Destination Irvine: Day 4 Calling All Wigwams

Our day 4 agenda had alot of sightseeing and the highlight stop of our trip. We began the day early heading to Sky City. Sky City is the longest continuously inhabited settlement in North America. It is also on the top of a beautiful mesa in the scenic New Mexico country-side. This trip was a last minute plan, but ended up to be a wonderful experience.
The main reason the visit was memorable was the stories of our tour guide, Tony (his catholic name - don't ask me to remember his native name). Tony was charged by the tribe to communicate its history to all visitors. He passionately talked about how the Spaniards tried to force Catholicism on his people only for them to revolt. Then, how his people later embraced Catholicism after the Mexicans offered it to them. His people now practice their native religion and catholicism. The mesa city had a spanish church that featured aspects of both religions.
I highly recommend to everyone to check this site out. It is a true historical landmark.
Next, we headed to Inscription Rock. A national monument site that shows that rich white people like graffiti too! Seriously, it is a large protruding rock (more than a hill, less than a mountain) that featured a fresh water spring. The spring attracted all travellers on horse. A spanish govenor and explorer first inscribed his name on the rock after discovering the Gulf of California. Other people followed - Spaniards, then later Americans. Many of the inscriptions can be tied to documented periods of history that make the inscriptions so much more powerful.
It is a self-guided walking tour where they give you a guide book and a well marked path. Near the end of the tour Lindsey saw a snake and got a bit freaked. Since I know little about snakes I wasn't going to screw with it. So, we decided to leave. We later were informed that it was a bull snake; a perfectly harmless snake who eats rattlers.
With plenty of daylight to spare we headed into Arizona and to our highlight destination, the Wigwam Motel. This is an institution on Rte66. And as the pictures show, it was everything we thought it could be (although the bed was a bit uncomfortable). For those unfamiliar with the Wigwam Motel, yes we know that rooms are shaped like a Teepee (not a Wigwam), but that is part of the kitsche. It was truly a memorable experience.
The Wigwam's town of Holbrook is a wonderful piece of Rte66. There are alot of neon signs, motels and diners. We happened to have dinner at one of its most famous, Joe and Aggie's Cafe. Without a doubt, it was our best meal of the trip. J&A's boast delicious home cooked mexican food (for those asking how does Joe and Aggie create amazing Mexican food, we were informed the true names of the founders Jose and Agnacia) and some of the best conversation about the old road. We met J&A's grandson who recently returned to help run the restaurant with his sister and parents. They were happy to talk to us about the history of the area and definitely had us cracking up at their jokes. We highly recommend stopping in.