Santa Fe is wondrous and so connected to my town, Los Alamos

Santa Fe is so beautiful with it's gorgeous old church, the hundreds of years old adobe buildings, and the jewelry and other crafts.  But, there is so much more.  However, I was slowed down by the altitude.  It was hard to catch my breath when I walked any distance and I felt a little wobbly now and then.  Even with those issues, which didn't seem to bother Steve as much, we saw a great deal.

First, in pride of place on the Plaza is the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, a beautiful example of soaring stone construction.  The Catholic parish is 400 years old, but the Cathedral was built between 1869 and 1886.  [I seem to love beautiful old architecture and churches are some of the best examples.  I am drawn to them like a moth. 😉]

Just by chance, we happened to come to Santa Fe when there is a show of art works that hang in the Prado Museum in Madrid; beautiful works by Titian, El Greco, Goya, Raphael, Velasquez, and many more.  [The Prado has a very diverse collection, probably due to the fact that Spain was the center of European empire for hundreds of years and they had the pick of art from far and wide.]  It's an outdoor display on the grounds of the Cathedral, basically quality printed signs weighted down with white sandbags.  Many are just portions of much larger works, but they are mesmerizing.  I can't wait to visit the Prado and see the actual paintings.

I know, "Well, show us some paintings!"  I may be able to add some photos later  of individual works because Steve took photos of the actual works of art.  But, you can see them online here.  The Prado in Santa Fe show goes from May 10 to October 29, 2017.

After that we walked past the New Mexico Native American Art Museum and other private galleries. [I wasn't up to the eye strain of a museum today, but they are pretty on the outside, too.]

There were so many jewelry stores and so much jewelry and handicrafts on display in an open market that it was truly mind boggling.  Vendors laid blankets out on the floor of the colonnade across from Santa Fe Plaza.  We wandered and looked at unbelievably beautiful jewelry, which was way beyond my meager pocketbook even in the outdoor market.  It seemed rude, though, to photograph the blankets of wares in front of the artisan and I was starting to feel very ill.  So, alas, no photographs unless Steve can contribute.

However, after a rest in a wonderful little French cafe (yes, French in Santa Fe!), we struck out again to see a few more shops and the Santa Fe Plaza itself.  Oddly, we came full circle back to Los Alamos in the oddest way and found 109 East Palace.

Several glasses of water and a small lunch fortified us. This is Steve looking for a  roof for the night.

Apparently, Oppenheimer had offices in Santa Fe for the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory.  They were in this building (below), which currently houses the Rainbow Man art/craft shop and courtyard.  We were told that Oppenheimer would enter through the courtyard, go past his private secretary into his inner sanctum.  This was probably a place to meet those who were not cleared to actually go into "the secret city" and to conduct other business.  The book 109 East Palace: Robert Oppenheimer and the Secret City of Los Alamos by Jenny Conant is a fascinating look at Oppenheimer's world during his time in Los Alamos and Santa Fe in the early 1940s.

As another plaque shows, this same building was almost destroyed in 1680 during the Great Indian Uprising, recycling at it's historical best.

Rainbow Man has been there ever since Oppenheimer left, apparently.

Santa Fe Plaza was busy today, but it will be much more busy next week.  We were told by one of the shop owners that Santa Fe is expecting 73,000 people to visit for the Santa Fe Indian Market. Here are some photos of the Plaza and surrounding streets.

Imagine my surprise to find Oregon Grape bushes in Santa Fe!

And more Oregon Grape.

I'm feeling much better after a rest at our motel (Pecos Trail Inn.  Yes, it's quaint, adobe, typical 1950s, but updated with tile floors.  I rather like it.)  Tomorrow, we are heading for Bandelier National Monument, which includes a huge prehistoric cliff dwelling site, and then the road to Espanola.  I expect disappointment en route to Espanola.  I've been told that the wonderful road of my childhood that felt like a roller coaster is no more, having been replaced with a superhighway.  I live in hope that the road still exists next to the super one.  Wish me luck.