First Stop - Santa Fe
We just spent our first few nights in the Airstream in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Dave and I have always loved Santa Fe but this was the first time we a.) visited with children and b.) traveled with a trailer. The first difference we noticed this trip was the amount of time it took us to drive there. We arrived quite late at night and had to set up camp in the dark. Of course, the flashlights were located in the bowels of the trailer (lesson learned.) Besides that, things went very smoothly! we stayed at Los Suenos De Santa Fe RV Resort which was very conveniently located in Santa Fe. The park does not offer many amenities yet the staff was friendly and the bathrooms were clean.
In spite of having only a short while to spend in Santa Fe we managed to fit in some great destinations. We spent the morning at El Rancho De Las Golondrinas, a historic ranch that now serves as a natural history museum. We loved Golondrinas! In addition to soaking up the local history you can also take in the natural beauty by hiking on one of several easy trails.
We ate lunch at Shake Foundation, a burger place that is a favorite of the locals. After placing our order at the walk-up window we ate at a picnic table located in a quaint outdoor courtyard . They have a number of gourmet burger options including Dave's choice, the Green Chile Burger with a fried egg on top. Dave wholeheartedly approved!
After lunch we explored Santa Fe's Historic Plaza. Our visit happened to coincide with the Plaza Arts and Crafts Festival. Artisans had set up tents in the main square. I would love to go back to the festival on another visit when I have more time to browse. As it was, we managed a little over an hour before the children were ready to move on. We also visited the Loretto Chapel on the Plaza, a historic Roman Catholic Church that dates back to the mid 1700's. It is home to an unusual floating Staircase. (a.k.a. "The Miraculous Staircase")
Upon learning that people lit the candles at the front alter rail and offered up prayers for things that concerned them Oliver asked to do the same. He paid his dollar and lit his candle and proceeded to pray that a cure for juvenile diabetes would be found. I already was moved by the beauty of the chapel and the story of the staircase but as Ollie offered up his prayer I truly lost it!
After the Plaza and a short siesta back at the trailer we ate dinner at Maria's. A New Mexican restaurant that is known for their margarita's, guacamole and homemade tortillas. We definitely recommend Maria's if you are looking for an excellent example of local cuisine!
The next morning we packed up the trailer in order to head to The Grand Canyon. However, we had to make one last stop at one of my favorite Santa Fe destinations. The Tesuque Pueblo Flea Market is a little bit off the beaten track but offers unique shopping and tasting experiences! The kids got a lesson in flicking a bull whip from an authentic cowboy and we all got to taste prickly pear cactus lemonade.
Our first days of our maiden voyage are now behind us. Santa Fe was a great way to begin. It is a little bittersweet moving on but we look forward to many more adventures on the road ahead! As I complete this post we are nearing Flagstaff and the next leg of our journey.
