10 days, 10 states: Finding America’s oldest in Santa Fe, New Mexico

by Kyle Ellison on

“We’ll pack up all our junk and fly so far away, devote ourselves to projects that sell. We’ll open up a restaurant in Santa Fe, forget this cold, Bohemian Hell” -Rent-

This may sound alarming, but I have actually met people–American people–who are unaware that New Mexico is one of the 50 US states. As shocking as that seems, it is, I suppose, slightly understandable, but inexcusable nonetheless. After all, there is no state called New Canada, though that barely qualifies as an excuse.

To be fair, however, it hasn’t always been this way. As the 47th star on the US flag, New Mexico didn’t become a US state until 1912. As of this writing, that’s still under 100 years. Although New Mexico’s history as a member of the United States may be relatively young, it’s capital city, Santa Fe, is the oldest European city in the western US.

And this, is exactly why I am here.

From a historical perspective, there are few American cities more intriguing than Santa Fe. Originally given the name of “La Villa Real de la Santa Fé de San Francisco de Asís”, (“The Royal Town of the Holy Faith of St. Francis of Assisi”), Santa Fe was established in 1607 as a remote territory of Spain. Only St. Augustine (1565) in Florida is older, with Jamestown, Virginia (1607) being established by the English at roughly the same time.

It’s endlessly fascinating to me that a mere few hundred years ago, this altitudinous town at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains was actually part of Spain, especially seeing as modern day America was a concept that wouldn’t be realized for at least another 150 years.

Ok, so Santa Fe is old. I knew that while driving here from Durango, Colorado. I didn’t realize, however, that when it comes to being old, Santa Fe is a wonderland of superlatives. It’s the oldest capital city in the United States (as well as the highest at 7,000 ft.). The oldest house in America is in Santa Fe. The oldest church in America, San Miguel chapel, is in Santa Fe. The Palace of Governors, the oldest public building in America, is also, as you might have guessed, here in Santa Fe.

%Gallery-139205%Standing in front of the St. Francis Cathedral Basilica in Santa Fe’s historic downtown district, I am immediately transported to my days spent as a wide-eyed university student in Salamanca, Spain. Although the modern day cathedral was not built until the 19th century, the town’s church has resided on this very plot of land since the day of the city’s first founding.

In the spirit of my “10 days, 10 states, 10 great American sights” road trip, Santa Fe is also the beginning of the fabled Old Spanish Trail. As the de facto capital of the entire region, the Old Spanish Trail was a rugged trade route that originated in Santa Fe and ran across the desert to faraway Los Angeles. Due to the remote and barren nature of the route, traders would eventually spill into Santa Fe laden with merchandise and goods ready to be bartered and sold.

As my wife and I haggle with a street merchant over a pair of blue turquoise earrings, I sense the energy this Plaza must have held when merchants from Mexico City to Missouri came to hawk their wares. Although the Old Spanish Trail has been replaced by nearby Interstate 40 (which is nowhere near as exciting), Santa Fe’s legacy as a marketplace for crafts and artisans continues to live on. As the acclaimed travel writer Jan Morris famously notes, “Santa Fe is the artiest, sculpturest, weaviest and potteryest town on Earth”.

Of all the goods that have been garnered and sold in this very square, it’s immediately apparent form a leisurely amble through the Plaza that the blue turquoise has managed to thrive. There are blue turquoise necklaces. There are blue turquoise belts. There are statues of animals and boots and entire pieces of furniture that are hopelessly adorned in blue turquoise.

We buy the earrings and climb the adobe stairs to a restaurant that overlooks the Cathedral and Plaza, it’s central obelisk covered in historic New Mexican quotes. Over a dish of New Mexican cuisine–classically Mexican dishes infused with red and green chiles and honey-dipped sopapillas–I partake in a locally craft-brewed beer and watch as the setting sun illuminates the earth-stained adobe walls of the town.

Though normally not one for shopping, in discussing the freshly purchased earrings, for a moment I realize I’m pleased to be just another merchant on an ancient North American trade route; another transaction in the continuing history of one of America’s oldest towns.

Follow Kyle on the rest of his journey as he explores “10 days, 10 states, 10 great American sights”.

Gadling gear review: Ultimate Ears 600vi earphones

by Kraig Becker on

Modern technology has obviously had a dramatic impact on how we travel. Thanks to small, lightweight portable devices, we now have the ability to carry our entire music library or a collection of our favorite movies and television shows, with us where ever we go. But one of the key elements for enjoying our music and videos is a good pair of headphones, preferably headphones that are comfortable to wear, isolate outside noise, and offer great sound. I recently found all of those qualities in a new pair of Ultimate Ears 600vi earphones from Logitech.

Before testing the UE 600vi’s I was a bit skeptical as to whether or not I would find them comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. After all, on a long international flight, they could potentially be used for hours on end. For years I’ve traveled with a pair of Bose Triport headphones, which are traditional, over the ear headphones that are super comfortable and provide great sound. The Ultimate Ears on the other hand, are in-ear models that are a bit of a departure for those accostumed to the larger, bulkier models that cover the entire ear.

To get the best performance, and comfort, out of the Ultimate Ears it is important that you get the right fit. Fortunately, Logitech packs in six sets of ear cushions, varying in size from extra-extra-small to large, which are designed to help us find that fit. Those cushions can be mixed and matched as needed, and it took several days of experimenting to find the right combination for my needs. Once I did however, not only did the UE’s fit very well, they also offered a high level of isolated from outside noise as well. That isolation is important when you’re stuck on a plane for 15 hours and you want a little relief from the sound of jet engines.While finding that perfect fit is important for the long term use of the Ultimate Ears, one thing that will strike you right away is the sound quality. Upon taking these earphones out of their package, I immediately hooked them up to my iPod and started listening to a few of my favorite tracks. The sound quality was astounding, and as I worked my way through various genres of music, I discovered that I was picking up elements to the songs that I hadn’t ever heard before. Background vocals and instruments came through clear as a bell and volume levels didn’t need to be cranked high to get the full effect of the music. I also used these headphones to watch videos and play games on my iPad, and came away impressed with their versatility and sound quality with those types of media as well.

This particular model of Ultimate Ears also includes a built in remote control right on the cable. That remote allows you to adjust volume, as well as pause and skip tracks on an iPod and other supported mp3 players. On the iPhone, the remote allows you to answer calls, and a tiny mic lets you chat directly through the earphones themselves. They also work with Siri on the new iPhone 4S, giving you the option to ask her questions and give commands without ever taking the UE’s out of your ears.

Despite their comfort and fantastic sound, the Ultimate Ears aren’t necessarily the best option for everyone. if you’re not already of fan of the in-ear model of headphones, it can take some time to get use to the feel of the cushions resting inside your ear canal. They also aren’t as good at filtering outside noise as over-the-ear headphones either, even when you have found the best fit possible. However, they don’t nearly weigh as much as their bulkier counterparts and they take up almost no room in your bag either. Those are two factors that are very important for travelers looking to travel light.

Logitech includes a nice, hard case with the Ultimate Ears, which protects them nicely when not being used. The case also help to keep the delicate cord from getting tangled, which can cause problems with any headphone. I found the case to be a nice touch in protecting my headphones while on the go.

With an MSRP of $120, the UE 600vi’s are a bit on the pricy side. But Logitech offers several models at a variety of price points, and while I’ve only had the opportunity to test this particular model, I was suitably impressed enough to recommend the rest of the line as well. If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy your music, movies, and other digital media while on the go, then you’ll definitely want to give the Ultimate Ears a listen. I think you’ll find they offer amazing sound and comfort in an incredibly small package.

Python eats deer in Florida

by Elizabeth Seward on

It seems to me that no one wants to be around a 16 foot python in the wilderness, especially not if that python eats deer with one gulp, but everyone wants to see photos, watch videos, and, generally speaking, relish in the attractively discomforting news that a python swallowed a deer. So, this is what’s been happening in south Florida lately. The 139.1 pound snake weighed 215.4 with the deer in its stomach when it was contained in the Everglades. Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission killed the snake with a shotgun as to deter it from traveling north.

Native to Southeast Asia, Burmese pythons, such as this one, are popular pets in the United States. Snake owners sometimes aren’t prepared to deal with the Burmese’s rapid growth rate, which can cause a 20 inch snake to grow to 8 feet in just a year’s time. Oftentimes these surprised pet owners let their snake out into the wild when they can no longer cope with having them at home. And so, alas, check out some of the photos of the python at Huffington Post.

Gadling’s Don George wins Society of American Travel Writers award

by Grant Martin on

Narrative travel writing is an important component to any site working in the travel space. While clicks and viral attention tend to come from the shorter, service-oriented pieces, the goal of any travel site should be to inspire and the provoke travel and thoughts about travel. Narrative travel writing is the best way to do that.

That’s why we initially brought in Don George as our features editor at Gadling. He’s a legend among the travel community, with past appointments at Lonely Planet and the San Francisco Chronicle among his myriad accomplishments. He’s also well connected in the travel community and most importantly, an exceptionally talented writer and editor.

That talent was recently recognized by the Society of American Travel Writers in their annual Lowell Thomas Awards for a piece that Don wrote on Gadling called The Aeroramme and the Email. Don’s piece took a silver award in the “Short article on Travel” category, and he also took a bronze award home for Making Roof Tiles in Peru written for Recce: Literary Journeys for the Discerning Traveler in the “Personal Comment” category.

We’re proud to have Don as part of our team on Gadling and aspire to produce more award-winning content in the coming year. Congratulations, Mr. George. You’re an inspiration to team Gadling.

Curiosity might mean space travel to Mars

by Chris Owen on

Checking in with NASA this week, the future of space travel to Mars could get a boost when a sedan-sized Reconnaissance Orbiter blasts off later this month. The new rover, named “Curiosity“, is bigger and better than earlier models. As the focus of NASA’s quest to investigate Mars for the possibility of habitable life, Curiosity might get man back into space.

“Mars Science Laboratory builds upon the improved understanding about Mars gained from current and recent missions,” said Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “This mission advances technologies and science that will move us toward missions to return samples from, and eventually send humans to, Mars.”

Speaking to reporters, Doug McCuistion, director of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, wouldn’t take the bait when asked how likely it was that Mars once had life reports CNN.

“That’s kind of a request for speculation and I really hate to do that,” he said, adding that the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, a spacecraft the agency uses to study the planet from afar, has found evidence of “briny waters that could actually be liquidly waters on the surface.”

No mission to Mars since the 1970’s Viking landers has looked for a direct answer to the question of whether life has existed on Mars. Curiosity is not designed to answer that question directly but will look for signs of the prerequisites of life which can call for future missions.

The $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft is scheduled for liftoff at 10:25 a.m. on November 25 from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. We can follow the mission on Facebook and on Twitter.

Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech


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