October 25, 2023: We traveled west to the Acoma Pueblo, then visited the New Mexico Mining Museum, stopped by for a last look at Old Town Albuquerque, and ended our day with a ride on the Sandia Peak Tram.
Interstate 40 West is a flat road as far as you can see.
The Acoma Pueblo is known as Sky City and they have a lovely visitors center and museum. Tours are held throughout the day. We went by shuttle to the top of the mesa where the Acoma Pueblo village is located.
Check out the Pueblo village on the mesa in the distance. Acoma Pueblo is the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in North America and the 28th Historic Site designated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Acoma history is also the story of the Southwest, from its initial role as the home to the Anaasazi people, to the thirteenth century founding of the Pueblo, which is still alive and well as a community and touchstone for Native Americans in the area and nationwide.
There are 6,000 Pueblo members, and 500 family homes on the top of the mesa. Only a handful of families still live in the village full time. There is no water, plumbing or electricity. The rest of the families live in two communities on the Pueblo property near I-40.
The original homes in the village were very short, second levels were added in past generations. Families return to the village for feast days and other holidays.
There are more views of the Pueblo homes. All property is passed from mother to daughter, and all family homes are owned and maintained by the same family for generations.
San Estévan del Rey Mission Church is a Spanish mission church on the Acoma Pueblo Reservation in western New Mexico. Built between 1629 and 1641, it is one of the finest extant examples of hybrid Spanish Colonial and Puebloan architectural styles.
Ladders are the entrance to one of the Kivas in the village. No women are allowed in the Kiva, and men enter and exit through a hole in the roof. It is used for spiritual and ceremonial purposes. Standing next to it is our guide, Brendan, who works for the Pueblo.
Pueblo ancestors were about four feet tall, as you can see here Peter would have trouble living in the village!
Further west of the Pueblo is the town of Grants where they have a fantastic Uranium Museum.
The lower level of the museum literally walks you through a uranium mine, explaining the entire process.
There is a photo of an air drill which was used to drill the holes for the dynamite.
Check out the photo of Old Town Albuquerque’s church, San Felipe De Neri.
The interior of San Felipe De Neri Church. The church was built in 1793, it is one of the oldest surviving buildings in the city and the only building in Old Town proven to date to the Spanish colonial period.
We took photos of the buildings around Old Town Plaza.
Red Chilis were drying from eves around town.
There is a private residence was especially charming with red chilis drying as decoration.
Just in time for sunset we ascended the Sandia Mountains by tram. The ride took about 15 minutes.
It was cold and windy at the top at over 10,000 feet.
That was Albuquerque behind us, just before sunset.
On the other side, looking east, were these mountains, led by Placer Mountain the highest in this shot.
A fitting end to our enchanted adventure in New Mexico!