Sights and scenes of Old Town Scottsdale

I awoke after 14 hours of sleep last night (went to bed at 6:00 pm and woke up at 8:00 am) and decided to have tea before making any decisions for the day. Adam was good enough not to wake me up early, he knew I was bummed out. A recap on yesterday: I had driven from Tucson to Scottsdale the day before arriving at a little after 1:00 pm and headed straight to the Desert Botanical Gardens. I spent a good two hours touring the Garden with fourty minutes dedicated to the Monarch Butterfly exhibition. I left the Botanical Gardens and headed to the Saddle Ranch where Adrian (acowboy) and I had agreed to meet for a Drink at 5:00 pm. On the way, I called Robyn (Freespirit) to find out if she would join us, I had asked Adrian to call her earlier because I could not being that I was battling the traffic on the freeway: I was disappointed when Robyn told me that she did not think Adrian was planning to meet me as agreed.

Sights and Scenes of Scottsdale,Arizona: The Pink Light District

Moving right along, I headed to Saddle Ranch where I met with Mike, one of the duty managers, Tony who I had communicated with by phone for the past week had not arrived yet. Mike and I agreed on arrangements for the meet-up, he gave me the card of their event’s organizer Kristy and asked that I co-ordinate the meet-up with her. I ordered me a rum and cola to quench my thirst, I was literally shaking from hunger and tediousness being that I awoke at 3:00 am in the morning to make it to a 5:00 am training at work: I had taken a cup of tea and a doughnut for breakfast and that was it. I worked till 10:00 am then headed out to Scottsdale. Thirteen hours later with not food, believe me I was tired, hungry and shaky: I don’t even know how I made it to Adam’s place in one piece. Lucky for me, as always Adam is good at directing me to his house - yes Robyn (free spirit) will testify to the fact that I’m directionally challenged without a map.

This morning, Adam made me a huge cup of tea (Mukwano tea, he has kept the one pack I gave him earlier this year), which felt heavenly.

I warmed a slice of cheese pizza, left-over from last night’s dinner. I had a shower and said good -by to Adam at about 9:00 am. My plan was to head over to see my hotel (The Courtyard Marriott), check for a breakfast/brunch restaurant for Saturday morning of the 24^th and to shoot a few photos of Scottsdale for the Travbuddies coming for the meet-up. Of course I learned with distaste that the Marriott I thought I was staying at close to the Saddle Ranch is actually not he one that Adrian sent me a link to. Phew, talk of challenges, mine come in bundles. Moving right along, I headed to the Pink Light district where the sight of water was calming and refreshing. I sat on the artistic bridge and watched the ripples in the water for a while until I felt calm and my heart raced less. Right in front of me was the Olive and Ivy restaurant, I walked to it and decided to have me a decent breakfast, the ambiance was rich and inviting, the setting outside was that of a lounge with lime green chairs stripped in white, the green chairs were accented with red and white lounge chairs and beach umbrellas. The welcome was exactly what the doctor ordered: well-dressed waitress with a great bright smile asking what I would like for starters ‘coffee’ or ‘tea’ ma’am? ‘Coffee please’ I replied, ‘one coffee coming right up ma’am’ she said and swiftly walked away. I barely had time to set my bag down when she returned with my coffee ‘cream? Sugar?, any flavors you prefer ma’am?’ she asked. ‘One cream and one sugar if you please’ I replied. She brought me the breakfast menu and asked if I wanted some water or orange juice, I chose water and she returned with a tall thin glass of water with three ice-cubes in it. My breakfast turned out to be a brunch (breakfast/lunch), I ordered the Chopped Mediterranean Salad which included Feta cheese, toasted almonds, oregano vinaigrette and an addition of chicken for just $11.00. The portion was handsome as well. Because I was too hungry to wait, I forgot to take a photo of my plate until I was done and the waitress was asking if there was anything else I needed, ha-ha! I burst out laughing and she laughed with me before asking ‘what is funny’, I went ahead and told her what I had done, and bless her heart she offered to make another just so I can take a photo, I declined and told her I would return another time. I left the restaurant and strolled down to 5^th street where I took a few more shots of the center art piece of chariot horses, flowers, a few buildings and the trolley schedule before calling it a morning. as I left 5th street I met a couple from Florida, they were in Scottsdale they said to escape some of the moisture in the air/humidity and to see their grand children. We talked a litle about Arizona, a little about Florida, and a whole lot about Africa, they apparently had lived in Kenya for a few years when they were Aid workers for the USAID and then moved to Nigeria for a few years before returning to the USA. They had so many good things to say about Africa but also had so many questions yet time was not on my side: I had to get back to Tucson to do laundry and clean my apartment. I should have recruited them as new TBs, the thought occured when I was an hour away from Tucson.

NOTE: Scottsdale has some great art galleries, a walk along main street would be ideal to get a feel for the Old Town, the larger Scttsdale area is more metropolitan, not different from where you are coming.

Much of the history is in Old Town Scottsdale. If you are not going to the Botanical Gardens, you can take a stroll down town Old Scottsdale. Check out my previous Scottsdale blog on art galleries. Here are two links to my Scottsdale blogs:

http://www.

travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/36519/The-Wests-most-Western-Town-18

http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/36519/Fine-Art-Art-Galleries-like-you-16

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