SANTA FE OR BUST...OR, THERE ARE NO DIRECT FLIGHTS TO ALBUQUERQUE...

SO...on Saturday, May 21st, after a 7. 5 hour flight, we arrived in Albuquerque and rented a car for our one hour drive to Santa Fe.
I was attending a four day photo class that started on Monday and we wanted to get into town early and do some things on our own.  We had dinner Saturday night at a little Mexican place near our hotel.  Authentic Mexican...Good stuff.

Sunday morning we drove out about 6 miles from the hotel into no man's land to HARRY'S ROADHOUSE, featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.  It was superb.  We had scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and cream cheese and crispy pieces of whole wheat toast.  YUMM!!!  The we drove downtown and explored...all day...wow...tired.  We decided to go back to Harry's for dinner,  a wise choice.  I had a steak cooked Mexican style that was to die for.  Are you catching a theme here? We will eventually grow to be pretty tired of Mexican.

Sunday night we met in Carol Leigh's room (our fearless leader) to discuss the game plan for Monday.  We would meet early in the breakfast room and gather our gear and get on the highway.  We were going into town in the morning, coming home after lunch, downloading our morning work, then going back into town for the evening light, then meeting in Carol's room to be critiqued on our morning work.

That's just how it went down.  Except, we had a Mexican lunch.  When I got back to the hotel to download, my computer told me I had no room left - it was full.  I didn't have time to figure out what I wanted to ditch.  Glad I brought my iPad2 with me.  Downloaded to that, but not in time to get critiqued.
Tomorrow's another day.

Early Morning Light and Shadow

Love the shadow on the wall

Again, a play of light 

Sante Fe Window

Santa Fe Window

I love the different levels of these buildings downtown.

Some old rustic doors

Santa Fe Window

An ad for a museum of art

This could be sharper, but I really liked the lighting.

Tuesday morning, up early to leave for Taos.  Along the way we stopped at a museum, Gasoline Alley.  Interesting stuff for photographers.  Lots of rusty stuff, gas pumps, wagon wheels, old cars, etc.  The weather was cloudy and a little drizzle now and then, but the temps were  cool, in the 70's.  Not much in Taos.  We stopped at a church then came home, after having lunch...Mexican.  Evening critique of both Santa Fe, downtown and Taos for me.  It went well.  I was pleased.

Taos Church - light and shadow

Taos - window with ristra

Gasoline Alley find - Rusty Packard

"24"  house number in Taos.  It was actually chrome, but I played with it in Photoshop.  Know anyone having a 24th birthday?  I have a feeling this will make a note card.

Wednesday, went to  some Indian national monument.  Can't remember the name.  Not my cuppa, but there were other things to amuse myself.  Then lunch, you guessed it...Mexican.  The afternoon trip was to the Turquoise Trail.  I wasn't feeling that great, so I begged off.  I think all the long rides were getting to me.  We found a seafood restaurant up the street from the hotel and had a lobster dinner.

Thursday morning, last day of class, breakfast at Harrys, then we went up to Canyon Road, the Artsy Fartsy area, with lots to see and photograph.  That was fun.  We were dismisssed a noon on Thursday.   Class was over.  I was so glad that I finally had a chance to meet Carol and her husband Chris.  I had taken a number of classes this past year from Carol and learned so much.  She a wonderful, warm person who is willing to share all she knows.  It was a great class.  Thanks for a great time, Carol

NOTECARD!!!!

GERANIUMS ON CANYON ROAD

WIREMAN

This was a sculpture of a man in wire and I shot it's shadow on a wall.

WIREMAN SWIMMING

I love photomontage.

THE STONE CROSS

CANYON ROAD DOORWAY

CANYON ROAD WINDOW WITH SHADOWS

RUSTIC CANYON ROAD ADOBE

ADOBE HOUSE ON CANYON ROAD

NOTECARD!!!

METAL SCULPTURE ON CANYON ROAD

NOTECARD!!

MORE OF SAME

HALF BENCH ON CANYON ROAD

Thursday afternoon, we missed lunch.  We went shopping downtown.  I had seen something I was contemplating getting all week.  Dick and I had lunch at the Coyote Cafe.  Coyote Cafe has been on my bucket list since the 80's.  We went home for a rest, then in the evening went back to town for dinner at the Pink Adobe, another place on my bucket list since the 80's. OUTSTANDING!!!  Got to knock two of them out in one day.  Marvelous.


OK, so now it's off for our 8 and a  half hour drive to Monument Valley, via Four Corners.  We're so up for it.  This has been a great trip so far.