11 August 2000

This is were the writing style suddenly changes: you see the laptop stopped working in Santa Fe, so everything from hereon in is written after we got home -- but I took notes using (gasp!) pen and paper, and there was room in the camera for about 350 640x480 shots, so we were able to keep taking pictures. So, I'm copying my scrawled diary into the computer, editing it along the way, and adding thoughts prompted by the pictures. I'll be retaining the tenses I used when I scrawled, so "tomorrow" on this page means the 12th August, even though that's actually 18 days ago...

Anyway, without further ado:

We got up early "today" to get to the scheduled guided bus trip around Santa Fe - that seemed like the best way to see as much of this beautiful city as possible. We saw a lot of pretty things, and learned a load of useful trivia, like Santa Fe is the highest state capitol in the country, at 7,000 feet (not knowing that got someone knocked out of US Who Wants To Be A Millionaire).

Even the ATMs and garages in Santa Fe are built in the stucco pueblo-style -- the council planning regulations make sure of it.

We ate fajitas at an outdoor cafe attached to a hotel. As we ate, a very dapper looking policeman hung around chatting comfortably to some friends. After a while some large men turned up, dressed like bad guys in Miami Vice - jackets, shades, tan and ponytail. The cop said "how ya doin'", then discreetly got into his car and sped off. Clearly some corrupt payoff deal going on. Next a limousine turned up, and suddenly there were hordes of beefy, efficient looking people hanging around, clearly packing (else why would they be wearing jackets in this heat?), and a cheery senior citizen ambled out of the car, while people got his luggage for him.

Well, that was an interesting and eduational anecdote. I'm not getting rid of it now I've gone to the trouble of typing it.

In the afternoon we drove North West from Santa Fe to Bandalier National Park, site of a large ruined pueblo, some ancient cliff dwellings, and some rather nice natural rock formations.

We took an hour's walk or so - pretty hard going in the heat, and the dwellings are on the South-facing cliff, so there was no shade. At least the return journey, through the woods on the canyon floor, was in the shade.

We drove on to Albuquerque, choosing to continue on the quiet mountain road West of Bandalier, rather than returning to the Freeway in Santa Fe. This turned out to be quite a marathon drive, on very windy, forest-lined roads. Every couple of miles there was a "recreation park" -- fishing 'n' hunting places.

We turned the corner at one point, and before us was a huge green meadow. I don't know why it was there, but what a thing to find in a state known for its desert.

The motel in Albuquerque's old town had a laundry, so we got ours done, then stuffed ourselves with mexican food, and since we'd walked, Margharitas.

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