After breakfast at LaBellavia, a perfect little local spot tucked off the main drag, we searched out Sunset Crater, the site of a thousand-year-old volcano twenty miles north of Flagstaff and were duly impressed with the river of lava frozen in time for over ten centuries. Seeing that liquid rock flow down the mountains would have been heart-stopping; even all these years later its awesome destructive power taxes the imagination. John, Paul and I trudged to the top of a nearby mountaintop, lungs burning from the thin air. The view from the summit was well worth the effort.
Sedona! I've heard about it many times and always with the same promise. Unmatched scenery that will leave me speechless. Not an exaggeration. The drive from Flagstaff to Sedona on Route 89 was indeed incredible. The red rocks with contrasting deep green growth of trees and vegetation are beautiful. The sheer magnitude of the mountains, cliffs, and canyons cannot be described adequately; it needs to be seen to be believed. It literally almost brought me to tears and I don't tear up frivolously. Enough said.
We made arrangements to meet cousin Dorothy and her husband for supper and upon the recommendations of a few locals we had a wonderful meal at Cafe Jose's followed by frozen yogurt from a unique, serve-yourself place across the street named Zainey's. There were twelve flavors. Run-of-the-mill flavors like strawberry and chocolate mixed with not-so-normal varieties like cake batter and cookie dough. A bar of toppings held things I've never heard of before. All delectable. We waddled out holding our swelling bellies, vowing to return.
And then, after a good night's sleep, we turned our car toward Montezuma's Castle. Set high above the ground in a sheer face wall, the Sinagua people carved their homes into the rocks more than 800 years ago. No one knows why they abandoned a place that is still impressive all these centuries later. My mind was filled with possibilities, most of them somewhat creepy.
Moving on, we returned to Sedona and found the "church on the rock". High on a hill, with windows reaching from floor to ceiling, the little chapel has breathtaking views. I'm not sure how anyone can concentrate on anything the preacher has to say. Maybe he doesn't say anything. Maybe the congregation just gazes out the window in silence. In truth, that would be a better sermon than some I've heard. We finally tore ourselves away and moved on. But not before noting the address of the monstrosity of a mansion someone built immediately below the Chapel of the Holy Cross. I felt compelled to investigate whose it is and how it came to be there.
If you're interested, here's a link to the information I found on "the house". http://sedonablog.blogspot.com/2008/02/sedonas-huge-house-by-chapelwho-really.html. I assumed the house was there before the church, but discovered it's the other way around. I fail to comprehend why anyone with limitless money would want to live where thousands of people will look down on everything happening on their property. Exhibitionism on a grand scale. I found interior photographs indicating time spent watching HGTV for decor tips would be in order. Pink and gold are all good when it comes to little girls and financial investments, but as a design color palate they leave me wanting.
We drove more back roads thus cleansing our minds of the pollution brought on by "the house" and ate a picnic lunch at yet another pull-off. On the advice of fellow-hikers from Flagstaff we sought out a unique shopping area in the city called Tlaquepaque. Saying the name is as fun as visiting the place. It's an enclosed shopping and restaurant complex that looks like a small South American town. Giant sycamore trees provide shade and the buildings are designed around them, their white-barked limbs literally rising up through the walls and courtyards.
Evening found us at the local airport, perched high atop one of the beautiful Sedona mountains. We were told to see the sunset from there. But it was not to be. After a sunny, warm day, thick clouds rolled in, bringing with them a chilling wind and obscuring any sun, setting or otherwise. The views were amazing anyway. We said goodbye to one of the most beautiful places I've ever been and consoled ourselves with more frozen yogurt at Zainey's.
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