This page contains images from my getaways around Southern California: Big Bear, a popular winter sports destination close to Los Angeles; Coachella, an annual music and arts festival held in the Sonoran Desert known for its wide musical offer, interactive art installations and eye-catching sculptures; Cleveland National Forest, a protected federal land that holds many of California’s wildlife species; Anza-Borrego, a desolate desert state park with wrinkled landscapes, oases and wild flowers in spring; and Salton Sea, an endorheic, shallow, landlocked body of water that has survived, in recent history, thanks to water excess used for irrigation on nearby farmlands. Unfortunately, this came with a trade-off, as agricultural runoff has severely contaminated these waters, affecting nearby communities. The increasing salinity, pollution and odors, combined with the stench of decaying fish and scorching temperatures year-round, contributed to a significant population loss, leaving behind ghost towns along its shores—remnants of a once promising land.