Sonoran Soul

The road west carried me into Arizona, and Tucson was my first real taste of the Sonoran Desert.

Just south of the city, Mission San Xavier del Bac rose brilliant white against the blue sky, its carved facade glowing in the sun. From the hill beside it, the desert stretched out to distant mountains. Downtown, the tiled dome of the old Pima County Courthouse, the classic marquees of the Fox and Rialto theaters, and bold murals filled the streets, while adobe homes in the old barrio wore bright doors and weathered walls. Even the cactus brought color, with prickly pear pads blushing purple.

Tucson felt warm, sunbaked and full of soul, a desert city with deep roots and an artist’s spirit. It was a welcome reminder that the West I was heading toward had so many faces.