The other side of the tracks in Tucson...

Tucson is a really pretty town. Naturally, as you've seen with parks like Agua Caliente' and the general beauty of the Sonoran desert region which is essentially one of three Desert's here in America, according to my personal wikipedia Todd Chatman - (Great Basin, aka High-Desert), Sonoran and Mojave.

Yesterday, we took the opportunity to cross Gates Pass which we are staying about 4 minutes away from and headed to the "Other side of the tracks" which is only my term and in no way a derogatory term, but it's on the other side of the Tucson Range. On that side of the "track" is the Desert Museum, Old Tucson movie studios and San Xavier de Bac mission.

Now I've been to the mission a few times now. The first time was with a friend, Rob Densmore, back in 1997. Then we went there last year and again yesterday. There's this saguaro there, right at the entrance, it's probably not as old as the Mission, which was built by Father Kino in approx. 1783.

Yesterday, was the best light I've shot it in. There's several photos I've included in my post from there, I hope you enjoy. The other place which was another new discovery my friend John told me about last year was the Desert Museum. That place is truly a treasure as well. I saw, as you will see, a live Puma, Kestrel, desert owl,a beaver, even a mule deer and turkey as well as about a hundred kind of reptiles and insects and birds in the aviaries. I was so disappointed we didn't get to go into the Hummingbird aviary, but we saw a few of these amazing birds in their natural environ.

I hope you enjoy my photos. Today I'm heading to the University of Arizona's school/museum of photography. Possibly Mt. Lemmon, old downtown and inevitably a good time. Today's a solo day as Todd and Laura flew back to Chicago and all of us are looking for our last "things to do" before we leave this lovely town tomorrow.

enjoy!