2008.08.27
New Mexico
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Earlier this month I spent six days on vacation in New Mexico. Somewhat ironically, it turns out that I went south in the summer to avoid the heat. Calgary was extremely hot while I was away, while Albuquerque had temperatures between 25 and 30C the entire trip.
One of the highlights of the trip was a half day spent at Sky City. The Acoma people have both an interesting history and an interesting home. The weather was perfect for the trip, and I quite enjoyed it overall.
Acoma is perhaps best known for its pottery. While I didn’t purchase any while I was there, I was very impressed by the artistry, technique, and attention to detail that the hand-made pieces exhibited. The tradition is still alive and well today, though now the pottery is produced primarily for sale instead of for everyday use.
Another rather interesting experience was when I went on a short hike at the top of Sandia peak. It’s always quite fun to go for a walk at 10,000 feet, and I seldom get the opportunity here in Calgary since our mountains have snow year round at that elevation.
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On the edge of the mountain, just above a sheer cliff, sits a stone house. And while the structure’s origins are quite mundane, the setting immediately brought to mind H.P. Lovecraft’s Strange High House in the Mist outside the fictional town of Kingsport. Fortunately for me, the trail to the house was much easier to hike than Kingsport Head would have been.
At the end of the trip, I treated myself to a massage at Ten Thousand Waves. It’s a really nice spa in Santa Fe area, and I’ll definitely be going back next time I’m there. It was a wonderful conclusion to an excellent vacation.
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