Your music class will be presented by Ronald Roybal.

Ronald is a Native American song writer, flute and guitar player, who has a wonderful grasp on the historical significance of Native American music, yet who has won many awards for his own creativity.

You'll learn a great deal about the music of the Southwest as you hear him play and sing for you.

You'll visit the historic Plaza and other selected sites, and learn about some of Santa Fe's culture and history as you go.

At 4:00 PM, you'll visit the New Mexico State Capitol Building, locally known as "The Roundhouse." The state has an impressive collection of art, and you'll have a guided visit so you'll see the very best the collection has to offer.

Bus returns to the hotel at around 5:15 PM.

Also, explore the art, artists, and architecture of northern New Mexico. The area's art legacy ranges from the Petroglyphs carved onto canyon and cave rocks by the early Native Americans to primarily religious art brought in by the Spaniards and Mexican settlers to the more contemporary works of Los Cinco Pintores and Georgia O'Keeffe and many more fine artists.

The O'Keeffe Museum features primarily works of Georgia O'Keeffe, but also offers works of her friends and other artists in special exhibits.

The Nedra Matteucci/Fenn Gallery is a small, elegant gallery, offering works of many artists. It has a charming outdoor sculpture garden with some remarkable works offered there...many by internationally known sculpture Glenna Goodacre.

The Peters Gallery is a newer, large gallery featuring works by many contemporary artists, but also those from the past, and it often has a special exhibit of works by very well-known artists such as Pablo Picasso and others.

You will be given a pass that you'll use during the week to the state museums.

While downtown, you may choose to visit the New Mexico Museum of Art and Palace of the Governors Museum, which are part of the state museum system, after our scheduled gallery and O'Keeffe Museum visits or you might wish to roam around the Plaza area for awhile - your choice!

At 4:15 PM, you'll take a short walk from the Plaza to the Santa Fe School of Cooking for a demonstration class on the preparations of tradititional northern New Mexican foods.

You'll learn all about the different kinds of chili used in local cooking, how to prepare corn and flour tortillas and several salsas and sauces as well.

You'll receive instructions as how to make some dishes that are among the most often prepared in traditional northern New Mexican kitchens.

There is a great shop associated with the cooking school that offers all of the spices you'll learn about, lots of great utensils and southwestern kitchen ware.

From 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM, there will be a optional video shown in a hotel meeting room.

Both are part of the State of New Mexico Museums system, and these are both unique facilities.

You'll need the ticket that you were given yesterday for visiting the two downtown state museums.

The MIAC offers a huge collection of pottery, basketry, rugs, jewelry and artifacts, mostly from tribes of the southwest region. The exhibits are beautifully displayed and documented.

The International Folk Art Museum features the huge collection of folk art of Alexander Girard. Displayed in charming scenarios, you'll be fascinated by this delightful museum. It also houses the Neutrogena Exhibit, a wonderful collection of fiber arts from all over the world.

Both museums have great gift shops as well!

The bus will return to the hotel at 5:00 PM.

Santa Fe is home to a diverse array of people, from many different countries,cultures, religions and ways of life.

There are many different alternative healing communities in Santa Fe, featuring everything from accupuncture, accupressure, feng shui, crystal healing, Native American shamans, Hispanic curanderos and curanderas and lots more!

These are very much a part of contemporary Santa Fe culture, and we think it's interesting to learn more about what's going on here, as many people actually move to Santa Fe to participate in or provide these alternate health methods. Those methods run the gamut from ancient practices to some that are quite modern and a bit, well, shall we say "out of the ordinary?" Fascinating stuff - we promise you'll be 'enlightened!' You'll be surprised by the ancient traditions that are still followed here, and may find out some things you didn't know about at all! It's a fun and informative class, and we're assuming you'll come with an open mind!

Some of the finest chefs in the area prepare it, and the tables are loaded with creative cuisine that isn't only beautiful to look at but absolutely delicious!

A particular table decoration that we remember from a past La Fonda feast was a parade of penguins fashioned from hard-boiled eggs and black olives marching down the tables.... they were quite fetching! Look forward to this meal, as it's really spectacular!

Historical records suggest that La Fonda on the Plaza sits on the oldest hotel corner in America. When Santa Fe was founded by the Spaniards in 1607, records show an inn – or fonda – was among the first businesses established at this location. By the time Captain William Becknell’s party forged their maiden commercial route across the plains from Missouri to Santa Fe in 1821, they happily found a comfortable inn on the Plaza awaiting them. Thus, the Santa Fe Trail was born, as well as La Fonda’s reputation for hospitality.

Through the Civil War, railroad expansion, and New Mexico statehood in 1912, the old adobe structure changed hands and names several times but remained a Santa Fe landmark.

The current La Fonda, built in 1922, sits on the same site as previous inns.

In 1925, the new building was acquired by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway and then leased to Fred Harvey. He turned La Fonda into one of the famous Harvey Houses and it remained a Harvey House until 1968 when it was acquired by local businessman, Sam Ballen.

La Fonda on the Plaza is a national treasure that has only improved with time.

Bus departs for return to the hotel around 2:00 PM.

There will be plenty to eat, but we know you've just had a fabulous feast at La Fonda Hotel, so we've lightened up the dinner offering considerably!

Starting with the Spaniards who came to the area in the 1500s, the parade of people has never stopped and their impact on the people and traditions that were already here has been huge.

This is a class that will really give you some food for thought and stretch your imagination from pre-history of northern NM to present-day ways of life.

You'll probably think about the alternative healing class you had few days ago, and also the film making class.

Everything so far presented should help you see how life never stands still for very long - change is imminent!

This Hispanic village is much as it has been for the last two hundred years, not much changed by people from outside its boundaries.

Several families there have become well-known for their weaving over a period of many years. You'll see beautiful rugs, clothing and other articles made by some of these artists.

You'll also visit the "Lourdes of Northern New Mexico," the Santuario de Chimayo, famous for the healing earth found inside.

The Santuario also offers some remarkable folk art, from its beautiful retablos, stations of the cross, and bultos (statues of the saints).

You'll remember this peaceful, sweet and ancient sanctuary in the scenic rolling hills of northern New Mexico as a very special place visited on this Road Scholar program.

Bus departs for dinner destination at 4:45 PM.

Rancho de Chimayo has been owned and operated for many years by a family from Chimayo, and is one of the best-known restaurants in the northern New Mexico area.

While you'll be served traditional cuisine, you can order chili on the side, order food items that are not highly spiced, or order a vegetarian entree should you choose to do so.

The food's delicious and most accessible to any palate!

Not only is the food a great experience, the atmosphere of the restaurant is unique. Since it was an old adobe home that was built onto many times over the years, it has a mellow, warm feel enhanced by fireplaces in almost every room and lovely old-fashioned decor throughout.

Bus departs for the hotel around 6:30 PM.