Santa Fe 12,13 14 May

We picked up a car and drove north along the Turquoise Trail to Santa Fe to meet Debbie and Dan.

On the way we passed through a few old mining towns. This is Madrid, now a hip arts community.

It's quite ramshackle actually.

We're very happy with our typical adobe house which we have for three nights.

First dinner was at La Fonda on the Plaza.

Waiting with Debbie and Dan to be seated for dinner.

Margaritas of course.

Rackoon Man seems to reside on the town Plaza.

Also on Santa Fe Plaza.

The shopping is amazing, everything from very high quality art to Indian headdresses.

Debbie bought a beautiful new native coat.

Although Bill and Dan love shopping!!!, they spent the time drinking coffee on the Plaza.

The Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi, built in 1869, has a French Romanesque style facade.



The interior of the Cathedral.

The altar.

The large font.

The rose window.

There is a bronze sculpture in Cathedral Park and representing a farmer’s family, a Spanish conquistador and a Franciscan friar.

Entrance to the Loretto Chapel.

The Loretto Chapel was built in the 1870's in Gothic style by French architects. It was supposedly modelled on St Chappelle in Paris. They must have run out of cash!

They did have a magnificent spiral staircase which winds upwards for 6 metres and makes two complete 360 degree turns. The spiral has no nails or centre support and it is the perfect craftsmanship that keeps it up. Legend has it that a mysterious carpenter appeared and built it for the nuns and vanished without seeking payment.

The Sam Miguel Mission was built around 1610 by Tlaxcala Indians who travelled from Mexico with the early Spanish settlers. It is claimed to be the oldest church in the US.

It has a beautiful carved wooden rerados (altarpiece).