Santa Fe and Around the Way

I wanted to splurge at least one night on our Southwest road trip so I booked a deluxe room at La Fonda Hotel. The hotel is located in the city’s main tourist district, The Santa Fe Plaza. The block-long, adobe-style La Fonda has been in existence since 1610 and is on the list of National Historic Hotels. The hotel used to signify the endpoint of the Santa Fe Trail (trade route between Santa Fe and Missouri). Currently, the lobby displays an impressive model of the 1700's version of hotel and the surrounding area. Other attractions in the hotel include the American Indian and Spanish art that cover the walls, La Cantinita fine-dining restaurant, and La Fiesta Lounge where I saw an incredible jazz quartet perform. Whether or not you stay at the hotel, I think the lobby of this historic establishment is worth a walkthrough during your outing in The Plaza.

Despite all the exquisite splendor of the hotel, I was somewhat disappointed when I saw our room. It was not that there was anything defective. It was spacious and clean. All the wooden antique furniture is hand-made and hand-decorated. My problem was our deluxe room cost almost three times the rate of a room at a moderate hotel yet our room did not seem better than any other moderate hotel in which I’ve stayed. It became apparent that I had paid for location – not accommodations. The room had a king-sized bed, a couch, a dresser, an antique desk, cable TV, a large closet, and two storage trunks at the foot of the bed. Unfortunately, these trunks proved to be hazardous. My wife skinned her knee on one of them on her way to the bathroom in the middle of the night. The other annoyance was the thin walls of the room. We could hear the conversations of neighbors rather clearly.

I had originally planned to book the Third Night Free package advertised on the La Fonda website but was told it was not available on the dates we'd be in Santa Fe. Therefore, I only booked one night here. The situation turned out to be a blessing in disguise. An overnight stay at La Fonda was enough time for us to explore the shops, galleries, and historical sites of The Plaza. Furthermore, our remaining two nights were spent at the Homewood Suites Santa Fe located 15 miles north of The Plaza. The two nights there cost less than one night at La Fonda and was our favorite accommodation of our whole vacation.

As for La Fonda, I would stay there again if I got a nice rate – say less than $200 per night (including taxes). I loved being able to walk out of the hotel directly onto the Plaza. That said, the hotel is a good choice for those who love historic hotels and are visiting the Santa Fe Plaza without a car. If you don’t fall into that category, consider one of the multitudes of hotels outside the plaza district.

This hotel was our favorite accommodation of our road trip, yet it was very reasonably priced. It is located within the Pojoaque Pueblo territory about 15 miles north of the Santa Fe Plaza. This adobe building has an American Indian theme inside and out. There are paintings and sculptures of nature throughout the premises, all labeled "Courtesy of the Poeh Museum". Like all the accommodations in the hotel, ours had a living room, kitchen, and bedroom. In-room internet access is free. The kitchen had a sink, refrigerator, dishes, dishwasher, and microwave oven. There are televisions in the living room and bedroom. Our king-sized bed was very comfortable. Housekeeping did an excellent job keeping the whole place spotless. They even left little handwritten notes wishing us a pleasant day.

We had originally planned to spend our three nights in Santa Fe at La Fonda Hotel, but ended up booking one night at La Fonda and two nights at the Homewood Suites after finding out La Fonda’s "Third Night Free" package was night available on the dates we’d be in Santa Fe. We were really happy things turned out this way since our two nights at the Homewood were less expensive than our one night at La Fonda. We were even happier with the situation when we found out breakfast and a light dinner buffet is served free of charge daily at the Homewood.

Other than the golf course on the property, there is pretty much nothing near the hotel - at least not in walking distance. The friendly receptionist told us this will change in 2008 with the completion of the Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort & Spa at Buffalo Thunder on the premises. It will feature a casino and restaurants. Construction was in full swing while we were there.

Fortunately, the Homewood didn’t seem so isolated once we got in our rental car. The attractions we visited had approximate driving times of: Santa Fe Plaza -> 15 minutes; Chimayo -> 20 minutes; Bandelier National Monument -> 30 minutes. If you decide to stay at the Homewood Suites, make sure you book through their website as there are several categories of discounted rates to choose from (i.e., AAA membership, government/military, etc.).

This park is known for the ancient Indian dwellings of its Frijoles Canyon. We spent about 1.5 hours walking the 1-mile Main Loop Trail that begins and ends at the visitor center. A park ranger narrated the first 1/4 mile and then left us to explore on our own. I was glad we did the guided portion of the hike; otherwise, we would have walked by so many treasures without knowing the significance. The ranger pointed out different types of volcanic rocks that had uses such as arrow heads and carving tools. She showed the many uses of the yucca plant. For example, the Indians used it as soap. She showed us how the roots become sudsy when added to water. We were shown a large round, stone-walled pit in the ground called a kiva. It is believed the Indians used this for ceremonies and meetings.

In addition to ground dwellings, the people that once lived in this area also carved homes into the rocky cliffs. They etched pictures of people and nature into the outer walls. These petroglyphs became easier to spot after the ranger pointed out one. It is amazing that these sites still exist after hundreds of years.

The ranger concluded her tour after about 20 minutes and left us alone to travel the rest of the trail. We climbed ladders to take a peek inside some of the cliff dwellings. You can still see the smoke stains on the ceilings from the fires the Indians used centuries ago. We continued along the path trying to spot more rock drawings. It is believed there are thousands of ancient dwellings and artifacts throughout the park but the local tribal elders have not granted permission to the park services to excavate them. The sites are sacred to the local pueblo and thus remain undisturbed.

The Main Loop trail is just one of many trails in the park. They vary in length and difficulty. Maps can be purchased in the Visitor Center for a dollar. While at the Visitor Center, be sure to spend 10 to 15 minutes walking through the small museum. It was here that we saw artifacts, dioramas, and life-sized models that depict life for the original inhabitants of Bandelier centuries ago. Snacks and souvenirs can be purchased at the gift shop adjacent the Visitor Center.

Seeing the legendary Miraculous Staircase made our 20-minute visit to Loretto Chapel a fascinating stop during our day of sightseeing in the Santa Fe Plaza. The story of the stairs began with the chapel's construction that was completed in the 1870's but without a means to get to the choir loft. There was no room to build a staircase in this small sanctuary. The nuns of the church prayed a novena to St. Joseph the Carpenter. On the ninth day, a man carrying a hammer, a saw, and water showed up offering to build a staircase. Upon completion of the staircase several months later, the man disappeared without asking for payment and was never heard from again. The spiral staircase the mysterious man built contains two 360-degree turns with no visible means of support! Furthermore, it was built without nails - only wooden pegs. The staircase has been the subject of TV specials and movies.

Loretto Chapel is now a privately-owned museum. There is a small entrance fee ($2.50/person at the time of our visit). Inside the dimly-lit sanctuary, there is a continuous audio playing that tells the story of the Miraculous Staircase. Although supports and banisters were added to the stairway at the request of the nuns several years after construction, it is roped off today to prevent visitors from climbing it. Of course there are always those who want to bend the rules. We saw some adult tourists push the rope aside so they could have their picture taken on the steps. Fortunately, the others in their group told them to put the rope back and to come away from the steps. Unbelievable! We finished up our chapel visit with a quick look through the adjacent gift shop where religious souvenirs and books are sold.

Loretto Chapel is located behind La Fonda Hotel and is only a short walk from the center of the Santa Fe Plaza. Hearing the story of the Miraculous Staircase and entering the peaceful sanctuary made Loretto Chapel a worthwhile stop during our time in Santa Fe.

The Museum of International Folk Art is a tribute to the common or folk people from around the world. Browsing the exhibits here can keep you occupied for at least 3 hours.

The museum is not far from the Santa Fe Plaza but far enough you will need a vehicle to get there. It is located in the Museum Hill complex along with the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian. Multi-day passes for all the museums can be purchased. Since we were limited on time, we only bought tickets for the Museum of International Folk Art.

We started off at the Girard Wing. Alexander Girard collected figurines and dolls from all over the world and put them on display in a huge room inside the museum. The pieces are displayed in detailed scenery much like a model railroad layout. There are replicas of Spanish marketplaces, African street scenes, European castles, and more. Some of these scenes contain hundreds of figurines.

While making our way through this exhibit, an enthusiastic lady invited my wife and me to join her overview tour. She led us through the whole museum at lightning pace. I was glad we took her tour because she provided some great information without us having to read every posted description. This allowed us to circle back on our own to learn more about the items that interested us.

The guide started off showing us the highlights of the Girard Wing we were already in. She pointed out interesting angles at which to view the layouts. From there, she took us through the Hispanic Heritage Wing. This wing is dedicated to the Spanish that colonized what is now New Mexico during the 17th and 18th centuries. They were pretty much cut off from Spain so they had to rely on family, faith, and ingenuity to survive. This wing contains the furniture, tools, jewelry, and tinwork of these early settlers. They made some impressive religious relics from tin.

Our tour guide skipped the temporary Needles and Pins exhibit because it just wasn't her cup of tea. Instead, she finished her tour by zipping us through the temporary Bamba exhibit that displayed a collection of Senegalese street art dedicated to the memory of the highly revered Islamic leader, Sheikh Amadou Bamba.

After the tour, my wife and I wandered the museum on our own visiting some of the displays that caught our eyes earlier. We spent most of this time in the Girard Wing and the temporary Bamba exhibit. We even took a stroll through the Needles and Pins wing that our tour guide neglected. It wasn't as bad as she made it sound. It contained examples of weaving looms, quilts, and clothing from all over the world.

We ended our visit to the museum in the gift shop with my wife perusing the jewelry counters and me skimming books about world cultures. Neither one of us bought anything.

At least a half-day visit to the Santa Fe Plaza should be considered for a Northern New Mexico vacation itinerary. Shoppers and art lovers might want to devote at least a full day here.

The Plaza is several blocks of shops, art galleries, restaurants, and historic sites. Works of the local Indian pueblos are sold here. Some of the common items are silver and turquoise jewelry, pottery, sculptures, and paintings. Some of the Indian artists sell their creations on the sidewalk lining the Palaces of the Governors and offer nice deals. Crafts representative of the Spanish and Southwest culture can also be purchased in a few of the shops and galleries. All of the items we saw in the Plaza seemed to be of good quality. Just be aware that many of the shopkeepers and artists begin closing their businesses between 4 and 5 PM.

Besides the shopping, there are several interesting historical sites to visit within the Santa Fe Plaza. The Plaza has existed since 1610. The Spanish often built their cities around central squares such as this. Some of the buildings surrounding the Plaza have been there for several centuries as well. The La Fonda Hotel in which we stayed one night has been around in various forms since 1610. We took quick looks at The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi where the Virgin Mary statue of 1626 stands and the 19th century Loretto Chapel to see the Miraculous Staircase that has been the subject of TV specials and movies. Since we did our Plaza sightseeing on a Monday, we didn’t get a chance to visit the Palace of the Governors that dates back to 1610 and was the meeting place of the rulers of the area Spanish settlements. This attraction is closed on Mondays.

There are several restaurants to choose from in the Plaza area. Some also have live music. Most of the restaurants serve Southwestern cuisine, but don’t worry if you are like me and don’t care for that type of food. There are other food options on the menus as well. We dined at the Blue Corn Café where I had the ribs & chicken basket and at the Rooftop Pizzeria. We were very pleased with both restaurants. The Santa Fe Plaza is a nice place to get a feel for the New Mexican culture that has evolved from the American Indian, Spanish, and U.S. frontiersman heritages.

El Santuario de Chimayo is located in the small town of Chimayo, approximately 30 scenic miles north of Santa Fe. This quaint Spanish-style Catholic church is visited by thousands of pilgrims each year.

The mystery that has made El Santuario de Chimayo legendary occurred in 1807 when a friar dug up a crucifix he was draw to by a light emanating from a hillside. Although the friar, relocated the crucifix to a church in Santa Cruz, NM several times, the cross always ended up in the same pit in Chimayo where it was originally found. After the third time the cross disappeared from Santa Cruz and reappeared in Chimayo, it was decided to leave it in Chimayo. A small chapel was built on this holy ground. Soon after, people began to tell stories of the miraculous healing they received from visiting the chapel. A larger shrine had to be built in 1816 as more and more people came to the site hoping to be healed.

We took a look inside the dark, rustic sanctuary but did not linger. The 11 AM mass was going to begin soon. Worshippers had already arrived and were praying the rosary aloud.

The original crucifix found in 1807 can still be seen on the altar of the main sanctuary, but it is the miraculous healing powers of the dirt pit in the chapel attached to the church that continues to draw visitors.

We entered the tiny chapel and saw the mementos left by the people that have been healed. They've left behind their crutches, canes, photos, and more. At the back of the chapel, there is a room containing the small, round dirt pit. There were two small sand shovels in the pit and some disposable cups on the window sill for visitors that wanted to take some of the dirt. Outside the chapel, I saw a few people rubbing the dirt on their bodies.

There are a handful of souvenir shacks on the premises that sell mainly religious items. The vendors are so friendly and pleasant to talk to. One of the shopkeepers was telling us that during Holy Week (week before Easter), more than 10,000 pilgrims come to Chimayo to pray and see the live Stations of the Cross reenactment. She has met people that have walked from as far as Albuquerque - 90 miles away!

There is a sign in the back of the main sanctuary indicating the Catholic Church has not officially recognized any miracles in Chimayo. The dirt comes from the surrounding desert and is blessed by the pastor just as he would bless water and other items to make them holy. However, spending a short time here and seeing all the testimonial items people have left behind, it is not a stretch of the imagination to believe that something extraordinary is going on here. My wife and I agreed that of all the places we visited during our road trip, El Santuario de Chimayo felt the most sacred.