Sante Fe

Sante Fe was made a capital in 1608, making it the oldest capital city in what is today the United States. The history actually goes farther back to the Spanish colonists and before them the Pueblo Indians (shortly after 1000 A.D.). I've been to the city on several occasions, usually to look at the incredible art featured in numerous galleries and on the sidewalks. This weekend's visit marked my first into the St. Francis Cathedral and in particular, the Loretto Chapel and its mysterious staircase, the kind of thing that tickles the brains of technical types. According to a rather insistent item called physics, the staircase should not be able to hold weight. Apparently someone forgot to tell this to the staircase, for it could hold over a dozen singers in the chapel choir.

While intrigued, I found the staircase a mild head scratch compared to the mind bending and off the map extraordinary sequence of events behind Saint Bernadette and what happened in Lourdes, France. Those interested can either read the book or see the terrific 1943 movie (the first for star Jennifer Jones) that quite accurately portrays the events of two remarkable weeks in February 1858.

I didn't bother to head into Albuquerque to listen to McCain tell us to ignore the tanking economy and the loss of everything we own. More important, according to McCain, are the questions we should ask about someone Obama may have seen while he was eight years old. Regarding McCain's Twidiot Palin, recent events remove all doubt. Told you so.