Along for the ride: Bandelier NM, NM

From Santa Fe we drive towards White Rock and Los Alamos, renown as an important center for the Manhattan Project during World War II.

Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Plateau of high buttes

Our first stop is at the White Rock Visitor Center to get the latest information about accessing Bandelier National Monument since the rules have been in flux. The others go into the Visitor Center while I wait outside in front of a San Ildefonso pottery replica of one of Maria Martinez's Blackware plates. In 1918-1920 Maria and her husband Julian pioneered the techniques of contrasting matte and polished black finish designs. She is the most famous of all the New Mexico potters and her originals do not come cheap. A small 3" bowl can cost thousands of dollars.

Peter walks toward the entrance

While Enzo and I wait outside

From White Rock, we drive into Bandelier and find a good shaded parking space for Enzo to relax while we explore the park's visitor center and hike through the ruins. Although we have been here before, these ruins are fascinating enough to see again.

Road to Bandelier

Mark and Peter are ready to go

Bandelier NM Visitor Center

The trail wanders along the creek and then past cliffs to the large set of ruins out on the flood plain. The main Kiva is an especially good stop. These part underground structures were multipurpose community centers. They were used for spiritual ceremonies, political meetings and as a general gathering place during cold weather. The Great Kiva in Aztec Ruins has been rebuilt and gives a very good approximation of what they looked like and how they were used.

Sunny alcove in cliffs

Main Kiva

Trail through ruins

Of course to see the cliff dwellings, you have to climb, first up several flights of stairs then then up wooden ladders of which I am less than fond of.

Climbing up on stairs

Lots of stairs

Past rock formations

and ladders

and more ladders

Jill on the last ladder

Rooms are small but with natural light

Peter at window

The views at the top are well worth the climb

Back on the trail it's easy to see how the builders used the porous rock to hollow natural caves for rooms

Natural and man made rooms

The small holes were used to support roof beams of multistory "apartments"

Original bay window?

On our way back to Santa Fe we stop at the San Ildefonso Pueblo, where the famous potters Maria and Julian Martinez lived. Our first stop is at their family home where a nephew carries on the tradition of making Blackware pottery. From there we drive into the main pueblo. At the entrance there's a big sign to stop and sign in. We stop, but there's no one to check in with so we continue on. We're just about to leave when the mayor comes rushing up in his pickup and madly waving his arms. He tells us we are here illegally since we didn't sign in with him and pay an entrance fee. We told him we tried, but there wasn't anybody there, so we went on. Despite being upset with us, he concedes there's not much he can do at this point as we were leaving anyway.