So far so good: GA, AL, MS, TN, AR, TX, NM, Road Trip!
May 8th, 2008, 08:42 PM
#23
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“What’s the most you’ve ever lost on a coin toss?”
Have you seen the movie No Country for Old Men? Much of it was filmed in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Particularly, in the Plaza Hotel on the historic plaza of this interesting old town.
Staying at the Plaza made me feel like I was in a Western, it’s a beautifully restored old place with a decent restaurant where we had dinner and breakfast the next morning.
It also has a friendly bar which is a hangout for locals, none of whom needed much encouragement to advise us about what to see and do in Las Vegas, or anyplace else you care to name. The Plaza Hotel is not plush or grand, it looks like it was plucked directly from the turn of the century, but it was fun. They say it’s haunted but I didn’t see the ghost.
We took a leisurely walk around the town plaza, peering into mostly closed (it was Sunday evening) shops and enjoying the superb New Mexico weather. The next day we explored the other , newer, side of town.
Newness is relative: the west side, where we stayed, was established in 1835. The “new” town grew up when the railroad came to town in about 1880. This tiny town has over 900 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. They have an excellent visitors center in the old railroad depot and the people there are glad to give you a map with directions around to some of the most historically significant buildings.
If you go, drive up to The Castle, just outside of town. Once an opulent hotel for visitors to the nearby natural hot springs, the castle (as it is referred to locally) is part of the campus of United World College.
We were unable to tour the campus as it was closed for exam week, but we visited a meditation chapel which was open to the public. I don’t think I’ve got what it takes to describe the chapel but I’ll try. Roundish in shape, austere white walls, stone floors, and windows which hold enormous prisms so that the light streaming in is refracted into rainbow spectra across the floor, walls and ceiling. Very beautiful. I have to assume that the display of light is constantly changing as the sun moves across the sky throughout the day and throughout the year.
Also, while you’re there, just off the road to the castle you’ll see the path leading to the natural hot springs. We checked them out and although I didn’t immerse myself fully, I rolled up my pants legs and soaked my sore ankle in the water. These pools are hot, hot, hot. But they are very beautiful and kept that way as a community service by the students at the college.
There was a guy there in the water up to his neck in the hottest of the pools, aside from him it was just us, with a view of the river and the scent of the lovely fragrant New Mexico air. Heavenly. By the way, we need to alert Fodor’s that there is a flaw in their system. There is no way for me to share the scent of the air here—it’s like perfume, spicy. And this wonderful dry air. It’s a very sensual experience.
Is this a taste of the New Mexico experience, right on our first day? We visited a historic town of the old west, we spent a few moments in a mystical new-age temple of light, we relaxed in a riverside natural hot spring.
Short drive coming up into Santa Fe. I look forward to writing about it. We are having a wonderful time exploring New Mexico.
Have you seen the movie No Country for Old Men? Much of it was filmed in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Particularly, in the Plaza Hotel on the historic plaza of this interesting old town.
Staying at the Plaza made me feel like I was in a Western, it’s a beautifully restored old place with a decent restaurant where we had dinner and breakfast the next morning.
It also has a friendly bar which is a hangout for locals, none of whom needed much encouragement to advise us about what to see and do in Las Vegas, or anyplace else you care to name. The Plaza Hotel is not plush or grand, it looks like it was plucked directly from the turn of the century, but it was fun. They say it’s haunted but I didn’t see the ghost.
We took a leisurely walk around the town plaza, peering into mostly closed (it was Sunday evening) shops and enjoying the superb New Mexico weather. The next day we explored the other , newer, side of town.
Newness is relative: the west side, where we stayed, was established in 1835. The “new” town grew up when the railroad came to town in about 1880. This tiny town has over 900 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. They have an excellent visitors center in the old railroad depot and the people there are glad to give you a map with directions around to some of the most historically significant buildings.
If you go, drive up to The Castle, just outside of town. Once an opulent hotel for visitors to the nearby natural hot springs, the castle (as it is referred to locally) is part of the campus of United World College.
We were unable to tour the campus as it was closed for exam week, but we visited a meditation chapel which was open to the public. I don’t think I’ve got what it takes to describe the chapel but I’ll try. Roundish in shape, austere white walls, stone floors, and windows which hold enormous prisms so that the light streaming in is refracted into rainbow spectra across the floor, walls and ceiling. Very beautiful. I have to assume that the display of light is constantly changing as the sun moves across the sky throughout the day and throughout the year.
Also, while you’re there, just off the road to the castle you’ll see the path leading to the natural hot springs. We checked them out and although I didn’t immerse myself fully, I rolled up my pants legs and soaked my sore ankle in the water. These pools are hot, hot, hot. But they are very beautiful and kept that way as a community service by the students at the college.
There was a guy there in the water up to his neck in the hottest of the pools, aside from him it was just us, with a view of the river and the scent of the lovely fragrant New Mexico air. Heavenly. By the way, we need to alert Fodor’s that there is a flaw in their system. There is no way for me to share the scent of the air here—it’s like perfume, spicy. And this wonderful dry air. It’s a very sensual experience.
Is this a taste of the New Mexico experience, right on our first day? We visited a historic town of the old west, we spent a few moments in a mystical new-age temple of light, we relaxed in a riverside natural hot spring.
Short drive coming up into Santa Fe. I look forward to writing about it. We are having a wonderful time exploring New Mexico.
May 8th, 2008, 09:36 PM
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To add some things about Las Vegas, I am a Cormac McCarthy junkie and read No Country for Old Men when it hit the bookstores and then saw the movie in Plano on an early release with our friend Rick who was mentioned earlier. Then I saw it again with O home in Atlanta when it was released nationally. Quite a lot of the movie was filmed in Las Vegas and here’s a link on the particulars (click on the 2nd part of the link - Foders is double posting URLs for some reason):
http://www.mytinyvegasforum.com/bbpress/
The Plaza Hotel was redone for the movie to make it look shabby, especially the lobby. The movie company paid to restore it to its current state which is a little oasis in the west. But the beds are the same – no king or queen in our room – a full. But it was fine. And free WiFi – who would have figured?
The hotel bar was a hangout for locals of old town (west Las Vegas). As O posted, there is West Las Vegas (pre RR) and East Las Vegas (RR) which were 2 different municipalities until recently. Apparently there is still some friction between the 2 sides of the Gallinas River which is the border. As one of the locals in the bar told me, there’s nothing to see in east LV. LOL.
On the United World College, we saw signs posted on the campus warning the students that a mountain lion was sighted on a county road in the area. And that the bears were back. No tigers though, oh my
The springs O mentioned were really cool, I mean hot. The fellow who shared it with us was Indian and that was the first time we noticed the accent of local people in the area. After a couple of days it hit us . . . they sounded like people from the movie Fargo. Maybe we have the Coen brothers on the mind, but that’s what we heard. It surprised us to say the least.
http://www.mytinyvegasforum.com/bbpress/
The Plaza Hotel was redone for the movie to make it look shabby, especially the lobby. The movie company paid to restore it to its current state which is a little oasis in the west. But the beds are the same – no king or queen in our room – a full. But it was fine. And free WiFi – who would have figured?
The hotel bar was a hangout for locals of old town (west Las Vegas). As O posted, there is West Las Vegas (pre RR) and East Las Vegas (RR) which were 2 different municipalities until recently. Apparently there is still some friction between the 2 sides of the Gallinas River which is the border. As one of the locals in the bar told me, there’s nothing to see in east LV. LOL.
On the United World College, we saw signs posted on the campus warning the students that a mountain lion was sighted on a county road in the area. And that the bears were back. No tigers though, oh my
The springs O mentioned were really cool, I mean hot. The fellow who shared it with us was Indian and that was the first time we noticed the accent of local people in the area. After a couple of days it hit us . . . they sounded like people from the movie Fargo. Maybe we have the Coen brothers on the mind, but that’s what we heard. It surprised us to say the least.
May 9th, 2008, 02:39 AM
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You visited two of my favourite places on my Rte 66 drive - Palo Duro and Las Vegas. I am so glad you enjoyed them both!
We were in Palo Duro in March 2002 and enjoyed a picnic there, but we too heard about the flash floods. And we will be in Las Vegas next week
staying at the Plaza. Leave on Sunday yipee!
Looking forward to the next instalment from you both.
We were in Palo Duro in March 2002 and enjoyed a picnic there, but we too heard about the flash floods. And we will be in Las Vegas next week
staying at the Plaza. Leave on Sunday yipee!Looking forward to the next instalment from you both.
May 9th, 2008, 12:28 PM
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I'm enjoying your report, Olive Oil!
So sweet of you and emd to remember my trip reports, thank you! I don't think i finished the last one and i now have two more to write...
Anyway, your trip sounds like great fun. And SO glad you escaped the tornados too, so scary!
RE palo duro canyon - we were impressed with it and the lush green next to a variety of red rock. We did texas as part of our '99 out west trip and also loved the big steak house place - name escapes me - definitely touristy, great fun and the steaks were pretty good!
Looking forward to your next chapter, olive and bill
So sweet of you and emd to remember my trip reports, thank you! I don't think i finished the last one and i now have two more to write...
Anyway, your trip sounds like great fun. And SO glad you escaped the tornados too, so scary!
RE palo duro canyon - we were impressed with it and the lush green next to a variety of red rock. We did texas as part of our '99 out west trip and also loved the big steak house place - name escapes me - definitely touristy, great fun and the steaks were pretty good!
Looking forward to your next chapter, olive and bill
May 9th, 2008, 04:03 PM
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>>beachgirl . . . in Santa Fe, the restaurant servers let you mix red and green chili ... they call it in to the kitchen as Christmas.<<
Yup! You've covered the Official State Question ("Red or green?") and the Official State Answer ("Christmas.")
Glad you enjoyed your time in "the original Las Vegas," as my friend who lives there likes to call it.
Lee Ann
Yup! You've covered the Official State Question ("Red or green?") and the Official State Answer ("Christmas.")
Glad you enjoyed your time in "the original Las Vegas," as my friend who lives there likes to call it.
Lee Ann
May 9th, 2008, 06:23 PM
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Ellen, the steak house you referenced in Amarillo I think is called the Big Texan or something like that. I should remember since we passed like a hundred billboards with their offer: Free 72 ounce steak. In the fine print, it's free if you can finish it in one hour. LOL!
May 10th, 2008, 04:23 PM
#30
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Santa Fe, at last!
We arrived in Santa Fe at last and easily found our way to the casita we rented through VRBO.
I’d never used VRBO before and I was a little nervous, it’s not like checking in to a Marriott Courtyard. But everything was exactly as advertised, the keyless entry lock opened with the code I had been provided via email, and the little two-room house was clean, well-appointed and just right for our one-week stay.
On a long trip like this it can be wearying to eat every meal at restaurants or out of a cooler, and wearying to live out of a suitcase. So the little house fits the bill.
We unloaded our car and stocked up on essentials from the nearby Whole Foods, things like coffee, milk and fresh fruit. A little wine, a little cheese, a patio, an outdoor hot tub…who even needs to see Santa Fe? Just kidding, but it is great to have our own little home.
The casita is located at 619 Gomez Road, near Paseo de Peralta where it intersects with Cerillos. This is a little further from the plaza than I had been led to believe by the booking agent but as it turns out it is not a problem.
We are alternating days in Santa Fe with day trips beyond the city and so far have only had to pay for parking twice. There is free off-street parking here at the casita. I can see where dealing with a car might be a real headache here in high season but for this week at least it’s been fine.
I’ve got to tell you about our wonderful introduction to Santa Fe. It couldn’t have been better.
We had planned to follow the self guided plaza area walk we found on Frommer’s, but at the last minute I found Historic Walks of Santa Fe on the convention and visitors bureau website.
The tour is $12 pp (includes Loretto Chapel, which normally has a fee, maybe $2.50) and leaves from the lobby of La Fonda Inn, right on the plaza. La Fonda’s lobby is worth seeing in its own right.
Our tour guide, Maria Martinez, is a New Mexico native for untold generations, she is from Chimayo and convinced us to visit there en route to Taos but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Her tour was scheduled to last about an hour and a half, but ran longer as she warmed to her subject and shared not only the historical facts, but theories, gossip, rumor and unfettered opinion. In short, she was great!
The walking tour took us to the Palace of the governors and its portal where the native Americans sell their art jewelry, the Cathedral, the Plaza, Sena Plaza (or perhaps it is Sena courtyard,) Loretto Chapel with its spiral staircase, the Museum of Fine Arts with its St. Francis auditorium, and several interesting old houses. All the while, our guide provided insight into the long history of Santa Fe and some of its more colorful inhabitants.
There are plenty of interesting-looking tours of Santa Fe, including an “art tour” run from the museum, but our guide really made the history come alive for us. Her other strength was pointing out examples of Santa Fe’s architectural traditions. Personally, I like a guide with a point of view, and Maria was not reluctant to share hers!
We had a great lunch afterwards at the Guadelupe Inn, a cheerful crowded spot right across the street from the visitors’ center. You should have seen the waiter’s eyes when he brought a basket of small square and very hot objects to our table and I asked him what they were. He looked at me like I had asked what was the name of the big yellow orb in the sky. That was my introduction to Sopaipilla. And they were mighty good.
There was a convenient 15 minute wait for a table; convenient cause it was just long enough to zip across to the very friendly folks at the visitor center and pick up some maps and brochures. Those allowed us to do some walking around, to the post office for example, to get some stamps for our postcards. Even that trip to the PO was a funny SF experience. Despite the longish line, no one was in a hurry, the lady ahead of us was describing to the PO clerk in great detail what she was sending to her grandchildren (T-shirts) in order to decide if she needed insurance. It’s a very laid back place.
The weather, by the way, has been superb. Warm sun, cool air, and that marvelous scent in the air. The lilacs and wisteria are in bloom and, as promised by a Fodorite, they look lovely against the adobe. There has been some cloud cover at night, but when it is clear you can see the stars from the hot tub. It is chilly in the mornings but I bring my coffee out to the patio anyway. How did I wait so long to get here?
We arrived in Santa Fe at last and easily found our way to the casita we rented through VRBO.
I’d never used VRBO before and I was a little nervous, it’s not like checking in to a Marriott Courtyard. But everything was exactly as advertised, the keyless entry lock opened with the code I had been provided via email, and the little two-room house was clean, well-appointed and just right for our one-week stay.
On a long trip like this it can be wearying to eat every meal at restaurants or out of a cooler, and wearying to live out of a suitcase. So the little house fits the bill.
We unloaded our car and stocked up on essentials from the nearby Whole Foods, things like coffee, milk and fresh fruit. A little wine, a little cheese, a patio, an outdoor hot tub…who even needs to see Santa Fe? Just kidding, but it is great to have our own little home.
The casita is located at 619 Gomez Road, near Paseo de Peralta where it intersects with Cerillos. This is a little further from the plaza than I had been led to believe by the booking agent but as it turns out it is not a problem.
We are alternating days in Santa Fe with day trips beyond the city and so far have only had to pay for parking twice. There is free off-street parking here at the casita. I can see where dealing with a car might be a real headache here in high season but for this week at least it’s been fine.
I’ve got to tell you about our wonderful introduction to Santa Fe. It couldn’t have been better.
We had planned to follow the self guided plaza area walk we found on Frommer’s, but at the last minute I found Historic Walks of Santa Fe on the convention and visitors bureau website.
The tour is $12 pp (includes Loretto Chapel, which normally has a fee, maybe $2.50) and leaves from the lobby of La Fonda Inn, right on the plaza. La Fonda’s lobby is worth seeing in its own right.
Our tour guide, Maria Martinez, is a New Mexico native for untold generations, she is from Chimayo and convinced us to visit there en route to Taos but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Her tour was scheduled to last about an hour and a half, but ran longer as she warmed to her subject and shared not only the historical facts, but theories, gossip, rumor and unfettered opinion. In short, she was great!
The walking tour took us to the Palace of the governors and its portal where the native Americans sell their art jewelry, the Cathedral, the Plaza, Sena Plaza (or perhaps it is Sena courtyard,) Loretto Chapel with its spiral staircase, the Museum of Fine Arts with its St. Francis auditorium, and several interesting old houses. All the while, our guide provided insight into the long history of Santa Fe and some of its more colorful inhabitants.
There are plenty of interesting-looking tours of Santa Fe, including an “art tour” run from the museum, but our guide really made the history come alive for us. Her other strength was pointing out examples of Santa Fe’s architectural traditions. Personally, I like a guide with a point of view, and Maria was not reluctant to share hers!
We had a great lunch afterwards at the Guadelupe Inn, a cheerful crowded spot right across the street from the visitors’ center. You should have seen the waiter’s eyes when he brought a basket of small square and very hot objects to our table and I asked him what they were. He looked at me like I had asked what was the name of the big yellow orb in the sky. That was my introduction to Sopaipilla. And they were mighty good.
There was a convenient 15 minute wait for a table; convenient cause it was just long enough to zip across to the very friendly folks at the visitor center and pick up some maps and brochures. Those allowed us to do some walking around, to the post office for example, to get some stamps for our postcards. Even that trip to the PO was a funny SF experience. Despite the longish line, no one was in a hurry, the lady ahead of us was describing to the PO clerk in great detail what she was sending to her grandchildren (T-shirts) in order to decide if she needed insurance. It’s a very laid back place.
The weather, by the way, has been superb. Warm sun, cool air, and that marvelous scent in the air. The lilacs and wisteria are in bloom and, as promised by a Fodorite, they look lovely against the adobe. There has been some cloud cover at night, but when it is clear you can see the stars from the hot tub. It is chilly in the mornings but I bring my coffee out to the patio anyway. How did I wait so long to get here?
May 10th, 2008, 05:56 PM
#31
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YEAH, Santa Fe! I've been waiting for this part!!
I like the location of the casita. I know exactly where Cerillos intersects Paseo de la Peralta from my trip to SF last month. It is far enough to be away from the crowds, but not too far.
And did you see that the Whole Foods has a massage person over by the coffee bar? I've never seen a massage booth in a grocery store, even Whole Foods. There is also a good and large Trader Joes w/great wine on St. Fancis as you drive in, not far from where you are.
That tour sounds good as an orientation to Santa Fe. Will have to check it out when I take my family back there next year.
So glad you have the casita to come home to start your days and at the end of your days.
If you like live music, try El Farol out about 2 miles on Canyon Rd. GREAT live music in their bar 7 nights a wk. I saw blues, rock, and latin music in my 3 nights there, and the locals are great. The restaurant there is tapas and also a Spanish influenced menu of entrees in the restaurant, and it is very good- and I love their outdoor patio in back. The bar where the live music is has good food also, and man, that place hops. Friendly locals there.
http://www.elfarolsf.com/index.asp?ID=7
I also went hiking on the easy trails at the Audobon Center a little further up Canyon Rd., where it turns into Upper Canyon Rd. A nice trail that followed a stream into a canyon, and a loop trail that had some nice views. Easy to do in athletic shoes, no hiking boots required.
Wow, wisteria and lilacs. More, more! I am hanging on this report now!
I like the location of the casita. I know exactly where Cerillos intersects Paseo de la Peralta from my trip to SF last month. It is far enough to be away from the crowds, but not too far.
And did you see that the Whole Foods has a massage person over by the coffee bar? I've never seen a massage booth in a grocery store, even Whole Foods. There is also a good and large Trader Joes w/great wine on St. Fancis as you drive in, not far from where you are.
That tour sounds good as an orientation to Santa Fe. Will have to check it out when I take my family back there next year.
So glad you have the casita to come home to start your days and at the end of your days.
If you like live music, try El Farol out about 2 miles on Canyon Rd. GREAT live music in their bar 7 nights a wk. I saw blues, rock, and latin music in my 3 nights there, and the locals are great. The restaurant there is tapas and also a Spanish influenced menu of entrees in the restaurant, and it is very good- and I love their outdoor patio in back. The bar where the live music is has good food also, and man, that place hops. Friendly locals there.
http://www.elfarolsf.com/index.asp?ID=7
I also went hiking on the easy trails at the Audobon Center a little further up Canyon Rd., where it turns into Upper Canyon Rd. A nice trail that followed a stream into a canyon, and a loop trail that had some nice views. Easy to do in athletic shoes, no hiking boots required.
Wow, wisteria and lilacs. More, more! I am hanging on this report now!
May 10th, 2008, 08:42 PM
#32
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Thanks for reading, emd, and thanks for the note about the Audobon place. I will check it out.
We have found the Trader Joe's, I like it better than Whole Foods. It works really well here with the casita, we've been enjoying biggish lunches and it's nice to pick up something light for supper.
We have found the Trader Joe's, I like it better than Whole Foods. It works really well here with the casita, we've been enjoying biggish lunches and it's nice to pick up something light for supper.
May 10th, 2008, 08:45 PM
#33
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Some notes about Canyon Road.
Almost anyone you speak to in Santa Fe will remind you that it is the second (or is it the third?) largest art market in the USA (or is it the world?)
Anyway you look at it, there’s a lot of art. Galleries and gift shops, ultra-high-end and curios, tons of shops clustered around the plaza, and just as many more spread throughout the city. Also, impromptu curb-side crafts markets and finds at flea markets. And crowning it all, there is Canyon Road.
It’s only a short distance, but within that distance there are more than 100 galleries and the variety is vast: native American traditional art, abstract art, early 20th century art, contemporary art. Many artists are local and many are from places far away.
This will sound silly but to enjoy the gallery hopping, you need to actually enter the galleries. This isn’t a purely window-shopping experience. The individual galleries are often enclosed buildings, without the storefronts you may be used to in more urban areas. Some seem more inviting than others.
And the quantity and variety can be hard to take in. The experience sort of reminded me of wine tasting in the Napa Valley or visiting a shop selling perfumes, you can only handle so much.
I suppose if you are a serious buyer you will know in advance what you want to explore. For the average tourist (like me) I think you should set your expectations on enjoying the walk, and certainly not try to see everything you encounter.
I can say this, browsing Canyon Road was an interesting and stimulating experience. I was in no danger of buying anything: this was serious art, with serious price tags. But each gallery I visited was staffed with gracious people who seemed happy to answer questions and to tell you about the artists they represented.
Luckily, there are also plenty of places to stop to catch your breath and refresh yourself. We had a lovely lunch at Mateo. There’s an outside patio where you can watch the other art lovers walk by.
In summary, I’d say don’t skip a stroll along Canyon Road. You probable have never seen anything like it. And after all, isn’t that why we travel?
One more thing, wear comfortable shoes.
Almost anyone you speak to in Santa Fe will remind you that it is the second (or is it the third?) largest art market in the USA (or is it the world?)
Anyway you look at it, there’s a lot of art. Galleries and gift shops, ultra-high-end and curios, tons of shops clustered around the plaza, and just as many more spread throughout the city. Also, impromptu curb-side crafts markets and finds at flea markets. And crowning it all, there is Canyon Road.
It’s only a short distance, but within that distance there are more than 100 galleries and the variety is vast: native American traditional art, abstract art, early 20th century art, contemporary art. Many artists are local and many are from places far away.
This will sound silly but to enjoy the gallery hopping, you need to actually enter the galleries. This isn’t a purely window-shopping experience. The individual galleries are often enclosed buildings, without the storefronts you may be used to in more urban areas. Some seem more inviting than others.
And the quantity and variety can be hard to take in. The experience sort of reminded me of wine tasting in the Napa Valley or visiting a shop selling perfumes, you can only handle so much.
I suppose if you are a serious buyer you will know in advance what you want to explore. For the average tourist (like me) I think you should set your expectations on enjoying the walk, and certainly not try to see everything you encounter.
I can say this, browsing Canyon Road was an interesting and stimulating experience. I was in no danger of buying anything: this was serious art, with serious price tags. But each gallery I visited was staffed with gracious people who seemed happy to answer questions and to tell you about the artists they represented.
Luckily, there are also plenty of places to stop to catch your breath and refresh yourself. We had a lovely lunch at Mateo. There’s an outside patio where you can watch the other art lovers walk by.
In summary, I’d say don’t skip a stroll along Canyon Road. You probable have never seen anything like it. And after all, isn’t that why we travel?
One more thing, wear comfortable shoes.
May 10th, 2008, 08:47 PM
#34
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emd, many thanks for the tips. We hit Whole Foods (Whole Paycheck) the first night we were in town. It was only 2 blocks away. But Trader Joe's was a great find for us . . 4 blocks away. That's been our source for cooking out at the casita - much more reasonable. NTM, their wine deals are great. It's funny but we had a Trader Joe's open up in ATL about a year ago and checked it out and weren't impressed. Our views have changed after this trip
May 10th, 2008, 08:56 PM
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Santa Fe is such a great base for day trips. O and I rented a casita for 7 nights in Santa Fe and the official SF visitors guide lists 5 day trips from Santa Fe. Since we had already come in from Las Vegas (NM), we could eliminate that one. Taos was a must see, so that was the first one we tried – “North to Taos,” only 160 miles round trip.
Sounds like a piece of cake, right? It took us 10 hours.
The tour info said to pay attention as you can easily get lost. We got lost half a dozen times . . . but they turned into adventures of their own.
Basically, you take the high road to Taos and come back on the highway (Route 68). First destination was Chimayo to see El Santuario, the Lourdes of America. NTM our tour guide from Santa Fe, Maria, was born in Chimayo and said her great, great, etc. grandfather built that church – we must see it!
Well, I missed the cutoff to Chimayo and went through some tiny 1 lane town and dead ended into a lake which wasn’t on the map. We did a 180 and eventually found Chimayo. El Santuario is well worth the trip.
We happened to stumble in as they were doing 11:00 mass, which is a daily ritual here. We listened to the offertory by the local citizens which was very moving. The structure is amazing.
Our next stop was the Chimayo museum. It’s a little tricky to find as it sits hidden behind a large weaving store, but well worth the trip. Chimayo, unlike other plazas in NM is still inhabited by descendents of the original walled community. The curator was wonderful as she took us through the museum, mainly old photographs and exhibits which preserve the history of this place. When we told her our wonderful guide in SF, Mario told us her great, great, etc. grandfather build the church, our curator laughed and said everybody in NM says they are related to the builder. This is a theme that has played out several times during this trip . . . when we told Maria in SF how the locals in Las Vegas talked about all the movies made there, Maria said they all say that . . they were made in Santa Fe. LOL!
The weaving shop by the museum is worth a stop as well. O and I purchased some turquoise colored place mats (they call them blankets) which were a nice souvenir. They have beautiful weaved products.
Leaving Chimayo we headed up route 76 into the mountains and several farming communities. My next navigational screw up occurred in either Truchas or Las Trampas. It was a tiny farming village with dwellings right on the road, perched on a cliff. Anyway, I blow through the town at 15 MPH and the next thing I know is we’re on a dirt road with cow s*** every 25 feet. Some fellow in a cowboy hat and pickup truck, who looks like Danny Trejo
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001803/
approaches and we both slow down and I ask him if this is the interstate. He says, “You messed up.” He laughed and we had a nice conversation from which he surmised that we were headed to Taos.
Anyway, we backtracked to town and I decided I better fill up the ol’ gas tank. I get out of the car and proceed to self serve, and a kid runs out and says I’ll handle that. The only place you can get full service these days is on a reservation. We appreciated it.
We’re back on the road and finally headed to Taos. It’s raining and we’re hungry. We stop at the visitor center and the nice people give us guide and mark out some lunch suggestions. We head to the plaza and park (free parking for 2 hours – nice) and find a restaurant on the plaza that’s still serving lunch after 2 PM. Fortified, we headed up to the Taos Pueblo which is only a few miles away.
We arrive at the Taos Pueblo at 3:15 and learn there is a tour starting at 3:30. There is a charge to get into the pueblo, but the tour is free – tips accepted. Our tour guide was a beautiful 20 year old woman named Red Coral Flower who had a presence about her which made even the little old ladies in our group deferential in their questions. She was dressed in traditional garb including moccasins. It was a fantastic tour. The Taos Pueblo Indians speak Tiwi and our guide spoke it for us – a language that is not written down but verbally handed down from generation to generation. There are around 100 people who live full time in the pueblo. There is no electricity or plumbing. The 5 story dwellings are 1,000 years old. Other members live in town with modern conveniences, although many will spend time in the pueblo for extended time periods.
The final part of our day worth mentioning was a 6 mile or so drive out to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. It’s another must see experience. We saw Big Horn Sheep on the cliffs. When you approach the bridge, park and walk across to the middle of the bridge which has 2 observation points. Then get back in your car and drive across the bridge to the rest area on the left where you have a better view of the bridge structure and there are trails that take you to the rim. There are also facilities on that side.
From there we backtracked through Taos and headed back to Santa Fe via highway 68. We could have made many more stops than we did but it still ate up 10 hours. But we had a blast.
Sounds like a piece of cake, right? It took us 10 hours.
The tour info said to pay attention as you can easily get lost. We got lost half a dozen times . . . but they turned into adventures of their own.
Basically, you take the high road to Taos and come back on the highway (Route 68). First destination was Chimayo to see El Santuario, the Lourdes of America. NTM our tour guide from Santa Fe, Maria, was born in Chimayo and said her great, great, etc. grandfather built that church – we must see it!
Well, I missed the cutoff to Chimayo and went through some tiny 1 lane town and dead ended into a lake which wasn’t on the map. We did a 180 and eventually found Chimayo. El Santuario is well worth the trip.
We happened to stumble in as they were doing 11:00 mass, which is a daily ritual here. We listened to the offertory by the local citizens which was very moving. The structure is amazing.
Our next stop was the Chimayo museum. It’s a little tricky to find as it sits hidden behind a large weaving store, but well worth the trip. Chimayo, unlike other plazas in NM is still inhabited by descendents of the original walled community. The curator was wonderful as she took us through the museum, mainly old photographs and exhibits which preserve the history of this place. When we told her our wonderful guide in SF, Mario told us her great, great, etc. grandfather build the church, our curator laughed and said everybody in NM says they are related to the builder. This is a theme that has played out several times during this trip . . . when we told Maria in SF how the locals in Las Vegas talked about all the movies made there, Maria said they all say that . . they were made in Santa Fe. LOL!
The weaving shop by the museum is worth a stop as well. O and I purchased some turquoise colored place mats (they call them blankets) which were a nice souvenir. They have beautiful weaved products.
Leaving Chimayo we headed up route 76 into the mountains and several farming communities. My next navigational screw up occurred in either Truchas or Las Trampas. It was a tiny farming village with dwellings right on the road, perched on a cliff. Anyway, I blow through the town at 15 MPH and the next thing I know is we’re on a dirt road with cow s*** every 25 feet. Some fellow in a cowboy hat and pickup truck, who looks like Danny Trejo
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001803/
approaches and we both slow down and I ask him if this is the interstate. He says, “You messed up.” He laughed and we had a nice conversation from which he surmised that we were headed to Taos.
Anyway, we backtracked to town and I decided I better fill up the ol’ gas tank. I get out of the car and proceed to self serve, and a kid runs out and says I’ll handle that. The only place you can get full service these days is on a reservation. We appreciated it.
We’re back on the road and finally headed to Taos. It’s raining and we’re hungry. We stop at the visitor center and the nice people give us guide and mark out some lunch suggestions. We head to the plaza and park (free parking for 2 hours – nice) and find a restaurant on the plaza that’s still serving lunch after 2 PM. Fortified, we headed up to the Taos Pueblo which is only a few miles away.
We arrive at the Taos Pueblo at 3:15 and learn there is a tour starting at 3:30. There is a charge to get into the pueblo, but the tour is free – tips accepted. Our tour guide was a beautiful 20 year old woman named Red Coral Flower who had a presence about her which made even the little old ladies in our group deferential in their questions. She was dressed in traditional garb including moccasins. It was a fantastic tour. The Taos Pueblo Indians speak Tiwi and our guide spoke it for us – a language that is not written down but verbally handed down from generation to generation. There are around 100 people who live full time in the pueblo. There is no electricity or plumbing. The 5 story dwellings are 1,000 years old. Other members live in town with modern conveniences, although many will spend time in the pueblo for extended time periods.
The final part of our day worth mentioning was a 6 mile or so drive out to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. It’s another must see experience. We saw Big Horn Sheep on the cliffs. When you approach the bridge, park and walk across to the middle of the bridge which has 2 observation points. Then get back in your car and drive across the bridge to the rest area on the left where you have a better view of the bridge structure and there are trails that take you to the rim. There are also facilities on that side.
From there we backtracked through Taos and headed back to Santa Fe via highway 68. We could have made many more stops than we did but it still ate up 10 hours. But we had a blast.
May 11th, 2008, 08:12 AM
#36
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Your day sounds full and wonderful! You have good luck stumbling on the good tours and guides.
I have seen recommendations to do Taos as on overnight trip, and I guess tihs is why- lots of Pueblos along the way, getting lost, and lots in Taos also. Of course you had your casita to go home to...but I might tack on an extra overnight for Taos to our week in Santa Fe.
I have seen recommendations to do Taos as on overnight trip, and I guess tihs is why- lots of Pueblos along the way, getting lost, and lots in Taos also. Of course you had your casita to go home to...but I might tack on an extra overnight for Taos to our week in Santa Fe.
May 11th, 2008, 09:11 AM
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OO and BB, this is JG from Croissant Park. Your trip sounds great. It received a lot of talk at Uncle Jay's birthday dinner last night, and I was determined to find it online. I would love to do a road trip soon...we'll have to compare notes/suggestions.
I hope your fun continues.
I hope your fun continues.
May 20th, 2008, 08:50 AM
#38
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Our next day trip from Santa Fe would take us to the Bandelier National Monument and Las Alamos. Another 160 mile round tripper, so we decided to get an earlier start and were on the road by 8:30 AM. The drive to Bandelier is interesting – you pass a number of fenced off military labs that are identified only by different area numbers – apparently this was connected to the Manhattan project and closed to the public during WWII.
Luckily we arrived at Bandelier just in time to take the guided walking tour through the pueblo settlements which were build almost 1,000 years ago. The visitors center and roads where built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. You can do a self guided tour but you miss a lot not having a knowledgeable park ranger to answer your questions. The ranger took us through the walled settlement on the canyon floor which included the remains of kivas – circular structures below ground level where the elders handed down their language and traditions through story telling. Like the Taos Pueblo Indians, the language is not written down – it must be passed down to future generations. This was done in the winter time, when it was too cold to hunt and the crops had already been harvested and stored. The ranger pointed out a particular shrub which grows where the ground has been disturbed – it points the way for archeologists to dig up settlement remains (including graves which is why the Park Service reached an agreement with the Tribe to cease further excavations). Our ranger also described how rope was made from the local yucca plant and did a nice job explaining life in the pueblo back in those days.
The main loop trail is 1.2 miles, not including a trip up to the cliff walls to the cavates (caves which were carved out of the soft rock). These are quite amazing to see and you can enter the various cavetes via ladders. The roofs of the cavetes were blackened by torches and the floor was ground smooth as glass. The views from here wonderful. There are also petroglyphs along the cliff walls. There are other trails available, and picnic tables aplenty – this would be a nice destination to spend the day, but we moved on after 2 hours or so.
Next stop was Los Alamos. You pass over a mountain range (10,000 feet) filled with ponderosa pines to get there. Besides the fabulous views and elk crossing signs, we saw snow banks in the shady areas. It’s very remote. You enter the town through a single security gate. You leave the town through a bank of maybe 10 or so security gates arranged like a giant toll booth – clearly they’re more concerned with people leaving! It’s currently home to 4,000 scientists and their families. Los Alamos is responsible for safeguarding our nuclear stockpile and developing new weapon systems, among other things. It’s a very strange place.
After stopping off at the tourist center, we had a late lunch at the Central Avenue Grill, which was outstanding. It was a short walk to the Los Alamos Historical Museum. It contains a wealth of artifacts and exhibits that explain the background and work that took place here. For example, among the many interesting letters was one written to FDR by Albert Einstein, describing the nuclear threat and urging the US to lead an effort among the allies to establish a research facility ASAP. The panoramic photos of the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were sobering to say the least.
Our next stop was the Bradbury Science Museum, just down the street. No, not Ray Bradbury . . . that’d be the Science Fiction Museum . . . lol! It’s named after Norris E. Bradbury who was the research facility’s 2nd director from 1945 until 1970. There is a 15 minute film that runs every 30 minutes in the auditorium which is the first thing to check out – it provides an excellent history of the time with historic footage – really well done. There are a lot of hands on exhibits here including content on current projects. Bottom line, if you like science, the Bradbury museum will appeal to you. O and I prefer history and found the Historical Museum more interesting. Both are free.
By now it’s almost 5 PM and we still have a drive ahead of us to get back to our casita in Santa Fe. We go through a beautiful stretch of country through the Jemez valley. Along the way, we have our first encounter with New Mexico's finest. Off the Interstate, the speed limits change constantly from 65-55-45-35-30-25-20-10 as you go through various areas. I wasn't paying attention (scenery) and get pulled over by a police pickup truck just outside Jemez Springs. Officer comes up and says he clocked me doing 47 in a 35. I say I didn't see the 35 sign. He says it was 3 miles back. Oops. Then he goes on to ask me about our trip (GA plates and all) and I do my best to describe what a beautiful state this is . . . then he asks me for license, registration, insurance. Goes back to his truck. Meanwhile I'm doing the mental calculations - 1-8 miles over = fine. 9 -14 over = bigger fine. We have almost no cash on us – some states used to expect you to pay cash on the spot. And it's taking forever - not a good sign. Finally, I look in my rear view mirror and both officers get out and slowly approach our vehicle from both sides with their hands on their night sticks. Not looking good. The officer I talked to approaches my side and says he has 3 outstanding warrants and they have to arrest me. O gasps! I'm thinking identity theft. After getting the reaction he sought, he laughs and says, "Nah, you're driving record is totally clean, I'm just going to let you off with a warning. It won't affect your driving record". He hands me the warning paper and says, “Here’s a souvenir from New Mexico.” Needless to say I was on the lookout for the speed limits the rest of the way back to Santa Fe. Whew! We got back to the casita around 7 PM. It was nice having the hot tub at the casita to relax after another action packed day.
Luckily we arrived at Bandelier just in time to take the guided walking tour through the pueblo settlements which were build almost 1,000 years ago. The visitors center and roads where built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. You can do a self guided tour but you miss a lot not having a knowledgeable park ranger to answer your questions. The ranger took us through the walled settlement on the canyon floor which included the remains of kivas – circular structures below ground level where the elders handed down their language and traditions through story telling. Like the Taos Pueblo Indians, the language is not written down – it must be passed down to future generations. This was done in the winter time, when it was too cold to hunt and the crops had already been harvested and stored. The ranger pointed out a particular shrub which grows where the ground has been disturbed – it points the way for archeologists to dig up settlement remains (including graves which is why the Park Service reached an agreement with the Tribe to cease further excavations). Our ranger also described how rope was made from the local yucca plant and did a nice job explaining life in the pueblo back in those days.
The main loop trail is 1.2 miles, not including a trip up to the cliff walls to the cavates (caves which were carved out of the soft rock). These are quite amazing to see and you can enter the various cavetes via ladders. The roofs of the cavetes were blackened by torches and the floor was ground smooth as glass. The views from here wonderful. There are also petroglyphs along the cliff walls. There are other trails available, and picnic tables aplenty – this would be a nice destination to spend the day, but we moved on after 2 hours or so.
Next stop was Los Alamos. You pass over a mountain range (10,000 feet) filled with ponderosa pines to get there. Besides the fabulous views and elk crossing signs, we saw snow banks in the shady areas. It’s very remote. You enter the town through a single security gate. You leave the town through a bank of maybe 10 or so security gates arranged like a giant toll booth – clearly they’re more concerned with people leaving! It’s currently home to 4,000 scientists and their families. Los Alamos is responsible for safeguarding our nuclear stockpile and developing new weapon systems, among other things. It’s a very strange place.
After stopping off at the tourist center, we had a late lunch at the Central Avenue Grill, which was outstanding. It was a short walk to the Los Alamos Historical Museum. It contains a wealth of artifacts and exhibits that explain the background and work that took place here. For example, among the many interesting letters was one written to FDR by Albert Einstein, describing the nuclear threat and urging the US to lead an effort among the allies to establish a research facility ASAP. The panoramic photos of the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were sobering to say the least.
Our next stop was the Bradbury Science Museum, just down the street. No, not Ray Bradbury . . . that’d be the Science Fiction Museum . . . lol! It’s named after Norris E. Bradbury who was the research facility’s 2nd director from 1945 until 1970. There is a 15 minute film that runs every 30 minutes in the auditorium which is the first thing to check out – it provides an excellent history of the time with historic footage – really well done. There are a lot of hands on exhibits here including content on current projects. Bottom line, if you like science, the Bradbury museum will appeal to you. O and I prefer history and found the Historical Museum more interesting. Both are free.
By now it’s almost 5 PM and we still have a drive ahead of us to get back to our casita in Santa Fe. We go through a beautiful stretch of country through the Jemez valley. Along the way, we have our first encounter with New Mexico's finest. Off the Interstate, the speed limits change constantly from 65-55-45-35-30-25-20-10 as you go through various areas. I wasn't paying attention (scenery) and get pulled over by a police pickup truck just outside Jemez Springs. Officer comes up and says he clocked me doing 47 in a 35. I say I didn't see the 35 sign. He says it was 3 miles back. Oops. Then he goes on to ask me about our trip (GA plates and all) and I do my best to describe what a beautiful state this is . . . then he asks me for license, registration, insurance. Goes back to his truck. Meanwhile I'm doing the mental calculations - 1-8 miles over = fine. 9 -14 over = bigger fine. We have almost no cash on us – some states used to expect you to pay cash on the spot. And it's taking forever - not a good sign. Finally, I look in my rear view mirror and both officers get out and slowly approach our vehicle from both sides with their hands on their night sticks. Not looking good. The officer I talked to approaches my side and says he has 3 outstanding warrants and they have to arrest me. O gasps! I'm thinking identity theft. After getting the reaction he sought, he laughs and says, "Nah, you're driving record is totally clean, I'm just going to let you off with a warning. It won't affect your driving record". He hands me the warning paper and says, “Here’s a souvenir from New Mexico.” Needless to say I was on the lookout for the speed limits the rest of the way back to Santa Fe. Whew! We got back to the casita around 7 PM. It was nice having the hot tub at the casita to relax after another action packed day.
May 20th, 2008, 08:58 AM
#39
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JG, after leaving Santa Fe, it was not easy to find wireless Internet connections. More trip reports coming up . . . Carlsbad, Pecos, Marfa TX, etc., with a last stop at Pensacola Beach for O's birthday at the hotel from last October's wedding party. Stay tuned.
May 21st, 2008, 05:38 PM
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Glad I checked your post this evening!! I am laughing out loud about the souvenir from NM.
Looking forward to more. I want to go back to Santa Fe for a week and plan to keep your trip report for reference. Great day trips.
Looking forward to more. I want to go back to Santa Fe for a week and plan to keep your trip report for reference. Great day trips.
