Summer Road Trip 2008 Part I - Las Cruces

From the desert of New Mexico, through the humid Texas, South and East Coast, back to the metropolitan Montreal.

June 1st: Day 1 of our road trip. After picking up a jet-lagged Zack, we spent a night in a run-down roadside motel in ABQ, only to wake up to a couple throwing out loud, obnoxious obscenities at each other, at 6 in the morning.

to say, we left this town and headed south towards Las Cruces where Sarah and Anne graciously showed us around their lovely home and a beautiful historic Old Mesilla town.

Their house is located in Doña Ana County, just outside of the city of Las Cruces. This area was originally occupied by the Apache Indians. In 1800s, Mexicans from El Paso migrated into the area and finally settled through treaties. The Apaches are now on a reservation some ways away from this part of town. The Mexican culture evidently andNeedless obviously endured as shown by these colorful crosses, artwork that is a popular type of collection for the locals.


Sarah (left) pointed out the doorway and design is an important part of the typical stucco New Mexican architecture.















We visited the historic plaza of Old Mesilla, where the famous vagabond Billy the Kid was captured, jailed, tried in court (the building now houses this mechanic model), escaped, and finally captured again and shot by Sheriff Pat Garrett in the neighboring Organ mountains on route to Albuquerque. Billy was only 16 when he died, but already infamous by 14.



Stucco/adobe (here is more stucco where as adobe adorns the north) architecture is the staple of the southwest. The material keeps the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer.










Hopefully starting off on the right foot with each other since we are stuck in one car for 10 days straight with Casper as the only other creature to turn to in times of frustration (with each other).




A poolside BBQ party at Sarah and Anne's beautiful Las Cruces home. Anne designed the entire architecture and around every corner, there is a bit of family history, local art and culture.