Vacation in the Southwest of the US (November 2003)

Short story: Fly to Phoenix (Benedikt quickly visited San Francisco on the way to Phoenix) - rent a car and visiting friends close to Phoenix - drive to San Diego and visit other friends - drive to Las Vegas for dinner - then visit Zion National Park, Valley of Fire State Park, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Paria Canyon, Lake Mead, Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, and Sedona - back to Phoenix and visit the Desert Botanical Garden- fly back to Boston.

Enjoy the pictures!

Golden Gate and Bay Bridge (San Francisco) at night.

Pier 39 in San Francisco.

The famous Sea Lions of San Francisco.

Red Wood trees in Muir Woods National Park (north of San Francisco).

View from the hotel room in Phoenix in the early morning.

On the way from Phoenix to Sand Diego.

These cactus are really big!

In the San Diego wild animal park.

A long way to Las Vegas.

Climbing Angel's landing in Zion National Park.

A breathtaking view from the top of Angel's landing (Zion National Park).

View into the Zion Canyon from Angel's landing.

Rock formations close to Angel's landing in the Zion National Park.

Leaving Zion National Park.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.

A littel desert feeling in the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.

Shadow games!

Paria Canyon: "Hiking route is in the river bed."

What does that means?

It means exactly what it says. Quite wet!

And dirty!

But also quite spectacular.

Still in the Paria Canyon.

Grand Canyon National Park in the evening sun.

Hiking down into the canyon.

Mules halfway down in the Grand Canyon.

Our camping spot down in the Canyon.

And on the way out the other day.

Approaching Flagstaff and the San Francisco Peaks.

Montezuma Well, an old indian settlement.

Nice trees around Montezuma Well.

Red Rock in the vicinity of Sedona.

Protecting cactus in the desert botanical garden in Phoenix from the "bitter cold" wind (still above freezing).