We found some genuine culture today. After another fab breakfast at our B&B (almost everyone had forgotten about the clock change – we ate smugly with one other couple) we walked over to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Centre. This is a museum set up by the 19 pueblos of New Mexico to highlight their history and culture, from prehistory through the Spanish coming (and going, and coming back) to the modern day. Art, pottery, weaving and dancing all went into a fascinating little place.
After our disastrous restaurant-searching of last night we returned to somewhere we knew: Julia’s in Old Town. Today we were brave enough to try green chilli, strangely hotter than the red. It wasn’t too bad, but did tend to drown out any other flavour that might have been present. I even managed to eat some celery that had been smothered in the stuff.
We caught the train on time, which is odd given that they would have had to make up an hour somewhere. Even stranger we arrived in Arizona an hour early, although this was actually on time. It’s bad enough having four time zones, let alone pockets of anarchy that refuse to follow Daylight Saving. Someone should do something about this.
The train had a strange vibe this evening. A lot of people had got on at Chicago and were travelling all the way through to Los Angeles. A lot of them were smokers who are only allowed off at the odd station here and there for their fix. Someone had drunk too much, fallen asleep and missed their stop, so they were looking at a 24 hour wait to get back and didn't mind telling everyone. Luckily we can hide away in our little sleeper for the last part of our trip (when, after two days on board, the smokers will be really tetchy).
Now we’re in a little hostel in Flagstaff, which seems a nice town (in the dark). It’s certainly got more to it than Albuquerque, and fitted into a smaller space. The only downside is that the train track runs right through the middle. There’s a helpful notice in our room saying earplugs are on sale for 25c. Hardened train travellers that we are, I’m sure we’ll have no problem (as the windows rattle with the fifth train through since I started typing...)
The Indian Pueblo Cultural Centre.
A member of the Zuni tribe performs the red tail hawk dance.
An oven, and a mural.
More red chillies! They taste better than they look.
Vegetable enchiladas at Julia's. Green chilli on the left, red on the right.
Hannah in a coach seat. See, they're huge!
Rocks in the lower desert of New Mexico.
Sunset over Arizona.
Waiting for the train to pass.
Ivor the engine.
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