Santa Fe, NM

Santa Fe truly was a desert gem for me. Flying into Albuquerque at first I was surrounded by commercial southwestern atmosphere; sombrero style restaurants and red chilli-pepper hood ornaments. There was a Wal-Mart to the right and fast food chains to the left.  However just over the horizon of the hazy purple and blue Sandia mountains that encircle central New Mexico, you can see a different New Mexico waiting to be explored. The old city of Santa Fe was my destination.  I sleepily wandered out of the Albuquerque Airport and it was pitch black outside by now but the stars were brilliant they lit up the sky as I searched fo my shuttle. “Headin’ to Santa Fe ma’am ?”, a friendly voice asked from across the arrival counter. It was Lloyd and he was my shuttle driver. Lloyd looked to be about 100 years old and couldn’t have weighed more than 100 lbs soaking wet but he grabbed my luggage like they were grocery bags and off we went hurrying into my shuttle. I wasn’t the only passenger but I might as well had been, no one talked to each other all eager to get to their hotel and crash. Lloyd gave me a quick history of Santa Fe and chatted about he and his wife while I looked out the window gazing at these amazingly bright stars. It was beautiful as I have not seen a starry night in so long. After an hour drive we finally arrived at my bed and breakfast, Casa del Toro! Paul the manager a talkative and friendly fellow gave me a city map and keys and we briefly talked about what to do over the next three days, I sleepily agreed and made my way to my suite. Hard wood floors squeaked as I walked in as the smell of burning leaves from outside followed me in the room. I felt like I was at home and my grandmother should be in the kitchen cooking something. The next morning I awoke to a most interesting  little city. The sun peeked through the curtains and looking out the window I could tell I was gonna love Santa Fe. The air was so crisp and dry, but it was invigorating. The sky was big and blue it seemed larger than usual because there are no tall trees. The buildings were mostly adobe with pink and brown terracotta  trimming. The structures are almost apart of the earth and had a very organic vibe.  Santa Fe has a public ordinance not allowing buildings to be over three-stories high. I like that for some reason. There was no cold, sterile steel. No imposing towering buildings to feel intimidated by. Every person I met seemed eager to talk and wanted to know what brought me to their city. My reply was simply ” uh…the art”. Santa Fe has a huge artist community and its known as the “City Different” for that reason. Ex-hippies, retired sculptors, painters, musicians and writers all make Santa Fe their home and you can see their influence all through the city. Exploring downtown armed with comfortable shoes and a map you can see the fire-engine red ristras (hand-strung red chilli peppers) hanging from most of the buildings giving it a uniquely Santa Fe feel. Someone said that the tradition started there over 400 years ago. Georgia O’Keeffe’s art is everywhere and the city is proud of its most famous artist (I’m a huge fan). Art galleries, jewelry stores, Native-American craft stores and unique boutiques are all situated near one another. The most popular cuisine is a combination of Native-American flair. I loved the southwestern dishes I tried, not your typical Tex-Mex. The food here is more organic using a lot of Native Navajo and Pueblo influences. However there are Japanese, French, Greek, Italian and fusion spots if you get bored with the southwestern stuff. Native-American merchants all line up near the Palace of Governors( located downtown) selling everything from the typical souvenirs to antique Navajo blankets and turquoise treasures. They are mostly Pueblo and Navajo and sometimes travel for hours from their reservations just to sell their crafts. Santa Fe is truly unique and you will find one-of-a kind pieces and crafts for sure so be prepared to spend a little. Talking to the Natives there was so educational their version of the historical events in New Mexico is totally different from what you read in the guides. They are warm, friendly and enthusiastic to share stories about growing up on “the rez”. My last day in Santa Fe was bittersweet and I didn’t want to leave. Trading in the colorful natural scenery for my gray urban landscape so was hard. One thing is for sure Santa Fe is the “City Different” and I hope to return soon. I will request Lloyd as my driver if he’s still around. 😉

Smiles,

E

*Please note there are NO direct flights to Santa Fe you must fly into Albuquerque International Airport and catch a shuttle to Santa Fe if you are not renting a car. I recommend Sandia Shuttle Lines for just $25 one-way. Checkout www.sandiashuttle.com for  daily schedules.

**Casa del Toro runs wonderful rates in the fall and winter months starting at $78.00 per night. They also offer free breakfasts every morning from 8:00-9:30am, Mariyela is the cook and she’s awesome! To book a room contact Paul at 866-476-1091 or checkout www.casadeltoro.com