We were in Albuquerque this past weekend, and, my, is it lovely there. Andrew was ready to move, but the lure of mountains in my back yard is not as great as the lure of warm seas and city skylines for me. I originally planned the trip so that my husband and uncle could go hiking together, thus relieving me of any responsibility to climb anything beyond a couch cushion on the way to the kitchen to get a drink. Unfortunately, various injuries and maladies prevented hiking, and we took the wimpy tourist option of driving up into the Sandias. On the mountain top we enjoyed lovely views and stunted trees:
We also encountered a whole herd of the rare mountaintop antenna:
Later we got our fill of red dirt, visiting ruins of Pueblos and churches at
Pecos National Historical Park. As my aunt pointed out, the story of the American West is pretty consistent: Native people lived there until missionaries (or soldiers) came and converted (or killed or enslaved) them. It's a rather disheartening story if you think about it too much.
For Andrew, the highlight of our day trip to Santa Fe and points north was a petting zoo. The "zoo" was really a pen of goats, chickens, and an alpaca in the middle of a tiny town. For $2 you could buy a bag of corn and earn the intense (but short-lived) interest of every beast.
I appreciate the less animate animals, such as the Steel Burro.
For even more about the trip, check out dispatches from our reporter on location
here and
here.
We also encountered a whole herd of the rare mountaintop antenna:
Later we got our fill of red dirt, visiting ruins of Pueblos and churches at Pecos National Historical Park. As my aunt pointed out, the story of the American West is pretty consistent: Native people lived there until missionaries (or soldiers) came and converted (or killed or enslaved) them. It's a rather disheartening story if you think about it too much.
For Andrew, the highlight of our day trip to Santa Fe and points north was a petting zoo. The "zoo" was really a pen of goats, chickens, and an alpaca in the middle of a tiny town. For $2 you could buy a bag of corn and earn the intense (but short-lived) interest of every beast.
I appreciate the less animate animals, such as the Steel Burro.
7 comments:
green with envy!!! I live in ABQ for 5 yrs and UNM is my alma mater. I am so jealous!!! Every-time I look at tix they are in the $700 range. So want to go back. By any chance were the goats in Tijeras canyon? There is a goat farm there that makes goat ice cream (among other things).
I had a similar reaction to your aunt about the great history of the West. When Chris and I visited a friend in Arizona, it was strange and kind of creepy seeing the mix of missions--some that were museums to the bloodshed of the past, and some where active colonization was still happening.
Very neat pictures, and the links to your journalistic correspondent in the kitchen were also very good reading. Thanks for sharing!
what a lovely summary of the trip and gorgeous pictures. I am green with envy you spotted a herd of the rare American Antenna (antenius talimus, latin).
OH, I LOVE IT!! We have a similar trip planned back to Abq in March so my husband can relive all my childhood memories with me of the Sandias and the Pecos and Sante Fe Baldy! Plus the green chili and Frontier cinnamon buns... Looks like we should introduce your uncle and my parents - they seem to have a lot in common!
Wow RM - You never told me you had so many correspondents with an Albuquerque connection!
Is that snow I see? Did that make you happy? Now that you have experienced that we will not feel obligated to have snow in Ohio when you visit, right?
To answer:
-We were not in Tijeras. It was such a small town I don't remember the name, but I would love to go somewhere and try goat ice cream.
- We did see snow, but I would like some more in Ohio, please, if that could be arranged. I need *more* winter.
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