Sunday 24 May 2015

The breakfast is fine and with many options. Starbucks coffee is available. We drive in a southerly direction and continue on I-25. In Walsemburg we leave the interstate and follow state highways to Great Sand Dunes national Park & Preserve. This is a peculiar National Park. Against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains are some huge sand dunes that would not look out of place in Morocco. This sand was moved this way by the wind from the dry river bed of the Rio Grande, until it could not go any further. The dunes are surrounded by wetlands and are still growing and are up to 200 meters high. It's very cold and there is a strong wind. Most visitors wade barefoot through the Medano Creek to reach the foot of the Dunes and climb up there. We do not.

We drive back, eat in a simple road side diner and continue our trip to New Mexico. Around 2:15pm we arrive in Taos. It's very busy here. Taos is a small artists colony with homes built in Adobe Style. Unfortunately it is very busy, because of the Memorial Day weekend. We stay at the Historic Taos Inn. The reception staff is extremely friendly. It is a complex of rooms arranged around courtyards. We have a junior suite, which is spacious.. We have two bathrooms and a fireplace. We walk around the village, have a coffee at Tazza Espresso and buy some groceries at Smith’s. We take a break and at 6pm we eat at the hotel restaurant.

The food at Doc Martin’s, the restaurant in our hotel is fine. The server friendly and helpful. Later in the evening we drink a cocktail in the cozy Adobe Bar, where listening to live music.


Weather: sunny, occasional showers. 12°C (54ºF)

Maandag 25 May 2015

Monday, May 25 2015
To our surprise the Taos Inn serves no real breakfast. There is coffee and tea to go and you can order a bagel - breakfast to go - but we really can not have breakfast. Advice for an alternative is not given. We walk into the village and give it a try at the La Fonda Hotel on the main square. Again, no breakfast, but we are referred to the Taos Diner, about 500 meters away. There we get a very American breakfast. Almost everything has egg in it, but I manage to get something without. Erik takes the Southwestern breakfast with green peppers. Very spicy.

After breakfast we explore Taos. There are a number of historic houses. For example Kit Carson’s, the legionnaire who fought the Navajos. A museum dedicated to the artist Blumenschein, who ended up here in 1898 along with his fellow artist Phillips, because they had a broken wagon wheel while they were on their way to Mexico. She never got round to leave. In 1915 they founded the Taos Society of Artists, which this year celebrates its centenary. Many artists followed and Taos became an art colony. There are a lot of galleries that sell local art, but also art by new arrivals. In addition, a lot of Native American art. Unfortunately, most, if not all museums closed on Memorial Day. The same goes for the Governor Brent house. Here, the first governor of the US government was assassinated in 1837 by an angry mob of Pueblo and Spanish. His family tried to escape, was caught, but spared. The Taos Art museum is the former residence of the Russian artist Fechin, but unfortunately also closed. We decide to go to Taos Pueblo . This is a small reserve for the Pueblo Indians of Taos. This community is one of the few Pueblo people, who were not evicted from their lands by the Spaniards in the 17th century. The old part, with the original Adobe complex is now home to 10 families who live here without electricity, running water and heating. Around 3,000 Indians live close by with the all modern conveniences. We get a tour by a young woman, a freshman nursing student who hopes to work in the community in the future. The tour is free but tips are very welcome. We start in the church, which is on the World Heritage List. It was built after the uprising of 1837, in which the governor was killed. The US military then destroyed the old church. The church is in use and the Indians share the priest with the Catholic Church of Taos. The ruins of the original church are still there, near the cemetery. We also see the clay ovens the Indians traditionally make their fried bread in. The large multi-layered complex was originally only and accessible via the ceilings by means of ladders.. This for defensive reasons. With the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century doors on the ground floor became more common. They are painted blue or red. Blue doors invite and welcome the friendly ghosts, the red to chase away the evil spirits. The residents choose the color. There are a lot of shops selling Indian artifacts, jewelery and utensils. In the middle of the square a ceremony takes place in connection with Memorial Day. The fallen tribe members are commemorated. Many Indians serve or have served in the US Armed Forces in various wars. Up to the present day.

We then set off to drive the Enchanted Circle. That is a route around Taos. The first stage is to the DH Lawrence Ranch. The British writer stayed a number of years in Taos in the 1920s. His widow had him buried here. The farm and the grave are managed by the University of New Mexico and is located about 5 miles from the highway 522 and is accessible via a dirt road. The signage is poor. We find it using Google Maps. When we get it sadly turns out to be closed, (open Thu-Sat). We continue our route to Red River, a ski resort. We have lunch in a diner. During lunch it starts to hail hard. We drive through beautiful landscapes, past Angel Fire and back to Taos.

At night we eat at Lambert’s  Restaurant. The receptionist speaks Dutch and is married to Thijs our waiter, who comes from Enschedé and has lived for five years in our home town Rotterdam. The food is of good quality but pricey.

Weather: sunny, but also a few showers. Even hail. Temperature around 15°C (59ºF).

Tuesday 26 May 2015

We have breakfast at the Taos diner. After that we drive to Santa Fe via the High Road . This is an official Scenic Byway. We pass through villages like Las Truchas - known for the movie Milagro Bean Field War directed by Robert Redford in 1988 - and Chimayo - known for weaving and carpets. Las Truchas is at very high elevation and offers beautiful views of the Truchas Peaks, the highest peaks of New Mexico. In Chimayo we visit the Santuario de Chimayo. It is considered to be one of the finest examples of an Adobe church in New Mexico. The church dates back to 1816. At the back of the church is a small room with a well, the source of the sacred mud that is supposed to have a healing effect. Every year 30,000 pilgrims come here to ask for a wish come true or get a blessing. Many come on foot, some even from Albuquerque. They also take some mud with them. In days past, some even did eat it! Chimayo is therefor known as America's Lourdes.
We drive to Santa Fe. In Santa Fe we stay at the El Rey Inn, a large motel with swimming pool, sauna and hot tub on Cerrillos Road. We take a break and then go to the Railyard, a redeveloped railway yard. There are restaurants, shops and art galleries. We eat there at the Junction and shop at REI. The area's set up is too wide and feels lifeless. We drive into town and park near the Plaza. We drink coffee at Starbucks and walk to the Plaza. Here is the 17th century Palace of the Governors, the former governor palace under Spanish, the Mexican and  American rule. During the Pueblo revolt of 1610, the Indians took possession, but soon the Spaniards came back. Lew Wallace wrote  the novel Ben Hur here in 1880, when he was governor of New Mexico. Now the palace is a historical museum. Also on the square is the La Fonda hotel  from 1922, built in Pueblo Revival style. Kit Carson stayed the night here and so did John F. Kennedy. It's a beautiful building. We walk on to the St Francis Cathedral, which was built here in 1886 by the Bishop Lamy, who was of French origin. He was the first bishop here, after Santa Fe had seceded from the Mexican diocese of Durango. The Romanesque French Revival style building disagrees with the Adobe buildings in the area, including the Museum of Modern Art opposite. Next is the Larotto chapel. It has been desecrated now and is part of a hotel. It is used for weddings. Worth seeing is the miracle staircase, which connects the church floor with the choir. According to legend, they forgot to make a staircase to the choir. In answer to prayers of the nuns an obscure carpenter came, who made a spiral staircase, which revolves twice and does not have any support. The wood is tropical hardwood and that is not common in New Mexico. How the staircase stays upright is a miracle. According to the legend the carpenter disappeared without asking for money.
We walk on to the San Miguel mission. It is said to be the oldest church in the US, built between 1610 and 1625. It is at least the oldest church consistently used as a church. The church was damaged during the Pueblo revolt, but rebuilt in 1710. The altarpiece of San Miguel's is from the 18th century (1709) and brought by the Spaniards in 1798. The church bell at the entrance is Spanish and was cast in 1356 in Spain.
We walk back to the car and drive to the hotel. We do some shopping at Wallmart. Walmart does not sell beer (apparently the law in New Mexico) and so we have to find a Liquor Store.

At night we eat in the Jambo Café, run by a Kenyan from an island in the Indian Ocean. He has developed his own style of African and Caribean dishes. He stops by our table for a chat and shows he knows the Netherlands and some Dutch words. He advises us not to travel to Kenya because of the unstable situation there. President Kenyatta even stood trial in The Hague he points out.

Weather: sunny, 20°C (68°F)

Wednesday 27 May 2015

Breakfast at the El Rey inn is rather modest, but it's doable. We get a tortilla with it, which is rather dry. After breakfast we drive to Downtown Subscription, a coffee shop and newsstand in an affluent neighborhood of Santa Fe. This is where the local intelligentsia gathers to drink coffee and buy a copy of the New Yorker or Harper's. They even sell Le Monde and the Guardian.
After coffee we walk along the Canyon Drive eastbound. Here the art galleries string along the road. There are dozens in this leafy setting. Quite a few also have a sculpture garden, where the merchandise is displayed. Very special. We drive to the end of the Drive to the Christo Rey Church. This is the largest adobe structure in the US. The church was built in 1939 in the famous Adobe revival style. Even the altarpiece and the calvary are done in that style.
Then we drive to the Museum Hill. We soon find ourselves beyond the city limits - Santa Fe is really a small town - and get there right before the museums open. It's really a hill. In the distance we have a view of the old city. We first drink coffee on a terrace in the sun and then visit the Museum of International Folk Art. A beautifully designed museum with changing exhibitions. The first room is dedicated to contemporary pottery from South Carolina. Then followed by two rooms dedicated to use of cochinel red. The Netherlands get a brief mention. A Dutch researcher found out in the 17th century that the cochinel was an insect. These animals apparently produce a bright red dye. We see many rugs, ponchos, paintings and even a red chair that was used by Napoleon. The last room is a large hall with dollhouses and minature houses and towns. Most in South American style.

After the museum we drive into the center and go to the La Fonda hotel to have lunch on the roof top terrace. This is called the Bell Tower café. It is still closed, but we're in the elevator with the bar's manager and he immediately rounds up staff so we can sit on the terrace and order something. The menu consists solely of quesedillas, but they done quite well. The view of the town in the sun is very pleasant.

After lunch we drive to Los Alamos. That is the location where in World War II the Manhattan Project had its home base. The project was aimed to develop the atomic bomb to decide the war in favor of the Allies. We visit the Bradbury Science museum with a nice exhibition on nuclear research at Los Alamos. Most interesting is the historical section of the exhibition on the Manhattan Project. There is also a film. Much attention to Robert Oppenheimer, the scientific leader of the project and Air Force General Groves, who's job was to manage the project to a military purpose. The success of the project is the production of the two atomic bombs and the end of the war. Not much attentions is paid to the destruction and misery that was caused by the bomb in Japan. It is mainly seen as a bringer of peace. Survivors of the Japanese occupation in East Asia will probably agree. There is a wing on present day defense: here attention is paid to keeping  nuclear knowledge and the aging weapons arsenal up-to-date. Finally the museum focuses on other uses of nuclear technology, such as healthcare and energy. It's an interesting place. I ask the staff if there are any buildings left over from the days of the Manhattan Project. There are. In particular, Fuller House. This was a boarding school for ailing boys in the mountains until the place was requisitioned by the Manhattan Project. The school had to close and scientists moved in. Also near is Bath Tub Row. That's a street with houses from that period, where the most important scientists like Oppenheimer and Teller lived. These houses had the luxury of a bath. The other staff members had less luxurious lodgings. The reason why the project came right here was due to Robert Oppenheimer. Once Albert Einstein had convinced the president of the need to concentrate and accelerate the research for a nuclear bomb, Oppenheimer got the scientific leadership. The project needed a secluded location, yet with a minimum of amenities. Oppenheimer knew this region from the time he was recovering from Tuberculosis. He suggested settle the project here. The tests were conducted in Nevada in the desert. After visiting the museum we have a drink at Starbucks in Los Alamos and then drive back to the hotel.

At 5pm we go to the Blue Rooster, the local gay bar. Apart from the barmaid the place is totally dead. We eat at Il Piatto in downtown Santa Fe. Delicious food and normal portions. I have a salad and duck breast. Erik salmon carpaccio and pasta. Hot Bread Cake and Cheesecake as dessert. We sit at a table by the window and are surprised when we suddenly see Thijs (from Taos) his wife waking up to the restaurant. They recognize us and greet us enthusiatically. They also eat here.

Weather: Sunny 25°C / 77°F

Thursday 28 May 2015

After breakfast we have coffee again in Downtown Subscription. After that, we drive to Albuquerque. It's only an hour away. We arrive around 10.30am. We have received the right codes for the door and the alarm to the house we booked through Airbnb. It is located in a quiet residential area near the Old Town. We get settled and rest a bit. Then we go shopping for groceries in the neighborhood Lowe's store. A large shop with a wide choice of (expensive) organic foods, but fortunately also regular food.
Then we drive to Old Town. That is around the Plaza. On the north side stands the church, which has been in continuous use since 1709 . On the inside the church is simple and a bit disappointing. The streets around the plaza filled with art, antique and souvenir shops and restaurants. It's very touristy. We drive to the Aquarium in the ABQ Bio park on the banks of the Rio Grande. The aquarium has a lot of rays and sharks that swim in the large pool that can also be admired from the cafeteria. There is also a tunnel where you can walk between the fish.

We drive back to the house. We eat a sushi at night in our house. The sushi we bought from the supermarket. Later we drink coffee at the Golden Crown panaderia on Mountain St.

Weather: sunny and 26°C / 79°F

Friday 29 May 2015

We have breakfast in our cottage. After breakfast we have coffee at the coffee shop two doors down on our street, the Boiler Monkey. We drive to the Sandia Mountain Tramway. This is a cable car that leads to the top of the Sandia Mountain. The cable car was started by a ski enthusiast in Albuquerque, who wanted to open up the mountain for skiers. We go up for the view of the city and surroundings. We enjoy the view. After walking around a bit we take the return trip down. We drive from the ground station via the Tramway Boulevard to Central Avenue. This street is part of the historic Route 66, the highway from Chicago to Los Angeles. The route was established in 1926 and has become an icon in American culture. It was the route for people from the mid-west, which fled the Dust Bowl in the 1930s towards the coast. Later in the 1960s it became a phenomenon in American culture with the trek to the California coast where the 1960s youth flourished, especially after the hit "Get your kicks on Route 66". The route is officially no longer as US highway, after it was replaced by the Interstate System of highways. The route still appeals to the imagination. Many towns, cities and communities do their best to keep the nostalgia around the route alive. The goes for Albuquerque too. Along the street are many motels, hotels, bars and restaurants that have been kept going or revived to keep the romance of the road alive. We stop at the diner 66, built in Art Deco style is conserved or built entirely in its original style. We go there for lunch. Our burger is rich with fries. The staff are donning 1950s style uniforms and the bar has museum value.
At night we eat at Cocina Azul, where they serve New Mexican fare in a diner-like setting. The waitstaff is friendly and smooth, but with a keen eye on commerce. After dinner we drink coffee at the Golden Crown Panaderia.
Later in the evening we drive to the Hotel Parq Central. On the roof is the Apothecary Lounge bar. The hotel is a former psychiatric hospital. The roof terrace is great. Beautiful views from comfortable lounge sofas and delicious cocktails. The evening breeze on the roof makes it complete.

Weather: sunny, 25°C (77°F)

Saturday 30 May 2015

After breakfast we have coffee at the Boiler Monkey. Then we drive to the Albuquerque airport . The retrun point for car rentals is still a long way from the airport building. We drop off the Chrysler 200 after 4 weeks' service at Hertz and take the shuttle bus to the terminal. We check in and await the departure of our flight to Minneapolis-St Paul in Minnesota. We leave at 2:35pm and arrive around 6pm. We eat in a fast food restaurant, waiting for our flight to Amsterdam. All seats in the waiting room have a tablet computer which you can use to view information, but also to order something. Very modern. We leave on time and after 12 hours we arrive in Amsterdam at 10.40am. From there we take the Intercity train to Rotterdam, because the IC Direct is out of service because of maintenance.
We are home around noon.