What Else is New?

Late winter, early spring in Arizona means there's some event going on nearly every weekend. We've been doing so many things that I haven't had much time to blog. But here goes:

Pics from the Indian Hoop Dance Contest the weekend before last:

The Indian Hoop Dance Contest was an experience that I'm glad we got to see. Indian drums, chanting and singing, and then members of different tribes all over the US meeting at this annual competition. They dance with small hoops -- I think I've seen as many as fifteen on some of the seasoned competitors. Their agility with these hoops is incredible to watch, as they spin them around, place them on their bodies, and create stories with their dancing. They could take six or so hoops and create an eagle's wings, or take more hoops and make a ball, or a flower -- all the while stomp dancing to the drums and chanting. It was PACKED, but a gorgeous day for it. We sat on the grass and ate fry bread while we watched the dancers. Most amazing thing? The eagle serenely circling in the sky above the dancers. I have never seen an eagle in the middle of downtown Phoenix. Or anywhere else for that matter that wasn't on a hike up in the mountains. Majestic probably describes it best.


Pics from the Chinese New Year Festival at the Chinese Cultural Center:

Later that same day we hit the Chinese Cultural Center for their Chinese New Year festival. Everything from martial arts displays, to the dragon dance, to dozens of booths set up with all kinds of different foods, clothing, and toys. We shared a young coconut drink -- they split open the top of the coconut, give you a straw and a spoon and you get to drink the coconut juice and scrape the tender coconut meat off the sides when you're done.

Coming up next (as soon as I download them off my camera and upload them to Picasa) is last weekend's Renaissance Faire and a trek up to Jerome, AZ on a long Sunday drive. ;-)