MORE GREETINGS FROM SANTA FE,
New Mexico (NM) USA
The area around Santa Fe has lots of things to see and do.
Having covered the western side yesterday on the way in, today we headed north to visit the area around Taos. Just north of the town is the Taos Pueblo which is a UNESCO World Heritage area – believed to be one of the oldest continually inhabited communities in the United States. Unfortunately at this time of year it is closed.
However the drive between Santa Fe and Taos features a drive called the “High Road To Taos” which is designated as a Scenic Byway and takes in the Sangre de Christo Mountains. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t in our favour today with low cloud and patchy rain clinging to the mountains. However it did provide some great views from the high desert. It also takes in many Pueblo Indian villages and Spanish Land Grant villages. One of the later is Las Trampas which was granted in 1751. The villagers survived a smallpox epidemic and attack by Plains Indians and established the San Jose de Gracia Church in 1760 (finally completed in 1776) which is now a National Historic Landmark. To this day its mud-brick construction is maintained by the local villagers.
San Jose de Gracia Church
From Taos we headed a bit west to the Rio Grande Gorge. The Rio Grande river here follows a tectonic chasm in the flat landscape. The gorge is 240 metres deep and was formed about 29 million years ago from fault movements in the North American and Pacific plates. The bridge itself is about 170 metres and is the 7th highest bridge in the USA. As you approach it from the side, it is hardly visible until you are almost upon it.
At the Rio Grande Gorge bridge
The Gorge !
On the drive back to Santa Fe, we had numerous views of the spectacular cloud formations over mountain outcrops in the vast skyline.
Back in Santa Fe mid afternoon, we walked around the nearby “Santa Fe old town” which includes the Palace of the Governors. The building is an adobe structure which began construction between 1610 and 1620 (some dispute on the exact date) under the newly appointed governor of the Spanish territory at that time. It is the oldest continuously occupied public building in the USA. In the late 1870’s, then territorial governor Lew Wallace wrote the final parts of his book “Ben Hur” in this building.
Palace of the Governors
The palace is on a square plaza surrounded by many old adobe buildings. Not far from the plaza is the St Francis Cathedral built in the late 1800’s. Our walk around the town had us dodging thunderstorms and hail but luckily many of the buildings have overhanging verandahs under which we were able to keep out of the worst of the wet. After a stop for coffee, we were able to get back to our hotel in a break in storms.
St Francis Cathedral
By dinner time the rain had stopped and we went back into the old town to have dinner at La Plazuela in the La Fonda hotel. It was very popular and we had to wait about 45 minutes to get a table. The wait was worth it as the food was delicious – Adrienne had a fillet mignon and I had pork – both superbly cooked and so tender.
Tomorrow we start to head east – and start to get our kicks !
Today’s Trivia – Santa Fe’s full name is “La Villa Real de la Santa Fé de San Francisco de Asís – the Royal Town of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis of Assisi” !