Snippets

The first time I traveled to New Mexico was when I was in the ninth grade. I went with my friend's family and we visited people in Las Vegas. The second time was when I took my parents to visit places where they grew up. We traveled to my mother's birth place in Villa Nueva and my dad's in Garfield. This was my first vacation from my first job and I remember feeling excited because this was also my parents first vacation. When I was growing up my father got his two week vacation from his regular job and found work for the two weeks he would be on vacation.

Since then, I have traveled to the Land of Enchantment many, many time; to enjoy the balloon fiestas in Albuquerque, the caves in Carlsbad, white sands and doing research for my genealogy. In driving to New Mexico there are many towns that are passed and if I were to write something about those places this would become a very long blog. I decided to do snippets of what there is to see along the way between Colorado and New Mexico.

Snippets

Colorado Springs: Home of Air Force Academy...... 18,000 acres....established in 1954 for male cadets.....1975 co-ed......2004 designated as a National Historical Landmark....Chapel has 17 spires of glass, seats 1300 in Protestant section, 500 in Catholic....500 in Jewish....and a new addition of a Buddhist Chapel. Creed: We will not lie, steal, cheat nor tolerate among us anyone who does; furthermore, I resolve to do my duty and to live honestly, so help me God.......NORAD......Ft. Carson

Tourist attractions: Garden of the Gods....Seven Falls reaching 181' high and 224 steps....Pikes Peak....Cheyenne Mountain Zoo..... North Pole.... and Cave of the Winds.

Pueblo: Settled in 1840 on the Arkansas River and called Ft. Pueblo.... Rockefellers developed steel mills which closed in 1980.....Federal Government distribution center for publications.....known for its green chili ....home of the State Fair.....Zoo.....Sangre de Cristo Arts Center......museums....home of Colorado Mental Health Institute.....river bank painted by graffiti artists.

Walsenburg: Settled in 1852 under name of Plaza de Los Leones (Plaza of Lions) and had largest coal mines in the county of Huerfano..... 2 museums......swimming pool..... golf course..... Lathrop State Park for swimming, boating, picnicking, windsurfing and fishing.

Ft. Garland: Established in 1858.....currently may have 432 persons living there...known as the Gateway to San Luis Valley....home of artists, painters, musicians, and crafts......information center for Great Sand Dunes.....Colorado Gator Farm....UFO Watchtower.

San Luis: Oldest town in Colorado.....Shrine of the Stations of the Cross.....local artist Huberto Maestas designed the stations.....Sangre de Cristo Church built in 1886.....Todo Los Santos Chapel (All Saints Chapel) sits on top of the hill....Our Lady of Guadalupe in grotto down a slight incline......Memorial to Spanish priests who died as martyrs.....town predominately Hispanic.

Taos, New Mexcio: Native Americans, Anglos and Hispanics live in adobe homes......jewelry and pottery art passed down in families........home of Santeros who carve and paint crude saints......home to Georgia O'Keeffe, D.H. Lawrence an Ansel Adams......exceptional food....ski resorts....golfing....fishing.....boating biking,.....rafting.... beautiful views.....known as Land of Enchantment......many galleries.......unique shops.

Taos Pueblo: Over 1000 years old.......oldest inhabited community in the U.S......a World Heritage site and a National Historical Landmark.......buildings made of adobe (water and straw)........7, 200 elevation (Denver is 5,278)........Tiwa, Spanish, English spoken........economy is from tourism....arts......crafts......and food.......elementary school taught by Indian teachers......older students attend school in Taos.......tradition dictates no electricity or running water in Pueblo........river is their source of drinking water.......San Geronimo (St. Jerome) church rebuilt in 1850 after being destroyed in war with Mexico and U.S. in 1847......90% Catholic plus Indian religious rites.....tours given by students.

Santuario de Chimayo: In 1810 crucifix found near river.....taken to chapel but crucifix kept returning to river.....built Santuario near river where crucifix found.......visited by pilgrims daily......many art works in chapel......Lord of Esquipulas hangs in middle of altar.......dirt in hole to the left of the altar....shops....chapel of Santo Nino de Atocha.....miracles have been reported......spiritual emotional and physical healing has taken place......do not drink or eat the dirt......

Santa Fe, New Mexico: Chapel began in 1873 and completed in 1878......error made and there was no way to get to the choir loft......a carpenter came along and he built the staircase....33 steps, 2 complete turns, without a center support.....wooden pegs used instead of nails........wood used not from New Mexico.......architects who examine stairs are amazed.....many believe it was St. Joseph who built the staircase.......

Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi: First church built in 1610......present church built in 1886.....houses chapel of Our Lady, La Conquistadora.....she came to Santa Fe in 1626 and the chapel where she is kept s part of the old church.....San Damiano Crucifix hangs above sanctuary....Reredos of the saints is on the back wall......stained glass windows from France........pipe organ installed in 1895 and rebuilt in 1963.....St. Francis statue....outside is statue of St. Kateri Tekakwitha.......Bronze doors installed in 1986 with 16 panels depicting history of Santa Fe

St. Michael's Chapel: Chapel of San Miguel Mission Church.......oldest church in Santa Fe.......built in 1626 but none of the original church stands....continuous rebuilding of the chapel......wooden carved statue of St. Michael......oldest reredos on wood in New Mexico. (2 blocks from Chapel of Loretto)

Plaza: Shops.....museums......Native American wares on blankets on the ground....jewelry.......Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi.......restaurants.....La Fonda Hotel with interesting artifacts.....

Hope this gives a traveler an idea of what will be seen on the way to the Land of Enchantment.