SANTE FE ARTIST SQUARE AND TOURIST ATTRACTION

I HAVE BEEN TO SANTE FE'S SQUARE WHEN I WAS AN ARCHAEOLOGIST AT 18 AND EXCAVATED AT SALMON RUINS. WE ALSO TOURED HERE WITH MY MOM, MY BROTHER, AND SISTER IN LAW ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO. THEY HAVE MANY GALLERIES OF OF DIFFERENT ARTS AND SOUVENIRS AND PUEBLOAN POTTERY IN THE STORES. IT IS A TOURIST PARADISE. THEY EVEN HAVE SCULPTURES CREATED FROM JUNK. I REMEMBER SEEING HOPI AND NAVAJO WOMEN SELLING THEIR TURQUOISE JEWELRY. SANTE FE PRICES ARE QUITE EXPENSIVE. IT IS THE OLDEST STATE CAPITOL IN THE U.S.A. AND WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1598. NEW MEXICO'S FLAG HAS A ZIA OR INDIAN SUN SYMBOL THAT IS ALSO ON THE BUILDINGS IN THE SQUARE.

THEY HAVE A NEAT OLD ADOBE CATHOLIC CHURCH THAT IS PAINTED NICELY IN INDIAN COLORS INSIDE. OUTSIDE OF THE SQUARE IS OJO CALIENTE MINERAL SPRINGS AND SPA THAT I HAVE NOT VISITED. THEIR SPRINGS ARE 109 DEGREES. IT HELPS ARTHRITIS. THEY HAVE A SWIMMING POOL AS WELL AS A MUD POOL THAT PULLS TOXINS OUT OF YOUR BODY, THEY HAVE PRIVATE BATHS AS WELL.

WE LOOKED INTO ALL THE ART GALLERIES OF THE SQUARE AND MY MOM WAS DETERMINED TO BUY AN INDIAN RING. SHE FINALLY WENT BACK TO A GALLERY AND BOUGHT A $250 RING WITH OPALS, TURQUOISE, AND A PURPLE CUT STONE IN THE CENTER. THE ARTISTS HAD MADE BEAUTIFUL POTTERY FROM COIL AND SCRAPE METHODS AND HAD PAINTED WITH NATURAL PIGMENTS IN ORDER TO FIRE THE POTS IN AN OUTSIDE KILN. THE MODERN POTTERS LIKE TO REPLICATE PREHISTORIC DESIGNS.

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