My Holiday in Arizona - Sedona, Jerome & Tlaquepaque

The Monday morning we set off from the hotel after the Sasha Festival for Sedona and stayed with Marti's lovely friend Barbie who showed us round the area.

The first place we visited was the historic township of Jerome, the site of a once booming mine town built along the side of a mountain.  You can read more about the actual township and its history here.

I wanted to have a ride on one of these...but Mum said No!

We had to climb those steps to get to the Haunted Hamburger which was where we were going to eat lunch

But first Helen and I wanted to have a ride on the horse in the playground.

Half way up the view was quite spectacular

Here we go, food at last!

We line up for the obligatory photograph session...

There was a skeleton with his crow sitting up near us...

There was a funny bookcase in the ceiling...very strange goings on!

After we finished a very enjoyable lunch we went outside to take in the views.

There were placards telling us about various points of interest in the town.

It was a bit like a ghost town in parts due to the various ruins.

This was a bit funny to see...I think it might have been a doggy doos bin.

The little information centre.

The town jail which had slid down the hill about 225 feet from its original location. 

Apparently in 1927 large dynamite explosions underground cause the shifting of the large Verde Fault line and as a result the surface of the town became very unsettled and various areas and buildings began to fall apart and collapse.  The jail was one of these buildings!

It is now a historic building and as such is preserved where it settled.

On the way down to the jail is an art gallery to the left.

Sheila and Barbie coming down the steps.

Looking up at the car park and further up the hill where the jail would have been originally.

We look down into it.

We chat about what it must have been like here many years ago when a copper mining town.

Careful, there is a wind building up...

Whoops, little Barbie fell down...

Oh no, are you okay?  This looks worrying...I leap down to rescue her.

Oops, this was not quite how I envisioned my landing and rescue attempt.

Quite undignified!

Still we soon get back to business...or at least I do, come on Barbie, your hair is okay...

Are you coming?

She soon joins me and we do a spot of 'posing' in front of the jail...we might as well, now we are down here.

Fortunately we are soon rescued and back onto safer ground.

Driving through Sedona we admire the scenery, so different to anything we have seen before.

We stop to get out for a better look round.

But soon we have to get back on the road.

Going past homesteads in the car...

Cathedral Rock

Pretty impressive isn't it?

All of us enjoying and soaking up the warm sunshine...and yes it was very warm.

Oops, Helen, slightly undignified look there...I think we are going to have to get you some different clothes to wear.

That is better!  At least you aren't showing too much off now.

Helen is pretending she doesn't know what we are talking about.

Ouch, don't touch, that looks prickly.

Yeah, some tree climbing!

Look no hands!

What fun we had in this tree...

Even some honeymooners stopped to take our photo!

Hey there everyone!

Hi Mom!  Waves Helen.

Gotta go now and get on with the rest of our touring round...

Yes they look like houses down there.

Coffee Pot Rock

Snoopy Rock

Can't remember what this one is, but think it was something to do with Lucy?

We stopped in Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village....look I can see water...almost!

More tree climbing...or was it hanging?

Yeah here is some water, it sure has been hot, I wonder if this will cool me down?

Strike a pose.

Pretty cool huh?

How about at this angle?

I couldn't resist climbing up onto the fountain to run my hand under the water...

It was lovely and cool.

Investigating some interesting looking carving on the arm of a chair in one of the shops we went in.

Arghhh...help....

....something is trying to eat me...!

Never fear...I think this dinosaur hasn't eaten anything in a very long time!

After the crocodile experience down under though, I just couldn't resist!

The lovely lady who owned this shop said I could go for a ride on her carousel horse.

Wasn't I lucky?

A fun painting on the wall.

Interesting plaque.

Strange creatures.

No not me!  I'm not strange...I'm Henry!

Oh ah...this looks, well, rather interesting...

Or even painful!

Seems he is an eagle catcher...although I think it looked more like the eagle was catching him!

Hello....?

Hello?  I'm Henry, what is your name?

Sadly I get no reply.

This is the Chapel of the Holy Cross

It looked very interesting built into the side of the rock formations.

Strange looking rock.

This one is Bell Rock

It was a super day and we saw a lot in the time span we had available to us and want to thank our new friend Barbie so very much for showing us around the area, it really as superb.  Thank you.