In the shadow of a giant cactus at Saguaro National Park
Strange, but before we planned our trip through the parks of the United States, I had never heard of Saguaro National Park. Yet, it is now the undisputed winner of the title of the most bizarre national park we visited. Being in the presence of a 6 meters tall cactus is not a conventional experience, at least as much as being surrounded by a forest of giant succulent plants.
We reached the park at sunset, and entered just before closing. It was just us, a couple of desert hares, and a scared coyote. We arrived from the city of Tucson, driving through the road that reaches the West Gate, to the entrance of the Hugh Norris Trail, in which we entered for a few hundred meters, climbing just above to admire the valley.
The cacti that live on this desert land reach heights of 14 meters. They are called saguaro, a specific species of plant, which can live up to 200 years. The more mature the plant, the more big its arms become. A plant without arms is practically an infant.
They are majestic creatures, each with its own shade of green, and shape, more or less perfect. From the top of this path you can admire an immense expanse of cacti, which begins to blend in with the vegetation on the horizon. It is the perfect place to admire the sunset, and the warm, dry air of the desert creates visual effects that leave one speechless.
When the sun goes down, the mountains in the background lose detail and turn into sharp, slightly blurred silhouettes. The silhouettes of the saguaro stand out against the light, and are surrounded by a luminous aura generated by the thin thorns that capture the last rays of the sun. The landscape becomes two-dimensional, with strong, bright colours, as in one of those cartoons by Will E. Coyote, as in a drawing.
During blue hour the silhouettes without details of the cacti stand out against the clear sky like in a Tex Willer comic book, and the desert begins to come alive with coyote verses and rustling plants.
