Mission San Xavier and Old Tucson Filmstudios

Leaving Tucson the next morning we stopped by the Mission San Xavier, one of the most beautiful missions in the whole U.S.

An impressive main altar in the church

The chapel on the side of the mission where people burn hundreds of candles to San Xavier or to the Holy Mary and hope their wishes come true

I wish I could capture not only the colors and the ambiance! It was so (!) warm from all those candles, I could not make a step into the chapel. I'm fascinated to see the strong believes people have in their religion

We left Tucson's skyline...

...drove over many fields more and more up to the hills of the Saguaro State Park

The State Park was named after the Saguaro cactus plant - here in a quick changing special wonderful sun light

Did you know that these Saguaro cacti are already 75 years old when they make their first "arm" ?

View from the high desert hills down into the valley

I have now maybe more than 200 Saguaro cacti pictures in my archives... LOL...

And then we finally climbed up all the step roads and arrived to the main attraction from our trip today: The "Old Tucson Film Studios". A visit that worth's to do and many film sets inside to see and to enjoy the actors playing sets out of old movies.

Just fifteen minutes from Tucson at the base of the Tucson Mountains lies a preserved slice of Americana, Old Tucson Studios. Passing through the gates of an old frontier town, visitors from around the globe are transported back to a time when fearless men with six shooters ruled the Old West. Saunter down the streets of Hollywood's most famous movies; walk in the footsteps of movie legends like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and hundreds more.

In addition to its historic role as a film location, Old Tucson Studios is Southern Arizona's premier outdoor entertainment venue with a full array of live shows, thrilling stunts, Old West dramas, saloon musicals, trail rides and fun for the whole family.

A coffee house that is selling sweets too

I have visited of course also a photographer friend! She was very busy doing portraits from tourists dressed up as Saloon girls :))

Cowboy romantic or "home sweet home"

Who doesn't remember the TV series :High Chaparral", right? This was the set to the entrance to the ranch.

Some stand shots out of the filming to "High Chaparral"

"The Reno" train was used in movies also with Clint Eastwood and in the well known old timer movie "Rio Bravo" - and in lot of other movies too

"Yes I do" scenes and others too were filmed in this chapel

Actors were showing a gun shot scene out of "Billy the Kid"

When cowboys are shooting each other is the coffin maker not to far away either

Miss Kitty and her dancing girls in the Grand Palace Hotel Saloon

The girls were great and pretty!

Can you dance the "Can - Can" like she does? :))

David had a small talk with the sheriff after another demo of actors by the mission

Hi my friends,

thanks you very much again for your kind comments to my last post yesterday.
I hope you'll enjoy the pictures about the "Hollywood in the high desert" like I did! And if you ever have a chance to be close by Old Tucson, VISIT that place! You will NOT regret, I swear! :)

I wish you all a nice coming weekend. I'll try to post every day if my connection let me do that! :)

Susanne and David