desert

We were fortunate enough to stay at the Loews resort the week of Christmas. The grounds were beautiful and well-maintained. A short trail led to this amazing natural waterfall (yes, in the desert). Apparently when the resort was built in 1984 it was a priority to leave intact all the saguaro cactus in their original locations and so the resort built around all the natural fauna.

The service and food were great and Carli and I visited the gym daily and even attended a group fitness class – the instructor was excellent. We also took advantage of a tennis class. Prosecco and Pickleball on Friday night was a hit!

A large Koi pond was next to the check-in desk and food to feed the fish was provided. The koi know exactly when someone shows up to feed them and wait patiently for the food to be tossed.

As usual, Pete received a lot of attention wherever we went and Pete was quick to uncover where he would receive treats and directed his daily walks on the routes that were guaranteed for treats!

I have traveled to NM since 2016 and love the natural beauty, eclectic cuisine, overarching diversity and incredibly blue skies. I have primarily explored Albuquerque and north including Santa Fe, Taos and Abiquiu. As a child I was mesmerized by Georgia O’Keeffe and her spectacular paintings of this beautiful state.

This trip was focused on driving south from Albuquerque to Las Cruces, with several stops along the way. The primary destination was White Sands National Park, but of course, there is so much to see beyond this amazing national park. I flew into Albuquerque and spent the night and started the trek early the next morning.

The first stop was in Truth or Consequences. This is a tiny town known for its hot springs…and apparently movie location scouts. I was told that a movie just wrapped up in this speck of a town. It was pretty quiet and when I asked the locals what I should check out in the town, they collectively could suggest up with nothing! I have heard the Geronimo Museum is quirky, weird and interesting all in one. I did not visit, but maybe you should.

From TOC, I focused on getting to Las Cruces. I stayed in the cutest 1938 home powered with all the modern amenities, right next to the downtown area. Walking the two minutes to the downtown was a daily occurrence to grab coffee, food and a dose of people watching. Friday night there was a night market and an impressive farmer’s market on Saturday morning. It was more crafts than the typical veggies but there was some fresh produce. I am always amazing at the creative talent that these artisans produce.

Once cooled off, it was time to search out the quirky items on my list such as the largest chili pepper in the world and the recycled road runner. Neither disappointed! Then visited the town of Mesilla and the noteworthy basilica.