Espanola, New Mexico
Trip Start
Apr 12, 1992
1
9
65
Trip End
Jun 15, 1992
Espanola, New Mexico,
United States
Monday, April 20, 1992
Espanola,N.M.
Cool and warming, clear
Much to my surprise I discovered I was driving alongside the Rio Grande river when I left Taos, the same Rio Grande that forms the border between Texas and Mexico. My atlas revealed that it's source is in south-west Colorado, about 200 miles north of Taos. The river, it appears to me, is larger here than I recall it being in El Paso. Somewhere along the way the water must be used for irrigation or drinking water or maybe it soaks into the hot dry desert; whatever, much of the water disappears on the way to El Paso
(2.154.Rio Grande River
.Highway NM-68 toward Santa Fe loses altitude very rapidly. The river crashes down-hill right alongside. At lower elevations rushing waters have carved the magnificent Rio Grande Gorge. Deer are common here in the National Forest where hunting is prohibited. In places high sections of chain link fencing have been installed in order to protect motorists from frequent rock slides.
As I drove down the mountain the drop in altitude was accompanied by clear skies and warmer temperatures, much welcomed. Several days had passed since I last saw blue skies and felt warm in the sun. I peeled down to shirt sleeves and opened the windows. My mood improved considerably. I was warm and lazy. I stopped near a large rock,found a spot where I could sit in the sun, and enjoyed the good feeling.
The state of New Mexico sponsors an innovative tourism promotion. You can tune your radio to AM 530 anywhere in the state and hear Ricardo Montalban recite a lecture about the history of your immediate area. For example, if you are in the Raton area he will describe how the Santa Fe Trail ran from Missouri to New Mexico through this pass and how important it was for trade between St
92.155.Rio Grande Gorge.
. Louis and the Spanish territories. Every few miles you lose the low-wattage signal for one area and almost immediately pick up another. It is possible to get a fairly complete geographical, social,economic, and political history of the state simply by driving around and listening to Ricardo's pleasant Spanish accent.Probably nowhere in the United States is the influence of Spanish and Indian cultures more evident than in New Mexico. On the road to Santa Fe (Holy Faith) I passed through towns with names like Talpa, Ranchos de Taos, Velarde, Espanola and Pojoaque.
When I reached Santa Fe I called Helen, then explored the old town, especially that part around the ancient historic square. I did not expect to see the large number of hippie types who hang out at the central plaza. Somehow they did not blend with the Spanish and Indian adobe architecture and they contrasted sharply with the Indians who gather there to peddle blankets and turquoise. The differences are even more pronounced because the Indians display their goods under the overhanging roofs of structures surrounding the plaza, and the hippies, with their escort of derelicts, hang out across the street in the central square itself. Narrow streets leading into the square are crowded with bustling commercial activity
92.156.Rio Grande Gorge.
.Near sundown I retraced US-84 back north to Espanola, where a fork in the highway leads west into northwest New Mexico. This stretch of road passes through several small Indian reservations. There's not much to them, just collections of shanty houses and mobile homes. Each reservation has discovered bingo and each village has a large bingo parlor. The roadsides are dotted with signs designed to lure travelers and their dollars inside.
Angelina's restaurant in Espanola occupies a small unpainted frame building. It was surrounded by cars bearing New Mexico license plates, an indication that either local people like to eat here, or there is no other place to eat. I had noticed several other eateries nearby so I assumed the food would be good, The most recent full meal I had eaten was when I ate Cajun with the Zhus in Baton Rouge. Tonight would be Indian/Mexican night. It was time for me to feast. The Spanish speaking waitress, Maria according to her name-tag, helped me decide on a burrito plate with :chicharon: (pork cracklings). She said I would like it. "Muy bien!" We'll see.
The burrito arrived. It was made with a plate-sized flour tortilla filled with chunks of beef and pork rinds, bits of green peppers and onions, covered with melted goat cheese and more bits of chili peppers;not too hot, but close. The platter held the customary refried beans with more goat cheese and some Spanish rice, also a relish of chopped onions, tomatoes, peppers, cilantro and garlic, which they called "pico de gallo" (Rooster's beak).
Separate dishes held corn tortilla chips and red and green salsas. Watch out for that green stuff!! It contains the hottest peppers available, Habenera, I think. There were two pieces of bread, each about as wide as my hand,triangular shape. They were all puffed up and flaky like a pie crust, and served hot with honey. Maria called them sopapilla. Later I learned this tasty bread is a staple among the Indians, who call it "fry bread.
No Mexican meal is complete without "Una cerveza frio y una mas". (One cold beer and one more." This dinner was excellent, well prepared, well seasoned, and more than enough to fill me.
