One of my favorite places we visited while in Santa Fe was the El Rancho de Los Golandrinas. I was really impressed with this place. It’s a living history museum set on 200 acres. When we arrived, costumed guides met us and made us feel like we had stepped back in time to the year 1700. There’s a molasses mill, threshing mill, church, schoolhouse and blacksmith shop. There are guides practically everywhere to demonstrate what life was like back then. When we were there we saw people making lye soap over an open fire and someone else grinding grain into flour. There were also several storytellers as well, which was quite enjoyable. The brochure I picked up mentioned that hands-on family events and crafts are offered almost every weekend.
The kids enjoyed the Santa Fe Children’s Museum. I wouldn’t really call it so much of a museum but it is does make for a great place for the kids to play. Our kids enjoyed climbing on the huge wall put there for that very purpose and also got a kick out of playing with the loom. Of course, I think the highlight for them was when they were allowed to go outside and dig for worms. I didn’t really care for the rats but the kids were enamored with them and the guinea pigs and rabbits.
We also visited the Loretto Chapel while in Santa Fe. It was built as part of an original girls’ school by the Sisters of Loretto. The chapel contains a 22 foot staircase with an interesting mystery. There is no visible means of support for the staircase and there are two complete 360 degree turns. When you stand there looking at it you can’t help but wonder how it is even held together, let alone how it could manage to support the weight of one or more persons. Instead of nails, wooden pegs were used in the construction. One of the interesting mysteries regarding the staircase is that no one can identify the type of wood used. Because of all the mysteries associated with the staircase, it’s come to be called the Miraculous Staircase. The staircase has been featured on Unsolved Mysteries and even a television movie. The admission fee to see this wonder is almost miraculous as well; only $2.50 for adults. It’s open Monday through Saturday, 9-6 and from 10:30 to 5 on Sunday.
Before we headed home, we made a stop by the Santa Fe flea market. You can find just about anything and everything here, especially Southwestern momentos. The market is open from 7:30 until sundown on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
