La Fiesta de los Vaqueros kicks off

On Saturday, La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, also known as the Tucson Rodeo, kicked off. I originally went to the Rodeo for ideas for a special project. I didn't expect to be even moderately interested in anything at the rodeo, being a Southern California beach bum, but I left on Sunday with a newfound appreciation for life as a cowboy.

I was a little offended when the rodeo announcer joked that in California, the natives pronounced the word "rodeo" as if they were speaking Spanish, but I eventually got past it and learned a lot about life as a cowboy in Tucson near the border.

Not only were the big things, like the bullriding, one of the most interesting spectacles I've witnessed in person, but the smaller things on the outside of the venue proved to be one of the more interesting things I've done in Tucson in my three years here.

The various collection of artwork from the Tucson natives really impressed me, so much to the point where I considered buying a piece of art.

There was a man, John D. Bowman, who takes photos of interesting people or things and then replicates the picture with a pencil. The results are usually pretty outstanding.