Santa Fe, NM - Culture and People

I always try to get to know locals as I travel across the country by going to Meetup events. What I noticed in Santa Fe is that the majority of groups were older folks, and as I got to know the area better, I realized why. Santa Fe is an expensive area with arts being the center of the cultural identity of the city. The average age is 44 years old, much older that in Las Cruces at 32.5 and Albuquerque 37.1 according to the 2020 US Census Bureau. Out of the few groups that I found in Santa Fe, even fewer matched my interests. Besides, living in a remote area put another barrier for driving to dinner events etc. This was the first location where I did not attend any Meetup events. I must say that solitude in that place really suited me, so I think I made even less effort than usual to get out.

In general, people seemed to be nicer than in Colorado. It might be that I am generalizing here assuming that people in Denver and Co. Springs represent the whole population of Colorado, and I acknowledge that, but this has been my experience so far.

Weekends were my time to explore. The Old town was my favorite part. While a bit on a fancy side with a variety of galleries and expensive shops, I enjoyed its ambiance.

I really liked the architecture of buildings in Santa Fe. It wasn't just downtown that had earth-colored buildings made of adobe bricks, most houses were constructed in that way. It felt like I were in a different country.

Food was also delicious, although I didn't explore as many restaurants as I typically would. I visited a French restaurant Mille for brunch. The food ordered was excellent

Salmon crepe

Crepe with figs and feta cheese - savory dessert!

To explore more of the history, I visited Pecos National Historical Park. The park contains the ruins of Pecos Pueblo, a Native American settlement dating back to around 1100 A.D. The pueblo was a thriving trading and cultural center. Later, during the Spanish colonial period, two missions were established nearby: Mission Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles de Porciúncula de los Pecos and Mission San José de los Jémez. The park also covers a segment of the Santa Fe Trail, an important trade route during the 19th century. The ruins were impressive and offered a window into what life looked like years ago for the Pueblo settlement.

I also wanted to visit one of the local hot springs but had very little motivation to dip myself into a body of foul smelling (sulfur) hot water when the temperatures were so high.