Arizona 2012: A quick trip to Greece?

At first glance the blue and white chapel on the hill could easily be one found in sunny Greece - it is the saguaro and cholla that make it look conspicuously out of place. Just off Highway 79 on the way to Tucson is an unexpected oasis in the desert. Fields of cholla guard the entrance to St. Anthony's Monastery. Established in 1995, the monastery is run by an order of Greek Orthodox monks carrying on the tradition of the Holy Mountain, Athos monasteries of Greece.

Long skirts, long sleeves and head scarves are required for the women, so mom and I donned our finest for the afternoon. As soon as we passed through the main gate we were transported back in time and into a place of contemplation and beauty. The monks, all long bearded and thickly accented, went about their daily tasks, unaffected by the visitors wandering around the gardens. There are even dormitories for pilgrims wishing to stay overnight on the monastery grounds. The predominant language echoing through the gardens and inside the chapels was Greek with the occasional Russian and English.



St. George's Chapel - architecture typical of Romania



St. George slaying the Dragon

Chandelier inside St. George's Chapel


I have visited an orthodox monastery and churches while in Russia and even one in Greece, so as soon as I stepped through the heavy wooden doors of the first chapel, I was transported back to a familiar place. Granted, the ones I visited were much older, much darker and much more somber. These were bright, shiny and the icons were free of candle smoke and the ravages of time.

St. Seraphim's Chapel is dedicated to the most revered Russian saint - interesting contrast between the Orthodox icons and the woven Indian rug in this open air chapel

St. Elijah's Chapel is located on a hill just outside the main monastery grounds. A short walk up a stony path leads to the blue domed chapel and belfry. It offered amazing 360 degree views of the surrounding desert and a feeling of being removed from the bustle of the everyday.

Cupola - St. Elijah's Chapel

Icons and prayer chairs

Once I made it to the top of the hill I could see the fast approaching clouds of a winter storm. Oddly enough, once we were back on the road towards Florence we passed through the entire rain storm in about the space of a mile. The rain on the ground was already drying up as soon as the clouds passed. Only in Arizona!



Panoramic view of St. Anthony's Monastery as the winter rain sweeps across the desert

Having thoroughly explored Greece, we headed to Queen Creek Olive Mill for lunch at del Piero - a Mediterranean trattoria. Extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, gelato, tapenades - I was in an Italian heaven! It was a great way to wind down our Mediterranean excursion through the Arizonian desert.

Arizona 2012: Navajo Tacos at the Heard Museum

It has probably been 20 years since I went to downtown Phoenix. I always thought it to be dirty, unsafe and unappealing. Today, however, I was pleasantly surprised to find it full of renovated nostalgic buildings and modern light rail. The Heard Museum was only a few minutes drive from my sister's place and so we decided to take in the Native American exhibits.

As part of their Heard for the Holidays series, they had performers in full regalia performing native dances - including the hoop dance.

As anyone growing up in Arizona would know, a Navajo taco isn't necessarily made by Navajo Indians nor is it really actually a taco. It is rather deep fried dough smothered with lettuce, cheese, beans and sometimes beef on top. The sweet version of powdered sugar is also a must. The best way to eat them is to rip off a piece and pay not mind to the bits that will most assuredly drip down the front of you shirt. Lucky for us, they were being sold outside the museum today. 

The museum's collection of everything Native American was quite impressive. Katcina dolls, woven rugs, silver and turquoise jewelry and painted pottery filled the halls. One of the most interesting exhibits was the one honoring the WWII Code Talkers. I didn't realize the first ones were from the Choctaw tribe (my dad is 1/64th Choctaw and VERY proud of that fact.) There were several rooms with interactive exhibits that would be great for kids. A great afternoon in a serene oasis in the middle of the desert.

Arizona 2012: Chili Pepper Lights

As my mom and I drove up to Phoenix today for some last minute shopping with my sister, I found myself singing along to all the Christmas songs on the radio - some silly, some nostalgic, most obnoxiously familiar. As I did, I realized very few of them described the Christmas I knew as a child growing up in Coolidge, a medium-to-small sized town in the middle of the Arizona desert.






The closest thing we had to snow was the fluffy white cotton bits that get scattered along the side of the road after the final harvest. Often times it was cactus and palm trees wrapped with bright lights instead of bare trees and evergreens. Bundling up meant a jacket in the morning that could be easily discarded in the 65 degree sunny afternoons. Tamales, not turkey, was the more common Christmas dinner.

Yesterday evening, as the sun began to set, I drove around town past the water tower (most likely the tallest thing for miles) and up to the fence of our "claim to fame" - the 500 year old Native American dwelling, Casa Grande Ruins (probably the second tallest thing.) I was looking for Christmas lights, but didn't find much. When I got back home, my parent's tenants had turned on their mix 'n match light display and I was grateful for the festive attempt.

When my parents downsized and moved into one of their rental properties, one of the things that got lost in the move was the box with the Christmas lights, all except for the chili pepper lights, that is. Where would we be without chili pepper lights! My brother sent my parents a mini pine tree this year. Not being big on decorating (that was always my thing) they decided to fore go a large tree and just used the small one. It works for them.

Tomorrow is Christmas. The presents are wrapped and the stockings are hung - well at least, draped over the cedar chest. I have been Santa's "helper" for as long as I can remember and since my parents have both already gone to bed, I can finish stuffing the stockings with a couple of dollar store finds, nuts, a few chocolates and a mandarin orange in the toe.  A movie on Christmas Day has been a Barnett tradition for years (see previous post regarding my Dad's movie addiction...)We are heading out in the morning to catch a matinee - Les Miserables. Nothing like a bit of musical misery to make one grateful.

Merry Christmas!

Arizona 2012: The end of the world, a birthday and a very cute baby

 What do moving walkways, snowflakes, and a skeleton in a fuzzy green hat have in common? These are a few of the "christmasy" things I found at the Salt Lake Airport during my delay on Friday. The "end of the world" came and went without much fanfare. I am thrilled not to have encountered any mystical beings or major calamities at 30,000 feet. The only inconvenience was the airport delay due to massive winter storms slowing my plane down from the Midwest. The Arizona sun had already set when I arrived home. I was obviously overdressed for the 60 degrees that greeted me.

One of the reasons I came home early was to be there on December 22 to celebrate my Dad's 71st birthday. I knew a trip to the movies would be mandatory (my father is a self-proclaimed junkie with no intentions of rehabilitation) so we found one both Mom and Dad would both enjoy - "Rise of the Guardians" - an animated holiday film with a Russian accented Father Frost named "North" and a classic battle between good and evil (or at least between Santa, the Easter Bunny, Sandman, Tooth Fairy and Jack Frost and the devilish 'bogie man' with 'nightmare' minions.) Since it was his birthday, my Dad decided he was entitled to finish 3 king sized candy bars - several variations of Reeces - all by himself.

 After the movie, we met up with Larena, Erica, and baby Sawyer for an early dinner at Olive Garden. It is amazing how much power a small bundle of only 12 pounds can wield on 5 seemingly 'grown-up" adults. After her "conversations with Grandpa", Sawyer continued to charm those eating at the next table. We took some photos afterwards...I think Sawyer out-dressed us all in her candy cane outfit and tu-tu cuffed footies - Dad was a close secondwith his new Polo jacket - tag still attached.

  



Arizona 2012: A Thankful Trip

It is hard to believe two weeks have passed since Thanksgiving - one of my favorite holidays! I decked my halls (well my very small living room, at least) with Christmas before heading down to Arizona. I wanted to be sure to have the tree and lights waiting for me when I got home - Christmas being my most favorite holiday :) I am lucky to have extended family in Utah, so there was always a place to go for Thanksgiving dinner. But this year, I decided to fly home to Arizona for some mild November weather, turkey and to meet my new niece, Sawyer.

But first, my turkey hunt at the airport. Greek, Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Fish Market and, of course, McDs. On any other day, I would be thrilled at the new food choices at the SLC Airport, but it was Thanksgiving and I wanted turkey! I made the rounds of Terminal 2 and finally found U Food Grill at the end of Gate C. The turkey may have been served on naan flatbread, but there was cranberry chutney included, so I am not complaining. I am an firm advocate of flying on actual holiday days. The airport is almost entirely devoid of people but there is free wi-fi, so life is good! Extra thankful for a beautiful view of the mountains and a short flight home.

An hour and 30 minutes after take-off, mom and dad picked me up at Sky Harbor Airport. It was a balmy 78 degrees and the sun was just about to set. For those who have not experienced an Arizona sunset, you are missing out. The sky goes on for miles. With all the dust in the air the red-orange sun sets the sky aglow as in dips behind jagged hills - after living in Utah, I can't really call them mountains. It can be a fleeting moment, easily missed if you are talking or otherwise distracted on the drive across the Santan Reservation. There is a hilly stretch of road just as you turn off the I-10 Freeway that is lined with saguaro cacti and chunky black rocks. If you are lucky enough to be passing by at sunset, it is a real sight to see. I wasn't, but I did get a photo in looking back at the hills before the sun set.

This year, my brother stopped over in Coolidge during a business trip to California. We met up with Larena, Erica and baby Sawyer for a morning hike up Squaw Peak, in northern Phoenix. I must admit, this was my first time actually hiking around this well-known spot. I guess, back when I actually lived in Arizona, I wasn't much of a hiker, that came later. Mom and dad stayed with Sawyer and the rest of us took to the trail. I say I am a hiker, but I use that term loosely. As I tell my hiking companions, I am like the "little engine that could", slow and sure. I have climbed up many a tower, cliff and mountain as I have traveled, but I am never the first one to the top.


The trail was full of after-Thanksgiving hikers, hard-core joggers and even a group of "techies" on their weekly exploration of Arizona trails. I often complain about the heat of Arizona. But between the months of November and March, it is actually quite nice. The landscape is unique, even exotic. On our hike we saw cactus with freakishly huge thorns and rocks jutting out of the side of the hill like white-crystal kryptonite. Amazing!



Luckily, I didn't miss out on Thanksgiving dinner altogether. My mom tried something new this year, pre-ordering a pre-cooked turkey dinner from Safeway. We picked up everything Sunday afternoon - turkey and all the fixings, as planned. However, that fine print will get you every time! Didn't realize the turkey would be cold and have to be re-heated for an hour and a half before we could actually eat. Bummer, but not the end of the world. We added the customary green bean and fried onion casserole and embellished the stuffing with walnuts, onions and celery. It was less than half the Barnett clan, but it was a nice, relaxed after-thanksgiving Thanksgiving dinner. 

We took a walk in Coolidge's "sport park" after dinner - really just several ball fields joined together by sidewalks and some trees - but a nice place to walk in a town with no real "downtown". As we were leaving the park, I commented to my sister that it must look nice when all the grass is green and she said, "this is green!" But then again, the trees still have all their leaves, and green ones, at that. Ah, another Arizona-only moment.





Switzerland 2012: Auf Wiedersehen or "Its time to go home"

Winter, Spring, Summer...what happened to Fall?

When I started my journey 10 days ago, lemons and olives were on the trees and cool sea breezes eased the humid heat of the afternoons on the Amalfi Coast. Rain finally fell once I reached Milan in northern Italy, but it still felt like spring weather rather than autumn. I woke up this morning to a blanket of snow covering the geraniums in the quaint Swiss window boxes. Quite a shock to my system still not ready for winter.

Window in Zurich.

But a little snow never stopped my exploring - I lived in Finland, Russia and Utah, after all. I stared early and went down to the Zurich harbor to catch a boat for a river cruise, which was included in the price of my 24 Zurich Card. Along with about 20 others, I cruised up and down the snowy shoreline for a hour and a half. Once again, I found myself straining to see the shore of the lake, this time through the snow falling softly and steadily instead of just fog like on Lake Como.



House on Lake Zurich.



Colorful burgher houses in Zurich.

After a bit of wandering the almost empty streets, I headed to the Swiss National Museum to explore a fascinating exhibit called Kapital: history of commerce from Venice and Amsterdam in the 1100's to the modern dynamics of the USA and China. It was very well presented and even had a globe, minus Australia (before it had been discovered.) With a few minutes left on my 24 hour card, I went to the Helmshaus to see some modern Swiss paintings and get a view of the gray city from above.

View of Zurich from the Helmshaus.

I try to spend my Sundays when I travel in museums and local churches. Fraumunster Cathedral is a beautiful building in its own right, but the real highlights are the stained glass windows by Marc Chagall. Filled with biblical images and bold, bright colors, it was easy to get lost in them, trying to identify familiar stories. I just wish I was allowed to take photos inside. A very active (for lack of a better word) church Nazi was wandering around making sure no one broke the rules. She almost pounced on a man with a crying baby, who stopped crying before she could usher them outside into the snow.

Fraumunster Cathedral

The only photo I could take in the entry way of Fraumunster Cathedral.

Speaking of snow, it snowed continually all day long. Wet and cold, I went to find some lunch/dinner in the train station - the only place open on Sunday. All of Zurich and tourists from every country on the globe were there as well. With a dose of CNN and BBC News, I am now up to speed on the events of the day. Hopefully, "Sandy" wont interfere with my return flight and I will be sleeping in my own bed by Monday night.



Switzerland 2012: Zurich = Snow

After a beautiful train ride through the Italian/Swiss Alps, I arrived in Zurich in the afternoon. Road signs and business banners changed from Italian to German as I went north. Besides the blast of cold air, I was greeted by an enormous "Guardian Angel" hanging from the ceiling of the Zurich main train station.


Alpine village in Switzerland.

My hotel, The Welcome Inn, is near the airport - about a 15 minute ride from downtown Zurich and still my most expensive hotel yet. But then, I am in Zurich, so that is to be expected. It is like living in Vancouver again :) I have to admit, I was a bit suprised to see men rushing past wearing lederhosen...I guess Oktoberfest lasts all year long around these parts.



House front with frescoes

I bought the 24 hour Zurich Card and have already made up the cost within the first 4 hours. It was raining when I left my hotel at around 3:30pm and snowing when I arrived in Zurich. I decided to find someplace warm and less snowy for the evening. Best option was the Kunsthaus Zurich. There was a Chagall exhibit - only a few paintings, but I really relate to his work and wanted to check it out. Turns out, the whole of Zurich had the same idea (entrance was free today.) They also had a collection of several impressionist painters, including a classic cypress painting by Van Gogh and a huge misty painting of the pond in Giverny by Monet.

Marc Chagall



Van Gogh

I wasn't really prepared for snow and my layers were proving less than effective, so I called it an early night and headed back to my hotel. I didn't have internet access in Milan, so I wanted to catch up on some of my blog entries. Tomorrow will be my last day in Europe, so I am going to bundle up and see the rest of Zurich in the morning. I had planned on going on a day trip to Liechtenstein, but guess I will save that for another time...

Italy 2012: Lake Como - Sometimes the journey is the destination.

It was 23 degrees Celsius (about 73 degrees) when I got back to my hotel last night. This morning I woke up to rain and almost 10 degrees cooler. Looks like Fall finally caught up with me. Looks like I am going to get some use out of my jeans, jacket and umbrella. I caught the morning train for the 1 hour ride up to Lake Como. Rain and fog, not the ideal conditions for an open air ferry ride up from Como to Bellagio. But, if the rain had come yesterday, I would not have been able to access the Duomo rooftop – stone gets rather slippery in the rain and they don’t allow visitors up, thankfully.

Lake Como town through the foggy rain.

Ferry stop just before Bellagio.

I am sure the views along the lake are breathtaking, but the fog was so heavy, I couldn’t see the mountain tops or even the other side of the shore. When we neared the docks, I finally saw the beautiful towns, somehow forgotten by time. I took the slow ferry for the 2 hour trip to Bellagio. Today, the journey was the destination.

At the ferry stop.

Bellagio was quaint, small, hilly and a bit touristy. But after an hour, after some great pizza and lemon soda, the rainy cold was settling into my bones so I took the fast ferry back to Como (only 45 minutes this time.) I had a bit of time before my return train, so I visited the Duomo in Como and some of the back streets for photos. It was hard to enjoy it with the cold rain and soggy pant legs, so I made it an early day and went back to Milan.

The Como Duomo.

I guess it is good that the rain came on my last day in Italy, makes it easier to leave. Tomorrow I am heading north again, this time to Switzerland and Zurich. Think I will have to layer on a bit more to keep warm this time.