I wish it was a bad dream.

Instead, when I pulled a lengthy branch from my rosemary bush for a trim, there was a rattlesnake next to my flip-flopped foot, flapping it’s tongue. No rattles, no lunges, just a panic attack at my end. I almost touched it thinking it was a rock. By the grace of God, I have survived that ordeal, and don’t have a photo.

I didn’t want one.

Surreal.

This week we are challenged by the Lens-Artist community, hosted by Tracy, to find or create surreal images. Without the snake memento to share, I took a look through my archives and found memories from past travel that made unique, surreal impressions.

The first photo is from a hike called The Road to Nowhere in the Smoky Mountains. This unfinished road is now a scenic hike, with history of the nearby Fontana Lake. First, you have to get through the 1,200 foot tunnel. The silhouette is of my husband. The walk is creepy, cold, damp, and dark with graffiti along the walls. Interesting, yes. But the footsteps from a man about five minutes ahead of us, who we couldn’t see, had me keep pace with my husband.

This was a Twilight Zone moment at it’s best.

A walk through downtown Portsmouth, NH took me by a sitting park with this head peering from the shrubs. My niece and I looked for a plaque or explanation and found nothing. He faces the street, staring, and seems to be watching the day go by. Then again.. he is across the street from a pub.

I will call this, Judgement.

The next photo is from Chocolate Falls (Grand Falls) Arizona. It is a place I have written about extensively. It is spiritual for our Indigenous people, and for us, it is more like Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory experience. At 185 feet tall, it is higher than Niagara Falls.

Most people go to Winslow, Arizona to stand on the corner. Made famous by the Eagles song: Take It Easy, it’s fun and a great bucket list item. What many people discover a few blocks away, is the only hotel in town, La Posada. It is an old Harvey Hotel along the railroad with interesting history. There is an art museum, a southwest garden, a restaurant, and a respite for travelers along Route 66. It’s owner is Tina Mion a world renown artist who creates odd and often eerie work. Look closely at the photos for a unique view of her art. More on her work is here.

One of the most surreal moments in my life was a snapshot in time. To understand requires an explanation. We were visiting Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. This is where Anne Frank spent her final days. I won’t share the horrific details, we all know them.

The photo is from a walk through one of the foundations at the camp. What I found surreal was the acres of wild strawberries growing here. A place of so much death, and here grows strawberries.

I wondered if the starving found them. Maybe they planted them. Or, was this a message representative of the lives buried here?

I don’t know.

Wind Kisses, Donna