Ever been to New Mexico? Spending several days there last week was a
stunning experience, from the Rattlesnake Museum to the red and green
chili.
by Joe Nathan
Ever been to New Mexico? Spending several days there last week was a stunning experience, from the Rattlesnake Museum to the red and green chili.
First, New Mexico's terrain is dramatically different than Minnesota's. Three members of our family flew into Albuquerque, which is at the base of the Sandia Mountains. Their highest point is more than 10,600 feet...quite different than anything here.
The area around Albuquerque is referred to as "high desert." That means you see mostly sand, not the rich black dirt we are used to. And until you get up in the mountains, the wonderful large trees of Minnesota are nowhere to be found.
A second major difference is cultural. There is a huge Mexican, Spanish, and Native American influence throughout the state. Many of the buildings, including some of the newest, are constructed in the pueblo style (based on mud and straw). This means among other things, that many buildings are low and brown. More than 1/3 of the state's residents report speaking a language other than English at home.
Albuquerque has an array of museums. They highlight everything from rattlesnakes (one entire museum devoted to these critters) to turquoise, to contributions of the Spanish, and the heritage and artwork of various Indian pueblos. You can learn about history from a variety of perspectives
Ever been to New Mexico? Spending several days there last week was a stunning experience, from the Rattlesnake Museum to the red and green chili.
First, New Mexico's terrain is dramatically different than Minnesota's. Three members of our family flew into Albuquerque, which is at the base of the Sandia Mountains. Their highest point is more than 10,600 feet...quite different than anything here.
The area around Albuquerque is referred to as "high desert." That means you see mostly sand, not the rich black dirt we are used to. And until you get up in the mountains, the wonderful large trees of Minnesota are nowhere to be found.
A second major difference is cultural. There is a huge Mexican, Spanish, and Native American influence throughout the state. Many of the buildings, including some of the newest, are constructed in the pueblo style (based on mud and straw). This means among other things, that many buildings are low and brown. More than 1/3 of the state's residents report speaking a language other than English at home.
Albuquerque has an array of museums. They highlight everything from rattlesnakes (one entire museum devoted to these critters) to turquoise, to contributions of the Spanish, and the heritage and artwork of various Indian pueblos. You can learn about history from a variety of perspectives
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