Our Stay in Las Cruces, NM

New Mexico

June 2021

Driving Through Dust & Desert

We spent about four hours on HW-10 heading toward our next destination in Las Cruces, NM. Just before crossing the New Mexico border, we made a quick stop to stretch our legs, use the restroom, and grab a late lunch. We brought Hemmes with us to the table so we wouldn’t have to leave him unattended in the car. He immediately started to protest, wanting out of his carrier. The latter was definitely not a great idea, given the signs warning of poisonous snakes and scorpions in the area! We wrapped up our “to-do” list quickly and were back on the road within 15 minutes.

While driving, we saw dust tornadoes whirling over the dry landscape. This natural spectacle thankfully didn’t delay our drive, and we arrived at the Airbnb in Las Cruces exactly at check-in time, thanks in part to the one-hour time difference.

Settling In, Native American Style

When we booked this cute cottage, the owner accepted our booking but hadn’t realized we were bringing a cat, even though we always mention it when we book to avoid problems. She didn’t want to cancel on us, so she honored our already confirmed booking instead. We were grateful and promised to leave the place spotless.

We moved the rugs into an unused room and covered the furniture with our own linens. To keep Hemmes calm and the space clean, we even used our own sheets, so he was surrounded by the scents of home.

We spent the day settling in and relaxing, with only an early-morning walk through the neighborhood to admire the beautiful Spanish-style homes.

A Hike Along the Majestic Rio Grande

Of course, we went to see the majestic Rio Grande in downtown Las Cruces. We covered about seven miles of the trail in La Llorona Park along the river. The park has a bit of a spooky reputation. Legend tells the story about La Llorona, the haunting Weeping Woman, who wanders the riverbanks at night, wailing for her drowned children. In Hispanic American culture, this story is often told to keep kids away from the river’s treacherous currents.

The Rio Grande (big river) has been an integral part of the history of New Mexico for thousands of years. Running through the entire state, it is both its backbone and lifeblood. It originates in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado and then forms the boundary between Texas and Mexico before spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. Over 1,800 miles long, it is one of the great rivers of the world.

We always imagine “parks” as lush areas with trees and plenty of shade, but La Llorona is mostly meadow with only the occasional tree along the riverbank. While the wide-open views of the Rio Grande and the majestic Organ Mountains in the distance were beautiful, there was simply nowhere to hide from the bright sun. After seven miles, we called it quits and drove to Old Mesilla for lunch.

The heart of this village felt frozen in time with beautiful adobe buildings, an architectural style I really adore. We strolled the historic plaza, which was once a major stop on the Butterfield Overland Stagecoach line. Standing there, it was easy to imagine life here a century ago.

After a few photos and a bit of window shopping among the art galleries, museums, and shops, we had lunch at the Double Eagle. Walking back to the car, I was finally able to take some photos of the Basilica of San Albino without the cars, just after a funeral service had concluded.

Searching for Lizards

Mexican folk art, I love its bright colors and patterns. When I lived in San Antonio, I bought two colorful lizards that traveled overseas and now live with us in our apartment in the Netherlands. I had always regretted not having bought a few more. I went in and out of some local stores hoping to find something similar, but I had no luck today. The shops didn’t have the specific style I was looking for. I will try again at a different time!

Hiding from the Heat

After our shopping, the desert heat and sun were finally getting to me. I was feeling drained and lazy the rest of the afternoon. It remained far too hot to be outside during the day. Once the sun was casting long shadows, I headed out for a stroll even though the temperature hadn’t dropped. It was worth it, though, to capture pictures of the Organ Mountains in the distance, their rugged peaks glowing in the sunset.

A few days later, it was another blistering, hot day! I repeated my schedule, staying in and walking only in the evening to stretch my legs a little. I spent the day on housekeeping and laundry since we would be leaving the area the next day. We wanted to have most of the cleaning and prep work done.

Goodbye to Las Cruces

We had felt absolutely at home in our home-for-ten-days because it was tastefully decorated in the Native American Mesa style, with its beautiful patterns and bright colors. On the other hand, Hemmes had felt a little lost there. He must have smelled that it was a dog-friendly house. We confirmed what his nose already knew while vacuuming the only carpet in the bedroom; the smell blowing out of the vacuum was notably that of a wet dog. Our poor kitty must have been miserable being surrounded by that “dog in the house” scent constantly!

Since we were packed and almost ready, we took one last long walk around the neighborhood early in the morning, especially since checkout time wasn’t until after lunch.

Around 1 p.m., the Airbnb was left pristine as promised, and the car was packed. To our surprise, Hemmes jumped into the carrier himself, apparently eager to leave the scent of dogs behind him. Settled in the car, he dozed off right away.