Santa Fe

Once again it was time for our annual trip to Santa Fe to spend a few days with friends who are retirees of Farm Bureau.  4 couples were able to make it.  As always we have a good time visiting, eating and enjoying the time together.
We stopped at Denny's in El Reno for breakfast, then we headed west to Santa Fe.

We crossed the Texas state line.

Landscapes along the way

Crossing New Mexico state line

We stopped at the Glenrio Visitor Center just inside the New Mexico state line.

Mel checking out brochures 

The lady at the visitor center was very friendly and helpful.

Our brochures

Landforms in New Mexico

In one of the brochures about Santa Rosa we found discovered that there are 4 restaurants that were originals when Route 66 was the route out west.  We decided on Route 66 Restaurant. 

Inside the cafe

Neat how the backs of the bar stools spelled out Route 66 Cafe

Our waitress taking our order

You can't go to Santa Fe without stopping at Cline's Corners

Santa Fe in coming in view

Garret's Desert Inn where we stayed

Mel checking us in

Our room was on the bottom level

After checking in and getting settled we then went to visit.

Nellie and Marilyn

The guys - Reggie, Joe, Mel and Bill

That evening for dinner we walked to Restaurant 315.

The chalkboard listing the specials

The group at our table

Pat and Reggie

Nellie and Bill

Mel and Cathy

Joe and Marilyn

Our waitress

After a delicious meal we all "turned in".  Breakfast would be at La Plazuelo Restaurant inside the La Fonda Hotel.

Sights of Santa Fe along our walk to the La Fonda

Loretto Chapel 

Historic La Fonda Hotel 

Gathering for breakfast

I had purchased a cape or throw.  Nellie is checking it out.

After breakfast Mel and i went to El Rancho De Las Golondrinas (The Ranch of the Swallows),  a museum that showed Spanish Colonial Life in New Mexico.  This ranch was a stopping place on El Camino Real (The Royal Road) from Mexico City through Chihuahua to Old Santa Fe.
This ranch depicted life in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The lady explaining the layout of the settlement

With our map in hand we are waiting for our tour guide

Our book which described each thing on the ranch and also had a map of the ranch

One of our tour guides

This tour guide is an original descendant of one of the families, the Bacas,  that lived in this settlement.

The means of travel for the Spanish people when they came.

The group listening to the guide

The defensive tower

The corral

An outdoor oven that is still used today

The Country Store

Inside the store

Behind the guide are dried herbs.  The herbs were used for medicinal purposes for dye colors and for flavoring food.

This would help deter crime!

The root cellar where the vegetables and fruits were kept.  An interesting fact the guide told us:  to keep mice and rats from ruining the items stored, a bull snake was kept in the cellar.

The butchering area

Tapestry in one of the home

The American Girls Collection has a doll, Josefina, and book, Meet Josefina based on life on this ranch.

This tapestry is in the book

Another guide sitting

The kitchen area 

Above the fireplace is a "shepherd's bed.  One would definitely stay warm in that bed!

This basket hanging from the ceiling had a dual purpose - one for storage, the other for rocking the baby while the mother would be working.  Our guide told us that many times a rope would be tied from the basket to the arm of the mother.  She would move her arm to make the basket swing.  Creative don't you think?

In the basket now are dried squash slices that have been strung together.

The living room and bedroom combination

Sheep that are kept there

The church

Inside the tack room

Dining room

At the feet of our guide are the grinding tools they used for corn and beans

Women demonstrating spinning yarn from the sheep's wool

The weaving room

Blacksmith area

Their garden

The ranch was very interesting!  On week-ends they have more people there to demonstrate the different crafts and jobs that were done during that time period.

We headed back to Santa Fe to get a few items - one of the main item was fresh roasted peppers.

Lunch was at la casa sena, an outdoor restaurant close to the Governor's Palace.  

Mel waiting for our order

A first for us - blue corn meal muffins - delicious!

Chile Rellano

This pepper was stuffed with corn, squash, rice and cheese and had a unusual sweet sauce with it.

Unusual but definitely scrumptious!

Our last night we make pictures of the couples.

Marilyn and Joe

Pat and Regggie

Bill and Nellie

Cathy and Mel

Dinner this evening was at Del Charro

A table for 8 was not available so we sat at 2 separate tables.

The waitress taking our order

Once again we had a wonderful time with good friends.  All are looking forward to next year!