Downtown, fine dining and excellent museums

We bid farewell to White Stallion in the late morning. Again, dark blue skies, great mountain vistas and the feeling to leave a world on its own and get back to "modern, hectic civilization".

Arrived to downtown a bit early and checked out a couple of murals on our way to our first appointment:

Delicious lunch in the Cup Café of the historic Hotel Congress in downtown - a light salad for a change. Ranch food was rather on the "heavy side". Many years ago, we had stayed there overnight in this historic hotel (with little rooms) because the train station is across the street and that was very convenient. 

After lunch walked over to the Southern Arizona Heritage and Visitor Center, inside the Historic Pima County Courthouse, a Spanish Colonial Revival-styled structure with an unusual blue-tiled dome, built in 1929 . The Visitor Center is the perfect starting point to discover what southern Arizona, the Sonoran Desert and the Sky Islands (the mountains) have to offer. 

There are interesting exhibitions, too (right photo) besides info material, a shop, a film and, last but not least, the famous Dillinger Courtroom on the 2nd floor (photo further below). Restored to its original 1930’s style, it was the place where John Dillinger (1903-1934) and his gang were brought before a judge. In 1934, the bank-robbing celebrity gangster was captured in Tucson with three of his gang members.

 

Memorial

Over the years, several celebrities have graced the courthouse and this room on the left with their presence, including Clark Gable and Johnny Depp, who would later play John Dillinger in the 2009 movie, “Public Enemies.” 

Also, worth a visit is the Memorial for the victims of the Jan. 8, 2011, the assassination attempt on U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords that left six dead and 13 wounded (photo above). 

The Arizona State Museum (right) was established in 1893 and is the oldest and largest anthropological research facility in the U.S. Southwest. Today, the Tucson area is home to the O’odham and the Pascua Yaqui, but there are 22 federally recognized Native Nations in the state of Arizona.  

ASM curates millions of individual archaeological, ethnographic, and modern objects created by the indigenous peoples of the region. Especially valuable is the pottery collection, and, very instructive as well. Also, there is an interesting exhibition on weaving traditions and basketry. We had a wonderful tour with an archeologist, but wish we would, in addition, have had a chance to see the archives! Next time,,,

Tucson is all about driving. From the campus we drove out to midtown, to our accommodation for the last two nights: The Lodge On The Desert (right photo) is a hacienda-style lodge on expansive. lush grounds. It  began in the early 1930s as a private family residence in the middle of the Tucson Desert and became a favorite place for Old-Western movie stars. John Wayne, Ingrid Bergman, Jimmy Stewart, Paul Newman, and many more relaxed here. 

Dinner at Tito & Pep - the chef, John Martinez was a James beard finalist in 2022 - was the best we have had so far. This trendy bistro is known for highly creative, unique southwestern cuisine, and for many dishes being prepared on open mesquite fire. One great dish was grilled octopus with salsa macha:

,,, followed by delicious flank steak, combined with spicy cabbage salad and a tasty sauce:

Busy day today, but fully worth every minute. Tomorrow will be our last full day in the U.S., grand finale with the Vaqueros Parade and Rodeo. Stay tuned,,,