My wife and I visited her sister in Albuquerque last year. We had always been curious to see that part of the country. We liked it, but still love the fresh green trees of the Pacific Northwest more. After visiting, we do understand some of it’s magnetizing aspects. Native American art and heritage, unique architecture, and it’s quirky and fascinating history. All in all, I was not totally happy with most of the shots I took there, and I only shot about 2 rolls while I was visiting. So, needless to say, I didn’t have a lot of shots to share. This is a shot of a maintenance building that was built using the same methods as what the original buildings would have been built with back in 600AD. Except for maybe the added window frame of course. The balls you see there are called ‘armas de la tierra’ or ‘weapons of the earth’. This was a Tiwa people’s ancient adobe construction technique. They would use the balls to build walls while they were pliable, thus becoming hardened and sturdy after being dried in the sun.

Coronado is located near Albuquerque and the mighty Rio Grande River, and has been around since at least 1000BC.  Everything was fine and dandy until 1540 when a group of European colonists visited and fought with the populace in trying to find gold and silver in the region. None was found, and the expedition was ended in 1542. It was colonized from 1542 onward. Conflict and disease led to a downfall after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 and the town was abandoned. It was later designated as New Mexico’s first State Monument site in 1535. Not much is left of the site, hence the picture of the work shed instead of the ruins left behind of the village. I found the work shed to be more interesting to photograph. Shot with my Sputnik, 100th sec., f.22, Bright sun! Provia 100f Fujifilm.