Astonishing

For our 31st Anniversary and Thanksgiving celebration we visited Taos, New Mexico. Driving to Taos we took the "High Road" and returning the "Low Road" which is along the Rio Grande. Our intended week long stay was cut short since the heat failed in the casita we rented and it was way too cold to remain in Taos. 

We did spend an incredible day at the Taos Pueblo which is an absolutely astonishing experience.

New Mexico is the only state that has three World Heritage Sites:

     Chaco Culture National Historical Park

     Carlsbad Caverns National Park

     and

     Taos Pueblo

The state is petitioning for a fourth site at White Sands National Monument.

The Taos Pueblo gives one an insight into what life was like before "the white man" took over what is now the State of New Mexico. 

The Red Willow Creek is fed by a glacier lake located 25 miles into the Taos Pueblo wilderness. This waterway provides water to the 100 or so inhabitants of the Pueblo. These live on either of the creek in the South House, or Hlaukkwima pictured above, or in the North House (Hlaauma).

A multistoried adobe building on the North side of Red Willow Creek below.

"The adobe is a brick made of an earth, straw and water mixture formed and sun-dried. Each adobe layer is stacked with a mortar (adobe mixture) and sun-dried. Upon completion a coating of the same material is applied. The coating is continuously maintained to sustain the impacts of weather and deterioration." Below is a close up of the adobe:

The adobe structures are heated with incredibly efficient and very small fireplaces. 

Baking is done in out of doors adobe structures called hornos, introduced by the Spanish and perfected by Pueblo people to suit their needs. 

Some tribal members offer for sale food including fruit pies and preserves. The fruit is gathered from the orchards that are well established and productive. There is art for sale often with the artist available to discuss her or his work. 

As one enters one can experience the feel of the inside of these adobe structures.

Signs warn tourists of the private residences unavailable for entry as show in the above photograph.

The Taos Pueblo peoples who live on either side of the waterway have their own kiva for sacred ceremonies. The one pictured below is of the North House.

"Res" dogs abound. These four leggeds amble every where, in what it seems like to this One, a state of serenity.

Or we visitors notice them lying in the sun connected to their Mother Earth.

Guided tours are offered from 9:00 a.m. running every 20 minutes and lasting 30 minutes. Our guide was incredibly animated and passionate about his culture. He provided history and a window into how his present day Pueblo deals with the United States government: Taos Pueblo, like all Native Americans inhabiting "reservations", is a sovereign nation.  Our guide is pictured below:

The majority of the tribal members do not live in the old adobe structures but in newer homes with electricity and running water, some on tribal land and others off. The visitors' bathrooms are warm with flush toilets and very clean.

At the miserable last night we spent in the unheated rented casita, we had an emotional discharging