Historical Del Rio, TX...not just BASS fishing y'all

We have spent the better part of 2 full weeks here in Del Rio, TX. Besides being across the Rio Grande from Acuna MX, Del Rio lies just south of the Amistad National Recreation Area - that includes a BIG , as in 50+ bass fishing competitions per year big, fishing hole.

We hadn't planned on being here this long, but a family illness/passing provided a very good reason to park ourselves. Once all that family business was tended to, we started to look around. Del Rio is interesting...

The Val Verde Winery was established in 1880, by Italian immigrants, it is the only oldest survivor of 25 original winery's in Texas, still held and operated by family on a street lined with very old pecan trees and fabulous Italian influenced homes.

And if you drive down Pecan street you actually come to the end of the road and the "FENCE".... and while much of it isn't shown here, we were stunned to see this stop short....so does one just swing around the end to immigrate? It is a source of some irritation for Mike - amusement and wonder on mine. "Let's build a fence - and stop short".

 

 

This gorgeous painting is located within the small chapel  at Whitehead Museum.

Whitehead Museum
 

Museum sign(s)

This beautiful piece is actually a fold-up bed - stunning.

 

 

A gorgeous Victrola...

 

Turn of the 20th century icebox...YIKES!

      

 

 

This is Pepe...he lives in the museum office, along with 4 other parrot ....apparently he bites.

 

 

No, we did not cross the border - even though it was a mere 8 miles away. We asked a number of people about "over there" and no one trashed it, but they didn't say - yes, you should do that. Most of the tourist shops no longer exist, restaurants are now inside Del Rio and while there are still dentists that provide good services, the Mexican Mafia control the town. They are the law. Thank you but I'll just spend my money here locally in Del Rio.

 

We are on our way to the Alamo tomorrow....giddy-up!

 

~ Adios

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baja Adventure - Part TRES - MUCHOS Beach Activities

getting up early to watch the sun rise and have coffee never got boring.....however,

on several occasions during our weeks of preparation to travel down Baja we discussed what we would do with our time while parked on the beach. We are not beach people...you know - the people who go to a beach, spread their towels, lather on the sun screen (or not) and lay down to bake. There is nothing wrong with this activity...however, our days of rving are filled with museums, hikes, national parks, historical buildings and the local history of whatever village, town or city we might be touring. Boy, were we pleasantly surprised! In addition to just sitting and reading a good novel, walking leisurely through the surf and interacting with the many beach vendors we discovered much, much more to the fine art of boondocking on the beach in a foreign country....

Our first day in town we attended an art
show to benefit the volunteer animal clinic
Patron of Animal Welfare.

These panels are actually cement slabs/tables/benches/counter-tops with cut glass designs embedded.

SeaKelp baskets <

Weekly art classes are available

for those who want to learn a new craft...

led by artisans that winter here as well.

                              Sea-grass basket weaving >

Gourds

In addition to the arts - other activities included:

 Geocaching/hiking

 Fishing

Kayaking

Paddle-boarding

bird watching....includes pelicans (shown), blue-footed boobies, egrets, herons, vultures, gulls and hummingbirds, ravens and assorted songbirds.









Baja has many beautiful and ancient Spanish missions....scattered throughout the countryside. Day trips to see Mission San Javier, Mision de Loreto Concho, or Mission Santa Rosalia de Mulege .

Other day trips to view pictographs near Mulege and Loreto were also on the calendar....

and drives down arroyos found us viewing trees

or to discover an oasis along the way.....

and when all else fails....deciding to learn now to cook in a solar/sun oven - not that I did.

 But one does have the time to learn if so inclined.

or looking for and collecting shells...

We discovered a variety of activities that filled the hours between sunrise and sunset and still managed to lather ourselves with sun-screen....

~ Adios amigos~

From cacti to churches....majestic views

We couldn't have visited two more unconnected national landmarks this day. The Saguaro National Park http://www.nps.gov/sagu/index.htm and the San Xavier Mission, http://www.sanxaviermission.org/- Both were majestic in their own individual ways…however, my love of old churches trumps all other "what to see when you are in (fill in the blank)" because that is what I want to see. My guy usually grants me the 'get out of jail (my verbiage) free card' and doesn't complain much. While I sit in a meditative silence, pray and look around, he wanders off in search of history. He always finds something to engage both of us along the way.

Buckhorn cholla

Saguaro National Park is more of a botanical garden of cacti…along with a beautiful visitor's center, knowledgeable NPS employees and docents and a walk through the grounds. We actually discovered two chollas that we had not encountered previously - the "Pencil cholla" and Buckhorn cholla. They have a great video about the park that they show and it should not be missed…I won't ruin the surprise, that is worth the 8min viewing! If you have a National Park Pass, no fees to visit, and if not I believe there was a $10 vehicle fee.

The nice park ranger, whose lunch we interrupted with questions, was the person who told us about the mission and suggested we visit it. I am so glad he did…the mission is located on the Tohono O'odham reservation south of Tucson. You can see the mission long before you arrive at the parking lot. The mission serves the Native American population, as does the school that is located next door to the church buildings.

The mission is located on the Tohono O'odham Native American reservation and has and continues to serve its' people since it's 1692 founding. The church conducts services daily, including baptisms and weddings for the local native population. It is a registered National Historic Landmark...truly spectacular inside and out.

In addition to the church and it's adjacent buildings on the property, the mission includes a museum, 2 Native American souvenir shops and authentic fresh on site 'fry' bread for consumption.
Interior photos of the wall murals are in the 'dujour' gallery for this post.
San Xavier / Saguaro Natl Park Link to photos - for when this has been archived.

Cactus, cactus everywhere - another Nat'l Park bucket-list item checked off!

We have become vagabonds in a sense, exploring the areas where we land far from the traffic jammed city centers via back roads and the stack of books, maps and pamplets that we have collected in our travels.

From Yuma we headed east on I-8, through not one, not 2 but 3 US Border Patrol checkpoints. Via Gila Bend, Ajo and the rural community of Why, 10 mi south. Yes, that's right, WHY-all .5 mile of it and it's gas station.

Ajo (Spanish for garlic), location of the first copper mine in Arizona. Across from a lovely main square sits the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church which was bulit in 1924. It really is spectualar  

Cabeza Prieta Wildlife Refuge sits along boundaries of the city and staff at the visitor center provides information on both the Refuge and helpful information about the Organ Pipe Cactus Monument Park that is 25 south of town.

Cabeza Prieta Wildlife Reug

              For Mike the Eagle has landed.

 

A 21 mile loop provides you with every opportunity to see a variety of cacti within the boundaries of the park. There is also a large camping site 1.4mi south of the visitor center with ample RV spaces (dry camp) for $12/night.



Ocotillo buds



Prickly Pear








Chain Fruit Cactus



Teddy Bear Cholla


                      

                                                

Barrel Cactus





Suguaro w/Organ Pipe

  Organ Pipe (left) with mutation

 Cacti all the way up the mountains

Sunset on the drive back to Yuma

Travel to the "Center of the World", aka - Felicity, CA

Just 8 miles west of Yuma on I-8 @ Exit 164, sits the town of Felicity, CA - established in 1986 it is the home of the Museum of History in Granite. Features includes a 1889 original section of the circular staircase from the Eiffel Tower, Michaelango's Arm of David sculpture as a sun dial, a pyramid holding the bronze plague which denotes the spot as the "Center of the World"**. The site also has a church which will conduct both Catholic and Protestant services.  

 **Taken from a children's book: Coe, The Good Dragon at the Center of the World

 
Sun dial

Part of the tour  includes a photo standing on the "Center of the World" plague and a certificate.

History of flying/parachuting is just one of the walls on the grounds. There are 416 granite panels in total, some as yet to be etched, but currently there is one honoring Korean Marine Corps/Navy personnel who died in combat, a section with the history of the French Foreign Legion, French Aeronauticals, History of Humanity by ethnic group/language (ie, Greek, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic), The Wall of the Ages and separate sections for the States of California and Arizona.

 

 

 A small sampling of the granite panels.For more information and photos: http://historyingranite.org/ - there is a $5.00 fee for the tour/video and certificate. All proceeds are funneled back into the museum and grounds. Open Thanksgiving to Easter...

Dedicated earlier this year.  

Adios amigos.