After we had settled into our motel room in Taos, NM we headed out for a tour around the historic downtown area. We found a free parking lot (always a bonus) near the Taos Plaza.
Although we very much enjoyed historic downtown Santa Fe, hubs and I agreed that Taos somehow felt older, more primitive and definitely more laid back.
Spanish Colonial Style buildings stand next to Territorial, Mission Revival and Spanish Pueblo Revival buildings. There were artist studios, unique shops, an open air market, an outdoor cantina, and the beautiful historic Taos Inn … all connected by winding cobblestone paths to create an overall peaceful and relaxing atmosphere that takes you back in time. We agreed that it somehow felt more “natural” than “touristy”.
While we were sitting on a bench, just taking it all in, I noticed a vendor selling hand made wooden flutes. I walked over to request permission to take a photo. The fellow played a beautifully haunting song for me and allowed me to video him and his compadres.
that asked to be rendered black and white
We ended our day at a local diner, where I enjoyed the best taco salad I’ve ever tasted. The shell bowl was made fresh. Inside the bowl was fresh lettuce, carrots, onions, tomatoes and softly cooked pinto beans. It was topped with a very tender sliced steak (vs the usual ground beef), and served with sides of sour cream, freshly-made guacamole, and homemade salsa. This foodie was in heaven.
Photo Note: All of these photos needed only minor post processing. To give you a better idea of the atmosphere at the Taos Plaza, I had wanted to insert the video of the fellow playing the flute. I looked at different ways of achieving this but in the end, opted not to due to various possible data-related issues for my readers.
“The Taos Plaza is the historic center of the town of Taos. Once a Spanish fortified walled plaza, it is now a beautiful collection of wonderful businesses.”
Trip Advisor
Radically Retired 