Thursday was breakfast downtown, a little walking around the Plaza to point out the highlights, and then off to Tent Rocks. Probably the busiest I've seen it — vacation on out East, though ours was weeks ago — had it pretty crowded on the way up, though most of it seemed to be a local school trip. Nice at the top (above) and on the way back down. Leisurely pace has us out for about two-and-a-half hours. The good folks at La Choza were able to accommodate Josie's new sopapilla obsession, with the both the stuffed and side variety. Soaked out the aches at Ten Thousand Waves.
Friday, late start and early lunch including more sopapillas, then The House of Eternal Return.
Long (long-) time readers might remember Santa Fe art collective Meow Wolf's project, The Due Return. This new permanent installation, in an old bowling alley and now anchoring a new arts district is kind of a conceptual sequel, in that it's a narrative that unfolds through exploration and interpretation. I know a few of the writers on it, was following some of it coming together, but didn't know it would premier to such attention. I'd heard good things from the right people, knew enough to set the stage so we had some fun not describing it to the kids, and just going.
And it was a great time. For everyone I think, and in unexpected ways. There's a kinetic fun to just climbing and exploring and poking around (literally and figuratively). But there's a (heartbreaking) storyline in there, told through everything from video to newspapers, ephemera and, even the setting**. I found myself having more fun exploring than piecing together, but got what I thought was going on, only to hear different interpretations over dinner. Clearly will reward repeated visits.
A few, I was trying to get everyone experiencing it (Josie's calling the phone number that recurred throughout as part of the story), but much better photos of the installation itself in that Times article.
* From the next night, but Wednesday they were still getting be buddies.
** That's the encyclopedia set we had when I was growing up. Still looking for the accompanying folklore/mythology collections.
