December 12, 2009

December 12, 2009

From Socorro, NM we made our way northeast to Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. Before Columbus discovered America, New Mexico was a hotbed of Indians that lived in condominium-like structures called “pueblos”. These Salinas communities made their living harvesting salt from local dry lakes and trading it for food and other necessities. The largest, Gran Quivara, is one of the few places that these pueblos exist in such good condition. In looking at the ruins I am surprised how small the rooms are, barely big enough for one person to sleep in. I guess they were very private people.


In the 1600’s the Spanish built missions next to each pueblo to try and convert the Indians. It was marginally successful. Eventually the Puebloans, starving from having to spend their time building churches and feeding the Spanish staged a mass rebellion in 1680.

We spend most of the day traveling to each of the three scattered mission sites plus the Visitor Center. Midafternoon we leave the area and make the long drive to Amarillo. There we meet up with Aimee’s sister and her family. To their dismay we brought out the travel photos.