. It is made by a new friend, as a special birthday gift. This picture makes me think about a lot of gifts I have received in life. I finally know what makes me happy and what's important in my life. My life is like that big box in the middle of cute plants. It is growing, surviving, thriving, and improving.

I wish my life can also be a gift to other people. Maybe one day..