Mesa Verde

We live minutes away from the entrance to this National Park/World Heritage Site. It has taken us this long to go. Craig has been to busy to go, and the boys didn’t really want to go. In fact today, they both brought books to read in the car. 

I was navigator and was not doing a good job. We ended up at a place I wasn’t wanting to go. We didn’t purchase ticket for the tour. 

Oh my goodness. If we ticket we could have climbed down and seen this sight up close and personal. I’m determined to go back next week and take the tour. 

This is the Cliff Palace. The most photographed spot in the park. 

At the overlook spot. Notice I carry two pairs of glasses. Reading glasses and sun glasses. I also had my phone out for pictures. 

This is the Square Tower House. It is the tallest structure. This is a do not trespass site. Viewing from the road only. They had to repair the tower, but they did a great job. This site has the kivas as well. 

I adore this picture. Craig took a video of them walking. I took a few stills. 

Looking across the canyon to the Cliff Palace. There are about five other sites nearby in the cliffs. We were joking the smaller sites were for the introverts or the outcasts. But if we lived here, we would probably choose a smaller site, just for privacy’s sake. 

I offered to take a picture of four cute retired people. This is them returning the favor. They were from Connecticut. A long ways away, for sure. Josh had come , seen, and returned to the car to read the last few pages of his book. He said we were a special kind of mean. It’s a 660 page book and he just wanted to be able to finish it. He finally did and was happy the rest of the trip. 

Part of the Sun Temple. A ‘D’ shaped structure with two kivas in the courtyard and a third kiva in the middle of rooms. With a kiva outside the walls. All the doorways have been filled in, so we couldn’t enter and wander. There was a diagram that I should have taken a picture of. Craig said it reminded him of the baptismal fount outside and the two kivas in the courtyard were the Telesrial and Terrestrial kingdoms with the Celestial kingdom in the room more complex part. 

Part of the walls surrounding the courtyard. 

Standing on a rock and looking in toward the telestial kiva. 

The Terrestrial kiva on the left. 

I wish I could have gone in. 

We saw a coyote on the way up, but didn’t get a picture. On the way down we saw this one. I don’t know if it is the same one. 

A fun day.