The last few days have been quiet. It’s been cloudy and rained on and off. So we just did some shopping instead of sightseeing. The Tucson Mall is a big mall and we went there to get our daily walk in.

Bernie couldn’t resist taking a ride on the elephant!

We’ve been parked in the parking lot of Casino del Sol near Tucson for the last few days. There must be 40 other RVs parked here with us.  While walking through the parking lot to the casino one day we saw several of these little yellow VW bugs. I think there was a pest control convention in the event center here.

Truly Nolen Pest Control

Today we went to visit Mission San Xavier. This National Historic Landmark has been here since about 1783. The 45 minute tour is free, but donations are welcome. Our guide said this is a working Roman Catholic church and a K-8 school so the tour was limited, but still very interesting.

Mission San Xavier

Mission San Xavier

Mission San Xavier

Mission San Xavier

Mission San Xavier

Native People food vendors were making and selling fry bread and tacos under shelters on the grounds in front of the mission. Behind them is a memorial hill with a white cross at the top and we walked up there to see what we could see.

The path did not take us up to the top where the cross is. The only way to get up there would be to climb up on the rocks, and we did not do that. But there was a prayer fence, and a cement bench where people have placed candles and prayer requests.

As we walked around the hill we enjoyed some great panoramic views.  And we could see that on the ground around the hill people have written their names with the rocks and in one area words of love and joy were written in rock.

• Gasoline:  none
• Lodging:   free
• Admission:  free