It was a slower start this morning. We got up and found a good coffee shop for a cappuccino. That is a definite treat in this country. We then went to the Visitor Centre to get some guidance, but as is often the case the guidance is rather gabbled and I can’t always keep up with what they are saying.
Nonetheless we set off to find the Taos Pueblo which was really amazing. It, like we saw in Mesa Verde, are the multi-storey adobe dwellings of the Pueblan Native Americans. But this time it was a vibrant, living community who had been here for over 1000 years. It is, once again a UNESCO World Heritage site and the dwellings are handed down between generations. Many of the homes are open and the inhabitants practice their art forms. The nice thing is chatting to them about their life and art. It was really a great experience. They have no electricity or running water so they can, as much as possible maintain their traditiional lifestyle.
It was very hot in the midday sun and we decided to find somewhere for lunch. Driving around Taos, apart from getting endlessly lost because of the shit connection they have to the internet, it is a marvellous, small town where every single building is made in the adobe style. And they are so beautiful and stylish. The Mexican influence is everywhere. This part of the world is dominated by Spanish, with Mexican food being predominant.
We found a great restaurant, La Cueva, yes, Mexican, and had the best lunch. I had a most delicious seafood enchilada. So yummy. The only thing that ruined it for me was the table of very loud Americans behind me who spent my lunch time talking, very loudly to their kids like idiots. “i know sharing is hard”, “Good teamwork”, “well done, you did it” loud, repetitive and constant. I wanted to shout…”Shut the fuck up kids”. But of course I didn’t. I had another sip of my Sierra Nevada!!!
After lunch we went to see the Hacienda de los Martinez. Not much to write home about there. Very run down old adobe homestead owned by a Spanish family who traded in Native American slaves as far as I could see.
In the 17century the Native American and the Spanish joined forces to repell the American onslaught…that didn’t go so well as we know.
So we came home early and have had a lovely lazy afternoon.