Thursday, December 22, 2011

Travelogue #1: Culture shock

A week ago today we drove to the Portland airport where we boarded a plane for Phoenix, AZ. (Let me insert here that I love "our" airport - its design, color scheme, public art, shops.) As we walked to our gate, hauntingly melodic tones reached my ear. A young man perched on a chair was drawing the most beautiful sounds from a small cello, and he drew me in like a siren. I slowly walked past, then turned back for a flyer and a photo:
His music lingered in my mind as we waited at our gate - and I weakened. Back down the long hall I ran, and came back with a CD, From Silence. Listen to the second soundtrack on that album. I think you'll thank me. :-)

Our plane stopped in Vegas, and although we did not need to change planes, a small technical problem on board necessitated the deplaning of all passengers. Unfortunately. For while inside PDX is a calm and inviting space, the Vegas airport is full of this:
Yuck. Not a peaceful corner anywhere!

Rick's mom picked us up from the Phoenix airport and drove us through an alien landscape to her home in Mesa.
In her backyard are a cactus garden and citrus trees:
We brought home two boxes of delicious oranges from that tree!

At least the inside looked somewhat familiar:

More to come, from . . .

2 comments:

Kelly said...

From cello music to slot machines...yikes. Vegas is never quiet or dark.

Anonymous said...

When we lived in Portland sometimes we'd go to PDX just to window shop, eat (Eskimo Fudge Delight!) and take in all the energy.

Mmmm, we'd occasionally spend the week after Christmas in Phoenix. I'd almost forgotten the wonders and deliciousness of picking oranges and grapefruit ripe from the trees.