Ready for Halloween

Except for buying some candy, Jubilee and I are ready for the Trick or Treaters!

We didn't get any souvenirs from our trip to the Southwest, but I did pick up these petroglyphs at the Cortez Cultural Center, and have found a spot for them on the back of my very cool car …

Now, not only do I have surfer seat covers, I have depictions of rock engravings on my back window!

home again, home again, diggety dog!

There were delays, cancellations.  I began to wonder if we would ever get home.  But we finally got on a plane and left Albuquerque ...

That's Houston down there … (one of our multiple stops)

 Finally coming across western coast of Florida.  We waved to Eric, Dawn and Reighn down there!

 At last to Fort Lauderdale … (wouldn't have found our car in long term parking if I hadn't taken that photo of the palm trees where we waited for the bus!)

Home again, home again, diggety dog!

Finis!

Old Albuquerque

 We were here in January 1976. Young hippies traveling from Pasco Washington to middle Virginia.

As soon as I saw the square, I had a strong sense of deja vu. I remembered exactly the store where I had bought a small piece of Hopi pottery.  We spent awhile walking around, remembering … and having lunch!  It seems not to have changed much.

 San Felipe de Neri - oldest church in Albuquerque ...

 New Mexico symbols ...

Crossing the Rio Grande (the last time)

This would be the last time that we crossed the Rio Grande -- on Route 66 in Albuquerque!

Albuquerque - the Center for Contemplation and Action

I never in a millions years thought that I would come here, but here I am.

Before we left for this trip, Roberta called and asked if we would be visiting the CAC - Center for Action and Contemplation. This is Fr. Richard Rohr’s home base, which he started some decades ago. Oh no, I said. I wouldn’t subject John to that. Taking him to the Christ in the Desert monastery will be enough.

I’ve been a big Richard Rohr follower for decades. Since the 1980s I’ve been listening to his cassette tapes. From Richard I learned about the enneagram, how to understand what 12 step programs were all about. He offered me a version of Catholicism that resonated with me and that I could hold on to while what was offered at the local parishes felt so uncomfortable. I met Richard at a Pax Christi retreat in Miami once, and his person confirmed his authenticity to me. He was no charlatan.

Eric and John used to make fun of how much I listened to Richard Rohr. But to this day, I still like being on the road with Richard Rohr, and continue to keep up with what he is preaching.

It’s early afternoon and we’re heading into Albuquerque. Our plane doesn’t leave until early the next day. We were going to turn in our rental car and hang out in an airport hotel. John asks if I want to go over to the Richard Rohr place. I put the address into our GPS system and we’re on our way.

I was very pleased with the neighborhood in which the CAC is located. It was like the Riviera Beach neighborhood in Florida where we live. Ethnic, poor. We were greeted most graciously by Alicia(?), the current administrator of CAC. She essentially gave us the freedom to look around and do whatever we wanted.

Everything is very simple and pleasing.  This is the meditation room.

 St. Julian's Hermitage ...

 John really liked this door ...

 A peace pole on the grounds ...

 Etched over this doorway: "known or unknown … God is".

 A little Marian Grotto ...

Alicia then told us to feel free to check out the "school" that was a couple of blocks away.  It took me awhile to remember that they are establishing a school, grounded in the Christian mystical tradition, that might help people to develop a more contemplative awareness.  

Here are some photos from the school.  The same simple and quiet atmosphere:

 some whimsy ...

 more whimsy ...

 … another peace pole ...

A Franciscan cross ...

 … with rosaries hanging on it! ...

The Turquoise Trail, Madrid

We made our way from Santa Fe back to Albuquerque on the scenic Turquoise Trail, the "high road".  Greg suggested this.

 The trail goes through several old mining towns, the main one being Madrid - pronounced MAD-rid.  John knew this town through the "Wild Hogs" movie, starring John Travolta - a comedy about some middle aged men who take a road trip on their motorcycles.

It turns out that the store used for the Wild Hogs scenes was built just for the film.  It is now a T-shirt, souvenir shop.

The rest of Madrid is a colorful collection of arts and crafts stores / houses.

 We got coffee here ...

 I think that it might be interesting to come to Madrid at night time to see who the locals are and how they intermingle.  Maybe it's a motorcycle town?  Coming through in the morning felt like we weren't seeing the real town.

Actually I sensed a deep and complicated history to this town that was being masked by all the colorful and artistic shops.  Can't quite put my finger on it.  Maybe this is true of most every place (and person).  It was the "art" in this bar that most evoked the sense that there was more going on here than was meeting the eye.