USA 24 May: Clines Corners, NM. To Espanola, NM.
Desert sunrise splender.
The girls’ team was very fortunate today. Sunamita invited us to come up to Santa Fe one night earlier. She took such good care of us. We came with empty growling stomachs, exhausted but happy to arrive at her wonderful little `mud hut`. After having a delicious dinner, a good night’s sleep and everything else we needed, we headed towards Espanola, north of Santa Fe.
During lunch at the Chinese Kithchen in Espanola we made new friends with the proprietor and three girls from the Yogi Bhajan Ashram.
While Kanala was running out of Santa Fe, the State Capital, I was on the phone with Ray, the moderator of a radio station in Espanola who was interviewing us live on the phone. Thank you Ray for helping to spread the message about the World Harmony Run!
Harmony Run cheerleaders.
You can feel the effects of running at such a high altitude, around 7,000 feet, and some people feel it more than others. Your breathing becomes more labored and you tend to slow down your pace naturally. Needless to say, it is good training for running at lower altitudes.
New Mexico has only about 2 million people. Santa Fe is the capital surrounded by the desert in the south and mountains in the north. Everything about Santa Fe reflects harmony between man and nature, not only in the environment but also in the architecture. It is a mixture of old world and Spanish colonial charm.
An energetic reception greeted us at the E. T. Salazar Elementary School in Espanola.
While running to Espanola from Santa Fe we met many people who were inspired by the torch and our concept of spreading harmony. We almost did not arrive on time as we would stop and talk to anyone who was interested in what we were doing, including a newspaper reporter from the local news.
Principal Ruby Montoya carries the flame over to the students.
We finally arrived in Espanola with just enough time to eat, so we went into a Chinese restaurant to get a quick bite to and silence our empty stomachs. Inside we met with a wonderful group of girls who belonged to a spiritual community in Espanola. Closing their eyes while holding the torch and sending some prayers with us on our long journey was one of the most wonderful moments. To see the light and excitement in their eyes which at the same time seemed to totally grasp the idea of the Run was very, very inspiring.
Rhythm, balance and joy; all in one smiling child.
At the Salazar Elementary School the kids were eagerly waiting for us. Espanola felt totally different to us although it was just 20 miles away from Santa Fe. A very `heart happy` little city. Everybody was so simple and kind.
I almost felt like we were with good friends, just to share some experiences, As if we knew each other forever. Joe, one of the teachers, followed me all the way to the car just to tell me that he knows some words in German and that he was there some time ago. While talking to him I felt his sincerity, full of joy and heart.
With bags packed, Karashrota reluctantly prepares to leave the Team after nearly a month of joyful adventure.
While driving back to Santa Fe to stay one more night in this pretty town, we suddenly realized that today was the last day on the run for one of our team members. Kharasrota will leave us tomorrow. With crying and a smiling eyes we send her back to Florida to spread more light and harmony than ever before. Crying because we will miss her laugh and smiling because harmony will stay with you. Thank you.
Sunamita, our sister from Santa Fe, treated us to a gourmet dinner and a warm hospitality that we will never forget.
One of our biggest `Thank You’s` goes to Sunamita who provided an incredible dinner for us tonight together with one of the most beautiful hotels we will possibly ever have along the whole way back to N.Y. Thank you for all you did to make the Harmony Run a success coming through Santa Fe.
All our gratitude to the the management of La Posada de Santa Fe, a truly first class lodging .
We are extremely grateful to Ken Humes and Kristen Mansure from La Posada de Santa Fe Resort and Spa in Santa Fe for such incredibly comfortable and beautiful rooms there. They were so kind to come out and meet with all of us after we arrived in the afternoon to share in some of the exciting adventures and offer their wonderful greetings.
Anja and Team Harmony
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You can send a message to the runners or read the messages.
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