12.7. 17.00 , Las Vegas The Orleans
The farmers in Utah are rewarded for their faith with rain, even if it is in fact from pagan rainmakers from the Old World. For us it means, however, that Zion National Park (http://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm), where the Momons believed to see their heavenly valley, clearly loses its appeal and unearthly impression. For me anyway there is the suspicion that a prettier gorge in the Alps has similar appeal for Americans and it is just so interesting for Americans because in this otherwise barren area not even a decent bush can grow.
We just start the walk at the end of the shuttle-bus route from the Temple of Sinawava back, where the canyon narrows the extent that one would have to wade in the river bed towards the end.
Interesting insights arise not only in the topography, but also in the psyche of Americans. On the way cute squirrels can find many people, but a sign prohibits the feeding and threatens to $ 100 fine. The nice addition is below: "Please report violation". Block leader mentality in the Land of the Free. It is not quite as bad, but since our children starved obvious from the 20-minutes-march want to get back some calories with trail mix and - of course completely unintentional - drop some nuts. We immediately get reprimanded strong and quite a few yards further up I hear "violation" and "Rangers"-word pieces. If they were only half as consistent with feeding of their fat compatriots like with the squirrels.
Even some people from "God's own Country" try to hurt their little rodent siblings with walking stick blows and kicks - but fortunately they are responsive. Even if the big clumsy creatures may not believe in evolution, nature has done well in this attempt.
Two hours later we head towards Las Vegas, but spontaneously we take the exit to Lake Mead - which is the dammed lake in the Colorado River. The path leads over the Red Rock Park - for a change, red sandstone in the afternoon sun. When getting out of the car the heat almost kills us. I can not remember ever having seen such temperatures, and think myself in the middle of a giant hair dryer.
Lake Mead is disappointing then, as hard to see. We drive almost two hours over bad roads, until we reach the Hoover Dam, the second highest dam in the United States. Well, if that is an American landmark, hydropower in the U.S. obviously plays no central role in energy supply. Therefore in Austria people would hardly turn their head. Even the unusual is obviously relative, because many mostly unnoticed along the road here would be a place of interest at home.
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