New Mexico

New Mexico is rich in both geographic and cultural diversity. Azure blue skies serve as a backdrop to landscapes that range from deep hued juniper to rich red rock. This state truly earns its nickname "The Land of Enchantment"!

Getting Around

Most flights go in and out of Albuquerque, one of the oldest cities in the U.S. We rented a car at the airport and immediately headed south to begin filming at Bosque del Apache. If you don't have deadlines (or film schedules) to meet, you may want to check out Old Town, the heart of Albuquerque, where the first Spanish families settled near the banks of the Rio Grande in 1706. Today, it's a wonderful mixture of old and new, filled with historic buildings, interesting shops and wonderful restaurants. Some points of interest worth visiting:

Albuquerque Biological Park (includes a wonderful zoo, aquarium and botanical garden) http://www.cabq.gov/biopark/
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (a good starting point to learn about the 19 Indian Pueblos of New Mexico) http://www.indianpueblo.org

Albuquerque is also the ballooning capital of the U.S., hosting the world's largest hot air balloon festival every October.

Travel Tip: Bosque del Apache has a great Gift Shop!

Some of the best places to shop while traveling are gift shops in museums, visitor centers, zoos and aquariums. You'll find good quality at lower prices, and you'll be supporting a worthwhile organization!

For more information, visit:

Fish and Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/newmex/bosque/
Friends of the Bosque http://www.friendsofthebosque.org/

Where to Stay

We stayed nearby in Socorro, NM at the Best Western http://www.bestwesternnewmexico.com
Be sure to check out the town! Visit the Chamber of Commerce http://www.socorro-nm.com
 

Bandera Ice Cave and Volcano

Driving about an hour and a half west of Albuquerque, we reached the "Land of Fire and Ice". This is in reference to the Bandera Ice Cave and Volcano. A historic trading post serves as the starting point for the journey to these geological wonders.

The first trail took us to the volcano. After erupting 10,000 years ago, the lava from this volcano surged up into the sky and then fell back down the main vent, resulting in a crater that's 1,200 ft. across and 800 ft. deep. A second trail took us to the ice cave. For reasons that still remain a mystery, a lave tube cave, originally created by the volcanic eruption, began forming ice about 3,400 yrs. ago. Conditions keep the ice in perpetuation, so it will always be there, no matter what time of year you choose to visit!

For information, visit the website of Bandera Ice Cave and Volcano at http://www.icecaves.com
 

Where to Stay

We spent the night nearby in Grants, NM at the Best Western http://www.bestwesternnewmexico.com

The Wildlife Center

We headed north past Santa Fe towards the small town of Española to visit a wildlife rehabilitation center that's doing great things. Originally established as a rehabilitation center for raptors, the Center has expanded to include rehabilitation of all indigenous wildlife of New Mexico. We toured the facility with Dr. Kathleen Ramsay, Founder and Medical Director of the Center. Full of energy, passion and knowledge, Dr. Ramsay is an amazing individual who is surrounded by an impressive group of dedicated staff members and volunteers. These people know what they're doing, and they do it well!

If you visit, consider making a donation, or check their website for a "wish list" of items they could use.

Check their website for more information: http://www.thewildlifecenter.org
 

Tip: Know any kids interested in a future as a wildlife rehabilitator? Consider purchasing a copy of:
Wildlife Rescue: The Work of Dr. Kathleen Ramsay by Jennifer Dewey (Boyds Mills Press 1994).
 

Jemez Springs

We went to Jemez Springs to film Brian's fishing segment in the Santa Fe National Forest. This place was gorgeous, and truly one of New Mexico's most enchanting destinations. While visions of trout were swirling around in Brian's head, my mind kept drifting to the mineral hot springs in the area (that's the reason it's called Jemez Springs!) After completing a great fishing segment, we celebrated with a short, but wonderful soak in a local mineral spring. We finished the day with a memorable meal at the Laughing Lizard Cafe. Not only was the food terrific, we were able to taste some of the local wine produced at the nearby Ponderosa Winery.

For information on Jemez Springs visit http://www.jemezsprings.org . Learn about the Pueblo of Jemez at http://www.jemezpueblo.org
Don't forget to purchase a fishing license!

Bandelier National Monument

Northwest of Santa Fe, Bandelier is a spectacular area where the ancestors of modern Pueblo people built thriving communities about 600 yrs. ago. A short hike from the Visitor Center will take you to the remains of Ancestral Pueblo dwellings. For those who seek more adventure and have time to explore, trails can be hiked to remote archaeological spots in less developed areas of the park.

There are more than 3,000 archaeological sites within Bandelier. For this reason, we'd originally scheduled to tour the park with an archaeologist. When schedules had to be re-arranged (when you're filming nature, schedules often change!), we were set up with Cecilia Shields as our guide. Luck was shining on us with this change in plans. Cecilia is a Park Ranger from the nearby Picuris Pueblo. She gave us an interpretation of what we were seeing through the eyes of a Pueblo Indian and descendent of the people of Bandelier. To us, this was better than archaeology -- this was family history.
 

Walking through these dwellings, you can't help but marvel at the community that once thrived here. Through Cecilia's descriptions and explanations, we made a strong connection to this past. Visualizing life in this bustling village, we could see women grinding corn and making pottery, men weaving, and we could almost hear the laughter of children running and playing.

We were startled by many of the visitors who were climbing around different sites with no respect to their cultural significance or importance. I was saddened to learn that one of the reconstructed areas, Cave Kiva, must be replastered and smoked on a regular basis to remove graffiti. Maybe the problem is in the way we view sites such as this. Ceciliar brought our attention to the fact that, too often, archaeological sites are referred to as "ruins". While the terminology is correct, it invokes thoughts of destruction and loss, rather than an appreciation for a time in history. If we were touring the home of our great-great-great grandparents, would we think of the place as "ruins", or with compassion and respect for the history it represents?

We encourage all visitors to treat this unique place with respect for those who once lived here and for their descendents. There is still much to be learned about the past; the more intact we can leave sacred places like this, the more opportunities we will have to discover more about them in the future.

To learn more about Bandelier National Monument, visit http://www.nps.gov/band/

Travel Tip: Walking along one of the paths of Bandelier, pine tree branches kept hitting me on the head as they fell to the ground! Some investigating pointed to the behavior of Abert's squirrels, also known as "tassel-eared squirrels". These little guys were so amusing to watch, I did a short stand-up about them on the show. Keep your eyes open for these characters!

Where to Stay

We used Santa Fe as a base for much of our filming and stayed at the Courtyard Santa Fe, which gave us easy access to our film locations. Best of all, this hotel had great tasting coffee and tea available in the lobby all day and night which was very much appreciated by tired filmmakers!

Courtyard Santa Fe http://www.marriott.com/

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

Managed through an innovative partnership between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Pueblo de Cochiti, Kasha-Katuwe is a hiker's paradise. Kasha-Katue means "white cliffs" in the traditional language of the Pueblo. Cliffs, rock formations that actually look like tents, and a breathtaking slot canyon trail greet visitors with one surprise after another. With changing angles of the sun, we also found that the same hike at different times of the day will provide a completely different experience!

The BLM is responsible for managing 258 million acres of land, most of it located in the western U.S. In order to meet the needs of a growing and changing region, the BLM decided to make a video podcast of Kasha-Katuwe available to the public (pretty creative and hip for a government agency). So, not only did we film here for Wonders of the West, we also created the BLM's first video podcast, highlighting the sights of Kasha-Katuwe.

To see the Kasha-Katuwe video podcast: http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/info /podcasts.html
To learn more about this area, visit the BLM at http://www.nm.blm.gov/recreation/albuquerque/kasha katuwe.htm
To learn more about BLM partnerships visit http://www.blm.gov/partnerships/cas studies/ktrnm.htm

Travel Tip: No matter what time of the year you visit, remember that you're in the desert! Make sure you have plenty of water and sunscreen with you.

Pueblo de Cochiti

If you've ever experienced a first meeting with someone you felt you've known a lifetime, you'll understand how we felt upon first meeting some of the members of the Pueblo de Cochiti. According to a 1990 census, there are 1,175 members of the Pueblo. While we cannot claim to have met everyone here, we can say that everyone we met was welcoming, warm and friendly. This is a strong community where people understand the importance of family, tradition, and preserving their history and environment.

The Cochiti are well known for their artisans. The drum is the symbol of the Pueblo for good reason. Not only do drums play a large part in the ceremonies and rituals of the community, drummers from across the country seek Cochiti drums for their fine craftmanship. This is also where the first storyteller figures were made by Helen Cordova. Valued by collectors around the world, some very talented sculptors carry on her tradition.

 

Visitors are welcome at the Pueblo, but I would encourage you to read the information provided for guests on the Pueblo de Cochit website. We encountered more than a few tourists who committed embarrassing blunders due to their lack of knowledge of social traditions and etiquette of the community. Once understood, the social graces, politeness, and mutual respect you find here will contrast starkly with the coldness and selfishness we often encounter in some of our bigger cities.

Pueblo de Cochiti website: http://www.pueblodecochiti.org/

Travel Tip: When purchasing Native American goods, make sure that they really are made by Native Americans! We found rows and rows of tiems that had been made in China. Check labels. Imported items may be less expensive, but they are also of inferior quality. By buying authentic merchandise, you're supporting the work of an artist and their cultural heritage rather than the work of a factory.

At the close of each show, we take turns writing thoughts in our Travel Journal. This time, it was Brian's turn.

Wishing you wonder-filled journeys for all your days!

Until next time,

Julie

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