We've been to Tucson once or twice over the years but really don't know the area. We asked our colleague Dave of Tamarindo DP, who lives in the Phoenix area, for advice about where to stay. He recommended the gorgeous Arizona Inn, a landmark since 1930. It oozes charm and style.
You can play croquet in a pink seersucker suit and bare feet after breakfast. Wander the gardens. Dine on the patio. Watch the moonrise. It was heavenly, and fairly priced for all the beauty. It's a place we would like to return to one day.
There is a stunning desert garden, Tohono Chul, on the northwest edge of Tuscon. We spent a pleasant afternoon there yesterday. We met one of the docents, Don Eagle, a retired physicist, who became our private guide. Those of us in temperate climates think of deserts as barren. You have only to open your eyes to learn otherwise.
Oh, and watch where you step.
Tucson notes:
Many of the place names are Spanish. We passed a common-looking residential side street called Calle Sin Nombre - Street Without A Name. I can find no explanation online.
The weather forecast for this afternoon includes the possibility of a dust storm. Better get back to Phoenix, which is, in fact, the plan.
So, the destination:
We got into Phoenix late Wednesday night and flopped at an airport hotel. Yesterday morning we drove south to Tucson, Arizona's second city, and headed for the part of Saguaro (sah WHA row) National Park east of the city. There's another to the west we'll get to on Saturday.
This is the iconic southwestern US plant, but they grow in a limited area of southern Arizona and northwest Mexico. The saguaro don't start sprouting the characteristic arms until they are about 75 years old. But there are lots of other interesting things. You could, for example, wreck your bike and break every bone in your body.
Mrs. C and I like to look for local cuisine when we travel. We ended up at the Cushing Street Bar and Restaurant. It gets terrific ratings on Tripadvisor and we certainly agree. It's in a very old building, plain white adobe, but the food and staff were first class. I had maybe the best mojito of my life.
We drove back to the hotel through downtown. Ain't like the Midwest.
