Lubna How is it that we’ve been in Colorado more than sixteen years and never truly visited New Mexico?!
The thought sprung spontaneously as Azfar and I contemplated how best to spend the Labor Day long weekend. Considering that we had done much longer road trips in the past, the six hour journey did not seem daunting at all. Of course, there was plenty of push back from the kids, but the lure of a swimming pool seems to be the cure-all! Reservations were made, and we lucked out on the beautiful Hilton resort at Buffalo Thunder in Santa Fe. Bags were packed almost last minute, the car loaded, fueled up and we were on our way.
I can’t make up my mind as to what I enjoyed more: the road trip itself, or staying in Santa Fe.
For almost all of the journey, vibrant yellow sunflowers and sage lined the highways. If I was driving, I would probably have stopped every fifteen minutes to get out and take pictures, but Azfar was behind the wheel and I snapped happily from the passenger seat, the constant click of the shutters only to be drowned out by the songs blasting through the van. The kids took the back seat, stretched out, jamming to their own beats, sleeping on each other’s laps, only occasionally upsetting each other with some nagging or bickering. All the while, I kept counting my blessings that they were great company for each other!
Colorado drives are scenic no matter which way you go. It was New Mexico I was worried about!
Azfar decided to take the scenic route through Walsenberg and Taos. The change in the landscape was not dramatic as I had expected. Taos itself is ski-country, so the mountain landscape was not unfamiliar to us. We brought the Sangre De Cristo ( Blood of Christ) range trailing into New Mexico as we were not quite ready to give up on the Rockies just yet.
Open meadows, vibrant patches of wildflower fields, and patchy forests made
up most of the topography. Driving through Taos though, provided us with an early glimpse of what Santa Fe architecture would be like. With it’s quaint small town feel, colorful arts on display and clean lines of the rich adobe architecture, one feels compelled to explore the town on foot. We decided we would stop on our way back if we had time. With only two nights on our hands and a need to get back home in time for the kids’ school, our quick getaway had to be maximized on priority. Taos, catch you later!
A closer approach to Santa Fe, made for some interesting observations by the kids.
For example, the multitude of dollar stores hints to the recession in the economy. The scarcity of population; houses seem scattered scantly over the terrain. The landscape changes- the tall peaks giving way to flatter, rugged mountains.
In many respects, it reminded me of Arizona and even Dubai. The rich red color blends with the bone white boulders to give the land a unique feel. The Rio Grande river carves it way through the mountains as you near the outskirts of Santa Fe. The semi-arid and sparse vegetation provide a foreground to the shadows of the larger peaks in the distance. The adobe style of houses match well with the dry, desert region. Interestingly, they reminded me of villages in Pakistan and the mudbrick houses that are a common sight there.
Our hotel resembled the cliff dwellings itself, with more high-end amenities, of course!
One wing was a casino, and the other housed the hotel, restaurants, spa and pool. Upon entering the lobby, we were greeted by mariachi performers in full regalia. Being that it was Labor Day, there were a lot of guests in the hotel and both the outdoor and indoor pools were usually packed. Both the kids still managed to have their fun, especially soaking up in the hot tub. In fact, on one occasion it started raining while they were in the outdoor hot tub. Afternoon thunderstorms are pretty common, and makes for some fascinating lightening storms. It’s probably a good idea they were ushered out of the pool quickly! Relaxing in the rooms took on whole new meaning, thanks to a lovely outdoor terrace. Our room was west facing, so both evenings we enjoyed some dramatic sunsets from the comfort of our terrace, while sipping tea! The Hilton has four restaurants to choose from within the resort, so we didn’t have to go far to get food and refreshments. On our first night, we celebrated Haaris’ early birthday at The Painted Parrot Buffet with its rich array of desserts and delectable dishes. The Prime Rib was especially tender and a favorite for all of us. A bit pricey, however, for the range and quality of food, it was a good deal.
The Iguana Bar and Café also served up a delicious buffet of continental breakfast, and their dinner menu had some good choices like the fish tacos and beef fajitas. The kids and I had our first taste of soapapilla- fried bread with ice-cream and drizzled honey. We even passed by a soapapilla factory restaurant later on our trip, and I’m curious to know if theirs would taste even more authentic. Something to find out on our next visit for sure! Tip: If you stick to a favorite chain of hotels, you can build points through frequent travel. Azfar’s Diamond Class status meant we got some freebies like free breakfast for two.
The real treat for our visit came when we visited downtown Santa Fe.
Parking was conveniently and centrally located. Our first stop was Loretta’s Chapel. The gothic architecture stands out in the street. Local artists and vendors have their stalls set up outside the Chapel, adding a rich cultural flair to the environment. The tree outside the chapel had many necklaces and strings on it, reminding me of the shrines back in Pakistan, where worshippers tie up stringed knots as a ‘mannat’, only to be untied if their prayers are answered!
A few blocks down is the Museum of Contemporary Art with its rich, vibrant, art laden pillars. Across the street the Cathedral Basilica of St.Francis of Assisi stands majestically. We were lucky enough to hear the church bells ringing for mass, much like the Muslim call to prayer, the ‘Azaan’. The true delight of travel is the empathy one gains from exposure to different cultural and religious traditions! The loud gongs of the church bells resounded in a stately manner, filling the air with an urgency. We saw the priest in his religious garb, with a small procession, en route to his flock to deliver Mass. The inside of the cathedral is breathtaking. The colorful stained glass windows loom with their saintly images over humble worshippers sitting in their pews, and the high-arched painted ceilings give the cathedral and airy, spiritual feel. Tip: If you have time, take a quick stroll in the Reflection garden beside the church, which boasts realistic life sized sculptures of Jesus, nestled among pretty rose bushes. You can sit and muse on the symbolism of the thorns and fragility of the rose here.
A hop across the Palace St. takes you through storefronts and inner courtyards. Occasionally, you’ll catch a glimpse of a stone fountain spouting carelessly as tourists scramble by. On the other end of the street, you will find the Palace of the Governors. Its flag lined edifice is hard to miss, and a multitude of artisans sit with their wares in the cool corridors of the Palace. It is the state’s history museum and a historic landmark. We were lucky to see a festival in progress while we were there. The arts and crafts both in the festival booths and the surrounding shops, was amazing albeit pricy.
A hand painted terra cotta pot ranged from $200 – $3,000! One of our favorite shops was Seret and Sons. They are a giant storehouse of antiquities, ranging from carpets to hand carved furniture brought from all over the world. I’m still scratching my head over their marketing policy because they have no store website, photography is not allowed inside their store, and when we asked one of the employees for a business card, he said they didn’t have one! Yet the store is over 40 years old, sprawls over almost two block, and is loaded with gorgeous treasures! We literally had to peel ourselves away from it! Another gem that we found was a store that carried Turkish lamps and chandeliers. It was like being transported to a Turkish/Marrakesh heaven! Even the boys were fascinated by the beauty of the products. Again, a simple, lamp was anywhere from $200-$500 while the bigger ones were easily $3000 – $10,000. I figured it would be wiser if we saved up that money and visited Turkey instead!
Our drive back was through yet another scenic route.
We took I-285 all the way through the Carson National forest in New Mexico to the San Antonito in the San Luis Valley in Colorado. Throughout the way, hordes of sagebrush burning gold and displaying its fall colors, accompanied us. It’s strange that a plant that I took to be so ordinary could transform a landscape when it blooms en masse. It seemed as if God had taken his paintbrush and leisurely filled in colors as far as the eye could see. Tip: Fall is perhaps one of the best times to do a road trip through Colorado. Photo opportunities abound!
For our next visit…..
I would highly recommend Santa Fe to anyone looking for a quiet retreat or a quick getaway. However, it would be best if you have at least four nights to spare because there is really so much to do. Some things remain on my wish list for next time, like the Cliff Dwellings in the Bandalier National Park. That requires at least half a day, if you factor in driving time and hiking over there. I would have also liked to see the Georgio O’ Keefe art gallery, but judging by the fact that the kids were losing steam and have little interest in art galleries, I figured that would be something for when we come sans kids! Until then, I will sit and daydream about a quiet adobe house, with an inner courtyard and a verandah overlooking the gorgeous red mountains in the distance.
If you liked this post, do check out my post on Glenwood Springs as well!
