The Land of Enchantment

This morning takes us on another adventure. We are continuing west on our epic road trip across the United States, and we are entering new territory - New Mexico. Properly dubbed the land of enchantment. Enchantment really is the best way to describe this great state. The welcome center staff greets you and offers you countless free books and magazines. If you ever drive to New Mexico, you won’t need to buy any travel guides before you come because they will supply you completely. The landscape can be described as enchanting, mesmerizing, jaw-dropping, outrageous, gorgeous, splendid, remarkable. There are countless adjectives, but few will rarely give the landscape justice. A swirl of colors stretches for miles and miles in front of the road. The road climbs up and down the hills with red mountains far off in the distance. The sky here seems bigger than the sky back East. I know that technically, it’s the same sky, but honestly, the two cannot be compared. This sky just opens up and swallows you. The clouds are the toppings, and you are the sky’s snack. The clouds are definitely bigger too. Big, white, puffy clouds “dot” the sky. If I could, I would jump up and jump among them. Ahhhh New Mexico, I just feel giddy driving through you. Honestly, my mood actually goes from happy to giddy the farther into this state, I get. I want to wear red, orange, and yellow, and hug everyone I see. Ok...maybe New Mexico is making me lose my mind. Or maybe it has something to do with the 75mph speed limit which technically means I can drive 80 or 85 mph...yes, I really do love this place!

Santa Fe is the oldest capitol in the United States, so of course, stopping there is absolutely mandatory. The city has beautiful architecture, great shopping, and vibrant culture, but the only thing we want to do is eat. Katelin says she feels that this trip is turning into a food adventure above all other things...and she’s probably right. Eating does seem to dominate our minds and our schedule, but hey eating the local food gives you a taste of the local people and culture, right? Yes, exactly! we decide to lunch at the Tia Sophia - a local (and a Giada De Laurentiis) favorite. A tiny little New Mexican style cafe nestled on West San Francisco just blocks from the main plaza, the restaurant is easy to miss if you aren’t looking for it. Walking in, the first thing to notice is that this place is filled more with locals than with tourists. Clearly it’s a gem that’s being preserved. Today’s special on the menu is a chicken enchilada smothered in a green and red chile (rightly named Christmas) alongside a chicken taco adjacent to beans and rice. All of it is mouth-watering delicious. Every layer has a flavor, and it almost makes you wonder if the food is trying to compete with the scenery. It’s all fresh prepared from family recipes passed down for generations. But the hands down best thing in the entire world is the Sopaipillas. Just saying it now makes my mouth water. Sopaipillas is fried bread that you drizzle in honey and then smother with cinnamon brown sugar. MMMMMMMMMM. IT’s the most surprising treat we’ve had and a wonderful way to end our fiery lunch. Eating these makes me want to eat the entire meal again just so I can get the Sopaipillas again. The only way to get over a giant lunch is to walk it off, and Santa Fe offers street after street of various little lunch spots to do so. Stores are filled with native clothing, leather clothing, dream catchers, shot glasses, and tons and tons of jewelry. Turquoise and coral are big here and the two gems are set in more ways than anyone can possibly imagine in rings, necklaces, earrings, and anklets. Some are reasonably priced and some are hundreds if not thousands of dollars. I ask one salesman why the giant range and he explains that it depends on what tribe made the jewelry, how well they cut the jewelry, and what kind of backing they used. Ahh the intricacies of fair trade. In the main plaza, we have a seat on the memorial to the soldiers and take in the conglomeration of people mingling around with one another. Cars circle the plaza honking and pushing their way through the throngs of people. Against the old word backdrop, the cars seem outrageously out of place. 

Next, we decide to witness a beauty in architecture. The first gothic chapel built west of the Mississippi, Loretto Chapel was known as a catholic girl’s school. Now it’s known as an architectural wonder because of the precise spiral staircase leading up to the choir loft. In the 1800’s, a mysterious man showed up and built the staircase for the ladies, and then disappeared without a trace or a name. He built the staircase with only a few tools and expected no payment. Some ask if he was an angel sent to help the nuns, but no one knows. In awe, we sit in silence for twenty minutes or so simply enjoying the splendor of the tiny chapel. The stain glass and the pews remind one of older days and the serenity there in unbeatable. Next, we go and check out pottery. Mom offers a man $20 for a $950 pot. Yes, $20 for $950. I run away in complete shock, but before I fully escape I hear her tell the man that a chicken would do her better because at least it can lay eggs! MOM! WOW!

We see the oldest house in the city and the oldest mission which are right next to one another. A pizza bar is now right next to them which seems a little out of place, but that’s life in Santa Fe. 

Of course, we have to eat one more time before we decide to call it a night. So we head over to the Blue Corn Cafe. Fresh chips and salsa, blue corn tacos, and more sopaipillas end our day in Santa Fe.  

Yeah, like Katelin said, food, food, food.

I’m not complaining.