We next travelled to Bandelier Monument and National Park. This is the site of Ancestral Pueblo dwellings, dating back to 1150 AD with human evidence dating 11,000 years ago. There are the cliff dwellings which soft volcanic stone allowed early Pueblos to chisel out caves as well as formations of communities below for gatherings, food storage, and those dwellers on the plateaus.

Life-sized sculptures of Dr. Oppenheimer and Gen. Groves are just south of Fuller Lodge. They headed the project along with many scientists, engineers and military to complete and test the first atomic bomb during WWII. The Bradbury Science Museum is dedicated to exhibits which interpret Los Alamos National Laboratory's contributions to research and technology, its role in the Manhattan Project and current mission to national security.                                                          

Santa Fe's charm comes from the "Plaza" oldest market place, home to numerous galleries of serious artists (many native Indian), it's oldest house and oldest church as well as many street vendors.