Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Cumbres and Toltec Railroad


Cumbres and Toltec Railroad
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
A view of the beautiful country the railroad passes through. What a sky!

Cumbres and Toltec Railroad


Cumbres and Toltec Railroad
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
Heading north, we stopped in Chamas and rode the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad, the longest and highest railroad in the nation. The town is filled with railroad buffs.

Petroglyph National Monument


Petroglyph National Monument
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
And this is clearly a rat eating a lollipop!

Petroglyph National Monument


Petroglyph National Monument
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
Visiting the Petroglyph National Monument just outside of Albuquerque. Clambered up on a rocky mountain to see lots of petroglyphs left by the prolific Anasazi. This one looks like two babas kissing.

Artist


Artist
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
One of the artists at the Indian Market. There were 1,500 artists showing their wares at the market, and an estimated 100,000 visitors over the two days. It was fun and educational, but there were really no bargains to be found.

Diva


Diva
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
When in Santa Fe, look at art. This is the sculpture that Jen wanted to buy. A bargain at only $9,500.
Camel taste on a donkey budget!

Del Mar


Del Mar
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
This is one view of the gorgeous B&B we stayed in while in Santa Fe. An indoor swimming pool, lovely art, hospitable hostestess, and two great dogs. What more could you want!

Santuario


Santuario
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
This is a little church outside of Santa Fe. In a side room, there is a hole in the floor where the dirt is supposed to have healing powers. We gathered up some dirt for various friends.

Acoma Pueblo


Acoma Pueblo
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
We visited Sky City, home of the Acomo Pueblo, descendants of the Anasazi. It reminded us of Civita in Italy, another city on a high mesa. They are a very industrious tribe, operating a casino, a cattle business, and other industries for the good of the tribe. Imagine a casino with no alcohol allowed. Plenty of cigarette smoking tho.

Canyon de Chelly


Canyon de Chelly
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
In addition to the dwellings, the Anasazi created petroglyphs high on the walls of the canyon. This is an antelope and a snake!

Canyon de Chelly


Canyon de Chelly
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
We visited the cliff dwelllings of Canyon de Chelly. What a beautiful place. A thousand years ago, the Anasazi built adobe walls into natural caves high up on the walls of the canyon.

Sunday, August 14, 2005

At the Meteor Crater


At the Meteor Crater
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
What a big smile, since she is standing on terra firma rather than perched on some fragile platform suspended over a vast emptiness. Every time I looked at her in the car, she had that same goofy blissful smile.

Vacations are good.

At the Meteor Crater


At the Meteor Crater
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
Standing out on the view platform looking over the crater. You notice that Gail is not with me. Too scared of heights to go out there.

Meteor Crater


Meteor Crater
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
I must have been 8 or 10 years old when we visited the Meteor Crater. It looks pretty much exactly as I remember it, but it does have a pretty nice museum which I am sure wasn't there way back then.

It is essentially a very large hole in the ground. It is so large, they claim breathlessly, that you could hold 20 football games at once with 2 million people watching from the sides.

More Space House


Space House
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
The Space House also has interesting out buildings. They fit the house perfectly, but I can't imagine what they actually do with them when the aliens aren't visiting.

On the Road to Santa Fe


Space House
Originally uploaded by gr8what.
Driving along HW 40 East from Needles to Williams, we came across the Space House. It fits right in with all the Indian Teepees along the side of the road selling moccasins to tourists, except that no one appears to be making money off of it.

I have never seen things like this in any country but America.