Once upon a time I said I would write about spring break happenings. Then it never happened. The school year ended and the mister and I did some contract work for our schools and before we knew it sumer began with a fun-filled week of exploring and showing our family around the Gallup area.
We were blessed with a week of amazing weather when Bruce and Linda came to visit. We were able to spend long days in the sun seeing all that the southwest has to offer.
We started our time together on Saturday with one of the best breakfasts you can find in Gallup (if you've never been to the Plaza Cafe and you're local, you're missing out) and a trip to a garage sale that some of our friends were having. We were lured there by the promise of lemonade being sold by cute kids, and that promise was met (with an added bonus of being PINK lemonade, something that I have a weakness for). I also managed to walk away with some great new-to-me scarves and a new book, Chris picked up a bolero tie, and Linda scored big with a whole new library for her daycare and some new noise-making toys. Our shopping for the day wasn't complete though, as every visit to Gallup should also include a trip to the local flea market. I finally purchased some earrings that I have wanted for about two years and Linda found a horse to take home!
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| Linda's new horse |
On Sunday we made our way into Arizona where we spent our morning exploring Petrified Forest National Park. With the painted desert surrounding us, discoveries of petroglyphs and pictographs, blue mesas, and an abundance of petrified wood we relished the beauty of the natural world (I particularly enjoyed chasing lizards) and contemplated the lives of generations past. What would it have been like to live in the open desert? Where would the people have gotten their water? What brought people to the area and made them want to stay? The National Parks Service has a way of making you think about things in a new way, and for that I am always grateful.
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| one of my lizard friends |
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| petrified wood |
We stayed in Gallup on Monday and did the touristy things that the mister and I typically overlook, but have secretly wanted to do during our time here. We visited the Storyteller Museum, checked out new trading posts and did the city mural walk. Gallup has a rich history and an abundance of talented residents and this was a the perfect opportunity to take all of that in. We also made a point of visiting another landmark in Gallup, Glenn's Bakery. Chris brought me donuts from Glenn's once upon a time after a run, but we really haven't eaten there, even though we had heard that we should. We had a great lunch and it will certainly be a place that we go back to (don't worry, they sell more than donuts!).
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| Bruce and Linda with a Code Talker |
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| Chris, our ever faithful tour guide |
On Tuesday we went back to Arizona, this time to Canyon de Chelly. Since moving to the southwest, I have found Canyon de Chelly to be one of the most beautiful places that we have visited. It is majestic, full of history, and peaceful. There is something about visiting this place that is just relaxing, even when making the trip down into the canyon and then climbing back out of it. We hiked to the bottom of the canyon to show Bruce White House Ruins and then spent the rest of our day going to the overlooks. One of the things about Canyon de Chelly is that it is a living monument. There are still families that reside in the canyon, therefore visitors are not allowed to explore on their own (unless you are willing to run a long way). From the top though you are able to meet artisans from the area, learn about their families that reside in the canyon, and of course buy beautiful artwork (which we all did). On our way home from Canyon de Chelly we stopped in at Hubbell Trading Post for another glimpse of life in days gone by.
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| replica hogan |
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| the four of us at spider rock |
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| white house ruins |
Wednesday was a day of recovery, to some extent. We returned to Arizona (though just barely) and visited the Navajo Nation Zoo and the Nation Museum. The morning was nice and mild as we made our way through the zoo, and then we escaped from the heat of the day by visiting the museum. It was a relaxing morning, followed by an afternoon of Chris and I playing catch up with grad school (yes, even though it is summer, we are still working a little bit).
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| Linda petting animals at the zoo |
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| window rock |
We wrapped up our time together with a trip to Zuni, Ramah and El Morro National Monument. We were fortunate to find the A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center open in Zuni. This is a great little museum of the history of the Zuni people; the mister and I were introduced to it as a part of our new teacher orientation with the school district, but had not been able to go back on our own. The museum covers the long history of the Zuni people in a small space with unique artifacts and images. Our history lesson did not stop with this trip to the museum though, as we ventured down the road to El Morro. Here, travelers made their mark as they passed through on one of several trails heading west. There are marks from ancient tribes, western settlers, and railroad men, all stopping for a break from the hot desert sun and to refill their canteens from the spring that made the place noteworthy. While one would't want to drink water there today, the shade is still a welcome respite during the heat of the day. Instead, water is consumed, along with delicious food at the Ancient Way Cafe, one of our favorite eateries in the southwest.
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| the pool at el morro |
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| the story of antelope passing through |
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| the marks of spanish conquistadores |
Our week was full of adventure, good food, and of course Nightly Indian Dances. It is always fun to show people around, and it's even better when it is family that comes to town. We were sad to say goodbye, but fortunately it is summertime which means we'll be able to squeeze in another visit before the school year begins in August.
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| one of my favorite dances of all time, the hoop dance |
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| the buffalo dance |
