Santa Fe, New Mexico
"...The moment I saw the brilliant, proud morning shine up over the deserts of Santa Fe, something stood still in my soul...In the magnificent fierce morning of New Mexico one sprang awake, a new part of the soul woke up suddenly, and the old world gave way to a new.”
— D.H.Lawrence
About
Santa Fe, New Mexico, is the oldest state capital in the US and dates back to 1610. It's a really unique, special place for several reasons:
- Heritage & Culture: Native American, Spanish, and Mexican traditions have mixed here for over 400 years, and you can see it everywhere in the adobe architecture (buildings made from sun-dried mud bricks), the food (distinct New Mexican cuisine blending ingredients from all cultures, like green chiles), and the festivals (it holds the largest Native American cultural festival in the US every August)
- Landscape: It sits at an elevation of 7,000ft in high desert, at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (southernmost part of the Rocky Mountains). I was told that the height, plus low haze, means that colours look more intense and shadows look sharper.
- Art: It was the first US location to be named a UNESCO Creative City for crafts and folk art and there are over 250 galleries and museums.
- Spirituality: The city is a spiritual vortex known for transformative energy. It's often grouped with Taos, New Mexico, and Sedona, Arizona (where I'm heading in 2 weeks!) as part of an energy network called the 'Southwest Mystic Triangle'.
Photos
I've tried to book boutique-type motels for my trip, the kind popular with people doing Route 66, and stayed at the Cottonwood Court Motel which was lovely.
Outside of the main historic centre, Santa Fe has one long highway (Cerillos Road) with lots of motels and diners, but few shops or attractions. It took me around 25 mins to walk into town.
The start of the historic centre route.
Everything around the main town leans towards jewellery, crafts, food, and Western clothing (cowboy hats, belts, silver buckles).
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi - this stands out amongst the adobe architecture of the city because it's in a French Romanesque style.
These hand-painted pillars are at the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) and were created by a Cherokee/Creek/Osage tribe artist called Yatika Starr Fields.
My trip coincided with Halloween and Dia de los Muertos celebrations, which meant the main plaza was full of decorated ofrendas (altars) and marigolds (the bright orange acts as a light to help spirits find their way home).
A mariachi band performing 'La Llorona' in the plaza, which is a traditional Mexican folk song about the legend of the weeping woman.
Palace of the Governors on Santa Fe plaza. The sellers in this photo are part of a program called 'Native American Artisans Portal Program', which lets visitors purchase authentic jewellery and other traditional items directly from members of federally recognised Native American tribes, pueblos, and nations in New Mexico.
Turquoise and silver jewellery - I bought a nice ear cuff from a woman with heritage from the Navajo and Ottawa nations.
There are more than 1,500 artisans authorised to take part in the Portal Program and all participants have to demonstrate mastery of their chosen craft during the application process.
Santa Fe was part of the historic Route 66, before the 1937 bypassing which cut roughly 100 miles and skipped the city altogether, creating a more direct east-west bypass from Santa Rosa straight through Moriarty and Albuquerque
An iconic symbol of the American Southwest - sun-bleached cow skulls are deeply tied to the desert landscape and ranching culture of Santa Fe.
These strings of dried, red chile peppers were hanging everywhere across the city and are called ristras. They symbolise welcome, good health, and good fortune in the Southwest.
A mix of styles and patterns including Mexican serape, Guatemalan textiles, and Navajo/Pueblo inspired weaving.
The San Miguel Chapel, which is recognised as the oldest church building in the United States.
The Georgia O'Keefe Museum. She was an artist who was most well-known for her close-up paintings of flowers and the desert landscapes of New Mexico.
Some different examples of her work.
I love how seriously Americans treat Halloween and Fall/Autumn. These were some of the pumpkin displays in Trader Joe's (a neighbourhood-style grocery store).
Can't finish this post without mentioning the crazy thunderstorm I was caught up in on my second day, which trapped us in Whole Foods for half an hour! People were saying it was the worst they'd ever seen in Santa Fe.
Thanks for reading - next up, I'll share my trip to Albuquerque for the Breaking Bad tour!