ACOMA PUEBLO

This morning we were off early with a group from the Photographic Society of America to visit the Acoma Pueblo, which is located about an hour’s drive west of Albuquerque. This pueblo has been occupied since the mid- 1100s. The pueblo is located on a flat mesa top 430 feet above the valley floor. There is no electricity, or running water there. All water, food, and waste has to be trucked in and out. 

Acoma Pueblo

Wall Detail

Colorful Door and Window

Stairway to the Stars?

There are about 30 individuals who live in the Pueblo year round. They are often visited by their families and fellow tribe members. The ladders that one sees throughout the pueblo are used to reach the second, and third stories of a building as there is no access from below on the inside. Their crafts are lovely, and I purchased a small vase from them. They also have some very nice jewelry. Many of the homes have or share a horno, or clay oven. This is used to make bread and roast or cook meats which are said to be quite delicious.

 

Pueblo Wall Detail

Stairway

Pueblo Home and Reflection

A View from the Top

Horno, Clay Oven for Baking (I would have like to bake a loaf of Sourdough in it.)

 We enjoyed the tour and the many photo opportunities of the Pueblo. Photography was restricted to the pueblo buildings. You had to ask permission to photograph the people or their pottery. (They are protective of their pottery and designs because now people photograph it and then have it copied in China!) There is a beautiful old church which can be photographed on the outside only. One can see that the adobe is mixture of clay and grasses when you look closely at it. It has a commanding position on the Mesa as well.

Street View

San Estevan del Rey Mission Church

Church Detail

Neighborhood

Adobe Architecture

Example of their beautiful Pottery

On our way back to our Hotel we stopped at the Pueblo Indian Cultural Center.

Here we were able to photograph some of the Native American dancers, stroll through their museum, and learn more about the cultures of the area.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Pueblo as well as at the Cultural Center.

CANYON de CHELLY to ALBUQUERQUE

 It was an early morning start as we wanted to be at Junction Overlook for sunrise which was at about 0650. We were rewarded with an enjoyable morning of photography. We photographed items on the rim---

Tree in predawn light

A Different Perspective

Another View

 

 as well in Canyon de Chelly. On this trip I was able to see and photograph First Ruin and Square House Ruin in morning light from above. I had not really seen them when I had visited Junction Overlook in the afternoon as they are in shade.

First Ruin on extreme Left

First Ruin from Afar

Square House Ruin (halfway down wall in center)

Square House Ruin, A closer look

Junction Overlook Detail

Ripples from Junction Overlook

 

Tseyi View

We had a quick breakfast back at the Lodge after checking out of our room.

Then it was off to Window Rock, Gallup, N.M. and Albuquerque. The light was not  particularly good today as there were lots of clouds in the sky. So Window Rock was not particularly striking. 

Navajo Code Talker Statue

A Natural Bonsai?

WINSLOW to CANYON de CHELLY

Today we drove to Canyon de Chelly via Winslow, where we took turns “Standing on the Corner” and visiting briefly the La Posada Hotel which was designed and built by Mary Coulter for the Santa Fe Railroad in 1930.

 

We stopped at the Hubbell Trading Post which is the oldest continuously operating trading post on the Navajo Reservation. Hubbell started the trading post in 1878. Here we saw the proprietor trading with Navajo who brought in small blankets and pieces of jewelry to sell.

Entrance to Hubbell Trading Post

Hubbell Garden Area

 Then it was time to rush off to the South Rim Road at Canyon de Chelly N. P. We wanted to capture pictures of Spider Rock in afternoon sunlight. Regrettably we did not get there before the shadow of the Canyon Walls started to fall on the rock formation.

Spider Rock and Canyon de Chelly

We moved to White House Ruin Overlook for a view of the Ruins 

WHITE HOUSE RUIN, A DISTANT VIEW

WHITE HOUSE RUIN FROM AFAR

BILLY GOAT AND FRIEND

and then to Junction Overlook for sunset. We were rewarded with a nice one.

GEOLOGICAL VERSION OF HORNED LIZARD

SUNSET 1, 25 SEPTEMBER

SUNSET SKY, Junction Overlook

Finally we checked into the Sacred Canyon Lodge for the night. We had purchased a Subway sandwich in Flagstaff, and enjoyed it as we downloaded pictures, and unpacked for the night.

ALBUQUERQUE PHOTO JOURNEY - Day ONE

 

GRAND CANYON, SOUTH RIM

My photo friend,  Lin, and I drove from Fallbrook, CA to the South Rim to take sunset photos of the canyon today. We had only one glitch on the road as we drove through Eastern California on I-40. The tire pressure light came on. This after just recently getting a new set of tires on the car. We pulled into Needles and actually found a gas station with a mechanic working there. As we chatted with him and a couple of other gents about the desert and the destruction of the habitat he checked the tires and all was well.     We were soon back on the road and made it  to the Grand Canyon in good time. I had  picked Lipan Point for sunsetbphotography. Before getting there we made two stops along the way at an unnamed viewing area,  

 and Grand View Overlook:

A Grand View

Angel's Gate and Wotan's Throne from Grand View

Vishnu Temple and in the Distance The Vermillion Cliffs

It was hard to move on to Lipan Point, but we made it with time to spare. There were no clouds this evening, but we made the most of the opportunities. 

The Colorado River in the Shadows

Comanche Point with Sunset Colors

Sunset and the River

 We were there until well after sunset. I enjoyed capturing this couple from Germany enjoying their time there.

Visitors Enjoying the View and Place

 

 On the way to Flagstaff, where we spent the night, we stopped at the Cameron Trading Post for one of their reknown “Navajo Tacos”. It was delicious and due to the hour things were quiet in the dining room and the Trading Post.