Shops, restaurants and...UFOs?

As promised, I have some pictures to share of our trip to Roswell, New Mexico.  Of course I am aware that Roswell is known as the site of the alleged UFO incident in 1947.  But I was not fully prepared for just how much the city tries to capitalize on this and attract tourists!  We went to Roswell to simply shop and eat lunch, but we were thoroughly amused by the multitude of little green men everywhere.

(I would like to apologize in advance for the quality of the pictures, as most were taken out the window of a moving vehicle.)

Every restaurant and store front has alien pictures or statues:

I know it's hard to see, but the McDonald's is even shaped like a flying saucer:

The street lamps are also made to look like aliens:

And then of course, there is the UFO Museum:

We have not actually gone to the museum, but I am sure we will make it there one day, and I look forward to telling you all about it!

The Land of Enchantment

So it turns out, New Mexico is called the land of enchantment.  I'm not exactly sure why, or where that came from, but it is.  No lie.

I'm learning a lot about New Mexico these days.  More than I ever knew about it in my whole entire life, and I'm so excited to explore this state more!  The first thing everyone told me (and this is of the utmost importance) is that in New Mexico, the question is red of green?  Red or green chiles that is.  (Hence the sign.  Which I just now got as I am typing this.)  Yes, here in New Mexico, they put chiles on everything.  This is not an exaggeration.  I mean everything.  We were recently out grabbing a bite for lunch and I ordered a turkey sandwich.  It had turkey and bacon and cheese...you know, the usual.  Oh, and also green chiles!  I should have taken a picture to prove it, but I was too busy, ahem, scarfing it down.  Thankfully, I like spicy food, and I like green chiles, so I rather enjoyed the southwestern twist.  

I have also learned that there are 2 million people in the entire state.  That's one third the population of the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex.  Because of this, there are only two area codes for the entire state.  I don't know the exact number, but I think it's safe to say there are quite a few more than that in DFW.  :)  We also just swore in a new governor.  She is the first Latin American woman to be governor in the country, which I thought was pretty cool.

One more fun fact for you.  New Mexico has not even been a state for 100 years.  2012 New Mexico is celebrating its centennial.  Being from Virginia, one of the oldest states in the nation, this was a very strange fact to learn!  But I'm excited to be here to celebrate such a big event!

Well, I have also recently made a trip to Roswell, and have lots of fun pictures, but that will have to wait until next time.  :)