It’s not too bad of trip from home to here. Of course, there is always transferring to another plane in Atlanta. 3 hours later we land in Albuquerque. A first stop since we are so close is to visit the Center for Action and Contemplation. Here Richard Rohr – a Franciscan priest – now a mystic and author resides. After reading several of his books and following his newsletter, a stop became a must.Short drive from the airport in a neighborhood away from the downtown area, a small building and grounds welcome us.Inside is the visitor center with books, dvds and cds along with a welcoming woman who tells us to just ring the bell if we need anything. A book and some CDs to listen to in the car are just what we need.Outside in the back is a labyrinth made with stones in the New Mexico sandy dirt. A good place to spend some time in contemplation to kick-off our vacation.Back in the car, we head to Albuquerque Old Town area along Route 66. The first time we went through here was in 2002.Some things have changed for the better and some are looking a little tired.Lunch at La Placita restaurant a touristy place but still has your basic Mexican food groups. Overeating is commonplace here. People are selling their jewelry, etc on the sidewalk in front of the building. Fun to look. Of course, the oldest church is right on the Old Town square as well. We even see some “Code Talkers” selling their books just off the square.Back in the car and head to our hotel in Santa Fe – Four Season Resort Rancho Encantado.I was not prepared for how beautiful, secluded and just plan awesome a resort we are checking in to. Happy to know we have a few days here to relax. The grounds have a lot of sculpture and inside some interesting art – all for sale.After some exploring, we are in our room. A light rainfall occurs with some accompanying thunder. Over in 20 minutes – kind of like Sarasota rain. The hotel staff are thrilled because of how dry things have been. This is the start of their “Monsoon” season. The sky and surrounding landscape are something that never grows old.Dinner in Terra, the restaurant in the main building is delicious. Looking forward to tomorrow’s adventures!