Joanne and Mitch decided to take a break from camping since we were going into a city, and checked into the Las Palomas Hotel, a charming B&B located in a quiet neighborhood. (Mitch complained that they charged an extra 20 bucks for me. Why should they when I am such a good boy?)

But it was a great find, only a few blocks from the Central Plaza where scores of new people petted me.

The three of us then negotiated Santa Fe’s narrow sidewalks with me sniffing the way looking for a comfortable place to eat outside so I could be with them. They settled on brunch at La Cuchina De Donna Clara where Joanne had huevos revueltos  with cactus, Mitch had a chili rellenos omelet, and I ate the meager leftovers. Boy. These guys can eat.

Then we took up the serious business of shopping.

Joanne had bought a pair of cowboy boots in Taos and now Mitch was on the hunt  for a pair of boots that were preferably used and broken in. No luck, but the quest took us into some pretty funky cowboy places with interesting smells. Joanne took a picture of me with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.

Santa Fe is a major artist hub and some of the galleries are very high quality, alas too snooty to allow a dog. But there was one gallery, which actually invited me in, that really blew us all away. That was the Monroe Gallery of Photography which was featuring the works of Ernest Withers. He was a news photographer who covered civil rights stories for newspapers and magazines including the Desegregation of Central High School by the Little Rock Nine and the “I am a Man” Sanitation Workers solidarity march in Memphis. He also chronicled the life and death of Martin Luther King with incredibly dramatic photographs. Mitch and Joanne were riveted and all I could do was sit quietly and be respectful.

Later on they left me alone in the room while they went out to eat at Pasqual’s. They came back raving about the food, but nothing for me. I didn’t care because while they were gone I slept on the bed and watched TV.

The next morning we woke up and Mitch and Joanne again left me in the room while they ate breakfast at the B&B. Again, no leftovers. After breakfast they did the laundry and headed to the local Trader Joe’s where they stocked up for the next phase of the trip.

Apollo at a Chocolate Kiosk