OK...Channeling Dionne Warwick. I actually think I sang it in my head several times while on the trip. And yes, I do know it actually San Jose.
We took the long way or scenic route down (so I'm told). We did pass a beautiful hillside that had a single grave stone with a couple of wooden crosses stuck in the ground behind it. It was so striking that I made Joe stop and go back. Pics attached.
Our goal was to meet up with Joe's daughter and her family. They were actually just two hours behind us because they spent some time in the Colorado Springs area being tourist.
Santa Fe is such a different culture. Earthy is the best way I can describe it. Laid back. No one in a hurry. Just how it should be on vacation.
Joe found the perfect place for us all to stay. It's called Fort Marcey and it was the perfect home away from home with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a full kitchen and a large living room which became a stage and/or train station almost every night we were there.
It was just a few minutes from downtown but with a 2 year old and 5 year old in tow it was always just a van ride down the hill.
Our second day there Gramps had a plan to take his girls fishing. With a Princess and Snoopy fishing poles in hand we found a place with three ponds set up just for kids.
It was perfect. Joe's plan was to teach his grand daughter how to fish. He gave her the Princess pole the day before and she casted her line all over the house. So, it was no surprise that as soon as she put her line in the water she had a bite! She caught the first fish! It was short lived though. She caught her second fish (one more than her mother and her grand mother) and then she was done. Grampa showed us all up catching 6 of the little blue gill that stole our bait more than anything. We didn't leave them hungry.
Did I mention that the Snoopy pole was rescued from the barn at Joe's mom's house? It was Joe's daughters when she was about the same age as her daughter. Priceless right?
A couple of days of shopping and checking out the area and a lot of time spent with the kids and grand kids. It was exactly what we needed.
We miss them already.
