Taos is almost a tale of two cities by itself: the artist colony and the pueblo. We visited both on Friday. One surprising discovery at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art was the bumper sticker “Make America Gracious Again.” I decided to make a statement by juxtaposing it between the fierce Pueblo warrior and the praying Pueblo farmer. The farmer was considered a liability as a day laborer, because he preferred praying to tilling the soil. Juxtaposing him with “Make America Gracious Again” gives him a certain dignity, because the words might be considered a prayer on behalf of the growing nation.
Found at Register of Museum of Spanish Colonial Art
In the city of Taos, one of my best lunches came from “Bomb Street,” an outdoor taco stand with a commitment to spicy. Victoria is pictured below enjoying a selection from their small menu. The taco sauce burned sweetly!
The city of Taos is encircled by the Red River, famed for its Red Willows , really a river weed with a red tint in it blossoms. The river flooded periodically, but seemed moderate depth that day.
The Pueblo maintains the adobe fashion of rectangular, one or two story buildings fortified by berms and ditches against the overflow of the Red River.
There are two churches standing in the Pueblo: one bombed out during the invasion of U.S. troops claiming the territory. The Taos denizens thought the sanctuary of the church would protect them, but the army avoided the problem of violating the building by bombing it from the outside.
St. Francis Church replaced the stricken building with a splendid house of worship. We were asked not to photograph the interior.
We were escorted around the pueblo by our gracious host, Ariana. She pointed out the dire straits of some residents without self-consciousness. She made us feel welcome.
Road Scholar friends David Overcashier and Rebecca Ellis
The pueblo was a great place to buy powders and sauces to transform our anglo meals at home. The vendors had the best in jewelry, artifacts and spices.
Which of these is a gorgeous watercolor by our friend Rebecca Ellis? Hint: one is by Georgia O’Keefe
