We took a spectacular tour of Monument Valley today. To really see the valley well you take a open back truck tour which goes into the dirt roads of the valley that are forbidden to private citizens. It is all run by Navajos.
The drive began at 8:45am and within a minute I realized I was not dressed warm enough. The forecast said warm temperatures today, but the wind said “Stupid, you should have taken a jacket like Paola and the kids…â€
Our first stop was an authentic Hogan, which is a mud and wood igloo that the Navajo used for dwelling. An elderly lady sitting on the floor of the Hogan demonstrated several important womanly skills – weaving wool, crushing corn into flour, and braiding. From there we proceeded to the Monument Valley visitor center where some people bought jackets. I did not see something I liked so I remained cold. Luckily, from the visitor center we drove on unpaved roads at a slower pace.
The tour lasted 3.5 hours and included many stops where we got off, walked around and admired nature’s creations. Aside from the famous Buttes and Mesas, there are arches and eyes in the rocks, as well as some small sand dunes. Ron was besides himself where at every stop he ran and climbed. Shir and Orr were also very happy to play in the sand, pick up rocks and chase after Ron.
We returned at noon, dusty, with red sand in our shoes, and great photos in our cameras. After some snacking, we set off to our next destination, Canyon De Chelly (pronounced De’ Shai). This is a mini grand canyon on Navajo land that has been continuously populated for over 5000 years. There are some cliff dwellings and other evidence of life all around.
Orr was having a bad afternoon, and the 3 hour drive did not make it any better. We decided instead of staying in a very primitive campground tonight, to stay in a motel at the park entrance. Kind of strange after 10 nights in the RV, but the kids enjoyed a hot bath instead of the quick showers so far. Orr fell asleep at 6:30pm but unfortunately is suffering from stomach pain and gas and is crying a lot. We hope she will feel better in the morning.
Good night.
Hemi