Taking a train trip via Amtrak (http://Amtrak.com) to Winslow, Arizona from Albuquerque, New Mexico is as close as one can come to time travel to the old wild West without a time machine.
The train ride was smooth enough that one lady wrote and addressed 100 postcards. I jotted down notes in my journal using my fountain pens, and admired the beautiful scenery. The trip was sponsored by the Wheels Museum in Albuquerque. The train was immaculate and comfortable, with lots of leg room. There is a cafe onboard, with light snacks and a wonderful observation deck with huge windows.
For booking cheap travel, I found the wanderu (http://Wanderu.com) website helpful and often easier to use than Amtrak’s beautiful but sometimes overwhelming site. Wanderu also can be used to find deals on buses, trains, cars, and hotels.
Arriving after dark, guests exited the train to be immediately welcomed by the hotel lights. The train stops at the hotel’s back gate.
The train stops right at la Posada.Every bit of this hotel is filled with wonderful art, plants, and detailsGuests with mobility issues should request a ground floor room. There is no working elevator in this historic building.One example of the beautiful woodwork art showcased throughout the hotel.A beautiful headboard in one of the roomsThere are lovely seating areas throughout the hotel.
La Posada was designed by one of the first women architects, Mary Colter. Like Gaudi and Frank Lloyd Wright, she wasn’t a registered architect, so she wasn’t the architect of record on the blueprints, but she did the design for this and many other buildings in the Southwest. She also designed the lovely gardens with all their quiet conversation spaces.
One of many garden seating areasSigns make it clear that the hotel is the official boarding site for AmtrakThe sign for the hotelAnother view of la PosadaBurro art in the gardensMore garden seatingPeggy from the Winslow Harvey girls gave an amazing presentation about la Posada and the Harvey girls. She’s an extraordinary storyteller and is available for group tours at just $5/person. Call Peggy Nelson at 928-289-4160 or 928-587-2287 to arrange a group tour. It’s well worth it.Peggy took us on a tour of the paintings, including this suicide painting by hotel co-owner Tina Mion. Her paintings are exquisitely done but not necessarily themes you’d want for your house.Another Tina Mion paintingTina’s description of the paintingThe turquoise dining room. The panels to the right are stained glass Santos.A wickedly good dessert souffleHalf of a vegetarian platter (we split it, and it was plenty)A chicken dish
An absolutely incredible corn/bean soup. The ladies are part of the group from the Wheels tour.
Winslow is known for the song Take it Easy by the Eagles. It includes the line “standing on the corner in Winslow, AZ”.Ray and I stopped at a soda and sandwich stop in Winslow. This is a black cow, a root beer float with chocolate syrup. Prices were very reasonable.Street scene from Winslow. Winslow is on old route 66, one of the most famous roadways in AmericaThe local market
Travels with Owen 
What a great trip! And now I’m singing the Eagles, so that’s a win!
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