Tuesday, July 3, 2012

"Take One" ... Action!

A total little town used for movies.


Everything is authentic.

You would think you were really in the old wild west!  


The corral is constructed exactly how it would have been back then.  


There's a new Sheriff in town!!

Picture this!
Our guide, Michael, was wonderful!

Where else would you find the Sheriff?

The wardrobe area for the movie "Redemption".
They just finished filming the movie. 
Now you know we will have to see it!

Did you know that shoes were not made with a right and left?
Shoes were made the same and then you would put them on and soak them in water so that they molded to your feet.
Pretty cool don't you think?

The long horn cows are huge!


 Oh yes, every good western had one of these!


Monday, July 2, 2012

On the high road to Taos........

and it is HIGH!

I think there is still only 12 families in Las Trampas!

The old church in Las Trampas built in 1751.  Made of adobe and still standing.

Mountains every where!!!


Made it up the high road to Taos.  Quite the little town way up high!

Surprisingly flat up on top!


The Rio Grande Gourge.  
Coming down from Taos on the other side.


 This river looks small when in reality you could easily raft down it.
We are mighty high!


We walked out to the middle of the bridge to get pictures.  Yeek!


Seemingly endless!

These are called Earthships.

 Look close...........can you tell what the walls are made of?


The silver is the ends of cans!
The black are old tires!



 "Stained Glass" from the ends of bottles!


It is absolutely amazing to see up close.




On the way to Bandelier Alan spotted a fire and reported it.
All the Rangers were waiting for us when we arrived to thank us for reporting the fire.
They even let us in for free!
That Alan "Smokey the Bear" Gray...........a hero!!!




One little cubical per family!






 We are like the natives...................not!
If you could have seen us climbing up................very un-native like!




 Not much rearranging furniture in this house!


This rock is very interesting.  It is called Tuff.  It cooled so quickly from a volcano that it left all these holes in it.  


Hey, what are YOU looking at?


Just call me Gigi Wallenda!  Next.............Niagara Falls!


Can I just say......the word Alcove doesn't even come close to describing how high this was.



 Oh it is high!




This is the last of many ladders to get up to the Alcove.


Inside the Alcove.
Alan was very brave to go all the way up. 

Sunday, July 1, 2012

"South of the Border" .... New Mexico, that is!

Heading down to Chama, NM


Se Senor ~ we are in New Mexico!


The train depot in Chama.

The lost art of the telegraph!
... . . ...


A real coal burning engine.  This is a 7 hour scenic train ride.  We started with the "do you really want to go", "I don't care, do you"
We didn't go.................LOL

 On the way out of Chama we discovered this beautiful establishment.  Patsy's Restaurant.
Note the two trailers under a pole barn...........don't you just know that the trailer in the back is the kitchen.
Fine dining at it's best...............Darn it's closed this early in the morning.
Alas, we must pass up this golden opportunity!


Miles of a view. 

The terrain can change every time you round a bend.


Landscape change.





There are rock formations everywhere out here.


It really does look like an amphitheater, doesn't it?

Hazy from the smoke but still beautiful.


You never know when you might find a creek or river but you can tell there is water because the vegetation around it is green.


Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe

Two mysteries surround the spiral staircase in the Loretto Chapel: the identity of its builder and the physics of its construction.



 The staircase has two 360 degree turns and no visible means of support. Also, it is said that the staircase was built without nails—only wooden pegs.


 Legend says that to find a solution to the seating problem, the Sisters of the Chapel made a novena to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. On the ninth and final day of prayer, a man appeared at the Chapel with a donkey and a toolbox looking for work. Months later, the elegant circular staircase was completed, and the carpenter disappeared without pay or thanks. After searching for the man (an ad even ran in the local newspaper) and finding no trace of him, some concluded that he was St. Joseph himself, having come in answer to the sisters' prayers.



Ok, now is that cool or what?  
Plus a little history lesson to boot!



The walls are really made of adobe.  You can see the grass and mud!  Pretty amazing.




There was actually a service going on so we did not go in.

So many buildings are made from adobe.  Imagine if they had to deal with Tropical Storms and Hurricanes.


The Cross of The Martyrs entrance.

Ok can I be a Martyr ....................uphill, about 115 degrees, and a country mile!
It was H O T!


 Yes, it is steel!  A little disappointing because we thought it would be a very old wooden cross.  Plus who knew there were Mexican martyrs?  
Joan of Arc, Peter, Paul,  come to mind!!