The Hotel Chimayo

It is always good to have a plan for the first night in a new place - especially a place to stay.  My sister, FA, recommended the Hotel Chimayo, saying that it was right in the center of Santa Fe and not as pricy as the more luxurious hotels.  Well, it was right in the center of Santa Fe, but it was still pretty pricy according to our standards.  But we loved it.  And after a day of traveling, it was very nice to have a place waiting for us.

The first thing that you notice about the Hotel Chimayo are the hanging dried red peppers.  (We soon realized that these peppers are everywhere in northern New Mexico.)

 Our room was very comfortable; there was a "mission" feel to it that we didn't yet understand.

 It was late afternoon and starting to get COLD!  A bit colder than we expected, but we are hopefully ready for it.

 After just peanuts and pretzels on the Southwest Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale, we were starving.  There is this GREAT New Mexico restaurant connected with the hotel, so we headed there first.

 Got a great table back in a cubby hole corner ...

 ... and had the very best guacamole that I have ever had, anywhere ...

 We also had some really good Southwest food and the waiter talked us into flan for dessert.  It was all wonderful.

 Another view of the Hotel Chimayo ...

 There was still some daylight so we venture around town for a bit.  It seems that it is the architecture that is so unusual to our eyes, and so captivating ...

 This is the Cathedral of St. Francis, patron saint of Santa Fe ...

 Large crowd at the late afternoon Mass ...

 St. Francis and the wolf.  There were a lot of people with dogs hanging around the plaza in front of the Church.  I like that.

 Some girls with hoola hoops in the park...

 ... an EXCELLENT fiddle player.  He knew how to stomp his feet just in the right way ...

 Adobe ...

 John before a door for small people ...

 View from our window ...

 The arrangement of stick crosses on the wall in our room ...

 The overhead lighting in our room ...

 Closer view of the handmade crosses.  John says it is like stuff that Heather makes ... I am somehow fascinated by the simplicity yet transcendent feel of it ...

 ... almost like play ...

 ... another view from a window of the hotel ...

 ... view down the hall.  like I said, it is like a mission ...

 Photo on the wall ...

 Lobby of the hotel ...

 so many details, everywhere ...

 and always the hanging red chilis ...