The Explore All 50 States Project
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New Mexico is known as The Land of Enchantment and after visiting here we can see why. The desert colors in the natural landscape are beautiful, but it goes much deeper than that. There is a spirituality here, an unexplained peacefulness and harmony that is difficult to explain but yet you feel it all around you. It is the beauty in small things and the simple things that somehow gets magnified in the New Mexican … [Read more...]
During the second half of a flaming hot day, the kids wanted to cool off so we headed to the Hinkle Family Fun Center. It's always fun to run around and explore, but every so often everyone needs a break to just let loose for awhile. If you are traveling with kids and you need a place to just let loose for a bit, this is a great stop as it's loaded with activities, snacks, and some loungy places for parents to … [Read more...]
The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center was our first stop after an early morning flight and a great place to start our introduction to the region and connect with our theme, Cowboys and Native American Indians. The Center was founded to preserve and perpetuate Pueblo culture, and to advance understanding by presenting their accomplishments and evolving history with dignity and respect. It was boiling hot so it was … [Read more...]
La Placita Dining Room is a truly authentic New Mexican dining experience. After a hectic start to our first day, Shari and I treated ourselves to a Margarita and it was just what the doctor ordered. Though it felt a lot like a typical Mexican restaurant back home in Los Angeles, the kids and I did notice some things that were different. After sitting down and ordering, we were brought some "sopapillas" … [Read more...]
When we visited the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History it was known as the National Atomic Museum. Initially Shari's daughter Maya was a little flipped out because she thought it was all about atomic bombs which are scary. Well, we did learn about the atomic bomb but we also learned a lot about the atom and how it's power can also be used for good like in x-rays. I am not sure how much of the museum … [Read more...]
Old Town Albuquerque is just a great place to walk around and explore. There are tons of nifty shops with all kinds of handicrafts made by local artisans. One item we became obsessed with on our trip were "fetishes". These are little animals carved out of stone or natural substances like horn or bone. They are carved by Native American artisans of the various local tribes like the Zuni or the Navajo. … [Read more...]
The Rattlesnake Museum is a kooky museum that is a must see just for the sheer weirdness of it. Inside, there were lots of different snakes and various other reptile that the kids and I found fascinating. There were snakes of every color in lots of glass cases along with skinks,horny toads and a plethora other reptilian critters. The kids and I were fascinated looking at some real rattlers and were mesmerized … [Read more...]
If you’re hungry, check out the Route 66 Diner. This place was fun and super tasty, especially after a hot couple of hours with 5 kids driving us nuts. Running around all morning in the New Mexico desert heat and dealing with a couple of temper tantrums left me with a massive migraine headache. Normally I am a super healthy eater and I make sure my kids make good choices but sometimes you need to cut loose. … [Read more...]
The Turquoise Museum sits in a little mini mall located in a storefront but don't be fooled this is a fantastic stop to learn all about this gemstone that has played such a huge part in Southwestern design and culture. We walked through a simulated turquoise mine shaft and then into the rest of the museum where our first stop was a room with displays of some really big and unusual turquoise stones. The museum … [Read more...]
El Santuario De Chimayo church is legendary, as it is claimed to be built on land with dirt that contains healing powers. The story has it that a man found a cross in his field and brought it to the town’s church, where he naturally thought it should go. However, the next day, the cross had mysteriously returned to his field. He brought it to the church again, only to find it back on his land once more. After 3 … [Read more...]
