Santa Fe

August 30, 2016 we arrived safely in Santa Fe.


    We stopped in OKC on the way.  OKC is such a fun town! I think I could live there!  Had dinner at our favorite seafood place and the shrimp is the best.

  Anyway, onward.  We crossed the vast emptiness of the west Texas panhandle,  I keep imagining the pioneers crossing this land.  It is nice and flat, but horribly hot, dusty and empty of anything beautiful to break up the monotony.  Then, suddenly, we started seeing the rolling hills, desert scrub, arroyos and mesas. We had a big discussion over the difference between plateau, butte, and mesa. Found out that mesas and buttes are both plateaus.  The difference is the size. Difference between arroyos, gullies and gulches?  Again, size.  Yes, people, size does matter!  Ahhh, New Mexico

  By the way, anyone traveling on I-40 west from Amarillo, be sure to stop at Russell's Travel Center.  It is just past the Texas/New Mexico border.  It is a cute "must-see".  Part 50s diner, part truck stop, part restored old car museum with old filling station memorabilia, kiddie cars, model cars, etc.  We saw a beautifully restored 1955 corvette and many others that were spectacular.  Fun place to stop.



  Arrived mid-afternoon at the campground.  So good to see Michelle and Rich.  Campground is really cute and so New Mexico.  The only problem is that we have no cell service here (maybe that is a good thing).  We have wifi, but it is spotty.  Oh well, who needs it.

  Thursday was a crazy day!  We went to a strange interactive "museum" called MeowWolf.  It is very hard to describe, so I have included some pics and you can use your imagination.  I will also give you a few hints: We went thru a fireplace to another room. We went thru a refrigerator into another "dimension".  We saw a little boy swimming in a toilet.  Walked thru a neon jungle, etc. etc. etc.

   Friday we went hiking.  We drove up the mountain to Big Tesuque Trail (9700Ft).  We hiked for about 2 hrs.  Absolutely gorgeous scenery, mountain streams, aspen trees, pines, boulders, etc.  I had to take a few breaks to breathe.  I am going to say that is because of the altitude, not my physical condition (read that as OLD).  We ate at a beautiful Japanese restaurant after the hike. Pops and I both slept well that night!

                 

   Saturday we did the Tourist thing.  We walked Canyon Road for hours.  In and out of galleries and shops.  So much beautiful art and sculptures.  I fell in love with a bronze rabbit named Rosemary, but Pops wouldn't let me buy it ($2250).  Rats!  Then we had lunch at a tapas place.




  Sunday we went to look at some houses that Michelle and Rich are thinking of buying.  Beautiful places but maybe not the perfect one yet.  Then we went to another little shop that Michelle likes.  Had a good lunch at a Mexican restaurant.  Think ubiquitous New Mexican green chilies.  You   can't come to NM without finding green chilies everywhere.  Hint: Stay away from green chili margaritas (Yes, I have tried one-Yuck).

Monday is going to be rest day before leaving for Colorado and on to Utah.