The Grand Canyon National Park is a quiet and majestic land. When you look at it, you perceive it as something separate from you. You are not a rock, a raptor, the wind or the Colorado River. And then, the wonder begins. After you’ve gone past the panoramic E Rim Drive, at the park exit, the 89 cuts the road in two and forces you to a choice: on the left for the Monument Valley; on the right to Flagstaff to close the circle that takes you back to Los Angeles. The last kilometres on the 64 and a small deviation on the left hand side, right on the 89 lead you towards the village of Cameron and offer an utterly unexpected emotion. We spend hours wandering off-road, the sheer drops of the canyon just a few centimetres away from the car wheels. Then, the ground changes to a surreal landscape of pink roads that blend with the sky to create an endless horizon battered by strong winds. We enjoy large portions of Navajo Tacos made of fried bread, beans, cheese, tomatoes and lettuce, served by the Natives. We follow a school bus that takes kids back to the entrance of a slum made of motor homes in shiny and pastel colours. Loose dogs, toys and electrical appliances are their only guardians.

Words and pictures Meraviglia Paper.