When we were in Ronda, Spain, a couple of years ago, we went to an olive oil factory where the local growers brought there harvests to be pressed into olive oil. It was fascinating to see how the olives were transported into the factory and then pressed using large, weighted, presses. To say that the olive oil that we tasted that day was some of the best that we have ever tasted would be an extreme understatement. For this week’s Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge, Gears and Engines, we thought that we would share a few photos from that tour. We can almost taste the olive oil when looking back at these pictures.
Olive Conveyor BeltWeighted PressesAnother View of the Conveyor BeltsStanding in the CourtyardSingle PressOld FurnaceFront of the FactoryWhat a View
The number of restaurants in the Scottsdale area is almost overwhelming. Since it is a resort area there are options to suit any food craving or dining style from formal to casual. When visiting Arizona, having some authentic Mexican food, or even just some southwestern food, is a must. There are also plenty of outdoor patio options, but during the summer heat, most people stayed indoors. There are also several brewery options that offer good pub food with a variety of local beers that were perfect on a hot afternoon, although not as many options as we have in Colorado.
Crab and Shrimp Stuffed Chili RellenoPicante Macaroni and Cheese with SausageMussels in White Wine Sauce
We should have known that this trip was going to be full of good food when we arrived at our resort on Saturday night to find out that the restaurant was offering a prime rib special. Two prime rib dinners, starter salads, and a bottle of wine for $40 and the prime rib was cooked to perfection. We almost always share a single dinner, so it was way too much food for the two of us, but it was too good of a deal to pass on.
Prime Rib Dinner with Corn and PotatoesSautéed Green BeansChili Pork Verde
We definitely took advantage of the many Mexican restaurants that are in the area. From a traditional pork carnitas burrito served enchilada style with fresh ingredients to a half of chicken with oregano, lime, and aji rocoto that was spicy, but delicious. We also had a wonderful pork and green chili queso and crab and shrimp stuffed chili rellenos. We love good Mexican food and we certainly were not disappointed with what we had in Scottsdale.
Carnitas Burrito Served Enchilada StyleRoasted ChickenGuacamole Variation
Obviously, we had more than just Mexican food over the seven days that we spent in Scottsdale. One of the things that we found interesting was that almost every menu had some variation of macaroni and cheese on it, some with meat, some without, so we had to try one of each during the week. Another interesting treat were the pork wings appetizer that were bone-in pork shanks with a spicy barbeque sauce. We also had some salmon cakes and an interesting devilish egg dip as appetizers and really unique burger.
Devilish Egg DipBurgerPork Wings
We definitely enjoyed the food that we ate while we were in Scottsdale. Clearly, with all of the restaurant choices available, you can spend quite a while in Scottsdale and never eat at the same place twice, but some of them are so good that you just have to go back again and again. Perhaps we will revisit Scottsdale in the fall at some point so that we can eat our way through more of the many choices.
Local Beers on TapSpicy Macaroni and CheeseSalmon CakesCold Local Beer
For good or bad, people have a tendency to focus on what is coming around the next corner. Travelers tend to spend a fair amount of time researching and planning their next adventure, which can be a good thing as it can be diverting from the day to day drudgery. Thinking about the possibilities of what is coming next actually releases endorphins that makes you feel good. In that same way, dreaming about what you would do if you win the lottery actually reduces stress and makes people happier, even if they don’t win. Dreaming about your next big trip has the same effect and can be a wonderful way to make traveling a year long adventure and not just limited to the few weeks that you are actually on the road. With that in mind, for this week’s Cee’s Which Way Challenge, here a few photos to help us think about what is coming around the next corner.
Driving in IcelandBeaver Creek TrailHighway to GibraltarDriving in the AmazonRocky Mountain TrailPikes Peak Reservoir
