The vast plains of the Panhandle of Texas we happily left behind. It was so windy and it whipped around us as we walked or tried to sit and eat our lunch.
Going in to New Mexico gave us not only new sights to see but also greater variation in the landscape. The gentle hills and the flat top mesas provide an awe-inspiring landscape in between rocky outcrops and vast flat plains often covered in small rounded shrubs interspersed with cactus. The history of the state is in evidence in the architecture of the towns and cities as well as the the people themselves.
Sue had done her research well and had directed us to Las Vegas New Mexico. It was a wonderful respite from the sometimes hollow, dilapidated little towns we had been traveling through.
Las Vegas was established in 1835 after a group of settlers received a land grant from the Mexican government. The town was laid out in the traditional Spanish Colonial style, with a central plaza surrounded by buildings which could serve as fortifications in case of attack. Las Vegas soon prospered as a stop on the Santa Fe Trail.
The arrival of the railroad on July 4, 1879 brought with it businesses and people both respectable and dubious. Murderers, robbers, thieves, gamblers, gunmen, swindlers, vagrants, and tramps poured in, transforming the eastern side of the settlement into a virtually lawless brawl.
We stayed in the beautifully restored Plaza Hotel- small and comfortable and not as expensive as the travel guides would have us believe.
It was snowing as we drove through the hills from Santa Rosa to Las Vegas and we were happy to arrive in the lovely square were the Plaza Hotel is situated. Our leisurely day gave us time to browse the great bookshop, chat with locals and fortify our energy levels.
As we had had such a slow day Jude, Helen and I decided to go for a walk. As has often happened on our journeys Helen has taken advantage of opportunities as they arose. A biker stopped at the corner of a small back street we were walking along and asked directions to a good restaurant. We told him we were new in town and quick as a shot Helen asked "Can I climb on the back of your bike and my friend take a photo of me, please?" Obviously the poor fellow agreed and we had some great laughs watching Helen climb nimbly on the bike and then practically split herself in two getting off.
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