beyond cinderella

Yesterday was my birthday, and Bill and I made a day of exploring some of the interesting places to see in, and around, Camp Verde Arizona.

Our first stop was Montezuma Castle. I’ve lived in Arizona all my life and had never visited Montezuma Castle. Bill and I have passed by it many times on our way to other destinations, and every time, we always said we would have to make a point to go and see what Montezuma Castle is all about.

Well yesterday was the day… What an amazing place to see.

Of course, we had to stop in at their visitor center to check out what all they have to offer.

Just outside the visitor center, is a paved trail that leads you all around the grounds below Montezuma Castle shown below, built into the side of the cliff. The information sheet we picked up about Montezuma Castle says “Southern Sinagua farmers built this five-story, 20-room dwelling sometime between 1100 and 1300. It occupies a cliff recess 100 feet above the valley. Early American settlers marveled at the structure. They assumed that it was Aztec in origin, hence the name Montezuma Castle. Now badly deteriorated, it was once an imposing five-story apartment-like building with about 45 rooms. Occupants found reliable water in the creek and fertile land on the nearby terrace.” I can’t even imagine what it took to carve this amazing structure into the side of this cliff.

The picture below is of a display that shows what the inside rooms of the five-story structure looked like when it was still in use. Again, just amazing!

After we left Montezuma Castle, we made our way a few miles down the highway to Montezuma Well. I had not even heard of this Well, but we decide since we were here, it was a must see as well, and were we ever glad we made the trip to see it.

The information we were given on this beautiful place says “Montezuma Well has all the surprise of a lake and lush vegetation in the midst of desert. It is a limestone sink formed long ago, still fed by continuously flowing springs. The Southern Sinagua irrigated crops with its waters. In places, you can see traces of the lime-coated irrigation ditches.”

What a beautiful place. But, beware! Do not go swimming in the water because it is full of water scorpions, and leeches!!! OMG, that’s all I had to hear for me to stay a healthy distance away from the water…It’s so bad, that fish can’t even survive in this water, because the water contains arsenic, and high amounts of carbon dioxide. So the moral of the story is “look, but don’t touch..”

Places like this always amaze me in that cactus,

and trees seem to be able to grow right out of the rock.

After we left the Well, we made our way to Sweet Peas Antique Store in Camp Verde. Oh, what fun there is to be had there if you like looking, and touching, and picking, through lots and lots of vintage and antique “stuff”. 5k square feet of looking. I had a ball, and Bill said he “likes to look through all that junk” too. I can’t buy anything big anymore because we just don’t have room in our RV, but I did find a small metal tray to hold my mason jar salt and pepper shakers, and a doily for the top of our bedroom dresser, and two lovely, small vintage table runners, because of course we have a small table… Everything I purchased was small, and will travel well, so Happy Birthday Me!

Next up on the birthday girl’s agenda…., Bill made me a steak dinner. YUMMERS!

I can’t think of any better way for me to have spent my special day, than with my loving husband, and best friend. Thank you Bill, for making my birthday all I wanted it to be and MORE!

Stay Tuned!