We went to Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A to see our Cousins who have moved from Brandon Suffix, England to an Air Force Base. The other reason was to see the International Balloon Festival, (it takes place every October).
We used Northwest Airlines to get here. Our Cousins picked us up at the Airport and it took us a half an Hour to get to their House.
It is a enchanting City with a population of over 700, 000 residence.
The City has a lot of Artists, Musicals and Movie Writers amidst the population.
The Sandia Mountains are a back drop for the City. Along the Rio Grande River there are a row of Mesas, (flat topped Mountains), and five have Volcanos.
HISTORY
The Pueblo’s, (Native Americans), arrived in this area of the USA about 10, 000 years ago. The Spanish arrived in the 17th Century and opened a Trading Settlement, (that you can still see in Old Town).
El Camino Real built the Royal Road from Mexico to Albuquerque and it became New Mexico’s link to the World.
ATTRACTIONS
There are four areas in the City that lead from Central Avenue and the Railroad Tracks. The Attractions are far apart so you will need a Car or take a Tour.
Albuquerque reminded me of Mexican Villages because th Old Towne Plaza is the City centre.
Old Town is on the banks of the Rio Grande River. We loved this area and came back to roam through the lanes and smaller Ploxas. On Sunday there is a Fiesta and the air is alive with Mariachi Bands, Mexican Dancers and Guns! We saw a gunfight on Romero Street. Well it was a pretend one but it was interesting to see the differences between a Mexican and the Canadian Cowboys we see in Calgary.
The University of New Mexico has an Art Museum. There are Phonographs and Paintings on display. We saw a lot of O’Keeffe paints and a few of Picasso’s. I bought a litograph of one of Picasso’s paintings.
Nob Hill is near the University. This is were you will find a lot of Restaurants and Stores.
We drove for an hour to reach the Laguna Pueblo’s Reservation. Our Cousins insisted we go because it was a Feast Day. There are 6 Villages. We only went to the Old Laguna Village.
We visited the San Jose de Laguna Church, (that was built in 1699). We saw some interesting Pottery that geometric designs on it.
We were invited into the Artists homes to see their Collection. There was also a lot of Shops to buy First Nations Art. During the Feast we were served roasted Duck. Our fingers were dripping with fat as we watch the Singers and Dancers preform. I had to find a Bathroom to wash off the grease from my Arms and Hands!
Petroglyph National Monument is where Archaeologists found the Petroglyphs that were carved out of Lava Stones by Native American Hunters, (about 1600 Years ago). We walked over the Volcanos to reach the Carvings.
Acoma Pueblo is on a Mesa and we drove here to see Sky City. The City was built by the Acomas, (1500 Years ago), on Terraces. The Homes have a lot of levels and are adobe brick red.
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science has displays of Caves from the Ice Age, a Volcano some Dinosaurs, a ride that took us back 35 million Years so we could see how the area had developed since them.
Albuquerque Aquarium and Rio Grande Botanic Garden is like the Gardens I saw in Morocco. There are three Gardens and each is inclosed in a Wall. The vegetation in each are different. There are two Pavilions in the Conservatory. We saw an Exhibit of Dessert Plants and Mediterranean Plants. When we went into the Aquarium we saw a display showing how the Rio Grande came from a Waterfall in the Rocky Mountains. There was a Shark Tank and we were here during feeding time so I fed the Sharks, (I did this often at West Edmonton Mall). Before we left we had lunch on the Grounds at the Sharkfeef Café.
The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History is a new Building. It has the United State’s larges collection of Spanish-Colonial Artifacts and Maps. There were two Statues of Spanish Conquistors. They were dressed in an Armour with Chain Mail Vest. There are Treasure Chests filled with Gems and gold Coins. There were displays of bronze, fibreglass and steel Sculptors that were designed by Albuquerque’s new Artists. We saw a film on how the City Developed before we left.
Indian Pueblo Cultural Centre was a treat. The Centre is in a circular Building. There are nineteen Pueblo Tribes and each of them has a display. We saw their pots, pans, a cooking demonstration, art, artifacts and I made a red clay Pot!!
I hope you will believe me when I tell you that there were about 20 Attractions we didn’t see.
THE BALLOON FESTIVAL
Can you imagine almost 900 hot-air Balloons soaring above you. Each Balloons is different and we saw a number of Beverages, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, every Fairy Tale characters, bucking Broncos, charging Brama Bulls that were in a race.
You never know if the Race will take place because it all depends on the Wind. The Race is very difficult because the Piolet has to go over an Obstacle Route. The Balloons go up one at a time and float over the City and then go out to an open Field where they descend.
The Balloons are made in Rodeo and Albuquirky shapes.
Molson Canadian’s green Beer Can, with a Rodeo design, came in forth! Yeah!
A Pregnant Moment, (off topic information)
We didn’t have time to go to see the UFO Museum in Roswell, New Mexico.
I thought I knew a lot about UFO’s but I did learn some new things from our Cousin.
I always thought the first open air Atom Bomb, (I knew the first underground one happened in Nevada, because we were in Las Vegas when it happened), was in Japan. I was wrong because it was in near Roswell.
Most of the Unites States Miliary projects were built and tested in Roswell.
I was watch CNN, the other night, and I learned that Archelogigists are now preforming new UFO tests here. The link is:
https://chez.com/lesovnis/htm/roswellreutersnov2002.htm
Maybe we will finally get an answer to what I already know is true.
WHITCH’S IN NEW MEXICO
Our Cousins Children told that the reason there were so many Mountain Villages, was because there were Witch’s there.
The Owl, brings bad luck, there are strange fire balls that appear in the Sky at Night, and there are many charms that are sold in the Shops.
If you would read more about them the link is:
https://unm.edu/~nmhr/WITCHINT.HTM
SHOPPING
Old Town and Nob Hill are the best places to go shopping.
I bought a few cool cotton loose dresses at Wear It! when I walked into La Pinata I saw a large paper mache Clown. I still have it and the bright colours have never faded.
My Husband wears size 13, B Shoes. He can’t find Shoes in Canada. We stopped at the Western Warehouse and he bought a pair of Western Boots.
While we were walking around Nob Hill I saw some T-Shirts at Beeps. Each of them had a different stone carving on them. My Children and Grandchildren loved theirs.
I bought two red clay Turtles, (they mean a new passage is beginning in your life). A space is left in the shell, to put a large candle.
We bought gold pendants in the shape of a cave carving, Man and Woman, (I wear the Man and my Husband wears the Woman).
WOULD I RETURN TO ALBUQUERQUE?
I would, in a heart beat! The link to the web site is:
http://www.newmexico.org
Thanks for reading my opinion.
©LL2003