Here, then is the post for :
Camino del Monte Sol: Chapter One, Santa Fe, Arrival, 1923
Stephen’s car
Because what would our vampire do without his fiery red automobile? The caption on this picture says this 1923 Mercedes was “the first production supercharged passenger car was powered by a small four-cylinder engine with vertical shaft, V-shape overhead valves and single steel cylinders.” It had 40 hp –not much alongside his more recent cars, but hey, you have to start somewhere.
Ocotillo bushes
Yes, they’re just as prickly as they look. Pretty flowers, though!
New Mexico landscape.
The first two are pictures of Laguna Pueblo, which (these days) you can see from I-40 between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. It’s also along old Route 66.
And here are some pictures of the landscape outside Santa Fe generally.
La Fonda
The site has housed a hotel for centuries, although the building Stephen would have known was actually built in 1922. The first picture is probably from the late 20’s, and the first one from shortly before the “new” La Fonda was built.
Brief history of La Fonda --if the photo gallery on this site doesn’t TOTALLY make you want to go stay at this hotel, I don’t know what…it makes me want to move in for the rest of my life.
Men’s clothing, because it’s just that much fun to picture Josef, uh, Stephen, in those snazzy Roaring Twenties suits.
Books on Santa Fe worth reading (instalment 1)…
Turn Left at the Sleeping Dog
This book has personal reminiscences from (and about) a number of people living in Santa Fe between 1920 and 1955. It was a great resource for me in writing this story. And it’s a darned entertaining read, as well. The link takes you to Amazon.
Feast of Santa Fe
This is one of my all time favorite cookbooks. It’s one with a lot of cultural commentary in between the lovely recipes. Read it—it’ll make your mouth water for some of the food, and you’ll learn about New Mexican culture at the same time. And Amazon has some surprisingly affordable used copies available, it would appear.
