When we got to Santa Fe it was close to noon so we went to Tomasita's restaurant for lunch. They have really great mexican food and they serve wonderful soapapillas. The soapapillas were huge and, when filled with honey, delicious.
After lunch we walked around the town and did some sight seeing and shopping. There are a lot of famous churches here. There is a lovely old church called Lorreto Chapel with an unusual staircase. The choir loft was built without a staircase, which wasn’t that unusual for small churches at that time (1877). A regular staircase would have used up almost a third of the space needed for pews. Ladders were often used to access choir lofts, but in this church the nuns didn’t want to climb up ladders so they prayed for an answer. An unknown carpenter created a circular staircase that used up very little space, making 2 tight circles. The stairs did not have any handrails until 1887, when the sisters decided that although the stairs were sturdy, they were too high to navigate with comfort without banisters. The added handrails are of darker wood and the combination is striking.
The altarpiece is made of wood and painted to look like marble, and the stations of the cross are made from marble dust. We are non-denominational so we we don't understand all the details, but it is beautiful.
And the Basilica of St. Francis is located in Santa Fe. We really like the ceiling in this one.
The San Miguel Church is supposed to be the oldest church in the US. It is built on the adobe walls and floor built by the Tlaxcalan Indians around 1610, under the direction of Franciscan fathers. Inside it retains some of the simpler artifacts.
Of course there are things besides churches here. For example, what is advertised
as the oldest house in the US is here. Portions of it date from 1610, although it’s not clear how much of that adobe remains.
And there are lots of stores markets. One side of the downtown square is reserved for only Native Indians, while the rest of the square is filled with other vendors.
After our exhausting shopping we did what we do best, eat. We went to the Route 66 Casino where if you get a players card you get a buffet lunch for $5.00. Well, we did just that. The food was great so if you are ever in the area check it out, you won't be disappointed.
The next day was low-key. We went to Rio Grande to buy some jewelry supplies. During our shopping trip I think all of us, including Clyde and Nancy got an education in jewelry making. It turns out there are many possibilities when it comes to findings, wire wrapping wire and tools. But we got through it, even though it did take us 2 trips.
Then we had to do the hard part of RVing, which is leaving friends. The few days we spent with Clyde and Nancy have been so enjoyable. Not only are they great tour guides but they are a lot of fun. We want to thank them for being great hosts and good friends, and can't wait to spend time with them again.
We started moving east again, and without a scheduled stop, we just kept moving. We drove out of New Mexico, across the Texas panhandle, and into Oklahoma before stopping around 9 pm at the Lucky Star Casino. Not only did they let us park there overnight, they let us know that we could hook up to an outlet for 20 amp power.
Thursday we drove to visit Randy’s sister Tina and her family near Lawton, Oklahoma. But it's close to midnight now, so this blog is closed for the night.
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