From Taos to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Before heading out, we stopped for breakfast burritos at a local food truck in Taos, Mary Jane’s, which has a great little selection, right next to a nice little coffee shop (the Coffee Apothecary) and local bakery.
On our way from Taos to Santa Fe, we took the back way down, stopping to visit the Santuario de Chimayo church en route. The main road to Santa Fe is itself beautiful, but this route, known as the High Road because of its higher elevation, is even nicer, taking local back roads that pass through local towns and villages, and the church, nestled in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, is a wonderful place to visit. Bev, Marguerite, and I stopped there when we were last here, in 2021.
The drive to Chimayo, where the church (or perhaps more correctly, the chapel) is lovely, looking out over classic New Mexico landscape.
Chimayo, like the area in general, is a quiet and serene small town set against the mountains, today framed by beautiful and intense blue skies that provide an incredible backdrop. The chapel, Santuario de Chimayo, or sanctuary at Chimayo, was established in 1816. It is a sanctuary indeed, a serene and spiritual place, and a part of a seemingly ageless history.
Kaye and I walked around the grounds, which are lovely and well-kept, and I released a little more of Bev here (well, her ashes), because we enjoyed this place so much, nestled away in time, in the small garden behind the pilgrim statue, which seemed an appropriate spot given my own journey. We enjoyed the chapel and surrounding buildings, grounds, structures, and art, as well as the gently cows grazing the field behind the chapel.
As we left, we had very thirst quenching Mexican popsicles (mine was strawberry, Kaye’s Mango), and I bought some hot chili pepper from a local store to be hand delivered to Marg when I see her in a couple of weeks, and then headed out on the scenic High Road for the remainder of the ride to Santa Fe, only about 40 miles south.
Coming into Santa Fe, now back on the main highway, is also lovely, with local style adobe buildings of all sizes (including local large casinos and resorts), along the highway and well kept and beautifully kept over passes decorated with indigenous art. Everything is so nice looking, well-presented, and in keeping with the environment and culture.
This is Kaye’s first time in this area, and I really hoped we could build Taos and Santa Fe into our itinerary, not only because the area, and these two towns, are so beautiful (and special), but because of how much Bev enjoyed the region and these towns. BGC (the Baltimore Girls Club) was also here many years ago, and Bev came back from that trip with a love of the area. Another important reason to come visit, and release some of Bev’s ashes, and happily have the opportunity to do that with Kaye.
Our first stop as we came into Santa Fe, because of its proximity to where we were, was Canyon Road, which is the art gallery center of Santa Fe, and an incredible area, with over one hundred galleries of all kinds, but all with incredible (and usually very expensive) art, including paintings, photography, sculptures, and outdoor installations, as well as shops and restaurants and smaller eateries. It is really an incredible street, not more than maybe half a mile. It is also surrounded by incredible homes and grounds. We checked on the price of one home in the area, valued at $3.5 million.
The weather was lovely, again in the 80’s, but the low 80’s today, with some occasional breeze, and later a little rain, and very comfortable when walking in the shade. It’s a helluva street to take in, and wander in and out of the many galleries and sculpture gardens. Because Bev and I (and now Kaye) enjoyed this road so very much, I released some of Bev’s ashes in one of the many sculpture gardens.
My one regret on Canyon Road was not getting into a store called Nathalie, a great clothing and other store, because not only is the boutique shop a great place to visit and browse, but there is a section of indigenous art in the back of the store, and the two times Bev and I previously visited, it featured art by Chessney Sevier.
After Canyon Road, we drove downtown. Actually, everything is within walkable distance in this area of Santa Fe, although maybe a 15-20 minute walk into town, and Bev and I did a lot of walking when we we were first here. In this case, though, Kaye and I drove, and gawked at some of the incredible, and incredibly expensive, homes, and we passed some of the spots where Bev and I walked and visited.
The Santa Fe Plaza is always lovely, and the streets leading up to and surrounding it, are equally nice. The Cathedral and Lorreto Chapel frame the square.
1610, on the Old Santa Fe Trail.
The Santa Fe Trail, start and finish. I was at the other end of the trail just a few days ago, in Dodge City, Kansas.
We finished our day in Santa Fe at the Osteria d’Assisi restaurant, on South Federal. I was very happy to find this place, as Bev and I ate here in 2019 and really liked the joint, and again with Marg in 2021.It seemed, and was, a fitting place to eat dinner. I was very happy to be here with Kaye, even though Bev couldn’t be here with us, except in spirit. ❤️
