A Cold and Poetic Journey in Arizona

VTV.vn - Arizona is not only about scorching sun and the Grand Canyon. It also has white snow, pine forests, ancient mountain towns and a trace of the universe lying quietly in winter.

A cold and poetic journey in Arizona.

When most people think of Arizona, they think of deserts, cacti, and the dry, sun-baked cowboy towns of the American Southwest. But one winter day, I saw a snowy, cold, and poetic Arizona on my drive from Phoenix to Meteor Crater, stopping in the picturesque highland town of Flagstaff.

Started in the sun, ended in the snow.

Started in the sun, ended in the snow

Early mornings in Phoenix are still characterized by the soft yellow sunlight and warmth typical of southern Arizona. But as we leave the urban area, cross Interstate 17 and head north, the scenery on both sides of the road changes dramatically: from scorched desert to quiet pine forests, from red soil to vast white snow. I stopped many times just to breathe in the fresh cold air, to be silent before the rustling rows of pine trees covered in snow, or simply to capture the image of a highway curve across the soft white snow, where heavy gray clouds intermingle with the rustling blue sky.

Heading north, the scenery on both sides of the road changes magically: from sun-burnt desert to quiet pine forest, from red soil to vast white snow.

Flagstaff: A Snowy Resting Place

Flagstaff seemed like a different world . This was not the Arizona I knew. The narrow, snow-covered streets, the old-fashioned houses with their distinctive steep roofs, the smoke rising from chimneys in the cold early morning made me feel like I had wandered into a small village in Northern Europe.

Old-style houses with characteristic sloping roofs.

I stayed in a small cabin in a quiet residential area where people shoveled snow in the front yard in the morning and children sledding in the backyard. The windows opened onto a view of white-capped mountains, where the sunset cast shadows on the pine trees. At night, I walked down a small alley lit by yellow lights, the snow melting into ice and reflecting the light like a thousand sparkling mirrors.

At night, the snow melts into ice and reflects light like thousands of sparkling mirrors.

Breakfast in the middle of the snowy old town

The next morning, I found a small bakery called Mozelle's Bakery on Old Street, where the snow had been shoveled into piles higher than my head. The warmth from the ovens, the aroma of cinnamon rolls and coffee mixed with the early morning chill created a feeling of peace and nostalgia. Walking around downtown Flagstaff, I saw the marks of time still clearly visible: ancient brick buildings, old-fashioned streetlights, small shops hidden in snow-covered alleys. There was something about this place that made it different, not noisy, not hurried, as if winter had slowed down the pace of life so people could enjoy each moment.

No rush as if winter has slowed down the pace of life so people can enjoy every moment.

Meteor Crater: Where the Earth Once Shaken

Saying goodbye to Flagstaff, I continued my journey to Meteor Crater, about 60 miles to the east. Along the way, the landscape gradually changed to semi-desert but still covered in light snow, with red rocks and shrubs peeking through the white carpets. I stopped once more on the deserted road to look at the distant mountain range still covered in snow, evoking a surreal feeling in the heart of the desert. And then Meteor Crater appeared like a giant scar in the earth. Snow had covered the crater, turning what was once evidence of a terrible collision into a white arena, silent and poetic. From the observatory, looking out into that vast space, I felt both small and sacred. The cold wind whistling through the crevices of the rocks seemed to tell the story of tens of thousands of years ago, when a giant meteorite tore through the sky and left this mark.

Meteor Crater - where a giant meteor ripped through the sky and left this mark.

A winter trip to Meteor Crater and Flagstaff made me realize: Arizona is more than just sunshine and the Grand Canyon. It's also about snow, pine forests, quaint mountain towns, and a cosmic trail that lies silent in winter.

There is also white snow, pine forests, ancient mountain towns and a trace of the universe lying quietly in winter.

If you have the chance, try leaving Phoenix on a New Year's Day, walking through the quiet forests, stopping in Flagstaff for coffee in the snow and standing on the edge of a white-capped meteorite crater. It's an encounter with a very different version of Arizona, where time, nature and history converge in a beautiful, quiet moment.

Source: https://vtv.vn/hanh-trinh-lanh-gia-va-day-chat-tho-o-arizona-100251208125657715.htm