September 29, 2015 Part 2 another trip into Santa Fe

Tuesday, September 29, 2015 Part 2 another trip into Santa Fe

GOODS NEWS OUR REBUILT ENGINE JUST ARRIVED IN THE REPAIR SHOP AND WE ARE GETTING OUR CAR THIS FRIDAY WOO HOO.

We went back into town and toured the Loretto Chapel, San Miguel Church/Mission which is the oldest church and the oldest house in the United States.  We stopped in the Capitol Building that had some interesting paper book artwork that blew me away and last we stopped into the Harrell House of Nature Oddities and it was  a little odd and interesting at the same time.

FYI-Here is the story of the Loretto Chapel and its Miraculous Stairway.  This Chapel was built in 1870's and fashioned after the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. It is believed to be the first Gothic church west of the Mississippi.  However the chapel had a design flaw-there was no way to get to the choir loft.  Carpenters were called in but no one could come up with a solution.  A conventional staircase was too big and they didn't want to rebuild.  Seeking divine guidance the Sisters made a Novena to Saint Joseph (the carpenter).  As the legend goes on the 9th day a mysterious carpenter arrived to design the stairs.  The tools on his donkey were a saw, square, a hammer and tubs to soak the wood.  He was going to make a circular staircase.  His staircase contains 33 steps and goes into 2 full 360 degree turns.  It has no center support nor is it supported on its sides by any type of braces.  When the staircase was completed the carpenter disappeared without ever getting payment for his work.  Today a banister has been added and a brace for safety reasons.  You are not allowed on it but it is a beautiful piece a wooden art.

LORETTO CHAPEL

STAIRCASE IN THE LATE 1880'S

STAIRCASE TODAY

SAN MIGUEL CHURCH

BELL FROM SPAIN CAST IN 1366

ALTAR IN SAN MIGUEL

CHECK THIS HAT OUT----CREEPY

AND THE MAN THAT WORE IT

OLDEST HOUSE IN THE U.S.A.

CAPITOL BUILDING..


CHECK OUT THIS ARTWORK MADE OUT OF PAGES OF A BOOK

BEAUTIFUL GLASS BOWL



THESE DISPLAYS WERE AT HARRELL HOUSE OF NATURAL ODDITIES

KATYDIDS

PRAYING MANTIS

Stick Insects

DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THESE BUGS BUT THEY WERE A PRETTY COLOR

THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF HOW BIG THESE THINGS ARE

OH NO SPIDERS  SORRY CHERYL

BIG SCORPIONS

HE IS REAL-CROCODILE MONITOR

A SCORPION UNDER ULTRA VIOLET LIGHT THAT IS HOW YOU FIND THEM AT NIGHT

MY FAVORITE - A MALE CHAMELEON