El Paso's Day of the Dead Festival

Put this on your calendar for next year!

Dia de lost Muertos (Day of the Dead) was celebrated by El Paso and Juarez, Mexico, in a festival titled, "Two Countries, One Celebration of Life." The events and exhibits I attended were excellent.

To see what you missed, check the festival's website, here.

Congratulations, Indian Lodge!

Recently, the Texas Parks and Wildife Department celebrated the grand re-opening of one of the finest and most unique inns in the southwestern United States, the Indian Lodge in Fort Davis.

Original construction began as a Civilian Conservation Corps project in 1933, and the Lodge's first guest rooms opened in 1935. Built in the Southwestern pueblo-style, the inn has received international acclaim as a popular retreat for both vacationing families and political dignitaries alike.

The renovation was extensive, and included replacement of the heating/cooling system, plumbing, electrical and mechanical overhauls, bathroom renovations, and new guest furnishings. The best part of the project, in my opinion, was the effort to return much of the character and original 1930s furnishings (all 197 of them!) to this one-of-a-kind getaway.

For more information on historic hotels in the Texas Mountain Trail region, click here!