During my past two visits to Tucson at the end of November and December, I checked out several of downtown Tucson’s historic barrios (neighborhoods). I have been visiting Tucson for over 20 years and it was my first time to venture into Tucson’s historic past. Currently there are 34 National Register Historic Districts in Tucson and 6 more that are pending. I soon discovered that each barrio was unique and had its own flavor. The architecture also was quite diverse with some homes dating back to the 1860s when Tucson began as the city it is today.
Screen Shot of Downtown Tucson’s Barrios from The Downtown Tucson Partnership.
After checking out El Presidio barrio, the oldest neighborhood in Tucson, we walked southwest to Barrio Hollywood, an equally fascinating place. The barrio was settled around 1920 by mostly Mexican families and today the neighborhood is filled with vibrant, colorful buildings and family-owned restaurants.
Here are some of my favorite homes and buildings I saw. I loved the brightly hued colors of the doors, windows and stucco. It reminded me so much of homes I’d seen while traveling in Guatemala and Honduras. While some were renovated and fully repaired, other homes were in disarray and needed some repair. Again, I enjoyed the crumbling colors of paint on some of the buildings. If I closed my eyes, I could imagine what it looked like when it was built.
“Better keep yourself clean and bright. You are the window through which you must see the world.” – George Bernard Shaw
Like doors, I find windows to be a fascinating photography subject. While doors can be rather mysterious making one wonder what exists behind them, windows offer a glimpse occasionally into another world. Here is a look at some of my favorite windows I’ve photographed around the world.
Our first destination of call during our Royal Caribbean cruise this past Christmas was to Belize. After exploring Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras, Belize has been on my wish list for quite some time and unfortunately I’d only get a taste of this un”belize”able place (as the tour operators rightly called Belize). But a taste was enough to whet my appetite and understand why so many tourists are flocking to the amazing English-speaking cayes (small islands) off the coast of Belize.
The majestic blue-green hues of the Belize Barrier Reef were stunning.
By far the largest attraction in Belize is her beautiful, vibrant barrier reef. Belize boasts 190 miles (300 kilometers) of the 560-mile long (900 kilometers) of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System which is the second largest barrier reef in the world spanning from Cancun on the northeast tip through the Riviera Maya and up to Honduras. Most people come to Belize to enjoy the diverse scuba-diving and snorkeling activities afforded by the reef, however, there are many other fabulous things to do and see in Belize. Belize hosts her own share of noteworthy Mayan ruins, adventure sports and amazing wildlife.
Tucked away discretely behind the tall buildings of Downtown Tucson lies the oldest barrio of all: El Presidio. This neighborhood is where Tucson all began as a modern-day city. Although Tucson was established thousands of years ago by the Hohokam Indian (c. 700-900 A.D.), in the 1700’s Tucson was taken over by Spanish missionaries and soldiers establishing Tucson as an important Spanish colonial outpost.
Entrance to El Presidio Museum and site.
In 1775, Captain Hugo O’Conor who was of Irish descent but working for the Spanish army, selected a piece of land to the east side of the Santa Cruz River to build a presidio, or fortress. The Presidio San Agustín del Tucson was built over the next eight years with adobe walls which enclosed an area to protect people inside the fort from Apache attacks. Inside the presidio were homes, barracks and stables as well as a cemetery and several plazas. (Source: City of Tucson historical files).
Mural painting of El Presidio. Tucson, Arizona
El Presidio remained intact until 1856 when the Americans entered Tucson and it was no longer needed. Soon after, it was dismounted and the last standing wall was torn down in 1918. Parts of the original walls of the presidio have been uncovered during various archeological digs and today a small museum remains on the site of the original presidio. ”The Old Pueblo,” as the adobe-walled Tucson Presidio became known, became one of Tucson’s beloved nicknames for the city.
Surrounding the original grounds of El Presidio lies Tucson’s first barrio (neighborhood) to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. El Presidio is where Tucson began and many of the structures date from the 1860s on after the Presidio was torn down. Homes, shops and stores line El Presidio barrio today and most remain as they were originally built in architectural styles common of that time period ranging from Spanish-Mexican, Anglo-American to Eclectic.
Walking down the streets of El Presidio reminded me of being on a street somewhere in Central America. Buildings were colored in bright hues of pinks, reds, greens and creams, and were all in various stages of disrepair which added to the charm and picturesque nature of this part of town.
Restaurants….and art
A must visit in the El Presidio barrio is The Tucson Museum of Art followed by lunch or dinner at the delightful, bohemian Café á la C’Art. Recently named on Food and Wine‘s list of the best museum restaurants in the country, we randomly stumbled upon this gorgeous Southwestern eatery all by chance, and what an amazing treasure of a restaurant it is!
Step inside the restaurant and you are bound to be surprised….
Yet I enjoyed the beautiful back terrace for enjoying our delicious lunch. I loved my grilled portabella mushroom sandwich with goat cheese.
Just a few steps behind the restaurant is the entrance to the Tucson Museum of Art. After a fulfilling, savory lunch it was time to walk it off and tour El Presidio barrio. Once again, I was thrilled to see so many lovely murals and many noteworthy historical homes and mansions set from another era in time.
Exploring this historic barrio is fascinating as many of Tucson’s oldest homes dating from 1860 to 1920 remain. The architecture of the homes are exceptionally interesting given they were constructed in the styles prevalent of the times including Sonoran, Transformed Sonoran, Transitional Territorial, Mission Revival and Craftsman Bungalow (Source: The Tucson Historic Neighborhood Guide). The homes are a sharp contrast from the typical Tucson home made either of stucco or adobe style which makes a visit to El Presidio barrio all the more fun.
Are you a history buff and craving more information on El Presidio’s past? If so, I found these sites with really cool historical information that I used to help write the post:
El Presidio Historic District is roughly bounded by W. 6th St., W. Alameda St., N. Stone Ave. and Granada Ave. in downtown Tucson, Arizona. The Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N Main Ave., offers tours of the historic block in the district on which the museum is located. Call 520-624-2333 or visit the museum’s website for further information.
I have been visiting Tucson, Arizona for over 20 years and have always adored her gorgeous desert landscape, rugged mountains, and lovely southwestern charm. It is no wonder that Tucson is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts who come to play golf, bike, hike, and explore nature. The sun shines down across the city for over 350 days a year making Tucson a gorgeous place to visit especially in the heart of a Minnesota winter.
For years I’ve been enjoying Tucson’s many hiking trails, restaurants and shopping areas surrounding the luxurious Foothills part of town yet during a recent visit I decided it was time to branch out and explore. A local art store provided my inspiration. There I saw a painting of one of Tucson’s many barrios (neighborhoods) and realized that there was an entire part of Tucson that I had never seen before and it looked fascinating.
On a beautiful Saturday morning instead of putting on my hiking shoes, I grabbed my camera, a map and launched off in pursuit of my curiosity and wanderlust. I headed down the valley to the heart of Tucson’s past, to the old, historic Downtown Tucson and her neighboring barrios (neighborhoods) which in recent years have been undergoing a major regentrification and rebirth of their own right. A few hours exploring and I was convinced that during my next trip to Tucson I’m headed back to the barrios.
Last May I had the honor of traveling to India for the second time within a three year time span and was delighted by the unexpected views from the street. Anyone who has ever been to India knows what I am saying when I attest there is no place quite like it on earth. A massive sea of humanity lies within its many cities and streets for those who are willing to unravel it and take it all in, of course using the third eye.
I find India to be one of the most fascinating places on earth and hope to someday go back and see the countryside, villages and of course the mountains. There is something purely magical about India which takes you by surprise. Here are a few of my favorite unexpected views from the streets of Delhi, all taken last May during my social good blogging trip to India with Mom Bloggers for Social Good.
Open your heart. Open your mind. Open your soul and breathe in the unexpectedness of what you will find as everyday life across the streets of Delhi.
Women living on the streets outside the US Embassy
Perhaps one of the most spectacular marvels of Mother Nature I’ve ever witnessed is the majestic Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia, Argentina. Spanning an area of 250 square kilometers/97 square miles and 30 km/19 miles in length, the sheer magnitude of this massive piece of layered ice is incomprehensible.
Ice trekking on the Perito Moreno Glacier was one of my highlights to a trip to Southern Patagonia in 2009. Take a peak for yourself and see the immense beauty and power of Argentina’s premier glacier.
“The question is not what you look at, but what you see”. – Henry David Thoreau
This post was inspired by the Weekly Photo Challenge: Layers. To view more entries click here.
In honor of our fading fall colors and Halloween, I thought I’d put together a post honoring all the beautiful orange colors I’ve seen around the world. Often I’m tempted to take pictures of blue and green hues as I love capturing landscapes. But what about orange?Orange can be quite a lovely, warm color and can also be sometimes found in the most unexpected places.
Here is a look at some of the fabulous orange hues I’ve seen through my travels. If you feel inspired by orange, feel free to share a post of your favorites as well and link back here. I will also tweet them out with the hashtag #orangearoundtheworld.
One of the highlights of my recent trip to Virginia was a visit to the National Geographic headquarters and museum in Washington DC. I have adored National Geographic since I was a child and used to page through the yellow-bordered issues with ravish and delight, dreaming about faraway places, cultures, people and animals. National Geographic was my lifeline into the magic of the world and continues to be so even today.
National Geographic’s headquarters in Washington DC
National Geographic’s headquarters in Washington DC
Entrance to National Geographic’s Museum
As a National Geographic Kids Insider (a brand Ambassador who promotes everything amazing National Geographic has to offer), I wanted to get an intimate look behind the scenes of this 125-year-old multi-dimensional non-profit organization that is one part global publisher, another part leader in exploration, conservation and education, and last part a travel company, all packaged within the yellow National Geographic border.
The National Geographic Society has been inspiring people to care about the planet since 1888. It is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, and the promotion of environmental and historical conservation.
I honestly had no idea that National Geographic did so incredibly much until I got to see for myself during my tour of their three-building headquarters in the heart of Washington DC.
By far, the most inspiring part of my tour was a visit to the National Geographic Museum where I saw two exhibits, one celebrating National Geographic’s 125 years called “A New Age of Exploration” and the other called “Women of Vision: National Geographic’s Photographers on Assignment”, an exhibit dedicated to honoring women photojournalists. Both were impressive however the “Women of Vision” exhibit was phenomenal and made a powerful impact on me.
My favorite time of the day is morning and there is no better way to start your day at one of the many outdoor cafés in lovely Paris. Cafe culture has been an essential part of Parisian life for centuries and I can see why. What could be better than sitting outside sipping a dark, strong cafe au lait, munching a buttery, hot fresh croissant and watching the world go by? Not much in my book.
During a late April trip to France, I enjoyed my breakfast in Paris even if the weather was a tad bit cold. It brought me back to over twenty years before when I lived in Paris as a student at the Sorbonne and embraced the cafe culture with all my heart. Now, I’m lucky if I get a real french coffee and normally just enjoy my regular cup of joe.
Ah, c’était ça la vie!
A votre service!
No I didn’t have this for breakfast but they were making fresh tiramisu that morning! I was very tempted to eat it for breakfast!
This post was inspired by the weekly photo challenge: Good Morning! To see more entries, click here.
Fall has always been my absolute favorite time of year. As the days and nights grow shorter and the sun shines her glorious luminous light, the leaves ever so slowly begin to change. This year, fall has been coming at a snail’s pace given our Indian Summer. Yet during the last few days the leaves have begun to turn into their magical tapestry of colors. Hues from pumpkin oranges, to scarlet reds and golden yellows delight the eyes. It is nature’s way of rewarding us with beauty and preparing us for the long, colorless winter ahead.
“One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats”. – Iris Murdoch
