By Jeanette Siemens
Pratt Civic Leader
Special to the Tribune

A family trip to a beautiful place with time to visit, sight see and just plain enjoy life. Now that’s quality time.

Recently we traveled to Santa Fe, New Mexico to visit our granddaughter who is a traveling nurse and working there for a few more weeks. We had been there several years ago, but it was such a fun time again, particularly with the company we had. We ate well, talked a lot, played games and did sightseeing. Santa Fe is a beautiful place and obviously quite different from here.

We went to the Farmer’s Market both inside and out. MANY booths were set up inside the market and outside the street was lined with vendors sitting up and down the sidewalks selling their wares, much of which was jewelry. There were many art galleries. We toured the Georgia O’Keefe Gallery which was a phenomenal visit.

On thing we had experienced before, but it was even more breathtaking to me this time, was the Loretto Chapel known for the spiral staircase that has no support. Held together by wooden pegs, with no glue nails or other hardware used, the inner stringer consists of seven wooden segments joined together with pegs, while the longer outer stringer has nine segments. There are 33 stairs, which is the age of Christ at the time of his death. Handrails were added later. By construction standards the staircase should not work, but it does and has been used for years.

The beauty of the Chapel was breathtaking to me. The stillness, the “presence” of something more was all so very touching, in fact, bringing me to tears. Later, we attended Mass at the Basilica where the ceremony, music, and atmosphere were also breath taking. And then we ate again.

All in all, it was a trip worth taking full of beautiful memories, fun times, great food and a great family. And then it was good to come home to Pratt, too.