Apr
12
2005

Canal Park / Downtown Phoenix / South Mountain

(Add / View Comments) (0)PhotosTuesday, April 12, 2005 - 10:42:55 pm
(Posted Under: Travel, Arizona Trip)
After Katie got home from work today, we had a chill out for a few hours, and then decided to just do some driving around. Drove down Mill Avenue, across the Tempe bridge and Papago Park stopping at Canal Park for a stroll and then out to downtown Phoenix, and onto South Mountain.

Katie had been raving about South Mountain, but it seemed fairly boring in comparison to Tonto National Park last week. However, as Mr. Burns climbed up South Mountain, the big deal started to become apparent, the view of Phoenix from the top of South Mountain was amazing. Especially as the sun set behind the hills, the size of the Phoenix area (Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale and Mesa) became apparent. We sat at a lookout towards the top of the mountain while dusk turned to night. That is, until a huge, apparently monsterish looking spider was crawling down my leg. Thankfully I didn't see it, but I know from the look on Katie's face, and her later description of it, that it would have been tramatic if I had. The experience, causing both our skin to crawl, prompted us to retire back to Mr. Burns and decend back down the mountain. However, the view was beautiful, and Phoenix seemed to grow in size as the valley area started to light up. On the was back down, there were two buildings we wanted to stop and look inside (see photos) which we'd seen on the way up, but after that experience with the spider from hell, and it being dark by this stage, I was happy to wait for sunlight to check them out.

Back in Tempe, we drove around a bit more, down Ash Avenue and past the Sail Inn, which was reallly cool to see, though it took a but off assistance to recall the relivence of it.

Took a whole bunch of photos - starting with Mayberry Studios in Tempe. Taking that photo, every time a car rolled by, I was concerned that a Gin Blossom was going to pull in. I took those photos quite quickly, to get the hell out of there. [wink] Then some randomly around the Tempe area, then Canal Park, Downtown Phoenix and then shots of South Mountain and of Phoenix from the top of South Mountain.

Some really nice sunset shots in there. A lot I've lightened, others I've left as is (for example the downtown Phoenix shot) for artistic value. That explains why in some you can't really see the foreground in some.

I'm starting to get more familar with Katie's camera, but I'm still far from taking really great shots. However, I'm snapping away for my own pleasure. Your milage may vary in enjoyment of the photos - I'm just putting them up as I take them. Down the track when I'm painfully missing Arizona, I'll worry about making them look good, and weeding out the bad ones. (Incidently, digital camera's fucking rock. Which is partially why I'm snapping away with wreckless abandon! Take as much as I can while I'm here, and worry about quality later on). There are a few ones of cactii and flowers from Canal Park which you may enjoy dad. And we took the ones of the ducks particularly for you mum.

The whole internal memory / memory card thing messes with the order of the images. Another thing I'll deal with at a later stage. Anyone who cares about order, the 100 filename ones actually proceed the 000 ones.

The last few are a poor attempt of catching a frieght train at a level crossing. It didn't really work well, but oh well!

Photos.

Incidently the photos from Townsville arrived today. We picked them up in the mail when we arrived home, and it was quite fun showing them to Katie - finally.

With Katie working today, and not much going on musically tonight (but what's the bet something cool went on somewhere in Tempe!), it was a very way to spend the afternoon / night, driving around and scoping the sights.

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