El Paso

As I mentioned in a previous post, the drive to El Paso was stunning. Sam and I were so grateful that Pat recommended Highway 90 because the scenery was breathtaking. I've never been out to the West before and being able to literally drive through dozens of counties and changing landscapes was an experience that I will always remember.

We took our time getting to El Paso, stopping along the side of the road to stand out in the middle of Highway 90 and take pictures of the desert scrub, mountains, railroad tracks, and a nearby thunderstorm. We were on Highway 90 until we were about 115 miles outside of El Paso and picked up I-10 again. I was shocked that the speed limit was 80!

We gained another hour because El Paso
is in the Mountain Time Zone, but we were still ready to get out of the car. Once we arrived in El Paso, we went directly to Judith's home, the midwife I am staying with for the summer. She showed us around the casita she had prepared for me and it is very cozy. She has worked so hard to get it ready for me after only moving into her house five weeks ago! She has it all stocked and furnished and I am extremely grateful for all she has done to prepare it for my arrival.

She recommended a Mexican restaurant, Ay Caramba, and Sam and I decided we were ready to try the authentic Mexican food we have heard so much about. Sam had chiles rellenos and I had a tortilla soup - they were fantastic and flavorful, just as native El Pasoans have described! We settled in for the evening in the casita and will spend the next few days getting some more necessary items and visiting White Sands, New Mexico tonight. It is a full moon and I have heard that the moon's reflection on the white sands is pretty spectacular. We hope to go on a hike tomorrow in the Franklin Mountains that are right near Judith's home and to the border to see and feel what it is like. Thanks for your patience with how slow I have been updating this and thank you for your continued support!