IF: Wings

Did this several years ago- Mother Goose flying over Denver, Colorado....

A Pilgrimage in New Mexico

 

When we were down in Santa Fe, we took a little drive up Highway 76....

 

 

to the village of Chimayo, or the villages of Chimayo- it gets complicated...here's the wiki page on the area (Chimayo).

 

 

To say this area is steeped in religion and spirituality is an understatement, long considered a pilgrimage site by the Catholic church....unofficially. (long story- do hit the wiki page above.)

 

The Southwest is so interesting in the mix of beliefs. The Utes and Navajos are generally very leary of death- going out of their way not to be near it and live their lives away from it and then there is New Mexico- where cemetaries, even the run down ones hold a central place in the pueblos and villages...

 El Santuario de Chimayo is a chapel in Chimayo, legend to hold healing properties in its dirt- you walk into the sanctuary and there is a pronounced dip in the floor...

 

Those needing to be healed have been coming to Chimayo for a hundred years to buy and place candles in the sanctuary, pray at the chapel....

and  in a side room, dig some red dirt from the floor, which they might rub on themselves or even digest. The side room's wall, which you can't take pictures of, are lined with discarded crutches, walkers and pictures of loved ones in need of help...

 

Near the main chapel is the Santo Nino Chapel...

 

 

 

 

 

a bright colorful chapel devoted to children and lined with their toys and shoes.

 

All the way back to Santa Fe, if one looked closely, you could see what others had left behind on their pilgrimages through this amazing, awe inspiring land....

some were close....

and some on distant hills.

 



 

But there are many "sacred" places in New Mexico, shrines, and small chapels on the back roads near the Rio Grande river, like the Penitent chapel in Abiquiu, a story for another blog.

To ring in the New Year...



we walked up Canyon Road to do a little window shopping and admire the festive lights, Santa Fe style...

                 

peeking through "coyote" fences...

 and over gates...

to the private artist's homes and studios and dreaming of possible living here too...

 

Chilled we slipped into a gallery still open and aglow against the settling dusk....

 

 

 

Then we headed back to our hotel, but not before an inspired game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors"...

 

 

My kind of New Year's Eve... and in bed by 9:00! 

The Streets of Santa Fe...

 

 

Starbucks in Santa Fe off the plaza, where we spent much of our time over New Years decompressing from a busy holiday season....

 

The streets of Santa Fe were snowy on New Years, but for those who braved the cold it was a great way to welcome in 2013. Many celebrate the new year with loud parties at night, but for us it's wandering the streets of one of our favorite towns, snowy or not...
  

 

Another great thing about a snow day in Santa fe, is the line outside Pascals is short for breakfast, most days people gladly stand and wait, inside the tiny resturant or outside for more than a half hour to get a table....

  The big windows, lined with geraniums and steamy from the people inside....

We ate here both mornings, why mess with a good thing!