Tijuana, Mexico

Hoy hemos hecho una carrera por la frontera.
Al sur de la frontera, es decir...

Today, we made a run for the border. South of the border, that is...

Tijuana, Mexico.

Tijuana, Mexico.

Música...

Music...

Compras...

Shopping...

Mike hecho el amor a un océano de Tequila...

Mike made love to an ocean of tequila...

Suerte cabalgó un asno que se aerosol pintado para parecerse a una cebra...

Lucky rode a donkey that was spray painted to look like a zebra...

Sólo en Tijuana...

Only in Tijuana...

Dos cerveza, por favor...

Two beers, please...

Suerte que sus zapatos de boogie...

Lucky put on his boogie shoes...

...y este pequeño muchacho nos vendió chicklets...

...and this little boy sold us chicklets...

Aduanas de los Estados Unidos...

US Customs...

Si estás siguientes este mapa, se le pierde horriblemente. (ampliarla)

If you're follwing this map, you'll be horribly lost. (enlarge it)

Un par de horas más tarde, estaban de vuelta en San Deigo...

A couple hours later, we were back in San Deigo...

Mike trajo un poco a sí mismo el tratamiento. Hecho en Mexico...

Mike brought himself back a little treat. Made in Mexico...

Santa Fe, New Mexico ~ Part 3

Santa Fe is festive with colorful ristas and coyotes...

Everywhere you eat, they ask, "red or green?"

I took full advantage of the green chilies during my southwestern stay. Once, I had Christmas. That's both.

Mostly, we shopped Santa Fe. The Plaza has excellent turquoise jewelry...

...but nothing beats The Jackalope. Infinite shopping possibilities, home, garden and much, much more.

This is the church of the Miracle Staircase. It was built with no nails, and the carpenter that constructed this marvel skipped town without receiving pay.

Ya know, J.C. was a carpenter. Could it be?

Saw some art...

Had a pre-birthday bash at The Cowgirl...

Home of the World Famous Birthday Ice Cream Baked Potato.

Yee Haw...

The altitude must have got to Lucky. This is what he looked like through most of Santa Fe. It's at 7, 000 feet.

There was a 3rd birthday celebrated in the rv.

Amen for presents...

The Lightening McQueen tool kit is a huge hit...

It's tool-time!

CAKE!

No time was wasted getting into those presents. Monster Feet and a monster activity book...

...but, only Dad knew how to work the old-timey toys...

Los Cerrillos & Madrid, New Mexico ~ Part 2

In the 1870s Los Cerrilos started as a bustling gold and silver mining town.

More recently this real live old western town was used in the movie, Young Guns.

Now this sleepy village has a population of 200.

My aunt Mari made the suggestion that we stop by this old-time ghost town...

...she said it was my uncle Duane's favorite place in New Mexico. I totally get it.

He also thought Our Lady of Guadalupe was hot. I totally get that, too.

Los Cerrillos and the the town of Madrid are both located on this 62 mile streatch of road that is known as the Turquoise Trail. Way before the gold and silver rush, they mined the area for turquoise and coal.

Madrid was a booming mining town until the 1950's. Then the coal industry dried up due to the popularity of natural gas to heat homes. All but 2 people left.

The town sat vacant through the early 70s. Then a group of hippies moved in, squating in the abanded homes...

...eventually turning Madrid into a large artist community.

Life still moves in Madrid. It's just a little bit slower. Lot's of daytrippers wondering through.

No real hurry. No real pressure. We had lunch and bought a couple wonderful art peices...

...and pondered the happenings at the Kickin Ass Ranch.