Santa Fe with the Fam (cont.)

Breathtaking Bandelier

Day 4

We had a protein-packed breakfast at the rental, then loaded up in the car for the hour-long drive to Bandelier National Monument. I'd heard wonderful things about this huge U.S. National Park Service location (33,000 acres), which is the site of 11,000 years of human history. 

Be aware that once you arrive at the visitors center here (near Los Alamos), there's a good chance you'll have little to no cellular reception, so it's important to remember at least a little of how you navigated to this location. We arrived at around 10:30 a.m., parked the car, used the restroom, and explored the small museum in the visitors center. The information here will help you interpret what you see on the trail. 

You can climb right up into
ancient cliff dwellings!

Then, we were off! The day was wonderful for hiking, and we decided to take the main loop trail (which takes you past the remains of kivas, farming locations, and cliff dwellings) and add the out-and-back trail to Alcove House. All told, that would be roughly three miles (not counting all of the ladders to get into cliff dwellings and ascend to Alcove House). 

It can be difficult to comprehend how large numbers of people could be supported in such an arid climate. In the museum, however, we'd learned how clever these cultures had been, discovering that pumice absorbed water and then released it slowly over time. As such, they incorporated this material into their agricultural efforts. They used obsidian for arrowheads and basalt for pounding tools. Yucca plants provided fibers for things like sandals. Coupled with their carved homes, perched above the canyon floor for security, they were well on their way to having many of the things they needed to sustain life.

The beginning of the main loop trail offered dramatic views of the canyon and the surrounding cliffs. Pretty soon, we were climbing steep steps to the cliff dwellings, many of which could be accessed via wooden ladders. This was so cool! You could climb up, survey the kind of space a family might have for sleeping, take in the view they woke up to, and then move on to the next dwelling. 

I climbed up in the largest one, a kiva dwelling, which might have been used as a communal ceremonial space. It was so big that you could stand up in it. Impressive. From there, the trail descended back to the floor of the canyon, then we took the spur towards the base of Alcove House. This part of the trail is fairly flat and soft, through a wooded area and over a little creek. At the end, you can see the 4-5 ladders and sets of steps that you need to take to reach Alcove House, which sits high above the canyon floor. We decided were were up for it! 

A couple of the long ladders are a bit challenging, but luckily, we'd been in town for a number of days now, so we were more acclimated to the elevation. We successfully made it to the top, where it's thought that up to 25 people may have lived in a large, carved-out shelf in the rock. The remains of a small kiva can till be observed here. 

After taking in the view a bit, drinking a little water, and catching our breath, it was back down and back to the visitors center on the main loop trail. Our stomachs rumbling by this time, we backtracked to White Rock, where we had a late, tasty, filling lunch at Pig & Fig. I chose a mushroom ravioli with chicken, hubs had the signature sandwich, and Clay got chicken tenders. We loved this place! It was filled with a lot of professional types that I can only assume work at some of the Los Alamos National Lab installations we saw all over the area, and we tried eavesdropping on their conversations to find out what is going on behind all of those locked gates! Heh. 

At Alcove House at Bandelier

After lunch, we were beat. We headed back to the rental, but did stop briefly along the way to admire Camel Rock, which sits just off the interstate. The name is pretty self-explanatory, and there is a quick spot where motorists can pull over and walk out closer to the rock, which is fenced off to prevent climbing and vandalism. 

We arrived back at the unit in the late afternoon, and stayed close to home that night, nibbling snacks in the rental for dinner. 

Camel Rock!

Day 5

We breakfasted together at the rental, and then I headed to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi for a quick look inside. Though I'd admired the beauty of the structure from the outside on my previous trip to Santa Fe, I hadn't yet visited the interior. 

Happy feet at the cathedral

It's very impressive. The arched ceiling soars above, and the sun was shining brilliantly through the stained glass windows on the east side of the sanctuary, casting a kaleidoscope of colors onto floors and columns. I lit a prayer candle for my mother at one of the altars. A peaceful place.

Afterwards, I explored the grounds a bit before moving on to my next stop - the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. This attraction sits atop Museum Hill, offering glorious views of the mountains that surround Santa Fe. Though the museum itself doesn't allow photography inside, they had three really impressive exhibits: 

1.) A collection of turquoise and silver jewelry collected by curator H.P. Mera, who came to  New Mexico in 1932 with a pocket full of money and bought up heirlooms across the state from pawn shops/brokers. In the midst of the Great Depression, many native people had pawned these pieces to pay for necessities, so Mera was able to purchase large lots of very fine work for rock-bottom prices. (Opportunistic, that one.) 

2.) A completely glorious exhibit of contemporary glass called Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass. This collection will blow your mind. I was so, so impressed with it, particularly after our glass blowing class a couple of days before. I sorely wish the museum allowed photography, so I could show you just how amazing these pieces are, but you'll just have to trust me. 

3.) A collection of ancient objects that focus on the role of birds in Indian art and culture. Many of these pieces were thousands of years old, and it will boggle your mind to think of how many years that little clay jar in the glass cased in front of you had to survive so that you could rest your eyes on it today. 

Apache Mountain Spirit Dancer, by Craig Dan Goseyun,
dominates the shared plaza of the museums. 

The museum shares a plaza with the Museum of International Folk Art, and that shared plaza features some arresting sculpture, which *can* be photographed and is set against the sweeping mountain views. I walked the labyrinth here and appreciated the way the statues stood out in relief against the blue, blue sky.

By this time, my tummy was rumbling for lunch. Luckily, there's a museum cafe. I sat at a sunny outdoor table and feasted on duck flautas with a mango dipping sauce, served on a bed of mixed greens. Delicious. 

Our finished glass pieces!
Not too bad!

On the way back to the rental, I stopped back in at Liquid Light Glass to pick up our finished pieces, which turned out quite well! (I mean, no one is going to hire us to blow glass anytime soon, but the pieces look completely serviceable.) I took our treasures home and had a quick rest. 

Later that afternoon, the weather continued to warm up, so I decided some outdoor activity was in order. We'd been driving by two adjacent cemeteries - Rosario Cemetery and Santa Fe National Cemetery - all week. I thought they'd make for a pleasant walk. 

Completed in 1807, Rosario Cemetery features many old graves, some beautiful family mausoleums, and a WWII memorial. It's also the final resting place of many nuns and priests. At the Santa Fe National Cemetery (which is bigger than it looks at first glance), orderly rows of stones mark the graves of thousands of members of the armed forces. Several of the WWII Navajo code talkers are buried here, and there are also a few larger monuments to commemorate specific conflicts. As Veterans Day was nearing, the drive on the approach to this cemetery was festooned with American flags. 

At both cemeteries, the leaves were turning, and the sun was dappling the quiet grounds. I find that cemeteries are wonderful places for contemplation. One can't help but appreciate the arc of time, think about how to best put it to use, and call up the fondest memories of those one has lost. At a cemetery, death feels close, but not threatening. It feels like it might be well-deserved rest.

Santa Fe National Cemetery

The weather was wonderful - sunny, a bit breezy, and cool. After my walks, I drove to Kakawa Chocolate House for what many say is the best hot chocolate in the city. It would be difficult to argue. The shop offers several different varieties of "chocolate elixirs" as well as a wide selection of artisanal chocolates. For sipping, I chose a small cup of the Havana Rum variety with a dollop of whipped cream, which I enjoyed on one of their outdoor tables. Deep and rich. Before leaving, I also picked up a box of chocolates in several flavors - prickly pear, mezcal, pomegranate, etc., for sharing later.

Hot chocolate from Kakawa

After a break at the rental, it was out to dinner. We'd made reservations at La Boca, which I'd visited the last time I was in town. This great Spanish tapas place has tons of small plates to try! I ordered a glass of sangria, hubs got a pilsner, and we started to dig in. The three of us chose: 

• Patatas bravas, which are served with two sauces. (I loved the garlic aioli. No surprise there.)
• Bruschetta, which was topped with mushrooms, cream, and a soft fried egg.
• Grilled eggplant, which was done to a chewy texture and topped with cheese, capers and honey.
• New Mexico flatiron steak with a sea salt caramel sauce. (I'd had this dish the last time I was here. Divine.)
• Costillas - a delightful plate of BBQ pork ribs flavored with harissa and served with a vinegary slaw and some pickled vegetables. (This ended up being my favorite!)

We all sampled all of the choices, then moved on to dessert, the gateau basque (a vanilla cream tart with brandied cherries) and the pastel de almendras (a marzipan cake topped with fruit).  

Everything we tried was wonderful, and I love eating this way - lots of bites of lots of different, delicious things. Clay was a champ about trying everything and declared that the only thing he didn't like was the eggplant. 

After we finished eating, we strolled back to the rental and went to bed!

More to come . . . 

Tilting her face towards the sun and the wind. 
Gorgeous sculpture at the Museum of Indian
Arts and Culture.