In January of 2005, we went down to Tucson to teach courses at the University of Arizona. Here are a few pictures from the trip. (to see a bigger version of most of the pictures, click on them.)
On the flight there, there was wonderful cloud cover - just like a blanket into the horizon.
As we got closer, we saw Tucson spread out in front of us. (I was breaking the airline laws at this point, by operating a camera after we were given the "no electronics" message. Don't tell.)
Grass was a relative rarity in Tucson. It is a desert city, and feels like it; most things that are green are...
Cactuses... er.. cacti!
I wasn't a big fan of the cacti, actually. I found them frightening; everywhere you looked, there were thorns reaching out to get you.
This one acutally snaked all over trees, like a 3-inch thick weed. Creepy.
We went to the Desert Museum while we were there, which had cacti and animals that live in the area, like this coyote.
and my favorite, the hummingbird:
One of the interesting items at this museum was the everpresent Saguaro cactii. This is a picture of a family of them from Sabino canyon.
These things live for hundreds of years. Seeing the inside of one helps you to understand how they support themselves.
Sabino Canyon is part of the local parks. You can take a tram into and up the canyon, and then ride it back down.
If you are into such things, you can get off at the top and look around, hike up further, and hike back if you'd like.
By the way, if you decide to walk, you have to be prepared to ford some streams. In the middle of the this desert canyon, there was rushing (and cold) water, which was quite a surprise.
Another attraction in the area is the Mission San Xavier del Bac, which is a truly awe-inspiring Spanish mission. It is an active Catholic church and has an attached museum, which has some thought-provoking statements from the viewpoint of the local people. (something to the effect of "We were suprised to learn that our land was now owned by someone who lived across the ocean who had never set foot on this land").
Scott is either blinded by the power of faith.. or the bright sun. ("What is the burning ball in the sky?" says the Syracuse-based traveler...)
The people who are there obviously have a good outlook on life. (look at the sign on top of the water)
On most sides of Tucson, you can see mountains, which was surprising to me. I expected it to be more flat.
There are two things in Tucson that are big and worth savoring...
The Sunsets...
and the tortillas!
That's it for my brief tour. You can go and visit some of my other trips, or if you know Jana, you can see her in her new natural seeting.
All images copyright 2005, Scott Nicholson. Back to Scott's Home Page ->