Southwestern Sideways: A Quest for Western US Wine Not From California – Day Four
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At the Grand Canyon |
The road runs through a desert surrounded by mountains until we reach the Kaibab National Forest and continue among tall trees. At a certain point we smell smoke and notice column of worrying smoke rising from behind the mountains, but when we stop for gas and enquire about it we are told that is just a controlled burn. In fact, when we get to the Grand Canyon we drive through thick smoke and watch the troublesome view of open fires burning amidst the trees, with dead plants still standing but on fire, while firefighters keep a watchful eye and turn their hoses on as needed.
I'm seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time and it's truly amazing: a work of art which nature has worked at for centuries and is still modifying. A group of Spanish tourists is noisily taking up one of the overlooking terraces, calling out loudly to each other as southern European sometimes do.
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Kitty Maya helps with the trip planning |
Dinner is at the 'Spaghetti Western' store and restaurant in downtown Tusayan, a couple of miles from the entrance of the South Rim of the Canyon.
The place is an Italian-style family restaurant decorated in western style, as the name suggests, served by Mexicans wearing black shirts and white Stetson hats. The wine list features more Italian inexpensive wines than California ones, plus a Columbia Crest Grand Estate 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington state's Columbia Valley. Though we would have hoped to drink Arizona wine, as there are few wineries in the state, we are happy to be able to order a US, non-California wine for the first time in four days. Also, at $17 a bottle, it offers the best quality/price ratio found so far, though the quality is nothing to write home about.
The food is forgettable, though the atmosphere is pleasant. Brigit's vegetarian lasagna is a single baked serving plate from which melted cheese and tomato sauce overflow. My grilled pepper and goat cheese-filled Tortelloni are actually fairly good, except that they are literally swimming in seasoned tomato sauce which, evidently, comes straight from the can.
<< Previous • Fourth of 10 Parts • Next >>
- Other Sideways:
- Lonesome European Sideways – March / April 2007
- Partially Aborted 'Sideways' – October 2006
- Italian Sideways 2006 – April 2006
- Our Own 'Sideways' Trip – Ottobre 2005
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