About the name...

So how did a wee town in southern New Mexico come to be called Truth or Consequences? The story behind the name could easily be more romantic, but hardly more unique. Truth or Consequences is not the result of some quirky, local historic tale, but the name of an American TV game show that was popular in the 1950s. The host – Ralph Edwards - offered a deal to any town in the US that would change its name to the name of his show. His side of the deal was bringing celebrities to the town every year and making a feature of the place on the show. The small spa town of Hot Springs, New Mexico that had been growing n popularity as a local health resort since the 1920s took up the offer. The presenter kept his promise and turned up ever year until age finally got the better of him sometime in the early 1990s. So that's the story of the unusual and intriguing sounding name.

The town is small and got quite run down for a while. Low property prices and the thermal hot water table that sits just six feet below the surface and can be pumped up into most back yards attracted life back into the place. Old weather board cabins are getting face lifts by weekend residents from nearby cities, Albuquerque and Santa Fe to name just two. Hotels and apartments offer basic accommodation in characteristic New Mexican style with hot pools in rooms or fenced off in courtyards outside. Reviving businesses entertain visitors with new and second hand books, fabulous cowboy shirts, skirts and boots, chunky wooden furniture, stirrups, gun belts, hats or rocks and crystals, dream catchers and lots of new age paraphernalia. There are plenty of businesses for sale at prices to make an Aucklander gasp and think of leaving home immediately.

The prospects might be even brighter in future as Richard Branson of Virgin fame has, I am told, got consent and plans to build a Space Port less than fifty miles away. The first batch of space travelers have already committed the necessary $250K a piece for the maiden voyage, so the area may be in for a bit of a culture shock. Personally, I like the small town, whole food cafe, Second Hand Rose shop character of the town but progress rarely respects my opinion so this may be a very different place if I come back to visit again in years to come.

There are a few signs of affluence on show already. The Sierra Grande is a flash lodge run by a well known chef whose other 'place' is in Manhattan. Most of the are galleries are pretty unique and down to earth but one or two aspire to the extravagance / up market bracket. More may be on the way. I hope to have the chance to come back and see sometime. For now the idea of buying into a business for less than $100K is very tempting.

Local hospitality is another memorable feature. We are staying in one of the renovations in progress cabins borrowed from friends of T&S. It has the aforementioned horse trough in the back yard with a pump to fill it with hot spring water. An Air Stream trailer provides excellent and stylish guest accommodation in he back yard.

An invitation to dinner lands us up on the ridge overlooking the town in one direction and the 'muddy hills' and distant Mexican border rages in the other. Dinner consists of delicious Mexican style dishes of tamales, beans, wild rice and veggies fresh from the garden. Its quite amazing to see deep green silver beet, radish and tomatoes growing in soil that looks for all the world like vintage desert sand. The meal is washed down with lashings of red wine and good conversation with the owner of the Black Cat Bookshop, her partner and two black cats.

A block of land next door with a price tag below $100K looks tempting. It is the highest point around with 360 degree views that tonight includes a pale yellow globe of the rising moon.