One A Day

PH and I just returned from a little trip to Arizona with a quick shot into California.   Below are one (maybe sometimes two) pictures from each day.  As time goes by I'll elaborate a little on part of the trip but in the meantime, this is the week that was. 
It was fun, relaxing, eye opening, mind boggling (so much sunshine and color and no snow in January!)

 Day One: arrive in Phoenix, drive up to Lake Havasu.  This is the London Bridge, straight from London.

 Day Two: breakfast at the base of the bridge with brother and sister-in-law.

 Day Two: drove to California to visit my "penpal" friend of 50 years.  When we started to write to each other I was 16 and Fred was 19.  A whole lifetime ago. In all those years, this is the second time we've met.

 Day three: on the way back to Arizona we stopped here for lunch and spent an hour exploring this fun place.  More pics on this place another time.

 Drive to Arizona was lots of desert, mountain and sunshine.  SO not Michigan!

 After 10 hours in the car, this was my dinner, still day three.

 Day four:  Grand Canyon.  There are no words.

 Day five: we arrive at our friends Bob and Caroline's for the rest of our stay.  This is the backyard.

 Day six: Musical Instrument Museum in Scottsdale.  AMAZING place!

 Day seven

Day eight: Biosphere2 on the way to Tucson

Day eight evening.

Day nine we boarded the plane in Phoenix, expecting to be home by 9:30 that night but our flight from Minneapolis to Detroit was cancelled and the next one wasn't until the next day (day 9) at 6:30 p.m.  Very disappointing, we were tired, not treated well by the airline, we were ready to be home and not knowing the ins and outs of Minneapolis we walked across the street to the Mall of America and walked off the kinks in our muscles before heading back to the airport.
We had such a good time, and until that last two hours everything was perfect.  I understand why my brother and SIL winter at Lake Havasu, I understand why Bob and Caroline are permanently in Phoenix, I understand snow birds (people who fly south for the winter to escape the snow and cold here) but east, west, home is still best.