Mission accomplished!

One of our goals today was visiting the 300 year old Spanish Mission south of Tucson. We got there just in time for Ash Wednesday noon mass. Kathleen celebrated inside with a churchful of the devout. Meanwhile, the unchurched posed outside and nosed through the museum, gift shop, candle store, fry bread stands and moneychangers. Then they plotted the next move in a busy day.
That was to be the city's Botanical Gardens, a not-so-well known green spot that was once a family home surrounded by an amazing collection of plants and cooling trees. Today a special butterfly exhibit was offered for an extra four bucks. Too rich for Katie and Sosie, two retirees on fixed incomes hoarding cash during desperate times, so they just peered through exhibit windows (right) hoping for a free peek.

Then it was off to Mi Casa to shop Mexican imports, an art gallery to gape at native antiques, the Tiki God head in the University area to laugh and finally to El Minuto to enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine, adjacent to El Tiradito, a shrine (left) erected to somebody who got shot for making it with his mother-in-law back in the 1800s. It's all true. Check your wiki. In the evenings locals light candles in hopes of creating life-changing events. Our Spanish-speaking waiter said it was all a bunch of B.S. (How do you say that in Spanish? El Toro?) The city-owned shrine can be reserved for weddings. (Do Zach and Jenn know about this?)

We didn't stay for the candlelighting. Downtown Tucson, with its many detours and roadblocks, is confusing enough in the daylight. (Why does it take so long to get anything done in Arizona? They have a 365-day construction window. Inquiring Minnesotans want to know.)
Below is an Elysian Park that used to be a spring-fed glorious oasis in Tucson. Progress destroyed the springs so now they just pump it in. See if you can find Sosie amidst the posies.

Our Tucson adventures continue unabated tomorrow.