The Phoenix Traveler

For this week, I’m pointing you in the direction of my fellow bloggers’ sites at b5media, at least a few of them, anyway.
If you like photography, I think you’ll like this blog. Jon Rochetti, also The DC Traveler, posts a picture a day here, and includes a description and some other factual detail.
He posted one of mine not too long ago.
A few of my favorites that he took himself:

Las Vegas at night
Italian ruins
A Costa Rican sunset

Visit this site for some great armchair travel.

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As I head off to Maine for a week-long vacation, I thought it would be interesting to share how others see my state.
The view from across the pond
Arizona attracts many visitors from all over the world, England, Germany and Japan especially. Here’s a guy from England who’s been traveling the states. His venture brought him to Arizona, of course. His photos from the Four Corners region—where the Navajo Nation reigns—include some clear and up close shots of ruins in the area. But they’re at Mesa Verde National Park, which is really in Colorado. The Four Corners region steps inside four …read more

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Visit the Boyce Thompson Arboretum this Labor Day for some prickly kind of fun. Apache Junction author Jean Groen (Foods of the Superstions) will teach guests how to harvest, squeeze and prepare the juice of the opuntia cactus.
Also known as the prickly pear, its magenta colored fruit has been used for centuries as a food source. The subtle but sweet tasting fruit is harvested throughout Arizona. At various restaurants, bars and gift shops throughout the state, including in Phoenix, you may see a prickly pear margarita on the menu or candy and jelly made from this cactus fruit on store …read more

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Every big city has its unique neighborhoods, or the neighborhoods that define a specific culture or two. Being so close to the Mexican border, we have our fair share of ‘hoods that define the Hispanic culture.
One of them is in South Phoenix–not necessarily the safest place to play. But tucked away in a hidden corner, is something you might want to see–El Gran Mercado. For a little adventure and a place to practice your Spanish verbs, pick a weekend afternoon to drive over to 35th Avenue and Buckeye. That’s where you’ll find this secret gem. On the south side …read more

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Below are the answers to yesterday’s pop quiz.
Watch for more to come in the future. Once a month, I’ll include a quiz, centering it around a theme, such as Native American art, sporting events, outdoor recreation, and other things travel-related. You can join in on the fun by leaving your answers here in the comment box.

Till next time, let me know if you knew the answers to this quiz without having to do an online search, or phone a friend.

If this quiz was too easy, let me know that as well. The answers are:

There are three places in Greater Phoenix …read more

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Greater Phoenix, the fifth largest city in the country, is home to the third largest working sundial in the Western Hemisphere and many other interesting facts, figures and fun.  In this first pop quiz at The Phoenix Traveler, let’s see how much you know or have heard about the city where you live or plan to visit:

There are three places in Greater Phoenix where I know you can find Allan Houser sculptures. I may have mentioned them previously in this blog. Do you know the names of these places?

Phoenix is situated in the heart of what is considered the most …read more

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It’s a pretty common day trip for folks who fly in to Phoenix and want to stay a few extra days. They often decide to go to Sedona to see the red rocks. They want to find a vortex and see what all the fuss is about. Go ahead. Just Google Sedona, and you’ll see what I mean. These photos illustrate a bit of what you’ll see when you get there.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The top two photos were taken while on a yoga hike to the top of Cathedral Rock. The photo on the left is the park at Red Rock Crossing. From …read more

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You may have seen this book, or maybe not. But Sam Lowe, the author of Arizona Curiosities (now in it’s second edition), happens to be a funny guy with a lot of quirky stories to tell, including one about the time he interviewed a couple at a nudist colony in Tonopah. And, yes, they were unclothed. Well…he was, after all, in search of the “bare facts,” as quoted from his book.
Not only is Sam funny, but the guy’s also got guts.
Guess that’s why Marshall Trimble, the state’s official historian, recommended Lowe to the publisher, Globe Pequot, as the guy …read more

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Most people I know who live outside of Phoenix know that I write about Phoenix. They know that’s one of my specialities as a freelance writer. So if they plan to be visiting, they don’t hesitate to ask me for travel recommendations. Recently, I got an e-mail from a new acquaintance who said she and her husband would be spending five days in Sun City West. “So I’d love to get your suggestions on good restaurants, best places to hike, etc.” She said they could go anywhere, but for hikes they’d like something that was wheelchair-accessible.
The first place …read more

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