December 19, 2009 Arizona Desert Museum

Today we went to the Arizona Desert Museum, a little west of Tucson. It's mostly an outside museum and is well worth the trip! It has a huge variety of cactus. These photos are of a pipe organ cactus, the heart-shaped beaver cactus, a living and dead saguaro cactus, and a view across the plains.
































































Birds are and important part of the desert eco system. The outside museum includes several areas where you can see local birds, including owls, hawks and hummingbirds.
























































There are separate areas where larger desert predators, such as cougars and wolves, are visible.
































We had such a great time at the museum that we skipped lunch, so we were really ready for dinner by the end of the day. A friend had recommended the Pikachu Steakhouse. When we got there it looked a bit like a dive, but since it was recommended, we decided to try it. That was the right decision because the food was really good - baked potato, Texas toast, side salad and a big steak, cooked on the outside grill. Well worth stopping for, although afterwards I felt a bit like this big boy!