Georgia O’Keeffe Woz ‘Ere

This is Hampstead USA. Richmond, Primrose Hill and Twickenham are all rolled into one under a desert sun. Public art is everywhere, there are 13 art galleries per person, there’s no litter at all, drivers stop and wave you across the manicured roads. Everyone you meet apologises for their government and hopes you understand that they absolutely did not vote for “him”.

The no litter thing is the biggest shock. Brighton & Hove – a supposedly liberal enclave is awash with litter, if the public art was transplanted to 90% of British towns it would be pissed over and shat on within 24 hours. They even have strings of dried chillies hanging from the lamp posts – how long would they last in Acton? Have you been to Crawley?

We don’t mention many restaurants on these trips as there aren’t many to recommend; we’re usually in the middle of nowhere eating from the back of the car or they are heart attack and diabetes factories. As mentioned interminably in previous sections you do not road trip in the USA for the eatin’ – this is not northern Spain. But… The Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe is utterly deserving of our European Food Snobs Rosette of Honour. It’s the best restaurant we’ve been to in the United States and last night’s dinner was a joy indeed. I didn’t have the elk, it felt a little mean.

It rains of course. Santa Fe is walked and walked. Georgia O’Keeffe is thoroughly examined and loads of stuff is greedily purchased. Noses are pressed against real estate windows and meaningful “Hmmmm” noises are made. Unsurprisingly we go for lunch in the Coyote Cantina (sister of the Cafe) where we are mightily impressed to see the oldest ever human to be using an iPad whilst drinking a very large Bushmills…