In 1960 my parents moved us to Alamogordo NM and I was shocked each time I returned to texas and someone would say "you live in Mexico?" It used to annoy me but now I wish I still lived there and that people would never notice New Mexico. I'd prefer it BE kept a secret. 😂
I was born in New Mexico, when I got married I sent to have my Social Security changes to my married name. Low and behold they told me I couldn't get it because New Mexico wasn't part of the United States! I had to write back and tell them to look on the map of America and told them to look above Texas and to Arizona.😂😂 I got my card! Don't they teach geography in school?
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Theresa! Sadly, New Mexico being confused for another country is a reality which is seen at every level, including a federal agency as well! 😂 We have a hunch that the confusion about this US state will never go away and that is just fine with us - New Mexico is in a class all its own! 😁
I was born and raised here and not too long ago, I applied for something (can’t remember what it was though, maybe a job or a credit card). I got a reply through email and was told, “sorry but it’s only for citizens of the United States”. Seems as though we really haven’t come that far.
True story - While visiting Washington D.C. back in the 70's, a fellow hotel guest overheard me telling someone that I was visiting from New Mexico. That person asked me "how do you control the Indians out there?" Unbelievable.
I'm moving to New Mexico 1st week of April,3 weeks from now.. I've been planning this for 2yrs.. I'm actually sooo excited.. Love ❤️ you New Mexico.. my new HOME!
We're happy for you and we wish you the best of luck on your move! It sounds like you'll really enjoy discovering and learning more about New Mexico! We return to New Mexico for a few months each spring and a few months every autumn. In fact, we'll be traveling to New Mexico for our spring stint in few days. It's a lovely feeling each time we return.
Since moving here, no tornadoes, no hurricanes, no mosquitoes, no fire ants, no alligators in the lakes. I've died and gone to heaven. Also go to Cloudcroft.
To us, New Mexico is a special place and we love it there too. We hope you get the house fixed up and move in soon - where in New Mexico are you moving to?
It's nice he was able to leave you something with a positive impact on your life & future. My father was killed by a drunk driver in Phx about 15yrs ago. I put the $43k in damages into savings, then combined it with $15k uninsured coverage when I myself got hit a couple years later, bought a house at the bottom of the market, used rent to pay my bills, & now it's going to fund our move to NM when I sell it. Going to build passive/sustainable, just as he had dreamed. GL!
As a Native growing up in New Mexico Albuquerque, I am not lying people compliment me on my good English and goodness you have no accent WTF? I don't speak Spanish either. When my father was stationed at various bases around the US they always thought we were from MEXICO!!! So now as an adult 66 years old when someone asks me where i am from I always ask do you know where New Mexico is???
How funny. I don't speak Spanish either and my English is rather good with no accent as well. I was born in Cruces, but raised in California. I have tons of family in New Mexico. Tons! My family's roots run deep in New Mexico.
Thank you! I moved to NM for the beauty, the climate and the low cost of living. I'm so tired of people bad-mouthing this state. How refreshing to find a video (actually, it found me) that I'm proud to share. So glad this showed up in my suggested videos. Well done.
You've made us so happy - thank you for the very lovely comment! We also appreciate you sharing this video and kindly ask that you continue to do so - this really helps to get our TH-cam channel out to others! It's also good knowing that the video found you and we can only hope it continues finding kind people just like you. Interestingly, we were meant to be in Ramah (south of Gallup) right now doing our bi-annual house sit for friends, however we couldn't make it there this year. We WILL be in Ramah this spring and we cannot wait - New Mexico holds a very special place in our hearts! Where in New Mexico did you move to?
@@ACoupleofDrifters I'm a fulltime RVer and currently I'm living in an RV park in Elephant Butte. I lived in the state parks for a year before getting sick of moving every 2 weeks. That's when I found this very inexpensive park with a view of the lake. I've been stationary for about 3 years now. Actually I think it's 3 years in exactly 7 days! That's funny. Time flies. I saw your video of the falls at Ramah. I'm sorry you saw them when they were dry but you were right to say you got to examine them much more closely with the lack of water. I hope you get to see the river flowing this Spring if you do make it back here.
We did vanlife for a few years - much of that time was in New Mexico. Sadly, we didn't have a TH-cam channel then but we wish we did. Yes, putting down for a while after living in a small van has its charms - it certainly did for us. We've been spending a lot of time in Mazatlan and by November we'll be traveling through the rest of Mexico before heading back into the US for our stint in Ramah. Have you been to El Morro Monument near Ramah yet? It's a lovely spot and there's FREE camping within the park. They even take RVs up to 27-feet - don't know if your rig would make that size limit or not.. Yes, hopefully we'll see the Ramah Falls in their true glory some day - hopefully this spring ! Enjoy your spot at Elephant Butte!! And thanks again for your comment - you really did make our day!
@@ACoupleofDrifters No, I've never been. Since settling here in this park and then being hunkered down during the Covid madness, I've become a real stick in the mud. I need to at least take trips over a few days time in my SUV. A year ago I went to Buena Vista CO for about 5 days. Since then, nada. Only a few drives to Las Cruces for Dr appointments. I'm glad I made you happy. 👊 Enjoy your travels in Mexico. Stay safe. Hey. You know NM well. What do you think about Datil? It's remote and cold in the winter but do you know anything about it personally and do you have any impressions? There's a piece of land up there that is tempting me but it's so remote and so cold in the winter nights.
We drove through much of that area (Datil) at a time when there was some major burning going on - can't remember if it was a controlled burn or not. Because of that we didn't stick around much in that area. During that time, we were coming from the VLA (located between Datil and Magdalena) and were heading toward Silver City, which is a very nice town and a beautiful area. There are some backroads from Datil to Ramah we hope to check out some time. You might like the Ramah, Timberlake, El Morro and Candy Kitchen areas (yes, it's a community called Candy Kitchen!). There's even a few RV parks in the area that are privately owned - it could be a base for you to check out the area. The country all around is just remote enough for us, yet Gallup and Grants are about 45 miles away. After housesitting for years in this area, we've gotten to know this corner of NM just a little - it's like a bit of heaven on earth for us.
These are great, and we Coloradans just north of the border also share a few of these, since it’s a fluid society here in the Four Corners area. Great video!
That's correct. The official state smell was added at least a year after we released this video. We can only hope this video was viewed by those in charge of such things and it ultimately prompted them to add an official state smell along to their already-existing and totally unique official state question. 😁😂 Of course, the smell of roasting green chile was a solid choice but we're still partial to that of pinon.
@@ACoupleofDrifters A place named San Juan de los Caballeros. A gentleman named Diego Blandin Gonzales, another named Juan de Vitoria Carvajal (or Carbajal). Fascinating to know that New Mexico was actually founded prior to Jamestown. My grandfather was from a little town called Mora, north of Santa Fe.
Hi Micah, It's a lovely drive through Mora - we've done this a few times going between Las Vegas toward either Taos or Angel Fire. We're familiar with the location but not the name of San Juan de los Caballeros - a quick online search has provided us with some information about that place name. Thank you for getting back to us - it's fascinating that you can trace your family history back to that time!
I lived in New Mexico much of my life, and the stories about the confusion about it being part of the US that you hear are all true. I have dozens that I can relate to you. A couple of short ones: I met a gentleman while filling my gas tank in Santa Fe one afternoon. He was mad because there weren't any saguaro cacti (which he assumed there would be). I told him those are only found in the Sonora Desert in Arizona and that we were at 7000 feet elevation where they don't grow. I guess he watched too many movies filmed in Old Tucson where the town was called Santa Fe. Another story: I was working in Angel Fire many years ago around Thanksgiving time. We had just received a major snow storm, which left 18 inches of fresh snow on the ground. The skiers were certainly overjoyed. A family from Ohio came to visit .... in shorts, flip-flops, and t-shirts. They were shocked that there was snow and asked where they could find warm clothes (they hadn't brought any). I directed them to a couple of local shops and some stores in nearby Taos. The dad said they assumed that New Mexico was in the warm desert and that it would be warm in the winter. I explained they were at 8600 feet elevation, and it can snow a whole bunch in the winter this high up. He was shocked. I told him that he was thinking New Mexico was like Phoenix or Tucson AZ, hundreds of miles away. They decided to stay, and they had a terrific time skiing, sledding, and tubing. They were all smiles when they headed home. All's well that ends well!
Thanks for sharing your stories, Robert! We never thought about any assumptions some people may have regarding New Mexico and saguaro cacti until another commenter mention it - this certainly seems like it's a thing! As for the family from Ohio, good on them for turning what they thought should be a warm weather vacation into a brilliant skiing holiday - seems like they already knew they didn't need passports in order to visit New Mexico!
@A Couple of Drifters - Yeah, while surprised, the kids were thrilled to see lots of snow. The parents were astute and remembered their American geography. I worked with a guy who went to the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana to get his Master of Hydrogeology. The Registrar put him in Foreign Student Housing. They threatened to expel him unless he produced his passport and student visa. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, he got a room off campus and finished up quickly. My wife and I would visit her folks regularly in Cimarron NM. Her dad and I were fishing buddies and always fished for breakfast the next morning. One morning, we were taking the fish we had caught to his pickup truck when a lady from New York came up and tried to talk to us in Spanish. Dad and I accommodated her until she was struggling. I told her she could talk English any time she wanted. She was stunned that so many "Mexicans" could speak such beautiful English with no accent. We told her she was still in the United States, which really confused her. We told to enjoy her stay, have a nice day, and left, drove to Ute Park, pulled over, and laughed so hard I about busted a gut. This happened on a fairly regular basis.
Indeed, these little mix-ups will likely continue for some time - bring 'em on! With most of the mix-ups we hear of, we personally give the benefit of the doubt; it's likely in many cases the misunderstanding comes from one simply hearing or reading "Mexico" and not "New Mexico" instead. Of course, misunderstandings arise from simply not knowing any better as well! I (Jerry) used to work at Logan International Airport in Boston as a ramp agent. Inside the terminal I was once asked by a seemingly native English-speaking passenger if I spoke English. The United States has no official language and it seems some people run with that, even well-outside of New Mexico! We are currently in Ecuador and have just finished spending three months in Peru: Many people in these countries are surprised to learn I am not from this part of the world - I assume this is at first based on how I look rather than how I sound when speaking Spanish! 🤣😂 The same thing happens to me quite frequently in Mexico and throughout Central America. This happened to me more than a few times in Italy as well, however I am from Italian and Sicilian descent!
I’ve lived here since 1958 and have traveled the southwest extensively. Personally I find NO desert in New Mexico. WHAT? Yup, it’s a high Mesa. Our elevation is too high to support regular desert life. To understand where I’m going with this analogy, take a trip to Needles, California. It’s on the border of Cali and Arizona. THATS DESERT if you’ve ever seen one. Ruthless there and absolutely desert. We have too many mountains and high plateaus to have desert. Is a land void of trees, desert?? What about Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, few trees there. But only vast prairies. I’ll stand by this till I’m gone. Enjoy NM!
Hi Michael. We understand you _personally_ don't find any areas in New Mexico to be desert when compared to other places you've been. However, New Mexico really does contain areas of geographic desert throughout the state and even two desert climates. You may already be aware of that but what we mention here in our response may be useful/helpful to others who might read this comment thread. The Chihuahuan Desert (the largest in North America) extends well into New Mexico at various elevations and within different climate areas. New Mexico contains areas of cold desert climate (Köppen climate classification _BWk_ ) and even an area of hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification _BWh_ ). Quote: "Our elevation is too high to support regular desert life." What areas in New Mexico are you thinking of? According to the USGS, "The deserts of our world are not restricted by latitude, longitude, or elevation." pubs.usgs.gov/gip/deserts/form/#:~:text=The%20deserts%20of%20our%20world,to%20areas%20near%20the%20Equator. Quote: "Is a land void of trees, desert?? " Of course not. It's true: Deserts can (and do) feature environments which are hostile to trees (and other life) but some trees certainly do grow in some desert areas - a simple web search will help one figure out which trees grow in desert areas of New Mexico and beyond.
I prefer NM remain unknown and less populated, no more imports, getting to multicultured, not good outcome. I pre as it was decades ago whites, spanish and indians, or come and adapt to culture, don't change it.
This is by far one of the finest, best researched, best presented, most thoughtful videos on the subject I've seen. You capture the essence of why I moved to NM from NYC immediatly after I retired. Such an amazing place. Thanks so much for this excellent presentation.
As a former New Mexican, who still vacations there every year, I congratulate you on one of the best videos ever on New Mexico. You caught all the important stuff! In about 3 weeks I will once again be wrapped around a Blake's green chile cheeseburger. The next morning it will be one of their famous breakfast burritos (green, of course). I had a lady friend visit from California one day and as we stood on a hillside in Placitas and looked west towards Mt. Taylor, 70 miles away, she exclaimed, "Wow! My eyeballs can breathe here" Great chile and great views. I love it.
Thanks a million James for your very lovely comment. We are honoured by your compliment. We're currently in Ramah, NM ourselves, not too terribly far away from Mt. Taylor. We're glad to hear you return to New Mexico every year and we hope you have a lovely visit here in just a few weeks time. Enjoy your Blake's treats. We always look forward to our red and green chile fix too whenever we return to New Mexico. Safe travels James, and have tonnes of fun on your holidays (vacation) in NM.
I think it's good for NM to remain underrated and a hidden gem. Im from EP Texas and would go to NM all the time. Mountains, hunting, camping, food and just to be in peace. Of course I avoided Abq. I played in a band in Las Cruces, met some of the most beatuful women and just fell in love with the state. I plan on moving to the Lincoln National forest area soon and settle there
It sounds like you've had some wonderful times in New Mexico! As you know, there are some very lovely spots throughout Lincoln National Forest - this would be a great area to settle in.
Hi, I would like to move to NM, I keep hearing bad things about Albuquerque, I live in California Born and Raised here, I don't like the traffic and I don't need the entertainment. My family is from NM I was never close to any cousins out there, so basically I'm alone. I hope you don't mind me asking what is a good area out there that's affordable.
I've always loved it here too! I moved back to NM after getting out of the Army to help my parents, my plan was to stay in Hawai'i forever lol. But if there's any place in the state I would want to call home home, it would be Cruces...... Originally im from Alamogordo, bleh. lmao.
Las Cruces is the absolute worse! Like hell on earth. Certainly no garden of Eden. Have fun on a diet of chili and rattlesnake and polluted water! What is wrong with you people???????????
Hello jeffreywhite4962. Thank you very, very much for your "Super Thanks". You are our very first "Super Thanks" and your kindness and support means an awful lot to us. We are sorry it has taken us so long to get back to you, due to our seasonal work up in Naknek, Alaska. Thanks again jeffreywhite4962. This really was such a lovely surprise for us. 🤗🤗
Idk why theyd call it the land of entrapment as a new mexican id lime to formally declare that award firmly belongs square in the laps of the californians and new yorkers 😂 I love california I wish it wasnt such a nightmare. Theres a whole town there with my name plastered all over it. Im going to try to convicne them to give me a free plot of land on a creek thats also got my name on it
@@JacobWillitscalled the land of entrapment because tourists who come to visit become so obsessed with the "unique culture and beautiful scenery" that they never leave
As a NM native, I really appreciated this video. Serious coverage of New Mexico is sparse, good coverage even more so, but this was a refreshing display of what we have to offer in this ancient land. This place is a lot more than the things we end up in the headlines for, thanks for giving us a fair shake!
We thank you for such an incredibly kind and thoughtful comment! In fact, your comment really made our day! It's always lovely hearing from people who appreciate what we've done- thank you for letting us know that! New Mexico is an incredibly special place for us and we're happy to share this video showing our enthusiasm for the Land of Enchantment. Soon, we'll return to New Mexico for autumn and we simply cannot wait!
New Mexico is so different from the rest of the country that I like to call it an autonomous zone. It has its own unique history, traditions, blend of three cultures - the Gringo / Anglo, the Native / Indigenous and the Mexican / Hispanic. The Mexicans didn't invade New Mexico - the border invaded at the end of the Mexican / American War. Both California and New Mexico have a deep and rich Latino / Mexican / Hispanic history and culture, for example, but how it all played out, and the final mix, was very, very different. With California, there was the big gold rush, and the greedy Gringos were hell bent on rushing over there, staking their claim, and asserting their dominance, so the Gringo element is much more dominant in California, with a lot of discrimination against and oppression of the Native and Mexican populations. Well, you didn't have the gold rush in New Mexico, and so, the three cultures - Gringo, Latin and Native, were free to mingle and percolate in a much more natural and organic fashion - and so was born the Land of Enchantment!
You got that all wrong buddy. Nueva México was under de jure control by México for 20 years. Nueva México Nueva España was de facto and de jure for over 400 years. New Mexicans have closer ties with Spain 🇪🇸 than México.
New Mexico has been part of the US for 176 years. We're no longer Nueva España and we´re not part of Mexico. Mexicans that illegally enter the US now are invading the US.
Ah man i live and have lived in new mexico, like 20 years ago tried to get on a greyhound bus in texas and the worker who had to be in her late teens to early 20s refused to give me a ticket because i didnt have a passport, not even a 4 hour ride back …had to explain it became a state and no longer a territory since 1912 and she kept demanding a passport
This is sooooo true! I told my 60 year co-worker I was going to New Mexico to visit relatives and she asked me if I had a passport. I repeated New Mexico and she said "don't you need a passport?"
It's mind-boggling! We wish we had our own New Mexico-related tales of confusion to share with people, but we'll have to settle for good stories like yours in the meantime - we'll never get tired of these! Thank you for sharing, Jen - we hope you had a great trip _abroad_ to New Mexico! 😂😉
Lived in ABQ from 1984 until 1989. Traded my big sedan for a Jeep within a week and went all over. You could also get a sopapilla with all kinds of filling. From honey to your green chile cheesburger. Thanks so much for the refresh!
We return to New Mexico this week and Blake's green chile cheeseburger is a must-have for us. We also like a few of the breakfast burritos from Blake's!
If you ever get to Capitan, you should try the green chile cheeseburger at Smokey Bear Restaurant or Oso Grill. Smokey Bear Restaurant also has fabulous chocolate cake!
I had a NY store hold an order indefinitely until I raised a commotion. The reason was that "Your card was issued outside of the United States". I was issued by Wells Fargo Bank in Albuquerque. The state has published a book callee "One of Our 50 is Missing", the same title as the magazine. It's amusing reading. Good video.
Thank you for the compliment and the comment, Romie! Ah yes, we had to include "One of Our 50 is Missing" in this video - these experiences will never get old and material will likely never run out! As well as the book, _One of Our 50 is Missing_ is also a regular column in New Mexico Magazine - have you submitted your story to them?
Yes! How about seasonal state smells? Green chile has its place during late summer/early autumn and burning pinon for autumn/winter. We'll be back in New Mexico in March for two months - looking forward to the smells of _cooking_ green chile and burning pinon in the fireplace!
You guys are cute! I've visited Taos and ranches west of the Sangre de Christo mountains. Land of Enchantment is an understatement. Thanks for the tour, Drifters!
It is true that Los Alamos has the highest % per capita of pHd's in the U.S. due of course to the huge research lab there, but just to keep things in perspective, as far as overall education, New Mexico is ranked dead last.
Great video and representation of my home state! For the most part, I love it, it's home! I can't tell you how many times growing up that people thought I was from a different country. It hasn't been as common though as I have gotten older. Guess it's still a thing!
This is a lovely comment - thank you! Yes, the confusion about New Mexico will likely rage on for a while. We suspect that some of this confusion is caused by not fully paying attention - folks miss the _New_ and only hear or read _Mexico_ instead. Then again, other folks are just totally unaware!
The Santa Fe New Mexican notes the Legislature passed a bill designating the aroma of fire-roasted green chile as the official New Mexico smell. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the bill in Las Cruces on March 28, 2023. (Apr 2, 2023) It's an aroma that also announces autumn.
We're quite happy to hear there will be a state smell. We'd choose piñon wood (either cut and split or the smell of its smoke) but we certainly understand the significance, and people's affinity, for roasting green chile - we love the smell of that, too.
Thank you Michael - we're very happy you enjoyed the video! We love New Mexico as well and it seems we can never really get enough of it. Both of us hope you make it back there real soon.
Hello old jimmy in Australia. We thank you for watching our video and commenting! 🥰 We just returned to the countryside of New Mexico a few days ago, after spending almost 4 months in India. For where we're at right now, the peace, quiet, beauty and endless skies on the horizon are amazing. For a bit more about how New Mexico got its name: The land which now makes up the state of New Mexico was called "Nuevo México" - this is a Spanish translation of the much, much older Nahuatl term yancuic Mexihco , meaning "new Mexico" (note the lowercase "n") - Mexhico being the heartland of the Mexica people who ruled the Aztec Empire. This yancuic Mexihco was thought by many pre-Spanish peoples in Mesoamerica to be a mythical empire to the north which rivaled the mighty Aztec Empire. These myths were largely based on and around trade networks which brought Puebloan and some Mesoamerican peoples closer and closer throughout the years - it's very likely the "Seven Cities of Gold" myth evolved from this.
A little bit of trivia to share with you. There is ONE other place that emblazons USA on their license plate. Though it’s not a state, the territory of Guam shares this one quirk with New Mexico.
Hi Linda, We agree! Sadly, the smell of roasting green chile doesn't last as long as the smell of burning pinon. Having said that, we love both late summer/autumn and winter in New Mexico...and everything in between!
I moved here a little over a year ago and love this state (of mind). Thank you for the great pictures, video and narration. Editing too! P.S. Since I moved here I believe they made the official state smell the aroma of roasting chiles. Thank you teaching me the correct spelling! I bet the piñon was a close second! I also love the smell of Junipers after a rain when the sun comes out!
We appreciate your very lovely compliment and we're happy hearing you enjoy living in New Mexico! Several viewers have informed us that New Mexico has decided to make the aroma of roasting green chiles the official state smell. We only hope piñon was somewhere in the running! We are near Zuni, NM at the moment and have been hiking here for a few weeks. In that time we've had some heavy showers; the smell of the land around here after rain is juniper, sage and piñon! Pure heaven!
Born here raised here and Texas and Louisiana. I came and finished high school and been here ever since. Coyote creek near Mora and towards Angel Fire is our Ranch since the 1800's
Great job in this video! Absolutely 💯 on this one. Though I prefer the cedar smell myself, piñon is a great smell. This was obviously made before the state officiated our state smell.
I can't believe how intense my pollen allergy was. 51 years old and I've never had any issues. My first spring in ABQ??? Holy moley. I would have dug my eyes out if I could.
My allergies also went crazy when we moved to Albuquerque - we had a mulberry tree out front nd I think that did me in, along with other pollens. We currently spend the spring season just a bit south of Gallup - it's quite bad for juniper pollen there at that time of the year. The buds easily burst with a fog of pollen whenever it's windy, or you brush up against them.
Growing up, my family always went to Florida to visit my great aunts and great uncle. We would go there at least three times a year, summer vacation, winter vacation and spring break. They lived in a retirement community. Needless to say but almost all the residents were retirees from NY so I made friends with a lot of their grandchildren who would visit them during their school breaks. Every time I went I would inevitably have to answer a new person’s questions like “did you need a visa to come here” or comments like “I’ll bet you really like the water here”, but my favorite one is “you don’t look Mexican”!
Hi Marla, New Mexico will continue being confused by some as a foreign country for a long time and we'll never tire of hearing about stories like yours - thank you for sharing these!
Another great video!! I love how informative you guys are. I always feel smarter after watching. Please keep em coming. Also I too love the smell of Pinon
@@ACoupleofDrifters riding my horse in the mountains near Ruidoso, I lived not far from the race track. The river was across the road from my home. Family in Sante Rosa the natural springs ,were beautiful, all of NewMexico is so diverse. There is so much to see. Then the food, but comes directly from the people. There is to much to list , it just keeps coming. I miss everything about New Mexico. I have established my family, in Oklahoma though, and have no regrets. I do have lots af wonderful memories of growing up in the Land of Enchantment.
Sorry for such a late response back to your lovely comment! We loved Ruidoso - the entire area is stunning! We've hiked all around Grindstone Lake! Blue Hole in Santa Rosa - and it's free to swim there! As for the food, we firmly maintain that New Mexican cuisine is the tastiest regional food in the country - NOTHING beats the deep. smoky flavor of a good red chile sauce! We agree: So many things to list! Hopefully you are close enough in Oklahoma so that you get to make regular trips back to New Mexico. We'll be back to the Gallup area in a few weeks and we're really looking forward to it - we can hardly wait!
@@ACoupleofDrifters I have not been back it way to many years, I did however contact family in Loveington after my comment, and plan a trip in spring. Thank you for putting that bug in my ear.
Hi Marcus. Thank you for adding this information to our comments section. Several viewers have informed us that New Mexico has recently chosen roasting green chile as the official state smell. We're here in New Mexico right now and have seen roasters set up at various shops throughout the state. That aroma will certainly be welcomed by many this season.
My first year was n college in PA, I was talking to a girl and after a while she said, "Wow, I had trouble leaving home to got to college... If I had come from a whole other country I don't think I could've done it."
We have yet to try the chimichangas, but you've convinced us we should. We're also intrigued by the deep fried pizza. Have you tried it? If not, would you try it?
Hi Linda, Have you ever tried Allsup's deep fried pizza? We've been curious about this but haven't tried it yet ourselves. We'll try the chimis on our next visit!
Old running joke: When visiting New Mexico you don't need a passport, you can drink the water, you can use your American money. We even have our own telephone company . . . Taco Bell.
Its new mexico because they were trolling mexico but new mexico alone is clearly supirior to old mexico in its entirety. We have the best mexicans and the best pepper enviorment. To me it makes zero sense how ford builds the mavrick in mexico when ford should be building the mavrick in new mexico. We are the supirior mexico. We have yet to attain even 1/10th of our true capabilities. New mexico is so great it is attached to texas like a conjoined twin. Semi retarded failed state but like i said, we have yet to attain even 1/10th of our true capabilities. One day new mexico will power texas colorado arizona and mexico that is how great new mexico is but for now that isnt the case we are like a neglected child from a crackfamily 😂😂😂😂 I look at our flag and i see the sun. The zia symbol. We are the brightest.
Thank you, Tery! We love Albuquerque - we lived at Juan Tabo and Indian School for a few years way back in 1998/2000. To this day we miss living there but we are fortunate enough to still visit the city a few times each year. Our love (and longing) for Albuquerque keeps growing even after all these years!
We're very happy to know you enjoyed this video - thank you! Where in New Mexico do you live? We used to live in Albuquerque back in 2000. These days we visit New Mexico for three to four months each year and we feel so lucky to be able to do this. In all honesty we cannot get enough of New Mexico - we absolutely love it!
I recall driving through the locale of Ramon several times - just a few structures "in town" but I seem to recall seeing what would've been the bar/restaurant you once owned. In March we'll be returning to New Mexico (south of Gallup) for two months - we do this each spring in order to house sit for friends. Getting back to New Mexico is always something we look forward to - we can't wait!
There's the New Mexico History Museum, located just behind the Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe - we spent hours in this museum learning about much of the state's history.
We know of the Unser family and we've been on Unser Blvd, however we have yet to visit the museum. Albuquerque is a place we always return to and we love it there - thanks for the recommendation!
Well done! Thanks for this fascinating collection of fun facts. The NM tourist board should promote this video because it sure made me want to visit! Until I do, I am trying to figure our what a green chile is. Is that a jalapeno? Or what we call a green pepper (sweet)? Either way - I better diet before I arrive (one day). Cheers!
Thank you so much Dan! The New Mexico chiles here are a cultivar group of the chile pepper; they generally aren't too spicy. The green ones are roasted and then diced and made into a simple sauce. The red chiles, which are extra-ripened green chiles, are dried and then made into a smooth sauce. The flavor of each is quite different: Green is very mildly sweet with a just a wee bit of heat and the red is very earthy/smoky and a good one will have a slight taste of cumin. Many visitors to New Mexico have become addicted to red and green chile - it's that good. The smell of roasting green chile in late summer/early autumn is another iconic smell and it's a very special time for many in New Mexico. In our opinion, New Mexican food is the tastiest regional food in the country. You need to get here one day and that's all there is to it!
Heat levels can vary so much in green chile. I've had some that was slightly hot and some that blew my head off. Always good to check with your waitress!
Hi Linda, I (Jerry) can take the heat better than some, while Fiona has a more delicate palate. It's true: The waiter or waitress can tell you if the the chile of the day is hot, or not. You are correct: Not all green chile is created equal!
Indeed, it is relative - I continue to happily eat all kinds of spicy things that most people around me simply cannot enjoy. Having said that, I have met my match on more than one occasion - the last time was a few weeks ago in Veracruz, Mexico! I tried too much of the house salsa at a seafood restaurant and I thought it was going to cause long-term nerve damage to my mouth!
A few years ago a group of grad students from new york visited Santa Fe. They were here for 10 days before people had to explain that yes they were still in the USA. Yes I said Grad Students. This is pretty sad.
I'm from Texas and I can't wait to move to NM ! I would Never have a Humidifier ! Lol that's one of the major reasons I wan't out of Texas and into New Mexico is for the dry climate
We're happy you are looking forward to your New Mexico move and that you won't be missing any humidity! After spending half the year in Mazatlan ( _very_ hot and humid) and half in New Mexico for the last few years, we certainly look forward to leaving the tropical humidity behind us on our trek north of the border. Having said that, the cooler temperatures we are experiencing in our part of New Mexico right now means that we have heaters on and the fireplace is going daily - that means _extra dry air_ which our skin and sinuses really notice compared to the warmer months. We don't have a humidifier now but we did when we first moved to New Mexico back in 1998 - I guess we've gotten _somewhat_ used to the drier climate by now? We wish you the best of luck on your move and we hope you enjoy your time in New Mexico!
I heard that one reason a generation of people don't know about New Mexico is because Willard Scott would stand in front of the state on the US Map when he did the weather report.
I mean if there was no where else to stand id stand and block the californians 😂😂😂😂 except for willits california which will be right above my head of course.
Hi Gustavo - we actually have a video about restaurants in Gallup and this features Genaro's. To be honest, this is one of our favorite Gallup restaurants and we eat here whenever we get the chance. Hope to see you there soon! Here is the link to that video: th-cam.com/video/OfPIG2rGb1o/w-d-xo.html
It's also known as land of Entrapment...many good people live there and it's a kinder state considering it's poor. My children and one granddaughter was born there. Gangs were moving into Rio Rancho. We left in 2002. In 2007 my granddaughter s father was murdered by gang member. I taught and lived in many places in that state and it's less corrupt than most.
Hi Barbara, Your lovely comment means so much much to us - thank you! Green chile seems to be the go-to for many of the folks commenting on this video - we can't blame them!
@@ACoupleofDrifters I was wondering if you’ve ever heard of the Decalog Stone? It is located just outside of Los Lunas off of Highway 6. It is the Ten Commandments carved into stone in Ancient Hebrew. I believe that it is dated to around the 300’s BC. But I could be mistaken on the date. My memory isn’t as good as it used to be. There is a lot of history in this state.
No, we haven't heard of this at all. We just read a bit of information regarding the Decalog Stone - thank you for letting us know even more about New Mexico!
El Rancho tastes really bad now, just go there for the experience, the food is nasty. I live right outside of Gallup and really its one of the coolest places I've been
We are really enjoying your New Mexico vlogs! Lots of wonderful, fun & quirky facts in this one. I did find it a bit shocking people don’t know NM is in the states!! And the famous gas station food - woah quite a selection. Are you guys close to Roswell ? It would be interesting to know what is there- if anything ( I saw some aliens 👽 in this vlog 😜)
Thank you very much for the kind comment! Many New Mexicans are exasperated by the amount of folks in the US that confuse the state with another country - to us it's always been funny. Allsup's does indeed have an impressive assortment of tasty junk food! We are far from Roswell right now and we won't make it there on this trip. We've been there a few times though and it's a nice-enough town. The International UFO Museum is the real reason to go and is indeed worth a visit if you pass through the area.
My Grandaddy lived in Las Vegas and made headstones from the granite mined from nearby mountains. I loved exploring around his trailer when we visited, catching horned -toed lizards, seeing scorpions, climbing the nearby mountain that had an old stone "arena" built into the side of it near the bottom and small fish in little pools of water at the very top.
It’s very embarrassing for our education system that people do not know New Mexico is a state.
In 1960 my parents moved us to Alamogordo NM and I was shocked each time I returned to texas and someone would say "you live in Mexico?"
It used to annoy me but now I wish I still lived there and that people would never notice New Mexico. I'd prefer it BE kept a secret. 😂
❤❤❤❤❤
I was born in New Mexico, when I got married I sent to have my Social Security changes to my married name. Low and behold they told me I couldn't get it because New Mexico wasn't part of the United States! I had to write back and tell them to look on the map of America and told them to look above Texas and to Arizona.😂😂 I got my card! Don't they teach geography in school?
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Theresa! Sadly, New Mexico being confused for another country is a reality which is seen at every level, including a federal agency as well! 😂 We have a hunch that the confusion about this US state will never go away and that is just fine with us - New Mexico is in a class all its own! 😁
I was born and raised here and not too long ago, I applied for something (can’t remember what it was though, maybe a job or a credit card). I got a reply through email and was told, “sorry but it’s only for citizens of the United States”. Seems as though we really haven’t come that far.
Thanks for your experience! We find these flubs to be equal parts frightening and hilarious!
A short answer no! Not only in NM but throught the US, a lot of people think you need a passport to go there. Not since Jan 6,1912
What ia currency there? Like the us dollar or mexican peso??
True story - While visiting Washington D.C. back in the 70's, a fellow hotel guest overheard me telling someone that I was visiting from New Mexico. That person asked me "how do you control the Indians out there?" Unbelievable.
For me and countless other New Mexicans the most memorable aroma is that of roasting green chili in late summer and early fall.
I'm moving to New Mexico 1st week of April,3 weeks from now.. I've been planning this for 2yrs.. I'm actually sooo excited.. Love ❤️ you New Mexico.. my new HOME!
We're happy for you and we wish you the best of luck on your move! It sounds like you'll really enjoy discovering and learning more about New Mexico!
We return to New Mexico for a few months each spring and a few months every autumn. In fact, we'll be traveling to New Mexico for our spring stint in few days. It's a lovely feeling each time we return.
Welcome to New Mexico
How do you like it there....?😊
Since moving here, no tornadoes, no hurricanes, no mosquitoes, no fire ants, no alligators in the lakes. I've died and gone to heaven. Also go to Cloudcroft.
We're happy to hear you are enjoying New Mexico!
What about the snakes….‼️⁉️🇺🇸
@@kaypee4704 lived here 22 years. Have seem 3. When in NC saw dozens everywhere.
Great point of positivity 😊
Snakes, scorpions, black widows, tarantulas...yeh, paradise.
My dad left me his home before he passed and right now I’m fixing it up to live there officially. I love New Mexico.
To us, New Mexico is a special place and we love it there too. We hope you get the house fixed up and move in soon - where in New Mexico are you moving to?
It's nice he was able to leave you something with a positive impact on your life & future.
My father was killed by a drunk driver in Phx about 15yrs ago. I put the $43k in damages into savings, then combined it with $15k uninsured coverage when I myself got hit a couple years later, bought a house at the bottom of the market, used rent to pay my bills, & now it's going to fund our move to NM when I sell it. Going to build passive/sustainable, just as he had dreamed.
GL!
Moving to NM aswell.
2 months later, I love it here... I'm only 23 but this feels like one of the best moves in my life, Goodbye Cali you were so good in my childhood.
As a Native growing up in New Mexico Albuquerque, I am not lying people compliment me on my good English and goodness you have no accent WTF? I don't speak Spanish either. When my father was stationed at various bases around the US they always thought we were from MEXICO!!! So now as an adult 66 years old when someone asks me where i am from I always ask do you know where New Mexico is???
How funny.
I don't speak Spanish either and my English is rather good with no accent as well.
I was born in Cruces, but raised in California.
I have tons of family in New Mexico.
Tons!
My family's roots run deep in New Mexico.
Land of Enchantment. It's true
Thank you! I moved to NM for the beauty, the climate and the low cost of living. I'm so tired of people bad-mouthing this state. How refreshing to find a video (actually, it found me) that I'm proud to share. So glad this showed up in my suggested videos. Well done.
You've made us so happy - thank you for the very lovely comment! We also appreciate you sharing this video and kindly ask that you continue to do so - this really helps to get our TH-cam channel out to others! It's also good knowing that the video found you and we can only hope it continues finding kind people just like you. Interestingly, we were meant to be in Ramah (south of Gallup) right now doing our bi-annual house sit for friends, however we couldn't make it there this year. We WILL be in Ramah this spring and we cannot wait - New Mexico holds a very special place in our hearts! Where in New Mexico did you move to?
@@ACoupleofDrifters I'm a fulltime RVer and currently I'm living in an RV park in Elephant Butte. I lived in the state parks for a year before getting sick of moving every 2 weeks. That's when I found this very inexpensive park with a view of the lake. I've been stationary for about 3 years now. Actually I think it's 3 years in exactly 7 days! That's funny. Time flies.
I saw your video of the falls at Ramah. I'm sorry you saw them when they were dry but you were right to say you got to examine them much more closely with the lack of water. I hope you get to see the river flowing this Spring if you do make it back here.
We did vanlife for a few years - much of that time was in New Mexico. Sadly, we didn't have a TH-cam channel then but we wish we did. Yes, putting down for a while after living in a small van has its charms - it certainly did for us. We've been spending a lot of time in Mazatlan and by November we'll be traveling through the rest of Mexico before heading back into the US for our stint in Ramah. Have you been to El Morro Monument near Ramah yet? It's a lovely spot and there's FREE camping within the park. They even take RVs up to 27-feet - don't know if your rig would make that size limit or not.. Yes, hopefully we'll see the Ramah Falls in their true glory some day - hopefully this spring ! Enjoy your spot at Elephant Butte!! And thanks again for your comment - you really did make our day!
@@ACoupleofDrifters No, I've never been. Since settling here in this park and then being hunkered down during the Covid madness, I've become a real stick in the mud. I need to at least take trips over a few days time in my SUV. A year ago I went to Buena Vista CO for about 5 days. Since then, nada. Only a few drives to Las Cruces for Dr appointments.
I'm glad I made you happy. 👊 Enjoy your travels in Mexico. Stay safe. Hey. You know NM well. What do you think about Datil? It's remote and cold in the winter but do you know anything about it personally and do you have any impressions? There's a piece of land up there that is tempting me but it's so remote and so cold in the winter nights.
We drove through much of that area (Datil) at a time when there was some major burning going on - can't remember if it was a controlled burn or not. Because of that we didn't stick around much in that area. During that time, we were coming from the VLA (located between Datil and Magdalena) and were heading toward Silver City, which is a very nice town and a beautiful area.
There are some backroads from Datil to Ramah we hope to check out some time. You might like the Ramah, Timberlake, El Morro and Candy Kitchen areas (yes, it's a community called Candy Kitchen!). There's even a few RV parks in the area that are privately owned - it could be a base for you to check out the area. The country all around is just remote enough for us, yet Gallup and Grants are about 45 miles away. After housesitting for years in this area, we've gotten to know this corner of NM just a little - it's like a bit of heaven on earth for us.
Pinon smoke and roasting green chile are a couple of great aromas of NM.
We agree!
And rain in the desert....heaven.
It's raining right now where we are near El Morro - lovely smell of sage and juniper!
On and off here in Albuquerque, too. Beautiful day.
Here we say: If you don't like the weather, just wait a few minutes.
These are great, and we Coloradans just north of the border also share a few of these, since it’s a fluid society here in the Four Corners area. Great video!
Thank you very much Sue for the kind compliment - it really means a lot to us!
There is a state smell believe it or not, but it isn't Pinon it is roasting green chiles.
That's correct. The official state smell was added at least a year after we released this video. We can only hope this video was viewed by those in charge of such things and it ultimately prompted them to add an official state smell along to their already-existing and totally unique official state question. 😁😂 Of course, the smell of roasting green chile was a solid choice but we're still partial to that of pinon.
@@ACoupleofDrifters Nothing smell better than the plaza in Santa Fe during Christmas. The pinion smoke and the cold air just go together.
The grocery stores in my area have big propane roasting drums and you buy em buy the bag. Incredible smell
My family (ancestors) have been in New Mexico since the Oñate Expedition of 1598.
That's very remarkable indeed! Where in New Mexico did your ancestors first settle?
@@ACoupleofDrifters A place named San Juan de los Caballeros. A gentleman named Diego Blandin Gonzales, another named Juan de Vitoria Carvajal (or Carbajal). Fascinating to know that New Mexico was actually founded prior to Jamestown. My grandfather was from a little town called Mora, north of Santa Fe.
Hi Micah,
It's a lovely drive through Mora - we've done this a few times going between Las Vegas toward either Taos or Angel Fire. We're familiar with the location but not the name of San Juan de los Caballeros - a quick online search has provided us with some information about that place name. Thank you for getting back to us - it's fascinating that you can trace your family history back to that time!
@@ACoupleofDrifters Who knew the Spanish and Portuguese kept such detailed records?
I lived in New Mexico much of my life, and the stories about the confusion about it being part of the US that you hear are all true. I have dozens that I can relate to you. A couple of short ones: I met a gentleman while filling my gas tank in Santa Fe one afternoon. He was mad because there weren't any saguaro cacti (which he assumed there would be). I told him those are only found in the Sonora Desert in Arizona and that we were at 7000 feet elevation where they don't grow. I guess he watched too many movies filmed in Old Tucson where the town was called Santa Fe. Another story: I was working in Angel Fire many years ago around Thanksgiving time. We had just received a major snow storm, which left 18 inches of fresh snow on the ground. The skiers were certainly overjoyed. A family from Ohio came to visit .... in shorts, flip-flops, and t-shirts. They were shocked that there was snow and asked where they could find warm clothes (they hadn't brought any). I directed them to a couple of local shops and some stores in nearby Taos. The dad said they assumed that New Mexico was in the warm desert and that it would be warm in the winter. I explained they were at 8600 feet elevation, and it can snow a whole bunch in the winter this high up. He was shocked. I told him that he was thinking New Mexico was like Phoenix or Tucson AZ, hundreds of miles away. They decided to stay, and they had a terrific time skiing, sledding, and tubing. They were all smiles when they headed home. All's well that ends well!
Thanks for sharing your stories, Robert!
We never thought about any assumptions some people may have regarding New Mexico and saguaro cacti until another commenter mention it - this certainly seems like it's a thing!
As for the family from Ohio, good on them for turning what they thought should be a warm weather vacation into a brilliant skiing holiday - seems like they already knew they didn't need passports in order to visit New Mexico!
@A Couple of Drifters - Yeah, while surprised, the kids were thrilled to see lots of snow. The parents were astute and remembered their American geography. I worked with a guy who went to the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana to get his Master of Hydrogeology. The Registrar put him in Foreign Student Housing. They threatened to expel him unless he produced his passport and student visa. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, he got a room off campus and finished up quickly.
My wife and I would visit her folks regularly in Cimarron NM. Her dad and I were fishing buddies and always fished for breakfast the next morning. One morning, we were taking the fish we had caught to his pickup truck when a lady from New York came up and tried to talk to us in Spanish. Dad and I accommodated her until she was struggling. I told her she could talk English any time she wanted. She was stunned that so many "Mexicans" could speak such beautiful English with no accent. We told her she was still in the United States, which really confused her. We told to enjoy her stay, have a nice day, and left, drove to Ute Park, pulled over, and laughed so hard I about busted a gut. This happened on a fairly regular basis.
Indeed, these little mix-ups will likely continue for some time - bring 'em on! With most of the mix-ups we hear of, we personally give the benefit of the doubt; it's likely in many cases the misunderstanding comes from one simply hearing or reading "Mexico" and not "New Mexico" instead. Of course, misunderstandings arise from simply not knowing any better as well!
I (Jerry) used to work at Logan International Airport in Boston as a ramp agent. Inside the terminal I was once asked by a seemingly native English-speaking passenger if I spoke English. The United States has no official language and it seems some people run with that, even well-outside of New Mexico!
We are currently in Ecuador and have just finished spending three months in Peru: Many people in these countries are surprised to learn I am not from this part of the world - I assume this is at first based on how I look rather than how I sound when speaking Spanish! 🤣😂 The same thing happens to me quite frequently in Mexico and throughout Central America. This happened to me more than a few times in Italy as well, however I am from Italian and Sicilian descent!
I’ve lived here since 1958 and have traveled the southwest extensively.
Personally I find NO desert in New Mexico. WHAT? Yup, it’s a high Mesa. Our elevation is too high to support regular desert life. To understand where I’m going with this analogy, take a trip to Needles, California. It’s on the border of Cali and Arizona. THATS DESERT if you’ve ever seen one. Ruthless there and absolutely desert. We have too many mountains and high plateaus to have desert.
Is a land void of trees, desert?? What about Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, few trees there. But only vast prairies. I’ll stand by this till I’m gone. Enjoy NM!
Hi Michael.
We understand you _personally_ don't find any areas in New Mexico to be desert when compared to other places you've been. However, New Mexico really does contain areas of geographic desert throughout the state and even two desert climates. You may already be aware of that but what we mention here in our response may be useful/helpful to others who might read this comment thread.
The Chihuahuan Desert (the largest in North America) extends well into New Mexico at various elevations and within different climate areas. New Mexico contains areas of cold desert climate (Köppen climate classification _BWk_ ) and even an area of hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification _BWh_ ).
Quote: "Our elevation is too high to support regular desert life." What areas in New Mexico are you thinking of? According to the USGS, "The deserts of our world are not restricted by latitude, longitude, or elevation." pubs.usgs.gov/gip/deserts/form/#:~:text=The%20deserts%20of%20our%20world,to%20areas%20near%20the%20Equator.
Quote: "Is a land void of trees, desert?? " Of course not. It's true: Deserts can (and do) feature environments which are hostile to trees (and other life) but some trees certainly do grow in some desert areas - a simple web search will help one figure out which trees grow in desert areas of New Mexico and beyond.
I prefer NM remain unknown and less populated, no more imports, getting to multicultured, not good outcome. I pre as it was decades ago whites, spanish and indians, or come and adapt to culture, don't change it.
" Too multicultured "
Racist much ?
Don´t worry. At least half of the land in New Mexico is Federal lands, so no one will be moving here.
This is by far one of the finest, best researched, best presented, most thoughtful videos on the subject I've seen. You capture the essence of why I moved to NM from NYC immediatly after I retired. Such an amazing place. Thanks so much for this excellent presentation.
Thank you, Phil - this is such a lovely compliment! We're happy to hear you are enjoying retirement in New Mexico. 🤗🤗
As a former New Mexican, who still vacations there every year, I congratulate you on one of the best videos ever on New Mexico. You caught all the important stuff! In about 3 weeks I will once again be wrapped around a Blake's green chile cheeseburger. The next morning it will be one of their famous breakfast burritos (green, of course). I had a lady friend visit from California one day and as we stood on a hillside in Placitas and looked west towards Mt. Taylor, 70 miles away, she exclaimed, "Wow! My eyeballs can breathe here" Great chile and great views. I love it.
Thanks a million James for your very lovely comment. We are honoured by your compliment. We're currently in Ramah, NM ourselves, not too terribly far away from Mt. Taylor. We're glad to hear you return to New Mexico every year and we hope you have a lovely visit here in just a few weeks time. Enjoy your Blake's treats. We always look forward to our red and green chile fix too whenever we return to New Mexico. Safe travels James, and have tonnes of fun on your holidays (vacation) in NM.
I moved to New Mexico to escape America
That is what NM is for..
I think it's good for NM to remain underrated and a hidden gem. Im from EP Texas and would go to NM all the time. Mountains, hunting, camping, food and just to be in peace. Of course I avoided Abq. I played in a band in Las Cruces, met some of the most beatuful women and just fell in love with the state. I plan on moving to the Lincoln National forest area soon and settle there
It sounds like you've had some wonderful times in New Mexico! As you know, there are some very lovely spots throughout Lincoln National Forest - this would be a great area to settle in.
I kinda like my state I’m a Navajo by the way
We love New Mexico too. We spend several months each year in the Ramah area.
Hi, I would like to move to NM, I keep hearing bad things about Albuquerque, I live in California Born and Raised here, I don't like the traffic and I don't need the entertainment.
My family is from NM I was never close to any cousins out there, so basically I'm alone.
I hope you don't mind me asking what is a good area out there that's affordable.
Haters can leave, right?
I moved to Las Cruces New Mexico from Utah three years ago….. I absolutely love it ! I’ll never move anywhere else !!
We love New Mexico as well and we're very happy you do too!
I've always loved it here too! I moved back to NM after getting out of the Army to help my parents, my plan was to stay in Hawai'i forever lol. But if there's any place in the state I would want to call home home, it would be Cruces...... Originally im from Alamogordo, bleh. lmao.
Las Cruces is the absolute worse! Like hell on earth. Certainly no garden of Eden. Have fun on a diet of chili and rattlesnake and polluted water! What is wrong with you people???????????
NM now has a state smell as of March 2023....Chile! That roasted green chile smell.
Correct
New Mexico is its own state.
Thanks!
Hello jeffreywhite4962. Thank you very, very much for your "Super Thanks". You are our very first "Super Thanks" and your kindness and support means an awful lot to us. We are sorry it has taken us so long to get back to you, due to our seasonal work up in Naknek, Alaska. Thanks again jeffreywhite4962. This really was such a lovely surprise for us. 🤗🤗
Wow, definitely a must see video once again by you guys!!!! Congratulations and keep up with the the great videos!!!
Thank you very much Mark for your kind comments and for watching!
The “Land of Entrapment” caught me with its enchantment. I’ve been many places, and can live wherever I’d like. I live in New Mexico on purpose.
Idk why theyd call it the land of entrapment as a new mexican id lime to formally declare that award firmly belongs square in the laps of the californians and new yorkers 😂 I love california I wish it wasnt such a nightmare. Theres a whole town there with my name plastered all over it. Im going to try to convicne them to give me a free plot of land on a creek thats also got my name on it
@@JacobWillitscalled the land of entrapment because tourists who come to visit become so obsessed with the "unique culture and beautiful scenery" that they never leave
Thank you for this great video. Sure appreciate the time you put into it. We are new comers to the State and have fallen in love with it.
Thank you for the very kind comment, Kent! It's great knowing you love New Mexico as much as we do.
As a NM native, I really appreciated this video. Serious coverage of New Mexico is sparse, good coverage even more so, but this was a refreshing display of what we have to offer in this ancient land. This place is a lot more than the things we end up in the headlines for, thanks for giving us a fair shake!
We thank you for such an incredibly kind and thoughtful comment! In fact, your comment really made our day! It's always lovely hearing from people who appreciate what we've done- thank you for letting us know that!
New Mexico is an incredibly special place for us and we're happy to share this video showing our enthusiasm for the Land of Enchantment. Soon, we'll return to New Mexico for autumn and we simply cannot wait!
Great video! Well done!
Thank you so much, David - we're very happy you enjoyed the video!
New Mexico is so different from the rest of the country that I like to call it an autonomous zone. It has its own unique history, traditions, blend of three cultures - the Gringo / Anglo, the Native / Indigenous and the Mexican / Hispanic. The Mexicans didn't invade New Mexico - the border invaded at the end of the Mexican / American War. Both California and New Mexico have a deep and rich Latino / Mexican / Hispanic history and culture, for example, but how it all played out, and the final mix, was very, very different. With California, there was the big gold rush, and the greedy Gringos were hell bent on rushing over there, staking their claim, and asserting their dominance, so the Gringo element is much more dominant in California, with a lot of discrimination against and oppression of the Native and Mexican populations. Well, you didn't have the gold rush in New Mexico, and so, the three cultures - Gringo, Latin and Native, were free to mingle and percolate in a much more natural and organic fashion - and so was born the Land of Enchantment!
You got that all wrong buddy. Nueva México was under de jure control by México for 20 years. Nueva México Nueva España was de facto and de jure for over 400 years. New Mexicans have closer ties with Spain 🇪🇸 than México.
New Mexico has been part of the US for 176 years. We're no longer Nueva España and we´re not part of Mexico. Mexicans that illegally enter the US now are invading the US.
Ah man i live and have lived in new mexico, like 20 years ago tried to get on a greyhound bus in texas and the worker who had to be in her late teens to early 20s refused to give me a ticket because i didnt have a passport, not even a 4 hour ride back …had to explain it became a state and no longer a territory since 1912 and she kept demanding a passport
I love new mexico!
We like it, too!
I love my home state of N.M. and having Christmas all year round.
This is sooooo true! I told my 60 year co-worker I was going to New Mexico to visit relatives and she asked me if I had a passport. I repeated New Mexico and she said "don't you need a passport?"
It's mind-boggling! We wish we had our own New Mexico-related tales of confusion to share with people, but we'll have to settle for good stories like yours in the meantime - we'll never get tired of these! Thank you for sharing, Jen - we hope you had a great trip _abroad_ to New Mexico! 😂😉
No need for medical treatment or shots after visiting New Mexico. I am a Navajo from San Juan County.
Indeed, no shots needed after visiting New Mexico!
Lived in ABQ from 1984 until 1989. Traded my big sedan for a Jeep within a week and went all over. You could also get a sopapilla with all kinds of filling. From honey to your green chile cheesburger. Thanks so much for the refresh!
We're happy hearing you enjoyed the video. Thank you for your lovely comment!
Blake's green Chile cheeseburger is the best!
We return to New Mexico this week and Blake's green chile cheeseburger is a must-have for us. We also like a few of the breakfast burritos from Blake's!
If you ever get to Capitan, you should try the green chile cheeseburger at Smokey Bear Restaurant or Oso Grill. Smokey Bear Restaurant also has fabulous chocolate cake!
Hi Lynn!
We haven't been to Capitan but green chile cheeseburgers and chocolate cake sound like good reasons to visit - thank you for the suggestions!
I had a NY store hold an order indefinitely until I raised a commotion. The reason was that "Your card was issued outside of the United States". I was issued by Wells Fargo Bank in Albuquerque. The state has published a book callee "One of Our 50 is Missing", the same title as the magazine. It's amusing reading. Good video.
Thank you for the compliment and the comment, Romie! Ah yes, we had to include "One of Our 50 is Missing" in this video - these experiences will never get old and material will likely never run out! As well as the book, _One of Our 50 is Missing_ is also a regular column in New Mexico Magazine - have you submitted your story to them?
Roasting green chile would be the state smell.
Yes! How about seasonal state smells? Green chile has its place during late summer/early autumn and burning pinon for autumn/winter. We'll be back in New Mexico in March for two months - looking forward to the smells of _cooking_ green chile and burning pinon in the fireplace!
You guys are cute! I've visited Taos and ranches west of the Sangre de Christo mountains. Land of Enchantment is an understatement. Thanks for the tour, Drifters!
Thank you, Mark Twain - we're very happy you enjoyed the video! The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are especially lovely.
I just learned so many new things about New Mexico. I've been to New Mexico many times and love the state but new very few of these that great video.
Thank you Alice - New Mexico is always full of surprises and it's our favourite state!
It is true that Los Alamos has the highest % per capita of pHd's in the U.S. due of course to the huge research lab there, but just to keep things in perspective, as far as overall education, New Mexico is ranked dead last.
Great video and representation of my home state! For the most part, I love it, it's home! I can't tell you how many times growing up that people thought I was from a different country. It hasn't been as common though as I have gotten older. Guess it's still a thing!
This is a lovely comment - thank you! Yes, the confusion about New Mexico will likely rage on for a while. We suspect that some of this confusion is caused by not fully paying attention - folks miss the _New_ and only hear or read _Mexico_ instead. Then again, other folks are just totally unaware!
The Santa Fe New Mexican notes the Legislature passed a bill designating the aroma of fire-roasted green chile as the official New Mexico smell. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the bill in Las Cruces on March 28, 2023. (Apr 2, 2023) It's an aroma that also announces autumn.
We're quite happy to hear there will be a state smell. We'd choose piñon wood (either cut and split or the smell of its smoke) but we certainly understand the significance, and people's affinity, for roasting green chile - we love the smell of that, too.
Nothing better than Chile time
People who failed 5th grade geography, don't know NM is a state.
I live 45 miles from the border of NM. We all know you're a state, around here.
New Mexico has the most PhDs because most of them (5-6000) work at the Los Alamos National Labs west of Santa Fe
And at Sandia Labs in Albuquerque.
The smell of roasting Chiles really takes me home
Thanks for posting this, I enjoyed it. I love New Mexico. I am from TX and I been traveling to New Mexico for 30 years.
Thank you Michael - we're very happy you enjoyed the video! We love New Mexico as well and it seems we can never really get enough of it. Both of us hope you make it back there real soon.
I’m watching from Australia interested in the history and the geography of the state and how it got its name ,thankyou for the video ,old jimmy
Hello old jimmy in Australia. We thank you for watching our video and commenting! 🥰 We just returned to the countryside of New Mexico a few days ago, after spending almost 4 months in India. For where we're at right now, the peace, quiet, beauty and endless skies on the horizon are amazing.
For a bit more about how New Mexico got its name:
The land which now makes up the state of New Mexico was called "Nuevo México" - this is a Spanish translation of the much, much older Nahuatl term yancuic Mexihco , meaning "new Mexico" (note the lowercase "n") - Mexhico being the heartland of the Mexica people who ruled the Aztec Empire. This yancuic Mexihco was thought by many pre-Spanish peoples in Mesoamerica to be a mythical empire to the north which rivaled the mighty Aztec Empire. These myths were largely based on and around trade networks which brought Puebloan and some Mesoamerican peoples closer and closer throughout the years - it's very likely the "Seven Cities of Gold" myth evolved from this.
A little bit of trivia to share with you. There is ONE other place that emblazons USA on their license plate. Though it’s not a state, the territory of Guam shares this one quirk with New Mexico.
Thanks for that bit of trivia, Ed!
@edder7157 the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, also a US territory closer to Guam. @ACoupleofDrifters
The only smell to compete with pinon fire for the "state smell" is roasting green chile. Both smells always bring me back to NM.
Hi Linda,
We agree! Sadly, the smell of roasting green chile doesn't last as long as the smell of burning pinon. Having said that, we love both late summer/autumn and winter in New Mexico...and everything in between!
Or when it rains and the creosote plant releases that amazing aroma.
We're heading back to New Mexico in March for two months - hopefully we'll experience a few rainy/drizzly days during our visit!
Let's roast the green chile over a pinon fire. The best of both!
Love that idea!
The state smells is clearly roasting green chile.
I moved here a little over a year ago and love this state (of mind). Thank you for the great pictures, video and narration. Editing too!
P.S. Since I moved here I believe they made the official state smell the aroma of roasting chiles. Thank you teaching me the correct spelling!
I bet the piñon was a close second! I also love the smell of Junipers after a rain when the sun comes out!
We appreciate your very lovely compliment and we're happy hearing you enjoy living in New Mexico!
Several viewers have informed us that New Mexico has decided to make the aroma of roasting green chiles the official state smell. We only hope piñon was somewhere in the running!
We are near Zuni, NM at the moment and have been hiking here for a few weeks. In that time we've had some heavy showers; the smell of the land around here after rain is juniper, sage and piñon! Pure heaven!
Born here raised here and Texas and Louisiana. I came and finished high school and been here ever since.
Coyote creek near Mora and towards Angel Fire is our Ranch since the 1800's
Great job in this video! Absolutely 💯 on this one. Though I prefer the cedar smell myself, piñon is a great smell. This was obviously made before the state officiated our state smell.
Thank you, Ed! Indeed, this video was filmed before New Mexico officially chose roasting green chile as its state smell.
The Land of Entrapment.
I mean Enchantment!
Heyyyyy respect to our home man
Biggest tip in NM. Dont be a Karen!!! We won't have it
I can't believe how intense my pollen allergy was. 51 years old and I've never had any issues. My first spring in ABQ??? Holy moley. I would have dug my eyes out if I could.
My allergies also went crazy when we moved to Albuquerque - we had a mulberry tree out front nd I think that did me in, along with other pollens. We currently spend the spring season just a bit south of Gallup - it's quite bad for juniper pollen there at that time of the year. The buds easily burst with a fog of pollen whenever it's windy, or you brush up against them.
Growing up, my family always went to Florida to visit my great aunts and great uncle. We would go there at least three times a year, summer vacation, winter vacation and spring break. They lived in a retirement community. Needless to say but almost all the residents were retirees from NY so I made friends with a lot of their grandchildren who would visit them during their school breaks. Every time I went I would inevitably have to answer a new person’s questions like “did you need a visa to come here” or comments like “I’ll bet you really like the water here”, but my favorite one is “you don’t look Mexican”!
Hi Marla,
New Mexico will continue being confused by some as a foreign country for a long time and we'll never tire of hearing about stories like yours - thank you for sharing these!
Thank you for this great video.
You're welcome, Julian - we're very happy you liked the video!
Another great video!! I love how informative you guys are. I always feel smarter after watching. Please keep em coming. Also I too love the smell of Pinon
Thank you Greg! So, you like green and red chile AND the smell of pinon - that's good enough for us! Are you sure you're not from New Mexico? 😂🤣😉
Grew up in NM miss it at times
What are some of the things you miss about New Mexico?
@@ACoupleofDrifters riding my horse in the mountains near Ruidoso, I lived not far from the race track. The river was across the road from my home. Family in Sante Rosa the natural springs ,were beautiful, all of NewMexico is so diverse. There is so much to see. Then the food, but comes directly from the people. There is to much to list , it just keeps coming. I miss everything about New Mexico. I have established my family, in Oklahoma though, and have no regrets. I do have lots af wonderful memories of growing up in the Land of Enchantment.
Sorry for such a late response back to your lovely comment! We loved Ruidoso - the entire area is stunning! We've hiked all around Grindstone Lake! Blue Hole in Santa Rosa - and it's free to swim there! As for the food, we firmly maintain that New Mexican cuisine is the tastiest regional food in the country - NOTHING beats the deep. smoky flavor of a good red chile sauce! We agree: So many things to list! Hopefully you are close enough in Oklahoma so that you get to make regular trips back to New Mexico. We'll be back to the Gallup area in a few weeks and we're really looking forward to it - we can hardly wait!
@@ACoupleofDrifters I have not been back it way to many years, I did however contact family in Loveington after my comment, and plan a trip in spring. Thank you for putting that bug in my ear.
That is so good to hear - enjoy your trip back home this spring! Your response back to us has made our day! 💓 x100!
I moved to Montana and yes some had no idea New Mexico is a state, i was also asked how much is a peso.. lol
Touching on two of your talking points, legislation was just put forward to declare the NM state aroma as "roasting green chile in the fall"
Hi Marcus.
Thank you for adding this information to our comments section. Several viewers have informed us that New Mexico has recently chosen roasting green chile as the official state smell. We're here in New Mexico right now and have seen roasters set up at various shops throughout the state. That aroma will certainly be welcomed by many this season.
My first year was n college in PA, I was talking to a girl and after a while she said, "Wow, I had trouble leaving home to got to college... If I had come from a whole other country I don't think I could've done it."
We absolutely love Allsups chimichangas!!! Great video my friends. We are really enjoying them🙏🏻
We have yet to try the chimichangas, but you've convinced us we should. We're also intrigued by the deep fried pizza. Have you tried it? If not, would you try it?
Yes to chimis! Especially the chicken and green chile.
Hi Linda,
Have you ever tried Allsup's deep fried pizza? We've been curious about this but haven't tried it yet ourselves. We'll try the chimis on our next visit!
@@ACoupleofDrifters no, I never have. Like the chimis too much. LOL
We'll try the chicken and green chile chimis and deep fried pizza on our next visit to New Mexico.
Absolutely correct about pinions.
We love that smell of piñon wood!
Old running joke: When visiting New Mexico you don't need a passport, you can drink the water, you can use your American money. We even have our own telephone company . . . Taco Bell.
Always answer Christmas.
I like the phrase it's not new and it's not Mexico.
Its new mexico because they were trolling mexico but new mexico alone is clearly supirior to old mexico in its entirety. We have the best mexicans and the best pepper enviorment. To me it makes zero sense how ford builds the mavrick in mexico when ford should be building the mavrick in new mexico. We are the supirior mexico. We have yet to attain even 1/10th of our true capabilities. New mexico is so great it is attached to texas like a conjoined twin. Semi retarded failed state but like i said, we have yet to attain even 1/10th of our true capabilities. One day new mexico will power texas colorado arizona and mexico that is how great new mexico is but for now that isnt the case we are like a neglected child from a crackfamily 😂😂😂😂
I look at our flag and i see the sun. The zia symbol. We are the brightest.
Im qatari 🇶🇦 born in new mexico
That’s weird! Tell me more
¡Qué Viva Nueva México! ⚔️🇺🇲🇪🇸🇲🇽⚔️
Awesome vid
Thank you so much!
I read that Santa Fe is the second oldest founded city in the United States
Great Video......transplanted to Abq, NM 5ish years ago....love it for the most part.
Thank you, Tery! We love Albuquerque - we lived at Juan Tabo and Indian School for a few years way back in 1998/2000. To this day we miss living there but we are fortunate enough to still visit the city a few times each year. Our love (and longing) for Albuquerque keeps growing even after all these years!
Is it true the crime is off the charts?
thank you for teaching me somethings, about my own state i did not know.
We're very happy to know you enjoyed this video - thank you! Where in New Mexico do you live? We used to live in Albuquerque back in 2000. These days we visit New Mexico for three to four months each year and we feel so lucky to be able to do this. In all honesty we cannot get enough of New Mexico - we absolutely love it!
@@ACoupleofDrifters currently in Roswell. But my family is from Vaughn. We also used to own a bar and cafe between Roswell and Vaughn called Ramon.
I recall driving through the locale of Ramon several times - just a few structures "in town" but I seem to recall seeing what would've been the bar/restaurant you once owned.
In March we'll be returning to New Mexico (south of Gallup) for two months - we do this each spring in order to house sit for friends. Getting back to New Mexico is always something we look forward to - we can't wait!
I swear, NM needs to make a state museum. There's so much history here, but it's spread out in tiny hole in the wall locations.
There's the New Mexico History Museum, located just behind the Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe - we spent hours in this museum learning about much of the state's history.
Visit the Unser Racing Museum..!!
We know of the Unser family and we've been on Unser Blvd, however we have yet to visit the museum. Albuquerque is a place we always return to and we love it there - thanks for the recommendation!
Well done! Thanks for this fascinating collection of fun facts. The NM tourist board should promote this video because it sure made me want to visit! Until I do, I am trying to figure our what a green chile is. Is that a jalapeno? Or what we call a green pepper (sweet)? Either way - I better diet before I arrive (one day). Cheers!
Thank you so much Dan! The New Mexico chiles here are a cultivar group of the chile pepper; they generally aren't too spicy. The green ones are roasted and then diced and made into a simple sauce. The red chiles, which are extra-ripened green chiles, are dried and then made into a smooth sauce. The flavor of each is quite different: Green is very mildly sweet with a just a wee bit of heat and the red is very earthy/smoky and a good one will have a slight taste of cumin. Many visitors to New Mexico have become addicted to red and green chile - it's that good. The smell of roasting green chile in late summer/early autumn is another iconic smell and it's a very special time for many in New Mexico. In our opinion, New Mexican food is the tastiest regional food in the country. You need to get here one day and that's all there is to it!
Heat levels can vary so much in green chile. I've had some that was slightly hot and some that blew my head off. Always good to check with your waitress!
Hi Linda,
I (Jerry) can take the heat better than some, while Fiona has a more delicate palate. It's true: The waiter or waitress can tell you if the the chile of the day is hot, or not. You are correct: Not all green chile is created equal!
@@ACoupleofDrifters Heat of chile is relative, some of my relatives chile is mild while other relatives tend towards nuclear🤣😬
Indeed, it is relative - I continue to happily eat all kinds of spicy things that most people around me simply cannot enjoy. Having said that, I have met my match on more than one occasion - the last time was a few weeks ago in Veracruz, Mexico! I tried too much of the house salsa at a seafood restaurant and I thought it was going to cause long-term nerve damage to my mouth!
Nice 👍🏼
We appreciate your comment, Rod!
Very good!
Thank you - we're very happy you enjoyed this New Mexico video!
A few years ago a group of grad students from new york visited Santa Fe. They were here for 10 days before people had to explain that yes they were still in the USA. Yes I said Grad Students. This is pretty sad.
Hi Daniel,
Sad indeed! Well, we hope nobody spent too much time or money arranging visas for those students...🤣😂😉
Grad students? Probably studying basket weaving.
I'm from Texas and I can't wait to move to NM ! I would Never have a Humidifier ! Lol that's one of the major reasons I wan't out of Texas and into New Mexico is for the dry climate
We're happy you are looking forward to your New Mexico move and that you won't be missing any humidity!
After spending half the year in Mazatlan ( _very_ hot and humid) and half in New Mexico for the last few years, we certainly look forward to leaving the tropical humidity behind us on our trek north of the border. Having said that, the cooler temperatures we are experiencing in our part of New Mexico right now means that we have heaters on and the fireplace is going daily - that means _extra dry air_ which our skin and sinuses really notice compared to the warmer months.
We don't have a humidifier now but we did when we first moved to New Mexico back in 1998 - I guess we've gotten _somewhat_ used to the drier climate by now?
We wish you the best of luck on your move and we hope you enjoy your time in New Mexico!
I heard that one reason a generation of people don't know about New Mexico is because Willard Scott would stand in front of the state on the US Map when he did the weather report.
Haven't heard that one before - love it! 🤣
I mean if there was no where else to stand id stand and block the californians 😂😂😂😂 except for willits california which will be right above my head of course.
This is a cool video!
Hi Donald. Thank you so much for enjoying our video on New Mexico.
I love the lady's Santa Fe/Limerick accent!
Thanks, but it's a Northside Dublin accent. 😉
half irish here ! ☘☘🍀🍀 thanks for your video! @@ACoupleofDrifters
I see you visited Gallup n.m.. and the restaurant I work Genrous restaurant/Cafe hope to see yall again.
Hi Gustavo - we actually have a video about restaurants in Gallup and this features Genaro's. To be honest, this is one of our favorite Gallup restaurants and we eat here whenever we get the chance. Hope to see you there soon!
Here is the link to that video: th-cam.com/video/OfPIG2rGb1o/w-d-xo.html
It's called New Mexighetto, Socorro/ Roswell everything north. The south is getting bad too.
I drove through New Mexico......I had no signal till I got to texas
Not true
If you are driving the vaste distance across between cities and towns there is deadzones youll get a flat and wont be able to call a tow
It's also known as land of Entrapment...many good people live there and it's a kinder state considering it's poor. My children and one granddaughter was born there. Gangs were moving into Rio Rancho. We left in 2002. In 2007 my granddaughter s father was murdered by gang member. I taught and lived in many places in that state and it's less corrupt than most.
Very good! I live in New Mexico and I am very impressed with how accurate you are about this beautiful state. Thank you. Oh and green is the best!!
Hi Barbara,
Your lovely comment means so much much to us - thank you! Green chile seems to be the go-to for many of the folks commenting on this video - we can't blame them!
@@ACoupleofDrifters I was wondering if you’ve ever heard of the Decalog Stone? It is located just outside of Los Lunas off of Highway 6. It is the Ten Commandments carved into stone in Ancient Hebrew. I believe that it is dated to around the 300’s BC. But I could be mistaken on the date. My memory isn’t as good as it used to be. There is a lot of history in this state.
No, we haven't heard of this at all. We just read a bit of information regarding the Decalog Stone - thank you for letting us know even more about New Mexico!
Come to New Mexico for the green chili... stay because your car gets stolen
Well, you spelled green _chile_ wrong but we'll pretend your comment is cute. 😉
His comment may not be cute but it's true.
SPARKY'S!!!!!! New Mexico True, and only those who know, know.
B&E all the way!
El Rancho tastes really bad now, just go there for the experience, the food is nasty.
I live right outside of Gallup and really its one of the coolest places I've been
Good job describing NM.
I live in southeast NM born and raised.
Thank you so much for the compliment! We really love spending time in New Mexico.
We are really enjoying your New Mexico vlogs! Lots of wonderful, fun & quirky facts in this one. I did find it a bit shocking people don’t know NM is in the states!! And the famous gas station food - woah quite a selection. Are you guys close to Roswell ? It would be interesting to know what is there- if anything ( I saw some aliens 👽 in this vlog 😜)
Thank you very much for the kind comment! Many New Mexicans are exasperated by the amount of folks in the US that confuse the state with another country - to us it's always been funny. Allsup's does indeed have an impressive assortment of tasty junk food! We are far from Roswell right now and we won't make it there on this trip. We've been there a few times though and it's a nice-enough town. The International UFO Museum is the real reason to go and is indeed worth a visit if you pass through the area.
@@ACoupleofDrifters thanks so much for the info on the UFO 🛸 museum!!! Looking forward to your next vlog and learning more about New Mexico - cheers 🍻
GO TO LAS VEGAS NEW MEXICO AND YOU WILL LEARN THAT NEW MEXICO HAS BEEN ON HOLLYWOOD'S LIST SINCE TOM MIX AND OTHER VERY EARLY FILMS THAT WERE MADE
My Grandaddy lived in Las Vegas and made headstones from the granite mined from nearby mountains. I loved exploring around his trailer when we visited, catching horned -toed lizards, seeing scorpions, climbing the nearby mountain that had an old stone "arena" built into the side of it near the bottom and small fish in little pools of water at the very top.
New Mexico State flag also has the same colors as Spain’s national flag
10:15 I live here and i use both interchangeably