P, M, J, and I landed in Phoenix and met up with Chris and Melissa. Of course we immediately headed out to shop and eat, our two favorite activities.
I saw not one, but two, life-size Elvis statues for sale in little shops. Tempting, but I refrained.
We had an open-air lunch at El Encanto, where we watched the swans and turtles swim as we ate.
J suggested that I get this apron for the irony of it. I replied, "J, I won't cook for anything."
We visited Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and school. Not as lovely as Fallingwater, but still magnificent. (Prydain Chronicle fans may recognize that Welsh name as the Chief Bard’s. Flewwdur Fflam mentioned him a few times.)
We also visited Montezuma’s Castle, a five-story apartment complex carved into the side of a cliff. Sadly, they didn’t let you climb up there. It was M’s goal on this trip to see a javelina, a wild, feral pig-rodent native to that area. A volunteer ranger there told us they were nocturnal, but we kept a look out for their glowing red eyes for the rest of the trip. Spoiler: we never did see one, but M got a stuffed one to take home.
Before reaching the Grand Canyon, we stopped at a mini-canyon, in order to be able to fully appreciate the scope of the big one, and so Melissa could buy some pottery the Native Americans there were selling. I got a lovely little bracelet.
No one fell in or pushed anyone in, but I think Chris came close at one point. Falling, not pushing. Chris, J, and I liked to venture out to the very edge with P, M, and Melissa screaming at us like angry parents, “Get back here!” “Come away from there right now!” “This is not funny!” “Allison, I am not going to be the one to make the call to your parents if you fall in there!”
No fun at all.
We took a Pink Jeep tour off-roading in the canyons above Sedona. I was bouncing around like a Muppet in the back and holding on for dear life, but we did get the best view in Sedona.
We had an open-air lunch at El Encanto, where we watched the swans and turtles swim as we ate.
J suggested that I get this apron for the irony of it. I replied, "J, I won't cook for anything."
We visited Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and school. Not as lovely as Fallingwater, but still magnificent. (Prydain Chronicle fans may recognize that Welsh name as the Chief Bard’s. Flewwdur Fflam mentioned him a few times.)
We also visited Montezuma’s Castle, a five-story apartment complex carved into the side of a cliff. Sadly, they didn’t let you climb up there. It was M’s goal on this trip to see a javelina, a wild, feral pig-rodent native to that area. A volunteer ranger there told us they were nocturnal, but we kept a look out for their glowing red eyes for the rest of the trip. Spoiler: we never did see one, but M got a stuffed one to take home.
Before reaching the Grand Canyon, we stopped at a mini-canyon, in order to be able to fully appreciate the scope of the big one, and so Melissa could buy some pottery the Native Americans there were selling. I got a lovely little bracelet.
The Grand Canyon was spectacular, obviously.
No one fell in or pushed anyone in, but I think Chris came close at one point. Falling, not pushing. Chris, J, and I liked to venture out to the very edge with P, M, and Melissa screaming at us like angry parents, “Get back here!” “Come away from there right now!” “This is not funny!” “Allison, I am not going to be the one to make the call to your parents if you fall in there!”
No fun at all.
We took a Pink Jeep tour off-roading in the canyons above Sedona. I was bouncing around like a Muppet in the back and holding on for dear life, but we did get the best view in Sedona.
What I love about Arizona, and what was such a surprise, is the way the landscape changed so quickly and so completely. You started out in the desert…
…drove up a mountain to see something you’d expect in the Pacific Northwest…
…and then the red rocks came out of nowhere. Truly majestic.
And we discovered this bar in Phoenix.
Steeler fans, like Polamalu on the field, are everywhere.
…drove up a mountain to see something you’d expect in the Pacific Northwest…
…and then the red rocks came out of nowhere. Truly majestic.
And we discovered this bar in Phoenix.
Steeler fans, like Polamalu on the field, are everywhere.
2 comments:
Amazing. Simply amazing.
What a great recap!
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