The Phoenician
February 4th, 2001
@ Scottsdale, AZ
  
All Photos © 2001 Ting Vogel
   
The Phoenician
The Bath
The Shower
The Sink
The Bidet

We tried checking into the Phoenician when we first got to Scottsdale around noon, but they said that the room was not going to be ready for two hours. We decided to drop off our bags with the bellmen before taking off to Tonto Natural Bridge State Park for the day.

We arrived back at the Phoenician after dark to find our bags waiting for us in the room. The room itself was about the size of two normal hotel rooms with a large sitting area. The bath was European-styled, with a bidet. I have never seen a bidet in an American resort before, although of course, such are the norm in Europe. 

On the way in, we saw the Sony welcome dinner was in progress at the Jokake Inn, so we walked over to see if we could still get some grub. At the dinner, we met various Sony employees and got to "talk shop".

A couple of large telescopes had been set up on the small hill behind the inn for star-gazing. After dinner, we took turns with others to look at the moon, saturn, and jupiter up close. In spite of the bright surface, the deep craters on the moon were unmistakable. The four Galilean Moons of Jupiter were distinctive dots hanging about the golden orb of the gas giant, while Saturn was whispy white. We could even make out divisions in the rings quite easily.

Upon returning to the hotel, we decided to go visit the cactus garden lining the hillside across from the main lobby. The garden was deserted. Red, green, yellow, and blue mailbu lights spotlighted various cacti in an eerie unearthly splendor. The cloak of darkness gives everything a different personality. 
 

Room View
Randy Befriends Statues
Entering the Cactus Garden
Organ Pipe Cactus
Majestic Saguaro
An Eerie Glow
Red Lights on Cactus
Carden Statue
A Saguaro Looms 
Moon Above Cactus Garden
Cactus Giant
A Cousin of the Organ Pipe Cactus
Aloe
Yellow Light Highlights Cactus
Some Cacti Look Unearthly
Fiery Accent
Yucca
Hotel Fountain from the Cactus Garden
Randy Outshines the Fountain!
Closer View of the Water Jets