Johnny Alston
This is the first B&B we have stayed in and it was an excellent choice. After a breakfast of the best waffles I have ever eaten, we spent most of the day in the central plaza which is just a half mile from the hotel. Twenty Native American artists and craftsmen were displaying their wares along one side of the Museum of New Mexico History next to the plaza. Their products have to be certified to set up there, so we were certain that all the components were legitimate. Each item is also signed by the artist.
As we looked, Steve spotted an insignia of a Vietnam Vet and he struck up a conversation with the artist. They talked for a long time about their experiences and the impact the war had on their health and well-being. As we moved down the line, we visited with the craftsmen about their work and families. Most of them learned their skills from their parents.
Moving across the square, we met Johnny Alston, who was playing a variety of beautiful wooden flutes that he had fashioned. The music was haunting and spiritual. Farther on, Steve stopped to read a metal historical plaque set into the sidewalk. While he was reading the author of the piece approached him. He was the city historian and he told us all about the struggle to get a number of those plaques installed. We also talked about how important it is to write down our own personal and family stories so they will not be lost.
When we shopped, we talked with the shopkeepers and the waiter at the restaurant. Everywhere we went, people were open and friendly. For six hours we wandered through the city center exploring the art, the shops and the food. Tomorrow, we will go outside the city to the cave dwellings and pueblos.
Museum of Modern Indian Art
