{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!

{1987 Scottsdale Arizona versus 2014}

Yep, we had been to Scottsdale Arizona twice before; long time ago! That was in January of 1986 and in February of 1987. Both times my husband Pieter got invited to present a paper for the SPAWN MATE SYMPOSIUM. Each time we got to stay at the luxurious Registry Resort and even if this meant work for my husband, we did enjoy it very much! 

With the famous Camelback Mountain in the back; to us this was like PARADISE!

The Post Card's front gives a bird's-eye view of The Registry Resort's court-yard pool area. This 76-acre estate in Scottsdale, Arizona has 323 guest rooms, villas and bi-level suite, 21-lighted tennis courts, Health Club, two 18-hole championship golf courses and four of the Southwest's finest restaurants and lounges.

That's the reason that we went here in both years during winter in January and in February!

That's me on January 24, 1986 enjoying some bright blue sky and Arizona sunshine!
There is some glare from the glass in this picture as Pieter took it from inside...

As the above postcard already revealed, The Registry had four of the Southwest's finest restaurants...
Mouthwatering good I can tell you!

Both of us are not playing golf... Maybe next life?
But look at this Paradise-like Golf Course!
Yeah, Pieter is actually pushing this leaning palm tree back up–right.
He used to be mighty strong in his young years!

BUT... Since our last time at the Scottsdale Registry Resort, things have changed!
They completely wiped it off the planet in order to build condominiums and shopping malls, which would render more money. UNREAL but yes, here Pieter is standing in the back of those condominiums and it is ALL GONE.
Pieter said, so is also his full head of dark, curly hair (as is mine!)

Good thing is that nobody dared to move that Camelback Mountain; it is still there!
The above 2 photos were taken on September 4, the day before we flew back from Phoenix, Arizona to Savannah, Georgia. We did stay one night at the Hyatt Place Scottsdale/Old Town which is excellent and very conveniently located.

We still need to go back to Scottsdale, so Pieter will have a chance to ride their unique FREE Molly the Trolley...

Which I did on January 24 of 1986 - it is a fun experience too. 

See link below post with more info.

When we were in Arizona, 27 years ago, we did not have the money, nor the time for doing some sight seeing.
But we came back this year to see at least part of what is on this 1986 post card...

• 1. Mission San Xavier Del Bac, Near Tucson
• 2. Tree-Like Cactus
• 3. Tucson
• 4. U.S. No. 80 at Telegraph Pass near Yuma
• 5. Hoover Dam
• 6. Oak Creek Canyon
• 7. Grand Canyon
• 8. Petrified Forest U.S. No. 66 - The Famous Main Street of America!
• 9. The Painted Desert
• 10. Downtown Phoenix

Stay tuned for next posting where I will take you to Williams, Arizona and the WILD WEST!

Related links:

The West's Most Western Town | In 1888, U.S. Army Chaplain Winfield Scott visited the Salt River Valley and he actually founded present day Scottsdale! - Interesting history information!

{Hibiscus Syriacus Rose of Sharon}

Happy to be home again!
Showing you here another surprising treasure; a lovely Hibiscus Syriacus Rose of Sharon

What a lovely color and husband Pieter captured it so well!
Do you see that ant at the top...?

For those that read in Celcius, our local weather.

Just got back from a long walk; it is heavenly!

For those that read in Fahrenheit

This is from my birth town: Horst, The Netherlands...
Wishing you all a lovely Friday ahead!

Related links:

{Hibiscus Blue Chiffon} | previous post by me

{Our Pink Hibiscus Syriacus 'Aphrodite' - Aphrodite Rose of Sharon} | previous post by me

{Our Hibiscus syriacus 'Blushing Bride' from Quero, Belluno in Italy} | previous post by me
{Our Hibiscus syriacus Jeanne D'Arc & Our Life in Italy} | previous post by me
{3 Hibiscus Varieties 'KONA' - 'CONFEDERATE ROSE' and a RED variegated} | a previous post by me

{Crinum Americanum - Swamp Lily}

Also in August and September we do have our Crinum Americanum or Swamp Lily blooming at their best.
Sorry for not having visited many blogs; had surgery on my left hand Friday and tomorrow I will get discharged from the hospital.

During the rainy week of September, husband Pieter captured this photo on the 24th.

Earlier, on August 9, I have taken this photo when they bloomed for the first time.

Very healthy leaves and lots of flowers but when it rains it is hard to enjoy them...

Again on September 24th.

They also produce lots of thick seeds!

Did any of you know this flower?

{Apple Blossom Rosebud Pelargonium}

Our Apple Blossom Rosebud Pelargonium from last year has been doing very well.

They really look like Apple Blossoms...

Very healthy foliage as of August 9.

Related links:

{Our Victorian hybrid Pelargonium Rosebuds} | previous post by me

{Tiny Silver Vase with Rosebud Pelargonium} | previous post by me

{Red Hibiscus - Rosa Sinensis}

Love to show you our Red Hibiscus - Rosa Sinensis Flowers from the 'Snow Queen' - Variegated.

The light was for once, just perfect for capturing this beauty on August 10.

The above photos are from August 10.

One more photo from September 28, to show you also the variegated leaves... Some insect has been feasting on this red flower!

Below this post you can find the link to previous posts with this variety.

Related links:

{3 Hibiscus Varieties 'KONA' - 'CONFEDERATE ROSE' and a RED variegated} | previous post by me

{Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis 'Snow Queen' - Variegated} | previous post by me

{Devil's-Walkingstick - Aralia Spinosa}

Near the road, alongside the creek we found these flowers up a tree on August 12, so husband Pieter did make some photos and I did look it up and came to the solution: Devil's-Walkingstick - Aralia Spinosa.

At first we were a bit misled because some sites were speaking about this tree having thorny prickles on its stem.
But the Caroline Nature site about Devil's-walkingstick (Aralia spinosa) did give us the explanation for that.
If you click the above link and scroll down you will read: The name Devil's-walkingstick comes from the trunks of small trees, which are armed with many stout prickles.
Aha, only the small trees!

Our tree is already quite tall and husband Pieter had to zoom into these flowers.

So we got another mystery solved and now know the name of this tree.

Those flowers were also fragrant, we could smell them when we walked outside.
Do any of you have a Devil's walkingstick?

In The Netherlands we knew the Aralia Elata, or in Dutch: Duivelswandelstok.
Difference Between Aralia Spinosa and Aralia Elata ← click it

{199 Countries Visited - Welcome Sao Tome and Principe + Update}

Well, I missed my 198th country; no clue which one it was but JUST by chance I noticed there was a difference and yes, we're now to 199 total. 

Welcome Sao Tome and Principe!

SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE and info of this small island nation in central Africa.

The smallest country in Africa, just north of the Equator. Click the above link to find out more.
Once more: thank you so much for visiting my humble blog and for all your comments!

October so far is lovely, even with its unexpected cooler start during the first weekend.

Temperatures of 32°C for the entire weekend.

Nice weather for Columbus Day on October 12 and celebrated on the 13th.
You will also be able to start reading about our Arizona trip on October 23rd.
Wishing everyone in the USA a happy Columbus weekend and all else a happy new week!

Related link:
{197 Countries Visited - Welcome  Somalia + Update} | previous post by me

{Kauai Blue & White Torenia}

If you love to have an ever-blooming container plant for next summer, you should look for this Kauai Blue & White Torenia.

It seems to be family of the snapdragon...

Lovely foliage too.

These photos are from August 7...

This photo is from July 4, where it still was looking at its very best!

A very loyal bloomer and quite tolerant to heat.

Related link:
{Vinca Extreme White from Home Depot} | previous post by me

{Jasminum Sambac - Jasmine Grand Duke of Tuscany}

Last year we bought a new Jasminum Sambac - Jasmine Grand Duke of Tuscany from Logee's  and this year it did yield its first fragrant blossoms.

August 9, this beauty opened with yet another bud underneath.

Look what heavy rain did in just one day... 

Waiting 3 more days did yield another double blooming, highly fragrant beauty.

They are so lovely!

Jasmine 'Grand Duke of Tuscany' - Jasminum Sambac ← click it

We hope it will look bigger next year!

Related links:

{Our Jasminum Sambac 'Maid of Orleans' - "Arabian Tea Jasmine"} | previous post by me