![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.johnpedroza.com\/blog1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/SANinfrontofcapital.jpg\")
<\/a>In front of the New Mexico Capital Building.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n
Coming up from Texas we were running from a very cold weather front. Our goal was to stay the night in Albuquerque, but that did not happen. We were able to stave off the cold in Truth or Consequences but it did catch up to when we got to Belen. It was a bit frustrating being just 36 miles from our goal but the Super 8 we ended up being a good alternate base for the next two days. That night we found a little Sinaloan restaurant that was really small, nothing spectacular, but it was really cheap.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Came in to snow at Belen, New Mexico<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Super 8 Belen New Mexico<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>The Super 8 in Belen, New Mexico had a cool poster of Pueblo style dwellings.<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Chile relleno Sinaloan style.<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Denise got some tostadas.<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>The Charles Motel and Spa in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico is known for having healing waters.<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>The El Cortez theater<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>The Geronimo Springs Museum in Truth or Consequences, NM had a lot of interesting Native American crafts.<\/p><\/div>\n
AJ found a frito pie bowl in Truth or Consequences<\/p><\/div>\n The New Mexico Border<\/p><\/div>\n Boca Negra Canyon was still open despite the goverment shutdown.<\/p><\/div>\n This monument was dedicated to the Mormon Battalion that formed in New Mexico.<\/p><\/div>\n The next day we got lucky and the snow ended and with a late start we got past some of the traffic by leaving a little bit later in the morning. We headed past Albuquerque and headed up to Santa Fe. The Federal government shutdown was in full effect but some local volunteers were keeping Boca Negra Canyon in the Petroglyph National Park open. It is unknown who or why the petroglyphs were created. Some were created as early as 1500 BC. It was sad that we were not able to visit more national parks on our trip but I am very grateful to the volunteers that kept Boca Negra open during the shutdown.<\/p>\n Founded in 1610 Santa Fe, Mexico is one of America’s oldest cities. Don Juan de Onate led the first European expedition to the area in 1598 but it took awhile before a city was actually established. The Spanish were brutal in the area and in 1680 the combined Pueblo nations ousted the Spanish and were conquered again in 1692. In 1810 Mexico took over the area and in 1836 the Republic of Texas tried to claim the area as part of Texas but were repelled by the Mexican Army. It was in 1846 in the Mexican-American War that New Mexico fell to United States forces.<\/p>\n As a United States territory New Mexico remained a territory for a long time, but in 1912 when New Mexico was admitted as the 47th state New Mexico (and Santa Fe) started to foster growth. In World War II many Germans and Japanese were relocated to the area. Today the city continues to grow and has it’s own unique culture.<\/p>\n The Santa Fe New Mexico capital building reflects the cultural uprising of the area. Almost every wall of the capital building is filled with modern art. The building is round reflecting the Pueblo culture.<\/p>\n Santa Fe was also home of Georgia O’Keeffe and the museum displays many of her most beautiful paintings. Looking at an O’Keefe painting you start to get the vision of a different vision of life by looking at different objects at different angles.<\/p>\n The Building of Veteran’s Affairs had an interesting display of the Bataan March.<\/p><\/div>\n New Mexico Veteran’s Memorial<\/p><\/div>\n I don’t know what the story of the burning ship on the river was but it looked interesting.<\/p><\/div>\n Everything at the New Mexico State Capital is round.<\/p><\/div>\n The New Mexico State seal<\/p><\/div>\n The rolls at Frontier Cafe were huge.<\/p><\/div>\n The Frontier Cafe can get crowded and so signs have been placed to remind students not to have study groups during peak times.<\/p><\/div>\n The Frontier Cafe has an interesting display of Southwest Art.<\/p><\/div>\n The Frontier Cafe was featured on Man vs. Food for it’s Chile Verde.<\/p><\/div>\n New Mexico Museum of History in Santa Fe, NM<\/p><\/div>\n The end of the Santa Fe Trail.<\/p><\/div>\n This monument was dedicated to the Mormon Battalion that formed in New Mexico.<\/p><\/div>\n The Governor’s Palace is the longest occupied municipal building in the United States (1610).<\/p><\/div>\n The landscapes of Georgia O’Keeffe remind me of the Coyote and the Roadrunner.<\/p><\/div>\n Georgia O’Keefe marched to her own drum.<\/p><\/div>\n The flower paintings of Georgia O’Keefe.<\/p><\/div>\n Denise is a fanatic of Georgia O’Keefe.<\/p><\/div>\n Kakawa offers Meso-American (no sugar) and European (sugar) hot chocolate brews.<\/p><\/div>\n Tsulm hot chocolate is a Thomas Jefferson recipe that has 70% dark and 30% milk chocolate. The brownie is an Aztec brownie that has chili and is topped with cacao nibs.<\/p><\/div>\n Kakawa is rated the 9th best hot chocolate in the world.<\/p><\/div>\n Maximillano Luna was the first Speaker of the House in New Mexico and was also a rough rider.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>