Divided #9 – Day 48
On our long journey through Texas, the oilfields of Western Texas were our last destination. On arriving in Midland/Odessa, the major hub of the oil industry in Texas, it became evident that the oil industry is in a major boom in that area. There was a lot of construction going on everywhere and we got used to the sight of countless oilrigs while driving through the desolated area. There seemed to be an endless reservoir of a mostly white and Hispanic, workforce. You didn’t have to be very much qualified to make a decent salary out here and that attracted obviously a lot of people.
Driving through these endless oilfields also gave us a reality check regarding climate change and renewable energy sources. Quite a few people try to make a difference these days by driving fuel efficient cars and reducing their carbon footprint. But as long as the oil industry is in such a boom and so much money is being invested in these oilfields, not much is going to change in the near future. Let alone the fact that the average car size in this country is way out of proportion and there is a president in the White House who doesn’t believe that there is such a thing as climate change.
After being immersed in the hustle and bustle of the oil industry we stopped at the Guadalupe National Park on our way to El Paso. The main feature of the park is Guadalupe Peak, with 8751 ft, Texas’ highest mountain. Our intention was to go for a hike there but since the roundtrip to the peak was 20 miles with a 3000 ft climb, we didn’t plan to go all the way up. Quite to the contrary of Elias, who was absolutely determined to reach the peak. We were certain that the steep climb and the long distance would convince him to turn back after an hour or two. But we underestimated our son. He really did make it all the way to the top of Mt. Guadalupe. From the top we had an incredible view, but we also could see some dark clouds in the distance. Knowing that it wouldn’t be much fun to be exposed on this peak in a thunderstorm we didn’t rest long on the peak. On our descent the clouds started to slowly move in. We nearly had made it back to the car, when all hell broke loose. A ferocious thunderstorm with hailstones as big as cherries, thunder and lightning and an intense downpour got us about half a mile before the parking. We were running all the way but of course we were soaking wet when we reached the parking.
After staying for a night in El Paso, we drove into New Mexico, where we stayed at one of the most beautiful camp grounds that we have seen on our trip so far. It was a great location for our wedding anniversary and a fitting spot to drink a glass (actually it was an email coffee cup) of champagne while enjoying the breathtaking landscape of Southern New Mexico. Before heading up North we spent a few hours at White Sands, the incredible desert made entirely of very fine, white gypsum sand.
One of our favorite cafes in Brooklyn used to be the Blind Barber – until it closed a few years ago. Little did we know that we had to drive all the way to Belen, New Mexico, to find the real blind barber. And we had to thank our son that we did find him. Ever since New York, he was supposed to get a haircut. But we never found a hairdresser that had the time, looked trust worthy and also took children. In Belen we found a hairdresser who cut children’s hair, had the time but didn’t look fully trustworthy. He actually looked like somebody we had to shoot a portrait of. He agreed to cut Elias’ hair and to be photographed. He probably won’t be on Elias’ list of places to go back to. He didn’t make a good model neither since he was easily blinded by the sun, so our outdoor studio didn’t work at all for him. We were able to shoot 2 frames before he started complaining that it was too bright for him outside. But then came his father and saved the day. He was 87 years old, had worked over 50 years as a barber and only stopped cutting hair a year ago, when he turned nearly blind. He was an incredible character and the portrait we shot of him is probably one of the best so far.
In the Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona we had an appointment with a very special man. Peter McDonald, one of the last living Navajo code talkers of the Second World War. The Navajo code, that was used by Navajos in the Second World War was never broken and helped the Americans to win the war. Peter McDonald is 90 years old but still very clear in his mind. In a long interview he told us about his life which started in the 20’s in the Navajo Nation when only 5 none native Americans were living in this area the size of Switzerland. By lying about his age he already joined the Marines with 15, became a code talker and served in the Pacific war. Later he became the Navajo Tribal Chairman and a powerful voice among the native Americans.
But we didn’t only meet him in the Nation, we also met Sabrina, a 26 years old Navajo woman, who raises her 2 children by herself. Her husband is in prison for 10 years because he has killed a family when he was driving drunk and caused an accident. Sabrina works 2 jobs to get by and says that history is repeating itself. Her father is in the same prison for the same crime. Sabrina has a hard live, but she is a strong and proud woman who says she will do anything to stop the cycle of drug abuse, alcoholism and teenage pregnancy, which is unfortunately so common in native reservations.
