You know, I think I planned pretty well for this trip. Unlike some trips where I forgot various sundries, I didn't forget anything that I have noticed so far. But I did forget that spring comes a bit earlier this far south. While I don't start sniffling and rubbing my eyes until about the middle of May in Minnesota, I realized today that indeed I do still have seasonal allergies. By the time I got to Phoenix I was…wait, I am in the wrong country song. By the time I reached Taos I was a mess. I made it to a drugstore for, well, drugs, got to a hotel and crashed for an hour while they did their work. That explains the early post and the added bonus that I can see and breathe.
I started today in Santa Fe and headed north to Las Vegas, the other Las Vegas, the one in New Mexico. The drive was great--it kind of reminds me in places like the Great Smokey Mountains except that the hills/mountains are different, the sky is way different, there are different trees, and there aren't as many people. So pretty much exactly the same! It was still a nice morning drive.
Actually, Las Vegas is kind of a nice little town. I was there by about 8, in time for breakfast at Charlie's Spic and Span Cafe, and the day went on from there. I actually spent three hours wandering around and found several fun pictures. And, I almost got arrested! The Coke sign was from a drugstore that was turned into a bank--it was too good of a sign to get rid of and they still call it the Murphey building so they kept it. I loved the sign, but had to wait for probably 30-40 minutes until someone walked into the scene. So for about 30-40 minutes, there was this stranger with a pretty big camera pointed at the bank. Odd that it did, but it did raise a concern or two, and sure enough, two of Las Vegas's finest had a little chat with me. Cool. I showed them what I was doing and avoided the hoosegow.
After wandering around a bit more, I headed for Taos. There are many ways to get there, but I took Highway 518 from Las Vegas to Taos. What a drive. I am not sure that I would like it in the winter, but in the spring it was very nice and I bet in the fall it is spectacular. I stopped for about an hour at the Agua Piedra barrier-free rest stop and I believe it was well spent. I think it reminded me that there are many ways to reflect and compose yourself on a Good Friday. The stream was perfectly in tune, and rills that filled the stream from the mountain snows added counter-punctual harmony. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.
Now I am sitting in my hotel room eating a dinner that is pretty funny. I have some good Tillimook cheese and thin sliced ham, since it is almost Easter, you know. I am eating it on Matzo crackers as they were on sale--the Jewish community isn't as big as the grocery store anticipated, I guess, but it is Passover, you know. They are pretty good, though I am sure I need to apologize to some higher authority for the ham. I tried to wash it down with some New Mexican wine, but I just couldn't make that work--the wine industry in the state is a bit less refined than I had hoped. Wow, and yuk.
Tomorrow I will explore Taos and the area, and I am looking forward to that. I am finding that I like each town or city the smaller they are--Santa Fe is nice, so Taos should be even nicer.
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