Tucson Tourist - Museums

Sunday we visited the Arizona State Museum located at U of A. I didn't realize it was affiliated with the Smithsonian for Native American pottery identification, storage, display, etc. Kinda cool seeing their vault and workshop where the researchers identify and restore pottery over 2,000 years old. I enjoyed listening to the artist explain how she makes the pottery much more than the archaeologist's work.

I started the tour reading all the signs at the exhibit "Circles of Life: Katsina Imagery in Hopi Basketry". I feel kinda proud realizing that I finally could understand the differences and similarities between the katsinas by the end of the hall. Even more impressive, I could identify many of the markings on the kachinas in the museum store 3 days later. (I'm not sure if katsina and kachina stand for the same thing or not. I picked up that katsina is the more traditional name for the spirits, yet I also gathered that kachina is more of a physical form of the spirit. Maybe one day I'll find someone here to ask.)

I didn't finish the exhibition on the history and cultures of 7 different groups of indigenous peoples from this part of the country - or the Puebloans. They believe they're all related. I did have enough time to do a quick walk through. I loved the museums icon "Paths of Life" that depicts a variation of the Hopi's glyph on their arrival on this earthly plane. (Note: Clint has photos that I need to retrieve and post).

I did see photos of how the Hopi unmarried females fix their hair - very unique style. Reminds me of Princess Leia from Star Wars, except not as tightly spiraled, yet taller. I did get to check out some weaving and pottery techniques, boat making, and a little of the histories of a few of the cultures. I'd enjoy reading the rest of the stories.

Once it closed, I utilized the evening hours washing clothes. How fun. But it was quiet and I was able to do some reading.
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Monday - Car Repair Day which took most of the day and we still have a few follow-up steps to be done. We utilized our evening hours going to a 2D screening of Coraline. Currently, this feels like the strangest, oddest movie I've ever seen. My brain hurts attempting to make logic out of the things I saw. I want to see it again in 3D. We both thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I was in the movie completely disconnected from reality, totally immersed the entire time.

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Tuesday - Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum west of Tucson just before the Saquaro National Forest. Another one of those forests where no trees exist. It's miles and miles of the single pole TALL cacti with an occasional left or right arm. This guy is over 140 years old and unique w/ 4 arms together.

This was well worth the $13 entrance fee. Another all-day museum visit and we were unable to see it all. The majority of the exhibits were outside, not in buildings. Watching the Harris Hawks flying freely across the desert was awesome. They're the only hawk breed that hunts and lives together. They even share the same cactus top. (Huge talons!)

I enjoyed playing in the man-made cavern the best. I saw my first javelin. The locals talked about seeing him in their yards and golf course like we talk about deer. But the beaver looking eye to eye at me shocked me the most. He was HUGE! bigger than most other animal I saw today except the mountain lion and maybe the wolf. Oh, the Mexican Wolf is beautiful! And the Elf Owl was TINY - smaller than the size of my open hand.

The desert flowers were just starting to bloom and should be beautiful next month. I was a little creeped out when I'd come around a corner to see a snake lying on the ground. He was behind plexiglass, but the exhibit was so well done you couldn't see it until you got really close. These pair of bobcats were fun to watch - looked like oversized kitties. The river otter was cute to watch during feeding time - very playful.Yes, I did see the beautiful mountain lion pictured in the museum logo - he's huge! but the fox on his own blankie was cuter and grabbed my heart.

We had as much fun outside the park as in, such as watching this shy Pyrrhuloxia (a type of cardinal) catching dinner. And where else would you see a sign in a parking lot warning you "not to feed the coyotes"?

It's one of those places I wish I had my kids and grandkids to share it with.

REMINDER: All photos can be double-clicked on to open them larger for better viewing.


PS: Organ Pipe Cactus - this native plant was on display at the museum with another guy. Approximately 20 miles away from the museum, hundreds of miles of these exist at the Organ Pipe National Monument. We may or may not go. Travel advisories exist due to the Mexican Drug Cartel battles flowing past the border. If we stay on the main drag and about 10 miles or so north of the border, we're suppose to be safe. I think I'm happy with this example. I don't need that much adventure.

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Personal: I haven't felt up to speed the last couple of days. Missing family and hit an uncomfortable spot in the Monkey Workbook. I'm grateful for Hulu as an escape along with the movie and museums. I've caught up on Bones and Medium.

We checked out Gilbert Ray Campground south of the museum and Grant's Pass. Desolate, but looks like it might be fun being out in the wilderness. We might even see a wild javelin. We're checking out the campgrounds on the east side next. Maybe tomorrow. I have a least 2 more museums to see, and if possible, a mission, a Biosphere, and a SkyLab.