It's never too late!

If you like traveling, you enjoy discovering new cultures and meet new people, never hesitate! Today traveling can be comfortable and easy.

I just finished a fantastic seven day tour and only after my guests left I was informed that some of them were over 80. Wow! I never suspected anything!
We were on the go from early morning till after dinner and, frankly, I was pretty tired at the end of every day. I thought: oh well, I'm not so young anymore and I have to accept the changes my body is making sure I understand. Of course I tried my best to be energetic, vibrant and to never stop talking. It's not so difficult after all. One, because I really enjoy talking about what I love to people who want to listen; and two, because these places have such a long history, folklore and interesting people that it's hard to keep your mouth shut!

My guests were ready on time and never said no to a great dinner at the end of the day.

What I learned from this experience is that if you are a person with interests, curious about anything around you, enjoy the company of other human beings without necessarily picking your travel companions one by one, you are a perfect traveler. No matter your age.

I even saw that some of these more senior guests were never idle: yes!! if they had a few free minutes on the bus they would use their I-Pad to create images and draw what inspired them. OMG!!!

NEVER, EVER, EVER GIVE UP!

TRAVELS KEEP YOU YOUNG!



PS. I'm now the proud owner of an I-Pad. I went straight to the store at the end of the tour!

Moving stories from my tours

When I don't write a new tale it means I'm busy! This late summer and fall is proving to be one of my best ever! A lot of work, wonderful and warm weather, golden leaves coming out all over the places.

But I want to tell you some recent stories that touched my heart.

This morning while talking to a guide waiting to go with a group, she told me that last time she went on a bus tour she saw a frail man wrapped in blankets right on the front seat. She asked him if he needed anything and before she could continue the guy said, in a very assertive way "Madam, I'm 94, independent, and I know how to take care of myself". Period. The old guy started his tour in New York City! Good for him, enjoy life till the end, nothing can stop you, my friend!

Last month I had a small group of women from Ohio (the famous swing state..right?). One of them needed a wheelchair. I was worried for her because the terrain here is often very rough. To make a long story short, I always stayed back with her when the others were getting her wheelchair. I had the best time ever! In the five to ten minutes we were alone we became so close as we found how much we had in common. This wonderful person was 85 years old, with a wonderful attitude towards life, strong opinions about politics in this country, that I totally shared, and very funny as well. We are now friends on Facebook!

One day I was in a small frontier village, between Arizona and Mexico. I was walking around leaving my clients to roam on their own, when I saw a tiny woman sitting on the ground with a basket of oranges between her legs. I wanted one right away! So, I asked her how much they were. Her answer was, while she was gathering a dozen (!) in a paper bag "you are a guest who came here to visit us from far away. We like to honor people like you". And I couldn't give her any money.

Another time I was traveling for my own pleasure with a friend. On the side of the road we spotted an old lady that didn't look in good shape. She waved at us and we stopped. With sign language she asked to come on board. She was silent all the way, for about half an hour. We couldn't get one word out of her mouth. I kept talking to her wondering if she even understood one word of English. She was Navajo. I asked her if she was married. Suddenly a huge cute smile bloomed on her face and she said "no more. Men are not useful". end of the conversation.

On the road

Sometimes I really think that human beings are wonderful creatures!

Not to be missed

"It's About Time: 14,000 Years of Art in New Mexico" exhibition is now, until January 2014, at the New Mexico Museum of Art, in Santa Fe. It celebrates the Statehood Centennial.
The collection of objects, artifacts, photographs, and paintings is masterful. Thank you Joe Traugott for giving us such a magnificent exhibition!

I'm not an art critic, nor an expert, just passionate about everything New Mexico. I can tell you that this is an experience that brings all your senses alive! Here you meet the most intriguing artists who became famous in different years and are now part of history, the history of art. You can enjoy the variety of pots produced over the centuries to our days, and appreciate the expressions of Native, Hispanic, and European Americans. These 120 works of art help us understand the region's diverse and rich cultures, something one doesn't easily find elsewhere.

The book "New Mexico Art through Time" it's worth the $50. Become a Museums of New Mexico Foundation' member and you save 10% and tax!

Gallup Black-on-White Bowl from Chetro Ketl , circa 1000–1125 CE

A superb example of contemporary ceramist Rick Dillingham

Clovis Point, circa 13,650 – 12,800 BP

My Indian Market

I had to go one more time to the market. I forgot to see some friends and artists I love. But before I went to El Museo Cultural and the show was really exciting. On top of all the precious pieces from around the world, Folk Art and my beloved Memory Pots, there was an exhibition of Tad Dale's collection of shields, amazing!

Tad Dale's private shields collection

Despite the heat I ran through the booths on the Plaza, with each booth number written on my palm, and met with Mary L.Tafoya. This was a special "memory lane" thing: I bought her first piece, a pin, some ten years ago when she had her first market experience! She is a lovely woman from Kewa Pueblo (ex Santo Domingo) and an incredible innovator. No one does what she does, a unique style. Kind of inspired to the old mosaic designs of the Ancestral Puebloans and to the "depression" necklaces, but with a contemporary twist.

Mary L.Tafoya

On the music stand there were phenomenal Hopi and Acoma dancers and musicians with marvelous costumes, dancing beautifully. Other dancers were coming to the stand for the next dance and, despite the crowd, I was able to capture some images.

Dancers from Hopi

Dancers from Acoma

 

Street scenes

I also met for the first time a very talented fashion designer, Penny Singer, who was half asleet in the back of her booth, dead tired! I bet! How can they talk to all the people who stop by, ask questions, and want to know about their art? It's exhausting!

Flowers with pots in the background

This wonderful birth day ended on my little terrace on the roof of my casita sipping tea and savoring fresh muffins my friend Marina had just got out of her oven! With us were some emerald green hummingbird happily getting some more food before the night. The source are some flowers I especially planted for them, they are wonderful creatures!

There he is!

The End

PS. My favorite artist, Raymond Sequaptewa, had some pendants to die for, what do you think?

The 91st birthday of Santa Fe Indian Market

It's August in Santa Fe, therefore it's Indian Market! For me, every year it's like a pilgrimage, a sacred day dedicated to all the wonderful Native artists from around the country. After 22 years of walking through the booths in and around the Plaza I enjoy finding my friends at the same spots and discovering their new creations and, at the same time, going back to the first visits when everything was so new to me!

Keri Ataumbi talking about her new ocean-inspired jewelry

With more energies than I have now, I was able to walk for two days, over and over, trying to read through each and every piece, learning about the works, the lands of origin, and how the artists were inspired to create their specific pieces. Pot after pot, katsina after katsina, not to mention all the jewelry...it was overwhelming!

Indian Market always falls on or near my birthday, another reason to be happy! We all get old, so let's celebrate!

Hard to find someone here!

The last few markets I was with clients. A different way to experience this event. Very intense with the talking and running around but also exciting to see how my guests react...and buy!

Last year...running to corral everybody!

This year I managed my calendar in order to have the market just for myself, and it worked out. What a morning: on the Plaza at 6.30 (the best time for several reasons: it's cool, it's fairly empty, and a lot of fun), most booths still waiting for the artists, a great breakfast at Plaza Restaurant at 9, then on the road again until 12.30. I will be back tomorrow to learn how the market went for my friends.

I have a game I like playing: spot the newcomers and buy what I think it's a new treasure! I'm happy to say that I discovered many such treasures who then became very famous!

This year was a bit different than usual: no drumming at the music stand, more tidy without the non-market vendors all over, easier to explore.

The creativity and the quality is stunning! I discovered new shapes, creative bracelets, fantastic beadwork...can't name everything. For sure, a high-quality market showing improvements in every aspect.

Arviso's booth, the most knowledgeable about turquoise

Pat Pruitt, the king of contemporary

What a treat to feel at home there.

Why clouds count

The sky with clouds comes alive. We all love the immense cloudless blue sky. It is indeed amazing. However, clouds are like the adornment of something already beautiful.

Mind you, I'm not a photographer but I love capturing images that speak to me. When I come home and review the pictures taken that day I often find that clouds have taken the center stage.

Although I feel sort of shy about showing you my cloud pictures, I'm going to post some taken over the years on my travels around the Southwest. Sometimes I like to have some fun too, like in this case.

Tourists taking pictures in Monument Valley

And here...some of MY clouds!

A wow sky!

Santa Fe, springtime

Somewhere in Northern New Mexico

Palace of the Governors, Santa Fe Plaza

Leaving Chaco Canyon, from our bus

Stormy weather at Monument Valley

Lava, pinon trees, and clouds

Shooting clouds!

Galisteo, N.M., the cemetery

A theater in the desert

The surrounding landscape is so wonderful, vast and empty! That morning the sky had the nicest clouds I ever saw, right there, just for me! I was at the Spencer Theater.
An architectural gem, by Antoine Predock, who lives and works in Albuquerque, when he is not somewhere around the world creating one of his masterpieces. It is rather stunning to find such a thing in New Mexico where history and traditions are the greatest influence in whatever one does.

Mr. "don't ever let your passion die" has proven that contemporary architecture also works in The Land of Enchantment, guys!

Dale Chihuly is also there. Unbelievable, eh?!

I can't describe my excitement and emotions. I will share some pictures taken on that morning.