Sedona--Rocks and Roundabouts

Days 13 and 14 (Sunday, November 2 and Monday, November 3)

Snow and rain made for an indoor day in Flagstaff on Sunday.  We went to Mass at the beautiful San Francisco de Asis parish, sitting high above the city on a hilltop.  A cold rain fell as we arrived…but a heavy, wet snow had begun to fall by the time we left.  Despite the chilly, wet weather, the parishioners were warm and the service, informal and friendly.  The church looks new, but artistic elements have been added, such as medieval-style tapestry hangings that bring in a traditional feel.

Flagstaff has some great restaurants.  We enjoyed a delicious Italian meal at Fat Olive’s on Route 66 on Saturday night, and Sunday’s dinner was another tasty Thai experience at Pato.  There are many Thai restaurants in Flagstaff, and Pato was among the highest rated.  We found the food wherever we ate to be tasty, reasonably-priced, and served with a smile.  Our best service:  Denny’s!  Yes, the friendliest, most efficient service has been at Denny’s, with surprisingly many healthy options and those great AARP-discounts!  Oh, Yeah!

On Monday, we took 89A to Sedona…a twisty, backwoods road that had many amazing views!  I wish I could have taken some photos of the mountains, colorful trees, and streams, but I couldn’t pry my white knuckles off the steering wheel long enough to do so!

After such a cold and dreary day on Sunday, the weather in Sedona on Monday was perfect, with sunny skies and temperatures in the 60s.  This provided the perfect ambiance for admiring the art around town…








…for taking in a delicious lunch al fresco (with a glass of wine!)…









…and, of course, the amazing surroundings…the hills and mesas, and the famous Sedona “red rocks.”




One interesting thing about Sedona that those who have visited will recall: there are few to no stoplights in Sedona.  After we got past the “touristy” area northwest of town where there was one traffic light, I believe all the other traffic control in the city was done via “roundabout”—you know, those traffic circles like they have in Europe…or downtown New Braunfels!  There’s been talk of one in Corpus Christi near the Louisiana / Ocean intersection, and there was one in Robstown when I grew up.

I know people get all up in arms about them, claiming that they are confusing and there must be dozens of collisions a day—not true in Sedona, from what I could see.  Traffic moved smoothly, the roundabouts served to slow traffic through the city, and there were no fingers thrown or other gesticulations.  It did occur to me, though—a community which relies on roundabouts for traffic control is a place where there is an implicit agreement among the citizens to be both responsible and accountable.  When you enter that traffic circle, you better be responsible for following the rules, for doing your part of the process…and you better hold everyone else accountable for doing the same.  It’s amazingly civilized!

Scott




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Day at the Courthouse

Just another "Texan Tall Tale".... “They look so young,” the gray-haired woman said wistfully to her spouse as she looked toward the counter on the opposite side of the small courthouse lobby.  He smiled and nodded in agreement. She had spied the youthful couple when they entered the building, holding hands and smiling as they strode confidently across the linoleum floor, across to the window marked, “County Clerk—Marriage Licenses.”   Seeing them made her think of a day long ago when she and her beau had taken that same walk. The woman began to create a story in her mind about the youngsters as she saw them being greeted by the clerk.  She imagined the young man to be named Mark, like her grandson.  In fact, he looked a bit like him. The girl?  She looked like a “Kelli” or “Brandi,” or some other name that could end with either “i” or “y.”  They’d probably met at college, through mutual friends, no doubt.  They looked comfortable with one another, she though
Read more

An Open Letter to My President

January 21, 2017   The President The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: As a proud citizen of the United States, I want to extend my congratulations to you on the occasion of your inauguration.  The events of this weekend, starting with the words of your speech, all the way through the many demonstrations across the country in response to your ascent to the highest, most respected office in our great country, have moved me to write to you, my president . My president .  Many, like me, have struggled with that notion.  Many Americans have decided that they cannot refer to you as such.  They, like me, did not support you, nor did they vote for you.  They, like me, have been alternately baffled, amused, and frightened by the things you have said and done in the past months.  Though many of my friends and loved ones who did support you suggest that we take you seriously rather than literally, others, like me, are deeply
Read more

We Fear What We Don't Understand

Bathrooms.  Who would have thought we would be talking so much about such private, yet shared experiences? Today, March 7, Senate Bill 6 will be heard in the Senate State Affairs Committee at the State Capitol.  Authored by Sen. Lois Kohlkorst (R-Brenham), the bill aims to restrict access for transgender persons to restrooms and other facilities. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has made bathroom access one of his top priorities this session, and his message sounds an alarm: “Menacing men dressed as women are preparing to assault our children and womenfolk!”   Mrs. Kohlkorst, ironically channeling former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, wrote an opinion piece that appeared in several Texas newspapers this weekend, in which she wrote, “Women’s rights are human rights.”  She also wrote that opponents of SB 6 seemingly have only one goal in mind—to let boys and men into women’s restrooms to prey on girls and women.  “Young men who are ‘curious,’” she wrote, “or hold mor
Read more