New Mexico

For the last week, we (the family) have been in New Mexico for a restful and inspiring vacation. I have a great deal that I’d like to write about, particularly to publicize certain places we’ve visited. It is highly unlikely that I’ll be able to mention even a fraction of the placed we’ve been.

I would like to say that we stayed at one of the most amazing places: Rancho Jacona which is a 34 acre ranch with guest houses for rent located about 15 miles north of Santa Fe in the Pojoaque Valley. The houses are amazing! We stayed in Casa de Conejo (Rabbit House) which is a spacious three bedroom, two bath adobe. The whole place is super kid and pet friendly. There is an enclosed rabbit warren, sheep, goats, miniature donkeys, chickens, and a cadre of peacocks and peahens who wander about and frequently rest on the roofs of the houses. Some of the houses on the property are (according to the owner) just over 300 years old — the property being the former residence of the Roybal Family who were given a grant from the King of Spain to a huge area of land north of Santa Fe which now makes up the tribal lands of the Tesuque, Nambe and other settlements of Tewa Indians. Just a couple miles down the road toward Los Alamos is the Pueblo San Ildefonso and north of that about 4 miles toward Española is Pueblo Santa Clara. Rancho Jacona is sufficiently remote to be ultra quiet and relaxing, but is only a twenty minute drive into downtown Santa Fe, less than that to half a dozen spectacular Pueblos and other sites. It is an insignificant drive to the wonders of Abiquiú and Bandolier National Monument.

The entire area is the most beautiful landscape: hills peppered with juniper and cholla, sandy arroyos lined with towering cottonwoods and in late March the entire setting has a backdrop of sandy barrancas (cliffs) and snow-capped peaks.

A few other places that must be visited by anyone in Santa Fe: Museum Hill (specifically the Spanish Colonial Arts Museum which is a recent addition, but spectacular. It houses an impressive collection of Santos of all types (Bultos, Retablos) as well as items of silver, tin and traditional woodcarving. The Museum is in a spectacular 5,000 square foot adobe designed in 1930 by famed New Mexico architect John Gaw Meem.

The Santa Fe Children’s Museum: Let’s just say we took our kids there hopeful that it would keep them happy for an hour and three and a half hours later, we had to literally drag them out. Loads of fun for any child ages 3 to 13.

Finally, I should say that for new books, the place in Santa Fe is the Collected Works Bookstore. The demise of the small, independent bookstore is a tragedy of epic measure and every once in a while one comes cross a small store that resists the abuses of chain bookselling. Collected Works, like Fact and Fiction in Missoula, Montana is one such rare find.