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Indescribable Utah: Nature Masterpiece Munificent

by Philip Yaffe

I live in Brussels, Belgium, however, I am a native of California. It used to be fun to see the reaction of the people here when I told them this. His eyes are almost white and sigh, "If you ever visit the United States, must be California. "

What used to be fun to see the reaction. It's nothing more, because now I feel as a traitor to my heritage. "If any After U.S. visit, "he says now," is no better than California. "

Certainly, Joshua Tree, King's Canyon, Sequoia, Yosemite and other natural beauties in California are well worth seeing. And Los Angeles (my hometown), San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento are attractive cities. However, what Utah will literally speechless.

Utah? Yes, Utah. Besides a bit of Arizona and Nevada. But mostly, Utah.

I have not to this conclusion lightly. I took many years for a Belgian friend who had just returned from a holiday in the U.S. and showed me their photos, especially Bryce Canyon (Western Utah). It was stunningly beautiful. With a knowing smile of superiority, I laughed a little and said "Look, I know something about photography. I know how these images can be arranged. "

"I do the arrangements," he replied. "In Bryce Canyon, all you have to do is close eyes, place the camera anywhere. And this is what you get! "

I took him up on the challenge. A few months later, I went to visit family in Las Vegas, then rent a car and headed north into Utah. The first stop after driving through the barren desert of Nevada was Zion Canyon National Park. Exceedingly green, but very nice, but not exactly what I would call spectacular. Two hours later, I saw Bryce Canyon National Park and just do not believe saw. "This can not be!" I gasped. I spent the entire day exploring the place, still panting and still not believing my eyes,

Now I've seen seven times Bryce Canyon, and always with the same unalloyed amazement. I confess that a particular weakness for symphonies indescribably Park tangerine and orange stone thousands of them, literally. But my reaction to Arches, Canyonlands, Capital Reef, Natural Bridges and national parks, all in Utah, are reasonably close.

If there is truly an enchanted land anywhere on Earth, Utah should be.

Now, knowing the region reasonably well, I would like to propose an itinerary easy for first time visitors, with some personal advice that you probably will not find in guidebooks. This is not a fixed route, with the exception of first stops. Each has different interests, time and money to spend on them. So beyond the absolutely essential things to see and do, you will be your account.

How to Win in Las Vegas

Start your vacation in Las Vegas. If you've never been there before, is worth watching. If you've been there before, you may want to see her, because it is constantly changing.

Since it has become a popular tourist attraction (just under 40 million visitors a year), Las Vegas is no longer dirt cheap oasis it used to be. But still very good value.

Plan to arrive in a day weekday (Monday – Thursday). Over the weekend, hotel prices can zoom to double and triple what they often are during the week (Friday, Saturday, and for some Hotels, Sunday).

You can make the most at any time (weekdays and weekends) of LV buffets for practically nothing. The hotels of different competing fiercely to put on their best runs at the lowest possible price advantages. Why? The theory is that when a enters a hotel to eat, which can lose heavily to food, recover more of what you leave in the casino.

Avoid the trap. Enjoy trading on the buffet and keep you hands in his pockets while passing through the casino. In most hotels, the only way to get to the casino buffet, specifically to tempt!

If you think you can play and win, play poker. Avoid black jack, roulette, baccarat, and certainly the one-armed bandits (slot machines).

What is the difference?

When you play poker, you are pitting your skill against others only on the table. If you is good enough, you can go with a package, the casino just rent the space and does not care who wins and loses. However, if you play any game with these other they are playing "against the house." The casino will matter very much who wins and loses, you or them. So fix things so that the loser always will be you. Always.

Do not you think? There is no secret about it. Virtually every casino has signs shouting something like "We give the best likely in the city: 98%! "This is the LV code which means" For every 98 times you win, we win 100 times. "

Saying that the games are stable does not mean that the dice on the craps table is loaded or that the dealer has a secret button to control the spin of the roulette wheel. Are the rules that are set.

In black connector, for example, the first dealer distributes two cards to each player, including himself. Any person whose cards add to 21 wins automatically, otherwise the winner is the person (or persons) who are closer to the magic number 21 without going over it. Imagine your first two cards total 14, so ask for another letter. Is 10, bringing its total to 24. You have spent over 21 (who have broken), so the dealer collects the bet. The dealer is always the last to play. Suppose he also goes bust. What happens? Nothing. He still keeps his bet. So even if the dealer loses, the casino still wins!

Thus all the other games where you play against the house. The rules are defined to guarantee that sooner or later the casino will take your money.

Knowing that you will lose, get firmly in mind that you are going to lose, the only reason the game is for fun. If you like to play black jack, craps, roulette, etc, then do it. But choosing the lowest possible bet. You can have as much fun losing $ 10 to $ 100 may be lost, probably more.

If your goal is to gain in these games, stay as far away as you can Vegas. As the joke goes: How can you leave Las Vegas with a $ 1 million in your pocket? Easy. Get $ 5 billion.

First stop: Zion Canyon

To return to the real world, it's time to move to northern Utah.

Foreign visitors should know that the American highway system is divided between federal roads financed and state-funded roads. Both classes are generally high quality and easy to drive, with federal roads tend to be larger, with more lanes.

Federal highways are shown on signs in the form of a shield. There are two categories of federal highways, designated "another" or "U.S.", plus a number. In conversation, the names are often abbreviated, so that Interstate becomes 1-1, Interstate becomes 2-2, and so on U.S. highways U.S. still 1, USA 2 etc.

State highways are identified by the state's name plus a number, and shows signs that represent the state emblem. Utah, for example, is known the status of "beehive", so that their roads are displayed on signs in the form of a beehive. Within a state (because you know where) is a common practice to drop the name of the state and simply say Highway 1, Route 2, Highway 3, etc.

You will leave Las Vegas to the north Interstate15 (I-15). Once in Utah, turn off on Highway 9. His first stop is Zion Canyon, about 4-5 hours of LV, which will probably want to spend the night.

How to Find Comfortable, inexpensive lodging

If motels booked in advance before leaving LV? Of course not!

One of the best things about touring the western national parks is the sense of freedom and spontaneity that can give you. You never know what will impress you the most, so it never know how long it could stay anywhere. Booking ahead regiments you.

So how can you be sure to find a convenient place at a reasonable price for the night? Not really that hard.

Throughout the West there are plenty of motels, even in relatively remote areas. Generally, You can find a place to be, even in high season. The trick is to start looking around 5 – 5:30 pm The election is likely still to be abundant and control within the 6 pm gives you time to take a nap or a swim in the pool before going to dinner at 8 pm before returning to the motel about 10:30 to 23:00 for a relaxing night sleep.

However, do not become blasé about finding a room. In Utah, the high season is not the end of May – early September conventions when children do not attend school. In many places, the high season runs until mid-October.

Do not insist on being right at the entrance to national parks. For example, the city of Springdale to the entrance of Zion Canyon has numerous motels. But prices are high and in high season you may struggle to find a room. The hurricane, a pleasant 35-minute trip from Zion has many motels, with prices about half of the principal in Springdale, and a selection wide restaurants.

Also, do not automatically head for a motel brand. As the largest motel chains continue to expand its tentacles throughout the country (Motel 6, Super 8, Ramada, Holiday Inn, Best Western, etc), locally owned motels are fighting for their lives. You can benefit from this.

For example, my wife and I rolled into a village looking for a place to stay. We were particularly eager to go swimming. The first sight we saw was a brand motel. It had a pool, but it was heated. We were in the late fall, so the water temperature was tolerable, but not really inviting. I asked the price of a double room. It was $ 79. "That's a bit beyond our budget," he said. "Oh, that's on the ground floor. If you go up a floor, is $ 59. "That was more than our budget, but it was shortly after 5 pm, we said we were going to look around first, and perhaps come back later.

About 2 miles down the road, we saw a local motel. It was less spiffy because it was not new, but seems to be slick. I asked the price: $ 42. The room was than acceptable, but the best part was that I had a heated indoor pool! After enjoying an hour or so in the warm water caress, we went for a delicious lunch at a nearby restaurant recommended by the owner of the motel. In short, a delightful and to save money, experience.

For foreigners who are unfamiliar with travelers in the U.S., you should know that most motels do not serve breakfast. This is why a number of local restaurants (called coffee shops) will be open, often from 6 am, where you can choose what you want to start the day, eggs, bacon, waffles, pancakes, meat, oatmeal, etc. You may not want a sumptuous breakfast every day, but do not dismiss the idea. Cafeteria A healthy breakfast is a very important part of the American travel experience.

On to Bryce Canyon

About 1 ½ hours is Bryce Canyon Zion Canyon. Zion Canyon will leave on Highway 9, then turn north on U.S. 89. When the U.S. intersects with Highway 89 12, you must turn right for about 35 minutes to the park entrance.

For the deposit has two options. Along the road 12 is motels, whose prices rise closer to the park. They have another disadvantage. They are rather isolated, so you are almost forced to eat, where they decide to sleep.

The alternative would cost less and give more freedom. About 5 minutes past the junction of U.S. Highway12 89 and find Panguitch. This city has a plentiful supply of motels, a number of restaurants, a supermarket and other shopping opportunities.

Having spent two days in Bryce Canyon, and possibly three if you can not just start, before moving to its next destination. So book your motel accordingly.

When you decide to Later, resist the temptation to return to Interstate for a quick trip to Canyonlands and Arches in eastern Utah. This is a 4-5 hour drive along Panguitch a comfortable, high-speed highway. The problem is that it looks almost nothing of interest in the road.

On the contrary, take Highway 12 back beyond Bryce Canyon National Park to Capital Reef. Highway 12, one of the most scenic routes in the U.S., will offer views as notable as any you will see in their own parks. The temptation to stop frequently to take pictures will be overwhelming.

Stopping at Capital Reef: A issue of capital

If you really stop at the capital Arrecife?

It all depends on the amount of time you have available. Like all national parks Capital Reef is splendid. But in my opinion, is one of the less spectacular (no degrees of spectacular).

The best thing is to continue Highway12 Torrey, who is just outside the capital Arrecife, and check somewhere. There are plenty of motels and some restaurants. Panguitch Leaving at 9 am, can be reached at Torrey plenty of time to see part of Capital Reef that day. The next day return for a second look, then in the afternoon moving towards Arches and Canyonlands to.

Highway 24 which leads from Capital Reef to Arches and Canyonlands, has many attractive places on the road. So keep your camera ready and not rush.

Highway 24 joins I-70 at a place called Rio Verde. You will remain in about an hour from Moab, the local metropolis and call "Gateway to Arches and Canyonlands." However, unless you have a special reason to go to Moab, do not.

Considerably smaller to Moab, Green River has a wide selection of motels and restaurants four or five. On average, you will find motels near 20 to 25% cheaper in Green River and you should have little trouble finding one, while in Moab, depending on season and time of arrival, you may have to search a bit. Both Northern Canyonlands (Known as "The Island in the Sky") and arches are only about an hour drive from Green River.

Before you read any further, I must warn you this itinerary do not include the world famous Great Gorge. There is good reason for it. North section entitled Canyonlands near the entrance that looks very similar to the Grand Canyon. If you've never seen the Grand Canyon, Canyonlands offers a convincing substitute. And you will not have to spend two precious days to go and see the real thing!

South Canyonlands

His next stop will be South Canyonlands (also known as "The Needle"), which is about two hours from Rio Verde and travel an hour from Moab. But do not rush. The road leading south of Moab Canyonlands offers a series of photo opportunities.

You probably want to stay in Monticello. This city is much smaller than Moab, more like Green River, with a reasonable choice of motels and restaurants. Be sure to ask how to get the Mormon Temple, a few streets of the main road, but well worth the diversion.

Leaving Green River or Moab at 9 am, you should arrive before noon Monticello. Entry South Canyonlands is several miles before arriving at Monticello, so you might want to spend some time in the first park. In this way, you can decide whether or not back to the park the next morning and immediately move forward.

Natural Bridges and an impressive Mirador

Coming out of Monticello, south toward U.S. 191 Blanding and the motorway junction 95, then turn west. Here are two places rarely mentioned in guidebooks travel. The first is Natural Bridges National Monument. As the capital of Arrecife, is less spectacular than some other places of interest, but well worth visiting.

A few miles from Natural Bridge, turn south on Highway 261 to one of the most impressive monuments you will ever see. The road seems end abruptly on a cliff down to several hundred meters to Monument Valley, but it seems to dive to the center of the Earth.

The path reality does not end here, but down the cliff to the plain below. You may be reluctant to make this trip, apparently dangerous in a gravel road. However, are not long, slow, zigzag to the end, making the descent easier than it seems.

But what about back again? Do not worry. A Once at the bottom can be driven on the road back to U.S. 163 191 and a slight increase from back to Blanding.

This is a decision point. You can now go east about 130 miles from Mesa Verde, with spectacular scenery and the remains of cliff dwellings in India. Or you can head south in the Valley now the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert.

However, if you're starting to doubt that what I saw in Bryce Canyon was real (I've seen it seven times and still I have doubts), you can take Highway 95 to the disposal of capital Arrecife. Highway 95 is so interesting and photogenic, which is Highway 24 between the capital Arrecife and the Verde River.

After leaving Bryce Canyon for the second time, you may be looking for an interesting and economical place for R & R (rest and relaxation). Stop in Mesquite. This is the oasis of gambling in Nevada before finally crossing into Arizona and Utah. Being a small city (but rapidly growing) Mesquite has only a handful of large casino hotels, which in so many rival in Las Vegas, at half the price.

As head of the I-15 toward the rear LV, swing for 2-3 hours in the Valley of Fire, a Nevada state park is worth the detour.

Another possibility. If time allows, take I-15 to the straight through VI Laughlin, about 1 ½ hours south. Laughlin is the oasis of play seen at the southern border of Nevada. There are several advantages to spend a couple of days there.

1. To get to Laughlin, must pass through Hoover (more bold) Dam and Lake Mead, both worth a look.

2. Laughlin is Colorado River, so if you like water sports, you'll be very in his element.

3. The river is the border with Arizona and California, so if you've never been to California and insist on putting one foot in the Golden State, is only minutes away.

4. Because Laughlin, and Mesquite, is not a highly publicized tourist attractions, hotels are much less expensive than Las Vegas. You will appreciate the difference on the weekend, when a $ 60 hotel in LV can easily go to $ 140-170, while an equivalent hotel in Laughlin for $ 35 you can move up to $ 70-85.

Tips deadline for Foreign Visitors

United States tends to "march to a different drummer." They do things differently. You've noticed that the rooms in hotels and motels in general, do not include breakfast, which is very different from the practice in many other countries. Here are a few other things to consider.

1. Published vs Final Prices

Taxation Local and state are almost never shown on the published rates, so the price you see is almost never the price you pay. This is true in hotels, motels, restaurants, department stores, etc. For example, if a $ 55 motel shows a night for a double room, the final price is likely to be about $ 61.

Why do things this way? The idea is that if people do not know what they pay in taxes, they do not know when to get angry at them properly. Petrol (commonly called "gas") is an exception, the published price is the final price.

2. Tips

"Service" in restaurants almost never included in the price. The client is expected to add this voluntarily as a tip. Normally, the tip should be about 18% of the bill (in a restaurant known as the "check"). The practice is to leave the tip in cash on the table. However, if you pay by credit card, you can add directly. Many people decided to do two things, ie, pay with a card, but leave money on the table.

Everything you do, do not forget to tip. Restaurant workers generally receive a minimum wage so that depend on their tips for their livelihood. Tipping is not equivalent to stealing.

3. Metric – Conversion of America

If you're used to the metric system, it is possible that the U.S. measures confusing. Here are some simple approaches.

A. Pesos

1 pound (1 pound) = 0.45 a kilo. To convert pounds to kilos, divide by 2, then subtract 1 / 10.

Example: Convert 6 pounds to kilos. 6 / 2 – 0.3 (1 / 10 of 3) = 3 – 0.3 = 2.7 kg

For smaller weights as in a restaurant: 1 pound = 16 ounces, one pound = 16 oz writing So a steak is an 8 oz / 2 450 g = 225 g, a 12-ounce steak is 3 / 4 450 = 340 g.

B. Distance

Some areas in the distance are the U.S., both in miles and kilometers but these places are rare, so you will use miles. 1 mile = 1.6 km. To obtain a good approximation, add half a mile away, then add 1 / 10 to get kilometers.

Example: Convert 70 miles to kilometers. 70 + 35 (1 / 2 70) + 7 (1 / 10, 70) = 70 + 35 + 7 = 112 km.

C. The temperature

Fahrenheit to Celsius: subtract 30, divide in two, and then add 1 / 10.

Example: Convert 88 ° F to Celsius. 88 ° F – 30 = 58 divided by 2 = 29. Now add 1 / 10 of 29.to to 29 + 2.9 = 31.9 ° C.

Celsius to Fahrenheit: multiply by 2, add 30, then subtract 1 / 10.

Example: Convert 32 ° C to Fahrenheit. 32 ° C x 2 = 64 = 94 plus 30, subtract 3.2 (1 / 10 of 32) = 90.8 ° F.

D. Prices

The alignment of the prices is difficult because constant exchange rates vary. Suppose that 1 euro = 1.3 U.S. dollars. Divide the dollar price of 2, then add half again.

Example: Convert 24 U.S. dollars to euros. 24 divided by 2 + 6 (half of 12) = 12 + 6 = 18 euros.

Note a good trip. And be prepared to return. Because once you have been to Utah, it's really hard to stay away. To me, it's impossible.

Editor's Note

Philip Yaffe is a former reporter / feature writer with The Wall Street Journal and a marketing communication consultant. He currently teaches a course in good writing and speaking While in Brussels, Belgium. In the "I" of the Storm: Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like a professional, his recently published book is available history Publishers in Ghent, Belgium (storypublishers.be) and Amazon (amazon.com).

For more information please contact:

About the Author

Philip Yaffe
61, avenue des Noisetiers
B-1170 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 32 (0)2 660 0405
phil.yaffe@yahoo.com

Philip Yaffe is a former writer with The Wall Street Journal and international marketing communication consultant. He now teaches courses in persuasive communication in Brussels, Belgium. Because his clients use English as a second or third language, his approach to writing and public speaking is somewhat different from other communication coaches. He is the author of In the “I” of the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like a Professional. Contact: phil.yaffe@yahoo.com.

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