Philynda's Travels: Great Bookends and Unknown Places

Amazing achievement to get all these together in the USA

Well, I guess when we started this trip we would have been hard pressed to have to separate parts out as being particularly better than others but of course to get the family all together in one place by a fireplace in a ranch in Tucson, is kind of right out there ahead of pretty much everything else-- but I think that the way the last 24 hours of the 5 weeks went it would be a bit of a closer run thing.

And the reason for that is in no small way to these wonderful people -----

This couple and this photograph are from when we were in Tanque Verde some 3/4 years ago --- Barbara Allen & Walter McNulty from Scottsdale, Phoenix , Arizona and a couple that we hit it of with straight away.
There was another couple from somewhere around Sheffield I believe-- Richard and Shirley Bishop-- who also ended up as part of a group who sat with each other every meal and in the evenings we enjoyed all of their company.

One of the nicest things was for Barbara and Walter that we had only met for around 3 days to do was to have this cake produced as it was our anniversary that week----

So all of that was great and we also had their son John there as well---

Since this great meet with these really nice folk , we have kept in touch through Email mostly, and we have continually threatened to meet again and have both given invites out so how nice was it that when Walter & Barbara knew we were going to be on another road trip they suggested that this time that as we were finishing in Arizona that there would never be a better time for us to stop ever with them and the Thursday just gone is what we did going from Sedona to Scottsdale, phoenix and staying the night.

Our first knowing that we are in Arizona proper with the Saguaro Cactus---

The home of Barbara & Walter

A really clever system of cold misting which they have in restaurants in warm places such as Palm Springs -- very relieving in the hot desert sun---

Below is a very clever bit of metal sculpture that is very evident all around Arizona and is also lit up at night---

Above is what I would love a proper temperature controlled wine cellar--- in a major open plan area---

Whatever else you need to be aware is that you don't mess with Walter and you definitely don't try ton upset this man , who was part of the group in New York when he was young that West side story was based on ----

Below is an example that even out here in the Desert , they have a need for the occasional fire to sit around in the evenings -- very cool-----

Lots of Mexican influence-------

At the front door when we were leaving from what is a beautiful desert adobe style house---

Ok so one reason for showing the cake from the last time that we met is the fact that Barbara, astonishingly remembered that on Thursday evening was actually Lynda and my wedding anniversary---- again---- and she had a cake made again--- a wonderful thing to do after a very nice dinner as well----

On Friday morning before we left for the airport Walter took us to a nearby town called Carefree, which is definitely like taking a step back in time--- and I guess that the only shame is that we did not have enough time to really look around of to sample one or two of the Restaurants and hostelries.

apparently the place below is a British tea house

We had lunch in a place called Brian's Black Mountain Barbeque and they really do know how to cook bar-b-q food -- it was great---

and the final place we went to see was a magnificent Stables , Los Cedros ,where they breed and train-- and Pamper -- Arabian Horses in facilities the like I have not seen before -- quite superb----

I love the way where the general public can go and wander around without any issues--- imaging doing that at Smiths Lawn----

We spent a little time looking at the Desert gardens around their house and that of their neighbours as well and it is amazing the approach that they have to accept to produce what are magnificent plants but of course they have to consider the conditions when planning how it is going to look---