A Week in the “Land of Enchantment”

 

While searching for a late summer getaway, an article in the Wall Street Journal provided an intriguing prospect. Why not fly into Albuquerque, New Mexico and also visit Santa Fe and Taos?  The State is proudly called “the Land of Enchantment” to reflect its rich history, cultural diversity, and natural beauty. 

My wife and I decided that since the three destinations are only an hour apart, a week was all we needed. We scheduled two days in each location, with a final dash back to the Albuquerque airport.

After arriving and taking in the high desert sights, sounds, and smells of Old Town Albuquerque, we rested before heading out for a full day of exploration. Our first stop was the well-regarded Pueblo Cultural Center, an introduction to the Native American clans that have populated New Mexico for centuries. Luckily, each Sunday features a full program of Pueblo native dance in full traditional costume. The exhibits surrounding the outdoor courtyard where the dancers performed were outstanding. A traditional Pueblo lunch concluded our visit.

In the afternoon, we headed for an attraction that every tourist seems to seek out as a break from indoor museums. The Sandia Peak Tramway takes visitors to the crest of this 10,000-foot mountain for spectacular views covering 11,000 square miles of New Mexico.

The next morning, we departed for Santa Fe and arrived minutes after the Georgia O’ Keefe Museum opened for the day. We were rewarded with an uncrowded viewing experience of some of the greatest works of this famous American artist. O’ Keeffe began her career in NYC before discovering the beauty of New Mexico. Her earlier paintings featured large colorful close -ups of flowers. Later, she would paint the landscapes surrounding Santa Fe and Taos in her distinctive style.

Across the street in Santa Fe’s Old Town was the New Mexico History Museum. The major attraction is a timeline that traces historical events from antiquity to the present. New Mexico's history spans thousands of years, beginning with Native American cultures, followed by Spanish colonization in the late 1500s. The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 and subsequent Spanish reconquest were violent, not well known, events.  Following Mexican independence, the region became part of the United States after the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. New Mexico became a US territory in 1850 and finally achieved statehood in 1912. 

At the History Museum, one cannot help but reflect on what it means to be an American. In the 1840s, “manifest destiny,” the 19th-century doctrine that the expansion of the US throughout the American continents was both justified and inevitable, overran New Mexico. The historical record makes clear that neither the Native Americans nor Spanish speaking residents were eager to become assimilated into the United States.

In the early twentieth century when the western railroads were being built, there was a critical need for labor. Tens of thousands of workers from Mexico were recruited. Many of them stayed and are now the backbone of New Mexico society.

Today, roughly fifty per cent of the New Mexico population identifies as Hispanic or Latino and eleven percent as Native American. There are too few jobs and a great deal of open space.  Eighteen percent live below the poverty line. When we had dinner with a classmate from Swarthmore College, now an Albuquerque physician, he explained how difficult it was to retain professionals in New Mexico.

Our next full day in Santa Fe was dedicated to diverse attractions.  The church located in Santa Fe's historic central plaza is the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. Another historic church near the plaza is the San Miguel Chapel, the oldest in the continental U.S.

We left the central square and drove to seek out the Museum of International Folk Art, a pleasant surprise. We spent hours admiring the large collection from all over the world. It was a riot of color, design, and unique objects. My wife could not resist purchasing a traditional Ukrainian blouse, in support of this nation still under siege by Russia. Across the street, the Botanical Gardens delighted her with a large collection of local flora.

The next morning, it was on to Taos along the more scenic “high-road” where the two-mile-high altitude will “take your breath away.” Outside of town we made an unscheduled stop for lunch at “Antonio’s,” a roadside café. We were thrilled to learn that this traditional New Mexico eatery had been featured on the show, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

Nearby, Taos Pueblo is the only Native American community designated as both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark. Made entirely of adobe, the multi-storied homes are still occupied today, embodying a living culture. In our only disappointment of the week, the village was closed to tourists in late August so that the community could undertake some traditional rituals.

As an alternative, we took in the Millicent Rogers Museum, started by the late daughter of a Standard Oil executive. Her collection of Native American art is considered one of the finest in the Southwest.

Our final day in Taos started with a visit to the breathtaking Rio Grande Gorge Bridge and ended with hours of shopping in Taos Plaza. Discerning buyers from all over the world patronize the many galleries and studios.

Sometimes it is the trip that is taken on short notice with minimal planning that reaps the greatest rewards. The New Mexico “land of enchantment” provided an entertaining and cultural journey to the Southwest – well beyond our expectations.