The other day we headed for Saguaro National Park and Old Tucson Studios, both being on our list of things to do before we leave the area. The day was brilliantly sunny, a good omen from the photographer's perspective. The trip, other than being surrounded on three sides by maniacs going at warp speed, was uneventful. We took the appointed exit off the I-10 and headed west through what appeared to be a Hispanic neighbourhood.
Leaving the city was like crossing a line. On one side, the regular slightly mountainous terrain, full of barrel cactus, ocotillo and of course the ubiquitous prickly pear; on the other, well, there was a forest. Of saguaro cactuses. Like this:
Leaving the city was like crossing a line. On one side, the regular slightly mountainous terrain, full of barrel cactus, ocotillo and of course the ubiquitous prickly pear; on the other, well, there was a forest. Of saguaro cactuses. Like this:
These are not puny things. I enlisted the aid of the closest cactus-hugger to put it into perspective::
When the beast dies, it gets pretty woody and people do make things out of its carcass. Like fence posts and furniture.
While we were in the area, we dropped in to the Old Tucson Studios, known locally as Arizona's Hollywood, where many, many movies were filmed. Like Judge Roy Bean and about a gazillion John Wayne movies. The gift shop is .... um, well, it's tacky. No other word for it. But the sets themselves are like small museums, complete with period artifacts.
C'mon. 'Fess up now. You recognize at least one of those sets from a movie you count amongst your favourites.
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