Phoenix

Tuesday, February 19 - Wednesday, February 20

After marveling in the Grand Canyon and all its glory (and enjoying the opportunity to use our legs!), we headed south.  Originally we planned to stop and see Sedona, Jerome, and Montezuma's Castle, but warnings of a winter snow storm hitting that day urged us to drive straight through to Phoenix.  So drive we did, and we arrived after sunset to the home of some lovely relatives.

We found out later that there was a sink hole on one of the roads we were traveling on not so long ago! Though later we realized it was farther north than we entered the road.

After some catching up we enjoyed a lovely night's sleep, and the next day we all headed into the city to spend time at the Heard Museum.  Our relatives treated us to a lovely time at this museum that exhibits Native American art.

Cradle Boards

Rug Weaving

Moccasins

Beaded Bags

Beautiful Glass Fence

Harry Potter Pottery!

Kachina Dolls

We also learned some about the Navajo code talkers from WWII, which were Navajo men who joined the Marines and developed a secret code using Navajo and English to help with communication--a code the Japanese never cracked.  I had heard that the code was so complex that I was actually surprised by how simple the system actually was (i.e. the Navajo word for bird meant plane, if I remember correctly).  I guess the complexity came from the multiple levels of translation.

After enjoying the beautiful art at the museum, we went back to the house for the night, where we had a delicious steak dinner, joined by more family.  Later that night, my cousin and I even enjoyed the hot tub!

It was so nice to spend time with family in Phoenix, and we had a little more time than originally planned due to the storm that drove us onward.  Thanks, Bob and Dale for the wonderful visit!  But by the next morning we had to be on our way--San Diego was our next stop!

Standin' on the Corner in Winslow Arizona, & The Grand Canyon

Monday, February 18 - Tuesday, February 19

After our not-so-spicy-as-expected Mexican lunch, we hit the road on our way to Arizona.  I must admit I had been a bit judgmental about New Mexico's scenery, but this day of driving was to help shape my opinion of the state's aesthetic more favorably.  We still saw a lot of empty landscape, but it was no longer so flat, and things became more colorful!

By the time we were entering Arizona, I was marveling at the scenery.  The rocks were turning red, and I just kept admiring the beauty of the color while anxiously anticipating a visit to the Grand Canyon.  Both in New Mexico and Arizona I saw many Native American trading posts and aspects of Native American Culture.

My cousin knew of an exceptional hotel in Winslow, AZ called La Posada, so we planned to stop there for the night.  We reached La Posada around dinner time, and I could tell immediately that this was a neat place.  Even from the outside it was very decorative and enticing.  The front desk was admist many dazzling gift shop items, including a bunch of beautiful Native American jewelry.  The building used to be a train station for the line built in the old west--trains still ride by on the tracks RIGHT next to the hotel, but the building's no longer a station.  The building is old, but very well kept and keenly decorated, with art exhibits you can peruse--even if you're not staying the night it's a nice place to visit.

Even the outlet's were artful!

After meandering through the various spectacles in the hotel on the way to the large staircase, we made our way up to our room.  Each room is dedicated to a famous historical figure, and there's a plate next to the door displaying the person with a brief biography.  Our room was the Amelia Earhart room.

After getting settled, we made our way to a dinner reservation at the hotel's famous restaurant--the Turquoise Room.  I had heard so many great things about the Turquoise Room from my Aunt and Cousin who had eaten breakfast there once on a past trip and couldn't stop raving about it, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations!  I had such a delicious meal with calimari as an appetizer, a succulent steak entrée, and followed by a heavenly double chocolate Grand Marinier soufflé.

After our incredible meal (thanks Aunt Vic!), we explored the galleries exhibiting work by an artist named Tina Mion.  She had many pieces with a presidential theme (perhaps this was more than a coincidence being so close to Presidents' Day?), but with the first ladies displayed more prevalently than the presidents. The most memorable was of Jackie Kennedy (and Jack, on a smaller scale):

Stop-Action Reaction
Jacqueline Kennedy, King of Hearts
by Tina Mion
http://www.tinamion.com/ladies_first/kennedy.html 

Haunting, isn't it?  Her work was impressive and very interesting, though sometimes a bit disquieting.

Happy from great food and captivating art, I enjoyed a good night's sleep that night.  The next day, we packed up our things, checked out, and headed over the the corner on Route 66 (La Posada is also on Route 66) where there is a statue of Jackson Browne (who wrote the famed Eagles song "Take it Easy") standing on the corner.  There is also a flatbed Ford parked on the street, and a mural on the wall which includes a girl in a flatbed Ford looking at Jackson Browne.  Of course, we had to get pictures standing on the corner, and after we visited the shop across the street.

After our visit with Jackson Browne, we said goodbye to Winslow (as my cousin put it, La Posada and the statue were literally the only things worth seeing there) and made our way to the most anticipated stop on the trip for me--the Grand Canyon!  I had never been before, and I was a bit surprised to be driving through forests and snow on my way up.  I also did not realize how common snow was at the national park--there was snow on the ground during our visit, but it was bright and warm in the sunshine (with my winter coat on).  The Grand Canyon was unbelievable.  I feel like I can't do it justice in attempt to describe it, but one aspect that left an impression on me was how incredibly vast the Canyon is.  I felt like it looked almost 2-dimensional to me, because there were so many levels and I could hardly determine where one ended and the other began.

Next Stop: Phoenix!