In Old Town

First stop, old town. The Palace of the Governors, the main town plaza, the churches... best place to begin! The main plaza dates back four hundred years. St. Francis Catherdral is in the background.

Buying Jewelry at the Palace of the Governors

Native American artists certified by the state draw lots to sell their jewelry in front of the Palace of the Governors in the town plaza.

Finding the Right Piece

Janet always buys some new jewelry from the artists, but her main attraction is to a store just north of the Palace called The Rainbow Man where older pieces are available.

Courtyard Scene Near the Plaza

Just above The Rainbow Man is a building that served as the home for an official in old Santa Fe. A very rustic courtyard inside provides a strong sense of Old Santa Fe.

St. Francis Cathedral at Sunset

The present day St. Francis Cathedral was built between 1869 and 1886 on the same site as a chapel built in 1717, parts of which were incorporated into the newer construction and still visible today.

Historic House on Canyon Road

Canyon Road is just north of the main plaza where homes have been converted into high end art galleries. Amazing Native American antiques can be found in the Morning Star and Sherwoods
galleries that are unfortunately better than the collection found at the Native American Museum downtown. Janet is standing in front of a historical home that is being restored on Canyon Road.

Santa Fe Landscape

Our favorite museum in Santa Fe is the International Folk Art Museum. Four visits to the place might finally make a person familiar with all that's displayed inside. The museum is unexpectedly impressive. This shot was taken on Museum Hill.

Loretto Chapel

Taking a bad picture in Santa Fe is hard. The natural lighting is fantastic. This is Loretto Chapel, built between 1873 and 1878.

Loretto Chapel Staircase

Loretto Chapel is famous for the Miraculous Staircase that ascends to the balcony at the back of the church. There are no center or side supports! I've included a link that explains details for those interested. Besides being an engineering marvel, the staircase is visually elegant.

Mountain Walk

Canyon Road winds into the mountains above Santa Fe and ends at the Randall Davey Audubon Center. Janet and I spent Friday afternoon hiking through the hills at the center.

Wednesday Sunset

Wednesday evening we were driving along Paseo de Paralto when we came to the Cross of the Martyrs in Old Fort Marcy Park that overlooks downtown. I ran to the top of the hill and caught the last few seconds of sun.

Friday Sunset

On Friday, our last evening, we ate dinner at the Pink Adobe before going to an outdoor sauna at Ten Thousand Waves. Between dinner and the sauna we pulled over into the parking lot of a small office complex and watched our last New Mexican sunset.