History Museums

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Running Errands On a Muggy Morning

I’m waiting for a big temporary contract to start any day, so I’m trying to squeeze in a little fun first! Dale and I both love to go to Maz and just wander around, so after she dropped me off last night, we made plans to go back to town this morning to run a few errands.

We were originally going to take the bus to Walmart, but Dale has figured out that she really doesn’t need to go there. My budget is still 2,000 pesos short because of the recent banking disaster, so my plan to go to Soriana and get different groceries got scrapped.

I’m going to call my bank next week to see if they made any headway to get my money back, but I’m sure it’s gone. It’s going to be a really tight month as I only have 1,100 pesos spending money for groceries and outings till February. I got through November with about that much and I know I can do it, but I’ll have to be really mindful of where my money is going. I’d rather go out and eat beans at home than to eat well at home and not go out, so the blog should still be interesting. 😉

At any rate, I got home last night and there was no internet. There was a lot of work done around the property and on the roof yesterday, so I thought that maybe the line got knocked out. I didn’t mind the work since it was for me this time!

I haven’t had any running hot water in the shower to speak of since the water went out a few weeks ago. My landlady’s husband figured out that there was air in the line and got it sorted, then changed my shower head to a smaller one with fewer holes to increase the pressure. He also lifted the rooftop water tank to increase the water drop, which increased the water pressure. My shower last night was amazing! And I now have warm water in the kitchen in just a few minutes, something I used to wait 20 minutes for!

So, no internet last night. I got to bed early so I could get up early and run to Carmelita’s to check my email before going to Maz. My active clients right now are in EST, so 7:00 here is 9:00 for them and if I can expect anything for the day, it’s usually in my inbox by the time I’m up. There was nothing pressing, thankfully. Dale had sent me something to print and I figured out how to get it from my iPad to my computer, which was quite an accomplishment!

It was about 8:00 when I headed home and I stopped by my landlady’s place. Her husband (who did the plumbing work) was in the garage, so I thanked him for the work on the shower and told him about the internet. My landlady came by just as Dale and I were heading out around 8:30 to say that she had called TelMex and they said there was nothing wrong that they could see through their system, so she was going to go speak with someone in person.

Dale and I finally made it to Maz and stopped at Panamá’s for a pastry. Today is the Day of the Kings/Epiphany, which is a holiday, so they didn’t have much for sale except for the cake with, I imagine, the bean in it. We grabbed two strudel things that wound up being full of custard. Very tasty, but I have issues with eggs, so I might have an upset tummy later. We shall see…

We both had a couple of errands to run, but no shopping per se. I stopped at the bank to withdraw rent and spending money. I really like the Santander Bank because it gave me my 7,000 pesos in 50s, 100s, 200s, and 500s, instead of just 500s! I am so glad I gave them a second chance.

And then, I did something stupid. I LEFT MY CARD IN THE ATM. I’m so used to getting the card first before the machine will give me my money. The lady who used the ATM next ran after me and gave me back my card, thank goodness! I was so grateful to her as that’s the last thing I would have needed. CIBC assured me that they could courier me a new card to Mexico, but can you imagine the delay for that, never mind the difficulty in finding a secure place to have the card sent to?! So thank you again, wonderful lady!

Next, we found a copy place for Dale. She wanted some contact cards to give to folks. I didn’t bring any card stock with me, so I printed in colour onto regular paper to then be photocopied onto card stock. Dale handed the copy clerk the paper and told me to do my thing, ie. be her translator. I said that she wanted cards. The clerk found card stock, not perforated, which Dale could cut up herself. The copies were beautiful and only cost Dale 24 pesos. I’m frankly shocked that they turned out so crisp and clear.

Then, Dale told me that she had heard about a museum above the Plazuela Machado that is about the history of Maz. We found it and entry was only 20 pesos. We went in and first listened to a movie where we learned about how insignificant Maz was as a port until the end of the 19th century, how it got built up thanks to industry (mostly sugar cane factories), how it was nearly destroyed when the economy tanked, and how Mazlatecos saved their city by switching to fishing and tourism as the primary industries. It was really interesting. I’m surprised by how little the city has changed since it was built in terms of the main buildings and roads.

We then walked around the museum, which gave us an idea of what a typical residence in the late 19th century would have been like (simple, with lots of dark wood). There were lots of pictures of Maz in the day, too, which Dale and I found fascinating. What a little gem!

This is the kind of gas stove I want for my cabin!

This is the kind of gas stove I want for my cabin!

Gorgeous floor tile upstairs in the museum.

Gorgeous floor tile upstairs in the museum.

View of the Plazuela Machado from the upstairs balcony.

View of the Plazuela Machado from the upstairs balcony.

Such a pretty building.

Such a pretty building.

Gorgeous floor of the balcony.

Gorgeous floor of the balcony.

And a ceiling to match!

And a ceiling to match!

Diva Angela Peralta, after whom the theatre is named.

Diva Angela Peralta, after whom the theatre is named.

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Outside, someone turned this window into a bench.

Outside, someone turned this window into a bench.

Looking up at the museum balcony.

Looking up at the museum balcony.

The museum entrance is on Constitución between Plazuela Machado and Olas Altas. It’s in the yellow Connobia building that has the Italian restaurant. The entrance price list is by the door, to give you an idea of what to look for.

My next pressing errand was to get my tote bag fixed. I have a leather tote that I just adore because it’s just a good size for my lifestyle. It’s not pretty, but it can hold my electronics, a little shopping, and even serve as an overnight bag. Unfortunately, the strap has been coming apart for ages and it was literally hanging by a thread as we finished up at the museum.

I’d asked Contessa if she knew of a leather repair place and she suggested I ask the shoe shiners in front of the cathedral. They were of no help. I then asked the gals at the museum and they said that the ladies at a clothing repair place in the mercado would know where to send me. So that’s where we ended up going next.

First mail box I've seen in Mexico!

First mail box I’ve seen in Mexico!

The McDonald's near the Mercado only serves dessert!

The McDonald’s near the Mercado only serves dessert! Panamá’s is next door.

We walked around the perimeter of the mercado first, not certain what we were looking for. I found a woman selling battered magazines and books. She had a bunch of Reader’s Digests, which are great for practicing the reading of Spanish as they are mature but easy language. Unfortunately, she wanted 10 pesos each, not negotiable. I decided to grab one anyway when I saw that she had a copy of the Spanish version of Little Women, one of my favourite childhood books! I love reading translations of works I know well as that helps me improve my vocabulary and grammar without also struggling to follow the story. She said the book was 40 pesos and I could have one Reader’s Digest free with it. Sold!

After some time, we found the clothing repair place and the ladies did know exactly where to send me. I was really confused when they said to go up and down, but I eventually understood that I was to go several blocks ‘that way’ and that the shop, the name of course I’ve now forgotten, would be on my left.

Off we went and everything became clear as the road when UP and then DOWN again. Maz is not flat!

On the way, we passed a house that is for sale and with which Dale is, understandably, in love. Even though it is derelict, it still has heavy wooden door and window frames and stained glass.

Dale and I want to buy this house. :)

Dale and I want to buy this house. 🙂

After a few blocks, we hadn’t found the shop, so I went into a shoe shop to ask and the lady stepped out to point one block back. Even with my eyesight, I could see the sign! It was just in the wrong direction from the way were were going. The shop is at the corner of Zaragoza and Benito Juarez.

I brought the bag in and the gentleman said that he could fix it for 30 pesos! He set to work with glue, a patch (unexpected), and his treadle sewing machine. It wasn’t fine work, but for this bag, it was 100% what I wanted and the patch is on the inside of the strap so it doesn’t show. I just wish he’d had darker thread, but I’m being fussy. I am so pleased! And did I mention 30 pesos?!

Treadle sewing machine at the leather repair shop.

Treadle sewing machine at the leather repair shop.

Inside of my bag strap.

Inside of my bag strap.

Outside. I managed to roll off those spots of glue and except for the different thread colour, it looks as good as new from that side!

Outside. I managed to roll off those spots of glue and except for the different thread colour, it looks as good as new from that side!

We had thought to have lunch at the Mercado, but, really, we weren’t that hungry at that time. We walked up Zaragoza to get to the panga and didn’t pass anything that was calling our names so we decided to save our money and have lunch at our respective homes.

The former orphanage.

The former orphanage.

I got in and had internet, as well as water all over my bathroom and hallway floors. Toilet failure. OMG. I went to the landlady to pay the rent and explained the issue (too high water level in the tank and leaking through the handle). I said that I turned the water off to the toilet until it can be fixed. Guess it’s the week for problems!

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Visiting Mazatlán’s Centro Histórico

Before I get started about my day, I want to show off my new office space. I managed to get the legs off the table I’ve been using so I could relocate it to the back room and finally use the apartment as I intended to!

I always imagined that my workstation would be between the two beds at this window!

I always imagined that my workstation would be between the two beds at this window!

Pretty good view through the very unsafe, can't get them open, bars. :D

Pretty good view through the very unsafe, can’t get them open, bars. 😀

The table is working great as a desk, to my surprise. A chair is a much more pressing need and I probably won’t bother getting another surface! Tonight, I will finish the set up by adding my printer and storing supplies on the copious shelves in the closet.

Now, on to the main event! After getting up super early this morning to finish today’s work project, I met up with Dale at 9:00. We walked across the beach to get to the south dock, commonly known as the beach panga, to go visit Maz’s historical district.

The panga is a very short trip, less than five minutes. This panga is 30 pesos. The northern, or village, one is, I believe, 16 pesos for residents. Oh, and this is round trip! You pay on the Maz side. Don’t lose your ticket!

Once in Maz, you can walk about a mile to the historic district or take a pulmonía (open air taxi). Dale and I are walkers, so we did the whole day on foot. She’d been a couple of times and was a good guide.

My first impression upon landing was just how clean and well maintained everything was, not what I expected to be honest. I spotted a sushi restaurant minutes from the panga which means… I CAN WALK TO A SUSHI RESTAURANT. OMG!!!!!!

You can tell when you get to the historical district as it’s all beautiful colourful old buildings and very tight streets, not unlike New Orleans’ French Quarter. Off in the distance, I could see the bright yellow cathedral that told me that I really was in Maz!

Being a Sunday morning, it was very quiet and most businesses were closed, a nice introduction to this part of the city. Dale just had me walk up and down streets until I noticed the archeological museum, free for all on Sundays!

We went in and spent, oh, a half hour or so. It is a small museum, but has tons of history about the area and is very well laid out. I learned a lot. There are some English translations, but rudimentary Spanish will help you get more out of it. I want to go back on my own another Sunday to read through everything.

Dale then led me to the water to see part of the Malecon and to get a good view of Ice Box Hill. She then showed me the HSBC bank she was told is one of the more reliable ATMs in the city.

It was just past 11:00 by this point and I was ready for lunch since I’d had an early breakfast. Dale had had a big breakfast and wasn’t going to be particularly hungry again today, so she was happy to head to a bar/restaurant she’d been to a few times and have a beer whenever I was ready.

She directed me back to the waterfront and the little restaurant with tables on the sidewalk. We ordered beer and were given breakfast menus, LOL! I asked at what time the lunch menu started and was told it was just about that time. Minutes later, we got the lunch menus. Everything looked good and prices were reasonable. Beer was 5 pesos less than at Carmelita’s on Isla.

I looked through the offerings and Dale had mentioned at least twice by that point that she’d enjoyed the nachos there and would be interested in nibbling on some (not in a hint, hint sort of way, more of in an I was actively listening manner). That sounded good to me and even though she is sort of vegetarian, she’s off the wagon this winter and was okay with ordering nachos with chorizo (sausage) on them (as well as beans and chihuahua cheese). Our beers came with chips and salsa, so that with the nachos made a filling lunch for me and a good snack for Dale.

The bill didn’t make sense, though, 210 pesos. We were both sure the nachos were 85 pesos and that we’d been charged twice for them. My first instinct was to just swallow the 42.5 pesos each. Then I told myself that I have enough language to ask for the bill to be explained to me, dangnabit!

So I flagged down the server and said that I didn’t understand the bill because we only had one order of nachos. The server immediately agreed that there was an error and ran off to fix it, apologizing profusely, and returning with a new bill that had SORRY written on it. The new bill was just 125 pesos and I added 15 pesos for the tip, making lunch, including beer, just 70 pesos each!

We both wanted ice cream after that and started keeping our eyes peeled for helado signs when I noticed a guy at a cart serving something that looked like ice cream. I asked Dale what she thought and a Mexican couple that spoke good English explained that it was a Maz-specific hand churned fruit ice cream. They told us what the flavours were and recommended guava. That’s what I ordered and the guy asked if I only wanted guava. I asked for another flavour and that it could be a surprise. The other flavour he picked was vanilla.

Dale unintentionally got the exact same thing! We were both really impressed by how light and easy on the tongue the guava was. The vanilla was creamier and closer to real ice cream. Our small portions were exactly the right size for me and just 20 pesos. Very yum!

As we ate, Dale guided us to the very impressive cathedral, already decked out for Christmas. It was, oh, about 1:00 by this point and we weren’t quite done, so she proposed we walk a couple more blocks to the big mercado.

WOW, what an experience! This part of town was BUSY and a lot closer to my border town experiences. I was looking for a hat but the prices were higher than I was willing to pay so I gave up on that. I did find a lentil seller and bought enough for four or five meals for NINE pesos. 75 cents CAD! Dale was surprised to see me buy those and be so happy about them. She eats them, but does not cook and would have no idea what to do with them. I lived off lentils as a student and they will be a welcome protein source!

We were both pretty cooked and done by this point, so we headed back to the dock, stopping at a pharmacy so Dale could get a few things now that she had a translator. She also had me help her buy a few things in the mercado. I have apparently earned my cheese! 🙂

It was so neat to head HOME from Maz while traffic was going in the opposite direction, coming from Isla back to the city on a Sunday afternoon.

Our next trip across the bay will be on the village panga to find the Ley grocery stores. More adventures forthcoming, but, first, mucho trabajo (work) ahead for a couple of days! 🙂

My whole day to that point cost me 140 pesos. That’s the panga, lunch (with beer!), ice cream, lentils, and some hand soap for my bathroom!

Now, pictures… and more details. 🙂

Looking towards Maz.

Looking towards Maz.

One of these is Goat Island.

One of these is Goat Island.

The sea is the temple of life.

The sea is the temple of life.

You walk up this 'path' to get to the panga.

You walk up this ‘path’ to get to the panga.

Dock.

Dock.

On the panga!

On the panga!

Approaching Maz.

Approaching Maz.

First good glimpse of Maz.

First good glimpse of Maz.

pelicans

pelicans

Ticket, good for a round trip.

Ticket, good for a round trip.

You walk down this road until you see...

You walk down this road until you see…

The signs to follow to get to the historical district.

The signs to follow to get to the historical district.

Pemex refinery station.

Pemex refinery station.

Just follow the blue line.

Just follow the blue line.

If you get loss, you're not paying attention.

If you get loss, you’re not paying attention.

Don't miss your turn!

Don’t miss your turn!

Such clean streets.

Such clean streets.

Love the building colours.

Love the building colours.

Pretty flowers.

Pretty flowers.

So pretty the homeowners put up a sign telling us their name, 'hermosas endas'. Not sure what endas are, but hermosa is beautiful or lovely.

So pretty the homeowners put up a sign telling us their name, ‘hermosas endas’. Not sure what endas are, but hermosa is beautiful or lovely.

We stopped at this pharmacy on the way home.

We stopped at this pharmacy on the way home.

SUSHI!

SUSHI!

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the theatre/opera house

the theatre/opera house

wearing my absolute favourite dress, perfect for this weather as it's a microfiber that breathes and doesn't wrinkle

wearing my absolute favourite dress, perfect for this weather as it’s a microfiber that breathes and doesn’t wrinkle

Plaza Machado

Plaza Machado

more sushi!

more sushi!

there are some accommodations here, despite the scary sidewalks

there are some accommodations here, despite the scary sidewalks

archeological museum

archeological museum

bones placed in a foetal position

bones placed in a foetal position

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giving birth

giving birth

beautiful pottery

beautiful pottery

I love this almost modern and cartoony style of drawing

I love this almost modern and cartoony style of drawing

more bones in a funerary thing

more bones in a funerary thing

alabaster

alabaster

scrap metal sculpture in the garden on the way to the very clean bathroom with toilet paper, paper towels, and soap!!!

scrap metal sculpture in the garden on the way to the very clean bathroom with toilet paper, paper towels, and soap!!!

PUSH

PUSH

PULL

PULL

one of the less scandalous paintings by a man with quite an eye for the world

one of the less scandalous paintings by a man with quite an eye for the world

remains of the old tramway system

remains of the old tramway system

beautiful

beautiful

I want to go to the art museum one day.

I want to go to the art museum one day.

on the Malecon

on the Malecon

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Ice Box Hill

Ice Box Hill

public pay phone

public pay phone

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Motorcycle ramp!

Motorcycle ramp!

at the base of Ice Box Hill

at the base of Ice Box Hill

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these stairs reminded me of River Street in Savannah

these stairs reminded me of River Street in Savannah

Dale and I joked that that lime green paint must have been on sale since it's EVERYWHERE.

Dale and I joked that that lime green paint must have been on sale since it’s EVERYWHERE.

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Grande Prairie AB to Mazatlan!

Grande Prairie AB to Mazatlan!

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Decaying building.

Decaying building.

Dale insisted on taking a pic of me walking down the street, so I took one of her doing that. :)

Dale insisted on taking a pic of me walking down the street, so I took one of her doing that. 🙂

reinforcement inside the derelict building

reinforcement inside the derelict building

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Yummy nachos!

Yummy nachos!

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interesting graffiti inside a courtyard

interesting graffiti inside a courtyard

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scooping out ice cream

scooping out ice cream

This was a very small cup. Perfect portion for me. The cream is vanilla and the pink is guava.

This was a very small cup. Perfect portion for me. The cream is vanilla and the pink is guava.

Maz cathedral!

Maz cathedral!

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Inside the mercado

Inside the mercado

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more sushi! :)

more sushi! 🙂

here's our ice cream guy again

here’s our ice cream guy again

towers on Ice Box Hill

towers on Ice Box Hill

back at the theatre

back at the theatre

nicest wheelchair ramp I have ever seen

nicest wheelchair ramp I have ever seen

beautiful theatre ceiling

beautiful theatre ceiling

I was told that you cannot find mustard, much less French's, in Maz. YES, YOU CAN and you don't even have to look for it! :D

I was told that you cannot find mustard, much less French’s, in Maz. YES, YOU CAN and you don’t even have to look for it! 😀

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Tombstone, AZ

I am really into the history of the Wild West and the characters that inhabited it. So you would think that visiting Tombstone was a must for me. Not in the least. Afraid of a tourist trap, even copious numbers of people telling me to go there weren’t enough to make me believe that this iconic western town would be worth a detour. If it hadn’t been kinda sorta on the way to Nogales from Tucson, I would have definitely given it a pass.

I spent an enjoyable day there and do not regret going, but I feel that my initial misgivings stand. Lots of fun can be had in Tombstone and if you’re a history buff you’ll get your fill of artifacts, but if you want a more genuine-feeling Wild West town experience there are lots of better choices.

Before I get into my narrative about the day, I have to explain the lack of pictures. You can take as many pictures as you want in Tombstone of anything, but you cannot post anything about paid attractions online without express written permission, which is apparently difficult to get. So you’ll just have to take my word for a lot of this. 🙂

My first stop was the courthouse museum, admission $5. It was full of history about Tombstone and its colourful inhabitants.

Tombstone courthouse.

Tombstone courthouse.

I learned about the card game faro, the most popular game at the time, but which is now outlawed in the US because it gives the house a 67% chance of winning.

One of the more ghastly exhibits was a reconstruction of the gallows. I believe they are the second gallows I have ever seen (the first being in Ottawa!), and let’s just say they’re not nice to look at. 🙂

I learned about a Chinese man who was born in Virginia City, MT, where I was just recently, and the Chinese population of the town.

One exhibit that I found quite impressive was two large walls full of all sorts of different types of barbed wire. I didn’t realise that many exist!

The courthouse museum was a good start to my day. I then headed for Allen Street, the main kitschy touristy drag with a faux Western look (go to Dawson City for a more realistic one!) and lots of shops selling tchotkes.

Allen Street. I liked the Earps standing in the middle of the street. :)

Allen Street. I liked the Earps standing in the middle of the street. 🙂

I encountered a man who loves the outdoors and doesn’t let his physical disabilities stop him from going off the beaten path. Picture taken with permission!

Impressive wheelchair!

Impressive wheelchair!

My next stop was the Bird Cage Theatre, admission $10.

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This was a theatre/brothel/gambling hall/saloon that operated from 1881 to 1889 and has been preserved intact, one of the few original Tombstone buildings that survived the fires. Admission gives you all the time you want to wander the rooms. This was a wow experience for me. So much history, and preserved almost exactly as it was 125 years ago! I was able to use the incredible zoom feature in my camera to see details in the wallpaper of the viewing balconies and details of the ceiling.

The Bird Cage Theatre was totally worth the admission price also. Buoyed by my success thus far at avoiding tourist traps, I took the plunge and went to check out Big Nose Kate’s Saloon, named after Doc Holliday’s girlfriend. The saloon was once the Grand Hotel.

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The saloon was a little loud, but the music was good old classic country sung by a lively entertainer, so I decided to stay for a bit. I ordered a beer and perused the menu. The food was really inexpensive (!), so I decided to try their ‘Stampede’ burger, with cheese, bacon, and BBQ sauce. Surprise, the burger was excellent and they even made frozen fries taste good somehow! I tipped the server and singer generously, and still came out of there at less than $20 for a beer, lunch, and a show!

Before I left, I took the twisty stairs down to the basement into yet another shop so I could see the room of the man who did menial labour at the hotel and tunneled his way from his room into a silver mine in his downtime. Seriously!

Yup, my day was going well! So well, in fact, that I decided to jump into the tourist trap and buy a ticket to see a recreation of the OK Corral gunfight. I ponied up $10 and for that got to see the show, the OK Corral museum, the Tombstone history movie, and I got a free copy of a reproduction of the Tombstone Epitaph newspaper with the article about the shootout and subsequent inquest!

The gunfight show was amusing. The acting wasn’t great and I thought that it was hilarious that they cast an old guy to play Billy Clanton, who was 19 when he died at the hands of the Earps. What I got from the show was a better sense of the unvarnished truth about the fight and where it happened exactly. One of the most memorable parts of this whole part of the day was seeing the map Wyatt Earp drew in the 1920s showing what he remembered about the placement of people during the fight. He had bad handwriting!

The movie dated back to the 1950s and was narrated by Vincent Price! It was a little bizarre in that most of the action was in a diorama and occasionally a screen would come down to show reenactments of certain things. I learned a lot about the history of the town. The founder was told when he went to the area that he would only find his tombstone, hence the name he picked for the settlement!

I have to say that I find it distasteful that there’s a sign on Allen Street at the back of the corral saying that the fight happened there when the true location is on now super busy Fremont Street, several doors down from the corral. There’s a sign there, too, but I think a lot of people would miss it. I only knew to look for the spot because of my own knowledge of the event.

The real site of the OK Corral gunfight.

The real site of the OK Corral gunfight. There’s just a little sign next to Fly’s photography studio and boarding house.

I went to the actual fight site while munching on an ice cream, found for just $2 for a decent-sized cone. When I was done with that, I went to the Epitaph office to pick up my free paper. By the way, I love the name of that newspaper!

There is a free exhibit in the newspaper office about the man who founded it and quite a lot of history about his and Wyatt Earp’s connection to the Chilkoot Trail and the Klondike gold fields!

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My free paper would have cost me $3 and I would have bought one, so I really got my money’s worth out of that OK Corral show ticket!

My final stop of the day was the Boothill Cemetery. Access is free through yet another gift shop. I paid the $3 to get the booklet that gives info about all the graves.

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Billy Clanton's grave.

Billy Clanton’s grave.

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I was surprised to find Tombstone to be relatively inexpensive and good value if you spend your money carefully. I never once felt that I was paying a ‘Tombstone tax’, a premium just because of the location.

I’m glad I went to Tombstone and found the experience worthwhile, but this wasn’t a wow day for me at all. What I enjoyed most were the artifacts. I’d say the two best parts of the day were my first steps into the Bird Cage Theatre and seeing Wyatt Earp’s gunfight map!

Two pictures from the trip to Nogales:

This pest control's car was decorated like a mouse, complete with tail, whiskers, and ears!

This pest control’s car was decorated like a mouse, complete with tail, whiskers, and ears!

According to my GPS, Nogales is the end of the world!

According to my GPS, Nogales is the end of the world!

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Pipe Spring National Monument, Arizona

I left Hurricane just shy of 11:00 this morning, with no destination in mind. I pointed the truck towards Colorado City and from there pushed on towards Page. In less than an hour, I saw a sign announcing the Pipe Spring National Monument. I pulled off the highway and drove the 1/4 mile to the site to see what it was all about and found a museum, outdoor exhibits, and a guided tour of a fortified house that took up almost two hours! I was able to use my interagency pass to gain access.

Pipe Spring is essentially an oasis in the desert, a source of reliable water, but in insufficient quantity to build a settlement upon it. Paiute natives farmed, harvested, and hunted in this region for centuries. Mormon settlers grazed herds of tithing cattle and established an administrative post and telegraph station here. It was a busy, popular stop on the ‘honeymoon’ trail to St. George where Mormons would marry.

It was a very informational stop and I’m glad I pulled in!

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A Day in WIllow Bunch

L might be leaving tomorrow ( 🙁 ) so we decided to spend one last day together exploring the environs as I’ve been working while he’s been puttering around and doing some landscaping.

Before we headed out, he made me open my awning. What a heavy sucker! But I did it!

We decided to go back to Willow Bunch to visit the thrift store, the museum, and then try the food at the pub.

The thrift store didn’t have much new stuff, but it’s so crammed full we still made discoveries. L found a gorgeous leather man’s coat that he refused to buy because the buttons were on the wrong side. And then he found another bomber-type leather jacket that fit me really well and he insisted on getting it for me. Wow, what a score! I also found a nice light jean coat/vest and a squeegee. When we went there the first time, L found a giant stuffed clownfish (‘Nemo’), so that was rather hard for him to beat. 😀

We then headed over to the museum, which occupies two floors of the old convent. It is much better than the Assiniboia museum as there are more informational placards. The French left something to be desired, so I left my contact info as I am willing to volunteer a few hours to improve the translations.

For lunch, we decided to try the Jolly Giant pub. It looks rather intimidating from outside, but the interior is cozy. We both had a really good grilled ham and cheese sandwich (fancy whole grain bread and real cheese). L had the tomato soup (obviously homemade) and I decided to take a chance on the fries. OMG, they were real French-Canadian fries, super well cooked and very dark and sweet! Yay, I can find real French fries around here!!!!!!! They could have used another minute in the deep fryer, but I’m just being picky. 🙂

We then took the back roads home. L says that the next time I’m in Kansas he wants to take me to the western part of the state as it apparently looks just like southern SK.