Fall Road Trip 2023 - Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

An entire day and a bazillion photos later . . . 

After much debate with myself, I've narrowed things down to 30 photos. Not necessarily the "best" photos but a good variety of what we saw. 

We'd been to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (just outside of Tucson) many years ago with my dad and Elaine and knew we'd like to visit again. It doesn't really fit what what I think of as a "museum." It's a huge outdoor area with so many exhibits about almost everything desert related. A botanical garden, zoo, raptor show, hummingbird and butterfly exhibits, a small aquarium, art exhibits and more. They've also got a really nice gift shop (not junky like so many tourist places). 

Coming from Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, we arrived mid afternoon. Not having had lunch yet, we had a quick bite to eat at one of the cafes onsite and then wandered until closing. We'd forgotten about it being a long weekend due to Veteran's Day and almost didn't get a spot at the nearby campground. After being told there was no vacancy, we were sitting in the van pondering alternative places to stay when the campground employee came out and advised one had suddenly become available because a big RV didn't fit into the site they'd chosen. Yay for us! :-) 

We were back at the museum first thing the next morning and ensured we saw everything we could. Hence, the bazillion photos! The raptor free-flight show was especially well set up so that regardless of where you were, you had an opportunity to get some reasonably close up shots of the birds. 

We were pretty tired by the end of the day but it was well worth it. Enjoy! 

Iguana

These frogs looked so cute all piled on top of each other

Harris's hawk

Great horned owl

Gila monster

Sea horse

Javalinas

Gila woodpecker

Coyote

Silky Flycatcher

Rufus Hummingbird

American kestrel

Gila woodpecker;
Humorously, it looks like it's sitting inside a hole at the top but it's just the angle of the photo. 

Bobcat -- but doesn't he look like a nice little house cat?  :-)

Prickly pear cactus

River otter

Some serious climbing moves by this little squirrel

Big horned sheep

 Cactus imitating a scarecrow

Pin cushion cactus

I can't remember the name of this flower but I like how it curls around the middle stem.

Train Trip 2013 -- Tucson to Alpine

Built in the early 1900's, even some of the smaller train stations like Tucson and Alpine have an interesting history and look to them as they were built in Spanish Revival style.

We travelled between the two cities during the day and the desert terrain is certainly much different than  we're used to seeing. El Paso was probably the most noteworthy location as the tracks run right along the border with Mexico and there is a stark contrast between the slums of Juarez on one side of the chain-link fence with wire at the top and the city of El Paso on the other side. It's extreme to say the least.

Although we didn't get a chance to go inside the train station at El Paso, it's definitely another grand old place. As we approached, I thought it was a church due to the chapel-like tower on it.

In Alpine we stayed at the historic Holland Hotel. It was built in 1928, almost fell to the wrecking ball but was repurchased and renovated in the 1970's. They did a great job of it! I love the huge wood ceiling pillars, the comfy big antique chairs and chesterfields, the iron lighting fixtures, and the old historical photos on the wall showing life and ranching in years gone by.

Historical marker on the front of the hotel. 

Lobby of Holland Hotel 

Fireplace and large antique, comfy couches and chairs

The business center just off the lobby

Outdoor courtyard at Holland Hotel

Front entrance area and large lobby of Holland Hotel

After getting ourselves and our clothes cleaned up after our hike, (the hotel has a washer/dryer for guest use!) we had a nice meal in the hotel restaurant and spent a very enjoyable evening sitting in the lobby with a glass of wine and listening to Chris Jamison, a very talented singer and guitar player from Austin.

There are several art galleries and historic buildings in Alpine as well as the Museum of Big Bend. Unfortunately with this being a holiday Monday the museum and historic buildings were mostly closed.  but we did get to some nice galleries and spent quite a while browsing a good book store.

Train Trip 2013 - Los Angeles to Tucson

We spent only five hours in Los Angeles and it was all at the train station. Andrew has a bad cold and not feeling well so, while waiting to catch the train to Tucson, we hung out in big comfy chairs that fill the cavernous space of the station. But if you have to hang out somewhere, Los Angeles' Union Station is not a bad place to be. Although it was a bit cold with the big doors open and a breeze going through, it definitely has the most "wow" factor of the train stations we've been in thus far. Not as old as some, it opened in 1939. The decorative high ceilings, iron chandeliers, marble and flooring and walls, and two beautiful outdoor courtyards are a fabulous "combination of Spanish Colonial, Mission Revival and Art Deco designs".

Looking straight up at ceiling in Union Station, Los Angeles

Outside of Union Station

Courtyard

Dad & Elaine drove down from Apache Junction to meet us in Tucson and we went to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. "Museum" is a bit of a misnomer as there are many live animal displays, a small aquarium, hummingbird aviary and nature trails.

This old piece of mining equipment was filled with rocks.
It brought back childhood memories and I thought Dad was going to make me pick rock!

Dad & Elaine on a turtle statue.

Andrew, of course, got more great photos!

Next, we're off to Alpine, Texas. Really looking forward to hiking for a few days in Big Bend National Park!