Welcome to Cindy and David's 2014 Adventures
Grand Canyon
It was a long drive to the Grand Canyon but extremely interesting to watch the Arizona countryside whizz past (just like the movies - all those craggy rock formations). Just as we approached the Canyon we had to stop to take a photo of the magnificent sunset.
After a short drive the next day from our hotel, there it was, the Grand Canyon in all its glory. We were able to walk along the Rim all day in fact. In the morning, along the east side and in the afternoon the west side until it became too dark and we caught a shuttle bus back to the car park.
Lori and Jeff in walking mode.
It was unfortunate that, although a warm day, it was cloudy and so the photos don't catch the full glory and depth of the Canyon. Incidentally, the Canyon is 277 miles long, averages a mile deep and 10 miles wide. Quite breath-taking. As we have found with everything else in the USA, everything is done properly, good footpaths, plenty of parking and refreshments etc. I suppose it is just as well as it is obviously one of the main tourist attractions in the country. I am exceedingly glad we did not come over in full season!!!
Above, the two distant rocky points are called the Tower of Ra and the Isis Temple.
Somewhere down there is the great Colorado River.
As a footnote I must comment about our shuttle bus driver who took us part way back to our car park. He was an elderly gentleman and I think by that time of the day he had had enough of stupid tourists. The buses are many and frequent and he had already explained that his bus dropped us off at the end of the blue route and the red route would take us the rest of the way. And yes the red route bus stop was right across from the blue route stop.
Having explained all that over the bus loud speaker, someone immediately spoke up and asked how far did this bus go and could it take him directly to the car park. Well, there was a deadly silence and then the driver's decidedly southern drawl stayed icily polite and he spoke slowly and succinctly, repeating exactly his previous words, ending with the phrase, "you know, it is exactly the same route you came along only back the other way. Okay?" Sigh.
Having explained all that over the bus loud speaker, someone immediately spoke up and asked how far did this bus go and could it take him directly to the car park. Well, there was a deadly silence and then the driver's decidedly southern drawl stayed icily polite and he spoke slowly and succinctly, repeating exactly his previous words, ending with the phrase, "you know, it is exactly the same route you came along only back the other way. Okay?" Sigh.
An amazing part of the world.