Beehive House, was built between 1853 and 1855 for Brigham Young and family when he was President of The Mormons and governor of Utah. A short tour of the house (by two young attractive ladies) gave an interesting overview of Brigham Young and his endeavours, as well as the early days in the church. Our tour guides were very quick to point out that nowadays the church didn’t condone polygamy, even if Brigham Young had multiple wives, and even built a second house (Lion House) to fit all of his wives and children. They were also very vague about how new prophets were chosen. Although ‘God chooses each new prophet’ I have a feeling that quite a bit more earthly politics are involved. All in all, Temple Square seemed like a beautiful, shiny advertisement to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The flowers were blooming in bursts of color, architecture was spectacular, the people were beautiful, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that a scam was afoot.
Main stop on our agenda in Salt Lake City was obviously Temple Square, the Mormon City Center. This 10 acre landscaped garden and building complex was a sight to behold. Firstly, we were greeted by a friendly young Australian woman at the Visitor’s Centre, and invited to look around. Upstairs, we found a delightful gallery of paintings of Jesus’ good works. So far, so normal. Next, the 11 foot statue of Jesus, positioned in an empty room painted to represent the solar system. A little weird, but beautiful in a way. After, a quick stop at the Mormon Tabernacle, Assembly Hall, and Beehive House, in all of which we were greeted by more young, attractive ladies dressed in similar modest attire. Where were all the old people, the men, and the ugly people? Things were starting to feel a little more cult-ish. Beehive House, was built between 1853 and 1855 for Brigham Young and family when he was President of The Mormons and governor of Utah. A short tour of the house (by two young attractive ladies) gave an interesting overview of Brigham Young and his endeavours, as well as the early days in the church. Our tour guides were very quick to point out that nowadays the church didn’t condone polygamy, even if Brigham Young had multiple wives, and even built a second house (Lion House) to fit all of his wives and children. They were also very vague about how new prophets were chosen. Although ‘God chooses each new prophet’ I have a feeling that quite a bit more earthly politics are involved. All in all, Temple Square seemed like a beautiful, shiny advertisement to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The flowers were blooming in bursts of color, architecture was spectacular, the people were beautiful, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that a scam was afoot. Well, the name says it all really. This park has LOTS of natural rock arches. Unfortunately, by this point in the trip, we had seen lots of red rocks, and were both sick with some kind of mystery stomach bug. So, we took the tour of Arches the American way. By driving round their road loop, and only exiting the car to eat and use the bathroom. Occasionally we walked a loop of a couple of hundred of meters, but otherwise, sat back and experienced sightseeing like the locals. My favorite of all the US State or National parks, Bryce was a series of tall, red ant like hills, spread throughout a valley. Short walking trails lead you right down and onto the valley floor, under natural bridges and around the base of giant red spies and spikes. I found Bryce Canyon totally magical, and couldn’t help imagining the giant human/ant people that might have created this breathtaking panorama. Zion is another of the USA’s super National Parks, with a well-orchestrated bus system to ferry tourists around the park. While our visit was badly timed (we arrived on National Park weekend, where the $25 entrance fee was waived) once you left the path, the park was big enough to leave the crowds behind. There were so many places to climb and scramble, it was definitely the most interactive of any of the parks we visited. Sadly, I was sick and wasn`t able to enjoy as much of the walking as I would have liked.
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109 miles North East of the Grand Canyon National Park sits Page, and the border of the Navajo Nation. Covering sections of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah, the Navajo Nation reservation is a section of the traditional tribal lands of the Navajo people. We were lucky enough to spend two weeks with Paul and Baya helping out on their ranch and with their Bed and Breakfast Shash Dine'. The ranch was bursting with activity; 8 dogs, 2 cats, goats, sheep, horses, chickens, ducks and even a pair of peacocks, there was always something to do! Our last day on the ranch we were invited to help with branding a yearling on a neighboring property, which was both thrilling and exhilarating. Luckily Baya’s father Al was there to issue instructions, because the two of us had absolutely no idea what we were doing. We were really made to feel like a part of the family, and it was a wonderful chance to find out a little more about Native American culture and food. It had been a long time since I’d eaten lamb, and I was very happy to find that lamb featured heavily in the traditional Navajo diet. If you’re passing through the area and need somewhere to stay, we would highly recommend Shash Dine'. Accommodation is Baya’s grandmothers traditional Hogan, still used for ceremonies and Navajo family events. Accommodation also includes a traditional breakfast, a great ‘glamping’ atmosphere and a chance to meet the ranches’ furred and feathered residents. Antelope CanyonAfter a bumpy ride across the red sand in the back of a pick-up, visitors arrive at the mouth of Antelope Canyon. Tall, smooth red walls curve and arc the length of the canyon. Our guide was wonderful at instructing how and where to take photos, giving us info about the best settings for your camera and the best angles for remarkable shots. A quick walk up the canyon and back, this tour is suitable for everyone, and while multiple tour groups in one space detract from the magic pf the place, it’s still completely jaw dropping. Back on the Rach, Baya’s mum Lyn told us that when she was a girl the canyon was their playground, back before it was transformed into a tourist attraction. I can only imagine the wonderful games you could play in the cool shade of the canyon. Monument ValleyAnyone who is into Cowboy films, will instantly recognise this place. Red desert, small scrubby bushes and towering red cliffs, Monument Valley was the backdrop of basically every famous wild west flick (including Easy Rider and the Lone Ranger). Our campground had the most wonderful view out onto the valley. An exhibition about the Navajo Code Talkers was a great stop in on the way home. During the Second World War, the US army was looking for a way to communicate without giving away vital information to the enemy listening in. A very clever suggestion was made to recruiting Navajo soldiers, who created a code using the Navajo language. 400-500 Navajo soldiers were involved in the project, and to this day it remains the only World War Two code not broken.
The border crossing was both easier and harder than expected. Note for those crossing the Mexico/US border in Douglas Arizona, the Mexican border office (where you hand back your tourist cards and car permit) is outside the border area. Find it FIRST, then join the line to cross into the US. Otherwise, you will have to line up to cross twice like we did. The border guards however were a real surprise. Friendly, polite and easy to chat with. They searched our car (as expected) but weren’t rude and demeaning as is so often the case. What a great surprise! We celebrated our entrance to the US with a stop at McDonalds. It wasn’t your usual McDonalds though. All writing was in both English and Spanish, staff announced orders in both languages, and customers seemed to be a 50/50 mix of Spanish and English speakers. It was like we had left Mexico, but hadn’t all at the same time. This feeling was intensified when we picked up groceries, and found the grocery store packed with Mexican candy, ceviche and hot sauce. It made me jealous. I’d love to live in a place surrounded by Spanish language and Latin American culture. It would have made the task of learning Spanish much easier. After our various food stops, we were off to Chiricahua National Monument in Southern Arizona. Tall spirals of rock, eroded away in places by wind and water, leaving round lumps of delicately balanced rock. It was a wonder to stroll through these tall rock sculptures. |
AuthorsThis is the story of Linden, Angus and their (not-so) trusty steed Pancho as they set off on an overlanding adventure through Mexico, Central America and beyond. Archives
April 2015
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