Day #2

So the next day we drove to Sedona. Beautiful drive going in - winding and hilly and trees. Then you get into a town that is surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenary....and all it has turned into is a tourist trap with limited parking. We did eventually find a place to park and took a local trolley tour to see some of the area...

 Look at this outrageous house! Doesnt really fit into the area at all. According to several people it is "occassionally" used by the owners ... either a plastic surgeon or a surgical equipment designer/manufacturer (depending on whom you want to believe - and maybe it is one and the same) from Phoenix.

 It is neighbors to this - a beautiful chapel built into the rock which was #1 thing I wanted to see in Sedona. It is small and lovely inside. But you know, so filled with tourists, I didnt feel the peace and spirituality I expected - but I felt both outside the chapel looking at all the beauty around it.

 These are two of  the statues along the walk up to the Chapel.

 We stayed at Sky Ranch Lodge which was out on Airport Mesa - right next to the "most beautiful airport in the world" according to the sign at the airport. It was nice. Older, not really shabby or rundown, but not really modern either, and the grounds are beautiful - the room was clean, the bed was comfortable, and we were able to watch the new Jesse Stone movie on the TV after we remembered that TV shows are on at different times in AZ!

One of the things they tout on their website is the beautiful patio from which to watch the sunset. This was one of the views from there.  but what I loved where the birds who came to visit while we waited for the sunset - and talking to some of the people there,

 Several hummers came to visit - but this ruby throated one was outstanding as the sun was going down!

 Several of these pretty little things came to visit also. Plus one humongous, and brightly colored bug who would not sit still long enough for me to get a photo. According to the people at the Lodge it was called a "tarantula hawk". Never seen one before and that is quite alright with me!

After the sunset - which was beautiful but still doesnt hold a candle to sunsets over the Pacific Ocean - whether on the west coast or Hawaii - we indulged in a few glasses of local wine (Arizona Stronghold Chardonney) and then headed to bed....

I forgot to talk about lunch. We tried a bakery - the Desert Flour bakery in Oak Creek Village. Oh my ..... altho the cookies were not the best, the cranberry walnut bread my turkey sandwich was on - was to die for! And no, there was no way to bring any home....but I bet I can find a recipe!