in the lone star state

We're in the lone star state!! Taos was fun, but a little too touristy. We stopped by Santa Fe. While lovely, it was also crawling with tourists. All the galleries and stores were seriously overpriced. We also had a very disappointing meal at The Coyote Cafe. I tipped under 10% for the first time in my life (the service was terrible). The Georgia O'Keefe museum was good though.

Anyway, after that we went on to Taos. Taos is much higher elevation than Santa Fe. It is a flat valley at the top of a range of mountains. It is surrounded by 13000 foot peaks. The Rio Grande runs about two miles away from town. It is quite lovely. All the structures are adobe. I think the best part of Taos though, is the air and the light. Maybe because of the elevation, the air feels very pure and easy to breathe. And the sunlight is particularly beautiful up there, reflecting off the adobe structures.

We stayed in a charming bed and breakfast which dates back almost 200 years. It is on many acres of property, had a hot tub and great views of the mountains. Friday we went for a 6 mile hike. Aside from a little sunburn, it was really fun. It was the first trail of our trip where we saw almost no other human beings. Then we went to the Taos Pueblo which is supposedly the oldest continuously inhabited structure in the US. It was built over 1000 years ago!!!! We had our best mexican food meal so far on Friday night. I had a veggie burrito smothered in red hot caribe sauce (I don't know what that means but it seems like it means really spicy).

Yesterday we drove to Texas. We are staying in the craziest place here in Lubbock. It is a bed and breakfast. However, instead of the hosts having separate living quarters, they were watching TV and knitting in the living room of the B and B. The guest rooms are integrated with the host rooms. Herb and I were afraid when we left for dinner last night that if we got home too late, we might get scolded by the hosts!!!! Very bizarre. In addition, our room is called the "lone star room". It is decorated with animal horns (longhorns I think), a lasso and boots, and lone star Texas towels. Very funny.

Lubbock doesn't have much more to offer I think for tourists. We went out last night to a pub owned by one of Jason's best friends from college (he went to school here at Texas Tech) and today we move on to Austin. We are going to see music at the Continental Club, a famous Austin club!!! Yea!!

We are really moving back east quickly now. I'm sad that the trip is almost on its last leg. But I think we will be ready to start our new life at the end. As expected, it has been very tiring. However, this has been one of the most fun months ever!!! I think Herb has had a great time too!!