Danny and I took a trip to Colorado by way of New Mexico. From where we live, we always have a connection in Atlanta, in fact, we will most likely go through the Atlanta airport with a connecting flight when we go to Heaven. I kid, of course…. but still. The Atlanta airport is both fascinating and overstimulating to me. I don’t generally like crowds, so the airport can be a little overwhelming. What I do love is to travel so I get over it! We had a very busy first three quarters of the year with our work schedule making it late August before we could get away for a week. Our sweet friends have a home in Durango Colorado and offered it to us for our stay.
From Atlanta we flew in to Albuquerque. Durango does have an airport however; our ticket price was doubled to fly to Durango instead of Albuquerque. We landed in Albuquerque around 11:00 a.m. rented a convertible mustang and took off to Santa Fe. If you haven’t been to Santa Fe, put it on your list. Santa Fe is New Mexico’s capital. It sits in the Sangre de Cristo foothills. It’s renowned for its Pueblo-style architecture and as a creative arts hot bed. The historic district’s adobe landmarks are something to behold. We stayed one night in Santa Fe at the Hotel Saint Francis. https://www.hotelstfrancis.com The hotel is named for the patron saint of Santa Fe. The décor reflects the days of Santa Fe’s early Franciscan missionaries. The lobby is calm and serene and reminds me of a Catholic church. The rooms are unique and comfortable.
From Santa Fe on our way to Durango we decided to drive through Taos NM. We stopped to eat lunch and then worked our way to Durango. On our way to our home for the week we stopped for provisions at P.J.’s market in Hermosa Springs. PJ’s is a treat to shop in. It is a gourmet market where you can find cheese, wine, fresh and local produce, and locally grown meats.
Our most fun adventure while we were in Durango was the “Brew Train”. https://www.durangotrain.com. The authentic 1920’s steam locomotive starts in Durango and winds through the scenic ridges along the Animas River. The scenery was absolutely stunning. During the ride, local Colorado brewers walk through the train cars pouring their crafted beers. After about an hour’s train ride, we made it to Cascade Canyon. A crew had gone ahead of us to prepare a hearty lunch . There was a local live band playing great music creating a festive atmosphere. After filling our plates entirely too full we sat among our fellow passengers at picnic tables right along the river bank. After loading back onto the train, I was tempted to nap but the scenery was too beautiful to miss. We had such a great day, and it just so happened to be our 23rd anniversary.
A raincoat came in handy this day as it was a little chilly up the mountain. I got mine here, https://amzn.to/2F3tecl
We took a few day trips from Durango. One to Telluride, a trip to Silverton, and Ouray. Each town has its own vibe. The day we went to Telluride we could not have asked for better weather. We drove with the top down on the car and enjoyed the mountain views we don’t get to see in flat land in Florida. Lunch was at Brown Dog Pizza, the pizzas are classic American style, are to-die-for, and worth every calorie. We strolled along and shopped for another great Colorado day.
We spent a lazy day at the house in Durango; some vacations are meant to be restful and this one was one of them. We strolled around the pretty neighborhood of our friend’s house, napped, read, and rejuvenated.
Sadly, our trip had to come to an end. On our way back to Albuquerque we took the high mountain route back to the airport but first we had to stop at Old Town for a last-minute shopping excursion. I bought this beautiful turquoise necklace at Purple Sage Trading. http://purplesagetrading.com/
It was a relaxing and rejuvenating trip. I look forward to going back next year with my girlfriends.
Beautiful Blessings,
Queenie
