"Truly the Land of Enchantment" a New Mexico Travel Page by mesolo

With an airline ticket about to expire I made a spur of the moment decision to return to a place I truly fell in love with back in '01.

The one and only state of New Mexico!

Funny, it's been on my mind a long time and is one of the few places I've ever visited a second time. IMO, this is one of the best kept secrets in the entire US of A. It has a slow pace of life, where you can really lose yourself. It's comfortable, wherther you're just walking around town or driving on one of their uncluttered scenic highways. Best of all, the people are unpretentious, the scenery is to die for and it's a great place to unwind. Oh, and last but not least, it's a place where you can sample some of the best Southwestern food around!

It's a place I feel most comfortable going to by myself, whether it's relaxing in a hot spring, meeting new people on the fly or just driving for miles and miles without a care in the world.

Acoma, Taos, Abiquiu, Truth or Consequences. Jemez Springs (just outside of Santa Fe), a place where you can go for a "Historical Healing Experience"......as far as I was concerned, that was the understatement of the year!

This was the BEST place I went to during my entire two-week stay in NM, I was able to completely relax after just a 1 hour soak and a soothing massage by the master... Jalen.

Carlsbad Caverns, probably the most touristy place I visited, but still interesting nevertheless. I found out later this particular cave was carved out by sulfuric acid, unlike other caves that are usually carved out by streams. Unfortunately, I didn't stay for the famous bat explosion at night because I had to get back to Truth or Consequences. Next time!

Just enjoy it for what it is and try to get there early.

Red River, a nice gem of a place in northern NM that caters mostly to families, a place where horseback riding, river rafting and skiing is prevalent, it's a small community that has something for everyone, including an art gallery featuring the well-known works of artist Kenneth Wyatt, your typical trinket shops, etc.

Gila Cliff Dwellings, I was fortunate to visit this place towards the end of the day without having to see it with other tourists because of two very nice guides, Gene and Butch. I had it all to myself, and got a personal tour.

Lastly, my favorite place of all, Taos. I spent the most time there, staying on an organic farm with a person I met through couchsurfing, and using it as my base for taking day trips to Abiquiu, Carson National Forest, Red River and the Taos Pueblo. What I like about Taos the most is the lifestyle. The people are open and friendly and it's not pretentious like Santa Fe. I would characterize it as being down to earth.

I don't know if it was because I covered more ground or did more things this time. Or maybe because I really connected with the people and the way of life. It was however the first time I tried out something I heard about from a travel friend of mine, a concept called couchsurfing, a little-known travel secret used more commonly in Europe than in the US. Basically it's a way to stay at a someones house for free, but more than that you feel more like a a resident more than a tourist and get to experience their way of life. This is a totally cool way to travel if you're the adventurous type! I am...and I loved it!