Page 33 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL FALL 2021 DISCOVERING SANTA FE

Santa Fe Plaza & Downtown

ing boutiques, restaurants, museums, historic
buildings, and art galleries. It reminded us of the
wonderful Spanish-style plazas in Sonoma, Cali-
fornia, and Old Town San Diego, complete with a
bandstand, memorials, mature trees, and benches.
On one side of the plaza is the Palace of the
Governors, the oldest public building in America.
This is the place where are Native American arti-
sans gather in the portico's shade to sell tradi-
tional weaving, pottery, and jewelry. During our
visit, it was empty, a casualty of covid. Other high-
lights around the plaza are the New Mexico Mu-
seum of Art, the Cathedral Basilica of Saint
Francis of Assisi, and the Loretto Chapel.
Dotting downtown are numerous historical
plaques, including one dedicated to the Santa Fe
Trail. This trade route that connected New Mexico
with Missouri brought covered wagon caravans to
the Santa Fe Plaza to camp and sell goods. We
came across a life-sized sculpture of a burro at
the foot of one short narrow street leading to the
Plaza. Known as Burro Alley, it welcomed hun-

WINEDINEANDTRAVEL.COM 33