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Monday, 4/26/21: Santa Fe

Santa Fe is Art.

Santa Fe is art. Art is Santa Fe. I don’t know by what measure, but Wanda read that Santa Fe is the third largest art market in America. I believe it. That’s saying a lot for a city of only 84,000.


But art is everywhere. On the sidewalks, in the signage, in the galleries, along the road and highways, even the bridges are adorn with murals. And it isn’t just one style. There is, of course, plenty of Old Western and Native American art, but there is also modern art, dreamy impressionism art, abstract art, realism, caricatures, junk art, funky art, antique art......


Now here’s the thing. As eclectic as this menagerie is, it’s all classy, stunningly beautiful, and somehow wonderfully fits together. Santa Fe is a spectacular city. It is pristinely clean. It is prosperous. It has style.

Santa Fe is history. History is Santa Fe. It was founded in 1607 and designated the capital of the Spanish province in 1610. It has the oldest church still standing in the US. It was built in 1610. El Palacio Real is the oldest standing public building in the US. From 1610 to 1910, it was the home of hundreds of Governors and Captains General.

Kateri Tekakwitha, 1656-1680, the first Native American to become a saint in the Catholic Church.

Oldest house in the US - 1646.

Santa Fe is food. We luxuriated on a Black Forest pastry and the best coffee ever at an authentic French Creperie. I couldn’t believe it. It was straight out of Paris. Classy restaurants are everywhere with artistic settings and scrumptious menus.


Santa Fe is Taco Stands. And the Mexican food trucks? I died and went to heaven. Like Puerto Vallarta, these mobile restaurants are terrific. When the lowliest form of eatery serves fine cuisine, you know you are in food heaven.


We hunted down the Taco stand with the best review we could dig up - Compas Tacos. We passed up at least a hundred inviting trucks and stands to find this one. It was smaller than most stands, but size isn’t the determining factor. Our grilled steak burrito came with rice, beans, a moderately hot yellowish salsa, a big grilled jalapeno, and the biggest baddest burrito ever assembled. Just $9. Not knowing how big the burrito was going to be, we also ordered a half quesadilla.


Sadly, we ate in the car and I couldn’t get a photo of the food. You will have to take my word for it. It was scrumptious, huge, filling, and made our day.

The little cafe in the back of the Five and Dime store, formerly known as Woolworths. It is the home of the world famous Frito Pie. We had to try one - the word “pie” sucked us in. It was a bag of Fritos, with layers of beef chilli con carne, shredded cheese, and onions. I loved it as a one-time experience. Wanda said that she ate something like these at football games as a kid when she lived in Del Rio, Texas.

Plenty of fancier restaurants.

And finally, our delightful Taco stand - Compas Taco.

Being a compact small city, we got a fair representation of the city on our tour. The adobe-style neighborhoods, both working class and upper class, are nicely tucked into the hills. The desert landscaping is tastefully done. For a country boy, I liked this city.

Dave and Wanda

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