Wupatki National Monument

Wow! Another impressive buildings. 

In 1100s, thousands of people were living in the Wupatki area. In the dry desert landscape, they cultivated, hunt, gather plants. In the area there are many buildings. I was amazed how the buildings are big, tall, and still intact. 

The most famous and big one is this as below picture. It has more than 100 rooms!

You can walk around the building. You see the trail in front of it in the picture below. At the trailhead you check in with a ranger and you will borrow a booklet to go to the trail. Around 15-20 numbers along the trail and you read the explanation in the booklet. 

Massive house

rock integrated

As you can see in the picture left, the building is built with utilizing the natural rock formation. I could imagine someone who were really good at designing building existed in the community. There are many holes in the wall. Either window or the hole logs were used to be in for the structure.

Ball court

Some portions are stabilized later to protect the building: however, this is challenged by Native American's philosophy---leave as it is. 

And the ball court. I had never seen a ball court. This could be used for social gathering place and also play ball games. At the edge of circle can be used as a bench. People watched the game? or watched something show at social event? Who knows but it is interesting.

This Wupatki Pueblo is the main and biggest building in the Wupatki National Monument, but there are 5 more buildings in the Monument. Actually this monument is big. Probably only a coupe of people a day look all of them. I saw most cars directly go to Wupatki Pueblo and left the Monument. We are always an exception: checked out all of them and also hiked the Doney Mountain adjacent the Monument.

Wukoki Pueblo

One of the five building is Wukoki Pueblo. This is very big as well. Nicely you could go into the dwellings: you might notice steps in the entrance portion in the left picture. The right section of building is tall. Maybe 3 story height.

inside Wukoki

As you can tell from the picture, it was a nice sunny day! In desert I love the air warm up even in the middle of winter. 

Doney mountain trail

The left pictures were taken from Doney Mountain trail. The landscape is pretty and vast. This made me realize again that how much I love the West. Dry and vast. Felt like I was melted into the scene. At the same time the life in this area must have been tough. It is impressive that so many people had amazing buildings and very rich culture here. From walking around the entire day in this region, I felt like their talking and laughing, and their soul still around.