Jun
30
2012

4th Ave...

(Add / View Comments) (0)Saturday, June 30, 2012 - 12:12:14 pm
(Posted Under: Travel)
After we'd ventured enough around the barrio, it was on to 4th Avenue. Our getting from A to B this morning was a comedy of errors. Given how closely situated Hotel Congress, Barrio Viejo and 4th Avenue are, we sure took a lot of time to get between each place, due to some "creative" navigation. Which I take full responsibility for. But Tucson is as charming as hell, and so a wrong turn here, getting lost there, it's all good in Tucson.

Surprisingly, we've never spent much time on 4th Avenue. Well, we have spent a decent amount of time at different bars on 4th (Plush, Sky Bar and O'Malley's), but not much time checking out anything else. The extent to which was had done that was a stroll just up to Plush before having dinner at O'Malley's the night we saw Gentlemen Afterdark at Congress. It seemed like time to fix that.

Photobox ImageA great time was had. Despite the blistering sun. Much like on Congress St. when we rolled into town last night, 4th Avenue was largely fenced off due to work on the road and street car tracks. On arriving at Plush, we had two options - either turn around and just walk back, or continue north. We were really wanting a third option of just crossing the street. Despite the heat, we continued on, until we hit University and could cross over and head back to the car. As per the historic district, there was no shortage of quirky shops and amazing south western architecture and colors. I don't mean to sound all in love with Tucson or anything, but lets face it, I kind of am. The other thing about 4th Avenue, which was hard to miss, was the lack of any presence of corporate America. Aside from a Bank Of America ATM, I don't think we passed a single chain store.

We stopped in many stores along the way, including the coolest looking Goodwill store to be found in Arizona, though no such bargains were to be found.

Jun
30
2012

Barrio Viejo

(Add / View Comments) (0)PhotosSaturday, June 30, 2012 - 11:55:41 am
(Posted Under: This Desert Life This Desert Life, Travel)
This morning started out with breakfast at Congress. Pancakes and a huge orange chocolate chip cookie. I'm pretty sure that thing was laced with cocaine. Absolutely to die for.

Then it was time to checkout, and head down to to Barrio Viejo, the historic district of downtown Tucson. Amazing. After a bit of a drive around, despite the heat we stopped and took a walk down Convent Street.

I've said it before - Tucson reminds me a lot of Melbourne. Certainly in comparison to Tempe/Phoenix. But also just in general. The historic district is no different, driving that "Melbourne" thing home even more. Admittedly with a lot more cactii than gum trees, and dirt rather than grass, but the fact remains. Walking through the streets of the barrio was very reminiscent of walking through streets of Fitzroy or Brunswick.

Did these amazing and colorful adobe structures make us question our decision to buy a house in Tempe? I'd be lying if I said it didn't. [wink] But as we said so many times last night, when it all goes horrible wrong, we'll just move to Tucson.

There were no shortage of opportunities for great photos, and there were more than a few haciendas along Convent Street that I recognized from photos and paintings seen in stores and at the Tempe Arts Festival each year.


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Of course, it was this photo that proved to be my pièce de résistance this morning.

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Writing this, I'm surprised that I didn't take more photos. After all, I've been dying to shoot subjects like this. But then I remember the deterrent of spending a lot of time out there - that bad crazy sun. [wink]

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