Downtown Phoenix

Today Lloyd and I did what he has been wanting to do ever since we started coming down here to the Valley of the Sun almost three years ago - we drove to Phoenix and explored some of it's historic and beautiful downtown.  We found that Saturday morning is a perfect time for exploring downtown.  There was no traffic, very few people, and we were able to stop and take pictures wherever we wanted to.

Just ignore the Wells Fargo building rising above the old Maricopa County Court House.

The new Phoenix City Hall

Old Phoenix City Hall

Luhr's Tower

This Abbey is on the corner of 3rd and Munroe is built on the site of the original one dating from the mid 1800s.

The First Presbyterian Church dating from 1869.  As I was taking pictures outside, the caretaker came out and invited us to come into the Sacristy and look around. Isn't the sky beautiful.

This stained glass window isn't on a outside wall, there's five feet of space behind it but the lighting makes it stand out beautifully.

These two windows remind me of Frank Lloyd Wright's work.  His home and museum are not far from here in Phoenix.

The side of the high rise has a mural painted on it.

The overpasses and bridge abutments have lovely colorful artwork worked into them.

Chase Field - home of the Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball team

Part of Arizona State University

St. Mary's Basilica.  I love how the old churches have the look of adobe rather than stone and brick - very bright and clean looking.

US Airways Center - home of the Phoenix Suns NBA team

Phoenix Convention Center, spanning either side of the street - a very busy place in the winter as northerners come to conventions in the sunny south.

I forget what this building is, but it's quite beautiful.

And down the road from Phoenix we came to a lovely large oasis in Tempe.  This beautiful area has boats for rent, water parks and picnic areas for special events and is a welcome respite from the dryness of the desert.  I believe it's part of the Tempe reservoir - my Arizona readers can correct me on that.

Then home again.  When I was in the pool l noticed the sun shining off this huge spider web strung between two Queen Palms in the back yard.  I don't know what kind of spider made it but it looks quite messy compared to other smaller ones I'm used to seeing.

And that rounds out today's adventure.  We only have one more full day here before heading home on an early morning flight on Monday.

Hope your long weekend is a good one.

Pat