In aim of scouting special locations to host QiGong and wellness retreats around the world, Carmen recently travelled to Navajo County in northern Arizona - a land of spectacular eroded rock and geological formations stretching back 180 million years. Making her way from Kayenta, through Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon and several Indian reservations, Carmen got a good taste of this magical part of the US, which contains the greatest concentration of National Parks and National Monuments in the country.
Carmen stayed at the Amangiri Hotel, which offered stunning desert views from her suite. Amangiri opened in 2009 (and is consistently full year-round). The name means “peaceful mountain,” is one of the newest outposts of Aman Resorts, the Singapore-based company that specializes in developing small, exclusive resorts in extraordinary and often out-of-the-way places. Combining luxury and wilderness, the resort is only a 20-minute drive from the Glen Canyon Dam end of Lake Powell and a stunning 4.5-hour-drive from Las Vegas.
Carmen did a road trip, stopping in small towns and Indian reservations in Navajo County's desertlands.
“One of the most extraordinary things I encountered on the trip was this enigmatic woman at a reservation. She was singing to herself while weaving, but was so soulful, and present.”
While there are other deserts and remote lands to visit and consider for the wellness route Carmen is putting together (Qigong Around The World), Navajo County is a definite yes.