Javelina
Bobcats
Look closely. She's well hidden.
Saguaro forest.
San Xavier del Bac Mission
Pow wow.
Downloading photos is has been difficult tonight, so what you see above will be explained below.
First, you should know we don't really "do" cities. When we say we are in Tucson, that means we have a hotel here so we sleep and sometimes eat here, but most of the time we are exploring outside of the city limits.
Today we visited a desert museum, a national park, a mission, and attended a pow wow.
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is an outdoor experience with desert plants, animals, birds, butterflies - you name it, anything that lives here. We especially enjoyed the humming birds, and seeing a javelina - a hairy pig-like creature.
All around us were saguaro cactus, and when we left the museum we traveled a few miles to the visitor's center of Saguaro National Park, where the terrace looked out on this saguaro forest. They are amazing structures, these plant giants of the Sonora Desert. This is the only place on earth that you will find them.
Next we went to find San Xavier del Bac Mission, a beautiful Spanish Colonial structure with Baroque flourishes dating from 1797. It is beautiful inside and out with elaborate, brightly painted ornamentation. It is located on the Tohono O'odham reservation, and next to the mission they were hosting a pow wow. We were intrigued, so we paid the admission and took in the sights and sounds and smells. We watched colorful Indian dancing from plains tribes, heard singing and drumming in accompaniment, and smelled mesquite wood smoke as fry bread was being cooked and sold. Yes, we did have some. Delicious!
Because we went to a pow wow instead of following our previously set agenda we did not get to the Pima Air and Space Museum, but if we don't get back to it, we have airplanes in Seattle.
We finished the day by actually returning to Tucson to eat at the famous El Charro Cafe, long a provider of authentic Mexican food. The meal was delicious, but I have had to resort to Tums for dessert.
Javelina
Bobcats
Look closely. She's well hidden.
Saguaro forest.
San Xavier del Bac Mission
Pow wow.
Downloading photos is has been difficult tonight, so what you see above will be explained below.
First, you should know we don't really "do" cities. When we say we are in Tucson, that means we have a hotel here so we sleep and sometimes eat here, but most of the time we are exploring outside of the city limits.
Today we visited a desert museum, a national park, a mission, and attended a pow wow.
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is an outdoor experience with desert plants, animals, birds, butterflies - you name it, anything that lives here. We especially enjoyed the humming birds, and seeing a javelina - a hairy pig-like creature.
All around us were saguaro cactus, and when we left the museum we traveled a few miles to the visitor's center of Saguaro National Park, where the terrace looked out on this saguaro forest. They are amazing structures, these plant giants of the Sonora Desert. This is the only place on earth that you will find them.
Next we went to find San Xavier del Bac Mission, a beautiful Spanish Colonial structure with Baroque flourishes dating from 1797. It is beautiful inside and out with elaborate, brightly painted ornamentation. It is located on the Tohono O'odham reservation, and next to the mission they were hosting a pow wow. We were intrigued, so we paid the admission and took in the sights and sounds and smells. We watched colorful Indian dancing from plains tribes, heard singing and drumming in accompaniment, and smelled mesquite wood smoke as fry bread was being cooked and sold. Yes, we did have some. Delicious!
Because we went to a pow wow instead of following our previously set agenda we did not get to the Pima Air and Space Museum, but if we don't get back to it, we have airplanes in Seattle.
We finished the day by actually returning to Tucson to eat at the famous El Charro Cafe, long a provider of authentic Mexican food. The meal was delicious, but I have had to resort to Tums for dessert.
Really have enjoyed all your photos and narrative of your trips! Just great! Feel like I've been back there for a visit after so many years! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLove LOVE this. We went to the Sonora desert a long time ago and enjoyed it. Your photos really bring back those terrific memories with the kids. I'm really enjoying this trip you're taking.
ReplyDeletethanks for taking us along-makes me want to visit Tucson sometime-before it gets hot...love the saguaro cactus and the southwestern culture-glad you are enjoying the trip.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I haven't been on blogs for nearly a week. I was blow away by all of the beautiful photos you took on your journeys in Tucson and Arizona. Truly magnificent - good enough to be calendar photos. Thanks for sharing. - Dave
ReplyDeleteSorry about the tummy ache! Hope the food was worth it. Great photos! The desert museum's hummingbirds were a favorite of mine too when we visited. You were so lucky to see the pow-wow!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing animals from other parts of the country..
ReplyDeleteGreat photos. What type of little bird is that in the cactus. I love that photo.
ReplyDeleteI have been to the desert and remember it. I think we bought some prickly pear cactus jellied candy.
ReplyDelete