FROM PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Utah

In order to get to Idaho, I had to drive first through the state of Utah.  The fact that I did not take any photos there should give you an idea of what I thought of it. Onward and upward...

Idaho (border crossing from Utah, along the I-84)

Boise, Idaho

The State Capitol is the most prominent building in downtown Boise.

One of the nice residential neighborhoods in which I checked out real estate.  Everything was grossly overpriced, I thought, relative to the price-value ratios in Arizona.  In the end, I couldn't wait to get out of Boise and head for northern Idaho.

Drive to northern Idaho...

Along the way, I happened upon a music festival of sorts in the town of McCall (above).  What you're looking at is an awful-sounding high school band, whose music contrasted with the beautiful scenery in the background.

Just to the right of where this picture was taken, there are some rapids that these kayakers have to navigate.  As I stood on a cliff and watched them for a while, I heard a lot of screaming and shouting down below.  It all seemed like good fun, rather than distress sounds.

The town of Lewiston is on the border of  Idaho and Washington (state).  Thus the land on the left and top portion of the above two photos is actually the state of Washington. 

And now, here is that "other Moscow" - a town of only 24,500, just north of Lewiston. Unlike the "real Moscow," which has 10 million people and has been known as the 40x40 city (because of 40 churches in each of its 40 districts), I could see no churches at all, Orthodox or any other kind, on my drive through Moscow, Idaho.

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

The northern approach to Coeur d'Alene, from the direction of Canada, which is only about 100 miles away from this town of 34,500 (as you can see on the sign). 

As to how the town got is French name, I understand that "alene" in French means something like a tip of a sword or of a knife. So the name means a "heart of steel," as my best effort to translate it. One of the locals told me that that's when the French thought of the local Indians. "Or it's what the Indians thought of the French?" he said. "Same thing." :-)

View of downtown Coeur d'Alene with the lake of the same name

Coeur d'Alene has several beautiful lakes all around it.  Here's one of them - Lake Pend Oreille (pronounced Pendoray), about 20 minutes' drive north of the town. 

The Pend Oreille lake is so large and deep that the U.S. Navy has a submarine base here, where they test the subs for depth pressure resistance.  There are also some nice townhomes here, which was the main reason for my driving out to this area.

And then, right in the town of Cd'A, I visited a townhome community which happened to be called - The Village! Is that fate or coincidence, or what?  :-) The only difference is that it's not a "gated community."  In fact, the locals didn't even though what that term meant, there is so little crime in the area.  :-)

The corner unit (No. 6, The Maple) was one of the models that the local real estate agent (a New Zealander!) hustled for me.  It is (intentionally) not yet totally finished, so that the buyer could make his own interior and appliance choices.  The price was quite reasonable, by Phoenix standards.

The same unit from the back. Obviously, the yard would be finished and fenced off before the new buyer would move in.  This Village also has an indoor pool in the community clubhouse, as well as a spa.  So guess I would not need to buy one for myself.

I've also looked at several other communities, but this is fairly representative of what a relatively new development would look like (with a brand new home in this case).

I've looked at some properties around this lake, too. Lake Hayden is actually practically in the middle of the town (as is Lake Coeur d'Alene).  The town is actually nestled in between these two lakes, and a smaller lake called Avondale (right next to Lake Hayden).

They say that the lakes are warm enough to swim in, but I did not feel like testing them.  I saw only kids doing it, as you can also see here. The water temps seem too cool for this "desert rat."  And I suppose I am also spoiled with the beautiful warm ocean beaches around our place in Australia.  But I've certainly seen a lot of boating activities in and around Cd'A.  So I may want to invest in a boat and do some of it myself, should I choose to relocate here.

Back to Trip Index