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 Tucson, Arizona, is the epitome of the West - or at least the Southwest - as one might have imagined it. The saguaro cactus (Ref 1) is its symbol and "Old Pueblo" (Ref 2) is its nickname. That is not to say that Tucson does not have a modern center to the city, a settlement which may be the oldest continuously populated in North America, but it does refer to the spirit of the place. A large number of attractions, as indicated below, are located in the Tucson area. Biosphere 2 (the earth is Biosphere 1), an airtight compartmented structure made largely of glass and located 30 miles north of the city, has to be the most interesting recent addition to the region (Ref 3). One imagines that a tour of the attraction would go through the structure, which to me looks like a land-locked modern cruise ship, but it is largely a walk-around the huge greenhouse (do take good walking shoes and a sun hat of some sort). Nevertheless, the concept of a miniature global atmosphere that is capable of being altered and tested has obvious great research advantage in this day of uncertainty about the effects of greenhouse gasses and alterations of global temperatures. The Tucson Museum of Art (Ref 4) in the center of town is a clever building with ramps that allow one to peek into a variety of exhibit rooms to see if that is where one wants to go. Just outside is the edge of the old historic town which is just right for strolling. The El Presidio Historic District encompasses much of the area that was once the walled Spanish Presidio and the evolution of residential architecture in Tucson can be readily observed. The nearby outdoor La Cocina restaurant lent just the right touch for a bit of sustenance amid pleasant surroundings. The remarkable Mision San Xavier del Bac (Ref 5) is located about 10 miles south of the city center and is situated all by itself without any buildings around it which, in and of itself, is unusual. Construction of this blend of Moorish, Byzantine and late Mexico Renaissance influence was initiated in 1783 and has been acclaimed the finest example of mission architecture in the United States. The short trip to this beautiful mission (Ref 5a), called the white dove of the desert, is well worth the effort. The University of Arizona (Ref 6), located in the north central part of the city (Ref 6a), has a large number of attractions including an art museum and the Flandrau Science Center (Ref 7) which harbors a planetarium open to the public (Ref 8). A listing of events (Ref 9) should be consulted for current news concerning entertainment and attractions. The great outdoors, which is so inviting in this big sky region, is easily explored and hiking (Ref 10) is a popular sport. Visiting Native American settlements (Ref 11) can also be very rewarding. Of particular interest, Tucson hosts the annual Arizona Gem and Mineral Show in early February (Ref 12) which may well be one of the largest shows of its kind in the world. The following selected references may be consulted for travel-related information by clicking on the items below: Ref 13. Tucson Map. Ref 14. Tucson City Center Map. Ref 15. Tucson Interactive Map. Ref 16. Arizona Map. Ref 17. Tucson Travel Guide. Ref 18. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Ref 19. Old Tucson Studios. Ref 20. University of Arizona Campus Map. Ref 21. Pima Air and Space Museum. Ref 22. Tucson Travel Information. Ref 23. Tucson Photo Tour. Ref 24. Sabino Canyon. Ref 25. Kitt Peak Observatory. Ref 26. Mt. Lemmon Tour. Ref 27. Tucson Current Weather. Ref 28. Library of Congress Netcafe. CLICK HERE for other short travel accounts by the author. Copyright 2000, all rights reserved. |
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