In the distance you could see this gorgeous Mesa. The names First Mesa, Second Mesa and Third Mesa didn't hit me yet. For some reason I just thought they were the names of the cities. Only when I was on the Second Mesa did it finally occur to me that YES, we are ON TOP of the Mesa!! Ha ha ha. WOW! I have always wanted to go on top of a Mesa, I just didn't realize how easy it was. All it took was a drive similar to a typical Southern California mountain road and voilà we were there! That day was a day of wonders.
We had stayed the night in +Winslow, AZ, woke up early and back-tracked a little to head on up to the Mesa's. It was a long drive with no bathroom along the way. Not a good idea when you have just filled up your belly with lot's of coffee. We stopped at the first building we saw, hoping it was a convenience store with a bathroom. Nope. It was the Post Office with a nice woman running it. I think there would be a lot of money to be had if that corner there had a store, bathroom and gas for those travelers heading north from the I40, who just drank a bunch of coffee and are in need of a restroom, or possibly some gas and some snacks. The nice lady told us to stop at the Hopi Cultural Center and Museum to ask about getting a Pueblo Tour, so that is where we headed.
When we arrived at the Cultural Center a nice man greeted us. He told us we had just missed a great weekend of dance, etc. This man was a wonderful person who gave us so much insight into our surroundings, life in general and what was in store for us up the road. I actually was really starving...which was very unusual for me. I don't normally eat breakfast until 10AM or oftentimes even skip breakfast. He told us that they had blue corn foods and I wanted so badly to try them out, but NO ONE else was hungry! Go figure! I will one day go back to that place and eat at that restaurant and try their delicious Hopi foods!!! And soon too, if I have my way!
The man was an artist. He showed me his art and explained how he used the colors from the earth. The green paint was from a rock. Black was from charcoal and the red from clay. Amazing!!! I could have stayed ALL day there or even a couple of months, but onward we must go. We were planning on seeing the Grand Canyon that day too.
We headed up to a place in +Tuba City, a travel center that was supposed to have the blue corn fry bread. Let's just say it was triple confirmation that we should have just eaten at the Second Mesa restaurant. The food was good, the people in the convenience store were extremely nice and helpful, the one waiter was very, very nice, the bathrooms were clean. We were told that the name of the place meant outcast. I felt a little of that there and couldn't wait to move on.
The drive to the Grand Canyon awaited us.
The whole area starting from Lupton all the way to Williams north and south of the I40 was just mind boggling. I had been to Sedona and Montezuma's Castle previously, but never realized the diversity and beauty of Arizona. I think I left a piece of my heart there with the land, the animals and the people. The man at Second Mesa told me that we should always say hello to people, no matter what. He said that we never know what people are going through and just a hello or a smile or wave could change their life. We exchanged wisdoms. I told him how we always have what we need it's just that sometimes we are blind and don't see it. And if we don't get what we think we need, then maybe we really don't NEED it after all!
We didn't get to do a Pueblo Tour, but that journey in to Hopi land was one of the most memorable. My life changed there, my heart soared like a bird. My spirit is high on top of those beautiful Mesas. Like I told the nice man, I will return, and I just know I will!
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