Page and the Antelope

Tonight we're back into Utah again (we'll be exploring Zion NP Tomorrow), and we had to change our clocks, again. Arizona is not on Mountain Time like most of the other states we've been in. And not only that, the Navajo Nation part of Arizona is on Mountain time.

Page, in Arizona, was a surprise. We were in Page to do a tour of Antelope Canyon but the surrounding countryside is so spectacular and dramatic it was an absolute delight. And as well as that they have Lake Powell which an absolutely enormous dam on the Colorado.

Combine spectacular geology with water and you have a winning combination. We went to the marina ('the largest floating marina and restaurant in the world') to see the way the other half lives - huge boats, jet skis, houseboats as well as tour boats. And we went to the information centre that has been built on a cliff over the dam wall. And we went to see Lower Antelope Canyon which is mind-blowingly dramatic in form and colour. All of this on a day which was close to 40 degrees - the hottest day we've had since we were at Yosemite. Page is a new town - built since the 1950s - and I liked it a lot. It would be good to spend a week on a houseboat here exploring the lake.

Antelope Point Marina on Lake Powell

Antelope Canyon is really a slit canyon. It's very narrow and can be dangerous if there is a flash flood. We went into the Lower Antelope Canyon and the tour, led by a Navajo guide, lasted almost two hours as we wound our way down, in single file mostly, on the natural floor and down ladders. The natural colours of the water-eroded walls of the canyon are astonishing.

Entering the canyon

Our guide playing pipes - the canyon had great acoustics.