| Leaving Monument Valley
we headed east through Mexican Hat where this rock formation is a dominant
feature. |  |
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We next visited Four Corners, the only point in the US where four states
meet at a point. The states are Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado. Recent GPS measurements
suggest the actual point is actually a short distance away. |
| A number of stalls sell
native art. Jan bought the vase second from the right. |  |
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Seen in the car park was this classic car. Maybe somebody will tell me what
it is. |
| We moved on to Mesa Verde
where the fall colours provided a great show. |  |
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We went on a tour of Cliff Palace, one of the largest Anasazi sites. |
| The round shape at the
front is a 'kiva' which was an important religious construction. There are
about 30 of these on this site which is a source of some puzzlement to
archaeologists. |  |
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The tours are led by park rangers who are very knowledgeable but there is
much here which is not understood. |
| The site has not been
used since the 1300s except for the millions of visitors who come each year.
Some structural problems may prevent visitors from coming in the future. |  |
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They may have moved into the cliffs as a protective measure because these
sites are not easy to access. |
| The purpose of these is
unknown but everybody passing said the same thing.
LEGO |  |
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You can only visit the front but there are more buildings at the rear. There
are only limited routes between the front and the back. The rooms there may
have been used for storage. |
| This is a kiva with the
small hole just in the sunshine. That is where we all climbed out of the
earth
according to legend. We are now in the fourth world. |  |
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Hidden inside a building and only visible from a contorted position is some
of the artwork on the walls of one of the towers. |
| The route out - or was it
in. Just bear in mind it is at 8000ft plus so your heart will be thumping by
the time you get to the top. |  |
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There have been a number of serious forest fires in recent years (usually
started by lightning). This part was burned in 2002. |
| Another site known as the
House of a Thousand Windows. |  |
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You can only see the sites on the other side of the canyons. Those on our
side are below us. |
| At 8532ft the view from
the highest point is spectacular. |  |
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It is 15 miles back down to the park entrance and the road twists and turns as it
drops over 3000ft. |
| The fire watch tower at
the peak. This is staffed in the season but nobody was there today. |  |
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