There were no internets for days!
Jun. 18th, 2010 09:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wispfoxOk, there was with my phone. Sort of. At hostel in Flagstaff, AZ, and have internets again. Finishing the upload from Canyon De Chelly. Removing pictures from my hard-drive that are also on Flickr.
So what did I do in all that time?
Well, first I spent two days in the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert areas. I _love_ the Petrified Forest. It's just awesome. I especially enjoyed the trails for the Blue Mesa and the Crystal Forest. Also, there are many pictures. Perhaps an excessive amount, even after culling. Pretty rock/trees are pretty! I have some petrified wood from outside the park, too. :) (I am totally shipping home some rocks; actually, I just did today!)
Seriously love this place.
Almost camped just outside the park, but my digestion was _not_ pleased, and having to dig a pit every time I had to go to the bathroom with some urgency seemed not the best plan. This does, however, mean that I have still not camped! Very absurd, that.
Bought a cheap coffee maker so that I could have boiled water in hotel rooms and _eat_ some of the food I had planned to be preparing and eating while camping. Since at this rate, I may still camp, but it seems unlikely. Between digestive issues that one time, and wanting a shower _every night_. Hey, but at least there are hostels. Not, however, more couchsurfers, which is sad. I have all this syrup and no one to leave it with! Ditto the postcards. Ah, well.
Then I continue my journey! Wandered through Navajo land, being quite disconcerted by my utter inability to actually _talk_ to any Navajo craftspeople. Unlike in the Pueblos, they appear to not really be much of anywhere. Is odd. So I have some Navajo stuff, but not much.
Spent a night in Holbrook; was alright. No real opinion of Holbrook.
Went to Hopi lands, took the tour at First Mesa, met a bunch of different artists in/around (some were in, some were just outside) their homes, one of whom was rather a lot more friendly than seemed warranted or I appreciated, the rest of which were quite friendly and not offensive about it. Indeed, one older man pushed some of their pika (sp?) bread on me. Kind of strange, but also pretty neat. Very flaky corn-based substance. Ended up obtaining a lovely piece of pottery from a woman who it turns out is known in the east (shops & museums) for being a good potter, a small itty bitty kachina pin from aforementioned offensive man (I may end up needing to find someone to give it to, for associations reasons), a fascinating piece of practice basketry performed by a young girl using woolen yarn, and a lovely eagle-type kachina which is halfway out of a kiva. Unfortunately, due to lack of place to store it, the latter needs repairs already. *sad* The wings snapped (rather cleanly) off, and one of the two (clearly glued on) kiva ladder rungs fell off. I really need to find a small box before it gets any more damaged or I lose the parts! Poor pretty kachina.
There are no pictures from anywhere on Hopi land as it is prohibited.
Then I continued on to Second Mesa. The visitor's center was closed (earlier than expected), possibly because there is an entire weekend long ceremony/dance going on this weekend. So I found some stores to go into, and in one of those stores "Tsakurshovi Hopi Arts and Crafts Gallery" met the most amazingly friendly and helpful man (and his wife, who was much less chatty). He gave me all sorts of suggestions (with a highlighter, on my Indian Country map which he was very pleased that I had picked up as it is the best SouthWest map that exists. I may have the name wrong, however. He also wrote notes on a business card about Bluff, CO (or maybe UT)) as to what to do in the Utah & Colorado parts of my trip, as well as things I should do on a later trip (including renting a car with good clearance so I can go to Chaco Canyon!). Also, he mentioned that I should _really_ come back this weekend to go to the Hopi Ceremony/dance praying for - because they always are - water, involving many of the enormous kachinas upon which the smaller carvings are based. Such a friendly and helpful man.
If you are ever in Hopi land you _must_ go to this shop, Tsakurshovi Hopi Arts and Crafts Gallery, owned by Joseph and Janice Day.
Also, I purchased a gorgeous butterfly kachina, a small basket, and a couple of books (one on the express recommendation of Joe Day). The kachina and basket got their own box right there, to make sure the kachina stayed in good shape. Sent that home today. (and unlike the poor eagle kachina, it will not be damaged by lack of box!)
On the express recommendation of both the tour guide at the Painted Desert Inn (in Petrified Forest) and Joe Day, I had dinner at the Turquoise Room in La Posada Inn in Winslow, AZ. The food is truly amazing, and there is not such an overabundance of it that I was able to have an appetizer, a salad, and a main dish with about half of the appetizer and the main dish as leftovers. It is, indeed, quite expensive, but I think it's good enough to be worth the price.
After dinner, I wandered around the grounds for a little while, and even though multiple people suggested I should stay, I decided that the cost of the meal prevented me from being able to afford even a night there. Took a few pictures of the grounds and the public areas of the hotel, and wandered into their gift shop. That gift shop has really interesting, and random, assortment of objects for sale. Not to the point of being overwhelming, mind you. I was _really_ coveting a gorgeous gourd covered with lovely detailed carved animals, but just could not convince myself that it was sane to purchase it at $670 plus tax. I have pictures, though. :)
Then, there was sleep.
This morning, I visited the Little Painted Desert Park near Winslow, which is lovely, and much less crowded than the National Park. Very buggy, though. Thought about digging for my bug repellent!
Around this point, I called the Hertz in Flagstaff's airport to determine what I needed to do in regards to trading for a non-damaged vehicle, for example how much gas to leave in. Learned that all they had in right then were SUVs, but that they should be getting something smaller in in the afternoon. So I dawdled a bit in getting myself to Flagstaff, ate my leftovers for lunch, and got there around 2:30p. Ended up getting something bigger than what I had, which is sad, but certainly not as big as an SUV. Took an hour or so transferring my stuff from one vehicle to the other, then had some snack for lo I was hungry!
At this point, I really wanted to free up some space in the car, so went to a post office before they closed. Arrived around 4, packed up some boxes, and got in line around 4:30. Mailed 3 boxes, and made more space. :) Still a few more things to mail, but it's less urgent now. I need to fiddle around to figure out how to best organize things in this new vehicle! I kind of miss the old one...
Was surprised to learn that I needed to have made reservations at the hostel in order to stay tonight through Monday morning; they have a sister hostel that I went to instead, and since I'm ok with a co-ed dorm room, I have somewhere to stay. :)
Made myself some foods for lo there was hunger - and many leftovers for the next couple of nights - and got myself online to upload many photos and post this. I will post another entry later with photo links from the last entry and what I manage to upload for this one.
Tomorrow, call with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
metahacker bright and early, and need to make sure I am somewhere with decent phone network and internets between noon and 2. (I'll likely just hang out at the hostel around that time, since I have 3 bars and am clearly on the internet right now!)
So what did I do in all that time?
Well, first I spent two days in the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert areas. I _love_ the Petrified Forest. It's just awesome. I especially enjoyed the trails for the Blue Mesa and the Crystal Forest. Also, there are many pictures. Perhaps an excessive amount, even after culling. Pretty rock/trees are pretty! I have some petrified wood from outside the park, too. :) (I am totally shipping home some rocks; actually, I just did today!)
Seriously love this place.
Almost camped just outside the park, but my digestion was _not_ pleased, and having to dig a pit every time I had to go to the bathroom with some urgency seemed not the best plan. This does, however, mean that I have still not camped! Very absurd, that.
Bought a cheap coffee maker so that I could have boiled water in hotel rooms and _eat_ some of the food I had planned to be preparing and eating while camping. Since at this rate, I may still camp, but it seems unlikely. Between digestive issues that one time, and wanting a shower _every night_. Hey, but at least there are hostels. Not, however, more couchsurfers, which is sad. I have all this syrup and no one to leave it with! Ditto the postcards. Ah, well.
Then I continue my journey! Wandered through Navajo land, being quite disconcerted by my utter inability to actually _talk_ to any Navajo craftspeople. Unlike in the Pueblos, they appear to not really be much of anywhere. Is odd. So I have some Navajo stuff, but not much.
Spent a night in Holbrook; was alright. No real opinion of Holbrook.
Went to Hopi lands, took the tour at First Mesa, met a bunch of different artists in/around (some were in, some were just outside) their homes, one of whom was rather a lot more friendly than seemed warranted or I appreciated, the rest of which were quite friendly and not offensive about it. Indeed, one older man pushed some of their pika (sp?) bread on me. Kind of strange, but also pretty neat. Very flaky corn-based substance. Ended up obtaining a lovely piece of pottery from a woman who it turns out is known in the east (shops & museums) for being a good potter, a small itty bitty kachina pin from aforementioned offensive man (I may end up needing to find someone to give it to, for associations reasons), a fascinating piece of practice basketry performed by a young girl using woolen yarn, and a lovely eagle-type kachina which is halfway out of a kiva. Unfortunately, due to lack of place to store it, the latter needs repairs already. *sad* The wings snapped (rather cleanly) off, and one of the two (clearly glued on) kiva ladder rungs fell off. I really need to find a small box before it gets any more damaged or I lose the parts! Poor pretty kachina.
There are no pictures from anywhere on Hopi land as it is prohibited.
Then I continued on to Second Mesa. The visitor's center was closed (earlier than expected), possibly because there is an entire weekend long ceremony/dance going on this weekend. So I found some stores to go into, and in one of those stores "Tsakurshovi Hopi Arts and Crafts Gallery" met the most amazingly friendly and helpful man (and his wife, who was much less chatty). He gave me all sorts of suggestions (with a highlighter, on my Indian Country map which he was very pleased that I had picked up as it is the best SouthWest map that exists. I may have the name wrong, however. He also wrote notes on a business card about Bluff, CO (or maybe UT)) as to what to do in the Utah & Colorado parts of my trip, as well as things I should do on a later trip (including renting a car with good clearance so I can go to Chaco Canyon!). Also, he mentioned that I should _really_ come back this weekend to go to the Hopi Ceremony/dance praying for - because they always are - water, involving many of the enormous kachinas upon which the smaller carvings are based. Such a friendly and helpful man.
If you are ever in Hopi land you _must_ go to this shop, Tsakurshovi Hopi Arts and Crafts Gallery, owned by Joseph and Janice Day.
Also, I purchased a gorgeous butterfly kachina, a small basket, and a couple of books (one on the express recommendation of Joe Day). The kachina and basket got their own box right there, to make sure the kachina stayed in good shape. Sent that home today. (and unlike the poor eagle kachina, it will not be damaged by lack of box!)
On the express recommendation of both the tour guide at the Painted Desert Inn (in Petrified Forest) and Joe Day, I had dinner at the Turquoise Room in La Posada Inn in Winslow, AZ. The food is truly amazing, and there is not such an overabundance of it that I was able to have an appetizer, a salad, and a main dish with about half of the appetizer and the main dish as leftovers. It is, indeed, quite expensive, but I think it's good enough to be worth the price.
After dinner, I wandered around the grounds for a little while, and even though multiple people suggested I should stay, I decided that the cost of the meal prevented me from being able to afford even a night there. Took a few pictures of the grounds and the public areas of the hotel, and wandered into their gift shop. That gift shop has really interesting, and random, assortment of objects for sale. Not to the point of being overwhelming, mind you. I was _really_ coveting a gorgeous gourd covered with lovely detailed carved animals, but just could not convince myself that it was sane to purchase it at $670 plus tax. I have pictures, though. :)
Then, there was sleep.
This morning, I visited the Little Painted Desert Park near Winslow, which is lovely, and much less crowded than the National Park. Very buggy, though. Thought about digging for my bug repellent!
Around this point, I called the Hertz in Flagstaff's airport to determine what I needed to do in regards to trading for a non-damaged vehicle, for example how much gas to leave in. Learned that all they had in right then were SUVs, but that they should be getting something smaller in in the afternoon. So I dawdled a bit in getting myself to Flagstaff, ate my leftovers for lunch, and got there around 2:30p. Ended up getting something bigger than what I had, which is sad, but certainly not as big as an SUV. Took an hour or so transferring my stuff from one vehicle to the other, then had some snack for lo I was hungry!
At this point, I really wanted to free up some space in the car, so went to a post office before they closed. Arrived around 4, packed up some boxes, and got in line around 4:30. Mailed 3 boxes, and made more space. :) Still a few more things to mail, but it's less urgent now. I need to fiddle around to figure out how to best organize things in this new vehicle! I kind of miss the old one...
Was surprised to learn that I needed to have made reservations at the hostel in order to stay tonight through Monday morning; they have a sister hostel that I went to instead, and since I'm ok with a co-ed dorm room, I have somewhere to stay. :)
Made myself some foods for lo there was hunger - and many leftovers for the next couple of nights - and got myself online to upload many photos and post this. I will post another entry later with photo links from the last entry and what I manage to upload for this one.
Tomorrow, call with
metahacker bright and early, and need to make sure I am somewhere with decent phone network and internets between noon and 2. (I'll likely just hang out at the hostel around that time, since I have 3 bars and am clearly on the internet right now!)
