Scenic Santa Fe and Taos

Dad and I traveled to Taos, New Mexico, which is a living pueblo and exists just like it has for 1000 years. Those who live there agree to live as they did anciently. The river passing by is their water source. It was amazing to visit this historic place.

This picture shows a wall of adobe bricks with the mud amd straw mixture that has been used to cover the adobe bricks. An Indian there told us that the people of Taos pueblo, resurface all the existing structures once a year. This is how the community and homes can continue authenticly.

The cemetery was interesting. Many of the graves had been burned and the rocks looked black. It made us wonder what the tradition was that would have them burn anything placed at the base of the cross. We learned that the Indians have a combined religion of their own traditions and also some of the Catholic teachings. They had an adobe church, with an alter, but other items were on display.

Here is the homemade oven that was like many pesent in the area. They make their daily bread in these ovens and also bread to sell to the visitors.

This is a view of the whole pueblo. The rooms are staked on top of each other. Anciently they would enter through a door from on top. Now there are some doors on the lowest level.

A view from up closer. We wandered all over this area. We went inside their church, we went inside some of these doors where they were selling goods like food or pottery. We talked to a few of the residents. Most didn't want to photographed. You got the feeling that you were invited to be there as long as you adhered to their rules or standards. It was a experience to remember.

This picture was taken one night when we were camping out with Michelle and her boys.

This is the church in Sante Fe that is the largest adobe building in the area. It was huge. It looked very modern and it is used daily as a church.

We went with Michelle and her boys to see the Mamba Falls. We went on this trail which passed beside a stream. It was a pretty trail. This trail took you to the lower falls.

This is a picture of us viewing the upper falls. We had to hike up to get there. It was cool and I needed my jacket. Caleb, Wyatt and Zane never stopped looking for fossils and Indians arrowheads. They were amazing.

One picture taken of the beautiful clouds we loved looking at in New Mexico.

This picture was taken the night we stayed late in Santa Fe. This is the large church that sits off of the city square. It was built a long time ago, but I can't remember the name.