In the margins of an offsite team meeting, I had the opportunity to spend a couple hours in the Joshua Tree National Park in California - first time there for me, and although of course it was way too short to really discover the place, at least I got a glimpse...

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Our vehicles (and their drivers) were suitably rugged for the wilderness…

Joshua Tree, California, USA

… and after a day of productive meetings, we were ready for adventure. The landscape often felt both desolate and grand.

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Although the little time we were able to spend there was hardly conducive,  I could see and feel why this land has been a destination for people on a spiritual quest.

Against All Odds - Joshua Tree National Park

The Joshua Trees (which as we learnt are actually plants rather than trees) aren’t particularly cuddly …

Joshua Tree, California, USA

… but they certainly evoke power and drama as they stretch toward the sky …

Joshua Tree, California, USA

… more or less directly.

The Sky is the Limit - Joshua Tree, U.S.A.Joshua Tree, California, USA

An old dam was the most intriguing human-made artefact of the area …

Joshua Tree, California, USA

Too soon though, we had to go, as the sun was setting on the land of Joshua Trees.

Joshua Tree, California, USA

Our next adventure was waiting, at the local watering hole… It’s sundown, locals are also converging… time to join the party …

Joshua Tree, California, USA

… as by then we have worked a solid appetite!

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Something already tells me this is not going to be boring…

Joshua Tree, California, USA

… and it could even be intriguing.

Joshua Tree, California, USA

We are invited – or dared? – to join the party.

Joshua Tree, California, USA

The rest is... part of our team's history: what happens in Joshua Tree... 

Back to our temporary home base, Palm Springs’ setting, in rugged desert and mountains, is quite impressive.

Joshua Tree, California, USA

From sunrise, each plant seems to be stretching out on a quest for survival…

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… and in this hostile environment, life itself is a celebration.

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I found the little I saw of the town of Palm Springs slightly surreal (the fact I was badly jet lagged didn’t help of course).

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Even some cars’ hood ornaments are… creative.

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Some places seem to be straight out of a David Lynch movie…

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… and I found that even some aspects of our hotel were reminiscent of that vibe.

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Talking of which, I was pleasantly surprised to see in the hotel a sculpture I found both evocative and fitting for the area.

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Finally, if any of you are still reading… none of my trips would be complete without a street portrait (even if on this one I hardly had any time / opportunity…)

Thank you for reading all the way! I think this was my longest “postcard” series so far…

More to come…. very soon: a few postcards from my flight from Palm Springs to Denver, over some of the most amazing sceneries in the US.