TRAVEL JOURNAL & OTHER THINGS

T-Shaped Door, Las Ventanas, Chihuahua Mexico Photo Courtesy of INAH The most striking architectural feature stamped into the minds of anyone who visits Pueblo sites of the Southwestern United States or Paquime & the Sierra Madres of northern Mexico, are the striking and unforgettable T-Shaped doors. I am unsure who gave these doorways such a name, as for me, most look much more like a keyhole for an old fashioned lock, than a T. These unusual openings are also suspiciously

Ancient Mogollon City, Paquime, Chihuahua Mexico Photo by J. Bjarnason December 2018 "It has been said that in Chihuahua there is no green and burgeoning Eden; that it is a kingdom of yellowing plains: eroded, dry and desolate; a land of high rugged mountains shot through narrow passes. The scarce and torrential rain when it falls forms stagnant pools in the desert bowls, which later evaporate or hurl themselves down among the rocky canyons. The sun blisters and cracks, the w

The ancient trade route that extended from Oasisamerica near Chaco Canyon to the southernmost corners of Mesoamerica's ancient Maya cities began around 700 CE and lasted until after the Europeans arrived. The trade routes passed from the Anasazis through Mogollon territory in what is now Chihuahua, continuing southward to trade hubs along the way, including Chicomoztoc in modern Zacatecas, Tollan-Xicocotitlan in Hidalgo, El Tajin in Veracruz, and south through Zapotec cities

Pottery Vessel, Mata Ortiz, Chihuahua Mexico Photo by J.Bjarnason December 2018 The story of Juan Quezada is as fascinating as it is reminiscent of so many legends whose accomplishments were against all odds. Born on May 6, 1940 in Tutuaco, Chihuahua, Juan Quezada's family relocated to a tiny village that had shrunk to only three blocks following the Mexican Revolution. That village was called Mata Ortiz. As a child, Juan was engrossed by creative activities. From sculpt