Sunday, July 25, 2010

Spontaneous Grand Canyon

On July 2nd, we were driving from Provo to St. George. We were discussing what to do on the 3rd, because we had nothing planned. We made a list of places to go. There was nothing new on the list: Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Mountain Meadow Massacre, Cedar City, Pine Valley. Everything on the list we had already done, but hey, we had a day left of vacation in Utah
So we woke up the next morning and got the day going. We got in the car deciding we'd start with Zion and see where that took us. So...on the road to Zion there's a sign that says Grand Canyon 140 miles. We both looked at each other and said, OKAY!!!! Instead of making a left we took a right. Now we didn't have a map with us, I didn't have anything from the internet and we were just flying spontaneous!!!! Very rarely do we make crazy adjustments to trips that I haven't thoroughly reasearched, mapped and planned. The few times we do...usually turn out pretty spectacular. Independence Pass is the best off the planned route we've ever taken!!!
So only relying on signs on the road, we made our way to the Grand Canyon. In January we had been to the Grand Canyon of the Pacific in Hawaii. I figured we should go to the one on the mainland. A few times I was afraid we'd made a wrong turn...even though we were following signs, but finally we made it to the lodge!!! It was pretty amazing!!! The sites. Now, we are old fuddy-duddies, so we didn't go on any adventurous hikes, nor are we the Brady Bunch, so we didn't ride down the canyon on a mule. We saw where you get the mules to ride down the canyon. Eddie and I are both afraid of heights. There's no way we're getting on an animal and riding down a little ledge to the bottom of this huge canyon!!!
The lodge has some great outlooks! You can go off of either side and walk out closer to the edge and take pictures. I opted to stay on the patio! Eddie decided to venture off and get some great photos!!! I should've had a camera with me to take pics of him! Oh my! It was quite funny. The side he opted to go on to take photos, jutted out into the canyon and although it does have safety rails and what not...you still are pretty much standing on a little piece of earth overlooking a giant, massive canyon that is WAY BELOW YOU!!! Watching him hold on to the railing for dear life and trying to take pictures with the other hand, was truly hilarious! A group of gray-hairs ventured out after him to the end of the overlook. It was circular so you could see in different directions, etc. He actually told them he was sorry if he grabbed any of them as he tried to go from one side to the other without letting go of the railings!!! I was far away watching the whole thing, but I could imagine his "lamaze breathing" to get through the experience. (That's how he was breathing the one time I got him to go on California Screamin' at California Adventure!)
He made it back safely! It was a great adventure! The canyon is quite Amazing and Eddie is very Brave!!!
I asked him if he liked the Arizona Grand Canyon or the Hawaii Grand Canyon.
We both agreed Hawaii was more lush!!! Hello...Arizona...Desert!!! Hawaii...Island Paradise!!!
It was a fun trip! The sites on the way home to St. George were just as pretty. We stopped at a few places to take some pictures!!
It was just beautiful! The sites in southern Utah are just so beautfiul all the different colors of rocks and moutains and what not!
On this trip, we also got to do something I've wanted to do for FOREVER!!!
We got to go through Colorado City!!!!
What fun! Stay tuned for my next post!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Hogle Zoo - July 1st

It's a saggy elephant butt!
Eddie and I love the Hogle Zoo! It only takes 1 1/2 to 2 hours to see the whole zoo!
This peacock walked across the path right in front of us. It has the most beautiful feathers.
The baby elephant is only a year old. So cute!!!
We saw 4 elephants!
This one was eating the whole time. I love this picture! It's just the cutest shot!
They have 2 Rhinos. One was laying down in the shade! It was rather toasty, so I didn't blame it.
Penguins!!! We love Penguins!!!
The ostriches were funny! They kept running around. They are the oddest looking creatures. You put them together with a giraffe and you can almost see dinosaurs!!!
One of our most favorite places at Hogle Zoo is the giraffe house!! I love how you can go upstairs and be closer to their heads! It's just fun to see a giraffe that close and personal!!!
I made friends with this giraffe. We were talking to each other. No words, no noise, just lots of lips moving! Kinda like Elvis!
I think he liked me!!!
Very beautiful animal!!!
The tigers were awesome. Back in the 90's they only had one tiger and one lion. Now they have more tigers and a better habitat for them too!
Tigers are my favorite animals!!!
In the 90's they only had a tiny crocodile. We used to spend lots of time staring at the tiny crocodile in the 90's, because it was Mattman's favorite!!! Thanks to Peter Pan and Capt. Hook. They have 3 crocodiles now. 2 big ones and a brand new baby that was just born!!!
The gorilla is always fun. He was just sitting there and then when all the kids were up against the glass, he came over to check them out. It was so cute!!!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Anniversary Trip Part 2


Can't check into our hotel in St. George until 3pm, so to kill time on the way to Utah, we stopped at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. We love to see what they've done with their Botanical Gardens.
Very pretty! A fun summer garden theme!
Do you recognize these flowers????
I loved their water ball fountain!
The snails were really cool too! The roses they used are just like the roses in Uncle Earl's funeral arrangements! They're so unique and beautiful!
The aunts were a little creepy!
It was fun to watch them freshen up the frog and other critters in the garden!
Butterflies and hot air balloons and flowers galore!
Cute lady bugs!
Love the pot!
Watering cans were cool too!
Hot air balloons, mushrooms and the frog!
The bees! they were really big! And the glass blown flowers!!!
More bees and the glass flowers! back side of pot!
Love the pot and shovel!
And water everywhere! If you've never stopped to see the botanical garden at the Bellagio! You should! It not hard to get to...you don't have to go any where near the casino! It's fun! If you do go don't forget to check out the chocolate fountain down the hall from the gardens!!!