Cacti - A Love Affair?

When I was seven, my family of 6 piled into our red VW bus, and, along with a family friend, drove from Northern California to central Mexico.  It was an amazing 6-week adventure that left this youngster with quite a few odd memories.

The strongest (and most unpleasant) memory for this always-barefoot girl, is the multitude of pictures taken against (and smack in the middle of) a cactus-filled landscape.  Thus began my enmity towards all things spiney.

Fast-forward several decades, and here I am, slow-traveling in the Southwest. Desert. Land of the Cacti.

Sigh.  Perhaps it's time to dig up that old grudge and re-evaluate.

So... first, let's examine the pretty ones

Then a strange-but-not-too-scary one

Don't get too close!

Dang! Let's show some appreciation...

Ready for spiney, but small...

Be careful of the cute and fuzzy looking ones - they're actually pretty aggressive

How 'bout a hug?

(I think I still prefer the dead ones)

By the way, other Mexican memories from a 7-year-old include:

1. My own suitcase!
2. Playing Cinco Loco
3. Spicy corn-on-the-cob from street vendors
4. Sleeper train to Mexico City
5. Pulling my sister's tooth
6. Running downstairs to find out how to say "pretty" in Spanish, dashing back up, pointing at a giant vase, and saying "bonita"
7. Tickle-wars
8. Owl pendants
9. Brilliant blue and gold poncho
10. Ham and cheese quesadillas, from a restaurant that had just shut down their kitchen when a hungry, road-weary family showed up
11. Colorful skirts
12. Spelling "Hoo-lee-a" (that would properly be "Julia")
13. Sleeping on the roof
14. Pyramids
15. VW stew 
16. Sweet bread from the street market
17. Crossing into The Tropics
18. Suitcases flying off the roof
19. AND....
20. Big sister saving me from the nasty "plant" :-)