Mumblings and Musings…

I love Santa Fe. As far as a vacation destination goes, I love everything about it. I have been around 15 times in the last 8 years and I still find more and more to do there. I usually drive there and I love how the terrain comes as such a refreshing surprise after traveling through hours of dry flat New Mexican desert. It is beautifully situated…in an open valley with mountains and hills all around. They are covered in Aspen and Pinon, and appear lumpy, as though someone threw a fragrant green blanket over a pile of laundry. In between the green of the Pinon you have the red and gold rock of the mountain. The pinon has such a unique smell….one that defines Santa Fe…smoky yet with a hint of sweet pine.

There is an ‘energy’ in the air that feels old and mystical. It is, in fact, the second oldest city in the United States after St. Petersburg, Florida. There are also heavy Spanish/Mexican/Native American influences in the buildings, food, and culture due to its long occupational history. All of the buildings in Santa Fe are subject to a strict building code and so everything is made from adobe and stucco. It has a charming and romantic effect.

Outdoor activities abound…there is skiing, snow shoeing, and sledding in the winter. There are also many natural hot springs you can hike to and a fabulous spa on the way down from the ski mountain, called Ten Thousand Waves. It is modeled after a Japanese Onsen and is very peaceful and relaxing. They have over 130 massage therapists on staff trained in a variety of modalities as well as many other types of treatments. There are also many public and private hot tubs and saunas for day/night use. It is the perfect answer to a day spent on the slopes or hiking in the mountains. During the summer, there is plenty of hiking to be done. Many hikes take you to a pretty waterfall or alpine lake. In the fall, the air is crisp and the Aspens all turn a deep yellow. The weather is very dry and almost always sunny.

In town, you will never run out of things to do. The picturesque plaza in the center of town has tons of high-end shops, most selling art, clothes, and gifts with a unique and southwestern feel. On Canyon road near the city center you have tons of great art studios and nice restaurants. There is also the stunningly situated Museum Hill..on top of a hill overlooking Santa Fe. It has a great Folk Art museum.

When you are done shopping and looking at art, you could attend a performance at the Lensic Theater downtown or at the Santa Fe Opera during the summer…a beautiful outdoor amphitheater right outside of town near the Flea Market(another fun place).

And, of course, there are the restaurants. Santa Fe is world renowned for its talented chefs and wonderful southwestern cuisine. It is rare that I find a restaurant that I don’t like. For breakfasts I love to go to Cloud Cliff Bakery or Pasquals. For a nice dinner it is hard to beat Geronimo or Santacafe. Last time I was there I sat next to Shirley Mclane and Parker Posey!

Santa Fe feels very much like it exists outside of time and place. It is a true escape from the real world and a terrific place to visit any season. I look forward to my next trip!

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 8th, 2008 at 4:22 pm and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.