Today we got off to a sunny start. After chatting with fellow guests at the hotel in Santa Fe, we headed out to see some more of this area. First stop was Los Alamos, home of the atomic bomb. We really enjoyed a visit to the Bradbury Science Museum (www.lanl.gov/museum) which has mock-ups of the first two nuclear bombs and some amazing videos and hands-on exhibits. We also got to visit the Los Alamos Community museum which explains how the transition from tiny camp for boys to a state-of-the-art research community.
Then it was down a twisting road to the Bandelier National Monument (www.nps.gov/band), down a deep canyon with a remarkable view from the bottom. This place was much like the Mesa Verde National Park that we saw earlier this week.
Just as we left the park we came to the small village of White Rock where we had heard there was a winery that was owned by a former engineer at Los Alamos. We met the owner of Balagna Winery (www.nmwine.com/wineries/balagna.htm), John Balagna, who said he retired in 1984 after 40 years at the labs. The winery overlooks the Rio Grande and has the most awesome views you've ever seen.
After that, it was on to El Santuario de Chimayo, "The Lourdes of America" which is in a tiny hamlet just north of Santa Fe and was worth the effort to get to it and discover for ourselves. The Shrine is an intimate place and is a deeply intimate place (www.archdiocesesantafe.org/AboutASF/Chimayo.html).
We thought about getting to Taos and seeing what the excitement was all about but given the time decided to head back to Santa Fe and have a supper at our new favorite place, Cowgirls BBQ.
Tomorrow we leave Santa Fe for Albuquerque and then on Sunday for Arizona. Stay tuned for more.
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