Living Rootless: El Paso: Sunset Heights, Part 1

Sunset in Sunset Heights, El Paso, Texas. September 2016.

Every time I pull off the Porfirio Diaz exit and into Sunset Heights, I feel good. Every time I walk downtown from Sunset Heights, regardless of which route I choose, I feel good. When I look out and over to Mexico-side from Sunset Heights, I feel good. When I look way over and out to Mt Cristo Rey from Sunset Heights, I feel good.

Sunset in Sunset Heights, El Paso, Texas. September 2016.

Sunset Heights is eye-candy for the architectural-beauty minded. It also has one of the features that I think make a neighborhood the best kind of neighborhood - mixed-income housing. There are grand mansions here and small bungalows. Single-family housing and multi-family housing. UTEP is its neighbor, so there's a diversity of age in the population here. Sunset Heights has pretty little pocket parks. It's a very walkable neighborhood. There is public transportation that comes through Sunset Heights.

Sunset in Sunset Heights, El Paso, Texas. September 2016.

Within walking distance of Sunset Heights are:

UTEP
Downtown El Paso (including the library's main branch, the art museum, history museum, Chihuahua team's stadium, etc.)
El Paso Community College's Rio Grande campus
Pat O'Rourke Recreation Center

Sunset Heights morning, El Paso, Texas. October 2016.

The only thing that's lacking within Sunset Heights are shops, cafes, or bars that make a place truly walkable.

From different points in Sunset Heights, I can see El Paso laid out in the valley below. I can see the mountain range over in Mexico. I can see golden rock faces jutting out from high yards. I can see a beautiful full moon. It's almost like I can see the curve of the earth.