Day 29 (September 29, 2019) Santa Fe

Santa Fe

We had a really short drive today.  We had to go all of 15 miles.  We wanted to stay in La Fonda, a historic hotel located on the famous plaza and in the middle of the historic district.  Its price for Saturday was ridiculous so we stayed at resort just north of town.  Sunday's rate was much more reasonable.  We wanted to stay there because it was the hotel in which we stayed in Santa Fe many years ago.  It is also a first-class place.  I know that contradicts my previous statement that "historic" means "rustic".  La Fonda is upscale in every aspect.

The drive to our hotel yesterday and the drive into town today showed us how much Santa Fe had changed since we were last here.  Controlled-access 8 lane roads had replaced open-access 4 lane roads.  Casino after casino flourished whereas previously there were only a couple.  Supporting businesses were still building up the suburban area.

With that in mind, we didn't know what to expect when we got downtown.  We were amazed at the lack of change.  Nearly all of the same retail stores were there and in the same places.  The hotels were all in place, although one was under renovation.  It was like stepping back in time 20 years.  But I guess that is what historic districts are all about.  The one thing that didn't stay the same was prices.  Silver and turquoise jewelry was expensive and every shop on or near the plaza was outrageously expensive.  Susan concluded early on that she wouldn't find anything in that area.

The Plaza

Another thing that didn't change was the Indian Market.  Native Americans line one side of the plaza selling their jewelry displayed on the sidewalk.  It is very nice stuff and a good opportunity to interact with the artisans.

Indian Market

We spent the day walking around Santa Fe, visiting some old places and trying some new ones.  We had lunch at a French Bakery in La Fonda where Susan had a raspberry crepe she had been dreaming about for months.  The restaurant was exactly as it was 20 years ago.  The middle of the afternoon found us visiting a cidery on a balcony just off the plaza.  That was new.  We went to dinner at another favorite, the Pink Adobe, for another of Susan's anticipated meals.  On the way back to the hotel, I snapped a few pictures of chiles and some art at our favorite gallery.

After a long day of walking, we retired to our hotel for a well-deserved sleep.

Susan’s quote of the day:  “It's a great place to visit, but I'm glad we don't live here."  Santa Fe was one of the areas we considered for retirement.  I completely agree with her assessment.

The highlights - Santa Fe and the French Bakery.
The regrets - None.

Today's total miles - 25
Today's direct miles from hotel to hotel - 14
Today's miles on side trips - 11
Today's miles driven by Paul - 25
Today's miles driven by Susan - 0
Today's hours in car - 0.5
Total Miles Hiked - 3.0

Cumulative total miles - 7,480
Cumulative direct miles from hotel to hotel - 4,058
Cumulative miles on side trips - 3,422
Cumulative miles driven by Paul - 6,498
Cumulative miles driven by Susan - 587
Cumulative hours in car - 156
Cumulative Miles Hiked - 51.8