Arriving from California, the visit to Arizona begins with its capital, Phoenix, then moves on to the true wonders of the state and of all America. After a short stop at the Indian settlement of Montezuma Castle, we pass through Sedona, Flagstaff and Page, ending with two parks that are nothing short of marvellous: the immense Grand Canyon and the legendary Monument Valley, on the border with Utah.
........continues from MeravigliosoWEST1: Californian Dream.....
We then continued on to Phoenix. I didn't like the city and it gave the impression of being really quite unsafe. We stayed in the rich and touristy suburb of Scottsdale, a made-in-USA reconstruction of a typical far west village. Steak house and Saloon truly memorable.
Crossing the edge of the Sonora desert we set off towards the Grand Canyon with a first stop at the tiny park of Montezuma Castle: the remains of an ancient Indian settlement. We then passed through Sedona: only by crossing it is it possible to understand why it was chosen by the gurus of the new age. Magical atmosphere. Changing landscapes radically we reached Flagstaff, crossing the mythical Route 66. Only in the afternoon did we reach the south rim of the Grand Canyon: the thousands of photos and videos will never convey the reality. The season gave us the luck of being alone; we arrived with a thick sky and the sun beginning to set, the temperature around 0° and the wind. Leaning over those terraces... well... I have never felt such a sensation of fullness. Grandeur and wonder of Mother Nature! We stayed until well after dark, when it was the biting cold that drove us away.
At the canyon village there are hotels, campsites and restaurants; at this time of year... all closed! For dinner we have to make do with what's left in one of the few open fast foods in Tusayan, where we spend the night. Goodbye Grand Canyon, it's a Promise.
Early in the morning we left Tusayan heading for Kayenta, but not before having spent a good hour or more with our gaze once again lost in the canyon, witnessing the sunrise and the transformation of the colours on the layers of rock. Today too the road we travel is wonderful and speaks to us every minute of freedom. Kayenta, capital of the Navajo reservation, is a little sad. We stop to eat at the McDonald's in the little town; we are the only tourists and everyone tries to stop us to act as guides or sell us something. The poverty is palpable. We continue towards Monument Valley, now close, and indeed before long the road turns into wonder and from afar we begin to see the outlines, by now famous, of the most infamous west. The park is run by the Navajo and the pass is no longer valid, but for $10 you can access by car the 17-mile loop that allows you to visit the park at its best.
In winter a 4x4 is obligatory, otherwise you will have to make do with the guided tour. The valley is simply fantastic. Here too we were alone. Colours and spaces indescribable. In the late afternoon on the road again as far as Page, where we spent the night.
We set off again from Page, skirting Lake Powell toward the border with Utah.
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