Albuquerque and Santa Fe

Our third destination has been just as memorable as the first two have been.  We started out our day yesterday by riding the Sandia Peak Tramway which is the world's longest aerial tramway.  It was about 58 degrees at the top, but was a nice change.  The valley was hazy but the views were still spectacular.  We had lunch at the High Finance Restaurant and when we got back outside encountered rain and colder weather.

After coming back down the mountain, we headed to Santa Fe which is a lovely city.  Along the way, we drove through three reservations - San Felipe, Santa Ana and Santo Domingo.  Also while driving across I-40 toward Albuquerque, we sometimes felt like we were in the SF Bay Area as we passed the cities of San Mateo, Santa Rosa and San Rafael.

Santa Fe will celebrate its 400th anniversary next year and is the oldest capital city in the US.  The architecture is exactly what you would expect. 

We started at the Plaza where an arts & crafts festival was in progress - right up our alley.  I purchased a small iron cross.  From there we walked around town to see the sights.  There's a multitude of museums - that we didn't get to, but would warrant a future visit.  There is also art everywhere - even the outdoor trash barrels at the state capitol are decorative.  Look for the cat sculpture in the 2nd picture.

We also visited the Cathedral Church of St. Francis Assisi.  Hopefully, my pictures convey the beauty of this church.  It's hard to put into words just how magnificent it is.  In the plaza outside the church, there are several statues and one is of Kateri Tekakwitha who was the first Indian of North America to be promoted a saint.   

On the way back to Albuquerque we stopped at the Sandia Resort & Casino, had dinner and played the slots for a little bit.  I didn't hit any jackpots, but only "donated" $25 so felt lucky at that.  In Arizona and in New Mexico, there is an abundance of Indian casinos.

This morning we head off toward Memphis.  Since it's a 2-day trip, we'll just drive today as far as we feel like driving and stop along the way for the night.  We hope to get at least as far as Oklahoma City.  Stay tuned and check out our NM photos.