As we ate breakfast we heard the first of three Durango/Silverton trains go by. Our campground is located in the canyon that the train runs through on its way to Silverton. We are booked on the train tomorrow.
Durango is a center for artists and Southwest crafts. The last time we were in the area we looked at some beautiful Navajo rugs. I really wanted one and decided to do some research before we looked at them this trip. We went to the Toh-Atin Gallery and pulled out a huge pile of beautiful rugs. Hand woven and dyed wool rugs. Each community has its own style of weaving and designs. The gallery staff told us a lot about the various styles and how the rugs were woven. I was immediately drawn to some styles so we pulled them out and draped rugs all around the floor. I found a favorite fairly quickly. It was created in the Teec Nos Pos community which is just south of Durango. It is a vintage rug from around 1930/40 and has a history. I looked at many of the others, but this one just spoke to me and I am excited to hang it in my house. We rarely buy things as we travel - the pictures and experiences are so meaningful to me. But this trip I will bring home the hand work of a Southwest artist.We also took a tour of the Durango Arts Center which had a focus on the Ute tribal art. Beautiful beading and pottery. Then lunch at the Steamworks Brewing Company where we threw caution to the winds and had a beer along with our fish and chips lunch. The beer took care of the afternoon for us as we napped and read in our lawn chairs next to the river. Then I had to take out my rug and admire it in the sunshine and spend time researching the weaving community on the Internet. So interesting.
Great day.
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