A trip to the Sothwestern United States: The Grand Circle

 

Los Angeles

Day dedicated to the journey of rapprochement. Fly Swiss from Malpensa to Los Angeles via Zurich. Smooth flight and no delays.

Los Angeles, California

Absorbed as much as possible the time, we dedicate this day at Universal Studios. Through the internet I already booked and paid for our tickets, so as to avoid any queue (there are, of snakes waiting!) For entry. In addition, the online booking allows you to have x few dollars more, the "VIP" pass, which allows you to avoid queues and get the best seats in all the attractions inside. We arrive at the opening, in time to catch the first visit to the studios and then move the rest of the day in the park. Attractions not to miss: The Mummy, Back to the Future, Shrek, Terminator, the spectacle of the stuntmen Waterwold. If the weather is warm to cool there is nothing better than Jurassic Park: The final shower ensured.!

Las Vegas, Nevada

Early in the morning we transfer to the airport to catch a flight to Las Vegas where we arrive after an hour of flight. E 'possible to check into the hotel at the airport, while you're waiting for the luggage. This of course if you're in one of the hotels of the "Strip", the street which is overlooked by all the big casino '. We chose MGM GRAND. Arriving at the hotel, unload your luggage and we relax a bit 'in the pool, waiting for the sunset. All evening and most of the night, she spent wandering from one casino to another, along the strip. One suggestion: although the casinos are all one after another, only to cross the Caesar's Palace, it takes at least 20 minutes, since it is a mile long! then when calculated wanted to go for a ride, get a pair of comfortable shoes! I say this especially for the ladies / ladies: If you want to destroy your feet, avoid the heel 12!

Sedona, Arizona

We'll collect our car from Hertz at the airport in Las Vegas and the end to our trip. Sedona First step: Take US Hw 93 and pass Lake Mead and Hoover Dam (where you marked the border between Nevada and Arizona) to continue south east to Kingman Take Interstate 40 to Flagstaff and then quick detour south on Hw 89 to get to Sedona. It 'a Step by step of 446 km, approximately 6 hours of driving, one of the longest of our trip. Sedona was founded in the nineteenth century, but only with the discovery of the "vortex" energy in 80 years of the twentieth century, this small urban center has strasformato a popular place for lovers of New Age. Supporters of the New Age believe that rocks, rock walls and streams of Sedona radiate electromagnetic energy. The best queattro vortices are found right here on earth and they are: Bell Rock, near the Village of Oak Creek, east of Hwy 179, Cathedral Rock near Red Rock Crossing, Airport Mesa and Boynton Canyon along Airport Rd. In fact the streets there's a lot of strange people! At the intersection of "Y" in the center of congiugnono to Hwy89A and Hwy 179 and along both these streets there are shops and restaurants. If you go to dinner I recommend you the Cowboy Club Grille, or rather the Silver Saddle Room. We ate the best Ribs around the trip, but missed was the fried cactus. Fair prices for quality (excellent) food. We stayed at the Best Western Arroyo Roble. Cute, clean and acceptable breakfast included in room price.

Grand Canyon, Arizona

We start early in the morning towards Grand Canyon. From Sedona we travel in a northerly direction, towards Flagstaff, and from there, always toward the north, through to Hw 180, arrived at the Grand Canyon. (approximately 100 km). We stop at the visitor entrance point of the park to watch the movie to 'IMAX theater, which deserves much for the spectacle. The optical illusion of the screen IMAX gives the exact feeling of a flight over the Grand Canyon. Arrived at Mather Point, where there is the main visitor center one looks at the edge of the Canyon and the show is great. Decides to travel by car around the edge of the canyon, to the East Entrance, after Navajo point and stop at various "view points" along the route. The show is always exciting, from any angle you look. In late afternoon we continue north to Page. From the entrance of the Canyon at Mather Point to Page are approximately 225km. Occorrno 3 hours without stopping, but we've taken the very comfortable there. We arrive in Page in the evening, in time for dinner and to go and book our boat tomorrow morning. Overnight at Lake Powell Marina Resort (the only one on the shore of the lake).

Lake Powell, Utah

In the morning we rented a small motorboat at the Wahweap marina link in the "Grand Canyon with water" that is Lake Powell. A true spectacle of nature. After we browsed down the immensity of Padre Bay route we do in the spectacular Navajo canyon. Spend a boat all morning. To rent a boat you should direct it to Lake Powell Resort & Marina, but you can not book a half day. In these cases the rule is that the first coming first served, until exhaustion of boats are not booked for an entire day, which are available. It's not one up early: just be there for 7 am. In fact we start with the boat at 8.00 and the time flies ... we got the return of 13.30 per breath! In the afternoon, at 15.30 so we left for our excursion Antelope Canyon. The canyon can not be visited freely, it should go with a guide. We went with the Antelope Canyon Tours, at 22 South Lake Powell Blvd, near all'intersection with North Navajo Drive. You can also book online, which suggests, as places are limited. The trip lasts an hour and a half and deserves all that it costs $ 25! Do you have some little taste in the photos published here. In the evening we retrieve our car and head towards Kayenta. Are 160km, 1 hour and 45 minutes. When we arrived in Monument Valley, in addition to "El Capitan" us from 'welcome a spectacular thunderstorm. Never seen lightning so .... Arrived at Gouldings' Lodge, the only accommodation within the valley, there enjoying a dinner by the light of ... candles and gas lamps. The storm has blown it all electricity! I highly recommend the Gouldings', first because it is really the only accommodation in the Valley, second because you enjoy the show from there is unsurpassed. Awake at dawn and watch the sun rises and lights up the rocks of the valley. If you book ahead, ask one of the 2 available cabins. We've been in one where, legend, John Wayne resided during the filming of movies set in the valley. His spirit still lingers among the moors unforgettable ....

Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly

This morning, after a spectacular sunrise that lights up the valley, we grant you a 3-hour ride between the red rocks and clumps of wild sage. Often we are gripped by the strong feeling of being in a western movie. The landscapes are the same, the Indians are ... lacking blue tunics, and tanks but the rest is!
After the ride again to wander around the dirt road by car and then we head south toward Gallup, our destination for the evening. On route we stop to visit the Canyon de Chelly. You know the landscape background of the boxes from Will the coyote? Arrive at Spider Rock, and you will understand that the drawings have not merely a copy from the truth! We arrived in Gallup in the evening (from Gallup to Kayenta are 310Km). We've been to El Rancho, a historic hotel full of autographed photos of actors who have stayed here, from the silent film until a few years ago. Each room is named after an actor or actress. Unico "neo" ... located not far from a level crossing ... and ... I do not know if you present the movie "My Cousin Vinny" ... be '.. the whistle of trains in America is really powerful!! Unfortunately, all trains are obliged to whistle at every level crossing ...

Santa Fe, New Mexico Taos, New Mexico

We move from Gallup to Santa Fe, at 320km, all of Highway. Once you get to wander around the city center, elegant and refined with the typical houses in Adobe style pueblo of New Mexico. After spending the afternoon in the city pointed at Taos, where we arrive in the evening. I advise you to stay overnight, as we did, the Taos INN. The rooms are lovely, in typical style adobe, colorful, with fireplaces details. The restaurant is good, the bar makes margaritas spectacular, and almost every evening there is live music. Unfortunately, outside of this room there is not much in Taos, except for a couple of other bars, so the local youth spends his evenings doing "tanks" in the car along the avenue. Pause for 10 minutes on the benches outside the hotel and enjoy the show: mega pick-up with designs and chrome, rushing to "Fast & Furious," but they give the best stereo systems blaring disco ...

Taos Pueblo, New Mexico - Durango, Colorado

Al mattino da Taos ci dirigiamo a Taos PUEBLO, per la visita di questo sito patrimonio dell'UNESCO. La visita è guidata da studenti universitari che spiegano la storia di questo insediamento di indiani pueblos e di come si costruiscono le case in stile adobe. Dopo la visita, che dura circa 2 ore, viaggiamo in direzione Durango, Colorado. Passiamo così da una città molto vicina al Messico, ad una cittadina di montagna. Durango infatti è d'inverno una stazione sciistica sulle Rocky Mountains. In estate è una colorata cittadina zeppa di turisti. Noi abbiamo alloggiato allo STRATER HOTEL, un'hotel storico, il primo costruito a Durango, nel 1800. Le camere sono in stile vittoriano con grandi letti con pomi d'ottone e tappezzerie a fiorelloni. Il saloon dell'albergo ha un vero pianista che suona ragtime e ragazze del saloon alle quali mettere la mancia nella giarrettiera.

Mesa Verde National Park - Moab, Utah

From Durango, we move on towards North, towards Moab, Utah (about 257Km). On route we stop at Mesa Verde. I recommend visiting one of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the United States. The park is very beautiful and interesting sites. The explanations provided by the Rangers are very detailed.

Moab, Utah

Moab, Utah! A small town that does not say anything is the door in 3 of the most beautiful parks in the USA: Arches National Park, Dear Horse Point and Canyonlands NP.
But today we are dedicated to River Rafting on the Colorado River. We'll have a bag with Canyon Voyages, even if the river is a bit 'dry' and the rapids are not so worrying. In fact we take a kayak and go all the way and relax in the sun and paddling in the stream, amid the spectacle of polished rocks for thousands of years of water.

We moved to the SORREL RIVER RANCH, near Moab. Stay in the ranch in the next 3 days. The ranch is located near the Colorado River and is nestled among the red rocks on which was filmed the famous video of Bon Jovi "Blaze of Glory". In these 3 days we visited: Arches National Park, all beautiful and spectacular, do not miss the sunset at Delicate Arch, but calculated that the parking lot to get there, it takes an hour of exhausting journey, and at least 3 liters of water per person. Board of reach even of energy bars for those who suffer from drops in sugar. Then we saw Dead Horse Point. E'solo a view point at which power an hour watching the passing landscape. Instead, spend at least 4-5 hours a path inside the park, Canyonlands, or how best to be finalized, "Island in the Sky. Given the multi-conformation canyons, the feeling you get walking through the paths to the edge of the cliff, it is precisely that of being on an island in the sky.

We moved from Moab to Escalante, the entrance of Bryce Canyon. We arrive in time to enjoy the sunset. Overnight stay from a Best Western Ruby's at the park.

Bryce Canyon

Today we make another excursion on horseback along the rim of Bryce. Then in the afternoon we walk the path that descends and crosses the interior of the canyon. The interior is as spectacular as the view from the edge, and the "pinnacles" have impressive dimensions.

In the morning we return to Las Vegas to Bryce. This time we opt for the Mirage, where we spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool. In the evening we are warned about the sunset from the first eruption of the volcano located artificial entrance of the hotel ... wonderful .... From our room we can see with a glance: the bell tower of San Marco and the Doge's Palace at the Venetian, the Eiffel Tower of Paris Paris, the fountains to the music coming out of Lake Como at the Bellagio, the mammoth complex of Caesars' Palace, and in the distance the skyscrapers of New York New York. We are in the land of toys! We then concede another evening for casinos ... but I come sucked into the shopping arcades at Caesars' Palace ...

We fly to Los Angeles and spend the afternoon in Venice Beach where we have dinner and we relaxed. Tomorrow we go home .... and the last glimpses of the U.S. this year is the sunset from the pier in Santa Monica .. Not bad!

Last lap for Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive and we move to the airport. Lutfhansa flight to Malpensa via Frankfurt.

For any information, request for clarification on the Tour match play. Maybe we'll put a little 'to respond but I always say!

Iaia