Try Some Tucson Flavor

  Tucson, Arizona, United States
Saturday, October 13, 2007

Tucson is, perhaps, the most eclectic and curious place I have lived thus far. Being an hour from Mexico, in the midst of conservative Arizona and splat in the middle of two Saguaro National Parks (East and West)

Magnificent Saguaro

it has a unique feel. Oh, and did I mention the mass onset of UofA college students and "snow birds" that hit Tucson every winter?!! A laid back, small urban enclave of artists, musicians, liberal folk, evangelical faiths, students, retirees, outdoor enthusiasts, travelers, nomads and

Altar

a heavily Mexican influenced Catholicism, Tucson has a bit of uniqueness for all. People either love the desert, hate it, or just want to leave it. I am a lover.

Tucson is surrounded by four mountain ranges: the Catalinas to the north, the Rincons to the east, the Tucson Mountains to the west and the Santa Ritas to the south. The Catalinas and Rincons will have snow peaks in the winter while it's a mild 60 in the City. Meanwhile, the summer hits temperatures of up to 106. The dry weather is a true gift that makes these seemingly unbearable temperatures a great time to witness the songs of cicadas, little lizards and the soon to arrive Monsoons. These areas and the vastness of the desert provides endless opportunities to bike, hike, camp, backpack, bird watch and just watch.

Tucson Sunset

Watch the sunsets, the coyotes on a lone road, the bloom on a cactus, the most vibrant rainbow after a torrential Monsoon. It is also home to Kitt Peak Observatory due to the clear depths of the sky, Wingspan, the LGBT center of Arizona, the DeAnza Drive In movie theater (2 for $5!) and a Muffler Man. It is possible to enter areas of Tucson where almost everyone over 50 only speaks Spanish. The children are a more bilingual or increasingly English monolingual group. Tucson also has some of the best Mexican food north of the border.

I have endless opportunities for photography, I've become increasingly comfortable with outdoors experiences and continue to grow into my own in a town where yoga, meditation, art and mostly peaceful co-existence is hard to pass up.

Catalina State Park

Dia de los Muertos is not to be missed and continues to become more culturally significant.

Dia De Los Muertos

Roadrunner Hostel

If you travel to Tucson try out the Roadrunner Hostel at www.roadrunnerhostelinn.com. Great, down to earth, clean, friendly atmosphere. Phoenix may be Arizona's capital but Tucson is it's cultural center. For another spin on Arizona visit Bisbee to the south and Flagstaff to the north.