This promises to be a jam-packed, exciting day for us. I visited the Grand Canyon in the seventies, but for Diane, it was a first. I remember, walking to the rim of this amazing gorge and stopping in awe, completely overwhelmed with what I saw.

The history of this natural wonder is described here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon_National_Park

This time around, we decided to take the train, in other words, we returned to the “Old West via the Grand Canyon Railway.” It was a blast, a true time travel experience. If you ever decide to forego the car and parking problems and embark on a true adventure, here is the information:

https://www.thecanyon.com/grand-canyon-railway

We started the journey from the town of Williams in Arizona.

The ride to the Grand Canyon was an adventure in itself with all kinds of entertainment and interesting information about the history of the train.

After an almost three hour ride, we arrived at Grand Canyon Village where we hiked a small path to the rim of the canyon. I still remember the first impression of this miraculous gorge back in 1971. I was simply overwhelmed and couldn’t believe my eyes. When I saw it again on this trip, the breathtaking view was as powerful as the first time. The photos give an idea of the vastness and beauty of the canyon but they can’t convey the full impact of standing there in person.

For those interested in the formation and history of the Grand Canyon, this article about a new groundbreaking discovery by the geologist Allan Krill is fascinating. Enjoy the amazing photos:

A Big Boulder Holds a Grand Canyon Secret – Past Chronicles

Since we had to get up at the crack of dawn to catch the train, I was ready for a cup of coffee and so were a lot of other people, which meant standing in line for a while. We were lucky though to secure a pleasant spot in a restaurant for lunch. After walking along the rim, taking pictures, and browsing through the souvenir shops, it was time to catch the train back. We had three hours to explore this wonderful place. It would be great to spend the night in one of the few lodges and experience the rising and setting sun. Perhaps next time!

If the train ride to the Canyon had been interesting, the ride back was a  true “Wild West adventure”! Stay tuned for the next blog post!

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