Friday, March 3, 2017

What a bright and sunny day to tackle Lake Powell one last time before leaving Page! Off we go to The Point Marina (www.antelopepointlakepowell.com) for a nice boat tour on Lake Powell and into one of the lake’s 96 canyons…

Since this is still off-season, the perks are significant: 1) There are no crowds and no lineups. 2) Since motor boats haven’t powered up yet, the place is pristine, with clear waters and fish squalls.

We embarked (all 17 of us, including a Japanese party of 11) on a large pontoon boat and set off for a very pleasant one-hour tour, with a knowledgeable and friendly captain. The boat meandered in a very pretty canyon until the water was only three feet deep. Time to turn around and head for the docks.

Just letting you know: I had read on TripAdvisor and in other blogs that there was a “surprise” fee of $25.00 per car, on top of the tour fee, for simply entering the marina grounds. Although it is true, the entrance to the marina is free between November and March. Some extra dollars for gifts, then… :))) Also, for the modest sum of $2,500/day, you can rent a house boat with 6 bedrooms and a pool. Any takers?

From there, we started our route south, with a very interesting stop at Cameron Trading Post, on Highway 89 (check Atkinson Trading Company Inc). It was highly recommended, and did not disappoint. There, you find a hotel, a huge gift shop, an interesting restaurant featuring a pressed tin ceiling and a rock fireplace, and a splendid Native American Art Gallery featuring collection pieces to die for!

Guess what is still lingering in Flagstaff? Noooo !!! SNOW!!! Grrrr!!! Our hotel – Little America Hotel (www.flagstaff.littleamerica.com) – is very quaint and the room, very spacious.

The kicker of the day, however, did not come until dinner. Only in the American West would you experience dinner in a place like Black Barts Stakehouse, Saloon & Musical Review (www.BlackBartsSteakHouse.com)! It is a cabaret/saloon-style place, where all waiters are singing! No kidding! On a stage! They sing solo, in pairs, or as a group. Their repertoire is based on well-known broadway shows, and they have beautiful voices! So, if your server is on stage, another one takes over or you wait until he/she is finished! We had a great time and the food was delicious!

Hope you were entertained a little… :)))

P.S. So far, we have found the road infrastructure in Arizona to be excellent. Highway 89 is a well paved and very scenic road. Shorter stretches branch out (89A) and claim to be even more scenic.