Over 18 months ago when I started planning this trip, I came across an absolutely beautiful picture of a place in Arizona. When I located it on a map and found out a bit more information, it became a must visit so our itinerary was designed to include Chinle. Today we had the pleasure of seeing Spider Rock in Canyon de Chelly and it was well worth every bit of effort in making this trip.
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| Spider Rock |
We began the day with a tour of Canyon de Chelly with a local Navajo guide who lives in the canyon. While he could have been more informative he took us into the canyon, an experience not possible without a native guide. Negotiating the sandy bed required a 4WD and would have been a real thrill in our Prado.
Inside the canyon we were able to get a close-up of the ruins of the early inhabitants. As the canyon is part of the Navajo Reservation it is occupied by farmers carrying on a fairly traditional lifestyle. Wild horses roam the area and are considered communal property.
While the tour, which lasted for three hours, provided an insight into the inner canyon, it was our drive along the south-rim and the seven overlooks which provided a true appreciation of the canyon’s beauty. It also reinforced how lucky we were to have done the guided tour in the morning as from the rim, the ruins were barely visible.
A truly great day with lots of outstanding memories.
We have now filled the car with petrol on three occasions, with each providing a different experience. Why can’t it be as simple as back home?
Tonight we watched the opening of the NFL season in New Orleans. Talk about razz-a-mataz. A bit of overkill I think but nevertheless a great spectacle.
