Daytripping

As it was the weekend we decided we should head out of town for a little adventure. As we are trying to budget a little, we decided to stay somewhat close. In fact, we just went back to Tzintzuntzan; the first time we were there it was pouring and the main market was closed, so we thought we'd try again. It turned out to be a good decision and we were able to stock up on some nice gifts. On the way there we stopped in Capula, a.k.a. pottery central. And on the way out we stopped by this woman's house, a well known embroiderer who no longer has a shop, but does sell out of her home for people in the know. There, too, we scored some really lovely gifts. I can't say enough about the handicrafts here. There are so many different kinds - pottery, textiles, glass, metalwork, jewelry (and we haven't even made it to Taxco yet, which has 4000 silver jewelry shops). It's impressive.

Here's a little pictorial of some of the sights from the day.

You can't start a road trip without a good breakfast. I went out in the morning and got a gaspacho with mango, pineapple, and watermelon, hold the chile and cheese. They also add fresh orange juice and salt to it. Perfection.

This was part of my lunch, grilled corn on the cob slathered with lime juice, mayo and cheese. Normally I'm a mayo foe, but here I make an exception. This has to be one of the best uses of corn ever invented.

There were quite a few street dogs in Capula. This one was in pretty good shape. Sometimes you can interact with them, but often they shy away from attention and you get the sense that they are probably mistreated. There was one dog in particular, a hound of some kind, that was sleeping in the street and got up, I assume, to scavenge for food. I tried to feed her the rest of my corn, but she didn't want it, even though you could see her ribs. She let me pet her and I could see that she had fleas. I'm glad I got to give her a little love, but it left me feeling sad about her fate. I so wanted to take her with me.

Here is the outside of one market in Tzintzuntzan. Those are all decorative hangings made out of corn husks or some other kind of fiber. You can also see some of the baskets they make with the same material.

The view on the way back. It's incredibly green and lush in the countryside, no doubt thanks to the copious amount of rain we've been getting.

Chimayo

I took the "High Road" to Taos today, a scenic by-pass that winds through the mountains. One of the first stops along the way is Chimayo, a town known for its sanctuary. El Santuario is a small chapel surrounded by many crosses of varying shapes and sizes.




A sculpture hangs on the outside of one of the surrounding buildings.


Homemade crosses line the fences.

The Ginormous Canyon

The Grand Canyon? It's more than grand... it's ginormous!!! Holy smokes. It was a beautiful day today just north of Flagstaff, Arizona. I am visiting the area with my friend Juan-Carlos, an up-and-coming actor from Puerto Rico whom I met during my first visit to NM. I do love my road trips, and it's always more fun with company. There are a few more photos than normal posted below - the place is just that amazing.


My rental car is a PT Cruiser - so not Southwest material. We first attempted to get to the canyon on a dirt road, but quickly determined that we were getting closer and closer to the middle of nowhere. You may need to click on the picture to read our inscription drawn in the dust from said "off-road adventure".


I think the people on the plateaus add a little perspective to the enormity of the scene.


Cool cliff formations.


There was a fair amount of smoke in the air today. The fire danger was listed as high, but there's also a lot of controlled burning that takes place here.


On the way out of the park there are several Indian Markets. Here are one vendor's dream catchers blowing in the breeze. The vendor is in the background.