We’re here for a month and have been busy enjoying ourselves, which is why I haven’t been blogging about it. “In the moment” is an experience that seems hard to come by with all our online distractions. But that was my goal for this month and so far, so good.
“Is there really a month’s worth of things to do in Santa Fe?” a friend asked me a few weeks ago. Actually, there is so much to do here you couldn’t possibly do it all in a month. The sheer variety of museums, sights, adventures boggles my mind. In this post, I’ll give you a sense of the breadth of the place and some of the many reasons to visit Santa Fe.
Museum of Indian Arts & Culture
Museum Hill offer several different…that’s right… museums. We spent a few hours at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. We could have spent more time and probably will before we leave for home.
No photography allowed inside, so I shot a few exterior photos. Some amazing exhibits (including video interviews and an exceptional video on the traditional way of making Native American pottery) provided a fairly complete look at the culture. As expected, some of the artwork was scathingly critical of what one Native called “the predominant culture.”
Here’s a beautiful sculpture on the grounds:
There’s art in nature, too. Santa Fe clouds make their own art, every minute a different design. I could look at the sky for hours.
Yes, a fierce and menacing warrior outside the museum.
But down on The Plaza….
Back down on the plaza, it’s a non-stop people-watching fest. Oh, and dog-watching. My husband was taken with this cute little guy, who was so friendly!
But then, his protector appeared out of nowhere:
Umm, OK, we’ll move along, sir!
Petroglyphs
Early one morning, my husband joined our friends Dan and Ruth up in the nearby hills, where their strenuous rock scramble was rewarded by these sights:
Yes, petroglyphs. Hundreds of them, dating to prehistoric and Spanish colonial times.
Aren’t they amazing? They’re thought to have dated back to the 13th-17th centuries.
As we used to say in Tallahassee, truly “a mess of” petroglyphs!
Then again, no visit to Santa Fe is complete without a transition from the ancient to the mystical:
Stardreaming
How can I explain the magical property called Stardreaming?
Here’s the short story: a man (neovisionary artist James Jereb, PhD) had a vision to develop a new age site with labyrinths, temples, altars, prayer flags. So many crystals. It’s meant for meditation and mystical experiences, and we spent a few magical hours there.
Inside the Temple of Illumination, Quan Yin joined Ganesh and Buddha and, well others, to inspire us in meditation. You can just make out the bottom of one of Jereb’s paintings. And there were many.
I loved this altar in the Temple of Illumination.
And this.
The sky over Stardreaming featured clouds that were almost three-dimensional.
We were only in Santa Fe a few short days en route home from Scottsdale so we didn’t see all we wanted to see. But we did do a lot (and ate a lot)!!! Next time around I’ll have to be on the lookout for some of your suggestions. I’ll leave the rock climbing to your husband, Ruth and Dan!
Hi Carol! Your photos are AWESOME and I’m SURE you are having a fabulous time. I’ve never spent any time in Santa Fe although we have spent quite a bit of it in Taos. I also never heard of Stardreaming before you but they sound just up my alley too! Now I’m seriously putting Santa Fe on the “list.” Thank you for the inspriation! ~Kathy
I hate it that I’m not there! It looks amazing! I have been collecting Indian pottery for years and I bet they have some amazing pieces. Santa Fe is one of the places we haven’t visited before. I hope the workshop is an amazing success!
I’m only five hours north of Santa Fe and have never stayed or even stopped there, just driven past the exit. My sister used to go all the time and I never understand the allure. Now I do! Thank you. I’m adding a trip south to my summer itinerary!
Now I know precisely what I am missing out on. I must get to Santa Fe soon. Your descriptions and photos are fabulous – how fortunate you are to be able to spend so much time exploring such a special place.
O’Keefe. O’Keefe. O’Keefe. O’Keefe. Did I mention there is the Georgia O’Keefe Museum in Santa Fe that I absolutely adore? Oh, and I love SITE too! I could spend a month there… easily.
If you haven’t been to Abiqui and taken the special tour of her home and studio given by someone who used to work from her? Do it. I found the museum “eh” every time I’ve been there, including this time. But the home and studio? OMG.
Thank you for this list! We are possibly planning a stay down there in the next year to attend a wedding. I was wondering what sort of sight seeing things we could do and now my list is started.
I’ve never been to Santa Fe and have always wanted to visit. Your post does not disappoint in this way. The alters remind me of hoodoo alters here in New Orleans- fascinating!
After reading this, I want to book a trip to Santa Fe. Gotta love the internet…..through your blog, I feel like I just experienced a mini e- vacation to Santa Fe!
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We were only in Santa Fe a few short days en route home from Scottsdale so we didn’t see all we wanted to see. But we did do a lot (and ate a lot)!!! Next time around I’ll have to be on the lookout for some of your suggestions. I’ll leave the rock climbing to your husband, Ruth and Dan!
There is so much to do here!
We love the plaza in Santa Fe. It’s such a beautiful town in general!
It really is.
Oooo, I haven’t been to Santa Fe for a long time, but it’s still a favorite! Thanks for reminding me I need to go back!
Do it!
And the food…love the food there. I’ve even taken cooking classes there. Ok, now you make me want to go back. Right now.
We’re coming back next fall, come then!
Hi Carol! Your photos are AWESOME and I’m SURE you are having a fabulous time. I’ve never spent any time in Santa Fe although we have spent quite a bit of it in Taos. I also never heard of Stardreaming before you but they sound just up my alley too! Now I’m seriously putting Santa Fe on the “list.” Thank you for the inspriation! ~Kathy
Highly recommend.
I hate it that I’m not there! It looks amazing! I have been collecting Indian pottery for years and I bet they have some amazing pieces. Santa Fe is one of the places we haven’t visited before. I hope the workshop is an amazing success!
You definitely should, Rena!
I’m only five hours north of Santa Fe and have never stayed or even stopped there, just driven past the exit. My sister used to go all the time and I never understand the allure. Now I do! Thank you. I’m adding a trip south to my summer itinerary!
Oh and I have more coming!
Now I know precisely what I am missing out on. I must get to Santa Fe soon. Your descriptions and photos are fabulous – how fortunate you are to be able to spend so much time exploring such a special place.
I am lucky to have such a cool hubby who shares my interests.
O’Keefe. O’Keefe. O’Keefe. O’Keefe. Did I mention there is the Georgia O’Keefe Museum in Santa Fe that I absolutely adore? Oh, and I love SITE too! I could spend a month there… easily.
If you haven’t been to Abiqui and taken the special tour of her home and studio given by someone who used to work from her? Do it. I found the museum “eh” every time I’ve been there, including this time. But the home and studio? OMG.
This looks great, I wanna go!
Thank you for this list! We are possibly planning a stay down there in the next year to attend a wedding. I was wondering what sort of sight seeing things we could do and now my list is started.
I’ve never been to Santa Fe and have always wanted to visit. Your post does not disappoint in this way. The alters remind me of hoodoo alters here in New Orleans- fascinating!
After reading this, I want to book a trip to Santa Fe. Gotta love the internet…..through your blog, I feel like I just experienced a mini e- vacation to Santa Fe!
Santa Fe looks gorgeous…I wouldn’t want to waste precious moments (even a month of them) blogging, either! Enjoy your time!
I’ve been to Santa Fe once and loved all the petroglyphs, reminded me of Hawaii where I grew up. Great photos!
The hubby and I have Sante Fe on our must-see bucket list! Would love to go some time soon!
These are weird but pretty cool, looks like it was fun and interesting!
Never visited Santa Fe. Such interesting things there by the sounds of it.
Always wanted to check out Santa Fe. I’m definitely putting it on my travel bucket list.