I stood before the remnants of the South Pueblo walls, looking over the Mission Church on an autumn day last year. Looking at the archaeological site and standing below the blue fall sky, I was transported to the time of the American Revolution.
Further, I could hear the noise of a bustling trade fair with people from the Pecos Pueblo community doing business. However, the historical importance of the park is much beyond its association with the American Revolution. It is also related to the Civil War in New Mexico and the Independence of Mexico.
So, with centuries of human history etched in every corner, the Pecos National Historical Park is an intersection of past tales and nature. To be honest, The Pecos Pueblo and Santa Fe Trail were the biggest highlights for me when I was at the national park.
Therefore, my ode to the park will start with brief accounts of these places. Then, I will talk about the Glorieta Pass, again a site of historical importance in the park. Finally, you will have a quick look at the park’s wildlife.
Pecos National Historical Park: A Land Of Historic Wars And Revolutions
The history of human lives in the Pecos National Historical Park goes back to the Preceramic Period or the 11,500 B.C.E. – 600 C.E. However, the Pecos Pueblo site in the park became a prominent place in the history of the American Revolution in the Early Colonial and Pre-Revolt era.
Spanish people started interacting with the Pueblo people. Further, thanks to the Franciscan Missions, the Spanish rule wanted to have command over the economic life and beliefs of the Pueblo people.
Thus, the first seeds of the American Revolution were sown. To combat the oppression of the Spanish people, the Pueblo Revolt took place on 10th August 1680. As a result, the Spanish Government and Franciscan Friars were expelled from the southwest under the leadership of Po’pay from Ohkay Owengeh. The Spanish Mission Church, built in 1625, was also destroyed in the revolt of 1680.
However, in 1692, the Spanish People further reclaimed the Pecos Pueblo and many other pueblos. Finally, the Pueblo people declined in numbers in 1700. Before, during, and after the first American Revolution, The Pecos Pueblo emerged as an important location with significant events around it!
Further, around 200 years later (1821-1846 C.E.), another site in the park, the Santa Fe Trail, witnessed travelers, settlers, and everyone else passing through it. The trail was opened in 1821 after Mexico gained its independence from Spain.
The remains of Pecos Pueblo stood there! By the 1830s, the migration of the Pubelo people was complete, and everyone had shifted to the Pueblo of Jemez and continued their traditions.
Moreover, in 1862, there was the “Battle of Glorieta Pass.” On 26th March 1862, this battle between the Union forces and Confederates occurred at a 700 feet elevation.
The rise of the Pecos Pueblo site occurred between 1350 C.E. and 1838 C.E. The Pueblo site had two units, the north and south, and could accommodate around 2000 people. Further, it had 1000 rooms.
Therefore, Pecos Pueblo thrived as a busy trading center with trade fairs involving people from Rio Grande Pueblos, Plains Nations, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific Coast. The flint arrowheads and shells found here explain the expansive stretch of the route.
Nevertheless, with time, Pecos Pueblo became instrumental in eliminating Spanish oppression and rule. Still, a drop in the trade, Comanche attacks, and diseases deserted Pecos Pueblo. By 1838 C.E., the last resident of the Pueblo had left and joined the Pueblo of Jemez.
Today, the site stands as a relic from the past. However, it is still equally important for archaeologists and historians.
The Santa Fe Trail
Do you know what the Santa Fe Trail marker near Kozlowski’s Trading Post says? It says,
Santa Fe Trail
1822-1879
Marked by the daughters of the American Revolution and the Territory of Nex Mexico.
With the independence of New Mexico and the western territories becoming an annexure to New Mexico, the Santa Fe Trail became the route or passage to the westward movement. Naturalists, journalists, travelers, aspirants, traders, and others took this passage as part of the American expansion.
Colonel Henry Inman’s “Stories of the Old Santa Fe Trail,” published in 1881, describes the trail well. If you are a history buff, you must read this book well before visiting the Santa Fe Trail today!
“Kozlowski’s Stage Stop and Trading Post” is the highlight of this trail. You can spend some time here to visualize travelers from the past catching some rest after a long journey through the trail. When on the trail, you can explore the remains of the Pueblo and the Mission Church. You can even consider taking a guided tour of the Forked Lightning Ranch.
1. Reason for Conflict: Union forces and Confederates wanted to control the Glorieta Pass Route through the Sangre de Cristo mountains and the main supply center (Fort Union) for the passage of soldiers and supplies.
2. Contenders: The Confederates, with volunteers from Texas and under the leadership of General Shipley and the Union forces led by Colonel Canby, and soldiers from Fort Union, New Mexico, and Colorado.
3. Battle Begins: March 26, 1862
4. Reinforcements: 27th March, 1862
5. Battle Resumes: 28th March, 1862
6. Battle Ends: 29th March, 1862
7. Casualty: Death of 375 People
8. Consequence: The Union forces defeat the Confederates as they fail to ruin the Fort Union. Further, the Union forces maintain complete control over Southwest America.
The Glorieta Battlefield Trail is a popular hiking destination today in Pecos National Historical Park. It is a roundtrip loop, and you will have to cover a distance of 2.25 miles to complete your expedition. Further, the unpaved or graveled hiking route makes it moderately difficult for the hikers. In addition, there is an elevation gain of 152 meters.
You have to drive for around 7.5 miles from the main visitor center of the park. You will need to collect a gate code from the visitor center, which is your access code, to open the locked gate in front of the trail.
As you walk through the forest trail, you get to know more about the Civil War in New Mexico. Many infographics are installed throughout the trail, telling you tales from the past. In addition, there are wayside signs and 14 trail markers to explain the history of the battle on this pass in detail.
More About Hiking The Glorieta Pass Battlefield Trail
Time: Around 1 hour
Refreshments (Hikers’ Favorites): Pecos Burger at El Maria Bonita (With a lot of meat and a smoky green chilly flavor!) and Chips and Salsa, of course!
The Trail Guide you collect from the visitor center already keeps you hooked on the site’s history. Indeed, this trail is less about hiking and more about flipping through the pages of the American Civil War in Mexico.
Let’s Hear It From Other Visitors To The Park
“Really nice park. Easy to find and it is free!
Inside the visitor center, they had a really great exhibit that followed the pecos overtime. It was super informative and brought a lot more meaning to the actual park. After looking around the exhibit, you can take the trail up and around the park and church. It’s amazing that the walls are still there. The view around the park is also beautiful. We spent about 2 hours here.” – Isabelle M.
“I really enjoyed this park. My husband didn’t care for it but I think it’s really amazing what is still here. He thinks it’s all recreation and I can’t say if it is or not but I know the current Pecos people don’t see it that way. It’s pretty awesome that it’s free to visit and the visitors center has a little museum that’s also free! The trail starts near the restrooms. We accidentally started it from the end. But who cares. We saw everything and I recommend checking it out. Native people history is really cool.” – Lydia G.
Exploring Wildlife At The Pecos National Historical Park
This historical national park is a hub of wildlife with a 6,500-acre expansion of forests, rivers, grasslands, and streams. The table below enlists the species that call the Pecos National Historical Park their home.
Mammals
Elk of Northern New MexicoColorado Chipmunk DeerRock Squirrel
Birds*
Steller’s JayMountain BluebirdBald Eagle
Fish and Amphibians
Rio Grande ChubLongnose DaceRainbow TroutBrown TroutNew Mexico Spadefoot ToadWoodhouse ToadTiger SalamanderPlains Leopard Frog
Meet Sibashree Bhattacharya, a travel enthusiast who has a decade-long experience in transcending virtual barriers with her words! Her deep love for travel is apparent from her travel escapades to the mountain, often taking her readers on a journey, her words acting as Portkey! Fun fact: Sibashree loves to dive deep into the history of the places she is about to visit, making her travels even more wholesome. If you were wondering how her articles are not short of time travel, this answers it!
Across the world, the number of remote workers has exploded. According to a recent study by Owl Labs, 16% of companies work 100% remotely. They also found that 62% of people work from home at least some of the time.
That is a drastic change from pre-pandemic times. In 2019, only 6% of Americans worked from home. Today, 58% of them are scheduled to work remotely for at least one day a week, with others doing so on an intermittent basis.
It is a way of working that is proving to be particularly popular with employers. They find it to be more flexible, which enables them to be there more for their families, including enjoying more leisure time with them.
Working While Traveling Is Becoming The New Norm
For those employees who have a proven track record of delivering work on time, many bosses are comfortable with allowing them to work from anywhere. This means that if someone wants to leave on a Friday afternoon so that they do not have to travel on the day of a family wedding they can do so.
But many people are taking things further than that. They are planning extra holidays and taking them during weeks when they are scheduled to work full-time.
Typically, during the day they work, while their partner takes the children out. In the evenings and at weekends work is put aside and the whole family relaxes together.
According to recent research carried out by Deloitte, remote workers (aka laptop luggers) are taking more holidays than people who have to clock into a work location every day. They are realizing that they can work just as efficiently as if they were at home or in the office.
The tricky bit is finding hotels that offer decent Wi-Fi and other work-related facilities. Which is what the rest of this article is all about.
Use Reviews To Narrow Down Your Options
In the past, it was not easy to find out whether the hotel you were planning to stay in offered a decent Wi-Fi connection or not. Now, it is. To find the best hotel Wi-Fi in the UK all you need to do is click the link and choose a chain from the list.
Then, go online to see if they have any rooms available in the area you are planning to stay in. If they do, just click through to the reviews for that specific hotel and read any that talk about how good the Wi-Fi is. Usually, you will find that it is incredibly good.
The hotel chain may have a policy of providing a reliable connection, but that does not mean that things cannot still go wrong at a local level. For example, some rooms may be out of range of the router. Usually, the reviews of recent guests will enable you to notice that potential issue.
Other Things To Consider
Once you are happy with the type of connection the hotel offers ask the following:
Is there a desk in the room to work on? Or failing that does the hotel offer a co-working space?
Are the rooms soundproof enough to enable you to work in peace and concentrate?
Does the hotel or a nearby business offer the extra services you may need to do your job? For example, photocopying and printing.
Always Have A Backup Way To Connect To The Web
However, you should never rely 100% on hotel Wi-Fi. When working while traveling you always need a backup.
Here are a few of the options you can use:
Use the hotspot and data that you have available on your personal mobile
Ask if there is the option to plug your laptop directly into the hotel's network, using a cable. This can be better than relying on an overburdened Wi-Fi router for your connection.
Invest in a travel router. This article explains what they are, how to use them, and the pros and cons of doing so.
Buy a sim-only data card to use in your phone or a broadband dongle.
Arrange to do your work somewhere you know a good connection is guaranteed. For example, at the home of a nearby family member or in a co-working or hot desk space. Having a backup ensures you will never let your boss or colleagues down. This makes it highly unlikely that you will have to go back to working solely from the office again. Providing you with the chance to continue to travel more.
Read Also:
Why You Should Travel As A Couple
10 Best Hotels In Sanibel Island – Tour And Travel Guide
The Many Reasons Hotel Stays Become Extended In New York City
Wine is like a slow poison to us. The sparkling taste of it with every sip may remind us of heaven. For wine lovers, a wine-tasting tour is of different importance.
Wine has a different form to deliver its experience to the people. The more it gets old, the better it tastes. However, considering wine at home is fine, but going on a wine tour and cherishing the organic and pure wines from the firm is totally unmatchable to any other experience.
If you are in Catalonia, you know that its capital Barcelona is popular for wine tours. However, if you are new in that place and you have only a short time to experience Barcelona, then going for a wine tour can be a prominent solution.
Twelve different classified appellations of the origin of Catalonia consider various vineyards and wineries. Almost 70,000 hectares are dedicated to the vineyards and wineries in that place. A warm climate and Fertile soils are perfect for preparing wine in Barcelona.
Long before the Romans, the Phoenicians reached this place and started producing wines for their cherishing events.
Well, being a wine enthusiast knowing a bit about southeastern Spain and its history is not a sin. However, we know that knowing the history of the place is not enough to mitigate your thirst.
You want the tour details, and here we are to give you the information.
Best Wine Tours To Experience In Barcelona
Experiencing a wine tour in Barcelona is like cherishing the world-famous Cava wines. In the early 1870s, Josep Raventos successfully imitated the French Champagne method in the Codorniu winery to produce Cava wines.
Apart from its history, Barcelona has a diversity of wine options. You can now experience white, red, and sparkling wine together in the memorable wine tours in Barcelona.
Now it's time to make your time in Barcelona remarkable and cherishing. Let's find out some amazing wine trips that you can do this year.
4×4 Penedes Wine Tour
If you have a budget issue, then you simply can afford to go on this tour. A small group visit to this winery can be the best option for you. From Barcelona city center you can easily go on this trip.
Well, you will find a manor house in front of this place. Then you can get an unforgettable ride in the vineyards. You will also find a church called Romanesque.
Here we will get to know some secrets about wine and also can visit two different winners. One considers four distinct wines and another only allows you to savor Cava.
Priorat Tour
In the south of Barcelona, you will find another important wine region called Priorat. If you want to cherish the taste of wine in a Mediterranean landscape full of villages, mountainous territories, and wild, fascinating areas, Priorat can be a nice option for you.
Old Garnacha and Cariñena vines planted over microclimates can give you a different form of experience. This winery has a restaurant to give you a chance to taste their pure wine which may give you goosebumps.
Cava Sabrage
If you want to try a unique activity and want to get rid of the boredom of the corkscrew bottle opening process, then this place is going to be in the first place on your tour list. Here you can try the unique process of opening the wine bottle with a sword.
If you are considering this activity, then you might be able to enjoy it in a charming bodega to upgrade the wine activity.
Montserrat & Wine
If you want to taste some regional wine after lunch, this is your place. It is considered one of the best day-trip wineries in Barcelona.
First half you may come access with a three-course Catalan meal.
The second half starts with a family-run boutique winery.
Cherish the taste of three different wines and return to the center of Barcelona by the evening.
Can Calopa Winery Tour
Can Calopa Winery in Collserola Natural Park be a remote place with a not very popular approach? So, this is going to be a different expense for you if you are not considering a large group.
Considerably Can Calopa is the only place where you will be able to consider the making of wine within the Barcelona city limits. Well, here, you will get an 18th-century vibe with a dining hall, farmhouse, cellar, and vineyard.
Consider these tours to make your Barcelona trip boozed and memorable.
Additional:
Acropolis Of Athens Tickets
Best Places To Visit In South West France
How To Host Your Very First Non-Alcoholic Party
Prince Tea House NYC – Menu, Price, Location, And Reviews
Heading down to Texas for a one-of-a-kind adventure? Get ready for amazing food, incredible people, and the time of your life! With so much to explore and experience throughout Lone Star State, planning your trip will take a bit of thought.
Where to go? What to do? How much time to allot for each activity? All these decisions can make it all overwhelming. But do not fret!
Here's our guide on planning the most amazing Texas trip ever so you can make the most of your journey. Read on to learn essential tips for creating an unforgettable getaway you'll want to take again and again!
Pick A Home Base
Texas is a big state, and with so many attractions to see and places to explore, it can be hard to fit everything into one trip. Consider picking a home base where you’ll stay for most of your stay. It will help save both time and money as you won’t have to pack up, move hotels, and pay for transportation to each destination.
Fredericksburg is a fantastic option if you’re looking for a relaxed vibe to destress while enjoying the spectacular views of Hill Country. Here you'll find plenty of restaurants and outdoor activities. There's also the Fredericksburg resort, Firefly, where you can relax in the hot tub and spa.
Fredericksburg is also close to Austin and San Antonio. So, you can explore both without having to pack up and move hotels.
Choose The Best Time Of Year
Texas is an incredibly diverse state, with temperatures ranging from the triple digits to below freezing. Depending on your interests and tolerance for heat, it’s important to map out a timeline for your Texas trip that fits your needs.
Do you want to hike in the mountains or explore the desert? Maybe you’re just looking to catch some rays at a beach on the coast. Understanding what climate you prefer will help narrow down when the best time of year to go is.
Generally, late October/November, March/April, and May/June are great times to visit Texas. During these months, you'll be able to avoid heavy rainfalls, extreme heat, and shivering cold.
Bring Your Best Communi
Texans are some of the most spirited people you’ll ever meet. If you want to experience a true Texas adventure, it helps to bring your best communication skills. You don't have to learn a new language. But understanding the culture of Texas, its colloquialisms, and its unique sense of humor can go a long way in making friends.
From the old-timers in small towns to the hipsters in big cities, you’ll make unforgettable memories if you get to know the locals and ask them for their recommendations.
Travel Strategically
Texas is big. It means you’ll be spending a lot of time in the car. Make your trip more efficient and less tiring by planning out your routes strategically. Take the Texas State Highway System or any other major roadways that will help you get from point A to point B quickly and safely.
If you’re looking for scenic routes, consider the Old Spanish Trail or the Texas Hill Country National Scenic Byway. The naturally beautiful countryside can often be overlooked on a map, so make sure you take the time to explore these areas.
If you don't have a car, don't worry. Texas is one of the few states where you can rent an RV and drive it. It is an experience like no other!
Don’t Forget To Have Fun
Of course, fun is inevitable when traveling to Texas. From some of the craziest rodeos and epic festivals, there are endless possibilities for making memories. Oktoberfest in Fredericksburg, the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest, Hill Country Film Festival, and Gillespie County Fair are all must-visit events. If you're staying for long, you can also head to Austin for the legendary SXSW music festival.
Besides music and art, Texas is also home to some amazing outdoor thrills. For adventurous spirits, horseback riding is a must-do activity. Or why not try fishing and boating on one of the many lakes and rivers? And if you want to explore the Lone Star state, take a canoe or kayak tour of one of Texas’s many rivers.
Relish The Delish Cuisine
Texas cuisine is unlike any other. From mouthwatering BBQ to rich Mexican dishes, it’s sure to make your taste buds dance. No matter where you go, Texas has something delicious to offer.
The farm-to-table movement is alive and well in Texas. Farmers' markets are an excellent way to get a real taste of the area. Local restaurants serve up some amazing dishes using fresh ingredients. Or you could go for something more rustic and try cowboy cooking over an open fire or on a campfire.
If you're in the mood for Texas BBQ, Mac's Bar-B-Q and David's Old-Fashioned BBQ will not disappoint. At Mac’s Downtown Fredericksburg location, try their signature green chili mac and cheese, while over at David’s on Main Street, West End, enjoy some of their delicious pulled pork!
There are plenty of kid-friendly restaurants and family-style eateries, too, so even the pickiest eaters won’t be disappointed.
Read Also: 6 Best BBQ In Kansas City You Must Visit
Shop Your Heart Out, But Don’t Overpack
is also great for shopping. Antique stores, boutiques, and eclectic shops line the streets in towns like Fredericksburg, Austin, and San Antonio.
Don't forget to pick up a souvenir or something that reminds you of your Texas adventure. It could be a vintage t-shirt or even some artisanal leather goods. You can also check out the local art galleries and museums for unique gifts.
Keep in mind that you’ll be on the road for a while, so keep your packing light. Opt for items with multiple uses and use your super-packing skills.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re looking to head off on a spiritual retreat or party in the streets, Texas has something to revive your spirit. The culture, the cuisine, and the people of Texas will ensure you never forget your trip.
Just make it a point to give yourself ample time to explore, make friends and let loose. We also highly recommend visiting the wineries and vineyards of the Texas Hill Country to complete your Texas experience. Now, start planning that amazing trip to Texas with these tips!
You May Also Like:
Top 7 Nantucket Beaches For Tourists In Massachusetts
6 Amazing Facts About Gobi Desert – You Should Know
Top 10 Affordable Hostels In Los Angeles – California
Related
