Vive la Fiesta and the Cathedral Church of St Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, NM

Sooo, didja miss us?  Boy, what a whirlwind it's been, these last couple of days.  First off, let me just give a shout out to my love, Driver, for seeing what troubles I've had with my old lady phone and taking steps to figure out how to improve the situation, and then paid for it too!  Happy Anniversary, Love!!  And THANNNNK YOU!  The new one is fast, and accurate, and even takes good pictures.  Well, not necessarily this first one, as it too was taken from inside the car, looking out the windshield.  Nice to see just what I see, bugs and smears included, right?  So, it's a photo of the Historic Cathedral Church of St. Francis of Assisi.  I have always had a place in my heart for this particular saint and all the works he performed.

This congregation was established (and the first church built on this site) in 1610!  This is the oldest Catholic congregation in the USA.  The present building was constructed in 1886, and remodeled a bit in 1968, so, it's pretty old.  And you'll see, in really good shape for its age.  Inside, we'll see the longest venerated Madonna in the USA.  Tim, exactly what does that mean?

For some unknown reason, the twin towers have never been completed with the originally planned spires. 

Inside was amazing.  You could see a resemblance to the nave of the USAFA Cadet Chapel.  I'm guessing the architects of the Chapel were heavily influenced by the Romanesque structure here.

There are 12 stained glass windows throughout the nave, depicting 10 apostles and two evangelists.  They were made in Clermont-Ferrand, France, and installed in 1884!!!

This is the Baptismal Font, dedicated on Jun 3, 2001.  It's made of Brazilian granite, but crafted by local artists and metalsmiths.  

Here, in the Ambry, were oils of sacrament, but, notice, there's one specifically for the sick (the one on the right.  the only one whose name you can't fully see, go figure.)  I was tempted, but I refrained from breaking the glass to partake...but I was tempted.  Especially since we'd been on our feet all day and my back was screaming! They are used for ceremonies such as Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders and Anointing of the Sick.  

This is the Cathedra, also knows as the Bishop's Chair.  Can you see that staff to the left?  It's a brass pole, topped by a circle containing bells (the Tintinnabulum) and a small gold and red umbrella (the Umbrellino).  These symbols indicate that in 2005, Pope Benedict XVI raised the Cathedral rank to a Basilica, a church honored for its antiquity, authenticity and faith of the people.

Inside an alcove named Our Lady of Peace Chapel, is a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, created in Spain, in the 1400's (!!!), and brought to Santa Fe in 1625 by the Franciscan priest Fray Alonso Benavides.  "She is the oldest statue of Mary in the US," according to the plaque on the wall. Later in the day, at the Fiesta opening ceremonies, a replica of the statue was presented just prior to the invocation.

Just an interesting piece of trivia for you....

These little guys (I'm presuming are hand-carved, based on their individuality and price!) reminded me of Tim K, and they were hard to resist.  But, then again, we live in an RV, so space is somewhat limited, and once again, I refrained.

A very intricately and detailed statue of Saint Anthony of Padua.

Overhead, in the narthex (now, isn't THAT a fancy name for a foyer!) was another stunning example of stained glass.  I am not sure of the story line here...Tim?

And, as we left, we turned to admire the heavy bronze doors.  They were cast by a local artist and the 20 panels present the story of the Catholic Church in New Mexico.

But, first, the Fiesta!  Every city in New Mexico has their own Fiesta celebration, where they honor the past and look toward the future between the Spaniards (Mexicans) and the Native Americans (Anasazi Pueblos and Navajo, primarily).  Santa Fe's just so happened to open on Friday, the day we chose to visit downtown.  (The parking fee was raised to $15 for the occasion, and there was not a single place to park on the street; we know that to be true, 'cuz we circled and circled and circled.) So these pictures have been presented a bit out of order, but that's for clarity for you, my dear reader.  We actually parked behind the Basilica and walked back through the Cathedral campus to downtown, where the Fiesta was taking place.  When we were ready, we walked back to our car, with a short tour through the church, but I gave you all the church photos together so it would make more sense. So, Vive la Fiesta!  Couldn't resist the chocolate covered fig!  Yes, ONE fig.  Split two ways.  At $4 a pop, we could share. The couple was more than happy to find a sucker.  I mean customer.

Earlier, I had alluded to the invocation.  Well, prior to the invocation being given, there were some Native Dancers demonstrating a dance of sorts.  I don't know what sort, right off hand, and there was no one to ask, sorry.

This young man had half his face painted in turquoise and bells wrapped around his kneecaps.

Remember the Madonna statue inside the church?  Here is the traveling replica, being presented to the viewers for admiration. 

And, if you can enlarge this photo, you'll see the Spaniards & Catholics represented on the left, with the Native Americans on the right.  The invocation was given in the Governor's native Navajo (governor of the Navajo nation, not the gov of NM), and was LOOOONG.  The loose translation was explained as a call for mercy and understanding between peoples of all colors, creed and nationality.  And a request for continued blessings for all the community.  It really was moving, once we learned what was being said, especially given the troubling events of the past few days.

So, we were done with Fiesta, done with the church, and it was time to head back home.  At 5 o'clock.  On a Friday.  Couldn't have time it better if we'd tried!  Oh geeze.  Traffic here is something.  Something AWFUL!  We recognize that this is a capitol city, yes.  But, good golly, Miss Molly.  (HI MOLLY!! pet, pet, scritch the ear, scritch the other ear!) Traffic is horrendous!  I thought Ocala was bad.  This tops that, for sure!  I was sure glad to get back to the camper and get dinner started!  After a quick shower & wash up of dishes, it was time to head out to El Dorado, where the local club was dancing.  We found the dance hall with no troubles, and shortly after the dance started, we were treated to a wonderful sunset over the mountains.  Square Dance Etiquette dictated that I not leave the square to go get my camera for a photo, sorry.  I was good, so, no photo. We had a great time, danced with a couple that was headed to Fun Valley, CO, and they even knew Bouncing Bob and Cindy, from The Villages.  The promised to deliver yellow rocks on our behalf.  There was even another couple heading to FL for the winter, and they asked for dance times and places and recommendations; we were happy to oblige.  The caller was great, and she let us know about upcoming dances in Albuquerque.  One tomorrow, others during next week, when we'll be there. Yes, in case you were wondering, we behaved.  Mostly.  There were a few shortcuts taken, and yes, we might have switched a few times.  But only with a square we knew wouldn't be bothered. 

So, tonight, we are meeting up with Kelly & Marvin, whom we met in Florida, down at Myakka River State Park.  No telling what they've been up to!  Got to go get ready, though, so I'll fill you in on today's visit to the Farmer's Market when we get back from dinner, or maybe tomorrow.  Till next time...stay well & happy!

And so it goes....enriching the local economies, one city at a time

So we settled in to our temporary site yesterday afternoon, grateful for a spot, any spot.  Bonus - this spot had a TREE, 50 amp electricity, water, sewer and a concrete pad, AND was large enough to hold our tow dolly, our car, AND our camper.  Whooohoo!  We were in fat city!  Being only a temporary site, for two days, max, we didn't bother to hook up the sewer or the water, preferring to just work off our holding tanks for a couple of days, to make hookup and disconnect easier.  We ate a quick dinner of corn on the cob and pre-cooked ribs (from Sam's Club - awesome!) and I whipped up some coleslaw real quick.  NOOO, not the tequila-lime-cilantro, just regular.  😏

Night passed uneventfully, but we did get to see lots of stars when we walked puppy around 11 pm.  Morning came bright and early, and we had plans!  I was going to sew, and Dick was going to wash up the front of the camper and do some work on our water system.  We were due for a filter change, and today was to be the day.  

Dick set about cleaning the bugs off the front, and dealing with the water filtration system.  I spent about 40 minutes getting all my sewing stuff out, set up and organized, and was juuuuust about to start the first luggage handle wrap, when my phone rang.  It was Theresa, from up at the office, letting me know that our site had unexpectedly come open a day early and it was vacant and ready for us to move into.  Soooo, I sewed up Marie's wraps and got started on Annie's new-baby items.  The gown went well.  Turned out adorable, if I do say so myself.  

Then came the beanie.  The teeny tiny, itsy bitsy beanie.  I had the monogram ready, and hooping really wasn't so bad, but, boy, was the stitchout crappy.  Probably the worst results I've ever gotten,  on anything, no exceptions.  The worst.  Lots of jams, thread shreds and just generally, the monogram was shrunk down too small to be legible on stitchout.  Noooo, heck no, I'm not gonna show you a picture of that!  You think my work is perfect, and I'm going to let you CONTINUE to think that!

I gave it up after that and put everything back in its traveling place & we called the office to get an escort to our new site.  Got all set up in about an hour, fed & walked Bailey, ate one of our delicious Colorado peaches, and went into newer Santa Fe, to visit Verizon and Walmart (we found out the hard way, we were totally out of windshield washer fluid in the camper, which makes it really hard to clean the windshield while traveling!).  The visit to Verizon was to get help for my poor old phone.

Its internal storage is just about full up, and its reaction times are getting slower and slower and slower.  (like me, I suppose) And when we're out and about, and I'm navigating, I'll often get a blank screen, while poor Driver is trying to figure out which lane he's supposed to be in and where to turn!  More often than not, I'll tell him, I just don't know yet.  We've tried all the usual fixes, dumped all the photos, cleaned up all the unnecessary apps, restarted, you name it.  Not only that, but even the brand new battery doesn't last very long.  Well, heck, let's see what the geeks have to say...

We were greeted, not so warmly, truthfully, by a young man who projected an air of despair and dejection.  It almost seemed like we were imposing on him when we walked in.  He registered us and tapped our little problem into his tablet and sent us over to the waiting area.  After about 10 minutes, he came to get us and brought us over to his counter.  Now, this is a corporate store, not a franchise, so it was pretty busy, and I guess he was at the end of his shift (not to mention, his patience).  But, geez, if he had shown any less personality, I would have had to check to see if he was dead.  We explained the problem (again) and he took the phone and started tapping icons.  Dick asked if we could just dump the stuff onto the (NEW) SD card, and he said yeah, sure you could.  But we didn't know how, so he said he'd show us.  Tap, tap, push, push, oh wait, that's not right, push some more other things.  Boy, was I confused by now!  So he pushed the phone back over to me and said, and I quote!  "ok, then you do it so you'll understand it."  ????  Anyway, he slowed down and explained it again, but ya know what?  I kept dumping the stuff, but it still didn't change the amount of storage used and remaining.  Nothing changed, and ya know what, nothing was GOING to change.  There just isn't enough stuff "stored" to move or copy that would make a difference.  His only alternative solution at that point, was to purchase a new phone.  I'm pretty sure that's the only resolution they're taught; it's the only one that earns a commission, I suppose.  After looking at a few phones and payment options, as well as purchasing plans, we thanked him for his time and walked out.  At least, I *think* we thanked him.  Did we thank him, honey?  I don't really know.  I just walked out.  

Best Buy was right next door, so we decided we'd look over there.  Found the same phones, roughly the same price, but, no clerks to help us; they were all busy.  Well, conveniently enough, there was a liquor store right next to Best Buy!  Oh, the day is getting better now!  We crossed the parking lot (apparently, that is a game of chance in Santa Fe!), and toted ourselves right into that liquor store.  Talk about being overwhelmed.  Who knew there was that much wine in the world?  Felt like we were in a wholesale warehouse of wines!  And liquor.  But, nope, no Seagrams Escapes or Smirnoff Ice that I liked.  Right back out we went!  Hit up Best Buy again, and this time, after a bit of a wait, we got a clerk to help us.  Turns out, though, she didn't have the phone we wanted with the storage we wanted, so that was 3 for 3 unsuccessful forays.  But, on the way out, I remembered that Sam's Club sold phones!

A quick Google search (OK, quick as could be on the ancient old lady phone) turned up a Sam's Club just a mile or so down the road, and off we went.  Talk about being UNDERwhelmed.  They only had about 6 phones all together, and not a soul in sight.  Why is it that any other time, you walk in, and you get two or three clerks jump you for service.  (that sounds kinky, doesn't it?)  Well, not this time.  We walked in, we saw nothing, we walked out.  

On to Walmart, don't forget we still had to get windshield washer fluid.  Wouldn't you know it?  There was another Verizon store right there in Walmart's plaza!!  Hot diggity dawg.

Got our fluid in Walmart, checked for replacement baby hats (no such luck) and got right out, thank you Self-Checkout!  Wound our way back to the second Verizon store, where we were promptly (and WARMLY) greeted upon entering, and sat to wait our turn.  There were only two clerks, and they were both busy, but, heck, we're retired, got nuthin' but time on our hands, right?

Oh, my.  Jeff came over to see us, introduced himself and actually LISTENED to what I had to say.  He offered to help right away, then he OFFERED US A BOTTLE OF COLD WATER while we waited for him to check a few things out on my old phone.  Long story short, it's all the installed APPS taking up all the room, nothing I could do but uninstall my personal apps.  Yeah, the ones that help me find fuel and campgrounds.  The recipe storage, the pet first aid, a few games, let's be honest, and my best friends, Google Maps and StormTracker.  Not to mention, Rest Stops and The Next Exit.  The pre-loaded apps would have to stay, and I still wouldn't have much storage left.  😖 Curse of the old phone syndrome!

So, out come 3 different phones for me to handle and test out.  Also, a webpage comparing the 3 phones' specs.  After looking at the specs, handling the phones, viewing the screens and comparing the price, we finally selected a Motorola MotoZ4.  It might not be the best, but it was affordable and a whole lot better than the one I currently had, so it was the best one for me.  Plus, he transferred everything over - apps, contacts, data, photos, and then he gave me some real quick lessons on how to use it and how to organize the screens.  WAAAAY more than I got at the Verizon Corporate Store!  All we got there was a bit of an attitude!  So, there we go again, enriching the local economy.  Several hundred dollars at a time!  Happy Anniversary honey?  Now I can tell you where to exit for fuel, what lane to be in and where we're gonna spend the night.  In a timely manner.  And in between, if I can find the icon again, I can do a crossword puzzle.  Yippee!

So, today was our 2nd day here, our last "bonus" day, if you will.  Tomorrow, we'll start hitting the tourist spots and see what there is to see of Santa Fe.  I'm sure (I HOPE) we'll have a more interesting post next time!  Till then, stay safe!  Especially you, Joe & Nancy, and you, Michelle & the fur babies!

 

Miramont Castle, Manitou Springs

Soooo, a new day dawns, and we're off to see another sight!  We found ourselves in Manitou Springs again, getting ready to tour Miramont Castle.  We had been told by the Visitors'Center that it had been in the process of being rehabilitated for years and it was really something to see inside now.  But first, we saw the Manitou Incline.  This is what remains of the old 3 foot narrow guage funicular railway that washed out during a rockslide in 1990.  There are over 2700 "steps," more or less, depending on what maintenance has been done recently.  Here's my picture, this is as close as we would get.  They grade is as much as 68% and the top is about 2000 feet higher than the base, which is already over 6800 feet above sea level.  There are signs all over warning hikers not to attempt it unless they are physically fit and able to complete the hike.  There is no vehicular access, to any portion of the trail, so the only way out in case of panic or injury is by the kindness and physical capabilities of fellow hikers.  In other words, if you get hurt, the only way out is down, carried by complete strangers.  Not my cup of tea, for sure.

Here is a public photo of the actual trail.  Not exactly a walk in the park, is it.

So, we were really intent on seeing this beauty. inside and out.

But first, let's see how what dangers lie in wait...

So, we pulled up our socks and went on in to the basement of the mansion, where Margie was waiting to take our money for admission.  Always admission fees, always.  But, I guess it's worth it, since all monies go to restoration and maintenance costs.  Knowing we were in the basement was a bit incongruous with what we were seeing. The front desk was handcarved and tremendously ornate; and the stained glass window in the stairwell was just stunning. 

We made our way under the staircase, into a maze of small rooms, each displaying memorabilia and artifacts all relating to the Manitou Fire Department.  I've always been a fan of Smokey Bear, and there was a whole window dedicated to his story.  

They had one of the original hose wagons of the town, which was pulled by the firefighters themselves, until one of the town's leaders had the means and generosity to lend them one of his prized horses, day or night, whenever the need arose.  I'm sure the guys in the photo were relieved when that gift was bestowed!

We made our way up the grand staircase, and into the drawing room, where guests were entertained.  Miramont, which means "look at the mountain" construction was started in Fall, 1895.  It was built by and for Fr. Fancolon, and his widowed mother, who supposedly financed the whole project.  They had travelled the world due to the father's diplomatic career, so he was very familiar with the chateaus and estates of Europe, and wanted to replicate them for his mother.  The entire castle was constructed of the native green sandstone blocks you see below.  

You can see the extent of the tableware they stored, just for entertaining visitors.

The monk and his mom only lived here a couple of years, after which, The Sisters of Mercy took it over as a tuberculosis sanitorium.  While the monk was here, The Sisters prepared all the meals in a smaller house, down the hill, and transported everything up to the castle.  After they were given the castle, they installed a small kitchen to prepare meals onsite.

This is the main staircase, which has been lovingly and painstakingly restored (some of the spindles have been recreated by the Historical Society).  It covered the 3 stories of the castle.  The 4th story was for servants only, and you'll see THEIR stairway in a moment.

Every room had a magnificent view of the mountains (remember, the name of the estate translates to "look at the mountain").  This is from the solarium, which was actually turned into and operating room for The Sisters.

This was mom's room... 

And here is the austere and narrow stairway for the servants' use.  It was VERY steep, and closed to the public. 

And here is the monk's room; a little smaller and plainer that mom's.

We interrupted our tour to visit the Queen's Tea Room for lunch.  They were kind enough to reserve a table for us...even though we were two of only 6 patrons for lunch that day.  We told them it was our 30th anniversary, hoping they would at least offer us a small dessert, but, nope, not a thing.

I had to admit though, it was a charming little room and the food was beautifully presented.  Dick got his favorite Reuben, and I got a fruit, nut and Spring greens salad with a delicious raspberry vinaigrette.  No crackers or breadsticks or anything extra, so, if you go, just beware that portions are not exactly overwhelming.  My lemonade was made using the mineral water from the natural springs of the town.  It was fizzy and a bit Alka-Seltzery tasting, but once I got used to it, it was actually pretty tasty.  In truth, it was better than the raspberry tea that Dick had ordered.  He agreed, but he didn't want to make a fuss and trade it in for a lemonade.  In retrospect, had he known our drinks were 3 bucks each, he says he would have traded for one that tasted better.

We resumed our tour up on the 4th floor, the servants' quarters.  There were 3 rooms this size, which were each shared by 2 servants, and 1 room much smaller, that is now off limits, and used as a closet.

Each floor of the castle is stepped up the mountainside so that you can exit them all and still be on "ground level."  As a result, the stone walls must be anchored into the mountainside.

It was only about a foot from tip to tip!

The gardens were on each level, and they were overgrown, but still very calming and quiet.

This is one of the "tuberculosis cabins" that The Sisters of Mercy had built on the premises.  We were actually very fortunate that there was another party of guests that had arrived shortly after we finished our lunch.  As it turns out, it was a lady about my age, her mom and a friend.  Her grandpa, who has since passed, was the caretaker there for years, and the mom was raised on the grounds.  She and the grandma are the original founders of Manitou Springs Historical Society, and spearheaded the entire restoration efforts.  It's been done over several years, and the original grant was for $15,000.  The rest of the millions were raised by gift shop sales, admissions and Tea Room luncheons.  It's amazing how much work and love has been poured into this remarkable building.

The mom told me that back in the old days (well before my time), if you suffered from tuberculosis, your remedy was cold, dry air.  You were quarantined in cabins like this until you either recovered or died.  Pretty stark, eh?

After leaving Miramont, we ventured on down to Rock Ledge Ranch, down at the base of the enormous rock structures of Garden of the Gods.  Unfortunately, the Ranch happened to be closed during this time.  We were permitted to walk the grounds and visit the animals (who took absolutely no interest in two hot people and a really hot puppy dog).  There were some pictures taken, but only the Good Lord knows where they were put.  Don't ask - it was an ordeal just to get where we are today, and that's good enough.  

Last night, I heard Hurricane Dorian was headed straight for Inverness, as were Lolly and Allen.  This morning, I heard they arrived safely yesterday evening, around 6 pm, and this afternoon, I have seen the predictions for the cone to be much farther east, and to remain off the coast of Florida, sparing most of the state the brunt of the storm.  I've spoken with Bob Wallace, and Brandi & Mike, all up in Lake City, and they are all hunkered down and stocked up on water and have their generators fueled up and ready to be put to use.  Hopefully, things will, literally, just blow over quickly, and not cause catastrophic damages.  

 Y'all stay safe!  Till next time...