Palm Trees and Hiking Trails

 

On my many visits to the Wickenburg area, I have passed this spot just south of town where there are an abundance of palm trees.  It's an unusual site out in the desert.  So on one trip, I stopped to learn more about he place.

The property is called the Hassayampa River Preserve and it is owned by the Nature Conservancy and managed by Maricopa County.  

The building on the property has had many uses from a home to a winter retreat to a dude ranch.  When I was there, the inside was mostly empty but I loved this huge fireplace.  

I decided to hike the trail and found it to be shady and cool in spite of the desert heat.  

When I reached the river, I enjoyed watching the birds flying from tree to tree and singing loudly.  

I later learned that this place is somewhat of a bird sanctuary with many species found in among all that brush.

One thing I know for sure is that the area was full of hummingbirds.  I could hear their tiny chirps and when I returned to the building, I saw this feeder that was one of the busiest hummingbird feeders I've ever seen.  

I think I'll count this place as another hidden gem in the state of Arizona.  It certainly lives up to its reputation as an oasis in the desert.

A Spanish Mission in Arizona

 

Many years before the chain of Spanish Missions were established in California, Father Kino was building missions in a part of Arizona still occupied by Spain.  The Mission San Jose Tumacacori was one of those missions.  Today it is a National Historic Park preserving the ruins of this once grand mission.  

The historic park is a great place to explore remains that date back to 1687.  The park is located 53 miles south of Tucson Arizona.

Even though the buildings on the site are in ruins, one can still get a sense of size and beauty of this mission.  

Graves of long gone residents can be found in an area of the grounds that is surrounded by ancient adobe walls.  

It is a peaceful place to explore and learn a little history from long before Arizona was part of the United States.  The park is much quieter than most National Parks.  Visiting here is relaxing as well as educational.  

If you would like to see more photos from this beautiful mission, click here.

The Beauty of Colorado

 

Some photos from the long ago archives.  These were taken many years ago on a road trip to Colorado.  We were in search of Telluride but we found lots to admire in the scenery before we got there. 

It seemed like every turn in the road brought more spectacular views.

We stopped to admire a perfect mountain lake.

After the lake we stopped for lovely mountain stream.

The mountains were putting on their best show when we took this road trip.  

Southern Arizona Golf Resort

 

Let me just start this post by saying I don't play golf.  However, several years ago I took the opportunity to stay at the Tubac Golf Resort and Spa.  It was during the month of July which you might guess was not the normal golfing and tourist season for southern Arizona.  But the summer rates were good and I wanted a short vacation away.  Tubac is a small arts community about 50 miles south of Tucson Arizona.

The rooms are all hacienda style with private patios and sitting on the 500 acre site of the historic Otero Ranch.  

The Otero Ranch was established in 1789, long before Arizona was part of the United States.  

The beautifully landscaped grounds are full of reminders of ranching life dating back 200 years.

The rooms have a rustic, southwestern feel to them but they contain all the modern conveniences that make staying at a resort a relaxing event.

Those amenities include a fireplace and a seating area along with a huge bathroom complete with shower and spa tub.  

I enjoyed the patio very much.  I could sit there reading a book and sipping something refreshing and watch the occasional golf cart roll by.  The whole experience was outstanding.  

An Important Discovery

 

Today's post is another that was inspired by something I saw on the news lately.  The PBS Newshour did a story about the discovery of lithium at the Salton Sea in Southern California.  (The link will take you to the actual news story for anyone interested.)

When I first moved to Arizona back in the early 70's, I discovered the Salton Sea on a weekend trip to California.  At that time, it was a beautiful salt water lake surrounded by desert terrain and mountain views to the north.  The photos I'm posting today are from 2010 when I visited the lake again and found it looking very sad.  The pretty beaches were gone, the water was low and there was a distinct oder coming from the water.  

I had heard that agricultural drainage had contaminated the water making it unsafe for swimming and boating.  It was sad to see.

All the picnic spots and camping grounds were deserted and sad looking.

The only evidence of activity were at the date farms at the southern end of the lake.  

Today, the water levels are even lower than they were when I visited in 2010.  However, the receding water is what made the discovery of lithium possible.  There were places around the lake where underground activity was bubbling up to the surface which made scientists discover the lithium in the lake bed.  They estimate there is enough lithium in the area to equal the current annual global output.  

With the growing importance of electric vehicles, lithium has become almost as precious as gold.  Something positive has come from the decline of this once beautiful body of water.

A Journey Around the Word in One Stop

 

Last week I mentioned the New York Times 52 places to visit in 2023 report and that Tucson Arizona made the list.  Also on the list was London, my favorite foreign city.  The writers had different reasons for including London but I would recommend London on any occasion.  One place in London worth a visit at any time is the grand British Museum.

One can take a trip around the world viewing all the treasures of the British Museum.  I'll start today with the Lewis Chessmen.  In 2016 I did a whole post about these incredible figures that were discovered in Scotland.  

The museum contains a large collection of Egyptian artifacts which of course, appeals to me very much.  They appeal to lots of other people too.  These rooms are always the busiest when I've visited.

In another room I found beautiful objects from Asia like these Dragon Tiles from the Ming Dynasty.  I thought they were quite exquisite.  

Also described as exquisite (in my book) were the wonderful ceramics from the 18th and 19th centuries.  The incredible detail in some of the pieces is worth seeing.

The tankard to the right also caught my eye.  It is describe as having belonged to Queen Christina of Sweden who reined between 1632 and 1654.  The panels around the body of the vessel are carved with female figures representing the seven deadly sins, pride, gluttony, lechery, sloth, wrath, envy and avarice. 

The last room I'll visit in today's post is watched over by Hercules.  This bust has had some restoration work done to it because it was discovered buried in the ash at the food of Mt. Vesuvius.  

These are just a few of the many, many wonderful things to see inside the British Museum.  If you would like to see more, you can check some of my other posts about the museum here and here. Or better yet if you can, visit the museum!

Making the List

 

One of my favorite features in the New York Times is the annual list of 52 places to visit in the new year.  Two years before the start of the pandemic, the newspaper decided to actually send a reporter to all 52 places during the year.  The two reporters who won the jobs wrote reports from all the places they visited and I read every single one.  Then the pandemic hit and travel was suspended.  Last week I saw that the 52 places list was back again and I was pleased to see so many wonderful options on the list.  I was even more pleased to see that the city of Tucson Arizona made the list.

The article suggested visiting Barrio Viejo in Tucson, a historic neighborhood that is full of old adobe architecture.  I've visited this part of Tucson almost every time I visit the city.  

The homes and businesses in this area will make you feel like you've left the United States and entered Mexico.

Toby, the red Griffen can be found in this area.  He was created by artist Joe O'Connell to mark the spot where the Carnegie Library stood before it was destroyed by fire.  

I was pleased to see that Tucson made the list along with other favorite places of mine.  I was even more pleased to see the list return once again with the full encouragement to get out and see things.

Traveling Indulgences

 

On my last trip to Italy, my friend Glenda and I spent three nights in Milan before we met up with four others on Lake Como.  On our first night in the city we were tired from the long flight so we decided to just have dinner at our hotel.  We didn't realize that the hotel's restaurant was a gourmet delight.  Above was just a little chef's treat before we dug into some of the most delicious spaghetti I've ever eaten. 

The next day we were off to see the sights but on our walk from the hotel, we passed a patisserie with the most beautiful treats I've seen in a very long time.  We made a pact to return on our way back to the hotel and indulge in one or two of these beauties.  I'll add that they tasted every bit as good as they looked.

Milan is where I discovered my new favorite cocktail. It's called a Hugo Spritz and it contains elderflower liquor and sparkling wine.  I started ordering it wherever we went.  

At lunch on one day we were seated next to a family with a dog who seemed very used to dining at restaurants with his people.  He didn't beg, bark or cry.  He just observed the food as it arrived and patiently waited for his people to finish their meal.

Of course, one night we had to have pizza.  We were in Italy after all.  I can't say it was the best pizza I've ever tasted but it ticked a box on our list of things to do in Milan. 

Our last indulgence before we left Milan was back at the hotel in the cozy little bar.  We decided to split a bottle of Prosecco and the friendly bar tender provided the bowl of chips and nuts.  It was a perfect ending to three fast paced days in the beautiful city of Milan.