So yesterday we spent our last morning in the desert area around Tucson visiting the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (which is in fact a zoo and a set of desert gardens). It is well laid out and informative although I agree with Mr Fogg that the animal enclosures seemed very small and inhumane. However, we did get to see a mountain lion up close and personal. Don’t want to meet one in the wild that’s for sure. We also saw tiny hummingbirds in a walk through aviary.

We stopped briefly to admire the San Xavier Mission, founded in the early 1800s by a Spaniard who successfully converted the local Indians to Catholicism.

On then towards Patagonia and a climb up from the desert floor to nearly 4000 feet above sea level. The scenery giving way to greenery, rolling fields of grassland and scrub. This is most definitely cow and horse country

Our stop for the night is quaint Patagonia. Population 918, mainly retirees (like so many US small towns). We headed to the Wagon Wheel Saloon for a beer and a steak in a place that is unchanged since around 1937. Well, they now have electricity and a juke box! Great food and a great vibe.

Next stop Hummingbirds! ( tee hee Mr Fogg, I’m driving so we just HAVE to go)