Kagoshima's Brush Up Seminar and Sakurajima

The Brush Up Seminar for Kagoshima ALT's met for 3 days in Kagoshima, I can't remember if it was September or October.  The purpose was to get the English teachers together for sharing teaching ideas, talk about coping with adjustments, big and small, and to have those ALT's who had lived there for a year or more tell us their favorite places to buy things we felt we needed, cheapest way to get phone service overseas, travel agencies to book trips home and all around Asia, etc.  It was something I was sure I would enjoy, but I didn't realize it would open up a new world for me to explore.  And I would meet several people there that would would become good friends, and 20 years later, I still think of them as good friends.  Rochelle (from Hawaii) taught in Okuchi, Brigid (from Chiacgo) in Amami Oshima, Simon (from Canada) on the east side of Kagoshima Bay and Shawn, (from Florida) in Kirishima, but she had been on an island named Tanegashima.  Maria, (from California) was right in the city of Kagoshima.  Besides Nancy, (from New Orleans area)  and Brian (from Ireland), this group became my closest friends from the program for the years we shared in Japan and beyond in addition to several who would come later in the program or I would meet them at parties along the way.

Evelyn, Nancy, Maria and Simon learning to make sushi in Kagoshima.

At our seminar some sumo wrestlers from a high school put on a show for us.

We had meetings in the morning and afternoon, led by the experienced ALT's, and we had lunches together and then dinner and partying on the town.  I found my way around the downtown area of Kagoshima and it was so exciting.  There was a McDonald's that I would later refer to as "Gourmet Food" because it tasted like home.  On a later trip I would discover a Kentucky Fried Chicken,  Wahoo!

 In Tenmonkan, at the city's center, were shops, bars and restaurants, and the large and fascinating Yamakataya department store.  This  trip of a little more than an hour's bus ride into Kagoshima opened up a gateway to a new part of my world.

The stained glass dome above the center of Tenmonkan shopping district in Kagoshima.

Kagoshima City near Nishi Eki  train station.

A Buddhist Monk gives a child a blessing in front of shops in Tenmonkan.

When I saw the monk giving a blessing to a child I felt that I should ask to take the picture, but didn't know how to say much in Japanese 2 months into the program.  I said excuse me, and made some gestures.  He replied, "Sure, you can take our picture."  So, of course, I had to speak with him some more and found out that he lived in Los Angeles for a couple of years!  Through my years in Japan I would run into him often, in the city center but also at parks further out from the city.  It was always a treat, and I always thought of him fondly as "my" Buddhist monk. 

I also found a personal favorite go to souvenir shop on one of these trips around Tenmonkan.  It was a tiny little shop filled with wonders of ceramics, lacquered woods, knick knacks, all vividly Japanese in size, shape, form, texture and color.  I would come in once a month after we got paid and make a purchase of a good piece, a tea set, dishes, something that attracted me.  I soon found out the reason for the beautiful things was that it was a wedding shop.  They soon learned to recognize me, here as well as several other shops that I frequented.  I don't remember the name of the shops now , but the wedding shop owner is below practicing a folk art of days long gone.  He was making sandals of natural fiber similar to twine for working in the fields.

Using both hands and feet, sandals waraji are being woven that will just fit!

Yamakataya was a mega department store, like a Macy's, but the big one in NYC with many food vendors, both food to take home and cook, and prepared foods, candies, teas, fish, the works, and many of these were in the international foods section.  This was where I bought the French imported Fauchon apple tea that I so loved to drink. It was the tea used by the chef at Southern Cross and was such an indulgence it felt like going to a spa to sit and sip away, served with a beautiful tea set I bought in Tenmonkan.

Yamakataya, in addition to food, high end clothes, accessories, makeup, shoes, traditional kimono,  also sold all the wonderful china, pottery, lacquered woods, fans  and good quality souvenirs one could want.  One floor was dedicated to art exhibits, including kimono and ikebana (flower arranging) shows.  It was several stories tall, and the basement was where all the foods were. It was like a trip to Disneyland  to see so many beautiful things in one place.  It became a go to place for me to admire all the beautiful things, and also a place to visit many of the exhibits.  I became a regular over the years I spent there.

Most of these are from  the shops in Yamakataya and Tenmonkan.  Some were gifts, some I bought, the dolls were from my brother when I was a small child.  The beautiful Phoenix (Ho Oh) is a painting by a Kagoshima artist.Yoshikawa Ryo.

Yamakataya was also where gracefully uniformed elevator girls extended beautifully white-gloved hands and invited you to enter the elevator, then in equally uniform voices announced the number of the floor when the door opened.  I grew up in that small town I keep mentioning.  Before a senior citizens' building went in there, we didn't even HAVE an elevator.  The young women intrigued me, so perfectly coiffed, made-up and dressed, with a mere touch of a smile.

One of the featured activities for the ALT's if they chose to go, was taking the ferry across the bay to Sakurajima, the active volcano in the ken (province).  By active, it still does some showy eruptions, but most often billows plumes of smoke and small bits of ash that can cover cars, hair and flowers and gardens with the fine gray ash.  In fact, since it rains down on everything, the best way to protect oneself is to walk with an umbrella when it is active.  It is a well known sight to all Japanese as it has a beautiful outline and towers above the sea.  It fascinated me that a part of the weather forecast on TV always showed a directional arrow for the ash to blow so you would know whether to hang your clothes outside or not!

This sign says it is o.k. for  you to leave the ash you have collected and bagged here for pickup. 

The seminar had been a wonderful event for finding new friends    and new places.  Japan held many little nooks and crannies worthy   of my time and exploration and I began to make plans with the other ALT's, inviting them to explore Kaseda with me and in turn I would visit their locales and see their favorite spots.  The plans were exciting and took time away from my counting down the days to return home in 10 months.  The adventure of a year in Japan was starting to turn from what had been down right dismal to somewhat pleasurable.

All ALT's  received information an invitation to participate in the largest annual festival in Kagoshima, to be held in November right on the main street of the city.  It is the Ohara Matsuri and features several hours of dancing in the street to very old folk music that I believe celebrates the harvests.  This festival has been held for  over 60 years and it is still held every November.  It would be a few weeks after the seminar ended and there would be at least one practice session.  Dancing in the streets, yup, definitely right up my alley.  I signed up and had something else to use for a countdown of days. 
This is the website for Yamakataya in Kagoshima, in Japanese.  http://www.yamakataya.co.jp/shop/kagoshima/k-furusato

Future posts will include more on the volcano, Sakurajima, and the Ohara Matsuri with dancing in the streets, and fall at my favorite shrine, Takeda Jinja.  Please feel free to leave comments!

 

Kaleidoscope, Part VI

Our vacation to this point had truly been a kaleidoscope of adventures.  We started with the WOW of Hollywood,  followed with the restive spirit of the Native American themed desert resort, the joy of Chihuly in the cactus gardens,  the awesome colors of rock formations in Sedona, and then the full grandeur of the Grand Canyon.

And now we had an afternoon to spend in Flagstaff, a bit of shopping still to do and time to spare on this last leisurely day before we boarded the train at 4:00 a.m. to head back East.  I expected to find some good food and a few galleries within a few blocks area to fill the time.  This city is home to about 20,000 students enrolled at Northern Arizona University, and about 65,000 full time residents.  I did not see how many thousands, or hundreds of thousands or more visit annually to pass through Route 66 and visit the Grand Canyon, using Flagstaff for a base.  I did see that the Grand Canyon gets as many as 5 million visitors a year.

We had taken a taxi from the hotel and were dropped off in the midst of the historic downtown district, a short walk from the train station.  Since Route 66 runs right through Flagstaff, and it's truly an old town of the West, it gets a huge share of visitors, yet we found lots of residents willing to chat and give suggestions of more things to see, to do and to eat.  Their pride in Flagstaff was most apparent and it made us warm to the place immediately.

We chose a place called the Mountain Oasis for lunch.  It had been recommended by our Grand Canyon tour guide, John.  The restaurant was cozy and had ample seating and friendly staff.   I ordered a hot chicken sandwich with just the right combination of cheese and aioli, lettuce, and tomato.  I am not always a sandwich person, but this was delicious.  Toshiro had an ahi tuna dish that was good but not as yummy as mine! 

The Mountain Oasis and other quaint and interesting shops and restaurants across from Heritage Square

Brick walls were hung with Dali-esque style paintings by a  local artist, Sky Black.  His art was visually appealing and displayed a great sense of humor that I especially appreciated.  If I had more wall space, I would have loved to purchase one.  You can see more of his work at skyblackart.com or Facebook.com/skyblackart. Truly, please check this out!  Several of the paintings shown at the website were at the Mountain Oasis and I enjoyed them all, taking a walk around the restaurant before our food came, and another lingering one on our way out, just to stop and study each one.  They filled me with admiration for his creativity as well as his technique and talent for painting.

Tea Time But Still Dreaming by Sky Black

Affaire d' Coeur by Sky Black

 We headed down the street, going into shops like the Sweet Shoppe and Nut House with not only candies but candles for great souvenirs.  But having just eaten we were able to bypass the candies, and did not want to carry the candles that were shaped like cactus around with us. 

We then entered the Erica Vhay Gallery where Toshiro kept saying "Umai".  It means I envy her ability and I wish I could do that.  He began a lengthy conversation with the gallery manager who happened to be Erica's husband, Darryl Brown.  He conveniently worked on his web design firm from the gallery.  We learned they  had gravitated to Flagstaff from the Northwest for his wife's art and a desirable lifestyle.  As they continued to talk I admired all of Erica's work, and also a guest artist John Stebila who did sculptures with metals and clock pieces, that were again quite original.  We were having a splendid time here, at the gallery and Flagstaff as a whole.  You can see more of Erica's work at www.ericavhay.com and John Stebila's website is http://stebilastudios.com.

Paintings by Erika Vhay

 After quite a lengthy chat at the Vhay Gallery, we headed across Heritage Square, obviously a central meeting place for all to come and enjoy.  We talked with several people who were out and about enjoying  Flagstaff.  Some were visiting to tour the Grand Canyon just like we were.  But others lived here, having moved from California and Arkansas and the northern states.  They retired here; they came here to work.  But Flagstaff was a place they chose because they were drawn here.  

As the afternoon progressed, I found myself drawn here, too.  The people that we met were awesomely friendly, talented and each had a story to tell. If I were younger and looking to relocate, I would be doing serious job searches and getting in touch with movers to calculate costs right now to get the move on before winter!

Richard and jamie McNeil with (baby) Huey, a Bernese mountain dog, Hunk, a rottweiler, and Huckelberry, an English mastiff puppy,   They are great examples of happy, smiling Flagstaff residents.

Mural by Joe Sorren in Heritage Square.  He is an alumni of Northern Arizona University.

Sculpture in Heritage Square

From the Square we checked out the public restrooms, which is only notable because then we found a wonderful little place called the Old Town Creperie.  Ahh, but we were still too full.  So much food and it all looked good.  Here we found another small business owner, Jamie, who with business partner Laura Anne had opened the restaurant after deciding to make Flagstaff her home coming from somewhere in the East.

Charming storefront at the Old Town Creperie

The Old Town Creperie has an appealing entrance, and an outside seating area also.

We stopped next at Steep Leaf Lounge, a tea shop that was still going through some renovation, and getting ready to put in a 20 seat bar for tea tastings.  It was filled with lovely ceramics and I found an earthy white/gray heart-shaped mug by Alma Angelina of Yuma Arizona. This little shop had great gifts and again very friendly staff.  (https://www.leaflounge.com/shop/index.php)

After Steep we were ready to put our bags down and take a break.  My neighbor had recommended Charlie's Pub in the historic Weatherford Hotel and we had saved it for last, (always my favorite tactic).  We sat outside in the pleasant air, ordered cold drinks and studied the menu.  And as I read about the history of the building where Charlies' Pub was located, a childhood delight unfolded in my kaleidoscope of memories!

The Weatherford Hotel had opened its doors in 1900.  The roads were only dirt and travel was by horse and buggy.   Check it out here:  http://weatherfordhotel.com/   The hotel was visited by many famous people including Zane Grey, an author of the Wild West, who wrote many famous books like Spirit of the Border and Riders of the Purple Sage, also a movie.  He had  visited in the early 1900's soon after it opened.  So  what and never heard of him many of you might say.  But, as a kid,  Zane Grey was my second favorite author, right after Carolyn Keene, who wrote the Nancy Drew series. 

I have always had a ravenous appetite for reading.  While Calgon can take many away from their stress, I went to all those wonderful places with books. When I was 9 or 10  my dad would drive me to our small town's library and I would run in and fill my arms with as many books as I could carry.  I had to take that many because the library was quite small, and I believe it was only open on Saturdays.  It might have been open on Wednesdays, too, but perhaps my dad worked so I could only go on Saturdays.  My arms could hardly hold the books, usually 8 or 9 of them, but I would go home and start immediately.  My parents were pretty easy on me, and I could stay up late.  I would have all the books finished by late Tuesday or Wednesday night.  I just couldn't stop myself.  Then I would be bored until I could go back and get refills!  

But now I was where Zane Grey had sat and drank and slept.  What a revelation!  Now, of course, unless you are my age or older, and probably a guy, you have never even heard of him.  But if I had only read Nancy Drew, I would have run out of books, so I had turned to Zane Grey.  I also had my own collection of Trixie Belden books, hard-covers that could be purchased in the five and dime for 59 cents.  Those were read and re-read a hundred times, at least, to fill in until I could get to the library again.

Aiding me in collecting some of this information about the history of the hotel, because I was now feeling inspired and wanted to write about Flagstaff, was our very wonderful waiter, Mr. Martinez.  He made copies of the hard cover menus with the history of the hotel and invited me to go in and look around. 
The hotel still looked very old but they were working hard to renovate a bit at a time.  The old safe was in the lobby, along with some other antiques.  It was so interesting to see it.  Behind the lobby was a large old wooden bar with several customers, drinking eating and playing pool.  Renovation is a continuing process here and they are going to put in a "speakeasy" club downstairs for their next project.

Be sure to order the Fried Bread Taco!

Charlie's Pub in  the Weatherford Hotel

Weatherford Hotel lobby staircase, the ATM looks very out of place in this old atmosphere.

The hotel's old safe was a beauty.

Outside, at the table behind us was a cute little boy eating fries and chicken fingers but his face was painted like Spiderman.  His name was Christiano Cox Martinez and it turned out he was the waiter's son.  He was well mannered and most impressed that I, too, could spin out a web complete with sounds since I had a grandson his age who had given me very good lessons. 

I talked with his father's friend, Erika McNalley, who had brought him in and found that the dentist in town had had a children's party at the office to get the kids in and used to going to the dentist.  And they brought in the face painter as an activity for the kids.  Really, how could someone in this place not love it?

Cristiano Cox Martinez (Spiderman) and Erika McNalley  I am sorry we didn't notice the pole when taking this photo!

Before I knew it I saw several young women carrying vases with flowers and bags of trimmings into the hotel entrance.  I stopped the right person walking by and asked if it was for a wedding.  Yes, she said and she was the bride!  The wedding would be on Saturday and they were getting the Zane Grey ballroom set up for the reception.  She had just graduated from college the previous Saturday and while the family was in town, the wedding was going to follow. 

Excitedly, since I just love weddings and flowers, I gushed that if I were going to be in town, I would invite myself to the wedding.  At which point, my own thoughts were provoking questions to myself, like what is the matter with you, and why are you talking to everyone like you know them?  I had a little conversation with myself and decided it must be the elevation.  The elevation of Flagstaff is 7000 feet.  The elevation where I live now is 10 feet above sea level, and watch out for the storm surge!

 Meanwhile the bride explained that the wedding would be in the church at the top of the hill, and rather than get a limo they would make a procession down to the hotel, about 4 blocks and the bride and bridesmaids would carry parasols.  I practically drooled and wished we could have stayed longer in paradise, I mean Flagstaff. 

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel

We sat there for at least two hours watching people come and go, talking to the waiter, Mr. Martinez, and everyone else and then decided we really should get back to the hotel.  We asked for a taxi and stayed inside in the cozy lobby, watching for it to appear.  We noticed 3 fellows seated outside, and as we watched the waiter brought them 3 orders of one of the Pub's specialties, the Fried Bread Tacos.  I had heard they were delicious, but we had been too full to order anything more.  Wow, I so wished we had saved some room.  They were so big they filled a platter and were piled high with toppings.  Easily one platter could have served two or more. 

Before I knew what I was doing, I was out of my chair and chatting away to the 3 fellows and found they were taking a 3 day hike into the canyon. They were visiting from New York.  At that the taxi drove up, and my husband came out of the lobby, took my arm, steered me away, and said "Excuse us, but she loves talking to everyone."  Yes, definitely the elevation.

We had discovered  a town full of activities and thriving small shops and restaurants with quality goods, creative and beautiful art, and fabulous food.  Flagstaff proved to be the the piece de resistance, the dessert of the several courses of our vacation!

 We have been back from vacation for about 2 months now and I still cannot quite explain it, but Flagstaff was very much alive and very special.  And I am still questioning myself about it, and wondering if it was the elevation or maybe the water?

When we returned to the hotel we had a light, uneventful dinner and tried to get some sleep before we left for the station in the wee hours of the morning.  We would travel overnight to Chicago and then another overnight on a different train to get into Washington D.C.  Again we experienced meeting interesting people in the dining car.  One huge bit of sightseeing for me occurred in New Mexico as we were going into Colorado. 

The car attendant had announced we were coming into an area of lots of wild life and we should pay close attention.  Just a few minutes after Toshiro got up to use the restroom I saw 3 grizzly bears maybe 100 yards from our cabin's window.  We were moving about 40 miles an hour, so I didn't try to get a picture.  It looked like a huge mama bear with two very good sized young bears.  They were light brown and sitting and looking - at us as the train rolled by.  Poor Toshiro did not get to see them, nor did those on the other side of the train.  But it was a sighting I hope I can always remember.

Somewhere in Kansas I took this shot of the many barns I like to photograph from the train, en route from Flagstaff to Chicago.  This is why I so enjoy travel by train.

 And so, dear readers, the series of the Kaleidoscope ends.  It took me forever to be able to get my thoughts together on Flagstaff.  I wanted to do it justice, because it will always have a very warm place in my heart.  Of course, the earlier separate parts of our vacation, new places and old friends, was so very special.  I will be forever grateful to our friends for sharing time with us.  It is, after all, the best gift we can give or receive.   And over time, it is the collection of these shared events that will click in my kaleidoscope of memories to be remembered again and again. 

See you next time on this blog, when I will be getting back to Japan.  I hope you enjoyed sharing our Southwest adventures.  And please leave comments!

Life is a Kaleidoscope, Part V

We headed north from Sedona on a scenic winding road following Oak Creek Canyon and  often had a view of Oak Creek itself as the road wound around the mountains beside it.  There were some bed and breakfasts tucked away from the road with tree covered drives that looked very inviting.  It was another sunny and beautiful day for a great vacation that seemed longer because of the changing climates, landscapes, elevations, and ground cover.  Then we began to see a lot of tall and leafy trees, but as we got closer to Flagstaff, we saw more pine trees. We could still see varied rock formations and rocky hillsides and as we climbed the hills and small mountains, we looked down into valleys.

photo taken from the entrance to Slide Rock State Park

It was only a two hour drive and we made only one stop at a scenic lookout for some pictures.  At this stop were several vendors selling jewelry and some wood carvings.  We made some small purchases and I oohed and awed over the scenery as we took more photos.  Soon we were on the outskirts of Flagstaff.   Since this was the best jumping off point for touring  the Grand Canyon,  hotels and restaurants were everywhere and we found an easy place for lunch, Cracker Barrel.

photo taken from the scenic lookout

Afterwards, Wei drove us to the town center where we made a stop at the Visitor's Center and picked up some brochures.  The Visitor's Center was in the same building as the old train station.  From here we could look up one of the main streets to a major intersection with old hotels and many restaurants, shops, and galleries.  It looked inviting, and like many a small town with lots of tourists.   I expected that Flagstaff would be a lively place as it is a college town, home to Northern Arizona University.  We would revisit it on the last day of our vacation.  At first glance, it seemed like an interesting place and worthy of a few hours of exploration. ( So we will save this visit for Kaleidoscope, Part VI, which will be the last in this series and then the blog will return to life in Japan.)

But the time had come to leave the town center and check into the Woodlands, our hotel of choice for the last 3 days of our vacation.  It was also time to bid adieu to our very good friend and guide, Wei.  He had been a superior guide and driver, but first of all friend, and our shared memories over the past years in Japan and then brief meetings in the east U.S. would now make those little facets intertwine in that kaleidoscope of moments then and now, good memories to fall in place suddenly while thinking of something else that may or may not relate to Phoenix, fry bread, cactus, Chihuly glass, roadrunners, Gambel's quail, Sedona, a whole lot of rocks, and now Flagstaff.  It had been a great 4 days!

The Woodlands was a nice hotel, large and spacious and comfortable rooms, although ours had no view, looking at a wall some feet away, with a corner view of a pool off to the right.  But we weren't spending much time there so it did not matter.  We explored about the hotel, checked the lobby's computers for emails and took a break in our room before a light dinner in one of the hotel's restaurants.  It was pricey, not memorable, but we were tired and did not care.  We had a BIG day coming up ahead of us.  Finally, we were heading to the Grand Canyon.  And we would need to get up fairly early to make sure and have a good breakfast, pack sun screen and snacks to go along, and be prepared as we were going on an all day tour.   No turning back for what I might forget.

Are you one of those people who takes two tries to get out the door?  I don't know why, but it seems I have to get a block away to remember toothbrushes, or toothpaste, or some other more important item.  I should just plan to take a trip around the block to jog my memory.  And I do make lists!

We got a really comfy night's sleep and woke up ready to GO!  I had researched the entire trip using mostly the Internet, and some AAA books for places and high points once we got there.  I had found All Star Tours that offered all day trips to the Grand Canyon and had called and asked them many questions that satisfied me  this would be a good way to see a lot and have very little responsibility.  They would pick us up and drop us off right at the hotel, and they provided a picnic lunch.

We were down in the lobby ahead of time and our driver and guide picked us up in about 15 minutes.  We were leaving about 9 a.m., heading north and around and about scenic roads to the canyon for some 80 miles.  Stops were comfortably scheduled to provide bathrooms, the shuttle van was very comfy with an aisle down the middle and single seats to either side.  We were a cozy group of 10 and our guide John was young, enthusiastic, and enjoyed pointing out details of interest on the way.  It was a very good thing he had the energy he did, because getting in and out and driving all day, and trying so hard to take everything in was really draining.  Perhaps the sun and elevation had a lot to do with that.

He had two coolers of drinks packed for us as well as bags of pretzels and chips and kept encouraging us to drink more than usual because of the elevation.  We all took part in helping ourselves to the beverages, soda and water, and didn't hesitate to ask John questions.  He had a lot of great answers, was very knowledgeable about geology, the canyon, and the entire area.  He had been in the area for a couple of years after being on the move for several years before.  When he came to Flagstaff he found what he was looking for and settled down.  He is an active member of the community and works both as a driving guide and as a guide on hikes down into the canyon.  He was making a case that Flagstaff was more than what it appeared as we had driven through it.

Our tour hit several stops along the rim, including one where John could sight in the spotting scope on the pack mules taking tourists down into the canyon on a trail that has been in use for years.  He told us the mules were put in training carrying just supplies for 3 years before they would be trusted enough to carry passengers down the steep path.

 
At another stop he sighted in some rafts pulled onto the beach where they stopped for a lunch break.   Tourists were every where at the canyon, at the top looking over, at the bottom looking up, and on hikes and mules going up and down.  Since it's over 200 miles long, 1 mile deep, and 10-18 miles across at various places. it did not seem crowded at all.  Of course, we were touring in mid-May, so summer would certainly see many more visitors.There was ample parking at each scenic sight along the south rim where we were taken, and most places had restrooms and/or gift shops, picnic tables and lots of seating both along the rim or along paths from the parking areas to the rim itself.

Rafting the canyon can be on varied length trips, 3 days to two weeks.  The park regulates the groups authorized to do the tours and how many tourists are rafting at a given time.  The two week trips can do the length of most of the canyon, and I think they would allow the most intimate way to know this natural world wonder.  

The stops we were making from Flagstaff along the South Rim were the most popular because they offered the best access to roads, and the hotels, and restaurants back in Flagstaff and also Williamson.  We could see incredible sights, but it was only a small area of the whole canyon that was accessible.  The North Rim which we could see on the other side is also available for sight seeing, but has one main lodge run by the park, is much less developed and the roads and all access are only open in summer. To  reach the North Rim from Flagstaff it is over 200 miles, so it is easy to see why most visitors see the South Rim areas only when the distance is about 80 miles. 

It was a marvelous day, pleasant temperatures, sun, blue sky, and birds, mostly vultures and ravens soaring on all the drafts created by the canyon.  We saw one helicopter, another way to tour the canyon.  We met people from around the world, Germany, Brazil and Italy to name a few.  It is a huge draw far and wide.  We were in awe of the size of the place, width across and depth, and as far to right or left as we could see there were more crevices and barren peaks colored in earthy reds, browns, grays, and yellows.  It was a place best described by pictures that cannot do it justice, but I will try.

The Colorado River offers sulky blue colors amidst the earthy tones.

Rafts could be seen on the beach with the use of a scope.

I hope you can understand that I have not gone into many facts about this place.  From my bit of reading and the brochures the canyon was formed over millions of years from erosion as the Colorado River ran through it.  But even standing right there it is very hard to comprehend other than to know there is no other name for this place but the GRAND CANYON.

We were worn out by the long day and the dazzling sights.  We decided to treat ourselves to the Sakura Japanese Restaurant in our hotel, where the food is grilled right in front of you by a talented chef.  We enjoyed our meal of shrimp and steak with veggies and rice, split a strawberry shortcake dessert and called it a night.  One more full day was left of our vacation and we would spend it in Flagstaff.  Check it out later in Kaleidoscope, Part VI. 

Please feel free to leave comments.  They can be in Japanese or other languages.  I will find a translation.  Thank you for reading my blog!
 

Life is a Kaleidoscope, Part IV

We were going into the second week of our vacation as Wei drove us north from Phoenix toward Sedona, Arizona.  A quick breakfast left us with an early but leisurely beginning.  The sun was out and already getting hot.  One advantage to heading north was that we would leave the desert behind us and climb in elevation into more pleasant, cooler weather.

We took the highway to get out of town and then wound onto a more scenic route to our destination.  We saw some hillsides of tall, shapely saguaro cactus and watched as they slowly but surely were replaced with scrub brush and small pines.  The mountains of northern Arizona were getting closer and rolling hillsides were becoming more mountainous.  I would miss the cactus but I would not miss the heat.

Previously, I mentioned Wei had volunteered to take a couple of days off work and drive us to Sedona and then beyond to Flagstaff.  I thought it was wonderfully generous of him, but he also told us he loved to visit both places.  He liked seeing the differences between the desert in his city and the small towns in the higher elevations covered with both deciduous trees and evergreens.  He told us that we would look for a local native that had a fry bread stand along the way for a mid point snack.

We found the fry bread stand along the road.  It was a simple set up.  Again, fry bread is a flour concoction of native Indians' recipes, and it is crispy on the outside after being fried like a pancake or a funnel cake.  These didn't have the restaurant meat toppings.  Instead there were only two choices, powdered sugar or sugar/cinnamon mix.  We took one of each and shared them - truly tasty, and a great snack.  We were also more than halfway to our destination now.

We had left the fry bread stand when we saw a scenic area and got out to look around.  We had barely returned to the car and started off, when Wei yelled, "Roadrunner!"  Toshiro was excitedly talking too, and even though he was in the back seat,  had been able to spot him off to the left shoulder, standing on the side of the road.  But I could not see him until he took off right across the road in front of all of us.  We were all really thrilled to see this speedy bird and I know Wei was glad to finally log his first sighting.  The bird of so many cartoons as we grew up, I must note that no coyote was in sight.

The roadrunner is not real clear, but we finally all saw it.

Soon the famous rock formations were also starting to appear gradually, each one a different shape, unique and totally stunning.  I had only heard about Sedona a few years before, but everyone that ever mentioned it since then has said, "If you go to the Grand Canyon, you MUST go to see Sedona."  I was pretty certain that I would be glad I followed that advice.

Since it was not the weekend and still mid May, there were not quite as many tourists and it did not seem too crowded.  We pulled into the Visitors' Center outside of town and gathered some info, already snapping our first scenic photos of the red rocks.  And while we were there, ran right into a couple from Maryland that we had met on the train.  It's always fun to travel and run into someone you know!   Armed with maps and brochures, we headed into town to check into our hotel and find some lunch.

We could see now why everyone said, "Don't miss Sedona!"

The formation in the center is named Bell Rock. 

As we were nearing town, we saw the first main tourist attraction, Chapel of the Holy Cross and decided it would be a good idea to stop now rather than make the trek back south of town later.  It was easily visible from the road and had a most commanding view over the valley below it.  There was available parking and then a walk up the hill.  Volunteers were driving golf carts down the incline and picking up those who were not comfortable with the climb.  It was a welcoming place and well organized.  The climb proved short but scenic as it wound up to the top of the rock it was built into with some plantings and a walkway with railings where it neared the steep edges.  There were benches for taking a break and taking in breathtaking vistas in all directions.  But right in front of us was the outcrop of the tall, windowed, but stark design of glass, stone, concrete and steel that certainly fit into its surroundings.

The view from the climb going up from the parking lot.

Awe inspiring scenery surrounds the church.

Chapel of the Holy Cross sits high and pretty in Sedona, Arizona.

A wall of windows behind the altar allows for spiritual communion to those of any faith.

Going to church is a personal thing for me.   Sometimes I can find my spiritual needs met better by being alone outside than in a building meant for that purpose.  But I never pass up a chance to ask that my family be blessed, and kept healthy and out of danger.   I took my time inside and out and thoroughly enjoyed my quiet time with God.  A steady stream of tourists were going in and out and walking around, but it was not so busy that one could not think quiet thoughts and say a prayer or two.  We took many photos of the beautiful scenery on the outside of the church and went on our way.

Taken with the telephoto as we stepped out of the church.

This variety of cactus had both yellow and pink flowers on it.

Our hotel would be the Cedars Resort of Sedona, nothing particularly fancy and really a hotel not a resort, but roomy and very comfortable and clean.  It was high above Oak Creek which we could see from our balcony.  We looked through a treed,  steep slope down to the edges of the meandering stream.  Gorgeous rock formations were framed by the sky as a backdrop beyond the trees.  It was a wonderful view.  We could hear the creek, and get all the breeze of fresh air coming right into the room. And it was pleasantly cool.

We checked in quickly and got the feel of the room, but headed out again, because we still had not had lunch.  Besides the red rocks, tourists are happy to seek out what is described "Sedona's visionary arts village ".  Tlaquepaque,  (sounds like Telawka-pawka), which was built to reflect the  tiled courtyards and plazas in Old Mexico, has shops, restaurants, beautiful fountains and an outdoor courtyard.  There was plenty of seating and birds like the beautiful yellow headed blackbird and hummingbirds all flit about from plantings to trees and trellises.

It was truly a wonderful and most beautiful place.  It was a dream of a fellow named Abe Miller to build it and he promised the former owner he would leave the sycamore trees on the grounds.  The parking lot is shaded from many trees and the courtyard areas offered intimacy yet openness.  Mr. Miller worked on this project in the 70's and went all over Mexico collecting pottery, tiles and wrought iron grill work to make the place look authentic.  It was completed in the early 80's.  Literature on the village says that throughout the year it is a place to visit not only for the arts but for many festivals, especially during the holidays.  When it first opened the artists came and opened shops, held open studios and many lived right on the premises above their shops. 

Beautiful fountains and tile work abound at Tlaquepaque.

Side entrance to the chapel.

The chapel can be used for small weddings.  What a wonderful place!

One of many, many beautiful shops.

We headed straight for the French restaurant Rene's to order some escargot as Wei told us he had not ever tried them before.  We wanted the French experience at appetizer prices, rather than the more expensive dinners that would be featured later, and that was the basis for ordering.  Two orders of escargot, a zucchini appetizer, a salad and a chicken salad on croissant proved very tasty and we just shared all of it.  Wei found that the snails were quite good, but unfortunately they were already pried out of the shell, so he will have to have that part of the experience another time.  I figure anything drowning in butter, garlic and parsley is worth eating.   We ate outside on a tiled terrace with the sound of water falling into a beautiful tiled fountain and the birds and foliage all around us.  It was heavenly.  I still don't understand the vortices, but I believe I found one at Rene's!

Rene's was the perfect choice for a light lunch.

Toshiro enjoyed our lunch  in front of the pretty tile work all around us.

Wei enjoyed his first taste of the French dish escargot.

After taking a walk into several of the shops admiring jewelry, hand blown glass, oil paintings and ceramics, we left to take a break back at our rooms to get ready and go out to see more rocks and the sunset from the airport mesa, and then have a late dinner.

We took some photos on the way to the airport mesa, the highest viewpoint in Sedona with lots of parking (and an airstrip).  There were about 100 other tourists up there with cameras ready, but the sunset itself was a non event.  Perhaps the air was too clear and cloudless skies prevented any drama.  Everyone left a little perplexed as to why they had made the trip for that specific time,  but with the pleasant weather and good views in all directions, many photos were still being taken.

Love to see the moon in the light of day.

Shadows playing on the rocks.

We chose a little western style restaurant with a home cooking sign and enjoyed too large platters of trout, pulled pork, and a chicken dish.  It was good but we were tired after being outside most of the day.  We took the leftovers back to the hotel, and Toshiro saved it for his breakfast the next morning.

After a good night's sleep the shops beckoned to Wei and Toshiro, who is always game for finding new galleries.  I chose to eat the hotel's continental breakfast of bagels and cream cheese on the balcony overlooking Oak Creek with binoculars and birdbooks at the ready.  When they returned from hunting down art work, we were ready to head for Flagstaff via a very scenic route.  The stay in wonderful Sedona had come to an end.