{200 Countries Visited and link Back to Grand Canyon South Rim Motorcoach Tour}

Only 21 days after 199 Countries Visited, the newest country flag of Vanuatu showed up on October 30...

 Somehow I messed up my previous post while I was on the road yesterday; releasing the newer post too soon. SORRY about that! When you are off to the funeral of a good friend who left to heaven at just the age of 65... it takes your mind off a bit.

Here is the link to click on, for going right back to it again: {Grand Canyon South Rim Motorcoach Tour} ←click it!

Welcome Vanuatu as my 200th different country!
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Thanks to all of my humble readers, all over the world!

Related links:

{Riding the Grand Canyon Railway} | previous post by me

{1881 Williams, Arizona - Gateway to Grand Canyon & Wild West} | previous post by me

{Grand Canyon South Rim Motorcoach Tour}

From the scenic Grand Canyon Railway train ride, we did board onto the Grand Canyon South Rim Motorcoach, for viewing the different lookout points. 

This was all included in our Grand Canyon Railroad Hotel package!

Husband Pieter viewing the AMAZING Grand Canyon...

So glad we did also add this Grand Canyon Motorcoach Tour  ←(click it) to our hotel and train package! Below, you will find links about previous Grand Canyon posts.

The ULTIMATE ADVENTURE measures: 277 river miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and an average depth of one mile!

No photo can actually capture what you experience while standing at one of the Grand Canyon South Rim's view points...

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES ←click it.

Grand Canyon Village Shuttle Bus Routes, Points of Interest ←click to open pdf
FREE Shuttle Bus in Grand Canyon Village!!!

This is such a bus stop; Mohave Point and you can see it on the map above, better of course from the Pdf.

This is the view at Mohave point... you better wear good shoes for safety and don't go too close to the rim!

Not bad from my iPad...
Mohave Point, Grand Canyon National Park ←click to see almost identical photo.

Husband Pieter captured me with our Nikon...

Here I am almost out on a limb when taking this photo with my iPad...

 
You can see Mohave Point marked yellow on this Pdf map from Grand Canyon National Park - The official news paper; just click link and select page 7.

Still at Mohave Point, taken with Nikon.
Do you see the Colorado river also to the right, above the red rocks?

Another iPad shot from the red limestone rocks.

Looking down at the Colorado river...

Always climbing over rough terrain...

Pieter holding on to his cap! It flew away once and I just could retrieve it...

We have been so lucky with the weather during our entire 7 days in Arizona!

Talking about winds that make your cap fly away; Hopi Point is at an elevation of 7,071 feet or 2,155 meters.

The above and following photos at Hopi Point, I took with the Nikon camera while Pieter sat down on the curb for a rest.

Amazing views and it is SO HUGE!

Since this was on Sunday, Labor Day weekend, there were lots of people at the Grand Canyon.
These photos I managed to take without anyone obstructing the view.

Hopefully this did give you a little impression of the Grand Canyon's South Rim.
Thanks for watching...

Related links:

{Riding the Grand Canyon Railway} | previous post by me

{1881 Williams, Arizona - Gateway to Grand Canyon & Wild West} | previous post by me

{Riding the Grand Canyon Railway}

We did ride the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon where also the United States oldest log depot is still in use!

Pieter is inspecting the locomotive's engines...

Historic Wild West costumes...

Pieter took a 'WeFie' with the iPad, as we are now happily riding the train...

The Marshal from the Wild West Shootout, did also board the train since there will be a mock robbery on the way back at 5:00 PM...

Roaming Western Singers are also part of this fully narrated train ride.
This lady is playing a Hohner Tyrolean III 72 Accordion...

You can here her at 3:50 minute into this video: Welcome to the Grand Canyon Railway

This 2 hours and 15 minute ride brings you past prairies, wooded area and desert like landscapes, ever changing.
In the center, at the very top, you just can see the home of an Arizona rancher...

A water hole (top left, off center) for their cattle... just like in the Old West Cowboy movies.

 Here we are rolling into the State Park of the Grand Canyon with Grand Canyon Village and the United States oldest, still working log depot!

Disembarked at the Grand Canyon Depot...
Very convenient indeed, from the historic 1910 Grand Canyon Depot it is just climbing some steps up, towards the historic El Tovar Hotel and to the Grand Canyon's South Rim...
GRAND CANYON RAILWAY DEPOT ←click it to see the actual historic log depot!

We both will take a Motor Coach to tour the Grand Canyon's South Rim and next day we did drive back by car, for a 2-night stay at Maswik Lodge in Grand Canyon Village.

More about that in next post...

This is on the way back... the Southbound train. We had a stopover of about 3-½ hours.

Oh my!
At 5:00 PM the notorious Cataract Creek Gang did galop alongside the train, on their horses and had the train stop so they could come aboard to ROB us!

Cataract Creek Gang snippet from Arizona Art and Entertainment  ←click it.
So glad we rode the Pullman as I would not have wanted to miss those excited children!

 
Williams News: Gunfights and train robberies: all in a day's work for Williams' own Cataract Creek Gang performers

But we continue; all unharmed! It is just a great way for collecting some tip money and so much fun.

Lovely scenery...

For both of us, northern Arizona was above expectation!

Almost home! Williams, Exit 163, how we got here by rental car the previous day...

Rolling into the Depot at Williams...

After dinner, we could see the Grand Canyon train sitting on the track... waiting for tomorrows guests!
Hope you enjoyed it and next we will show you the South Rim Grand Canyon Motorcoach Tour...

The package from The Train, ←click it, was the best we could have done!

Related link:

{1881 Williams, Arizona - Gateway to Grand Canyon & Wild West} | previous post by me

{1881 Williams, Arizona - Gateway to Grand Canyon & Wild West}

Now come with us to the Wild West, to 1881, Williams, Arizona, which is the Gateway to the Grand Canyon!

With our rental car, we arrived in Williams, coming from Phoenix airport.

WILLIAMS 1881

GATEWAY TO THE GRAND CANYON

And YES, I too did drive the Historic and famous Mainstreet of America!

Route US 66...

Famous AND Infamous as it was established in 1926 and it served as a major thoroughfare for those who migrated west during the Dust Bowl; called The Great Okie Migration

Williams, Arizona is right on Route 66!

Williams Junction Amtrak, is where our Grand Canyon Railway Hotel was and you can see Route 66 on the map.

To the left is the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel  ←(click it) and here you also see some historic Lima Locomotive at the Arizona State Railroad Museum here in Williams, AZ.

The weather for our stay during Labor Day weekend was absolutely fabulous!

This is the layout.
A huge hotel and the green roof below is their huge restaurant.

To the left of the restaurant, you see the Railway Depot and also you can see the train...

photo is from the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel link above...

This is the view from the hotel, just across the road and here you enter the Railway Depot.

Here husband Pieter, standing behind the historic Railway Depot; ready to board the train!
Both of us did have breakfast early, when it still was quiet...

This is the Grand Canyon train! You also can now see to the right, the green roof from the huge restaurant.

The Railroad Museum in Williams, has lots for visitors to see!

1908 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad... by Old West Gunfights on Route 66: Williams, Arizona 

Behind the Williams Railway Depot is this original Santa Fe locomotive -
Below, you will see also The Wild West Photos...

It was in 1988 that the Santa Fe maintenance crews and the field engineer abandon the Williams train station facility for good...

History of the Train

Williams Depot Re-Opens in 1989 when Max and Thelma Biegert had purchased it!

STEAM IS BACK IN 1996! Every first Saturday of the month you can ride this historic steam locomotive No. 4960. It got restored for $ 1.5 million and took 80,000 man-hours!

1999 Grand Canyon Railway PLACED AS A HISTORIC PLACE

2007 XANTERRA TAKES OWNERSHIP

2009 STEAM REINSTATED and to run purely on waste vegetable oil (WVO)
dubbed the 'Cataract Creek Rambler.'

That brings us to the WORLD FAMOUS
CATARACT CREEK GANG
WILD WEST SHOW...

Before we will board the train at 9:30 AM, there will be a WILD WEST SHOW at 9:00 AM!

AND... This Gang also robs the train every day at 5:00 PM on its way back to Williams.
Stay tuned!