Looking at Red Rocks

21 March - a day really worth remembering!

MONTEZUMA'S CASTLE

Montezuma's Castle - the site of a prehistoric culture that once lived in the Verde Valley.  While there were hunter and gatherer occupants here for thousands of years, agriculture and architecture were influenced by first the Hohokam and later the Sinagua.The Southern Sinagua farmers began building this five-story, 20 room dwelling early in the 1100s.   

 MONTEZUMA'S WELL
This includes a lake and fairly lush vegetation in the midst of the desert.  The well is a limestone sink formed long ago by the collapse of an immense underground cavern  Feeding springs flow continuously.*
* National Park Service US Dept of Interior - National Monuments, AZ

SEDONA 

BELL ROCK

 CATHEDRAL ROCK

CHAPEL OF THE HOLY CROSS

I was a lot like a little kid as we drove into town!  This is not a town to drive in, take a quick look and leave.  As I sit at home now and look over the map of Sedona and environs, I realize just how much more there was to see.
Larry and I had the good fortune to visit a gem store where we met the nicest lady who taught us a great deal about gems, where we bought some and then learned even more.  
Above you may see that we had a little time to sit in the lovely visitor center.  As we were about to depart, I was getting total eye contact from an elderly lady pushing an even older gentleman in a wheel chair.  The eye contact was so complete that I realized we were going to speak.
Her first words, "Where you from?"  I replied, "New Jersey!"
"Me too!" she answered!  "Where in New Jersey?"  
I asked, "where in New Jersey are you from?"  Her response, "Toms River."
Then she proceeded to tell Larry and me how she had come to be in Sedona.  Originally from Greece, she'd come a long way.  Her parting words, "I am tired of Sedona.  How many times can you look at red rocks!" 
Because of our little conversation, it was decided we could not spend any more time in Sedona, and so we were on our way.  I did not want to leave and dearly hope to find myself in Sedona once again - apparently I have not looked at red rocks enough yet!