Santa Fe

We were anxious to ride our bikes again, so before heading to Santa Fe, we road the Paseo del Bosque Trail in Albuquerque. It was a nice 35-mile (round trip) ride - and the longest we've ever biked.


The next day, we drove up a winding road to the top of the Sandia Crest mountain in Cibola National Forest. Elevation: 10,678 feet. We had mixed feelings about the antenna farm, but appreciated the views of Albuquerque.



Then it was a calm north drive on the Turquoise Trail where we landed in Santa Fe just in time to visit the farmer's market at The Railyard. It was quite a treat. There were young men drumming on oil barrels and women doing traditional African dances in the nearby performance studio. We picked up some local crafts and yummy vegetables, and met a vendor named Tim. He is a former tattoo artist who switched from skin to canvas. He was a very friendly guy and a delight to talk to.


The weather quickly changed from warm and sunny to cool and rainy, so we drove to Hyde Memorial State Park to set up camp for the night.

This is what happens on a rainy afternoon spent inside of our tent with permanent marker. I got a little creative and felt the need to decorate a bit.


We arrived at The Plaza in downtown Santa Fe early to view the cathedrals and window shop.

Statue of Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680)
First Indian of North America to be Promoted a Saint

The west portion (photographed) of this building is apparently "The Oldest House" in Santa Fe.


San Miguel Church, circa 1610

The plaque in front of the church reads:

Under the auspices of Fray Alonso de Benavides, OFM, this church was built by Tlaxcalan Indians from Mexico in the early 1600's. The original adobe walls remain under the stucco exterior. The Church's roof was burned and destroyed during the Pueblo Indian rebellion of 1680. After resettling Santa Fe, General Diego de Vargas had a new roof constructed in 1694. Repairs continued until 1710. A three-tiered tower was erected about 1830. In 1887 a single-facade tower was built and the massive stone buttresses were added for support. In 1955 archaeological investigations were conducted in and around the Church. Restoration of the beautiful altar backdrop was done that same year.

The Cathedral Church of St. Francis of Assisi was established, and the first church built, on this site in 1610. The present church was built in 1886.

La Conquistadora
(Our Lady of Peace)
This is the longest venerated Madonna in the U.S.

Our walk under the overhang of the Palace of Governors was interesting. There were about 75 Native American vendors selling their goods on the sidewalk. It was odd to walk past them... they were sitting on chairs or on the ground. It was uncomfortable for us to be standing and walking past them - almost like we were at a higher level than they were. Most visitors looked at the goods for sale. I tried to look at the person selling the items, but they seemed uncomfortable with eye contact. And while the vendors were selling their products, many didn't seem very happy to be there.


The Palace of Governors is the only capitol in the U.S. that has housed the governments of four different nations: Spain, New Mexico, The Confederacy, and the United State of America. In 2010, Santa Fe will be celebrating 400 years of culture. Read more about the celebration here.


The state capital building, also known as "The Roundhouse," was intriguing. It is the only round state capital in the United States, and when viewed from the air, the structure and grounds form the Zia Sun, which is the symbol on the New Mexico state flag.


It was a Sunday, so we were not able to tour the interior, but the grounds were just enough for us... we found some wonderful pieces of art.

Earth Mother by Estella Loretto

The two images below are of a large sculpture dedicated to the Native American tribes destroyed in the United States. We counted at least 100.



Overall, we really like Santa Fe. It is a community focused on the arts - and education, which makes for an attractive place. It is an incredibly expensive place to live, with the median household price ranging from $350,000 to $5 million.