But it's a dry heat....
The first day was spent at Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Phoenix residence. It was incredible! I’ve always thought the guy was great, but to be at his home was fantastic. And I had no idea he was so into Oriental art. The tour was 90 minutes and included his working office, his living room, family room, theater and small cabaret he has on the property. His school of architecture is still ongoing. The students spend half the year at the original Taliesin in Wisconsin and the other half of the year at Taliesin West in Phoenix. They are in Wisconsin right now. It was interesting to discover first year students must live in a tent at Taliesin West to get better in touch with nature in order to incorporate nature into their designs. In the second year, they are given materials and told to design and build their own rooms.
Spent some time in Scottsdale, which is a very, very upscale version (think Rodeo Drive) of a tourist town. Lots of spas and resorts, most of the shops are cool, with lots of art and Native American-made clothing, pottery, jewelry, etc. But there are malls that cater exclusively to the very, very, very well to do, the haute courtier, the Paris Hiltons of the world. Still, it was nice to window-shop and buy a T-shirt, a cactus, and some candy.
Sedona was really the highlight of the trip. It’s in upper central Arizona and can seem to be a new age oasis in a very Republican state. Lots of palm reading, aura reading, crystals, etc. And lots of jeep tours out into the hinterlands. I just bought a forest service day pass and developed my own tour. And there are several sites are designated as a Native American vortex site. I walked a creek about a mile or so and reached one such site. I stood in the water at the vortex and meditated for about 10 minutes and could really feel something. Sunset and sunrise were great as the colors of the rock formations were really in play. But it is an upscale hippy/new age art & tourism community. The homes there are quite palatial. But I really loved the place. If I was going to move to Arizona, that would be where I would move.
There were several things I wanted to get to that I was unable due to time constrants, so I'll likely return at some point.
But for now, you've got the vacation photos to endure.
Spent some time in Scottsdale, which is a very, very upscale version (think Rodeo Drive) of a tourist town. Lots of spas and resorts, most of the shops are cool, with lots of art and Native American-made clothing, pottery, jewelry, etc. But there are malls that cater exclusively to the very, very, very well to do, the haute courtier, the Paris Hiltons of the world. Still, it was nice to window-shop and buy a T-shirt, a cactus, and some candy.
Sedona was really the highlight of the trip. It’s in upper central Arizona and can seem to be a new age oasis in a very Republican state. Lots of palm reading, aura reading, crystals, etc. And lots of jeep tours out into the hinterlands. I just bought a forest service day pass and developed my own tour. And there are several sites are designated as a Native American vortex site. I walked a creek about a mile or so and reached one such site. I stood in the water at the vortex and meditated for about 10 minutes and could really feel something. Sunset and sunrise were great as the colors of the rock formations were really in play. But it is an upscale hippy/new age art & tourism community. The homes there are quite palatial. But I really loved the place. If I was going to move to Arizona, that would be where I would move.
There were several things I wanted to get to that I was unable due to time constrants, so I'll likely return at some point.
But for now, you've got the vacation photos to endure.
posted by Gr8fulTed at 4:08 PM
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