ARID AND ORANGE, ARCHES NATIONAL PARK

The beauty of camping is a nice early start, most of the time, perfect for our 150 mile journey to our next destination, Arches National Park. This is once again a very unique geological wonder. It differs in its formation in that it was created essentially by salt. Around 300 million years ago a sea covered the area becoming cut off and eventually evaporating to leave a huge salt layer subsequently covered with different sand and minerals over the ages. The incredible weight eventually liquefied the salt that had to find a way to the surface and, having been pushed against a lifted rock fault pushed upward to fracture the essentially Entrada Sandstone surface. This along with the constant barrage of the wind, washing of water and cracking expansion of ice has created the parks unique density of arches, the most famous being Delicate Arch. The park is home to over 2000 arches, impossible to see all in a day.

Our visit to the information center sees us take in a film of the park and also chat with some very helpful Rangers who give us valuable information for further camping and also arm us with maps to take in Scenic Routes in this area and beyond into Colorado. From the visitors center we climb the zigzag road ascending approximately 1000ft upward into the park. It is a day of blue skies that accentuate the spectrum of reds and orange through to sand coloured structures that make this park so unique.

We see arches of all sizes, from a small double arch window to the dizzying heights of Delicate Arch or the football field expanse of Landscape Arch in the Devils Garden region. It is an ever changing world as the elements never stop eroding these structures, destroying some and beginning others, creating balancing acts of rocks atop a spire, huge buttes of orange splendor, cliffs of solid rock faces that can peal away to deliver boulders into the valley below, a field of petrified sand dunes to make your jaw drop. We walk ourselves ragged till sunset, thoroughly enjoying our visit, before heading off to the outskirts of our next destination to find ourselves a spot to camp. We have to be forever mindful of the local inhabitants of this arid scenery, the rattlesnake and the scorpion. Stepping from the car could be dangerous but so far so good. This area truly reminds us of Australia with its red billowing dust, so we keep our steps to a minimum.

Photos can be found on our Facebook page in the album NATIONAL PARKS OF UTAH.

MOVING ON TO CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK

On the road again, we just can’t wait to be on the road again! The morning light treats us to spectacular scenery. We are traveling through some amazing high hills strewn at their base with the rock rubble shredded from the cliffs above. The cliffs are very white sandstone carved by the elements to create some amazing shapes and structures. Some parts are similar to the Badlands with mounds of grey silt looking rivulets streaming down the sides. These are actually petrified sand dunes. On the seemingly flat valley floor the ice capped river snakes its way across the landscape, its colour a lovely turquoise reflected by the white sediment washed down from above. In parts the naked deciduous trees, cottonwoods I believe, giving a ghostly atmosphere, surround the river. There are higher mountains with a tabletop plateau, their cliffs showing the changing colours in layers through the ages. Just spectacular and this is just while we are traveling along the road.

This drive leads us into the Grand Staircase Escalante area, also home to large ranches complete with their cattle and strong hardy looking horses. Although there are sunny blue skies the ice on the water belies the temperatures the stock around here would have to cope with. What more will this day divulge?

The landscape opens wide as we climb and descend a more gentle undulating area, with surprise gorges carved into the ground. We pass over a hill and around a bend and the landscape spreads a magnificent view before us of the Escalante River Basin. It is a huge area of limestone gulches and chasms that we are about to descend into and cross. It is surrounded with some of the mountains of the Henry Range and the Navajo mountains that help to feed this waterway that feeds to the mighty Colorado River. Every turn provides another vista of the most interesting limestone formations. As we take a deep descent we stop to view the gorgeous gorges, turning more red as we go deeper seeing the ribbon of the river snaking along the floor. This river provides a lifeline to all the wildlife that calls this arid landscape home, from mountain lions to otters and many species of birds.

How rugged this world was for the new pioneers to the area, a most inhospitable land that only the bravest must have explored. No snaking bitumen road winding an easy trail across this land back in those days.

We rise up to traverse along the very top of the ridge, a road with no safety rails, and a nasty end if you leave the road. We traverse Buffalo Mountain and as our altitude grows we start to see patches of snow and mighty Aspen and Ponderosa Pine trees dot the slopes. We come across what must be a Thanksgiving tradition for a group of about 8 cars that are choosing and chopping down their Christmas trees, not sure if this is legal or not.

Stopping for lunch atop the mountain is a reward of one of the most jaw dropping views of the plateau, the orange ridges with their tabletops and beyond the grey silted tabletop slopes. The plateau is doted with the odd body of water shinning a steel blue amongst the dark green Aspen. Words do not do this view justice, a body of land that was the last chartered in the USA late 1800’s. It is certainly a treat to see this world.

We finally reach our destination for this day and enter Capitol Reef National Park. This is another environment similar to what we’ve seen in Utah, yet unique to its immediate surrounds. It got its name as a Barrier Reef to the early settlers and became Capitol after a rock formation within the park was likened to the US Capitol Building in Washington, DC. This park is known as a Waterpocket Fold or literally a wrinkle in the earth that stretches for over 100 miles, creating a long narrow park.

The formations are just incredible, in some places looking like coral sponges and others like Swiss cheese and all through with ever-changing colours. There is an ever-present “reef” of a yellow/grey colour that dominates throughout the rock formations, laid down many millions of years ago.

This reef caused much damage in the 1950’s and 1960’s when it was decided this could be rich in Uranium. This began a rush of mining throughout this National Monument, though damage was done it was lucky that there was not enough uranium to make a profit and mining was ceased. This is a spectacular park that has once again been kept very accessible with views of so many highlights that are just a short walk away from the road. We particularly enjoy a long drive through Cohab Canyon showing so much diversity and incredible beauty. Every corner you turn is just fantastic.

This is a park very rich in history, other than the infamous uranium. There are the Petroglyphs, for our Aussie friends – rock art, thought to date back to between 600 and 1300 AD and drawn by the Fremont Indians descendants of the Archaic Indians that have roamed this region for many thousands of years. More recently, in the 1800’s, the Mormons and the ranchers settled this land. Today there is still a flourishing orchard of over 3,000 trees preserved from these pioneering days along with an original homestead, Gifford House.

This park, like many others, has its very own flora and fauna. You can hike for miles should you choose out into the backcountry but for us today a few short hikes are enough. Our day is coming to a close, we head just outside the park to find a free camping spot for the night. We are very lucky to spot a road that takes us to the top of a gorge of sandstone, perfect. It is a chilly night so we expect those frosty windows again, but we are quite cozy under our sleeping bags and doona. This has been a day so jam packed with beauty and it doesn’t end with the setting sun but soon shines bright with the stars and half moon, our parking spot a spectacular sandstone backdrop to the magic of the night skies.

Photos can be found on our Facebook page in the album NATIONAL PARKS OF UTAH.

HOME TIME

Mikayla here, Obidos was next. We had been told by the couple that we met at the caves that there was a chocolate festival in Obidos so of course we had to go! What else do you do when you find out there is free samples of chocolate? We got to the walled town and before beginning our search for chocolate we saw the church just outside the wall. We have seen a lot of churches so far and I was not completely enthusiastic but the ceiling of this one was quite nice. Each one has had a something a little different.

So now for the chocolate search. We went through a little section of the market looking at little things, finding that cork seems to be everywhere. After about ten minutes we found the upsetting news that the chocolate festival was only on from Friday to Sunday, we were there on a Thursday.

We ended up deciding that we may as well go through the rest of the market. We went through a few odd stores but it was the last two stores where we had the most success. One was a museum in which we found a beautiful china doll. We had thought of it first as a gift but after a closer look we decided that she was too beautiful to part with. That was the only place where we made a purchase but the last shop had beautiful china that we wish that we could find room in Vincent for, but sadly we couldn’t.

We ended the day in Peniche. We were able to find a camping stop that was perfect for us, private but still with a beautiful ocean view, although it took about half an hour to choose the spot.

Back to Georgia now. Our next morning was spent walking over the cliffs in Peniche and organizing to stay in an apartment for the next few days. Exciting!

We decided on an apartment in Mem Martins, very close to Sintra and a 40 minute train ride to Lisbon, perfect for a few days of space and rest. A few days that turned into 6 nights total.

We have had access to a shower, cable TV, a toilet, an oven, a microwave, Wi-Fi and separate beds for 6 nights; total luxury in a gorgeous apartment. When we arrived we were greeted by our hosts Joao and Maria who are just wonderful. Such wonderful people who have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome and at home, they’re just lovely.

First thing on TV, to my delight, was Grey’s Anatomy, but we’ve also watched as much Keeping up with the Kardashians as I can get Mum to allow, lots of Ghost Whisperer and a few episodes of Offspring (why haven’t I got into this sooner?)

While here we have done a little site seeing around Sintra and one trip into Lisbon to visit Belem.

We had a late start on our Sintra day so had limited time to see what we wanted to. The Palace of Pena and the Moorish Castle were at the top of our list.

The best part of seeing the Palace of Pena is walking through the extensive gardens. You could get lost in all day in the huge sloping hills walking through the vibrant green forest, lakes, streams and bits of history along the way.

The palace is pretty inside with some more differences in furniture and décor, namely patterned and shaded walls, the papier mache furniture (that looked like it was inlayed with mother of pearl detail; Mikayla’s favourite), and Indian looking furniture intricately carved in dark wood with red cushions (Mum’s favourite). Another unique feature inside the palace are the 3D patterned walls.

You can also get a great view of the natural park from the outside walls of the palace as it’s built right at the top of the hill. This also makes it visible from the window of the apartment where we’re staying.

We walked to the Moorish Castle next, up and down those sloping hills, well worth the effort though because this one is a good one. Worth seeing and probably the largest we’ve come across on our trip so far. We also met a fellow Perth gal up here, very nice to meet an Australian and her new friends.

We decided to have dinner out to try bacalhua (Portuguese word for cod) at a restaurant Joao and Maria had recommended to us. The owner here has lived in Australia and again it was really nice to speak in English.

The restaurant was called Bacano Churrasqueira Restaurante in Mem Martins and Mr Rui was lovely treating us to a feast of garlis bread and bacalau for entre and main cooked two different traditional ways. Delicious, and again some very yummy potatoes to try and recreate in Vincent!

The highlight of our time here has been being able to skype our friends! Mikayla got to skype all her best friends and so did I, talking to Ellen and Shauna made me feel so much better, love those girls!

After our skype time we really felt like going to the movies, something we do quite a lot back at home. We’ve been hanging out to see The Monuments Men so off we went to the cinema. English movies are shown as is with Portuguese subtitles so we had no trouble understanding (except when German and French were spoken), it felt like we were back in Perth.

The Monuments Men was fantastic and we loved it so much Mum suggested we see another movie straight away so back to the ticket office we went and decided to see Non Stop. Another great movie and Mikayla’s first thriller, we were very proud!

Photos on our FB page here!