Friday, 22 November 2013
* Santa Fe, New Mexico – Taos, New Mexico – Albuquerque, New Mexico *
The adventurers had a bit of a sleep-in, then grabbed the continental breakfast at the Silver Saddle Motel along Historic Route 66. They then hopped next door to the Jackalope Pottery for a look around at the infamous merchants of unique pottery and cultural collections. Sir Thomas Leaf and Lady Etain bought some tribal art inspired sheet metal wall decor of a frog and kokopelli. Onwards down the street to hunt for some winter clothes at the local Goodwill as snow was falling this morning. The parties went separate routes as Docteur Mangor, Lady Angela, and prince Winter went off to Los Alamos to see where the first Atomic bomb was done. Sir Thomas Leaf, Lady Etain, Sir Rob Wildwood, and prince Cian went off towards Taos to explore Puebloan culture and to look for Faerie crosses. Taking up Route 68, through various reservations, past Camel Rock, the casinos, Posuwaegah, and onwards toward the Rio Grande River where they would be looking for faerie crosses. Snow frosting covered the ground so Sir Thomas Leaf was in doubts that they’d find any this time around. Luckily his last trip to Taos area granted the found treasure of close to 100 of the little gemstones that he’s slowly adding online to the Tree Leaves’ Oracle shopping cart. They drove past Catholic shrines at the base of a rock formation, found a glass pipe some hippies threw out in the fields while looking for faerie crosses, and took a twisty turning drive following the Rio Grande River in the more flatter areas of its gorge. They stopped off at the first USGS Gauging station created (1889) and a few stop offs to take photos of the snow covered hills along the route. They made their way up to Taos, the artist capital of New Mexico. Just north of the city center village is one of the oldest Native American Pueblos with uninterrupted habitation in America … the Taos Pueblo, making it a UNESCO World Heritage site.
They checked in with the visitor center, paid their admission, and headed around the Pueblo amazed at the beauty of the Adobe architecture, picturesque setting, and aboriginal charm. The village was very inactive, only a few shops open, enough for them to get some flat bread, a ceremonial pipe, and other charms. A stop off at the bridge, Sir Thomas Leaf allowed Prince Cian to play for the first time in the snow, touching the cold textured fluffy stuff that Cian at first thought was sand. The stream was enchanting with spirits of the old ways hanging about. Adobe ovens lie dormant in the distant, as were the kivas all covered over for the predicted snow fall. A bad storm was on the horizon. After a wander-about, they headed west towards the Rio Grande Bridge and Gorge. They found a nice gluten-free organic free-range bakery cafe along the route called the Farmhouse, imbibing soup and sandwiches. The owner of the cafe blessed them with a free treat of some homemade Flan for the road. As they approached the bridge crossing the famous Rio Grande Gorge, they found disappointment that none of the Native American vendors were out. It was definitely too cold. very few tourists alone were there as well. They pulled in by the memorial for the woman that died there, and treacherously walked across the bridge for some photo shots of the gorge where the infamous Natural Born Killer’s Micki and Malorie proposal was shot.
From there they drove back through Taos for a cup of chai at the World Cup Cafe, then back to Santa Fe through the outskirts of the snow storm and then hit a dry area before reaching Albuquerque racing to the Strange Factory as they were late for their friend Paul Koudounaris’ lecture on Heavenly Bodies : Spectacular Jeweled Skeletons. One of the most fascinating discussions Sir Thomas Leaf thought admiring the research his friend had done. They also met up with Docteur Mangor, Lady Angela, and prince Winter there at the Strange Factory, following them off to the Sandia Peak Inn to drop off their bags for the night. Then the crew met up with Docteur Paul for a group Indian dinner discussing writing, sites, and folklore. A late night was had by all and a good eve.
