Week in Santa Fe

[Lydia]

Trip report:

We ( me & my SO Paula) spent a delightful week in Santa Fe (NM), and I thought my friends here might like a report - even though it has virtually nothing to do with CD. Unfortunately, mainly due to baggage limitations, Lydia was not able to go on the trip (except for panties and a nightgown). We traveled light - a small suitcase each - and my mini-laptop to keep up with email.

Hotel was lovely - the La Fonda - within short walk of all tourist stuff. Santa Fe is one huge tourist trap with shops and boutiques saturating the place. But fun. A prominent feature of the central plaza is the Indian (=Native American) market. Frankly, I found it disturbing and demeaning to see all these artisans (mostly women) sitting on the ground with their goods spread out on a blanket in front of them. It brings back Kipling-like visions of the savages selling their trinkets to the powerful white masters for cigarettes. It's a living!

However, the city (and area) is peaceful and well-behaved. The three major cultures - Mexican, Indian, Anglo - have developed a modus vivendi.

Lots of places to eat - although I am not a fan of hot spicy Tex-Mex food. We found a Parisian type of bistro with superb lunches - "Le Clafouterie."

The best of our visit (aside from the lovely weather -80's and dry) was attending their famous open air opera house. We saw a true old classic: Gounod's "Faust", and hilarious modern romp: "The Last Savage" by Menotti. The Gounod music was emotional and inspiring, while I have not laughed so much at the Menotti show since the last time I saw a Marx Brothers movie. But the venue, the opera house, alone was worth the admission price. If anyone visits Santa Fe, do it in opera season, and don't miss the theater. The view of the distant mountains at sunset is truly spectacular.

As usual, it is good to be home - even with 95' heat and 90% humidity (as opposed to the Santa Fe climate of 85' at 6%).

Love and Hugs,

Lydia

[KimberlyS]

Sounds like you had a good trip. Always nice to know what others are up to. And although it was not a CDing trip, for most of us it CDing is just a part of who we are and good to hear about how others live their whole life.

Thanks for sharing,

kimberlys cd
joe in a skirt

[Susan]

Lydia

a good advert for Santa Fe. Did you get a fee for writing it? (just jesting)

I am glad you and Paula had a good time

HUGS

[Carolynn]

I think we differ in several significant ways on what our emphasis would be over a trip to Santa Fe.

I had planned to be there over the weekend but my sister's death derailed those plains. My primary reason was to visit relatives, but also to attend the Native American Arts and Crafts Fair. Where you saw people being demeaned by sitting on the street selling their crafts, I see people profiting directly from their crafts instead of getting a pittance from the high end stores who then sell their stuff for a huge mark-up, and none of that going to the artisans.

I also make trips to the pueblos when I am there and visit with people I have become acquainted with over the years, often buying crafts for the museum I am part of for display, with their names and photographs so they may perhaps get more custom from those interested in Native American arts. The museum rarely spends less than $5,000 in any given pueblo.

As far as the Opera, I have run across many of the pretentious people (and no, I am not putting you in this group because you enjoy the opera -I enjoy some opera too, though I prefer Shakespear's plays) who have come for the "season", usually at parties where potential donors for the museum congregate as well. The opera people rarely, if ever, contribute to the support of those people who are setting on the street during the Fair, instead going to the upscale shops and buying there, if at all. And those people mainly spend time at the many social events (parties) where they can be seen by Those Who Matter, and fawning over the primary performers of the opera.

Different strokes for different folks, I suppose.

Carolynn