New Mexico

I went to NM for a conference. I got to see the mass of concrete of LAX. LAX bad.

I also got to see the splendor of a town (Santa Fe) that was green with flowers, cool people playing music and riding bikes....

 admirable architecture....

 a conscious government who supports recycling...

 complete with art...

 and a park (aka public green space) - for a couple of hours!

 

For the most part I was on a pueblo (reservation) resort hotel. Accidentally broke the camera, so I only have one photo of the posh place. It was a fairly new resort and it was niiiice.

Spent a little time admiring the scenery early in the morning and late at night.

There were fires while I was there. They were in extreme drought. 

The experience that was most emotionally rousing does not come with photos, not due to the broken camera, but due to that photos were not allowed. A couple NM Pueblos allow visitors one day a year on their Feast Day. Heavily Catholic, mixed with ancient traditions, the Pueblos have a day to honor their patron Saint. The Sandia Pueblo's Saint is St. Anthony, and lo and behold their Feast Day was when I was there. The community, from elders to children, dance, drum, and chant.  Photographs (even cell phones) are not allowed.  

One dance was a rain dance. It started to rain at the end of the dance and people went wild!  The air was filled with tingly excitement.

The festival reminds me a bit of Russian Starring. Part of the event is going from house to house eating and visiting. 

I learned about one cultural treat which I STILL need to make. I will do so this week! Kool Aid pickles. I know! Kool Aid pickles! For a dollar I tried one. Tasted like pickled watermelon rind.