Kayenta, Arizona
Trip Start
Sep 06, 2007
1
23
44
Trip End
Oct 17, 2007
Kayenta,
Arizona,
United States
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Anyway, following a rather enjoyable walk, morning coffee and our ceremonial visit to Walmart, we were on our way again en route to Mesa Verde, a historic Anasazi site. This was amazing and our guide was absolutely fantastic. The Anasazi were a group of Indians of long ago who used to build their houses in cliffs and Mesa Verde is one of the best preserved sites. How they used to get up the cliffs and construct these houses was just amazing and considering they did not have the tools and know how of our modern day engineers leaves one to just stand and look in awe at the intricacy of the buildings. We had to do some climbing to the sites and both Jude and I had some difficulty with the climb - the air was very thin being at 7,000 feet and you had to scramble over some rocks and then climb up some ladders. Heavy going at that altitude.
From there we made our way down to Four Corners which is the only place in the USA where four States meet - Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. The place itself wasn't anything to rave about - controlled by the Navajo Nation - yeah, yeah we know that sounds really racist but we have discovered that anything run by the Navajos just does not have the class, organisation, cleanliness, etc etc as those places organised by the 'White fellas'. We did make the analogy of Uluru and wonder why National Parks can't run these places and pay commission or something to the Navajo. Well, as the name suggests, this place is where the challenge is to put a part of your body in all four corners at the same time. Jude and I were up to the challenge and of course we did it much to the amusement of onlookers. I mean to say, two fifty somethings playing twister on a monument!
That behind us, we travelled on the Navajo National Reservation towards Kayenta where we ASSUMED there would be plenty of accommodation. Hah! Foiled again! Not much accommodation and what there was - full! Oh my goodness - it is MILES from anywhere! Now what! Again we were directed to one possibility, the Anasazi Inn out of town, run by Navajo's. Uh oh! What on earth on we in for but hey, what choice do we have. Again, a pleasant surprise. From the outside it looked like it was going to be a dump and a half but on the inside, clean and comfortable. It had a restaurant too where we filled our bellies with chilli beans before hitting the pillows by 9.30pm, exhausted!
