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a feel good travel blog

6 Divine Sites in Tucson That Will Shake Your Soul

1/30/2020

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Tucson, Arizona has a special place in my heart. It's one of those places that just felt right, like a moving or a shaking of the soul. Ironically the city was incorporated on my birthdate, February 7, of 1877, so maybe there is some sort of divine interconnection between my spirit and the land. 

Long before the Spanish settlers came to Arizona in the 1600's, the Paleo-Indians and the tribe known as Hohokam were once the main settlers. Comprised of native and religious sites, Tucson is a place to revitalize the spirit and shake up the soul. Here are some spiritual landmarks and places to visit while in Tucson. 
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Mission San Xavier del Bac
A must visit while in Tucson, this national historic landmark is considered the finest example of Mexican Baroque architecture in the United States. Founded in 1692, this Mission is part of a series of missions founded by the Jesuit missionary, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, who traveled throughout the southwest and parts of Mexico to spread Catholicism. Before the establishment of the Mission, the  Tohono O'odham people lived, and still live nearby today. This active parish is an architectural wonder inside and out. Located across the parking lot is a climbable hill topped with a large cross.

It is common for pilgrims to visit today. The front of the church's exterior contains a large shell etched into the facade, above the doorway. This symbol is the same as seen in many churches in Spain welcoming pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago.
 

Part of the parish contains a museum and a shrine that keeps inexpensive lit prayer candles. 
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Garden of Gethsemane
Located west of downtown is this public statue garden depicting some of the most prominent Christian scenes such as the crucifix and the Last Supper. The creator, Felix Lucero, was stationed in France during World War One. During his time abroad, he made a promise to dedicate the rest of his life creating religious work, which he kept his word. 
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St. Augustine Cathedral
Built in 1896, this Romanesque Revival Style church resides near Downtown Tucson. Open for services, the facade contains etchings of horned toad lizards, yucca and saguaro. Statues of the Mother Mary and Saint Augustine, the patron saint of Tucson, are found onsite. Once inside, it feels like a walk back through time in Europe, a moment where it's easy to forget that one is in Arizona. 

St. Philips in the Hills Episcopal Church
Located near the foothills, this is another popular site for prayer, solitude and reflection. A once famous Tucson architect, Josias Joesler, designed this structure in 1936 showcasing the best of Spanish design. Besides services, the church hosts a variety of music events and concerts and also features an art gallery, memorial garden and labyrinth. 
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El Tiradito
Located near Downton in Barrio Viejo, is El Tiradito, a quasi-spiritual and historical site. This site is dedicated to the steamy love affair between Juan Oliveras, a young recently married eighteen (18) year old Mexican Sheep Ranchers son in law, and his mother in law who was the wife of a very wealthy sheep rancher. Legend has it that he was a "sinner and a lover," and the shrine is dedicated to a "bad guy." The husband caught Juan and his wife making love in his bed and chased and axed down Juan, killing him in his own blood. 

According to tusconmuseum.com, "
The 'Curse of The Wishing Shrine' centers predominately on its visitors motives for their visit, and their own lives. It is said that if one visits with a clear open heart that forgives, they will pass, and they may even get their wish fulfilled. For others, it may just be the beginning of history repeating itself depending on what they themselves bring to the shrine. Also, it is said that if you light a candle at the shrine and it remains burning all night long without going out by sunrise, your wish may be granted depending on your motivations." 
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Vortexes + Healing in Canyon Ranch
Canyon Ranch is an expensive luxury wellness resort that welcomes people to come and cleanse their soul. The grounds are only accessible by staff and hotel guests. I had the opportunity to tour Canyon Ranch with an employee and discovered all sorts of spiritual opportunities. The grounds feature various vortexes, or energy centers where one washes away negative spirits. Most vortexes are near the labelled rocks, with the Discovery vortex being the strongest. The walk around the grounds on the local trail is cleansing in itself, and through campus one discovers reflective ponds, meditative labyrinths, buddha statues and secluded quiet spaces.

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Must Visit Historical Sites in Denver, Colorado

1/23/2020

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From the Gold Rush to sacred Native American experiences, Denver, the up-and-coming west coast city features an eclectic historical past. Long before the Gold Rush of 1858, the Native Americans once ruled the land. Incorporated in 1861, Denver has come a long way since the Victorian era. Before the settlers came, the Southern Arapahoe Indians occupied the area. Be sure to check out these sites and landmarks to experience the best of historic Denver.  
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Liberty Bell Replica
The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is the country's most prized bell. Believe it or not, there are 57 US Treasury Bells located across the United States, and luckily, Denver contains one of them. The bell is located in the lower lawns of the Colorado State Capitol Building in Lincoln Park. 
​1313 Sherman Avenue 
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Image courtesy of pixabay.com
Larimer Square
Known as Denver's oldest and most historic block, today, Larimer Square consists of a variety of chic restaurants, modern cafes and chic boutiques. In 1858, General Larimer built Denver's first residential street with doors made from coffins in the once known town named Auraria. Larimer founded Denver on November 22, 1858, and eventually Auraria was annexed into Denver in 1860. The square is popular amongst tourists and locals alike. A historic walking tour is available to discover the square's dark and seedy past. Walkers explore a variety of popular sites such as the Kettle Arcade, Granite Building and the Noel Building. 

Capitol Hill Neighborhood
​The Capitol Hill Neighborhood of Denver features a variety of historic homes. Dotted with Victorian homes and bed and breakfasts, the most notable home in the neigborhood is the Molly Brown House. Brown, a social activist and philanthropist. The house avoided demolition thanks to the preservation of the local historical group in the 1970's. During the 60's, officials and real estate moguls demolished many of the historic homes and buildings in the area. Capitol Hill was the neighborhood for the wealthy, and still today, one discovers a variety of beautiful churches, Victorian homes and mansions. Today, many trendy bars and restaurants occupy the retail spaces. 

Auraria 9th Street Historic District
This surviving block of Victorian era homes displays the modest Victorian structures built between 1873 to 1905. The preservation group of the 1970's saved the homes from being demolished. 

The Buckhorn Exchange
This is Denver's longest operating restaurant and is also the city's original steakhouse. Serving old western fare since 1893, the restaurant displays a 125-piece gun collection alongside a 575-piece collection of taxidermy animals. This is not a place for animal lovers, but is part of Denver's historical past. 

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Image courtesy of pixabay.com
Union Station
Union Station is located in Denver's LoDo, or Lower Downtown area. The building itself is a 100-year old landmark situated in the heart of Downtown Denver. The station features an array of the city's most prized restaurants, bars, pubs and shops. That actual station is a multi-modal hub allowing locals and visitors to access the city and distant destinations via Amtrak, bus or light rail. 

The Oxford Hotel
Located a stone's throw away from Union station is Denver's most historic hotel. As the oldest hotel in the city, doors opened in 1891 and still welcomes guests today. 

Daniel and Fischer Tower
​Built in 1911, this tower was once the largest building to exist west of the Mississippi. At 325 feet in height, the structure contains a 2.5 ton bell above its observation deck. Guided tours of the building are available, and features a visit to the observation deck. Here guests enjoy a bird's eye view of the city and panoramic scenes of the nearby mountains. The tour includes many tower tales with the opportunity to walk up the spiral stair case to the bell. 

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Image courtesy of pixabay.com
Colorado State Capitol
Located in the civic center, this architectural wonder has been in operation since 1894. In 1908, gold was added to the dome in honor of the Colorado Gold Rush since the gold leaf was mined in the state.  One fun fact is that the 13th step of the west entrance is exactly at one mile high. 

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Denver Art Museum
Founded in 1893 as the Denver's Artist Club, the DAM now displays a 70,000 art piece collection in a 350,000 square foot space. This is where travelers learn the most about southwestern Indians. 

​What is your favorite historical spot in Denver?

This Lemon Tree article is now featured on GPSmyCity.  To download this article for offline reading or travel directions to the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Must Visit Historical Sites in Denver, Colorado.

​Let's Connect!
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GPSMyCity: The Lemon Tree Article Apps Now Available +  FREE Giveaway Articles

1/20/2020

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Lose Yourself without Getting Lost

Have you ever read a travel article so informative that you wish you could bring it with you? Great news – now you can – even offline.  
What is​ a GPS-guided travel article?Long gone are the days of printing off travel tips and Mapquest directions. Ditch the extra clutter and save a tree with a GPSMyCity travel app.
 
The GPS-guided travel article app is a new concept, and an innovative way to explore a city by some of the top travel bloggers in the world. The travel article app is simple. Travelers download a travel article that has GPS coordinates embedded and a map of the route the author describes in his or her article.
 
No memorizing. No paperwork. No printout maps. No Internet. All you need is your phone.
 
The best part about upgrading to the app is that it works offline. This app is perfect for places like Europe where every country requires it’s own SIM cards to access 3G/4G Internet. This will save you time, money and a headache trying to find an electronics store.
 
Why use travel articles as an app?
​It’s like having a personal tour guide, for a fraction of the price. 

Using travel articles offers tips and suggestions that many tourism offices won’t tell you.

So if you want to visit the Louvre and seeing the Mona Lisa is your dream, an author (okay, me) may recommend making this painting your first destination upon entering the museum. That way the built-up excitement is still there compared to hours of roaming the museum when you become tired, exhausted and your back aches. You’ll get countless tips and recommendations from people who travel just like you.
 
GPSMyCity currently has thousands of articles from over 600 cities worldwide. The options are nearly limitless so you can find everything from a self-guided walking tour to travel articles. Once you download the article, the app will show your current location and the distance to each site listed in the article.
 
And just to reiterate, once you download the app, you do not need the Internet to read your upgraded articles.
 
From Monday January 20-27, 2020, you can upgrade to the following Strasbourg, France giveaway travel articles for free!


Cheap and Free Things to Do in Strasbourg, France
 
Click the article titles to access the free upgrade. If you don’t already have the GPSMyCity app downloaded, please download it first and then click on the article titles above. The articles will then be downloaded by default. After the app launches, click "upgrade" and the article will be upgraded free of charge. 
 
You can access upgraded travel articles for off-line GPS use by browsing each city on the GPSMyCity app.

Here are some of the most recently published Lemon Tree Travel Articles! 

6 Historic Things to Do in Estes Park, Colorado
The Best Historical Sites You Can't Miss in Edinburgh

Must Visit World War II Sites in Warsaw, Poland
Cheap and Free Things to Do in Strasbourg, France

Looking for other Lemon Tree titles? Here are other beloved Lemon Tree travel articles. 
How to Spend an Afternoon in Frankfurt, Germany
A Literary Tour of Edinburgh: A Book Lover's Haven
How to Spend 24 Hours in Valencia, Spain
 
10 Historical Sites You Can't Miss in Tallinn, Estonia
7 Museums You Must Visit in Porto, Portugal
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    Author

    Elizabeth Rae Kovar is a Fitness Trainer, Author of Finding Om, Presenter, Yogi, Vegan & lover of the World. View her portfolio at www.elizabethkovar.comor health-based blog at mindbodysoul-food.com

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