Gallup

Gallup, New Mexico. What are your expectations? What does your mind conjure up when you read Gallup, NM? Cowboys? Indians? The West? Big Town? Little town? Well, from one short day's analysis, it appears to be all of the above. Went to the Saturday swap meet ( or flea market depending upon who you are talking to). I was told to get there early if you wanted to get a parking place. "What's early?" "Before noon."
So we left here about 8:30 and found the "event" about 10ish. Got a good parking place nearby. I was also told to dress warmly as it gets cold in Gallup. We did bring extra jackets but didn't need them as the sun was warming the place. The swap meet happens every Saturday all year long so I can imagine how it would be when the temperature is in the single digits.
The fare at the meet was what you would expect, with exceptions. The food places offered mutton stew, Indian hamburgers, Indian tacos, fry bread (yumm). (By the way, Indian tacos have fry bread instead of tortillas.) The other large exception was the number of items used for tribal ceremonies, rattles, different types of tobacco, and other things that I have no idea of what they are. I did not feel comfortable enough to go up to a person at a table and say, " Hey, what is that thing?" Gallup labels itself as "Indian Capital" and it showed at the swap meet and in any store. I find it very interesting observing people and the folks you see in and around Gallup are an interesting assortment. There are many tribes in the area so there's a real mix of folks. I wanted to take a picture of intersting areas around G, but we didn't find any then.