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Expat wanderer

History the White House Doesn’t Like: The List of Exhibits Trump Wants Gone

It’s a strange honor to have exhibits selected that the President wants gone. As in Literature, when you read through the list, you learn a lot about the fears and the prejudices of the creator. In recent decades, the United States of America has had a greater tolerance for the idiosyncratic views of artists, appreciating their differing perceptions. The list below is taken word for word from the White House Post called The President is Right About the Smithsonian.

  • The National Museum of African American History and Culture debuted a series to educate people on “a society that privileges white people and whiteness” — defining so-called “white dominant culture“ as “ways white people and their traditions, attitudes, and ways of life have been normalized over time” and portraying “the nuclear family,” “work ethic,” and “intellect” as white qualities rooted in racism.

As part of its campaign to stop being “wealthy, pale, and male,” the National Portrait Gallery featured a choreographed “modern dance performance“ detailing the “ramifications“ of the southern border wall and commissioned an entire series to examine “American portraiture and institutional history… through the lens of historical exclusion.”

The National Portrait Gallery features art commemorating the act of illegally crossing the “inclusive and exclusionary” southern border — even making it a finalist for one of its awards.

(Intlxpatr comment: This painting reminds me of the painting of Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus escaping to Egypt to avoid King Herod’s massacre of the innocents)

The National Museum of African Art displayed an exhibit on “works of speculative fiction that bring to life an immersive, feminist and sacred aquatopia inspired by the legend of Drexciya,” an “underwater kingdom populated by the children of pregnant women who had been thrown overboard or jumped into the ocean during the Middle Passage.”

The American History Museum’s “LGBTQ+ History” exhibit seeks to “understand evolving and overlapping identities such as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, queer, transsexual, transvestite, mahu, homosexual, fluid, invert, urning, third sex, two sex, gender-bender, sapphist, hijra, friend of Dorothy, drag queen/king, and many other experiences,” and includes articles on “LGBTQ+ inclusion and skateboarding“ and “the rise of drag ball culture in the 1920s.”

The National Museum of the American Latino features programming highlighting “animated Latinos and Latinas with disabilities” — with content from “a disabled, plus-sized actress” and an “ambulatory wheelchair user” who “educates on their identity being Latinx, LGBTQ+, and disabled.”

The National Museum of the American Latino characterizes the Texas Revolution as a “massive defense of slavery waged by ‘white Anglo Saxon’ settlers against anti-slavery Mexicans fighting for freedom, not a Texan war of independence from Mexico,” and frames the Mexican-American War as “the North American invasion” that was “unprovoked and motivated by pro-slavery politicians.”

According to the National Museum of the American Latino, “what unites Latinas and Latinos“ is “the Black Lives Matter movement.”

The National Portrait Gallery commissioned a “stop-motion drawing animation” that “examines the career“ of Anthony Fauci.

The American History Museum’s exhibit marking the 50th anniversary of Title IX includesbiological men competing in women’s sports and argues in favor of “transgender” athletes competing in sports against the opposite biological sex.

A exhibit at the American History Museum depicts migrants watching Independence Day fireworks “through an opening in the U.S.-Mexico border wall” and says America’s founders “feared non-White immigration.”

The American History Museum features a display that refers to the founding of America as “a profound unsettling of the continent.”

The American History Museum’s “American Democracy” exhibit claims voter integrity measures are “attempts to minimize the political power” of “new and diverse groups of Americans,” while its section on “demonstrations” includes only leftist causes.

An American History Museum exhibit features a depiction of the Statue of Liberty “holding a tomato in her right hand instead of a torch, and a basket of tomatoes in her left hand instead of a tablet.”

  • The National Museum of the American Latino features an anti-American exhibit that defines Latino history as centuries of victimhood and exploitation, suggests the U.S. is stolen land, and characterizes U.S. history as rooted in “colonization.”
    • The exhibit features writing from illegal immigrants “fighting to belong.”
    • The exhibit displays a quote from Claudia de la Cruz, the socialist nominee for president and a director an anti-American hate group, as well as another quote that reads, “We didn’t cross the border; the border crossed us.”
    • The exhibit remains prominently featured on its website alongside a quote from the Communist Party USA’s Angela Davis, who was once among the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitives.
  • The National Museum of the American Latino features an anti-American exhibit that defines Latino history as centuries of victimhood and exploitation, suggests the U.S. is stolen land, and characterizes U.S. history as rooted in “colonization.”
    • The exhibit features writing from illegal immigrants “fighting to belong.”
    • The exhibit displays a quote from Claudia de la Cruz, the socialist nominee for president and a director an anti-American hate group, as well as another quote that reads, “We didn’t cross the border; the border crossed us.”
    • The exhibit remains prominently featured on its website alongside a quote from the Communist Party USA’s Angela Davis, who was once among the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitives.

The former interim director of the future Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum declared the museum will be “inclusive” of biological men posing as women.

Commentary from The Hill, August 22, 2025:

White House lists 20 objectionable Smithsonian exhibits, artworks

BY ASHLEIGH FIELDS – 08/22/25 10:34 AM ET

The Trump administration specifically targeted the American history museum’s “LGBTQ+ History” exhibit and condemned a separate display lauding the 50th anniversary of Title IX with a focus on transgender athletes. President Trump signed an executive order in February barring transgender women from competing in women’s sports.

The decision to highlight more than a dozen exhibits and artworks as “woke” comes days after Trump criticized the history museum for its depiction of slavery and its impact on Black Americans. 

“The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future,” the president wrote Tuesday in a Truth Social post.

“We are not going to allow this to happen, and I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made,” he added. “This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE.”

During his first term, Trump lauded the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture for its portrayal of harsh truths and storied victories for disenfranchised Black citizens. 

Trump’s issue with the depiction of slavery in museums has been widely challenged by Black historians and community leaders.

“Just as the Holocaust is remembered in all its brutality, so must America reckon with the truth of chattel slavery, Jim Crow and racial terror,” Toni Draper, publisher of the Afro-American Newspaper — the archives of which were used to help curate the museum — wrote in a recent op-ed for Afro.com. “Anything less is historical erasure, a rewriting of facts to make the nation appear more palatable.”

But history is not meant to comfort — it is meant to confront. And only in confrontation do we find the lessons that lead us forward,” she added.

August 24, 2025 Posted by | Arts & Handicrafts, Beauty, Bureaucracy, Character, Civility, Community, Cultural, Heritage, History, Political Issues, Quality of Life Issues, Stranger in a Strange Land, Transparency, Values, Women's Issues | , , , , | Leave a comment

Morocco Malta and the Med: Casablanca and El Jadida

I can’t be staying in bed when we are coming into port in a new city.

This was seriously disturbing.

That mist looks sulfuric!

We are warned that Casablanca is an industrial port. No kidding!

Quick breakfast and we are off to El Jadida, an old Portuguese fortress city. We were actually here ten years ago on our very first cruise, The Moors in Spain and Morocco. We really love Morocco. One year we came here at Christmas, which was also Ramadan, rented a car and drove all around Morocco with our son. We had such a great time.

Our guide tells us this area near El Jadida is famous for raising horses for racing and showing.

Me and my stone walls!

Getting close to El Jadida:

An old Portuguese Catholic Church in El Jadida. The people around Casablanca make it a point to discuss frequently how tolerant the area is, with Jewish and Christian populations as well as Muslim and Berber. Our guide was proudly Berber.

We had been warned that the beautiful old Portuguese Cisterns were closed for restoration, so the photo below is the exterior only, but I have a treat for you. Below the shot of the exterior is a photo of the interior I took ten years ago. I still love to look at it. The cisterns are so beautiful as well as functional.

I don’t consider this cheating; I consider it . . . um . . . illustrating. . . or embellishing to show you what you might see when you go to El Jadida.

Below are Moroccan silk weavings.

I believe this is the old Jewish bakery.

When you read old histories or bible stories about prisoners being cast into a well, it could look a lot like this:

This picture below is hilarious because I am wearing an expensive pair of shoes that I find clunky. The trip description said it was challenging, with uneven hikes, rocks, and hills. It was a very mild hike; I could have worn my sandals.

My husband took this photo below; he loved the contrast of the drawing of the cisterns and the laundry hung to dry over the cisterns.

It’s going to be a couple hours ride back to the ship, but the guide has a treat for us – “Snacks” at a local restaurant, part of the tour, no extra charge. The small restaurant was just big enough to hold all of us, had a nice clean restroom and place to wash up, and served these delicious sandwiches, followed by a selection of house baked Moroccan cookies, and Turkish coffee or Mint Tea. The owner and his wife were so hospitable. They made us feel like very special guests. It really was a treat!

As we sail away from Casablanca, that same ship continues to be surrounded with that yellow steamy cloud.

For us, we have seen everything we wanted to see. We think Cadiz and Malaga will be pretty tame after the excitement of Ajaccio, Malta, Tunis and Algiers. (We were wrong!)

January 15, 2025 Posted by | Adventure, Africa, Arts & Handicrafts, Beauty, Cultural, Customer Service, Exercise, ExPat Life, Heritage, History, Morocco, Restaurant, Social Issues, Travel | , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Giverny and Monet’s Gardens

Early morning; we have the gardens to ourselves before the crowds arrive.

Early morning in Vernon/Giverny. It is so chill I am wearing a sweater over my dress.

Monet’s house at Giverny. Every painting in the house is a reproduction; the originals are at the Marmottan, or in other art museums.

The gift shop is bright and full of goodies.

Some choices from the nearby Impressionist Museum. Camille Pissarro was one of the earliest Impressionists.

The Impressionist Museum has a wonderful cafe’, Oskar’s, which also has really good coffee.

Buying macarons

I can walk forever when the temperatures are cooler!

August 14, 2024 Posted by | Adventure, Arts & Handicrafts, Beauty, Cultural, Eating Out, Gardens, History, Living Conditions, Restaurant, Travel, Weather | , , , , | Leave a comment

Christmas Markets on the Elbe: Treasures of Dresden

We were already underway when I woke up, on our way from Meissen to Dresden. Along the way, we heard a musical salute and knew we were passing Beyla’s sister ship on the Elbe, the Astrid, headed from Prague to Berlin. She is the only ship we passed the entire five days cruising on the Elbe, other than ships passing in the larger cities.

Our bus did a tour of Dresden neighborhoods, which also allowed for some history, and then got to the Zwinger and the old city of Prague. We toured the museum full of wonders (it’s an amazing thing to be a king, to contract wonderful works of gold and baroque pearls, crystal, cut gems, silver – and the largest green diamond in the world.)

I found Dresden to be an elegant and spirited city. The total destruction of the city by the Allied bombers toward the end of WWII, when it was already clear that the war was almost over, was devastating. Years later, there was rubble everywhere. The citizens of Dresden had hidden many of the city treasures in cellars, in the ground, in all kinds of places, and although many were plundered, some fabulous pieces still remain. I’m inspired to re-read Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five.

Dresden has rebuilt. Much of what looks old is actually rebuilt, re-using the rubble remaining after the bombing. This is what I mean by spirit. Years after the Russian occupation and the dreary years of the GDR, Dresden is like a phoenix rising out of the ashes, glorious, and incorporating the old to build the new. I admire that spirit.

The Dresden Opera house, made to look like the original, but much larger.

We heard the porcelain bell concert as the clock reached 10:15. Delightful! Impressive!

This is the Zwinger Palace courtyard; I don’t show the courtyard because the gardens are all torn up. Even with the snow cover, it is a mess.

Imagine being a ruler with so much wealth to spend on these luxurious objects.

This carved ivory piece reminds me of the design of the iconic Kuwait water towers.

LOL you get a chance to see my clunky walking shoes. I’ve been wearing them on every tour since Sans Souci. They keep me comfortable and safe.

A huge green diamond

As we left the museum, we told our guide we would not be returning to the ship with the group, and we took off, exploring the very crowded old Striezelmarkt, full of families and friends drinking gluhwein. One of the best places we found was a booth selling the wine we had found, a Saxon wine, Schloss Wackerbarth. We had a bottle with us on board the Beyla, and I really liked it.

That is a whole ox they are turning on the spit.

Dresden had some of the most unique shops and decorations we saw on the whole trip.

Took a lot of photos, bought nothing, and found a brewery serving duck where we had lunch. It was full of locals, and us. We were near a rowdy bunch, having a great time, and the two in Santa hats allowed me to take their photos. 

Leaving there, we found our way to the Medieval Christmas Market in the old stable area.

We had to pay 5 Euros each but it was worth it – the drama of kettle drums and the smells of oxen grilling, vendors of iron works being sold by the blacksmith, glassware sets, each unique and beautiful, medieval games, tankards of different kinds of hot brews, including one “gleubier” (we didn’t try it). Lots of kids, lots of fun going on, consumed players, a lot like a Medieval Knights Tournament or Renaissance Fair. 

That’s a huge rocking pig the children are riding.

Then on to the Frauenkirch market, very similar to the non-medieval markets, but where we were able to access a cash machine for our daily allotment of Euros. 

From there, a ten-minute slippery walk to the boat as the snow became heavier and we became happier to be going inside to a warm place. We have good weather gear, but after a while, the wind finds its way to your bones, especially when the humidity goes up and the temperatures go down.

Dresden interests me. Of all the places we have visited, this is the place I want to come back for a longer visit.

The boat is lovely and warm, and we are happy we did all that we did today, and equally happy now to settle in. We need to finish the Schloss Wackerbarth wine we bought in Berlin before we leave the ship in Shandau, so we will fill our glasses and take them to the port talk tonight.

December 29, 2023 Posted by | Advent, Adventure, Arts & Handicrafts, Cold Drinks, Cultural, Entertainment, Germany, History, Restaurant, Travel, Weather | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Christmas Markets on the Elbe: Wittenberg

Off to Wittenberg, where our guide Christian takes us first to the old Catholic Church where Martin Luther posted his 95 theses, against practices of the Catholic Church which, according to his reading of scriptures, were just wrong and needed to be corrected. He did not intend to create a schism or a new religion. So here is the portal where there once was a door that is no more, burned in a fire, where Luther posted his 95 theses requesting correction of wrong-doings by the church.

From there, visited various neighborhoods in Wittenberg, visiting Martin Luther’s home with Katerina Von Bora (a wondrous woman Luther referred to as his morning star, a hilarious reference with a double entendre, as a morning star is also a lethal medieval cudgel with pointed spikes on its head.

We ended up downtown at St. Mary’s, the church where Martin Luther preached, a beautiful fine place, more simple and much less elaborate than the Catholic Church. Christian gave us so much information; that I am now not able to keep it all straight.

I am grinning because someone had made a snowball and tucked it in Katarina’s curled hand. It wasn’t me! I didn’t do it! But it did give me a grin.

Below is the church where Martin Luther preached, after being excommunicated from the church and marrying Katarina Von Bora, who escaped a nunnery with several other women not interested in being nuns.

He told us about Luther’s anti-Semitism, in the context of the times, and of the town and the church’s continuing attempts to find redemption in coordination with its Jewish community. Christian told us about the tragic waste of the holocaust, how it hurt all humanity, and that the German people are determined that such a mindset will never again take hold in today’s Germany. We can only hope.

This time, we were successful in obtaining money from the ATM. We wandered through the Christmas Market and found our way back to the bus. We had a short trip to meet up once again with the Beyla, which in our absence, had transferred to the little town of Zahna-Elster. We quickly cleaned up, ate lunch and the Beyla left Zahna-Elster to make our way up the Elbe to Torgau, where the American Forces and Russian forces met near the end of World War II.

For the first time since our departure on Monday, we have had some time to breathe. We strolled through the lounge, admiring all the decorated Christmas trees, we organized our room, participated in the safety drill, and met up once again with Janice and Don. It was over very quickly, we came back to our cabin and as my husband napped, I uploaded photos, caught up with correspondence, and organized my thoughts to begin this journal of our journey.

I went to the nearby coffee and tea station, which also has three kinds of cookies, to pick up some chocolate cookies before I woke my husband (his favorite cookies). We gathered in the lounge for the Port Talk with Eva, as she briefed us on tomorrow’s excursions and events. After that, there is a walk into Torgau to view the memorial.

We went early enough to get good seats for the Port Talk, but as my husband decided he would go after all (he hadn’t wanted to get so cold again), and I decided not to go – Eve had emphasized how slippery it was and that anyone with mobility problems might not want to go, and that Torgau is always the coldest place she has ever visited, LOL. I thought “I’ll just skip this one.”

I snuggled under the featherbed, happy not to be out hiking in the dark.

December 28, 2023 Posted by | Advent, Adventure, Cultural, Faith, Germany, History, Travel | , , , , | Leave a comment

Mesa Verde, Cliff House Loop and Coyote Village

We decide to head back to Mesa Verde for our last full day and see some of the sights we didn’t get to yesterday. We started with the Cliff House loop, and were amazed to see how many people were there before us. There was a bus full of Italians, and a bus full of French people. There were all kinds of people our age waiting for the Ranger tour of the Cliff House; you need reservations and the numbers are limited. We did it the last time so felt comfortable skipping it this time, and went on to view other sites, some of which were open, and some not.

The most productive site for us was the Far View site, where archeologists have excavated much of a village and reservoir from ancient times.

The Docent Ranger tells us that they may have to close the exhibit soon because some of the walls are so fragile that even with careful visitors, the stress on ancient stones and foundations are too fragile to survive the number of visitors, which is affecting their condition. 

We were able to see the storage rooms and the kivas. People talk about the ceremonial functions of the kivas – they look to me like they had functional purposes, perhaps keeping people out of the heat and out of the elements, perhaps gatherings, yes, and it made me think of Thanksgiving and how a very casual gathering could be described as ceremonial.

I think we toss that word around too lightly. I think we are often discussing customary, daily doings and elevating these daily rituals by calling them ceremonial. Am I ceremonial while I wash my dishes, or hang my laundry? Do I ceremonially cook our dinner? 

I love visiting these sites and having these conversations in my head.

We take a chance on getting a table at the Absolute Bakery in Mancos, a place we love. Very casual, everything home made and delicious, and we are lucky, they have enlarged and have a room in the back which they open for us, and then others, too.

Back at the cabin, we finish off the spaghetti and garlic bread back at the cabin for our last dinner in Cortez, and the last few bites of Gustavo’s lemon pie. I check with Cecilia and Alison about what is required for check out (every B&B has its own requirements) and they tell me just to leave our food, that they will use what they can and take care of the rest. We won’t be doing our own cooking for the rest of the trip.

August 20, 2023 Posted by | Adventure, Cultural, Heritage, History, Local Lore, Road Trips, Travel | , , , | Leave a comment

Hovenweep, Canyon of the Ancients and Petroglyphs

We are still sore from our climb the previous day, but we don’t want to waste a minute of our precious time in this area, so we head for the Canyon of the Ancients Monument early in the morning. Oops, not early enough.

We discovered Sand Canyon is a place to park and then you hike in. We saw busloads full of schoolchildren, and then we saw a person with a horse carrier unload his horse to ride into the canyon. Nope – too many people for me, and no guide.

We headed down the road to a petroglyph site, which was small and more than half defaced or updated with more recent writings, one from 1949.

Then on to Hovenweep, which was very exciting, very satisfying, an entire valley of ancient Pueblo houses, with various architectural styles, on an easy hike around the valley.

(A different perspective of Sleeping Ute Mountain)

We hiked around to the Tower House, taking photos and also enjoying the spring flowers in their colorful glory. Hovenweep is a beautiful park, with a smooth easy trail, even wheelchair accessible to the first overlook. The rest of it is too extreme for wheelchairs, but an easy walk for most people. 

Leaving Hovenweep, we took a northern road toward Dolores, a small town with an old railroad depot, and the Dolores River running through it. They have a very good museum and visitors center there, but for the time being it is closed for renovations. On our way to lunch, looking for the restaurant, we were stopped by a very polite police officer who reminded us we were in a school zone (we totally missed the sign but we were going slow, just not slow enough.) AdventureMan remembers it as being stopped by Leaphorn, (from Dark Winds). Yes. He really believes that.

We had lunch in Dolores at a Mexican restaurant called Montezuma, where I had a burrito and AM had enchiladas, both with beans and rice, and very Mexican.

Heading back through Cortez, we stopped again at City Market to find supplies for our anticipated trek to the Ute Indian reservation park the next day, picking up a loaf of bread and some Comte, locally made.

Back to our peaceful cabin, and a dinner of pasta aglio oglio, with garlic bread and salad.

August 20, 2023 Posted by | Adventure, Beauty, History, Law and Order, Restaurant, Road Trips, Travel | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Exploring Kelley’s Ancient Echoes

I got up early, caught up on e-mails, and lectionary readings, then AdventureMan got up and we had breakfast. We dressed for hiking, took our full water bottles and headed out, eager to explore the grounds at Ancient Echoes at Kelly’s. The Canyon of the Ancients is in our backyard! We are good hikers, confident hikers. We are eager!

We visited the old pueblo house and the underground kiva, saw Cecelia, one of the owners, making mounds for planting corn, beans and squash (the three sisters of the ancients in these parts), and asked her some questions about the grounds, and then headed off past the casitas, past up into the hills to visit more ancient ruins. It was shady and cool, and an easy path. “Just follow the cairns” Cecelia had told us, to the top of the ridge. Keep your eye on the spire.

We crossed the arroyo and headed up and down the trail until we reached the barbed wire at the top of the ridge, passing the ancient ruins. Deciding to turn back – it was getting hotter – we backtracked, following cairns (rocks piled in a deliberate style to guide trekkers) we crossed the arroyo and headed for a cairn on the opposite ridge. It was much more difficult, as we had to find a diagonal way up a sheer red stone face, which, huffing and puffing, we did. 

Looking for the next cairn, AM found a circle of stones, and we looked at each other – we didn’t remember seeing a circle of stones before. We couldn’t find any more cairns, either. We roamed back and forth on the ridge, circling back to a tree where we would rest. It kept getting hotter, and our water was running shorter. In the steeper areas we were rock climbing, on hands and knees, not as easy as when we were younger. We crossed to the next ridge, from which we could see Kelly’s camp clearly, see our own suite clearly, but from which we could not descend because it was steep and ended in an overhang with a drop. 

Finally, knowing where we needed to be, we headed back to the arroyo, and down the arroyo a little farther where we found our missing trail. We were so delighted to find our way home again after being on the trail over three hours more than a little afraid we would be “those elderly people who were found by the rescue team.” We were so thankful when we found the right trail. We were probably dehydrated as well as exhausted. We fell into bed and slept, awakening stiff from climbing up and down the hills and arroyo. We finished our BBQ sandwiches and spent the afternoon reading and relaxing.

Re-energized, we went into Cortez for dinner at the Farm Bistro, a popular local restaurant specializing in local sourcing. I had a yak burger, made from real local yaks, and AM had the French Onion soup and an Antipasto platter, with local meats and cheeses. It was very good, and a relaxing way to end our day.

We found the City Market and picked up parsley and garlic bread for the next day, and gassed up the car.

In the middle of the night, I heard the weirdest scratching, like something was in the walls. It woke AM, too, and we banged on the walls and told it to go away – and it did, then it would come back again. After about an hour and a half, we made it feel unwelcome enough that it never came back, and we allowed ourselves to sleep in. We told the owners the next morning. I don’t know what they did, but we were never bothered again.

August 20, 2023 Posted by | Adventure, Aging, Beauty, Environment, Exercise, Heritage, History, Quality of Life Issues, Restaurant, Road Trips, Travel | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kelly’s Ancient Echoes in Cortez

Every now and then you just get really lucky, and that is how we feel about finding Kelly’s Ancient Echoes, in Cortez. We had a lot of hiking and exploring we wanted to do, and we wanted a stable location, comfortable, where we could eat our own breakfasts and do our own cooking and where we had privacy and a view. You don’t always get what you want, as the Rolling Stones say, but this time we got what we need – and what we want.

From Silverton to Cortez was beautiful, full of hot springs and mountains, and zipping past Mesa Verde because we wanted to pick up some groceries and get to our hotel in Cortez before nightfall. We are at Ancient Echoes at Kelly’s, a boutique hotel backing right up to the Canyon of the Ancients national park, and having two ancient sites right on the property.

Our rental is beautiful and spacious, and the owners greet us warmly, providing us with all sorts of information to enhance our five-day stay. We have an outdoor dining area that overlooks Sleeping Ute Mountain. There are two dogs, and at least one cat on the grounds, and trails leading back into the canyons beyond.  

It is very private, very quiet, except for the calling birds as the sun goes down, and the distant lowing of the cows next door as they are led to their barn. We feel very welcome, and very very happy to be staying here. In our refrigerator are a large jar of delicious-smelling coffee beans, another jar labeled organic local cream, and a carton of local organic eggs. The cupboard is full of spices, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, and tamari. There are dishes, pots and pans, and wine glasses for our use. It makes us so happy we found this place.

We had picked up BBQ sandwiches at the Handlebar, which we had for dinner, and they were so big, we couldn’t eat them all and had plenty for another meal. 

We love this place. It is SO quiet, so private, so beautiful. And tomorrow we get to explore!

August 20, 2023 Posted by | History, Hotels, Quality of Life Issues, Road Trips, Travel | , , , | Leave a comment

The Ute Tribal Museum in Montrose, Colorado

Our next stop was the Ute Tribal Museum in Montrose, a two-hour stop in a museum full of meaningful information on Ute daily life, the long history of the Utes on this continent, and the shameful treatment they received at the hand of our government, cynically breaking treaties and steadily eroding Ute territorial holdings.

There are all kinds of educational segments using materials to give a hands-on understanding of how teepees were raised, for example, and how beading was accomplished.

There were weaponry displays and best of all, there were many short visual film segments on a variety of topics, including a 22-minute film on the Bear Dance, which was absolutely fascinating. They had a gift shop full of wonderful jewelry and art pieces, as well as the usual books and souvenirs. 

The Ute Museum was one of the highlights of our trip. It came at just the right time, as we were still at the beginning of our trip, and could relate much of what we learned to what we saw along the way.

August 20, 2023 Posted by | Arts & Handicrafts, Cultural, Education, Heritage, History, Living Conditions, Local Lore, Restaurant, Road Trips, Travel | , , , | Leave a comment