The word tinaja comes from the Spanish language and has many meanings.  It is a watering hole, an earthen jar, a vessel or cistern, or a water collecting basin. 

A tinaja can either be man made or naturally formed.  Man made tinajas are usually rock or earthen stone, and have been used by many over the years to hold water and wine.  A natural tinaja is formed over the centuries by the elements.  A steady drip of rain water, a flash flood that carves the stone, or the wind with grains of sand that grinds and deepens basins, can all leave their mark on the earth where water will collect.

Tinajas originally attracted nomadic tribes and wildlife.  Though beautiful and refreshing they can also be a death trap to those unlucky enough to slip down the smooth sides and get stuck in the cool waters.  Ranchers and farmers have been known to use tinajas to water their stock and irrigate their crops.

Another expression for a tinaja is a Kiss Tank.  All creatures who stumble upon a tinaja after journeying across hot, dry land react the same.  They eagerly press their parched, dry lips to the refreshing water, often with passion, and arise refreshed.

It has been said, that given enough luck, you may stumble across a tinaja after a long hot day and find others like yourself eagerly looked forward to the coolness that the waters have to offer.

So welcome to Harry’s Tinaja!  A watering hole, a kiss tank, where we hope your thirst will be quenched and your mind and spirit refreshed!