Winter Retreat 2013, Albuquerque and the Rattlesnakes

When we left the airport, we headed straight to Old Town Albuquerque for some lunch at the Church Street Cafe. The homestyle menu was deeply satisfying and my husband and I agreed that their beef burrito was the best we have ever tasted. Washed down with Rio Grande Outlaw lager and a glass of local Chardonnay, we left with a new respect for New Mexican beer and wine, and a serious penchant for green chile salsa.

Strolling through the roads of Old Town Albuquerque I was enchanted by the sunlight and the rich colors, even these pipes, to my eye, looked beautiful. The architectural detail of scrolling ironwork as I gazed upwards excited me, reminding me of New Orleans, its loveliness enhanced by the sapphire blue sky and smooth flesh toned adobe structures.After lunch, the one visit I wished to make in Albuquerque was to the American International Rattlesnake Museum. Don’t ask me why. I discovered that the founding director hails from New Jersey – could it be the Garden State connection? Who knows? My own children mocked me over this choice. But I was welcomed by this creature whose pose I fancied to be in the shape of a heart, which warmed me through and through:Furthermore, this handsome rat snake charmed me with his sinuous and beguiling poses.Snakes, though reviled by some, also symbolize healing and the cycle of life, and I reflected on this during our visit of this fascinating place.

Finally, we found ourselves on the road to Taos, the drive would prove to be increasingly gorgeous as we headed upwards through the mountains. Our destination, the Mabel Dodge Luhan House, in Taos, would be our haven for the next four nights. We still had three hours to drive and I was already feeling magicked by the air, sun and sky…