Photo By Sgt. 1st Class James Avery | During Fort Bliss MWR's Tour De Cruces trip, William Avery, 11, poses on the Old...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas – As the sun crested over the mountains, it reflected off the windshields of multiple vehicles in the parking lot of the Roberto Loeza Soldier Activity Center here, briefly turning them a warm golden color in the chill air.
With my daughter asleep in the back of our van, and my son giggling at whatever he was watching on his tablet, my wife and I enjoyed a rare moment of peace from our children and sipped coffee from re-usable mugs and watched the sunrise.
We were in this parking lot, not because this is a great spot to watch a sunrise, but because our presence here had a purpose. The Morale, Welfare and Recreation department regularly hosts guided journeys to the Farmers and Craft Market in Las Cruces, New Mexico, as well as a visit to Old Mesilla Plaza in Mesilla, New Mexico: the Tour De Cruces.
I had paid my $40, $10-per-person, and was given a brief overview of what this trip would involve. Two cargo vans would be made available and driven by SAC personnel, however, my wife and I chose to drive our own vehicle, thus leaving more seats open in the SAC vans.
Once the SAC personnel arrived and gave a short brief on the day’s activities, the other participants boarded the vans, and I returned to my own for the 45-minute drive to our first stop: the Farmers and Craft Market of Las Cruces.
Upon arriving at the market, our hosts gave us a time to be back at the vans, and we set off to explore.
The first thing I noticed was the smell of kettle corn and hamburgers in the air.
The market itself spanned a distance of a quarter mile along East Oregon Ave., starting at the corner of North Water Street. The road was lined with pavilion style tents, as well as food vendor vans, all vying for the attention of passersby.
The market at Las Cruces was a menagerie of sights, scents, smells and sounds. My family and I began exploring booths filled with intricate jewelry and artwork. Nearby were fresh vegetables as well as baked goods, all being sold by people of various cultures and traditions.
My wife, who has a bit of trouble walking sometimes, purchased a hand-carved walking staff made of a hardwood called ash. My daughter had her face painted to look like a tiger and my son, well, he just took it all in and watched everything.
Looking down at my watch, I was surprised to see that nearly two hours had passed. It was time to head back to the cargo vans and travel to our final destination: The Old Mesilla Plaza, a short 15-minute drive from the market.
The scenery on the way to Old Mesilla slowly edged out the buildings of an urban community for one of farmland and rural homesteading. The view brought to my mind memories of watching old cowboy movies from my youth. Homes were made of adobe and timber, and larger structures were made of brick and stone.
By the time our group made it to the plaza it was time for lunch, and Old Mesilla has no shortage of homey restaurants and outdoor cafes with which to enjoy some traditional Mexican-American cooking.
Among some of the more interesting shopping at Mesilla, was a store dedicated to the pecan and everything one could think of cooking with them. From candies to pies and even salsa, all were available.
Having filled our bellies with sumptuous food and sweets, my family and I turned our attention to the north end of the plaza and the Basilica San Albino, the rock on which Old Mesilla stands. Built in 1885, the church has stood the test of time through two different re-designs throughout the years.
By now, it was early afternoon, and our trip was drawing to a close. My family and I met up with the rest of the group and said our goodbyes. The journey back home was a quiet one: my son once again enraptured by his tablet and my daughter humming along to music on the radio. My wife had fallen asleep somewhere along the trans-mountain highway, and so I had my thoughts to myself.
During the day’s journey, I discovered Las Cruces is alive and well; a melting pot of culture and diversity, and Old Mesilla speaks volumes of history for Mexican and American alike.
The Tour De Cruces has given me reason to think. Not everything in west Texas is lifeless desert, but if one looks in the right places, there is life and prosperity.
| Date Taken: | 11.22.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 12.01.2014 16:00 |
| Story ID: | 149102 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 44 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Tour de Cruces: Culture and history from behind the lens, by SFC James Avery, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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