Stop #1: Santa Fe

Stop #1 on the road trip was Santa Fe, New Mexico. (We won't count the stop in El Paso- it was just to sleep.  Some quick words of advice: make sure you stop at EVERY gas station possible when traveling in west Texas! You never know when you'll see another one.)  Anyways, Santa Fe was a really great time.  It's a great blending of Native American, Spanish, Mexican and American cultures.

The architecture is what stands out about this city. Adobe and "Pueblo Revival" (sometimes called "Santa Fe Style") structures dominate the city, which constantly reminds you that you are in a place unlike any other.  These buildings blend in with the terrain in New Mexico- a rocky, desert-like climate, although Santa Fe is slightly more temperate than cities further south. Adobe is a time-tested building material, with structures still dating back as far as 500 B.C. in Iran.  It is most popular in desert climates because it offers coolness on the inside and durability on the outside.  When New Mexico was annexed by the United States in 1846, traditional style buildings homes began springing up.  In an effort to preserve "pueblo" character, an "adobe only" law was passed in 1912, requiring all new constructions to be this Santa Fe Revival-style.

The weather in Santa Fe was much more pleasant than I expected.  It was warm during the day but dropped down and became more cool as the sun went down. I would suggest dressing in layers if you're considering a visit.  There's differences in temperatures truly are "night and day"! 

The souvenirs from Santa Fe are probably my favorite of all my trips.  Two Kokopelli wall hangings, a wedding vase (I'm not endorsing this particular site, just giving readers an idea of what a Native American wedding vase is), some native pottery and a few "adobe" Christmas ornaments.  (The Christmas ornaments made great, unique gifts later!) Some of the gifts were purchased in the city square, which had craft vendors.  We purchased the Kokopelli dancers from a vendor called "The West Kept Secret." (Check out their website- they have the neatest home decor ever!) The Christmas ornaments were purchased from "The Shop" which had some of the coolest Christmas trees I've ever seen.  They had decorations, ornaments-- even chili pepper Christmas lights! 

  Adobe Architecture

"Oldest House"

 St. Francis Cathedral Basillica (St. Francis of Assisi) 

 Loretto Chapel 

Me and a fountain made of huge pieces of pottery

San Miguel Mission
("Oldest Church")

 The Blue Corn Cafe-- which had the BEST enchiladas and was very affordable!

 Santa Fe's Old Town Square lit up at dusk 

First Presbyterian Church

Tomorrow I will be posting a few videos of some "wind spinners" that could be found around the city.  They really can't be captured with a photograph, so check it out!