Two Days in Santa Fe

Before leaving New Mexico it was a no-brainer to spend a couple of days in Santa Fe. Here are a few photos that reflect the time I spent there this week.

I drove north on I-25 from the Sandia Resort to Santa Fe, about 50 miles away. Once in town, I took Hwy. 285 north through the heart of downtown and continued on north until I reached the small rural community of Tesuque. I visited the Shidoni Foundry and Sculpture Gardens located there, and it's a must-see if you like large bronze sculptures. I spent an hour or so walking the gardens and visiting the indoor gallery.

After leaving Tesuque, I drove to the plaza area of downtown Santa Fe. I parked near the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. I walked up a few blocks and turned the corner and saw the Burrito Company, a small café just of the plaza. I had lunch there.

After lunch I continued to take a walking tour of the downtown area. I took photos and visited some of the retail outlets. The sidewalk vendors were out, and I was reminded of them from previous visits. They sell their handmade jewelry, blankets, and leather goods. I took a number of photos of the plaza, and the Civil War memorial at its center. It was a beautiful day, and just warm enough for a nice walk. I strolled on past the Cathedral Basilica and took a lot of photos on my way back to the car.

I left downtown around 3 p.m. and set out to find a motel for the night. I knew that Cerrillos Ave. was "motel alley", so I drove in that direction. When I passed the El Rey Motel, I had to stop. I decided to stay away from the franchise motels and find a local place, and the El Rey looked promising. I’m glad I found the place. Built in the 1930s, and expanded since then, the place has a real charm to it. Very clean, very nice, very Santa Fe. (A picture of my room is on the right. Each room has it's own patio, a great feature.)

I cleaned up at the motel and departed for the Filmmakers Intensive Open House and Screenwriter’s Program at the College of Santa Fe. I really enjoyed the evening. I took a tour of their facilities (sound stages, editing rooms, classrooms, etc.) and then stayed for the program. There were 30-40 people in attendance, plus the staff and actors. The presentation included readings from a dozen screenplays, and then actors presented a short scene from each play after a brief introduction from the writer.

I woke up early on day two, Wednesday, and had a free breakfast courtesy of the El Rey: granola, peaches, toasts, a small muffin, orange juice and coffee. I then checked out and drove to downtown once again. I spent the morning walking the plaza area and taking photos. Then about noon I drove to the Canyon Road area, the premier location for the Santa Fe art scene. Galleries galore are located along the narrow street, about a half mile from downtown. I spent a couple of hours visiting various art galleries. I then went to the Photo-Eye Gallery and the Garcia Street Bookstore.

For a late lunch I went to Posa’s Restaurant. I found it on Rodeo street, a few miles east of the mall. It was a small, local, informal place so I knew the food was going to be great.

After lunch I found scenic Hwy. 14 on the map, wanting to take the “Turquoise Trail” back to ABQ. What a beautiful drive! Hwy. 14 is the only way to travel between ABQ and Santa Fe, especially if you want to see some beautiful scenery. Along the way there are numerous tourist stops, little shops that sell jewelry and all kinds of local art. Madrid is the place to stop and visit, located about halfway between ABQ and SF. Unfortunately, they were paving the street in Madrid at the time, making it a pain in the ass to get through. But I stopped and spent some time there amid the smell of a new blacktop road surface and piles of road dirt.

The wonderful views of the mountains south of Santa Fe along Hwy. 14 are worth the extra time it takes to maneuver along the two-lane highway. You will want to stop in Cerrillos and Madrid before making your way south to catch I-40 west that takes you into ABQ.