MJ buys a new hat
Trip Start
Apr 18, 2007
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126
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Trip End
Oct 16, 2007
Santa Fe,
New Mexico,
United States
Monday, August 20, 2007
There is a large plaza in the middle of town with shady trees and the Governors Palace on one side which is the oldest public building in the USA. The town is composed ENTIRELY of tourist shops - most of which appear to be selling the same jewelry. We trudged around entering each shop and pretty soon it was like the background to a Tom and Jerry movie - yawn!
We'd been told about the San Miguel Chapel. It is an amazing spiral staircase with no centre pole made out of a wood not found in the region.
Here's the Wiki:
In 1872 Jean Baptiste Lamy, the Bishop of the Santa Fe Archdiocese, commissioned the building of a convent chapel to be named Our Lady of Light Chapel, which would be in the care of the Sisters of Loretto
Governor's Palace
. The chapel was designed by French architect Antoine Mouly in the Gothic Revival style, complete with spires, buttresses, and stained glass windows imported from France. Although it was built on a much smaller scale, the chapel bears an obvious resemblance to the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris.The architect died suddenly and it was only after much of the chapel was constructed that the builders realized it was lacking any type of stairway to the choir loft. Due to the chapel's small size, a standard staircase would have been too large. (Historians have also noted that earlier churches of the period had ladders rather than stairs to the choir loft, but the Sisters obviously did not feel comfortable with that prospect.)
The story of the supposed miracle continues as follows.
Needing a way to get up to the choir loft the nuns prayed for St. Joseph's intercession for nine straight days. On the day after their novena ended a shabby looking stranger appeared at their door. He told the nuns he would build them a staircase but that he needed total privacy and locked himself in the chapel for three months. He used a small number of primitive tools including a square, a saw and some warm water and constructed a spiral staircase entirely of non-native wood. The identity of the carpenter is not known for as soon as the staircase was finally finished he was gone
Get your kicks...
. Many witnesses, upon seeing the staircase, feel it was a miraculous occurrence.The resulting staircase is an impressive work of carpentry. It ascends twenty feet, making two complete revolutions up to the choir loft without the use of nails or apparent center support. However, the central spiral of the staircase is narrow enough to serve as a central beam, and the outer spiral is fastened to an adjacent pillar.
For a long time, the mystery had never been solved as to whom the carpenter was or where he got his lumber, since there were no reports of anyone seeing lumber delivered or even seeing the man come and go while the construction was being done. Since he left before the Mother Superior could pay him, the Sisters of Loretto offered a reward for the identity of the man, but it was never claimed.
It is a lovely small chapel, very peaceful and the staircase is incredible.
We met up with Huck and Kathy and found a nice place for lunch including chicken wings at Huck's suggestion. Afterwards we took a walk around the shops once again looking for trinkets and a straw hat for MJ as the stetson is too warm for these here climes. Found a good one and then MJ and Chrissy headed back to the hotel for a period pool time and sunbathing - the weather is excellent hot but not oppressive.
We'd agreed to meet up with Huck/Kathy at 7.30pm for an evening meal - they had spent the entire day in town!! Found a good Italian and enjoyed a pleasant evening with them.
We're so glad we met them - the whole trip is back on track and seems there are plently of nice places still to visit as we head back east.
