Arizona

desert

Grand Canyon

panoramae

Phoenix

arrival

hotel

the Rez

dust storm

Tempe

Tucson

I've mentioned time spent in the Courtyard by Marriott in Mesa, but it's not the only place I stayed in the Four Cities area. In the middle of 1997 another Courtyard was built, this one in the nearby town of Tempe, a college town. It has a very hip (for Arizona) main street, and, more importantly, cafés and restaurants and other desirable services within walking distance. At left you see the entrance to the multiplex; sixteen movie screens if memory serves. At right you see a college boy and his car. 'nuff said.

The culinary gem of Tempe is the caffe Boa, a tiny spot near one end of Main Street. In an overwhelming sea of chain stores - the McDonalds, the Sizzlers, the Red Lobsters - this atoll of pleasure is not to be missed during your visits to the area.

Their menu didn't change much during the summer of 1997, so we were able to return again and again and enjoy their incredible four-mushroom cream soup. A huge bowl, a meal in itself, it was ever the fresh and tasty refreshing treat.

Their salads and espresso drinks were great too, but as we sat at one of the two tables outside (in the front) I usually had a cola without ice but with a slice of lemon. There is a great garden in the rear of the restaurant, but I prefer to watch humanity march (and drive) by. Hey, that's what travelling is all about.

The rest of the images on this page are of several huge metal rabbits; these sculptures were right by the cinema, only a hundred feet or so from the hotel. During the day the metal becomes incredibly hot; leaning against the bunnies is a mistake we made only once.