Leisurely

Started the day with a terrific breakfast prepared by Emily and Tim, the Hacienda Las Barrancas owners. For starters we had nectarine scones and fresh fruit. Vicki had an avocado and green chile omelette. I had lemon ricotta blueberry pancakes.

For the day's activity we decided to hike Tsankawi, the ancestral home of the Tewa Pueblo people in the 1400s. The hike consisted of a two mile loop that went up to the top of a mesa where a village once stood. On the way down, in the face of the mesa, were a number of "cavates", caves, carved into the side for shelter and food storage. Lots of petroglyphs are carved in the stones as well.

It is interesting to note that a decision has been made to not dig up the archeology in these areas out of respect for the native people. These ancestral grounds are sacred and it is important that the ancestors not be disturbed.

Had dinner at Gabriel's Restaurant. They have a lot of outdoor seating, but it was raining. The wait would have been more than 40 minutes, but we found a table at the bar. We ordered guacamole prepared at the table. It was good, but a bit bland. We waited for our food for awhile and I was wondering if our order had been forgotten...and it had. The waiter came by and apologized for losing our order. The food did arrive quickly once it was reordered. No big deal, we were not in a hurry.

The tortilla soup Vicki ordered was some of the best she's had. It was loaded with fresh vegetables and avocado slices. The handmade corn tortillas were thick and very good. Since I am always on the hunt for the best chile rellenos...I ordered the Santa Fe version. The poblano peppers were stuffed with chicken and cheese. They were good, but won't make my top three.