The state of New Mexico, in the desert southwest, is a popular tourist destination because of the variety and quantity of attractions. The gateway is typically the largest city, Albuquerque, which has a historic and well-preserved Old Town,

St Philip Neri Church, Albuquerque

and a lengthy section of legendary Route 66, the classic highway from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Vintage Route 66 Establishment

   The capital city of Santa Fe is even more charming, with its San Miguel Mission,

San Miguel Mission

and its Palace of the Governors, situated on the city’s main square.

Palace of the Governors

    Our favorite sight in Santa Fe is the Loretto Staircase, an intriguing architectural structure with an interesting legend.

Loretto Chapel Staircase

 North of Santa Fe, in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, lies the city of Taos, a Native American village which became a significant artist colony and now a tourist destination. The Taos Pueblo is a World Heritage Site and still functions as a Native American settlement.

Taos Pueblo

  Not far from Taos are the remains of a much older village. Chaco Culture National Historic Site preserves a series of pueblos which date to approximately 1000 AD. Pueblo Bonito is the best preserved village.

Lee at Pueblo Bonito

     In the southern part of the state, White Sands National Monument is a stark reminder that this area was once part of an ocean.

White Sands National Monument

   My favorite sight in New Mexico is Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Not only is it one of the most beautiful and extensive cave systems in the world,

Carlsbad Caverns National Park very intriguing and often attractively lit,Carlsbad Caverns National Park

but the park also contains the famous bats which leave the cave each night to feast on flying insects.

Bat Cave, Carlsbad