After giving ourselves a few days to recover from our trip to San Diego, it was off to New Mexico. Kip and I took Lynn and Ken as they wanted to see some different parts of the Southwest. We drove to Santa Fe via the Turquoise Trail and Madrid (an old mining town).
While in Santa Fe, we visited the Plaza, took a trolley tour, ate spicy green and red chili, bought art, dodged the monsoon rains and taught Kip how to drink beer like the locals (local root beer, that is).
After we left Santa Fe, we drove back to Albuquerque with a stop at El Rancho de las Golandrinas: http://www.golondrinas.org/ It was an interesting place. The theme of the weekend was the meeting between the Spanish and the Native Americans.
We took the Sandia Peak tramway, which is purported to be the longest aerial tram in the world. It was sweaty feet and palms on the way up, because it was SUCH a long way down. But it was worth it. At the top, we took a "nature hike" with Kip who then took a little test and earned his Sandia Peak Junior Ranger badge.
We had lunch in Albuquerque's Old Town (more chili for me and Ken) and then visited the American International Rattlesnake Museum. I had NO idea there were so many types, shapes, sizes and colors of rattlesnakes. And they were all so lively! It was absolutely pouring with rain when we emerged and it was a long run back to the car dodging Native American sellers, wide-eyed tourists and puddles as deep as my knees.
During a sunny moment, Kip posed with a large Kachina doll. Around his neck is his new fetish pouch. Inside is his Zuni fetish, "the eagle" or "the protector". He takes such good care of his brothers, we thought it appropriate.
