Santa Fe & Taos, New Mexico, Dec 2003

Santa Fe was founded in 1610 by the Spanish and is the state capital of New Mexico. It's at an altitude of 7,000ft. It's an arty sort of place; too many art galleries selling overpriced paintings!  It's most famous inhabitant was the artist Georgia O'Keeffe who painted single flower blooms and landscapes.  At Christmas time, farolitas - tea lights placed in sand inside paper bags - are everywhere; on top of buildings, in gardens and especially in the plaza.  

The weather was extremely cold while we were there; below freezing most days but at least it was sunny.

We did a day trip to Bandelier National Monument which is the site of an ancient puebloan settlement (native Americans) which was inhabited from the 12th to 15th century.  They carved caves into the soft volcanic rock.  We climbed 140ft up wooden ladders to the Ceremonial Cave.

We also visited our friends from San Francisco who have a holiday house in Taos - it's a gorgeous little place on the mesa with fantastic views.

Taos is set between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Rio Grande river.  The Spanish missionaries arrived in 1598.  Kit Carson raised the Union flag to protect Taos from Confederate supporters. 

Taos has been a filming location for Easy Rider and Dennis Hopper owned a house here.  D H Lawrence wrote Sons and Lovers here and his erotic paintings that were banned in Britain were moved here and are now shown (for a fee) in the Hotel La Fonda.  The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge is just outside Taos and was in a scene in Natural Born Killers.  It's 650ft high and the 2nd highest suspension bridge in the US.

Click on a photo to enlarge

Santa Fe Plaza	At our casita in SF	El Rey Motel, SF
Bandalier National Monument
Sangre de Cristo mountains, nr Taos	Brian's House in Taos	Me and Brian
Rio Grande Gorge Bridge
San Miguel Mission, Santa Fe	Taos Plaza	Chilies & Farolita
Francisco de Assisi Church, Taos	Back of Francisco de Assisi Church