"Land of Enchantment" a New Mexico Travel Page by jayhawk2000

Some people think New Mexico is still part of 'old' Mexico! When you see the Indian pueblos, the adobe churches, the huge deserts and the colourful mountains, you'll understand why!

We visited in August which is the monsoon season when the normally dry desert air becomes more humid. The heat and humidity combine to create late afternoon thunderstorms most days. The showers are brief but heavy, which can lead to flash floods both in the cities or in the desert.

The storms can be wondrous to see, when the swirling clouds bristle with lightning. The humidity makes the heat a bit harder to bear, but it's worth it afterwards to see the desert dust settle, the adobe bricks glisten and the wildflowers bloom.

New Mexico possesses one of America's most ancient pedigrees, native or Western. Its pueblos are some of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. Its Spanish colonial roots pre-date the Pilgrims by over a century.

During our visit we stayed mainly in Albuquerque, made day trips to Santa Fe and Chimayo, and visited numerous national landmarks and parklands.