Downtown Phoenix late Monday morning. Where's all the traffic? Skyscrapers like the ones at left aren't very prevalent in this modern city, and those that do exist are spaced far apart. Photo by Roni.
We fell in love with this rubber cactus attached to the antenna of a car parked in the Arizona government complex. Photo by Roni.
The argiculture department is one of the government office buildings near the state capitol. The Roman-style architecture is an eye-catcher. Photo by Glenn.
Well, you can't vacation with the Gehlkes and expect not to see a few state capitols along the way. This is Arizona's, located a few blocks from the heart of downtown Phoenix. There aren't many good photo angles unless you happen to have a fisheye lens. Which we don't. Photo by Glenn.
This statue atop the capitol dome is called Winged Victory. It is actually a weather vane. The copper dome was added when the capitol was restored a few years ago. It is made from 15 tons of copper donated by the state's mining industry. Photo by Glenn.
A barrel cactus blooms outside the capitol. Lovely to look at, but watch those thorns! Photo by Glenn.
This is Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, who has been bronzed along with his steed in honor of his role in founding the San Xavier Mission near Tucson. Ben seems duly impressed. Photo by Glenn.
The Arizona capitol complex has one of the best public art collections of any we have seen. This is the Arizona Peace Officer Memorial. Its base is in the shape of a six-pointed star like those worn by peace officers. On each granite face is carved the names of officers killed in the line of duty, dating back to 1870 or thereabouts. Photo by Glenn.
Roni was impressed by these flowering shrubs, which are unlike anything we have at home. Photo by Glenn.
Here's a closer look at those flowers Roni liked. She liked them so well, in fact, that she was hoping one of us would snare the little seed pod visible at right. We didn't. But even if we had, it's doubtful the California ag inspection folks would have smiled kindly on us for bringing it back to the Golden State. Photo by Glenn.
This 10-ton anchor is part of a large monument to the USS Arizona, which history remembers as one of the warships sent to the bottom of Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941. This anchor was placed here Dec. 7, 1976. The ship it came from resides permanently in the Pacific Ocean in Hawaii. Photo by Glenn.
We're inside the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum, checking out the display of fluorescent crystals. These occur naturally and produce radiant colors when viewed under a black light. Photo by Glenn.
One of the perks of visiting the mineral museum is getting to hunt for rocks in the souvenir bin. Each visitor gets to take home three rocks. We donated our freebies to Ben, so he got to pick out nine. Photo by Glenn.
One of the best exhibits at the mineral museum was rocks arranged to look like dinner plates. Here we have what appears to be steak and carrots and peas, with perhaps a dish of peeled oranges on the side. Might want to trade in your knife for a tungsten carbide saw blade, however. Photo by Glenn.
Ben had a great time at the mineral museum. He let us get a photo of him standing outside the mural of the huge mining truck on the museum's wall. Photo by Roni.
A few hours later we have arrived at Saguaro National Park near Tucson. We aren't in the park yet, but we couldn't wait to get our first look at some of the cacti that grow right off the road. These "baby" saguaros are as tall as Ben is. Photo by Glenn.
Roni is a serious photographer and had no interest in posing next to the cacti, so we shot her staking out her next photo subject. Photo by Glenn.
Glenn, on the other hand, doesn't mind making a fool of himself. Here he is doing his best to imitate one of those giant saguaros behind him. Sorry, not quite green or prickly enough. Photo by Roni.
You want to talk about prickly? These saguaro needles look sharp enough, and guess what? They are. Photo by Glenn.
If you look at the saguaros long enough you'll start to pick out human-like features on some of them. Photo by Glenn.
This poor character looks a little stoned. Or perhaps it is trying out for a part in the casting call for the next sequel to "Night of the Living Dead." Photo by Glenn.
This is the sign marking the entrance to the Red Hills Visitor Center in the west side of Saguaro National Park. Photo by Roni.
On an observation deck behind the visitor center, this is what you get to see. The cactus forest stretches right up to the top of that hill. Photo by Glenn.
An elephant with long tusks? A headless boxer? What it looks like is surely open to interpretation. Photo by Glenn.
A few hours later, Roni is still working on that romance by lamplight. Photo by Glenn.
At the top of Signal Hill in Saguaro Park you'll find dozens of ancient Indian rock art drawings. We took the short hike to the top of the hill for a better look. Photo by Glenn.
It is getting late in the day and we are feeling a bit punchy after our long journey. Or perhaps it's just Glenn perfecting his "cactus pose" along the Signal Hill trail. Notice any similarities? Photo by Roni.
Two can play at this game. Ben's interpretation of this saguaro appears to be something like cactus ninja. Photo by Roni.
With mountains in the distance and a cactus forest in the foreground, this scene looks like all those cool postcards we kept seeing. Photo by Glenn.
Roni has made it to the top of Signal Hill and is enjoying the late afternoon view. Photo by Glenn.
Cacti and petroglyphs team up for another postcard moment in Saguaro Park. In fact, this same scene can be purchased on a 4x6" glossy from the park's gift shop. Photo by Glenn.
When I saw this fellow I commented that it looked a little "tired." But Roni pulled no punches. She said it looked "a little dead." Saguaros can live hundreds of years on very little water, but in the park you'll find them in various stages of the life cycle. Photo by Glenn.
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