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I LOVE ARIZONA!
By the time I get to Phoenix... she'll be rising...(Glenn Campbell)
I got to Pheonix about 6 times within the last 10 years. Our oldest son went to University of Arizona at Tucson. The first time we got to Tucson was when we all drove out from S.F. Bay area to see him off at school. That was quiet an experience in itself, when you first born leave home. After which, needless to say we went to Tucson again many, many more times.
1986 We went to tour the Grand Canyon in 1986. We went through Flagstaff and its San Francisco Peak. We stopped at the Grand Canyon Natural Park Museum's Imax Theatre. We saw a 3D movie about the past history of the Grand Canyon. The trip to Grand Canyon was more than 6 hours' drive from Phoenix. What I saw during the long drive was that I could not imagine that the desert can yield such magnificant beauty! Along the way we saw the sceneries changing from dry desert land, to land filled with green giant Cactuses (Saguaros) to the Alpine like hilly terrains near Flagstaff. Grand Canyon was spectacular and magnificant. It gave me a humbling experience. The colorful, red, pink, white, yellow and beautiful gigantic rocks with deep gorges. Deep down underneath her, the blue/ green Colorado River rush down stream. It was so HUGH and thus made you feel so small! When we arrived at the Grand Canyon Hotel, the sun was just about to set and the sights and sceneries were so unreal. We went to bed early right after dinner since it was a long trip. Early the next morning we had breakfast and took off to hike along the trails at the South Rim. I felt that the tremendous force of natural wonder and beauty nearly overcame my feeling. I felt like floating just by looking at those colorful rocks and her depth below where we were walking. We were able to see many beautiful sites that we would not have been able to see if we did not hike down the trails by foot. The experiences from being right at the rim and looking down the canyon was beyond any words. I felt spelled bound and did not want to leave. The next day We took a helicopter ride.. and ofcourse when we put on the headphone, the song "Sailing" was being played during take off. We were able to see many beautiful sites that we would not have been able to see it by foot with the short span of time we spent at the Grand Canyon Village. We saw the little windows on the wall. It was supposed to be the Anazazi's cave dwelling. How did they get up there let alone to build their homes on those walls on that mountain? Well, I am not going to tell you anymore, because you are suppose to go to the Imax Theatre and pay $8.50 or so to get in to learn about it on the show. The fee is a contribution to the National Park Service which is a worthwhile cost.
1993-1995 My other trips to Arizona occurred much later in the early 1990's. Beside Grand Canyon, I always wanted to go to Sedona and the Monument Rocks. I finally visited Sedona in 1994. After one of the training blitz in Phoenix that my company sent me to. I took off and went up to Sedona for a day. It was quiet an experience. Driving alone on isolated desert highways. There was no call box for any emergency on any of the highway. I once asked people the reason why there was none. They said that they just did not have them. I played it safe and tried to follow some older couple (retirees) driving slowly on the road. I figured that I can pretend that I am with them, which was better than being seen driving alone on the highways. Sedona was beautiful as I expected. I took a 3 hours tour and went to see all the tourist traps. Vortex sites are mostly the popular hang out for tourists. One of the Vortex site is a chapel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Vortex is inside the church and it is the uplifting kind. I was told there are two types, one is the force that pulls (magnet) and the other is the force that lift. One of the Vortex is at the airport and most of the airplane when they flies above it, the pilots supposedly experience the phenomenon of the flight instruments going haywire! The Cathedral Rock, the Bell Rock and a mountain near Oak Creek Canyon are another Vortex sites. I do not know why but I felt drawned to these red rocky mountains and when I am there I felt a vibration around me and I feel energized. The quiet sound of the trees standing calmly next to the canyon and giant rocks. Not a soul around, not a sound but my own breath and breathing noise and the sound of my heart beating, I feel as if I am floating in another realm of reality of my other soul. (JTM 10/96)
That evening, I drove back to Phonix and then to Tucson which was another 2 and a half hours' drive. I visited with our oldest son Teddy. Yes, I stayed in his room at his Fraternity house! The next day, I went to see the Gemstones and Jewelries show at Tucson convention center. On Sunday I went out and toured the BioSphere II complex in Oracle. It was quiet a learning experience. The BioSphereans were still inside and we saw them worked and performed their routine activities. We saw one of them swimming in the artificial lake. We got to talk and post questions to them live. Their answers however was video-taped and sound very generic rather than specific to the questions. I told Dr. Taber McCullough that our youngest son's name is Taber and I hope that Dr. McCullough will be a role model and an inspiration to our youngest son Taber. Overall BioSphere II is a very beautiful place and good educational and learning experiences about our planet. I love Arizona and her people. I had incredible experiences with many nice people there. One incident occurred while I was on the way to Phoenix to catch the plane, I noticed that I was low on gas. Not having much money with me and not having enough time to get to the ATM. I wondered around looking for a gas station which I could use a credit card. Finally I was on the highway, when I saw a small gas station on the left hand side of the freeway. I was in Rillitos, a small town outside of Tucson. I made an exit and went in and bought $5.00 worth of gasoline. The station did not accept credit card. The man assured me that I had enough to get to Phoenix. He asked where I came from. I told him that I was from California. He laughed and asked where I was born so I told him that I was born in Thailand, but lived all over the world and in the States for many years. I told him that I was visiting my son at U of A. He said me that he had been to Thailand for an R&R when he was in Vietnam during the war. A small world! He then said that, since I was traveling alone on the road he should check my oils and water. He did that plus he also checked my tires and cleaned the windows. Where else do you get this kind of services anymore? What an incredible man, I appreciated his gestures and often think of his kindness.
Comments,
Suggestions, Feedback Last modified: January 7, 1997 Jieranai Maier
boomersint@aol.com
Jeri
Maier
Creator Boomers International Web Magazine
Phone: (408) 247-1796
Email: boomersint@aol.com or DPBJ59A@prodigy.com
Location: Silicon Valley, Ca. USA
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