Zion National Monument. Utah, USA. 2005
Posted by razzbuffnik on August 13th, 2008
Both my wife and I love the South Western States of American. The scenery is fantastic and the food is incredible. Back in the early autmun months of 2005 we went to the USA and drove from Las Vegas to Santa Fe. On the way we stopped of at some of the most beautiful places on earth. My wife’s favourite place was Zion National Monument and the Grand Canyon was mine.
As you enter the Zion park you first see the Patriarchs.
The whole park is a rock climber’s wet dream with the most beautiful sheer walls of perfect Navajo sandstone.
In the middle of the park there is a really nice little restaurant that is staffed by people who are totally blissed out by what beautiful surroundings they work in. It was like the environment was giving a contact high to everybody who moved through the landscape. Both my wife and I were really impressed by how genuinely pleasant everyone we met at Zion was. I guess it’s pretty hard to be unhappy in such a place at such a nice time of the year. It was a totally different vibe to the one given off by the staff at Yosemite.
On the road out of the park you pass a natural arch.
Along the way to Santa Fe we also visited the north rim of the Grand Canyon, Monument valley, Hovenweep and Bandelier National Monuments. All amazing places.
August 14th, 2008 at 5:20 am
Ok. Now, I’m just dying to get my hands on that Patriarchs photo and blend it with my recent one of a rain soaked windshield in a summer’s sudden storm….
Snap out of it, Pat!
You know what’s funny about this post, having nothing and everything to do with this gorgeous magical place? I’m happy to hear someone say something nice about the US.
August 14th, 2008 at 6:04 am
P.S. I bought a new camera. Not the Leica, a Canon D5. I already have two nice Canon lenses that made my decision, along with budget.
I’m sending you the bill cuz it’s all your fault.
If you hadn’t posted those shots of the landscape on the road to your in-laws and those texture ones on the camping exhibit, I might have waited. Now, I have to start lifting weights and hoping I don’t blow out my shoulders.
Ah, it’s called “senior” photography. Sigh.
August 14th, 2008 at 8:41 am
I think working there every day would give you a hell of a perspective on life in general. Kind of had to be mad about the cable guy not showing up on time when you have that to look at.
-Turkish Prawn
August 14th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Pat
Lots of people say nice things about America…… particularly Americans. All joking aside, I think that many people have fairly thin skins and seem to assume that if you don’t agree with everything that say then you’re some kind of enemy. Real friends (zhengyou as our Prime Minister Kevin Rudd would say) can be fairly honest with each other.
I’ve written about automatic anti-Americanism before, in my post about Yosemite.
http://blog.allthedumbthings.com/2008/04/22/yosemite-from-glacier-point-california-usa-2006/
Have fun with you new camera and I hope that it lives up to your expectations.
Turkish
I could easily live there if I was allowed, but then it wouldn’t be so nice because then everyone else would be able to live there as well. I think that it’s a great thing that the rich aren’t allowed to buy everything and everywhere so that places like Zion are open to everyone.
August 20th, 2008 at 7:58 am
I’ve never been to the southwest. Texas is about as close as I’ve come. I just don’t know anyone there to make the trip more than just a trip.
But your pictures are amazing. I may have to steal one for my new banner . . .
August 21st, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Tysdaddy
Sometimes it’s not a bad thing when you don’t know people in an area as you will meet new people. I find travelling quite social.
As for the image and you’re banner, “ask and ye shall receive”.