Van Horn, TX cloudage

Sometimes you're just walking to the car to grab some luggage and this is what you see...

"El Cap" suite

We've stayed at the Hotel El Capitan many times but this was the first time in the "Large Patio Suite" - possibly one of the best rooms there. The size was perfect because "large" in a historic hotel can mean "standard" by today's standards. The patio had a great view of the courtyard which was all spruced up for Christmas. The dining room was packed, presumably with Blue Horizon employees who love to gather there after work. (I would later hear a Van Horn local call the hotel the "El Cap" - a likable nickname that I will start using since after all the time I've spent there I'm almost a local).

Santorini

One of the culinary success stories of this trip was Santorini in Las Cruces, NM. After City of Rocks we did some googling and this Mediterranean option in the university district popped up. Glad it did because we love this kind of food (hummus, tzatziki, falafel etc.) and it was an especially satisfying presentation of it. (I always forget that Santorini is a Greek island despite sounding Italian).

City of Rocks, part 3

The "city" emerges out of the vast plains of New Mexico. Not surprisingly it's the remains of an ancient volcano. (Not surprising because we have seen similar post-volcanic formations at Joshua Tree, Pinnacles, and the Alabama Hills).

City of Rocks, part 2

A city of rocks, but also campers and hikers.

City of Rocks State Park

A delightfully obscure state park outside of Silver City, NM.

Buckhorn Saloon

Adjoining the opera house is the Buckhorn Saloon, where we had dinner. Both the saloon and the opera house were lovingly preserved and full of interesting historic artifacts.