It seems like the city’s name has finally come into its own. According to campingship, like the legendary phoenix from the ashes, Phoenix, the capital of the US state Arizona, has risen again after the global financial crisis hit it deeply in 2006.
Bad loans and underfunded mortgages had almost completely collapsed the city’s house and housing market – with fatal consequences for the job market and, as a result, also for retail and catering. Anyone who visits the lively city in the area of tension between rough mountains and a scorching desert today is hardly remembered. Phoenix is thriving as it has not been for a long time and is persistently climbing the popularity scale of US cities. The city and its surroundings have always been a worthwhile destination for golfers. Now it is being discovered by all other nature and sports freaks as well as cultural tourists.
The past had red skin
No matter how great and admirable the pioneering spirit of the white settlers, the history of the United States is always also the history of the expulsion and murder of the native peoples of America. That was in Arizona tooand in the area of what is now the city of Phoenix. Indians lived here for at least 2000 years; up to the 14th century it was from the Hohokam tribe. During this time they set up an irrigation system in the desert that was later to be taken over and expanded by their enemies. This tribe then went under in an unexplained and mystical way – but other tribes followed. Today the descendants of the “red skins” make up less than three percent of the population. This means they are still behind the descendants of the German emigrants, who make up just under 13 percent of today’s population. The memory of the natives lives on in the city and in the greater Phoenix area. There are many prehistoric sites here that are worth visiting.
Think outside the box
Phoenix is an interesting travel destination. But if you leave the city for a short trip or two, you won’t go wrong – on the contrary! After all, Arizona is the state in the USA that has one of the seven natural wonders of the world to offer with the Grand Canyon massif. You just can’t miss it. The massif can be conquered on foot; A flight by helicopter is certainly more comfortable and certainly more recommendable for older or particularly heat-sensitive tourists. Granted, the flight has its price, but the experience and the memory of it are somehow priceless.
Take a vacation on the sunny side of life
If you fly to Phoenix, you don’t have to worry about the weather, at least not in the classic sense. Because rain is really not to be expected in the “Valley of the Sun”, as the greater Phoenix area is called. The year has around 300 days of sunshine to offer here. The range of outdoor activities is correspondingly large almost all year round. If you want to take part carefree, sun hats, airy, breathable clothing and lots of creams with a high sun protection factor should definitely be in your luggage.
But even with this equipment, caution is still required. 40 degrees Celsius (in the shade) is the norm in Phoenix in summer. If you have problems with the heat, you should definitely plan a few extra days to get used to the climate in peace. By the way, most of the rain falls from July to September during the main holiday season for Germans and Austrians.
Go to the museum for a history lesson
Exciting nature, exciting animals and plants, really countless sports and leisure activities – Phoenix is a travel destination for fresh air fanatics. But do not worry, culture is not neglected here either. Those who like to go on a discovery tour in museums could, for example, make a note of the “Phoenix Museum of Art” on North Central Avenue. In addition to exhibits from Europe and the Far East, South American art can also be seen here. If you are interested in the handicrafts of the Indians, the “Phoenix Museum of History” in North 5th Street is recommended. The exhibition there also shows many prehistoric finds that go back around 2000 years.
SEDONA AND RED ROCK COUNTRY – MOUNTAINS & ROCKS
The landscape around Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon and Red Rock State Park, a collection of table mountains, rock peaks and walls, is breathtaking. In Slide Rock State Park you can slide from pool to pool in a natural way (using car tires or similar).
Sedona itself is a pure tourist town with souvenir shops, restaurants and hotels. The surroundings of bright red mountains, rock peaks and steep canyon walls are spectacular. The city and the surrounding area became the Mecca of the New Age movement, even after more and more artists settled here in the sixties and seventies of the 20th century.
First and foremost the German surrealist Max Ernst, who discovered the area twenty years earlier on the run from the Nazis. Bell Rock, Boynton Canyon, Airport Mesa and Cathedral Rock. are assigned magical powers because of their strong energy currents. Numerous companies are trying to profit from the New Age boom and are offering courses, self-awareness groups and tours to the energy-rich places. The beauty of the landscape is also worth seeing for the normal tourist. More information on the official website.
TONTO NATIONAL MONUMENT – ANCIENT CAVE DWELLING
A first attraction on the Gila-Pinal Scenic Road is the Tonto National Monument. It consists of a 700 year old cave dwelling of the Salado Indians, which can be visited after a short, easy hike (about 800 m) (cliff pueblos).
The Lower Ruins, which are visible from below, offer a beautiful view of the valley of the Salt River and Roosevelt Lake. The climb is accompanied by saguara cacti and other typical plants of the Sonoran desert. The twice as large rock pueblo of the Upper Ruins can only be visited on a three-hour round tour led by rangers (offered at irregular intervals). The small visitor center at the end of the short spur road that branches off 5 miles west of Roosevelt from AZ 88 shows exhibits on the culture of the Salado Indians (daily 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., in summer until 6 p.m.). There is water here, but no food or camping gear.
Lower Cliff Dwelling
The Salado Indians were named after the nearby Salt River (Spanish: Rio Salado) and lived from around 1150 mainly as arable farmers. Numerous pueblo settlements lined the river banks. They harvested corn, cotton and pumpkins in irrigated fields. As the population increased, residents moved to the higher clay area and built one to two-story rock pueblos in natural rock caves. They specialized in weaving and pottery and exchanged their goods for food with the valley residents. Although the Salado show a certain kinship with the surrounding Hohokam cultures, they developed an independent, polychrome style for their pottery: red, black and cream-colored ceramics, mostly large water jugs and bowls.
View from the Upper Cliff
The Tonto National Monument is located in the Mazatzal Mountains, which in contrast to the Superstitions consist of different layers of very old, Precambrian rock. One of the most important rock formations here is the heavily weathered dripping spring quartzite, which was deposited over 1 billion years ago. Water dissolved the minerals between the sand particles, creating small niches and enlarging into caves. The Salado Indians built their caves under their protection.
