Santa Fe, Again - I love this place!

Today, it was Santa Fe - one more time.  We had to browse the artisans again in the colonnade at Santa Fe Plaza and we bought a few things this time.  Shhh!  Don't tell our kids!

The Santa Fe Public Library in downtown was on my list because, of course, I cannot seem to pass a library in my travels.  This is an addiction that I am going to have to get under control.  Who know where it will lead?

The Children's Room at the public library.

This was a surprise discovery, but it made us feel a little more at home.

Last, we visited the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and it was incredible.  Here are some of my favorites.

No. 22 - Special, 1916/1917 and Anything, 1916.  I'm a sucker for bold color; I admit it.

Pond in the Woods, 1922

Inside the Tent, 1916 - this is photographed at an angle because of the glass reflection. It reminds me of my children.

Blue II, 1916 - still looks like a fetus ultrasound to me.

Pedernal, 1941/1942 - apparently one of her favorite places.

The two white sculptures were O'Keeffe's.  The other two are the  animal horns she sculpted from.

Green and White, 1957/1958 and Machu Picchu I, 1957

Couldn't resist.  This is a photo of O'Keeffe's Chow dog.  Reminds me of our Ginger.

Untitled (Tent at night), 1916.  She was a student at UVA, Charlottesville in 1916.

Then, we struck out for Gallup, New Mexico because Steve was enthralled with it.  Now that we are here in Gallup, it doesn't seem quite as interesting, except for the fact that it is situated on the old Route 66 which we plan to follow back across Arizona into California.  What I like is that it is farther north of the 116 degree heat of mid to southern Arizona.

Here are a few shots of that leg of the journey.  First, please look closely at the "empty" stretch of land in the next two photos.  Notice the dark green low tree/bushes randomly set about the scene?  I've been looking at these bushes for a long time and they remind of Monty Python every single time.  Remember Monty Python and the Holy Grail, when the opposing knights attacking the castle hide behind "shrubs" and keep hop/creeping forward?  These shrubs do not look real and they give me a slightly creepy feeling.  Can't you see them moving?  If not, "you mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberry."

Then, there was the Continental Divide and the beginning of Route 66, all in the same 200 feet.  I mean... what's up with that?

My guess is that this is the beginning of what's left of Rte 66.

Then, there were the train shots against the Red Rock landscape that Steve kept asking me to take.  They were taken with an iPhone 6s with the window rolled down in a car that was going about 75 mph.   I love this camera!

This is the caboose after several flat cars.

Tomorrow, we are skipping the Grand Canyon and streaking straight across Arizona to Kingman for the night.  Then, Wednesday we plan to streak again across California to get to the good part - the beaches, of course.  My wounded toe is still sore, but the scabs gone and it's almost ready for saltwater, the feel of gently lapping waves, and long walks on the sand.  Bring it on!

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.