BACK FROM UTAH!

Well I am back from a week in UTAH! Yes, Utah. We have made a habit of picking a state we have never visited and then spending a week seeing what is to see there. So far we have done New Mexico (Northern) and the Tucson, Arizona area.

We usually pick the spring (April/May) to visit. At this time the temperatures are not as hot and the kids are still in school which usually means fewer tourists.

We started at St. George in southwest Utah and made a huge loop from Zion National Park to Page, Arizona (Lake Powell- Glen Canyon), through Monument Valley (Navajo Nation) Utah on to Arches National Park, through Capitol Reef National Park and on to Bryce Canyon National Park. We ended up back at St. George, Utah with friends that have a condo there.

When we arrived at Las Vegas, the temperature was above 100°F. St. George was also experiencing a heat wave and was above 100°F for the first time in May – ever. As we progressed into the mountains the temperature came down somewhat and we ended the week with mountain temperatures in the 70s – where they should be.

The scenery was breathtaking. Driving through the mountains was scary. In the valleys, where the roads are straight, you can hit 100 mph quite easily – we had a Dodge Durango and it could fly.

What I found interesting? Well, for one, American tourists were in the minority. In fact, I think we were it! There were MANY buses full of Germans, Brits, Italians and some French – they were everywhere. There were some Asians – mostly Japanese.

Tell me how in the hell did all these foreigners know about UTAH when even WE who live in the States knew basically nothing about it. My knowledge of Utah was Mormons settled there and Salt Lake City where the Olympics were held because there is great skiing – that’s it. Utah must advertise a lot overseas.

I think the draw for foreigners is the WESTERN or COWBOY theme. Many, many westerns were filmed in Monument Valley. To these people Utah is cowboy land and therefore the real America.

Another interesting thing here is the MORMON influence. Polygamy is still practiced even though officially and legally banned. You cannot order double vodka or anything double. You are limited to 1 oz of booze per drink. You are also limited to three (3) beers at any one sitting. A waiter or waitress under 21 cannot serve any alcohol – have to get someone over 21 to even touch an alcoholic drink. Liquor stores are very rare but the state is, I think, making it easier to find a drink just to keep those tourists coming.

I would highly recommend Utah for a visit (summer temps reach over 130°F) in the spring - there is snow here in the winter. Nature is at its best here and quite spectacular.


Janusz