Once chiles turn red on the plant they need to be dried to be eaten. The red chiles were traditionally laid out to sun dry, but contamination by birds and other pests led people to begin tying them together into strings and hanging them on a wall. The red ristras are an iconic sight in New Mexico and are said to be a symbol of “welcome.”
New Mexican cuisine is defined by chiles. Green chiles are picked unripe. Red chiles are the ripe form. They are usually dried and can be ground into powder or flakes. The red chiles are often arranged into string bound bundles, ristras, and are often seen hanging on porches, businesses and homes throughout New Mexico.
The indians lived by hunting game and cultivating crops. All water had to be carried up to the dwellings. Drought forced the villagers to leave the cliff dwellings in 1580 and settle in the Rio Grande valley. The inhabitants of the Santa Clara Pueblo are descendants of the Puye.
Stairways and paths were cut into the cliff face to provide access to the dwellings as well as the mesa above. Ladders were also used for access and could be pulled up to prevent attacks or intrusion.
The Cliff Dwellings are ruins of an abandoned pueblo on Santa Clara Pueblo land. They were home to as many as 1500 pueblo indians between 900 and 1580 AD. Dwellings were carved out of soft volcanic rock. Rooms were carved into the face of the cliff using stone or wooden tools. Additional dwellings are found on the mesa plateau.
New Mexican cuisine is built around red and green chiles and is delicious indeed. This was one of many tables at the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market.
A view of San Miguel Mission, said to be the oldest church in the United States. It was built between 1610 and 1626. The original adobe walls are still largely intact.
A wonderful sunrise in Santa Fe caught me by by surprise. By the time I got out the door and headed toward the downtown area, the color was beginning to fade. I shot this view of the San Isidro church from my car window.
The Aspen Vista Trail begins at about 10,000 ft in elevation and rises to 12,000 ft. I didn’t hike the whole trail, but what I did was spectacular. This is looking up the hill from the side of the trail.
