Taos, New Mexico, 16, 17,18 May

Taos is another "arty" town. It is a smallish, but has many places of interest. The weather turned coldish and a bit wet for the drive to Taos and the first day there.

 

On the way to Taos we visited Bandelier National Monument. In it's rugged cliffs and canyons are the remains of an Ancestral Pueblo settlement. They are thought to have been occupied from the 12th to 16th centuries. This is the Long House, an 800 foot stretch of adjoining, multi storied stone homes with caves, hand carved into the soft volcanic rock, as back rooms.

 

Ladders were used to climb into the homes. We were lucky to get a couple of hours break in the rain so we could wander around the site. We wore about four layers of clothing to keep warm.

 

 

This one was fairly small inside.

 

 

The view out.

 

 

Extra stone walls were usually built in the front for more room.

 

 

Looking over the Frijoles Canyon.

 

 

Some of the petroglyphs and wall paintings still remain.

 

 

The remains of the Tyuonyi village..

  

Granny used her balance stick to descend and walk the rougher trails.(Thanks Laurence and Heather). 

 

 

Debbie in front of our adobe accommodation in Taos. It's for sale if anyone is in the market.

 

You get these lovely gardens included for your money.

 

  

The Plaza in Taos was built by the Spanish over 400 years ago.

  

 Taos is quite low key and more bohemian than Santa Fe, though only an hours drive away.

 

 

A hall on the plaza housed a lot of 1930's frescos made by Works Progress Association Federal Art Project to support impoverished artists during the depression years.

 

 

There was also a funny exhibition by the cartoonist for the local newspaper.

  

The sights were all new and unique for us.

The colourful and controversial Kit Carson lived in this house in Taos.

 

 

The Plaza at night.

 

More Santa Fe

We love Santa Fe. The light is so vibrant and colourful and it is reflected in all the art that is about. It is surrounded by the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountain range and is all built in Adobe style.

The Santa Fe Museum of Art is housed in one of the oldest buildings in the US.  It’s collection is stunning.

 

The courtyard of the Museum of Art.

  

66 Service 1962 Tim Pythero

 

 

The Rendezvous E Martin Hennings.

 

 

Red Hills with Pedernal by Santa Fe's most famous painter Geogia O'Keeffe (1887-1986).

 

 

Santa Fe in October Sheldon Parsons.

 

 

Many of the Museums are situated in a magnificent position on a hill above the town and surround a wonderful sculpture garden. 

 

 

So sweet!

 

 

Joy practises her balance.

 

 

One of them is the fascinating Museum of International Folk Art, which they claim is home to the worlds largest collection of folk art. These are fabric and figures from Rajasthan, India.

 

 

Dance capes from Peru, with figures at the bottom wearing the capes.

 

 

A Pinocchio Marionette from Florence.

 

 

Mexican dance masks.

 

Canyon Road is said to be USA's top art destination with more fine art galleries and studios in one mile than anywhere else in the world. It is certainly a lovely place to explore it's paintings, sculptures and photographs. This is a peep into one of the courtyards.

 

 

Wind sculptures by Kyman Whitaker were selling for a couple of thousand dollars upwards.

 

This painting for sale was by a Spanish painter, so they were not all locals, but they were nearly all very bright and luminous.

 

The last place we went to in Santa Fe was the faboulous Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. This is a painting of Canyon Country.

 

Last morning in Santa Fe. Dan sit next to the traditional kiva fireplace in our adobe rental home.

 

Debbie with a book. Note the traditional abobe style roof.

 

 

Santa Fe 12,13 14 May

We picked up a car and drove north along the Turquoise Trail to Santa Fe to meet Debbie and Dan.

On the way we passed through a few old mining towns. This is Madrid, now a hip arts community.

It's quite ramshackle actually.

We're very happy with our typical adobe house which we have for three nights.

First dinner was at La Fonda on the Plaza.

Waiting with Debbie and Dan to be seated for dinner.

Margaritas of course.

Rackoon Man seems to reside on the town Plaza.

Also on Santa Fe Plaza.

The shopping is amazing, everything from very high quality art to Indian headdresses.

Debbie bought a beautiful new native coat.

Although Bill and Dan love shopping!!!, they spent the time drinking coffee on the Plaza.

The Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi, built in 1869, has a French Romanesque style facade.



The interior of the Cathedral.

The altar.

The large font.

The rose window.

There is a bronze sculpture in Cathedral Park and representing a farmer’s family, a Spanish conquistador and a Franciscan friar.

Entrance to the Loretto Chapel.

The Loretto Chapel was built in the 1870's in Gothic style by French architects. It was supposedly modelled on St Chappelle in Paris. They must have run out of cash!

They did have a magnificent spiral staircase which winds upwards for 6 metres and makes two complete 360 degree turns. The spiral has no nails or centre support and it is the perfect craftsmanship that keeps it up. Legend has it that a mysterious carpenter appeared and built it for the nuns and vanished without seeking payment.

The Sam Miguel Mission was built around 1610 by Tlaxcala Indians who travelled from Mexico with the early Spanish settlers. It is claimed to be the oldest church in the US.

It has a beautiful carved wooden rerados (altarpiece).