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( With the early arrival of all members and everyone settled into their rooms,
we now have time to enjoy some Santa Fe highlights via our luxury bus.
Our first stop will be at the magnificent
St. Francis Cathedral.
Archbishop Lamy commissioned this French
Romanesque cathedral in 1869, and it took more
than 15 years to complete. It is still maintained
by the archdiocese of Santa Fe. This long-standing
landmark houses many religious relics including
the chalice used by Lamy and the oldest
Madonna in the United States. The exquisite
stained glass windows were created in France,
traveling to Santa Fe via ship and then overland on a covered wagon.
Santa Fe has 10 major museums, as well as over 200 art galleries.
The Museum of Spanish Colonial Art is a favorite as it
holds the most comprehensive collection of
Spanish Colonial art, focusing on works created
in New Mexico since colonized by Spain in 1598
and encompassing art from countries that
influenced this art from the Middle Ages to today.
Our final stop will be a visit to the Canyon Road area,
the internationally famous, half-mile collection of one-of-a-kind
galleries, shops and restaurants. Lined with historic
adobe houses, Canyon Road is a former route used by
American Indians to travel from pueblos along the
Rio Grande to those in the Pecos region.
Now Ladies it is time to board our bus to attend our Celebration!
(The music in the background on this page is
New Mexico's State Song, "O, Fair New Mexico," written by Elizabeth Garrett. )