by Maria Staiano-Daniels
Daily Lobo
When I was a junior high student in Santa Fe, my friends always complained there was nothing to do. This annoyed me, partially because my friends were losers whose idea of fun was to get wasted and act stupid, which you can do anywhere. So in an effort to prove my loser friends wrong, I give you things to do in Santa Fe - besides getting drunk.
First, of course, you have to see tourist attraction No. 1 - the Basilica of St. Francis. It's a small, chunky little church, but it's the only basilica within a few thousand miles, and unless you plan to go to Italy over Spring Break, you're not going to see another any time soon. Go rubberneck.
Wander around the Plaza a little. The Plaza is Santa Fe's version of Old Town, only it's smaller and cooler. They say if you hang out on the Plaza long enough, everyone you know will eventually pass by. If you're a "Rent" fan, you'll recognize the corner where Rodger stood and played his guitar while Mimi was catching tuberculosis on the street.
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Santa Fe is the land of artists, some of which fall into the category of "artistes," aka pretentious fruitcakes. On the Plaza you can walk down a street blindfolded and end up in a gallery of some kind. There are easily as many museums as churches, but by now you've had enough touristy stuff. If you want to avoid the yuppies at the more commonplace, upper-crust joints, swing by SITE Santa Fe at 1606 Paseo de Peralta. Currently, SITE Santa Fe, an art space, is showing Cai Guo-Qiang's "Inopportune," which from the publicity photos looks like a bunch of sculptures of tigers getting shot with arrows. How much more avant-garde can you get? Go on Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., and admission is free.
Speaking of museums, in Santa Fe you have a choice of about 6 billion of them storing wads of art, art, history and more art. They're all fine establishments, I'm sure, but the one I really recommend is the Children's Museum at 1050 Old Pecos Trail. It's not as big as Explora, but it has a certain rustic charm. Nowhere else in Santa Fe can you get magnets, snake handling, face painting and a climbing wall all in one place. Plus, on Sundays from noon to 5 p.m., admission is $1.
The one area in which Santa Fe clearly outshines Albuquerque is beauty.
Let's face it. 'Burque, for the most part, is plug ugly. While you're in Santa Fe, you have to go hiking. The real mountaineers can go up to the Ski Basin and hike above the tree line, but the less athletic can just walk along what Santa Feans laughably call the Santa Fe River and get more than a day's dose of loveliness. My favorite hike is Atalaya Trail. The trailhead is near the city, next to St. John's College. It is just strenuous enough to be a challenge, and the view from the top is incredible.
After a long day of touristry, you'll be hungry. Eating in Santa Fe without going broke can be difficult. You can never go wrong with Felipe's Tacos. Hidden away on 1711 Llano St., Felipe's food is cheap - under $10 - fresh and fast. Try a machaca burrito, and don't leave without trying either the horchata or the limeade, preferably one of each. If you're a night owl, the Atomic Grill might suit you better. On 103 East Water St., this little place is open till 3 a.m. They have excellent nachos.
Hopefully, now that you have an insider's guide, you'll go enjoy a taste of the City Different, where if nothing else floats your boat, you can always hang around the Plaza pretending to be from a foreign country, and see who tries to overcharge you. There is too stuff to do in Santa Fe. So there, junior high loser friends.
