Phoenix
Musical Instrument Museum,
MIM
While entering the MIM at 9:00 a.m. I did
not think that I was going to spend there
nearly seven hours. Without being
dithyrambic it is the most extraordinary
museum that it is given me to visit. In a
modern building without being extravagant
but functional it exhibits the musical
instruments in the entire world, but not
only, because they are put in prospect
with civilization and culture of a
country, “… music is the language of the
soul…” It was a true initiatory trip. I
revisited countries already seen in
another optics, more human without make-up
with its joys and sufferings, origin of
the music so call popular. I will not
describe it the few shown pictures are
enough to give sense At the entrance an
audio headset makes it possible at each
stand to listening significant extracts of
the instrumental music of the concerned
area accompanying a video. Of course
a day does not make it possible to listen
all of them. I privileged the countries
that I liked spending in the late
afternoon a quick visit on North America
and Europe. To see and to see again,
highly recommendable. I returned to my
previous bivouac at 100 meters further
away from the museum. On my
mobile I found a message of all my family
wishing me a Merry X'mas.
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| Musical Instrument Museum |
"The most extraordinary museum
you'll ever hear" |
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| Automat clown, big red nose |
Japanese mask |
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| Mechanical Music Gallery |
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| Geographical galleries |
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| Geographical galleries |
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| Emblematic American opera |
Steinway & Sons |
Phoenix downtown
In this Christmas Day all was closed as
well in Phoenix downtown as in Scottsdale
downtown; even McDo, however Wi-Fi
connection was accessible. In any event
there is nothing to see out the closed
museums. The city is built in the desert
and that is seen. I attended the mass of
Christmas at the St Mary Basilica. Then I
sauntered around Civic Plaza. Statues
decorated the gardens neighborhood. State
Capitol celebrated its centenary this
year. In front of it, the park exhibits many
statues to the glory of the natives of
Arizona as well Anglo-Saxon as Indian.
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| St Mary Basilica |
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| Civic Center |
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| State Capitol |
I discovered steles presenting the
amendments at the American
Constitution of which the second
that I took a picture in view
of the tragedy that killed twenty
children. Its reading shows all
the ambiguity of its writing
whose I underline the terms in red
blood. I wished that
president Obama will be able to free
himself from powerful National
Rifle Association, NRA. |
Scottsdale downtown
En route Hwy #10
I left from Phoenix around 10:30 am after
a stop in front of Lowe's for Wi-Fi
connection. I moved towards the west coast
in the south of Los Angeles where I had
two appointments for the maintenance of my
truck.
I bivouacked away from Hwy #10.
California
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| Sunrise on the Hwy #10 |
Windmills at Palm Springs |
Irvine
On Thursday, December 27 I left early to
arrive in the early morning at
Irvine where I was to find four Michelin
tires 395x85R20XZL at the Michelin dealer
TCI#866. A great disappointment
expected me. The manager informed me that
the tires were not delivered but
would not be it. He explained me why there
had been an incomprehension with the
Michelin warehouse in Texas which
believed that the order was for a known
customer. I pointed out to him that he had
not informed me. After discussion
considering of other types of tires,
no available, we are agreed that the only
possibility was once again used military tires 14.00R20XL.
He thus ordered at
rallequip.com four tires. The delivery
period was on January 7th, 2013, five
days before the expiry of my visa. I found
myself in the same situation as in Houston
in August. The saga of the tires
continued…
Costa Mesa
I carried on my way towards Costa Mesa
where I had another appointment to change the two
weakening fans of the radiator of the
Panda Generator. Phew,
while arriving the repairer had received,
a day before, the two fans that I had
ordered at Fisher Panda in Florida. The
installation was done in the street and
lasted two hours. Due to the late hour
I bivouacked on the spot. But it was not
finished.
Costa Mesa, Newport
Beach, Irvine, Lake Forest
On Friday morning I went to a repairer of
motor home found on Internet because I had
an leak at the O-ring of the toilet,
Sealand by Dometic. It did not make this
kind of repair but he gave me an address.
Alas the workshop was closed. Taking into
account the latency for the tires I was to
go in a campground where I asked for
addresses of repairer of motor home. I
drove in Newport, Irvine and Lake Forest,
but the given addresses were either
erroneous or the workshops did not exist
anymore. I returned to the very vexed
campground. Still a bad day.
Newport Beach
The campground where I stayed for ten days
was out of price and poor. This long stay
as that in Tucson was devoted to the
continuation of the Spanish training. The
end of the week was announced rainy.
