It's amazing. An adobe wall changes colors constantly…amber at dawn, fiery at sunset,

powder gray in moonlight. That trick of light and nature drew Georgia O’Keeffe, Ansel Adams and generations of other artists to New Mexico. But it’s just one of the reasons we love it here. Every view seems to have a backdrop of mountains. The air is clear, and the walking—from sage-strewn plateaus to the art-lined streets—is the equal of anyplace we’ve traveled. No other region in the U.S. has been inhabited so long by peoples who left such visible records of their times. Centuries of Native American, Hispanic and Anglo cultures have weathered well, and we take the chance to explore them all. You just can’t imagine your first glimpse of a cliff dwelling from the floor of a gorge or the privilege of entering a pueblo with a Taos Indian friend as our guide. Beware: if you enjoy art, architecture and fine regional food, you’ll never want this Classic Journey to end.