The High Road to Taos

Want a fantastic visual experience? Take the High Road to Taos for a leisurely and enjoyable drive with a varied landscape, traditional villages, unusual arts and crafts studios, and historical churches. You won't regret a minute of it.

A long winter

I knew that this past winter was a long and hard one in Santa Fe, and it looks like this hotel has plenty of firewood!

ABC Wednesday-"O"-Opera

Taken from the highway, one can see only a portion of the OPERA HOUSE. Frankly, I prefer the OLD design rather than this ONE, but I still love the OPERA season.

To see more ABC Wednesday photos posted by bloggers from around the world, click here: http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/?

"All of my favorite things"

What do I love about Santa Fe? In one word, everything!  To be specific: the history, the culture, the land, the  people, the art and crafts, the colour!

Pueblo Horno

Back to the Acoma Pueblo: An horno (pronounced or-no) is the name of the outdoor ovens found in many Pueblos.  I snapped a picture of this one during our tour of Acoma.  Looks like it's well-used. To find out more about the history of hornos, to get a bread recipe, and find links to help you build your very own horno, click here!

Where Am I?

While riding on the Railrunner between Santa Fe and Albuquerque I saw this old, abandoned building and just had to have a photograph. I was told later that no photos are allowed while travelling through pueblos. Because there are no clearly marked boundary lines and since I am unfamiliar with the landscape, I have no idea of the exact location. Since we were approaching the Santa Domingo (now renamed Kewa) Pueblo station, perhaps this was on their land.  No way of knowing, so I decided to post it today anyway.  Interesting place, isn't it?

No Adobes Here

When we take photos of cities that we live in or love to visit, we have a tendency to show all that is positive or that which enhances the landscape.  Not all neighborhoods in Santa Fe are graced with lovely old adobe homes. Reality dictates that housing must accommodate all income levels.  New Mexico seems to have a plethora of mobile homes, particularly on the outskirts of the cities and in rural areas. Some trailers are shabby, and the yard may be littered with rusted-out cars and equipment that really mars the landscape, but this photo which I took while riding the Railrunner on the way to Albuquerque shows a neat and well-maintained mobile park. Just keep in mind that not all New Mexicans can afford to rent or own in a neighborhood of adobe homes. Nothing wrong with mobile homes; some are really quite luxurious.

The Spanish Table

A shop called The Spanish Table on the corner of Guadalupe and San Francisco was one of my favorite haunts although I bought just a Tagine cookbook there. So many exotic and different kinds of cookware and spices that lined the shelves served as a constant source of interest to me.

St. Francis Hotel

My favorite hotel in Santa Fe is the St. Francis.(I also love the historic La Fonda).

History: The Hotel St. Francis, just a block off the Plaza, is the oldest hotel in Santa Fe. Recently renovated, The Hotel St. Francis is on the National Register of Historical Places and is a member of Historic Hotels of America. Recent renovation has given it a monastic theme. The staircase leading from the lobby is austere but beautiful. The rosary focuses on the religious history and heritage of New Mexico.

To learn more about this delightful hotel and to see more photos, check their website here.

ABC Wednesday-"N"-Navajo artist, David K. John #2

To see a full explanation of the artist, check yesterday's post.

"The first thing most viewer notice in one of John's large, beguiling acrylics is color. It's impossible to ignore.  Color fills the canvas...the hues are vivid, pulsating.  This is color that breathes and beats its chest. 'I like red, blue, yellow - the primary colors, ' John says. (Credit: handout from the Kiva Gallery).

ABC Wednesday "N"- Navajo artist

When I visited the Kiva Gallery I was drawn to these masks, by David K. John, a NAVAJO artist who began to draw while in grade school.  "Now one of the most accomplished Native American artists in the country at age 43, he feels depthless gratitude, he says, for both the deprivations and the glories of his childhood. 'In some ways,' John reflects, 'we didn't have anything.  By normal standards, we were very poor. But in other ways, we were really fortunate.  We had the earth, this beautiful land around us, and, thanks to my great-grandfather, we had our people's culture.  I got to know my heritage.  It's part of me. I couldn't be an artist without it.' He pauses. 'I couldn't even be me without it.' The man, his past, and his people's past are plaited into his art. 'It's all connected,' he says. 'That's what makes what I do so exciting. Everything is connected.' (Credit: handout from Kiva Gallery)

To see more ABC Wednesday "N" posts from around the world, click here.

Trees-Tent Rocks

This collage is the last of the series. Rock formations and the slot canyon are not the only things of beauty in Tent Rocks.  Many of the trees add another beautiful dimension to the area.

Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world.  ~John Muir

Slot Canyon-Tent Rocks #6

The path through the Slot Canyon can be very narrow!

Rachel Carson:

"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts."

Tent Rocks #5

The trail to the Slot Canyon is filled with many natural images. To learn more about this magical place, check back to my first post explaining Tent Rocks, click here. 

Rabindranath Tagore:

Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven.

Tent Rocks #4

More unusual formations with different shaped "tents." The whole place is totally awesome.

Linda Hogan: "There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story."

The Cave-Tent Rocks #3

The Cave is another interesting formation on a different path that leads to the Slot Canyon.

Path to Slot Canyon-Tent Rocks #2

On the path to Slot Canyon.  See yesterday's post for an explanation of this remarkable National Park.

ABC Wednesday "M": Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

The tent rocks were a little known site before their elevation to national monument status in January 2001, but now the area has improved access and facilities, and sees a steady stream of visitors. Kasha-Katuwe is a Keresan phrase meaning 'white cliffs', Keres being the traditional language of the pueblo tribes of northern New Mexico. The teepee-like formations cover a small area but are quite remarkable, unique in the Southwest - hundreds of white, pinkish or grey spires, sharply conical in shape, lacking any covering vegetation, that occur in several groups on the east side of Peralta Canyon, on the Pajarito Plateau 40 miles west of Santa Fe. For more information about this marvelous place, click here.

Randem of Santa Fe Daily Photo recently featured several photos of the area, and I'd like to add to his collection because visiting this area is a remarkable experience. If you want to visit, better hurry because I recently read in the New Mexican newspaper that the site will be closed during June and July, 2010 to upgrade the dirt road into the park to asphalt pavement, making the drive in more accessible. It is a national monument not to be missed, especially if you enjoy hiking and beauty!

To see how other bloggers from around the world approached ABC Wednesday, click here.

Vietnam Memorial in Santa Fe

Not far from the Plaza stands The Vietnam Memorial.  Although I tried to get more information regarding its conception and history, I could find no information on the internet. Perhaps someone can fill me in?!

 

The Lone Tree

Conran, our guide who is a member of the Pumpkin clan of Acoma Pueblo told us that the Cottonwood tree is the ONLY tree on the Acoma mesa.  It' quite old and obviously quite tenacious! The table under the tree holds pottery ready to be sold to the visiting tourists.
If you are unfamiliar with the mesa, check my earlier post here.

Camera Critters

This little critter and his brother (unseen behind the adobe wall) goes wild whenever we walk by and is beside himself when we pass while walking our dog.  Glad he's behind the wall!

To see more critters from around the world, check here.

New Mexico Roman Catholic Churches

The social and historical background of New Mexico has been largely influenced by the Roman Catholic Church.  As a result, cities, towns and villages have churches of various sizes and architecture.  To give you a sample, the collage reads clockwise from the top left: interior of the small church in Abiqui; the exterior of the church in Santa Cruz, probably built in 1733 or not long after, is the biggest and has been considered the best mission church in New Mexico; the church in Old Town, Albuquerque; and finally, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis Assisi in downtown Santa Fe. There are many, many more!

(We arrived home in St. Paul, Mn today, but  will continue to post on this blog 'til I exhaust all my photos.  Come visit me here, too!)

Ruben

Striding down the street, Ruben from Pecos Village was a true vision, a photographer's dream.  At age 68, he stays fit by doing a lot of walking.  He loves the fact that all the ladies loves his turquoise necklace.  I should have taken photos of all his rings, but, alas, I didn't; it was too much fun talking to him. Check the boots, too!

Santa Fe Artist Market

Outdoors on Saturdays many artist can be found selling their merchandise on the corner of Paseo de Peralta and Guadalupe. You can find clothing, jewelry, pottery, paintings, wool skeins, and photographs. DH has had a love affair with horses for a long time, and I knew that he would find the photographs quite compelling. Indeed, he bought two which will grace the walls of our home as soon as they are shipped and we get them framed!

ABC Wednesday: "L"-Ladders

The top photo shows a ladder that enters an underground Kiva in Pecos National Historical Park. Because the interior looked cold and damp in this weather I passed up a sign's invitation to enter and explore.  The bottom two photos were visible outside homes on the mesa of Acoma Pueblo where we recently spent a delightful afternoon.

To see more ABC posts from bloggers around the world, click here.

"Buffalo Dancer"

The 12 foot tall "Buffalo Dancer" sculpture designed by George Rivera greets guests outside the main Hilton entrance at Buffalo Thunder Resort.  The entire complex of Casino, Hilton Hotel, Homewood Suites, Golf Course, and restaurants is HUGE and quite impressive. The art work which I described on a previous post is very remarkable. I, nonetheless, have mixed feelings about all the Casinos that have sprung up on Native American land, especially in this part of the country. In my humble opinion, even when done in good taste they mar the landscape. From what I've learned, although some tribes have enjoyed significant financial income, not all the Casinos have benefited the Indians or the state coffers as originally planned. Some are not economically solvent and have enormous debts. I often wonder how much gambling addiction and crime result from these establishments? The Native Americans certainly deserve an improved lifestyle from the revenues to redress some of the terrible wrongs of the past.  A true conundrum!

Vietnam Memorial-Angel Fire, New Mexico

During this holy season of Easter and Passover, I'd like to dedicate today's post to those men and women who have served in Vietnam and will not be here to enjoy the holidays with their families.

Partially covered in snow, the Vietnam Memorial  near Angel Fire, New Mexico, is a strikingly, stark building which is sobering to view and experience. On the grounds are a  helicopter used during the war and a statue of a young soldier writing home. Objects in the small chapel have been left by loved ones.

 

At the sight of the heavenly throne

Ezekiel fell on his face,

but the voice of God

commanded, "Son of man, stand

upon your feet and I will speak with you."

 If we are to

stand on our feet in the

presence of God, what, then,

is one man that he should

debase the dignity of another?

by David Westphall, inscribed on the wall of the chapel.

To read a personal story and more photos about the memorial, how and why it was established by one set of grieving parents, click here.

Brett and "Deer Dancer"

I met Brett Chomer at the Buffalo Thunder Resort and Casino located just outside Santa Fe, where we went to see the art work positioned throughout the building. We chatted with Brett who was doing the annual cleaning and buffing of "Deer Dancer," a creation of artist George Rivera, who is also the Governor of Pueblo Pojoaque.  Brett is an artist himself and often helps complete the sculptures after Rivera has completed the designs and small figure-versions for the larger sculpted pieces. The contemporary and traditional pieces of art scattered throughout the complex is definitely worth a trip.

"For whom the bell tolls..."

'No Man is an Island'

by John Donne

No man is an island entire of itself...

Any man's death diminishes me,

because I am involved in mankind.

And therefore never send to know for whom

the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

"Construction of the Esteban del Rey Mission and Convento began in 1629 and continued through completion in 1640. The 2100 square foot adobe mission complex represents an extraordinary arduous construction process undertaken by the Acoma ancestors. Sole access to the mesa top was only by foot-hole paths until 1959. While the construction was overseen by resident Franciscan Friar Juan Ramirez it was the Acoma people themselves who followed and implemented traditional building methods to ensure that the creation would withstand time and erosion caused by the natural elements." (Credit: Sky City Cultural Center Brochure)

"Acoma's Sky City looms 370 feet above the desert floor. For almost 2,000 years, Sky City has served as the physical and spiritual homeland for the Acoma people. The history of the Acoma  people and the Pueblo dates back as early as 1100 A.D." (Credit: Sky City Cultural Center)

April Theme Day-Red

New Boots and a new Native Jacket...heavenly!!

"You keep saying you've got something for me.
something you call love, but confess.
You've been messin' where you shouldn't have been a messin'
and now someone else is gettin' all your best.


These boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do
one of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you.


You keep lying, when you oughta be truthin'
and you keep losin' when you oughta not bet.
You keep samin' when you oughta be changin'.
Now what's right is right, but you ain't been right yet.


These boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do
one of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you.


You keep playin' where you shouldn't be playin
and you keep thinkin' that you'll never get burnt.
Ha! I just found me a brand new box of matches yeah
and what he know you ain't HAD time to learn.


Are you ready boots? Start walkin'!

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