Sedona, Arizona...Our FAV-O-RITE place

After, our Grand Canyon day we were on the road again on the way to Sedona.  We have been to Sedona many times, but have always approached it from the south.  This time we were coming in from the north and what a surprise awaited us.  Almost from the time we left the Canyon we saw in the distance, Humphrey Mountain (I think that's what it's called - it's part of the San Francisco Peaks).  We were on the North side and it was covered with snow.

But the real surprise was the town of Flagstaff.  Wow!  We are not skiers, so it never occurred to us to go to Flagstaff, but I'm sorry we didn't .  What a cute little yuppie town.  We just drove through on our way to Sedona.  The drive held even more surprises...the most beautiful drive through the Coconino National Forest, passing burned out areas with felled trees littering the mountainside.  What horrible devastation forest fires cause.  But then we were in the forest with tons of pines again and then on the the switchbacks that would bring us into the town of Sedona.  What a beautiful drive.  I would highly recommend it.

Mt.Humphries - taken through the car window.  San Francisco Peaks

After our great jeep tour in Monument Valley, we decided to take one in Sedona, too.  We'd always wanted to do that.  It's just the most beautiful place.  We'll, our bad luck...we chose the wrong tour.  We went to the top of the Mogollon Rim around switchbacks up the mountain looking at the same mountain for 2 hours.  What a disappointment.  We booked through the hotel.  Should have gone in to town to Pink Jeeps store and booked there.  We'd have gotten better explanations and would have chosen more wisely.  Live and Learn.  But the jeep was cute.

OK, now on to my favorite place.  You thought you'd get away without seeing Tlaquepaque one last time, didn't you.  Well, guess again, Bucko.

Tlaquepaque, for those of you who are new to the blog, is a wonderful Spanish architecture  shopping village.  It is filled with wonderful galleries of artisan made items to die for.  

You don't even have to buy anything, it's just so wonderful to stroll around and take in the architecture.

Ok, I took different pictures so you won't be bored.  (Right!)

OK, so I lied.  I take this fountain all the time, but I love it, so.  This little plaza is so pleasant, I could sit here all day.

Another view of the fountain.  It's hard to see here, but I will do this one for my note card line.

MEXADONNA

My favorite store.  Dick sits on the stone bench on the side of the building and if he's a good boy, I buy him ice cream.  I bought my mirror here.  I so miss the southwest decorating.  

Just doesn't sit well in Wilmington.

I found something really interesting at the Oak Creek Brewery.  Who knew?

And all around the plazas there are stairways leading up to the roof for better viewing of the plazas.  At Christmas time they put luminarias  (paper bags with candles inside)  all along the roof lines and up and down the stairway walls.  Thousands of them.

Chris Navvaro has a sculpture studio at Tlaquepaque.  When you visit, you may catch him working on a clay model of one of his outstanding sculptures.  This is a fountain he's done.  There is a larger than life rearing stallion and a huge elk along with a wonderful flying eagle in this same plaza.  

We stayed at Sedona Rouge in a wonderful suite for 2 days.  Enchantment, our first choice was booked due to the Memorial Day holiday.  Sedona Rouge was almost as lovely.

Now on to Gold Canyon.