A little R&R at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs

We decided to stay for two nights and three days at a well respected spa and natural hot springs for a little rest and relaxation. Ojo Caliente is centrally located and in the middle of nowhere at the same time, just how we like it. This place has been used by indigenous peoples for many centuries and contains unique ruins and some say therapeutic powers in the mineral waters. If you decide to come for the day, it is moderately priced here. For example, all day passes for the hot springs are $38 a person, on the weekend, with no discounts for children. Also yoga, private baths, and massages are all separately billed expenses if you choose to do any of those. Elise and I, loved how the resort felt elegant but not pretentious and how the natural setting was highlighted in the building's architecture. 
   Our secluded and natural feeling RV campground was ideal, and all of the amenities were only a short 2 minute walk from our trailer. As for the hot springs, I have to admit that soaking stiff joints and tight muscles in boiling water is a magical thing once you reach the mid forties. When my wife and I finally left the hot baths we looked like beached jellyfish, which is a wonderful thing when you're trying to relax. As for my daughters, they had the most fun in the mud baths, though my preteen wanted to keep her hair looking good, just in case.

The clouds finally came out to cool us down while we were in the hot tubs.

Beautiful contrast of the mud drying at different rates.

A round adobe farmhouse. You don't see that everyday.

The area around Ojo Caliente is prone to washouts.

A path to some of the hotel rooms.

Paco liked sniffing around for goodies.

Paco decided to sit on the girl's game of "go fish" and they laughed hysterically. 

The grounds of the hotel had an authentic feel to them, like this prayer wheel, for example.

In the muddy waters, the girls were warming up.

The spa and resort are nestled at the base of a mountain.

Smearing mud of their faces.

A relaxed daughter.

I enjoyed simmering, like a carrot in a soup, at this tub.

I loved how many hammocks they had here.

Art in the garden.

I took a rare selfie of Zoe and I in the mud spa.

The rolling clouds provided us much needed shade on our second day.

The grounds were peaceful and well-kept.

Timeless charm of Santa Fe

Santa Fe, New Mexico, is one of those iconic towns in the U.S. that really lives up to its hype. Strict zoning codes and a populace that takes their stewardship of the historic landmarks seriously. This makes Santa Fe, a wonderful place to visit and savor, over and over again. We last visited here, during Thanksgiving, 6 years ago, and the city has since expanded outwards in big ways. In fact, Elise and I have seen a lot of vacancy signs on buildings and believe they may have overbuilt during this latest construction boom. Either way, the core downtown historic area was unfazed by the real estate speculators and looks remarkably unchanged and very familiar.
   My kids know a thing or two about chilling in a parque central (central park) and reveled in buying street food from a Cuban vendor at the park. We sat at a shaded table with our Cuba-New Mex food and started speaking with a recent transplant to Santa Fe. She was a retiree from San Francisco and raved about the quality of life in her new adopted town. The way she spoke of Santa Fe reminded us of Granada, back in Nicaragua, and got us all homesick on the spot.
   Elise and I, often wonder if we'll ever find a place again, that each of us can fall in love with, like Granada? We try not to compare, but can't help it. We try to let the past go and focus on the future, but we can't unsee what we have seen. We want a quirky community of caring people, vibrant colors, and not so many rules. Is this too much to ask for? My wife and daughters ache. They long for the grandmas selling handmade tortillas on the streets, the clip-clop of horses pulling their carts, and the noise of everyday living. The only thing that keeps us together, is our love for each other. We will one day, and possibly soon, vote as a family, for our next community to call home. I hope, in my heart, that it won't be a 2/2 or even a 3/1 vote. I pray we can find contentment in our choice, for saying goodbye to wonderful friends tears us apart too much, to repeat.
       

An old cart converted into a floral decoration.

My kids love colorful things.

Modern and antique blend in Santa Fe 

We loved the soft lines of the adobe structures.

Some of these buildings are much older than you think.

One of the nicer hotels in Santa Fe.

This is the oldest house in the U.S.

The cedar wood used for the ceiling, is still in great shape, in this 500 year old home.

They are still making adobe bricks, in Santa Fe, today.

 

Beautiful old town homes.

The indigenous craft market, at the Palace of the Governors, in Santa Fe.

Chilling after lunch and central park.

I loved how the light played with the angles of the architecture here.

The Santa Fe that most people recognize.

Meow Wolf, where space and time collide

Imagine blending themes from the Twilight Zone, Avatar, and the game of Clue? If you can do that, then you can start to imagine the multiverse, murder mystery experience of Meow Wolf. This place is an immersive "Whodunnit" set to awesome music and whimsical lights. It contained hidden pathways and chambers and most importantly clues as to what happened to the boy that died and his family as the portal to the multiverse crashed into their home and broke the space time continuum. The future, past and present all collided, while you explored the Rubik's Cube of reality called the house of eternal return.
   Okay that's the theme. How does that play out for a modern family on a visit? It was awesome! We loved it, especially my 9 year old, who was hyperventilating as she ran through the dimensions. She could not get enough. We split up, so that we wouldn't lose anyone in the maze of hidden rooms. I went with Zoe, while Elise stayed with Sierra. The murder mystery stuff was way above Zoe's head and her attention span too. So Zoe did, what other kids before her did, she lived in the moment of the lights, sounds, and hidden treasures of the exhibit. Zoe had a complete and utter out-of-body experience and I am not exaggerating. My wife and I both commented how we have never seen Zoe so excited and energized before.
    My oldest daughter, Sierra, got into solving the murder mystery with mommy. For her, she was a sleuth, and her case spanned eternity. The two of them searched for clues and leads in the most unlikely of places. Pathways led them through refrigerators and dryers to other dimensions. Clues were in the videos, newspaper clippings, just about everywhere contained clues. Ultimately, the mystery was too difficult to solve and Sierra threw in the towel. Though, her experience was different than Zoe's, she had a wonderful time playing a space aged Nancy Drew. 
   This thematic wonderland and adventures of Meow Wolf is good for all ages. Whether you want to be a sleuth detective or run around wild and free, there is something for you here. The psychedelic imagery mingled with our inner minds and left us thinking long after we left and yes we all had vivid dreams last night.                   
 

The views were like Avatar at times.

 

Entrance to the another dimension. 

16 foot tall space creature.

A futuristic flower arrangement occurred when the time/space continuum collided with the missing family's living room. 

The tree of portals.

Entering another dimension through an ice maker. 

Touching tapestries that illuminate.

The missing father's trophy room changed to the multidimensional 

The dead boy's aquarium grew to the size of a room.

The missing family's backyard tree house was caught between time warps.

Clues were everywhere. 

Outside Meow Wolf was cool too.

The kids were exhausted by the time we left.

I got a picture of Sierra taking a picture of Zoe.

Sierra was driving a spaceship school bus through a 3D galaxy.

The missing daughter's nightstand became futuristic when the time continuum broke.

Searching for clues in the toilet.

Old school video arcade because the 1980's came back to life.

Zoe playing Ms. Pacman. 

Elise showed Zoe how to play pinball.

I was on a winning streak in pinball. In fact, I was playing so long that my wife and kids feet were sore so we had to leave. For the record, I still had 3 balls left and I am certain that I could have gotten to a billion points. I still got game :) 

The missing family was celebrating a birthday when the portal to the multiverse occurred.

Walking through an aquarium caught in a time warp.