Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico

From Bluewater Lake we drove first to Albuquerque and then on to Santa Fe, where we stayed 3 nights at the Trailer Ranch RV Resort. Our stop in Albuquerque was only a few hours but we had time to walk all around the historic district and have lunch in the lovely patio at Church Street Cafe. The restaurant itself is one of the oldest inhabited buildings in New Mexico having been built around 1706 by the Ruiz family. It remained in their family until the last member of the family residing there died in 1991 at 91 years old. Scott has been trying to eat Navajo tacos unsuccessfully until now. Due to COVID the Navajo nation has been closed as have many restaurants we normally would have been to. The tacos were good although somehow never measure up to the first ones he had many years ago.

One of the many courtyards around the historic center of Albuquerque that are lined with gift shops and galleries. The center had a garden of spring flowers, our first daffodils, and tulips.

We had programmed 3 nights in Santa Fe and they were busy days. The RV place was about 4 miles from the center of the city and very comfortable with shade trees and a nice laundromat. We did a lot of necessary shopping and projects. Home Depot, Office Depot, the Post Office, Walmart were all visited and I cooked and did laundry. On our first morning, we walked around the historic area, visited the Museum of Art, the Loretto Chapel, and had lunch at The Shed. This was the second The Shed for us, the first being in Mississippi. Both were excellent but quite different. This Shed was in a beautiful old home with a museum feel and brilliant Southwestern colors. 

This fun photo captured Scott and me at our table at The Shed in Santa Fe in the mirror behind us. Original paintings hung everywhere. To the right is a beautiful watercolor of the restaurant's entrance. 

In the afternoon we drove up to the Audobon Center along the Santa Fe River. Unfortunately, the Center was closed and high winds were kicking up the dust so we didn't get the hike we had planned. That afternoon was the windiest we had experienced with gusts up to 50 miles an hour. We were glad we weren't driving towing the trailer!

I'm get easily tired of gift shops and galleries, Scott enjoys them more, but the weaving and pottery in Santa Fe really impressed me. This bowl was amazing - sorry the photo is through the window.

The next day after accomplishing a lot of projects, we went hiking at the La Tierra north of the city. This tangle of trails has technical sections for bicycles and had a complicated system of numbered trails that perplexed us at first. There were beautiful views of the distant mountains. Our friend Andy Bond had recommended a nearby restaurant for lunch and it was great - Tesuque Village Market. Next, we stopped at the Santa Fe Opera House to admire its modern architecture framed by the views of the mountains. What a shame that last year's exciting season, announced in the posters, never happened.

The Tesuque Market Restaurant had lots of outdoor seating. I had Fish Tacos and Scott Posole Soup and a great Salad. Inside it functioned as a local general store with lots of great food to go. We succumbed to a piece of Key Lime Pie, which we took back to the trailer for our dessert that night.

The next day we were off for Taos and a visit to Andy Bond and his girlfriend Andrea. Andy's parents, our old friends Dick and Deborah were flying out to meet Andrea and would be arriving the next day. All covered in my next post.

Albuquerque had these lovely gates into
courtyards filled with flowers and shops.

The Plaza at Albuquerque

I love the Southwestern colors and adobe 
architecture!

The courtyard where we had lunch at Church
Street Cafe in Albuquerque

Alien beer? Local and delicious

The Museum of Art in Santa Fe had some amazing
exhibits of local artists.

People were smaller years ago!

The exhibit title of Breathe was illustrated by this
beautiful installation among many.

The Museum of Art building itself was a work of art. Here is one of two courtyards with sculpturesn.

The Palace of Governors was unfortunately closed.

As was the Museum of Contemporary
Native Arts

The Cathedral of St. Francis Assisi, which was
also closed.

My Chicken Enchiladas and Scott's
Posole Soup and Salad at The Shed.

Looking into the Courtyard at the
Shed.

The "Miraculous" Staircase at the
Loretta Chapel. We were there while
a guide gave a talk to a TV reporter
and camera man.

Honestly "crafts" of all kinds could
be found in the hundreds of shops
around Santa Fe

A view of our trail at La Tierra across to the mountains

There were heaters out on the porch
and patio but just in case you needed
some extra warmth, blankets were 
provided.

The modern Santa Fe Opera is located out of town
overlooking the mountains.

The view from the Opera House