6 Overlooked Destinations In Utah

Above,  Monument Valley's Totem Pole (at left) was featured in The Eiger
Sanction (1975) and in The Searchers (1956). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first time I spent any time in Utah was in 1969 with my parents. We stayed at the Watchman Campground in Zion Nationak Park (those were the days before the hordes started coming to Utah). We also camped at Bryce Canyon National Park.

Since then, I've been to Utah several more times.

There are some places "off the beaten path" that many people miss. The National Post listed six of them.

They begin with:

Known as the Mighty 5, the popular national parks of Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Arches in Utah showcase some of the most iconic vistas of the American West. Yet for people looking to explore some of the state’s less familiar destinations, equally stunning views await if you’re ready to get off the beaten path. 

We’ve rounded up six dramatic destinations to visit between your explorations of the Mighty 5. Offering incredible landscapes and the chance to discover ancient cultures, they encourage you to slow down and savour some of America’s beautiful wild places.

One of the six is Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. I was last there four years ago.

On Monument Valley, they wrote:

Known by the Navajo as Tse’Bii’Ndzisgaii, Monument Valley lies in the sacred heart of the Navajo Nation, sprawling over northern Arizona and southern Utah in an area larger than Arches National Park. 

This rugged desert landscape, with its mesas, buttes and sandstone towers, is instantly recognizable, as it’s been used as the backdrop for countless movies, TV shows and commercials, dating all the way back to early John Wayne westerns, like Stagecoach in 1939. 

Visitors can take a driving tour of Valley Drive or hire a licensed Navajo guide for a longer trip to Mystery Valley. You can tour by Jeep or, for a more intimate experience, do it on horseback. If you love the night, stay over for some stargazing under one of the country’s darkest skies.

Above, The Beast at Goulding's Lodge Campground in Monument Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I hope to return to Monument Valley this summer. When I was last there, it was during the month of November when cold winds blew during the day and the nights got down into the 20s. I camped at Goulding's Lodge Campground.

To read more, go here. 

Japanese Rail At Tourists' Bad Manners

Above, the Great Buddah of Kamakura. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whether one is visiting someone's home or visiting another country, it is always desirable to be on one's best behavior and remember their manners. After all, they are guests.

The influx of foreign tourists to Japan has caused fiction for the local residents. This is being called "tourism pollution". Many of these visitors are clueless on local customs and etiquette and have displayed bad manners.

The National Post reported:

Japan’s traditional sense of “omotenashi”, meaning wholeheartedly looking after guests, is wearing thin. 

Residents of many of the nation’s must-see tourist spots are increasingly expressing their frustration at loud and disrespectful foreigners, crowded public transport and poor etiquette among visitors. 

Tourism has surged, and ahead of the Rugby World Cup next year, followed by the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, there is a growing worry that the pretty cobbled streets and ornate temples tourists flock to — as well as the train and bus networks — will be unable to take the numbers.

The problem has become so bad in some cities, such as the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Kamakura, that local people are complaining to the authorities about “tourism pollution”.

To read more, go here.