Yes, it has been a while since we have written. We know. Sorry. We thank you for being loyal as we have been dealing with life on the road. Before we got on the road, the Quarzsite season was exceptionally busy this year- we expanded alot, have added lots of new, exciting products, some new services, and some other cool stuff. Good problem to have. But- we'll get into that another time. Today, we are taking you to some beautiful places in New Mexico that we visited while on the road this spring.
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| Taos Pueblo |
We wrote in the Desert Messenger about Taos Pueblo, Acoma Sky City Pueblo, and Bandelier National Monument. You can access the article on Facebook or in the online version of Desert Messenger here. Taos Pueblo is just north of the city of Taos, and is easily accessible by a short drive. There is ample parking for cars and they have a nice overflow parking lot dedicated for RVs and Trailers. There are guides who speak about the pueblo every half hour, but you do not need a guide to visit the pueblo. Visitors are free to roam around the pueblo grounds being mindful of "No Entry" signs designating areas that are off limits to visitors. People still live in Taos Pueblo year round, so respecting the signs and people's property is important.
There are vendors selling their handmade goods at various places within the pueblo. Be respectful when inside these small shops because they are within the people's homes. Ask before taking pictures and do not enter other rooms without permission. There are also vendors who sell food. We enjoyed a fresh, homemade Native American Taco in the home of one couple. The man seated us with several other people at a long table in the living area, while the woman cooked our food to order. It was a warm and friendly atmosphere, and one of the most delicious Native American Tacos I've ever had. A lady next to me had tortilla-
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| Acoma Pueblo |
Acoma Sky City Pueblo is located slightly Southwest of Albuquerque off of I40. There are actually two ways to access the pueblo, and both drives are beautiful. You can make a loop and drive into the pueblo from one direction and out in the other for two very different scenic views of the surrounding desert and mesas. You will start and end at I40 no matter which way you go.
Acoma Pueblo is located at the top of a mesa. Visitors go with a guide on a bus up to the mesa top. In the pueblo the tour is guided, but there is lots of free reign to wander and photograph buildings. Here at Acoma, people also live in the pueblo year round, though many live there part time and live in other villages on the reservation the rest of the year. Several of the craftspersons sell their items at tables in front of their homes, however, in Acoma, unlike Taos, visitors were not able to enter the homes. There was a lady selling pastries when we were there, but no one making food to order like when we were at Taos Pueblo. The time spent at the pueblo with the guide is approximately 1 hour and a half. Visitors can return on the bus or walk down the ancient staircase that was in use until the road was built about 40 years ago.
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| The Ancient Stairway |
We chose to walk, or rather, climb, down the staircase. It is amazingly steep and narrow as it twists and turns through a crevice in the mesa. It is pretty incredible to think that for hundreds of years people climbed up and down this stairway carrying food, water, weapons, and more. The short walk back to the visitor center along the road passes some old corrals and some ruins of other pueblo buildings, as well as some modern pueblo homes where people live. At the visitor center, there is a small restaurant, a nice museum and a movie about the pueblo available to round out your experience. The menu at the restaurant looked enticing, but we got there after they were finished seating for the day, so we did not get to try the food.
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| Artist showing his work at Acoma Pueblo |
We will post about Bandelier in our next Blog post (which I promise won't take several months). But meanwhile, you can go to Bandelier National Monument Website for information. We'll also be posting our photos of Bandelier shortly, so check back often. We promise it won't be too long. Things have settled down a little for awhile, until heavy travel time again. Meanwhile, to follow all our adventures, and to see all our new exciting products, go to our website RocksInMyHead.com. From there you can access Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Flickr, and more! We will be open in Quartzsite at A37 in Rice Ranch in November, but you can also order by phone, email, or online! And don't forget, Life is Short! Go outside and Play.
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| Acoma Pueblo |
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| Taos Pueblo |
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