Travel tips and random things while wondering New Mexico…
I hope you were able to read my previous post on New Mexico. It sets the vital background for these random items. Little did you know this was my New Mexico desert theme weekend. I would have coordinated this post with this week’s Cinco de Mayo, but readership on the blog is much better when I release on the weekend. So, here are some tips and random things while wondering the deserts of New Mexico.
That’s just the face you make when first confronted with fry bread…
If you are passing through the NM desert, you are often on a native American reservation, most likely the Navajo nation. Assuming you are going to eat while you are traveling, they are going to try to serve you Navajo Fry bread (kind of a large, dry flat bread). I like to explore the local culture in my wonderings, so we were up for it. However, I must admit, my wife and I were not a fan. I can see the utility of flat bread in harsh desert conditions when starvation is a realistic threat. But, for a quick lunch on the go…eating a pound or two of fried, dry flat bread is not ideal. My wife’s poker face while inspecting her hamburger kind of says it all.
TRAVEL WARNING – Just as a quick travel warning, beware of staying in hotels on the Navajo reservation. At the risk of offending with stereotyping, not all Native American territories have casinos and cash bars. Some native American reservations are actually DRY! Yes, NO beer available! After a day of desert hiking, we were shocked to the core when the hotel manager informed us that it was 90 minutes to the closest beer. The rest of the evening was a trial of will and endurance. We survived, but I really do not want to discuss it any further. 😢 Speaking of being offensive…
The Red Mesa Redskins High School
I typically think people are being too sensitive when they complain about the use of certain names with sports teams. Being called the Cleveland Indians is no more offensive than the Dallas Cowboys. Lighten up and deal with it. My one exception is the Washington Redskins. “Redskins” is the actual racial slur, not just the name. I think we can do without that nickname. With that as my lead in, I was quite surprised to see the nickname of the Red Mesa high school. To each their own, I guess?
Lastly, I just wanted to wrap up the desert themed weekend with my trip to El Farol in Santa Fe, NM…the oldest bar in New Mexico.
El Farol 
The expected southwest ambiance…
El Farol (translates The Lantern?) is touted as the most historic and iconic bar in Santa Fe, established in 1835. Its the dominate bar/restaurant in the historic/touristy area of Santa Fe. The neighborhood is very interesting, but the streets are very narrow and parking is an extremely rare thing. El Farol serves Spanish tapas (“tapas” translates to “small portions – order lots”). While the bar and the area have plenty of the SW culture and architecture…its also kind of a wealthy artsy community. I am guessing a fair amount of wealthy retirees. Overall, it was a good bar…middle of the pack in my oldest bar evaluations. They would have been higher in my evaluation, but of course, the wealthy artsy atmosphere did not allow for PBR…their loss. PT
