Santa Fe Travel Diary

Word Pictures from Santa Fe

by Mike Clay

Santa Fe isn't Far

It is summertime in New Orleans, muggy and hot. This summer we went to Santa Fe for our vacation. Not a fancy trip, just a sightseeing tour where we load up the car and drive 1,200 miles. For 12 days we left our work a day life behind.

The drive was two days going and two days returning. We stopped at McDonalds and gas station quick stops across Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico. Triple A maps, and state maps kept us on course. The escape from work worries and home duties had created an excitement in me that I had privately enjoyed for many months. It was an adventure into the past and an easy dip into a culture much different than New Orleans. My heart said that this was going to be a real adventure.

It was Saturday and our vacation had begun. We were on the open road and Santa Fe was just ahead, even though 20 hours of driving was the price to pay. We listened to the radio, talked, played several audio book tapes that made the time pass fast. Just a note about playing audio book tapes on a trip, make sure that somebody helps the driver make all the required highway changes. Unfortunately, I have missed more than a few turns at the proper time, including some on this trip.

I love Santa Fe. At 7,000 feet altitude, it is a big change from New Orleans. Actually, it is a big change from most other places in the United States. The mountains are breathtaking, the valleys are immense, and the sky is almost near enough to touch. We were cautioned to remember that the oxygen level was much less than at sea level and to be sure to take the first two days slow.

The Plaza is in the heart of downtown Santa Fe. When you stand in the center of the Plaza and face north, you are facing the Palace of the Governors, which is the oldest seat of legislature in the United States. East of the Plaza is the Sangre de Cristo Mountains that overlook Santa Fe. The mountains are magnificent, especially in the late afternoon when they turn fiery red from the setting sun. The Santa Fe River runs across the center of downtown from east to west. Some of the museums are an easy walk from the Plaza. The narrow streets and lack of a methodical naming system makes getting around by auto confusing to the first time visitor unless you are from New Orleans. New Orleanians will be right at home.

We had a good meal at the Horseman’s Haven Cafe. It is located on Cerrillos Road near Interstate 25 and is part of a Texaco Service Station. This is a working folks café and they serve large hamburgers, big portions of northern New Mexican food, huge tumblers of iced tea and charge low prices. This is a mom and pop restaurant with a clean kitchen and down to earth style. Reminds me of some of our Chalmette eateries.