Camp Verde, Arizona: The weather has turned cloudy with showers, which would usually be a bad thing, except this is the desert and any rain is relished… unless it is too much rain. All or nothing in the desert.
After exercising (in the rain), we drove towards Sedona and stopped to see beautiful vistas.
Okay, we have visited Sedona many times previously. As usual, we tend to visit (and revisit) the same restaurants, shops, and sites.
The old Tlaquepaque complex in Sedona holds restaurants, shops, hotels, galleries, and lots of other tourist needs, including free parking. Every time we are here, we dine at El Rincon. It’s a Mexican place, very touristy, but the food is still good.
Love the lone olive garnish!
We strolled through the pretty plazas after lunch, but there is only so much silver and turquoise jewelry a person can see in a week. Before leaving town, we stopped for groceries at Whole Foods (cooler with ice packs in the car).
There are many sites to see and things to do in this area, so we headed out to another National Monument - Tuzigoot - another Native dwelling ruin, built on a hilltop surrounded by lakes and rivers. It was one of the largest villages in the area and was a busy stop for traders.
After checking-in, visitors are free to walk around the ruins and even go inside a few rooms! This village was eventually abandoned (again, no one knows why, as food and water were available), and it crumbled into a pile of stones, and became overgrown with plants. The WPA, along with a group of archeology grad students cleared the rubble and reconstructed some of the structure, adding drainage so it will hopefully not collapse again.
The crew found only three doorways in the community. Most access was through holes in the ceilings/roofs. Scientists believe this room was used as easy access to supplies… like an early-day corner bodega?
Speaking of birds, there were all sorts of Toucan gifts for sale in the Visitor Center gift shop. I was curious and asked the ranger. He said toucan remains were found during the excavation, and also toucan feathers. Over 40 toucan remains have been found near the Grand Canyon. Traders brought the birds to the area from Central America and local tribes began breeding the birds for pets and for their colorful feathers. But, toucans are not built for desert weather and did not fair well on their own.
It was getting to be late afternoon, but the rain sprinkles had most stopped and we were very close to the historic old mining town of Jerome, so we forged on (we had not purchased ice cream at the grocer).
Jerome became a billion-dollar town due to rich copper deposits in the surrounding hills. Of course, the mess made by mining caused all sorts of toxic issues, and now the mines are closed. I was complaining about mining to My Driver, and he commented to all the gold and diamonds on my fingers. Touché. The town is now hanging-on by showing-off their pretty brick store fronts with cute shops and ancient bars.
So it was back to the Magna Peregrinus. Cocktails outside - under the awning. Though it was raining, it was still warm. A rainbow appeared!
Did the fact the end of the rainbow was planted into the nearby casino give us reason to head over there? No, it did not.
We did everything we were going to do in the area in one day! Good thing, as the rain is supposed to continue. Until my next update, I remain, your soggy correspondent.
iA grocery store you might have liked is Clark’s in the Village of Oak Creek. It is the same Clark’s in Aspen CO. Too bad I am in Phoenix, and not Sedona or I would have met you for lunch. My house is in the Chapel area.