Day Trip to Chaos

Old town, Taos

In an attempt to avoid a potential reincarnation there, instead of writing about what I really thought about Taos, New Mexico, let me quote a few famous persons:
"What a dump." Bette Davis
"Is that all there is?" Peggy Lee
"Not what I had in mind." George Jones

The Indian Drum Outlet Store

If Georgia O'keefe were alive today, I'd lay money that she wouldn't be caught dead here. The drive up from Santa Fe is a scenic tour of convenience stores and casinos. There is a short stretch of the Rio Grande Gorge where there are a few yards that haven't been mucked up with river raft boking centers and souvenir stands.

If you discount the lack of charm, the horrendous traffic, the noise from motor cycles, and some of the most unattractive people I have ever come across (and that's saying something.) then I guess Taos has its charms. As a center for Indian Arts, its right up there with Coney Island or Times Square. Fortunately, it was only a two hour trip from Santa Fe, so it wasn't a huge waste of time. And I did have a good chile relleno at Doc Martin's Restaurant in the Taos Inn.

Last night's sunset

On a positive note, last night's sunset was surreal.

Tomorrow, Chaco Canyon and the Four Corners.

Chimayo and Truchus

Morning coffee and Scottish oatmeal with fresh fruit in the garden. Watching  birds feeding and goats grazing. After exercise and ablutions, Ernie, Jean and I pile into Ernie's truck and head off to Chimayo and Tesuque. Our drive takes through the outskirts of Santa Fe, past Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. (How good to be back in civilization. There are no Trader Joe's in Florida.) We continued on past the Opera House and into the hills.

Santuario de Chimayo

Our first stop was the Santuario de Chimayo, a chapel built on the site of what the faithful believe were miraculous healings 200 years ago. The chapel is freshly restored and thankfully the Native American artwork in the church has been preserved (no photos allowed). Thousands of pilgrims each year come to the sanctuary hoping to be cured of whatever they hope to be cured of. The anterooms of the chapel are lined with stacked crutches and baby shoes. The tacit implication being that they are from those who have been cured by the dirt of Chimayo. While we were there, I saw no crutches or baby shoes cast off. I did see a lot of sincere people with a variety of afflictions deep in prayer.

Across from the chapel, we stopped in Leona's that modestly proclaims to have the best tamales in New Mexico. I must agree. The pork and red chile tamale I had was heavenly. Unless another miracle happens though, Leona's will not be with us for long. According to a sign across from the cash register, Leona is retiring on October 15. It will be a sad day for tamale lovers who make the pilgrimage there.

Alfredo Baca

After a brief look at another chapel, our final stop in Chimayo was Medina's Gallery Cafe where I had the pleasure of meeting Alfredo Baca, a local artist and raconteur. I couldn't afford one of his paintings, but I did buy some of his fresh dried chile powders.

Mural, Truchus, NM

Up the road is Truchus, a curious mix of abandoned buildings and artist studios sitting on a high ridge with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. We stopped in the studio of Sally Delap-John, a plein air colorist originally from Fresno.

Obligatory postcard shot

On the way to dinner, we stopped at Chimayo Trading and Mercantile, a wonderful art and crafts gallery, where I bought a small Mexican Indian pot. We ate dinner at Restaurante Rancho de Chimyo (the chile rellenos were devilishly tasty) and drove home through another spectacular lightening and thunder show provided the local nature gods. I can't say the day was miraculous, but it was certainly divine. Once again, there are more photos on Facebook.

Santa Fe Day 2

Vendors on Palace Avenue

OK, call me cynical, but I think they should change the name to Santa Fey Plaza. Back in my stoner days, circa 1969, I came to Santa Fe on a business trip. My memories of that time are fuzzy at best, but what I do remember was a slightly funky plaza with historic buildings in need of repair, some local galleries, Mexican restaurants, and a few head shops. Of course. it's possible that wasn't even Santa Fe. It was the 60s after all and you know what they say, if you remember them you weren't part of them.

New Mexico Museum of Art

Today Santa Fey Plaza is the epicenter of the New Mexico tourist industry. Scattered among the southwestern kitsch and Indian craft galleries  are J. Crew, Talbots, Starbucks, Ben and Jerry's, and uniculture designer boutiques. It oozes picturesque charm, and fat people wearing funny hats and clothes they would never wear back home. Like I said, call me cynical. One notable exception is Santa Fe Dry Goods on the Plaza. A class act by any standard. Would that my budget allowed a shopping spree there.

After a few hours strolling the Plaza and Canyon Road, I had lunch at Much Gusto, a very good Mexican restaurant on Paseo de Peralta, and then drove south with the vague goal of finding a pueblo.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

The first road sign I came to that had pueblo in the name was Cochiti Pueblo. The other name on the sign was Tent Rocks National Monument. Cochiti pueblo is 53,000 acre Keresan reservation. The village is a small settlement with a big sign at the entrance proclaiming photography or sketching are prohibited by the governor. Down the road from the village is  Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. The tent rock formations remind me of Cappadocia, Turkey. I took the 1.7 mile loop trail and got caught in a dramatic thunder and lightening storm that came up out of nowhere and vanished just as quickly. I was soaked to the skin and dry again in almost no time.

Storm approaching

New Mexico is the land of enchantment, land being the operative word. It is probably a failing on my part, but the cities I have seen here do not enchant me. Away from them, I am constantly awestruck  by the magnificence of earth, air, fire, water, and ether.There are more pictures on my Facebook page.

Santa Fe Day 1

Jean is a gifted painter.

Sometimes it is good to stop and smell the roses. I'm in Santa Fe tonight at the home Jean and Ernie Peterson. It's been a lovely day visiting, eating, and talking story. Tomorrow, I will start being a tourist, but for now I am wallowing in the comfort of a gracious, beautiful, home.

A room of my own, at least for a few nights

Las Cruces to Alburquerque

World's largest chile

The license plates say "Land of Enchantment." I think they mean it.

This morning I dawdled at Americas's Best Value Inn making phone calls and catching up on emails. After coffee, I started toward Interstate 25 to drive to Hatch, New Mexico, the Chile Capital of the World. I know several million Thai's that would dispute the claim but Hatch does  grow and ship a lot of chile peppers.

Un-retouched photograph

Before I made it to I25, I saw a sign pointing toward Hatch that promised an alternate route. I turned onto Valley Road, State Route 187,  and headed into Mesilla Valley. The mostly two-lane road was definitely the one less traveled, and that definitely made all the difference in my enjoyment of the day.  Just out of Las Cruces, I passed through miles of pecan orchards. One grove was flooded and my eye was caught by how the light filtered through the trees and reflected off the water. I stopped the car, the first of many stops this day, and snapped a few shots. This evening when I looked at the day's photos I was amazed indeed at how the light reflected of the water as recorded by my camera. Fairy lights in a pecan grove in broad daylight? The license plates say "Land of Enchantment."

A little further north, I crossed the Rio Grande once again. Once it crosses into New Mexico from Texas, the river turns north and my route that day closely followed its course. I arrived in Hatch mid-morning. I was immediately taken with how not touristy it is. It is a farm town with a couple of concessions for gringo turistas. I explored the few streets,  shopped in the local mercantile store where I was seriously tempted to buy yet another cowboy hat that I would never wear. I did buy a denim work shirt with snaps as my small economic stimulus package. I had a late breakfast-early lunch of red chile and avocado salad at The Pepper Pot. And I bought chile powder and honey at Hatch Chile Sales. I was thoroughly charmed by the town and the people I met. And I moved on. It took me 7 hours to make the 200 mile drive. I visited Leesburg Damn, Caballo Lake, and Truth or Consequenses, New Mexico. I wallowed yet again in the stark, primal beauty of earth, air, fire formed mountains, and water filled clouds. I saw lightening over the desert and rain storms far in the distance.

Lake Cabrillo

Tonight I am in in Alburquerque, staying on historic US Route 66. My motel, The Monterey Non-Smoking Motel is from the era of the TV show but has been nicely updated. One thing I am noticing about cities here is the aggressiveness of drivers - especially the many young motor cycle drivers in town. It is such a contrast to the countryside. It's as if to compensate for being herded into a city, they feel the need to act out by straddling noisy machines and speeding through town. It's as if someone had cast a spell on them. Well, the license plates say "Land of Enchantment."

There are lots more photos on my Facebook page. I'm putting in my earplugs and going to bed.