Apparently Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the US, having been founded by Spanish explorers in the early 17th century. You'd hardly guess now - pretty much the whole place is artists' studios and designer shops, and I arrived just in time for their "Spanish Market" which was mostly a showcase for expensive art and Catholic iconography. But once you get past that (and the washed up hippies) there's some pretty amazing old adobe buildings, a nice hostel and, well, not much else...
But we did see this guy playing in a tent and then managed to crash his new art gallery for a free show (I've put some of it on youtube here, he's really going for it).
On to Taos with some folk from the hostel, where we found more galleries and hippies. But also earthships... We ended up at this place, where we met a bunch of English people who reminded me why I don't like hippies. They'd got there through "magnetism", clearly had no idea how the place all worked ("we heal people, man...") and seemed to be mostly just enjoying the free food and board. Spongers ("we don't use labels, man"). Unfortunately we didn't meet Robert, who as you can see from the website specialises in dynamic pointing in skintight t-shirts, but did meet lots of crazy scientists who didn't seem to get on with the hippies. I imagine it'll end in some Young Ones-style climax, perhaps crossed with a Tomorrow's World experiment.
Anyway tonight I leave the US and head for Mexico. So to mark the occassion below are my top five places to go in the US and Canada, in case you're thinking of going on holiday. Or are just bored at work. Of course this ignores all the places I've not been to (pretty much all of the South and a big bit of the middle). But so what.
1. Nova Scotia. I thought this place was amazing. Halifax is a great little city with cool bars, nice people (all the cars stop to let you cross the road), comedy, indie music, gardens, garrisons, history. It's the only place I've been where they keep a macaw at the Maritime Museum and give out free cake on its birthday. [But ok, I've not been to many places that have Maritime Museums or macaws.] As well as Halifax, Cape Breton in the north may be the most beautiful bit of Canadian country ever (pine and beech forests, mountains, wild coast, whales, moose, bear). Go. Then blame me if it's shit.
2. Northwest US/ Canada. Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Olympic Peninsula (Washington), Seattle and Portland together. Some great little cities - Vancouver is one of the top five cities in the world to live in; Portland has great beer; Seattle I thought was a bit past it, but... And superb countryside - anything north and west of Seattle (ie Olympic and Vanc Island) is just out of this world: temperate rainforests, rugged Pacific coastline, stunning sunsets, killer whales and so on. Here's the sun setting to prove it.
1. Nova Scotia. I thought this place was amazing. Halifax is a great little city with cool bars, nice people (all the cars stop to let you cross the road), comedy, indie music, gardens, garrisons, history. It's the only place I've been where they keep a macaw at the Maritime Museum and give out free cake on its birthday. [But ok, I've not been to many places that have Maritime Museums or macaws.] As well as Halifax, Cape Breton in the north may be the most beautiful bit of Canadian country ever (pine and beech forests, mountains, wild coast, whales, moose, bear). Go. Then blame me if it's shit.
2. Northwest US/ Canada. Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Olympic Peninsula (Washington), Seattle and Portland together. Some great little cities - Vancouver is one of the top five cities in the world to live in; Portland has great beer; Seattle I thought was a bit past it, but... And superb countryside - anything north and west of Seattle (ie Olympic and Vanc Island) is just out of this world: temperate rainforests, rugged Pacific coastline, stunning sunsets, killer whales and so on. Here's the sun setting to prove it.
3. The Bay Area. San Francisco is always cool (particularly the Mission district, with the original missionary outpost from the 18th century), but don't miss Oakland or Point Reyes further up the coast (more rainforest and cool beaches). Also it's only a few hours from the Bay Area to Yosemite Park, which was ace.
4. Quebec City. History, slice of old Europe, and just a few hours from Montreal if you want a break. And if you stay at the hostel then they also run cheap excursions out, like to Montmorency Falls (although I missed this...)
5. Martha's Vineyard. Incredible diversity, from sand dunes to forests, rich towns with 100ft yachts to gingerbread houses founded as a Methodist camp. It's also got John Belushi's grave, a lighthouse called Gay Head and a nice hostel.
4. Quebec City. History, slice of old Europe, and just a few hours from Montreal if you want a break. And if you stay at the hostel then they also run cheap excursions out, like to Montmorency Falls (although I missed this...)
5. Martha's Vineyard. Incredible diversity, from sand dunes to forests, rich towns with 100ft yachts to gingerbread houses founded as a Methodist camp. It's also got John Belushi's grave, a lighthouse called Gay Head and a nice hostel.
Anyway have to dash as about to run out of time. Wish me luck down south!!
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