Land of Enchantment (Part 1)

Currently in: Tucson, AZ
Will be in Arizona the balance of March, then to California

This is a really cool city.  If you ever get the chance to go - do it.  It's a small town, easy to get around, lots to do (history, nature, university, food/drink) and the people are wonderfully friendly.

We checked out the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning since we were told it has won some awards.  Plus we got to see a bit of the downtown.  It was really more a craft show with some very unique art as well.  Not much on the farmer's side, though.   But some really good Kettle Corn!

These young people provided some local entertainment!

Later that day we went to White Sands National Monument (a status just under National Park).  Better than the Warren Dunes in Indiana!

First we noticed Sierra Blanca (the white capped mountain) over the part of the dunes that had some plant life. It's so pretty here.

Then it was time for lunch.  Look at these cool picnic shelters!

Families come here for the day and sled down the dunes.  For some families it's like the beach without the water.

Of course we took the requisite hike!  Because it was a sea of white sand, the trail is marked with posts stuck in the sand so you know where you are and can get back.

Full disclosure: we did not do the entire hike - see the trail with the sand dunes below? Up and over all those hills.  And it was hot!  We did some smaller and easier hikes and then just a portion of this one.  Isn't it beautiful?

So one of the best parts of our adventure is all the great people we have met along the way.  We had a wonderful group on our canoe trip in Big Bend National Park (Texas) and ran into a couple fellow canoers from that river ride later that day.  We had dinner with them in downtown Terlingua.
What are the chances that we run into the same people at White Sands?  Pretty slim; but it happened. They came back to Las Cruces and we had dinner with them again.  Jeanette and her good friend from high school, Woody.  We had another night of stories and laughter!
They are from Connecticut - the UConn shirt gives it away!