Chile ristras are everywhere in New Mexico!  It is not just a proud decorative element but also the hanging of them in the sun serves a practical purpose!  The sun dries them to a crisp crimson color and gives them an earthy flavor.  There is only one kind of chile but two phases of development: each representing a different color.  The first is the immature green chiles which are the same as the red ones, just cut from the vine when younger and not hung in the sun.  The green chile is more mild and gives the impression of being sweeter than the red, but those that prefer the red, claim that they (the red) are more earthy, flavorful, and give a deeper, richer, more profound characteristic to the food.  To the "foreigner," just remember that green is less spicy than red (a subjective).  Both are also rather addictive because there is an compound in chiles called Capsaicin, which in a round about way releases endorphins in the brain.  Green chiles are often fire roasted in a large, oval, metal meshed drum and turned directly over a roaring fire until the skin is blistering and black.  They are then soaked in water and since there hasn't yet been a machine invented that can peel them, they are all peeled by hand!  The red chilies are sun dried, soaked in water, boiled and then blended into a liquid (often with various other spices), which can then be added or applied directly to anything.  That said...what do New Mexicans put their chile on?  The rest of us put cheese on cheeseburgers, and guacamole on enchiladas....so what do New Mexicans put their chile on?  The answer is quit simple:  EVERYTHING!  And when they put both green and red chile on it - they call it Christmas! 

To get to Sandia peak, one has to drive up to the base of the mountain through some rather beautiful scenery.  The Sandia Mountains are one of several ranges that make up the Cibola National Forest.  Once at the base, there is a welcome center where tourists can view an exhibit on the recreational history of the mountain as well as buy tramway tickets to the top.  They do advise that if you did not bring any cool weather wear, to purchase some in the gift center as the temperature at the top is significantly cooler than at the bottom.

The ride to the top is spectacularly beautiful and NOT for the feint of heart!  The tramway dangles from a wire that extends the length of the mountain, was built in 1964 (and not since replaced), and dangles above ravines over 1000 feet deep!  If you stand in the front windows, it appears as if you're within nearly jumping distance from the face of the mountain, however if you stand at the back, it is as if you are looking straight down at nothing but open air to Albuquerque, 1000's of feet below (Albuquerque's elevation is 5312 ft and the top of Sandia Peak is 10,378 ft)!  Two passengers on the ride down, literally turned green and had to sit on the floor, one with their eyes closed tightly shut, fingers in both ears, humming as if in some safe and magical place far, far away while rocking back and forth!  When the tramway conductor was asked if he sees that much, he replied, "hmmm, about once a week!"

When the tram is close to the top, it crosses over the deepest ravine and then seems to come nearly to a halt.  It significantly slows before a rock face and then seems to go vertical, the rock face passing directly in front as if the door to an elevator were left open!  This vertical ascent is for nearly 1000 feet straight up and once at the top, it docks.  The doors open and everyone has to step out...over a 4 to 5 inch gap between the tram and the overhanging platform, allowing travelers to see straight down (and imagine that a slight gust of wind could open that gap another inch or two, just enough to slip through....).  Once at the top, the views are breathtaking!  Literally.  The air is so thin and dry, that if you are fortunate enough to have flown in from sea level that morning, the sensation is lightheadedness and a feeling of slight dizziness...mountain air drunkenness!   After a few moments of walking around the platform, most do require a moment to sit.  The air is also significantly cooler, in the '40's (whereas it could have been in the '70's at the base).

At the top is another visitor center where people can rest, read about the history of the mountain and how the tram system was built or enjoy the view from the warmth of shelter.

On our first morning in Albuquerque, we threw open the curtains to take in the magnificent views of the mountains, vast dessert, and a horizon as far as the eye could see.  We saw all of that and much, much more!  The following morning, we counted 11 in the sky.  In Colorado, they ski; in Hawaii, they surf; in California, they drink wine; and in New Mexico, they balloon!  Each year, Albuquerque hosts the International Balloon Festival (but there are also several others) and when you arrive at the airport, they have miniature balloons hanging from the ceiling.  It is also a major tourism attraction with several outfitters ready to give you a lift!

Downtown Santa Fe is the oldest capital in the United States and is also the highest by elevation (Mile High City eat your heart out!).  Santa Fe is full of vibrant life and activity.  The center of downtown is the plaza where everyone comes for all sorts of reasons: local native Americans from the pueblos sell their hand-crafted wares in front of the Palace of the Governors (and it is easy to find very great and fair deals with them!), people get married at the Basilica, artists draw or paint, art studios abound, shopping ranges from Nambe and Lucchese to local western wear and ice cream.  There are also several museums and restaurants to visit.  It is also common, on hot days, to see dogs walking around in the plaza, stop in their tracks, decide "this looks as good a place as any," and just drop over as if playing dead for a much needed sun-nap.  At other times, especially on a saints day, Police will blockade streets so a procession may pass en route to the Basilica.

To become a Basilica, several criteria must be met:  First, it must hold a significant impact on the larger, surrounding communities;  second, be accorded special privileges by the Pope as a Basilica; and third, posses something significant regarding "their antiquity, dignity, historical value, architectural and artistic worth, and/or significance as centers of worship."  The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi was for a significant number of years, the only church and center of worship in the area and fulfilled all of the requirements for the designation.  Out front, of particular note, is a sculpture (by Estella Loretto of Jemez Pueblo) of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American to be canonized.

The interior of the Basilica is enormous and possesses an interesting artifact - Our Lady La Conquistadora - brought from Spain in 1625, it is the oldest representation of the Virgin Mary in the United States.  In the photos above, she is with candles behind a gate.  The architecture is stunning and every window is original stained glass except the windows over the alter.

Ceramic arts have been a part of the local pueblo culture for millenniums.   According to Elijah, of the Santa Clara Pueblo and a tour guide at the Puye Cliffs, some carbon dating at sites places life in the area as far back as 20,000 years ago.  Today, the art form still thrives but beware of the ceramics sold on the street:  they are most likely manufactured in a factory for tourists.  On the other hand, an authentic, hand crafted ceramic art piece is a collectable beauty and a genuine splendor!  A ceramic pot roughly the size of two hands put together may be valued at or around $350.  Larger, cauldron sized pieces, can go as high as $78,000.  Some are new pieces by current artists, whereas others may be carbon dated from 1,000 to 3,000 years old.  There are plenty of shops selling all kinds them to explore. 

The Puye Cliffs Dwellings are the ancient ruins of Santa Clara Pueblo native Americans, who live nearby and preserve the site.  The Christian name was given to them by the Spanish that came towards the end of the dwelling era (all tribes where given Christian names) but all of the tribes in the area, amongst themselves, still use their original names to this day.  The native American name in the Tewa language for the Santa Clara Pueblo is Puye, [14:46] which means "where the cottontail rabbits assemble" (pu = cottontail rabit and ye = to meet or to assemble).  The site was occupied from 850 A.D to 1580 A.D. and is a national historic landmark.

The cliff dwellings sit on the side of a giant mesa and provide spectacular views of the surrounding areas:  this allowed great protection against their enemies.  The Santa Claran's were a stationary native American group that farmed the land and lived peaceably.  However, other tribes such as the Navajo and Sioux were hunter/gatherer/wanderers.  Often, these warrior tribes would kill and pillage to steal the harvest in the absence of buffalo and facing starvation.  To defend themselves, the Santa Clarans had to move to a higher, more easily defensible position.  Fortunately for them, this area used to be volcanic.

A little more than a million years ago, near Santa Fe, one of the largest, young caldera volcanoes (a super volcano) on earth erupted.  The eruption was 100 times more powerful than Mt. Saint Helen's and the plumes of ash and sulfur circled the entire earth three times.  Most of it settled in the area (and as far away as Salt Lake City, El Paso, and parts of Wyoming) leaving very malleable volcanic tufa earth, which was easy to dig with rudimentary tools.  At it's peak, nearly 1500 families lived in these caves.

In 1907, Edgar Hewitt - a co-founder of the New Mexico Museum of Art - was granted permission to excavate the site on one condition:  he was not to exhume any remains.  Respecting the elders and their resting place is absolutely sacred and under no condition would this ever be acceptable.  Not long after beginning his excavation, bones started appearing in the museum.  The Santa Clarans went to him and immediately halted the excavation and he was ejected, never to return to Santa Claran lands.  Since, it has been forever forbidden to excavate the Puye Cliffs and thus very little is known about the interiors or what lies under the caves.

"If you should hear cracking.....jump into a cave or fling yourself off the cliff!" - Elijah, our Santa Claran guide.

One should never under-estimate the power of water, even in the dessert.  It gets between these minuscule mini-cracks and slowly enlarges them, penetrating deeper and deeper into the rock.  Eventually, over time, the weight of the rock causes it to break off like that of glacier chunks in Alaska. You most certainly don't want to be under one when two tons of volcanic rock breaks from the cliff.  Notice the massive size of the almost square cuttings on the hillside in the larger, expanded photo...they used to be a part of the cliff!

A Place Between Earth and Sky....

Because the caves were so malleable, often dust or small pieces would fall from the ceiling.  The dust had silicates (silicon is used to make glass and when the sun shines brightly on the ground - or even on the road below - the silicates sparkle, making it look like little diamonds are strewn everywhere), in them which caused respiratory problems (and also settled on the ground, where a lot of food preparation took place).  When they'd eat, these small particulates of silicate would grind away at their teeth, causing even greater health issues.  In a preventative effort, they took the ash from the cooking fires and lined the ceiling with it, as shown here.  The ash made the ceiling appear as if it were the night sky overhead and as they sat on the earth, the slogan, "A Place Between Earth and Sky," is doubly used (for the caves themselves and the interior dwellings) for promotions.

All along the cliffs one finds these circular holes.  These holes are where the wooden beams to the exterior homes (replica shown above) enter the cliff to stabilize the structure and to build upon (many were multi-floored buildings very similar to those at the Unesco World Heritage Taos Pueblo).  Like the multi-ton cubes that crack off, over time, the homes crumbled into little rocks on the hillside (also shown above).  Many of the caves have larger holes above the doors: these allow daylight to enter into the deepest rooms of the caverns as well as function as chimneys for their fires.

A survivor's reflector glass is truly an amazing device.  One another tour, a woman received a phone call from her husband.  He knew she was touring the cliffs and had arrived at the top of the ski resort 35 miles away, shown above.  He said, "I want to say, 'hi' and see if you all can see me."  Then, sure enough, there was a bright light flashing from the top of the mountain off in the distance. 

The vegetation up on the cliffs is quit beautiful but it is extremely important to be able to identify the various plants.  Some look like Thyme but are in fact "salt" plants - you can put them in a dish to add a natural sodium element, others are white sage which is used for incense and not cooking.  The Pinon Pine is the state tree and takes 7 years for the nut to blossom.  It is sweeter than a regular pine nut and the word Pinon is protected by state law.  Jimson Weed (Datura Stramonium/Devil's Trumpet/Angel's Trumpet) is very beautiful and blooms a white flower but it is also a very strong neurotoxin.  When ingested, insane hallucinations are often followed by urinary release failure, heavy respiration, low blood pressure, convulsions, comma and then death.  Every aspect of the plant is poisonous.

Santa Fe's most iconic, prominent, and well respected artist, Georgia O'Keeffe, found the flower to be so beautiful that she painted it several times.  Her painting Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 (1932) is the highest grossing sale of a female artist's work in the world.

In the 1960's a gentleman climbed up the cliffs with some friends (before being restricted to tours only) and thought he'd have some fun with the powerful hallucinogenic.  Ingesting only a very small amount, he went slightly insane and had to be carried down the cliffs to the visitor center.  After all of his friends had been holding him for some time, he appeared to have calmed down and seemed to have relaxed.  He stood staring at the night sky for a moment and then ran to one of the large trees and climbed it....and climbed it....and once at the top, continued to climb the tree.  He fell from the very top, graphically broke both his legs, and had to be air lifted to the nearest hospital.

All over the cliff face, ancient carvings are visible.  The tv show "Ancient Aliens" came to the site and saw the drawing of the man (with a head dress of Turkey feathers) and claimed it was proof that the forefathers were from outer space!  The circular carvings are sun dials: a stick of a certain length would be placed in the center hole and they would thus be able to identify the time of day and season.

The "Y" shaped carvings represent Turkey feet.  The turkey is very important in the local native American culture.  They represented wealth, good fortune and word off evil spirits.  To this day, when driving, you can see turkey feathers hanging from rear view mirrors.  This is meant to ward off evil spirits and bad luck.  As Elijah joked, he puts one in his car to avoid speeding tickets:  Under New Mexican law, anytime a government police officer pulls over a native American, they are also required to contact (and wait for) the tribal police.  They can not give a ticket without the tribal Police present.  Often, the tribal police work on tribal time and the police have better things to do than to wait.  Thus, in theory, if a policeman sees a mild violator with a turkey feather, he might just ignore the minor infraction.

The photo above of just the rock face is actually an ancient drawing of a horse.  It is not clearly visible unless water is thrown over the rock surface and then the image becomes very identifiable!  It is also slightly crooked - it was one of the rocks that made a cracking sound!

This is bizarrely the automobile company of choice in Santa Fe!  We have never seen so many!  Have fun with this when you're there....at first, you won't notice them but then you'll start to see them everywhere....in front of you, behind you, three or four in a row pulling in - one after the other - to Whole Foods.  You literally won't be able to walk a street without seeing at least one - they are everywhere!  There is at least one in each of the photos above.

The story of the Loretto Chapel begins with Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy, who was appointed by the church to New Mexico territory and was responsible for the establishment of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi (with the help of prominent citizens such as Abraham Staab who’s financial contributions made it possible.  It is believed that Lamy showed Staab his appreciation by having a Hebrew tetragrammatron inscribed in the keystone above the main portal to the Basilica).  When he arrived in New Mexico, he immediately recognized the immense need for help in establishing an education system and in spreading the word of God.  He dispatched many letters to Priests, Monks, and Nuns asking for anyone who could, to come.  In one letter he is quoted as writing, “I have 6000 Catholics and 600 Americans.”
 
The first to respond were the Sisters of Loretto, in Tennessee.  They experienced enormous hardship on the journey, including the loss of their Mother Superior to cholera and a dangerous wagon train passage through hostile native American territories.  Once arrived, they immediately began the lord’s work.
 
17 years later, Archbishop Lamy brought two French architects-builders from Paris (Antoine Mouly and his son) and began construction of the Basilica.  During the construction, Archbishop Lamy advised the sisters to use the two brothers to build their dream chapel.  As most of the clergy in the area were French, the Archbishops favorite Cathedral in Paris was Sainte-Chapelle, and Mr. Mouly had worked on it’s renovation; these influential aspects undoubtedly lead the nuns to chose a chapel in the Gothic Revival style and patterned after Sainte-Chapelle. The chapel is in stark contrast to the areas more common adobe styled architecture.

The stained glass windows were purchased from the Dubois Studio in Paris and sent via ship to New Orleans, where it then went up the Mississippi to St. Louis, where they were then transferred to wagons and brought to the chapel via the rugged Santa Fe trail.

Once the chapel was completed in 1878, the nuns noticed that they had forgotten to build a staircase to the upper choir loft.  The nuns consulted many architects and carpenters but due to the limited space of the small chapel, there quit simply just wasn’t enough room to build a staircase.  The only solution would be to build a ladder, however this wasn’t very practical either as many of the nuns believed they would not be able to manage the 22 feet and were fearful.  Perplexed and deeply concerned, the nuns performed a novena (an ancient Christian ritual of pious devotion involving incessant vocal prayers for nine straight days with the hope of obtaining a special act of grace and intervention) to St. Joseph – the saint of carpenters.
 
On the ninth day of prayer, a man named Jose came to the chapel (with a donkey and a box of rudimentary tools) seeking employment.  He had two conditions:  no one was to enter the chapel until the work was completed and to have a bible to read.  The nuns were delighted!  Everyday they would leave food and water for him just outside the chapel door as he never left.  Everyday, they heard hammering, sawing, and banging noises and then after about 6 months, all the noise suddenly stopped. 
 
The nuns were confused and worried, wondering what to do.  After a day or two, they decided to enter and found no trace of the man.  He apparently had simply left in the night, after completing the work, without remuneration.  What remained was the most beautiful, magnificent and bewildering staircase ever created.  The nuns searched far and wide for the man and even placed an ad in newspapers, but to no avail.
 
The staircase spirals a complete 360 degrees – twice – without any means of support.  It does not touch anything except the small connection at the upper choirs loft and the floor below, does not have any nails, and consists of exactly 33 stairs, one for each year of Jesus’ life.  To this day, its construction perplexes physicists, engineers, architects, and carpenters.  According to the laws of physics, if someone should place their foot on the stairwell, it should immediately collapse, yet people have been walking on it daily for more than 138 years.  Another mystery is the wood: No one had ever been able to identify its species nor its origins.
 
Then, on one of the tours of the chapel, a patron said, “I know a guy who does molecular research for the navy, I could give a piece of it to him if you like.”  The chapel agreed with the promise that the portion of wood would be returned. After a year and a half, the wood was returned with an analysis:  the wood was from a rare spruce tree that could only be found in northern Alaska and a subspecies from a wood that has only been found in petrified woods of the Middle East from thousands of years ago.

Canyon Road is a little more than a mile of avant gardists, Pompidou modernism, modern arts all lined up in a row.  Sporadically you will find some of the purest cuisine in the city along this road and it is a blissful, natural pleasure to wonder along it before the shops open in the early morning.  This is where and when you will meet locals doing the same thing....they stop and chat with each other and are welcoming to fellow walkers stopping to inquire or ask questions.  Locals are well traveled so if you just stepped off a flight from New York, Beijing or Paris, you'll fit right in!

Modernism is an expression of the artist.  Whereas Pompidou may be modern in concept, Canyon Road brings modernism into nature and it balances very well.  This is a can't miss walk!

And one thing you can't do in Paris, NYC, D.C. or San Fran.....is buy the art!  This is why Canyon Road is famous around the world!

And don't forget to watch, "Graves" on Epix, it takes place here and the Plaza Cafe is front and center!