Desert Botanical Gardens

The Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix in the early evening were the highlight of the first day of our Arizona Holiday.

After rising before five o'clock Eastern time, we landed in Phoenix around 4:30pm Eastern or 1:30pm Pacific. We hadn't eaten much all day long. We had thought that we would have been able to supplement our six-o'clock bagel with the promised breakfast on the Ottawa-Toronto flight. In the event, said breakfast consisted of a thimble-size portion of juice and naught else. I don't have a particular problem with that, but the reservations had specified that breakfast would be available.

Of course, there was no time to secure sustenance in the Toronto airport where we shuttled and walked approximately ninety-nine and a half mile, got scanned yet again, and cleared customs. Food was offered on the Phoenix flight, but it wasn't very attractive to either of us, so we declined the purchase.

So it was that we didn't have breakfast until eleven hours after our morning bagel. Yes, it was breakfast at IHOP. We don't have IHOPs in Canada, but we found that they served decent food at a decent price, and we ate there several times.

After breakfast, we were ready to begin the tour. The Frommers travel guide that I had purchased recommended a the Botanical Gardens at sunset; we did it and quite enjoyed the visit. Cacti of all sorts and shapes abounded: quite a treat for northerners who had seen nary a one until then. (If all Frommers guides were as helpful as this one, I recommend them unhesitatingly.)

As you can see in the first photo below, the lowering sun cast most wonderful colours, and the birds were very busy getting ready for the night. Birdsong filled the warm air as they flitted in and out of their nests in the cacti (second photo). As we were leaving, I was able to capture what is arguably my best trip photo (last one below). We thoroughly enjoyed this visit.

I've changed the Flickr photos in the sidebar to the Arizona set, so if you're ever in the mood for more, you can click here or on any of the pictures. If you do click a photo, you will then be redirected to a larger version that particular picture, but you then can access the whole set if you look to the right of the photo. (I should find a way to make it easier for you, and I probably will.)

I also wouldn't be surprised if more photos appear on Cuppa's blog in the near future. In fact, I would be surprised if she didn't publish more.