Magique

 

If you Google "Magic Places", you will see locations such as Zhangiiajie National Forest Park in China, Tunnel of Love in the Ukraine, Antelope Canyon in Nevada and the Faerie Glen in Scotland just to name a few. I am not a world traveler at all. Quite the contrary. I've never been out of the continental United States despite living so close to Mexico in California as well as Texas. I have though, seen some very magical places in my travels throughout the states.  I've seen wild ponies on the beach at Assateauge Island, climbed Santa Fe's Baldy in the Sangre de Cristo mountains of New Mexico, spent time in the Cascade mountains of Washington as well as viewed the gorgeous city of Seattle and Mount Rainier from the Space Needle. I've walked though and slid down the blinding white dunes of White Sands, New Mexico, I've camped on a mountainside in a tent while an incredible storm passed over thunder echoing all around me leaving afterwards a full moon starlit sky. And, I've camped in the Big Thicket in Texas which is like hiking through a fairytale forest.

For me though, the most magical place I have been to, is Malaquite Beach at Padre Island National Seashore in Texas. North Padre Island is the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world. The beach is perfectly pristine and stretches before you untouched with sparkling blue green waters and soft white capped waves. Most people who have never visited Texas do not associate beautiful beaches with it, however after having lived in Florida and California and having visited the coastline in both the northeast as well as the PNW, I would have to say for me, nowhere compares to this beautiful island of Texas.

I went to Malaquite Beach before sunrise on an Autumn day. Walking to the water, in that very early pre dawn light which is surreal on it's own, the moon was full {it's always full for me on magical days ... sidenote, I was born under a full moon which explains so much but that's a post for another day} which made it just bright enough to see where I was going. I walked to the water's edge and sat down ready to photograph a sunrise like any other special photo session, but I was not prepared for the emotional and spiritual moments that unfolded for me. While my experiences that morning and into the day, are very personal and something I would choose not to share in a public medium, it is safe to say that the day I spent in this magical place, changed me forever. It has been more than a few years now, and still when I recall that memory, I am filled with immense gratitude.

The first photo above was that morning just as the sun rose over the horizon on the water while the second was that evening just before a perfect sunset. I shot them both with the Lensbaby Muse and still, these are two of my favorite photographs I've taken anywhere. It would be very difficult not to take a stunning photograph in this place.

I would definitely put this secret place on any "Magic Places" list.