Like this:

By:  Jeanna Brown

Simply put, I can only think to quote a prodigious philosopher, St. Augustine.  Who once said, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”  To have only sipped one kind of wine, to never have tasted fine cuisine and to have only glimpsed a single landscape in this vivid world would be an indignity.

Over this weekend a friend and I, who have talked about going to Tucson but always found some excuse not to make the drive, decided to take a relaxing trip to Tucson.  To experience the town’s main scene, take Interstate 10 East to Speedway Boulevard (Exit 257), go left on Speedway, then right on Fourth Avenue.  As my friend Rosalie and I arrived to Fourth Avenue, heading South, we noticed vibrant reds, purples, blues, yellows and greens spread along the Avenues’ buildings.  Murals are painted on sides of buildings, as we approached a man was playing a beautiful melody on his saxophone outside a shop on the Avenue. One particular mural, outside Hippie Gypsy a local shop, depicts  the infamous image of the Beatles walking across Abbey Road in London years ago. 

This strip included funky clothing boutiques, antique book stores, new book stores, spiritual galleries and myriad eateries ranging from coffee and sandwich shops to Chicago-style pizza, and riveting steak and burger joints.  In addition, the strip has a bar-lounge and music venue named “The Hut,” that can’t be missed, due to the fact it stands as a 47 ft. tall Tiki sculpture.  It resides on the west side of 4^th Ave. and 8^th Street.  Another exciting attraction is a store called Pop Cycle.  It produces eclectic handmade art from recycled items, such as jewelry made from license plates, with  much more rare and exotic forms of art.   Continuing the journey nearing 4^th Avenue, you will come across a bridge.  What is unique about this bridge is that there are pictures of Tucson residents that have been transported onto tiles and made into part of the tunnel’s structure.

 

“No matter the place, the people or the what if’s that could go wrong, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” -Robert Louis Stevenson

Experiencing the great outdoors, escaping the norm and embarking on a trip to a new place can only broaden your horizons.  I know for myself, a large part of craving any journey is due to my travels through Europe during the summer of 2007.  During my summer expedition, I was able to experience the world outside of my safety net and take pleasure in the knowledge of other countries history and culture.  In comparison to historically notorious places like Paris, York, Barcelona and Rome, perhaps Tucson ranks slightly further down on the scale.  Still, you don’t have to cross an ocean to get to it and minimal in travel costs.   Although it’s quaint, Tucson provides visitors a charmingly artistic alternative with pizzazz.  If you are like my friends and I, who always complain that there’s “nothing to do,” consider taking a spontaneous day trip for a refreshing and inspiring adventure that won’t hurt your wallet.

Advertisement