Sunday, September 24, 2006; P04
Barbara J. King of Wicomico, Va., is the latest contributor to our Your Vacation in Lights feature, in which we invite Travel section readers to share the dish about their recent trips. It's a big, confusing travel world out there, and you can help your fellow travelers navigate it. Your hot tip can be the next guy's day-maker; your rip-off restaurant, the next family's near miss. To file your own trip report -- and become eligible to win a digital camera -- see the fine print below.
THE TRIP: A long weekend in Santa Fe for my 50th birthday.
WHEN: August 2006
WHO WENT: Me, my husband and our 12-year-old daughter.
GETTING THERE WAS . . . harrowing. Because our flight was delayed, we missed our connection to Albuquerque and were stuck overnight in Dallas. We woke up the next morning to breaking news of the London air terror plot -- and to airline chaos and security delays.
IT MADE IT ALL WORTH IT WHEN . . . We checked into La Fonda, our splurge hotel right on the Santa Fe Plaza (where buildings date back to 1610). In the evening's high-altitude breeze, we sat on the plaza and ate ice cream, and did not miss the humidity of Virginia.
BEST THING ABOUT MY HOTEL: The vibrant Southwestern decor in our room, and getting a three-nights-for-the-price-of-two deal to stay there.
WORST THING ABOUT MY HOTEL: Sharing the pool and hot tub area with all the spa-treated bodies of the people who didn't need a three-nights-for-the-price-of-two deal to stay there.
WHY SANTA FE? The three-cultures blend of Anglo, Hispanic and Indian makes this city remarkable. History is everywhere, and the blue-sky mountain landscape is gorgeous.
BEST ATTRACTION FOR ART LOVERS: How to choose just one? It's a three-way tie among the posh galleries along Canyon Road, the turquoise jewelry sold by Native Americans around the plaza, and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.
MOST FUN ACTIVITY: We hiked at Tent Rocks National Monument, about 40 miles south of Santa Fe and out past Cochiti Pueblo. Tent Rocks is a geological wonderland with oddly beautiful sand-shapes that were formed by an ancient volcanic explosion.
FAVORITE MEAL: Meeting our friend Jane for Saturday morning breakfast at Guadalupe Cafe. Chili-studded options are available, but also blue-corn pancakes and big, warm raspberry muffins that my daughter insisted are "the best muffins ever."
BEST STORE: Garcia Street Books, a small but incredibly-great-for-browsing bookstore where we added extra weight to our luggage. Next door is a newsstand-cafe where my husband spied Bruce Babbitt (former secretary of the interior), who spared a minute for a chat about politics.
FAVORITE SOUVENIR: Besides books? Pinon chocolates from Señor Murphy Candymaker, right next to La Fonda (but they didn't last long!).
I CAN'T BELIEVE I . . . ever thought turning 50 would be hard. In Santa Fe with my family, I soaked up wonders of the natural and human worlds and felt how lucky I am in my life.
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Want to see your own vacation in lights? We'll highlight one report, along with a photo from the trip, on the last Sunday of the month. To enter, use the categories above as a guide (use as many as you wish, or add your own; for a complete list, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/vacationin lights) and send your report to Your Vacation in Lights, Washington Post Travel Section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071; fax it to 202-912-3609; or e-mail vacationinlights@washpost.com.
Entries chosen for publication become eligible to receive a Canon PowerShot A610 (or equivalent) digital camera at the end of the year. Entries will be chosen on the basis of humor, originality and usefulness; are subject to editing for space and clarity; and become property of The Post, which may edit, publish, distribute or republish them in any form. Employees of The Post and their immediate families are not eligible. No purchase necessary.
