The right place to be humble

Last night I was coughing my lungs out - wow, now I feel a little better and pack up for my tourist day - yes, I know it’s hard to believe but I’m doing it! I’m going to see the Grand Canyon today.

Instead of going all the way on 40 to Williams the official Gateway to the park I decide to go straight North through the Hopi reservation. On the way I visit the Homolovi Ruins. In the high grassland of 14th century northern Arizona, an ancient people found a home along the Little Colorado River. These people, the Hisat'sinom (known to archaeologists as the Anasazi), paused in their migrations to till the rich flood plain and sandy slopes before continuing north to join people already living on the mesas, people who are today known as the Hopi.
One of their daily vistas was the biggest mountain range of Arizona, the San Francisco Peaks, the home of powerful spirits that bring rain according to their believe.

After leaving I drive further into the Hopi reservation and again the looks change and I see all these little table mountains in the distance.

Getting closer and closer...

After a couple of miles I come arrive at the hill top and look back down.

It is a barren land with hardly any vegetation and I wonder how in the world anybody can survive here.
About 20 miles further down the road I get to the entrance of the park and all over sudden there are trees and its getting green.

About 2 miles after the entrance there is the first stop. I get out of the car and walk towards to Canyon. One of the first things I see is a big tower that overlooks the Southern rim.

I climb up all the stairs and let myself amaze by what I see. It is the right place to be humble, that is for sure.


The beauty just carries me away and I wish I could stay forever and just stare into the vastness of the Canyon. After some time I realize that I have to move on and get back on the road along the Rim. There are several view points and I just have to stop again and get one more dose.
This view makes my eyes teary and I’m just glad to be alive and to have the opportunity to see this with my own eyes.


One of the big trails into the Canyon starts from here and I wish I had a week to go down and explore it in detail - well I sure will come back, promised!
Soon I’m on the road and go downhill again. This part of Arizona reminds me of part in Northern California.

I find a motel in Williams, the so-called Gateway to the Grand Canyon. It is on the Historic Route 66 and I go for dinner and a Fat Tire to the Route 66 cafe which has tons of collectibles on the walls.

After that it’s time for bed...