Flaneuring fun in downtown Tucson
Richard White, June 22, 2014
Some days we just like to head out and explore without any particular agenda or destination. This is particularly fun in urban places where there are usually lots of surprises that aren't in the tourist brochures. It is a must that you have to walk the street to find the surprises - you won't find them driving or cycling by.
Recently, I was browsing our photos from our 8,907 km Spring Break 2014 Road Trip and found a collection of images from a fun day of flaneuring in downtown Tucson that I thought would make a nice "everyday tourist" photo essay.
The great thing about flaneuring is its FREE, you can do it anywhere and you can do it everyday!
One of our favourite things to do when exploring an urban place is "window licking." I find images like this as interesting or more interesting than anything in an art gallery.
Who knew a beautiful orange tree could grow (kinda) in downtown Tucson.
Gotta love a drive in liquor store deli.
Perhaps the world's most colourful colonnade can be found attached to the Goodwill building.
More window licking fun.
The Chicago Music Store was a real find. Family owned since 1919 it is fun place to explore - part music store part museum.
Retro neon signage adds as much or more visual interest to a streetscape as most public art.
Ran into a wedding and these young men were more than willing to pose for a photograph - everyone was having fun (see girls in background).
Sure Portland and Vancouver have their food trucks, but what about an art truck?
Public art as transit shelter? Tacky? Fun? Clever?
Butterflies & Skeletons? Tucson has a rich high and low brow culture.
More fun signage as public art!
We did not explore the roof-top patio at the Playground Lounge but it definitely adds an element of fun to Congress St.
You won't find this postcard image in any of Tucson's tourist information brochures.
Nor this one!
Heading home we discovered Tucson's Rattlesnake pedestrian bridge that links the southside residents to downtown who are cut off from downtown by a 6-lane highway.
Inside the rattlesnake!
Rattlesnake tail plaza. And, yes there is rattle sound as you pass by!
Other flaneuring fun blogs:
University of Arizona: Resort or Research
Flaneuring Uptown Plaza, Richland, Washington