Fall Break - Day Two

Well hello there.  We are in Las Cruces, NM (also known as the City of Crosses) and after having a wonderful night's sleep are ready to see what this part of the world has to offer us.  We have opted to check out the older part of the city which is called "Mesilla".  Come along and hopefully we will all learn something new along the way.

It turns out that Billy The Kid is pretty dang famous around these parts.  The village of Mesilla contains the building in which the Capitol of Arizona and New Mexico were housed.  At a later point in time it was the courthouse in which Billy was tried and sentenced to hang.  Wow.  I love that it is still here.



La Posta, a wonderful restaurant, is also still here in the village.  This place has a history that dates back to the 1840's.  Isn't that wild?

As we are walking around downtown, several of the building have signage that tells the history of the buildings.  El Patio's indicates that this building has been here since the 30's and operated continuously by the same family and has a most interesting history of different businesses operating within it's walls.

Across the street is another building (the oldest brick building in New Mexico) dating back to 1860 and while reading the plaque for it, I discover that several people associated with it were murdered and that it is now functioning as a gift shop.  I am starting to discover that this was a very harsh land to be a part of back then.

The streets are deserted at this early time of day and absolutely nothing is open for us to peek into or check out.  That is a bit disappointing but I spot a member of the clergy entering the basilica at the end of the street.  With a quick hop to, I am soon there as well but he has locked the door behind him and left me standing there wishing once again to peek inside these wonderful old churches.  Ugh.  Why?  Could someone please explain this to me?

As we leave the square, I spot a grouping of cactus that fascinate me.  Look at all the varieties here:

Since we were not able to look inside (or shop) a single business down on the square, it is time to leave.  I would like a coffee so look up a local spot just around the corner.  The Bean fits the bill exactly as requested and we are soon on our way once again.  Oh yes -- with coffee in hand, of course.

We are now on our way to El Paso.  Everyone says that it is not the safest place to be and that we shouldn't stay there.  I'm not sure that we have ever let that stop us from traveling and enjoying the history of a place.  I don't think this will be an exception.  As we get closer to the city, Mister points out that Mexico is in the distance.  I can't see it.

Closer to the city, it becomes easier to spot habitation taking place across the border.

And then we have a fence

We go through El Paso and continue onto the Mission Trail south of the city.  We have visited missions in San Diego and San Antonio but I have been told that the ones on this trail are even older than both of them.  That seems very interesting to me and we are soon on our way towards the first one.  The GPS leads us to a bus station which seems confusing but I look up and find a sign that directs us towards the mission trail and we are soon on our way.  The first mission we come to is the Ysleta Mission.  We discover that it is not open to the public right now as it is undergoing a renovation.  Not a restoration to be sure, but Mister finds a way to peek in anyway and we are able to grab a few interesting pictures for our memories.

Since we can't really pay too close attention to detail here, we decide to move onto the Socorro Mission just a little bit down the road.  At this one, we walk in about the time that a tour guide is speaking and are able to listen in for awhile. He tells a story of how this mission was started in 1682 and that it was destroyed in the 1829 flooding of the Rio Grande.  He jokingly (or not) tells people that when the water subsided, the river had changed it's course making those who had once lived in Mexico now inhabitants of the U.S., thus granting instant citizenship.  Quite interesting for sure.  The woodwork on the ceiling in here is the original beams from the first mission and that is just dang cool.  I am indeed mesmerized by it and cannot stop my glaze from drifting overhead as is seen in the picture Mister has taken of me.

On the cross beams, which have also been rescued from the original building, one can still see the the markings put there oh so many years ago.

What a beautiful building and the guide up front is just full of knowledge even though he is being asked questions that he is not hired to answer.  I love it.  He tries and tries to steer the questions away from religion but the people he is with really want to know all about the saints depicted here.

Outside, there is a replica of the tomb of Jesus along with the three crosses on Calvary.  I do stop and take a deep breath even though I know I am literally thousands of miles from where it all took place.

There is also an old cemetery here.  It is within walls and has gates and walkways leading into it.  If I allow myself to enter, I will be here forever as I do love old cemeteries.  I am not one of those people who feel uncomfortable there.  For me, they are quite peaceful in fact.

We are soon on our way to the last mission.  It is the San Elizario Chapel and just a short distance down the road.  Sal Elizario is a community with a rich history and we arrive at the mission in a matter of minutes.  Inside, we are invited to watch a short video of the area and learn a great deal about San Elizario.  The outside of the building belies the fact that it was just renovated a few years ago.

It is lovely inside and I am drawn in.  The guide at the last mission has arrived with his group before us and we are once again privy to the lessons he has to teach.

I am drawn into the designs on the ceiling and around the room.  Mister is very busy with his camera and captures the definitive feel of the room quite easily.  Peaceful for sure.

I do spot the doors from the inside and think they are absolutely divine.  I love doors and have found myself photographing them all over the world.  I wonder why that is but do not wish to try and understand it but rather just to enjoy the entire process and the beauty of them.  The grounds here are beautiful as well and I wander them leisurely, just taking it all in.

It is soon time to be on our way and as we return towards El Paso, we spot a cell phone tower that we saw on the way here.  This time my camera is ready.  We have just visited the past and here is the future:  a palm tree cell tower.

As we approach the interstate, I spot a mural on the interchange wall.  Isn't this just lovely?

Okay, okay.  We really do need to get going.  It's time to head east with a little touch of north thrown in for good measure.  Check out the red dirt here.  It's not something we see in Texas very often.

A little further down the road the dirt becomes white and is no longer even dirt.  We are in the Salt Flats of Texas.  Crazy and to think that there were wars waged over these is even crazier yet.

As we continue down the road, we near Guadalupe Mountains National Park and El Captain looms on the horizon.  The light is perfect and we take the time to stop and thoroughly enjoy the moment.  Ah -- nature at it's best once again.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park has several visitor centers and we stop at the Pine Springs one.  For some reason I had in my mind that there were places to stay here and we could spend the night but upon a second look, we will be moving on when we finish here.  Inside the center, we learn about the Pinery Trail and decide to take a small walk.  I love moments like this.  Walking and learning at the same time.  What could be better?

I am trying to learn about new plants and trees lately so there are a few here that I wish to spotlight.  First off, the Alligator Juniper, which is a tree.  The bark looks like alligator skin and I am so surprised that it is a tree.  Junipers, in my mind, are supposed to be bushes.

We also see the Texas Madrone tree which has beautiful smooth bark and wonderful red berries.

The Red-Berry Juniper -- another anomaly for me.  I have only seen green berry junipers.

A Sotol.  Isn't this just divine?  The Fibonacci sequence at work big time here.

Mister and I take our time on the walk and do a little playing around. What fun he is to travel with.  Jen calls while we are walking so I have a little sit down along the way to visit.  What a great environment for a phone call and who would have though that this type of social interaction could have ever taken place in a remote area such as this?  Certainly not the stagecoach drives or passengers that used this station.

There is not much left of the station but what is here certainly lends to the imagination.  First off -- where did these rocks come from?  There is only grassland/shrubs as far as we can see.

A little further down the path, remnants of a small building still exist.  This was once a place with several buildings for housing and supplies.  So sad that this is all that is left.

We are ready to make the return trip back to the center and the evening light is changing while we walk.  Mister has found a riverbed and peeks to see just what the view is like.

Here ya go:

On the way back, this little fellow has the most interesting call.  He keeps us company the entire way.

One last look back at this wonderful place.  Somehow Mister always seems to capture the exact feel of the place.  This one -- sums it all up.

Leaving Guadalupe, we are on our way to Carlsbad for the night's stay.  It is too late to enter the caverns tonight and it is the closet place to stay other than at the entrance.  We are wanting a bit of night life and I find Milton's Brewing for a few drinks and some dinner.  It's a great evening and the ladies running the food truck out back are actually from Texas so we chat for a few minutes.  What a great day.  Thanks for stopping in to see what we are up to.  See ya tomorrow.