We're HOME! Back from New Mexico.

We had the most wonderful time on our trip that took us along old Route 66 to New Mexico.

 

I'll take you along with pictures and a bit of history from our journey.

 

 

Here Bill and I are at the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, Oklahoma.

  

 

In Albuquerque we got to go through the International Balloon Museum where we were all amazed at the amount of information about ballooning linked to history.

 

These are the 1st 2 balloons designed in the world. The facts about the inventors and who was chosen to fly in them was amusing.

Some of the Docents are chasers in the Albuquerque Balloon Festival that is there every year. It has hundreds of balloons that come to fly.

Here I am on my "balloon ride." A picture set-up for those who want to say they've flown, but don't have the nerve!

 

 Did you know the Japanese made 9000 hand-sewn paper balloons that carried incendiary bombs all across the US during WW II? This is one of the few mechanisms on display.

 

Several were spotted and exploded. Only one was responsible for killing a family on a picnic in Oregon. They were to explode when reaching a certain altitude and cause fires to forests and buildings.

 

More info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_balloon#Single_lethal_attack

 

 

This is a view of the mountains from the concourse of the Museum.

 

Then on to the Albuquerque Museum and the Sculpture Gardens. The sculptures are all around the building from different Artists.

This is a part of the huge display in the front.

 

We spent a day in Santa Fe. This is the plaza and general meeting place.

 

 

This is in the New Mexico State Capitol Building where they displayed an enormous Buffalo Head made completely with found objects!!!

 

 

This thing was AMAZING! Between his eyes are old paint brushes, the horns are covered with newspaper articles, tie wraps from businesses pop out of his head and curls of paper are all around the top.

 

 

 This close-up shows just a smidgen of her talent. The center of his eye is an old fishing reel surrounded by a horseshoe.

 

There's film strips and screen, wire and fabric with stitching, buttons and knobs.....it is one of the most awesome pieces of ART I've ever had the pleasure to gaze upon.

 

 

We had seen the movie "The Staircase" with William Peterson and Barbara Hershey before going to the Loretto Chapel. It is an amazing story.

 

The Chapel was built in 1877 with a choir loft that had no stairs in which to get to it. The architect had forgotten to add a staircase.

 

The sisters prayed for 9 days and a stranger appeared and said he'd build a stairway. After 3 months, the stairway was finished without a single nail and in a space no one could have imagined could house such a structure.

 

He then disappeared forever....or so the story goes.

 

It originally had no railing, but after 10 years, one was added.

 

This is how it originally appeared.

 

The Altar of the church. The man is gazing with amazement at the staircase.

 

 

We took the trolley up Canyon Road that is filled with Artists sculptures all along the way.

 

Breathtaking! More outdoor works of art in a single place than a huge museum.

 

This is the  Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi.

 

It is said the Archbishop Lamy ran out of money to complete the cathedral around 1886, and borrowed $5000 from the Jewish community in the city. ( A lot of money in those days!)

 

When it was completed, he told them he still had no money. They forgave the complete loan. In their honor you'll see a Jewish symbol at the top of the archway at the entrance to the cathedral.

A gorgeous pool in the cathedral. 

 

 

The statue of St. Francis of Assisi.

 

 

The adjoining Conquistadora Chapel is all that remains of the second Church. Built in 1714, this tiny Chapel houses La Conquistadora, the oldest Madonna in the United States, brought by Franciscan Friars in 1625.

 

 

This was our favorite place on our journey. 

 

 Sky City Cultural Center and the Pueblo of Acoma. A statue at the museum plaza.

 

 It is built on a 367 foot sandstone bluff.

 

Initially it was home to the Anasazi people in the 13th century founding of the Pueblo. It is the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in North America since 1150 A.D.

 

The Spanish stormed the area thinking the walls of the buildings were made with gold. In fact it was the sun shining on the straw used with the clay to make their buildings.

 

My favorite shot of the canyon below.

 

The Enchanted Mesa.

 

A view of the homes from the museum level.

 

There is no running water, electricity, or sewer facilities. The mound behind us is an oven used to make their bread.

 

 

If you go, make sure you ask for Mataya aka "Sparkles" as your guide. She was the BEST guide we've ever had on a trip. Simply an enchanting young lady.

 

This is her home. The daughters inherit the homes here, not the sons, so this will fall to her when her father passes. 

She doesn't like to see unflattering pictures of herself on the internet and is rather camera shy.

 

 

The Vase is from Old Albuquerque by a local artist. It's carved as well as painted.

 

The small treasure boxes were painted by Mataya's mother. She uses her grandchildren's hair...about 6 strands only....to make her brushes to paint her pieces. 

 

 

The Oklahoma City Memorial with the Reflecting Pool.

 

 

A chair for each person that was killed in the attack. At night the bases are lit up. Smaller ones are for the children that died.

At each end is a wall with a time. One has the time of the blast, and the other the minute after when everything was changed forever.

 

 It had poured all night and most of the morning.....but when we got to the wall, it suddenly stopped.

 

A beautiful and somber place. The clouds were breaking and the sun was peeking through.

 

Read the carved words in the wall..."we will not be defeated."

 

 

It was a windy and rainy day to start, but the sun came through for a few minutes to make everything beautifully green and full of hope.

 

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look at the pictures.

 

We had a great trip, but are so glad to be home.

 

Bill and Linda