Tucson Trip

Our trip to the VW dealer in Tucson was successful although the 3 1/2 hour wait was longer than we had hoped for. With our warranty soon to expire it was good to get these things done so that the car is now up to snuff on all points. With that out of the way we headed for the west side of town where I knew there were vast stands of Saguaro cacti.

Martha was in awe of the thousands of Saguaros along the roadway and mountaintops. Ocotillo, Teddy Bear Cholla, Creosote Brush and other plants also flourish in this area, but the Saguaros' dominate the landscape. She said it was the highlight of our trip so far!


Looking west through Gates Pass. Click to enlarge as always

We were also able to fit in a visit to Mission San Xavier del Bac, nicknamed " The Sistine Chapel of North America". It is celebrated as the best example of Mission architecture in the United States.

We ended our day with a visit to a fresh fish market, though I did not bring home any mollusks. I can however get them if I call a day or two ahead of time. This was an extraordinary fish market with an entertaining manager who insisted I sniff his Steelhead Salmon, Flounder and Halibut to prove his claim that his fish is fresher than anything I could buy in New York. He also said he was married now, and could no longer tell a lie. The fish did have no odor whatsoever. I bought a pound of large shrimp from Mexico, and will order some Littlenecks the next time I go to Tucson.