We left Flagstaff Arizona and headed to Albuquerque for the annual hot air balloon festival. Because of our excursion through the Petrified Forest National Park and some other national parks in western New Mexico, we decided to spend the night somewhere halfway between Flagstaff…Read More

We left Flagstaff Arizona and headed to Albuquerque for the annual hot air balloon festival. Because of our excursion through the Petrified Forest National Park and some other national parks in western New Mexico, we decided to spend the night somewhere halfway between Flagstaff and Albuquerque. I enjoy reading the book 1000 Places to See Before You Die and I also have the sequel that covers just the United States and Canada. I consulted the book to see what attractions it suggests visiting and it lists the town of Gallup as one of it destinations to visit. Since Gallup is the largest city between Flagstaff and Albuquerque and is conveniently located off of I-40, we decided to make this our stopover.

Gallup is known as the "Indian Capital of the World" because of its location near so many different Indian tribes. The Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi tribes along with some smaller ones are located in or near Gallup. The fastest way to Gallup is of course on I-40, but the most scenic route would have to be on the famous "Mother Road" Route 66. At times, we would get off the interstate and travel Route 66 to admire the buildings and road signs of an era long ago. We drove into Gallup on Route 66 as it crossed Highway 491. This highway until 2003 was labeled Route 666. However because of the association with 666 and devil worship it was redesignated as 491. It is still known as the Devil’s Highway.

Our hotel, a Comfort Suites, which although isn’t fancy or historical, does sit along Route 66. So I can say we stayed at a hotel on the Mother Road. The heart of Gallup where Route 66 cuts through is filled with old motels easily identifiable by its large lighted signs and blinking letters to make sure it gets your attention. To would-be travelers, many of the motels advertise that it has air conditioning and color TV as if at one time, that was a luxury which we take to be standard today. Perhaps the most famous of these motels along Route 66 is the El Rancho Motel. This motel is on the National Register of Historical Places and many Hollywood actor and actresses stayed here while making many of the films that were shot in Gallup during the 40’s and 50’s. Ronald Reagan, John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, and Katherine Hepburn are just some of the guests. To really feel the spirit of Route 66, it must be seen at night when all of the lights make the street come to life. The El Rancho hotel with its pink lights and flashy sign makes sure that no one will miss it.

To find our dinner choice, we used our Iphones and using the app Yelp, we found the El Metate Tamale Factory. It had great reviews and since we love tamales, it was a no brainer. We drove to 610 W. Mesa Ave and our route took us through residential neighborhoods. When we arrived, we discovered that the restaurant is a house which has been converted and it lies within a residential neighborhood. I was at first nervous because some of the houses seemed run-down and I wondered if we should be here at all. We were probably early for dinner because at 6pm we were the only ones there. The only person working there was the cook who was busy making tamales. Since the other staff was not there, he acted as our waiter and cook. We told him that we wanted tamales. Within ten minutes, we had freshly made tamales that he had made earlier that day. The food was phenomenal and it was cheap. Had it not been for Yelp, we would probably not have eaten here because of the neighborhood. We were glad we came here and it satisfied our hunger for New Mexican cuisine.

Before we left Gallup, we made a stop at Richardson’s Trading Post. This place sells jewelry, clothing, and other handmade items. The items are made by the different Indian tribes and are sold on consignment. My wife bought a handmade turquoise pendant made by the Zuni Indian tribe. Richardson’s allows Indians to make money from their crafts while allowing tourists and residents to buy authentic items. After doing a little shopping, we headed south out of Gallup on Route 610 to visit a few more national parks. El Morro National Monument lies about an hour away. The drive takes you through the Zuni and Navajo Indian Reservations. El Morro has been an important campsite for hundreds of years and is an important site among the Native Americans. The highlight of El Morro is a large sandstone bluff that contains a pool of water at its base. This pool of water is important because of El Morro’s remote location, travelers who may have been trekking for days found the pool of water a reliable place to refresh and recuperate before heading back out. Along the sandstone bluff carved into the stone are inscriptions with dates and names of those stopped here with some dating as far back as the 17th century. It is known as Inscription Rock to Americans, but the Indians have many different names for it. As of 1906, it is illegal to carve anything more into the rock. There is a $3 entrance fee to visit.
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Las Vegas is filled with hotels, casinos, world-class shows, and it is a city that never sleeps. Excitement abounds everywhere; that is if you are in Nevada. However, I happened to be in Las Vegas, New Mexico which has none of that.…Read More

Las Vegas is filled with hotels, casinos, world-class shows, and it is a city that never sleeps. Excitement abounds everywhere; that is if you are in Nevada. However, I happened to be in Las Vegas, New Mexico which has none of that. But what it does have is a rich history filled with tales of the Old West from famous lawmen to ruthless outlaws. The city was an important stop along the Santa Fe Trail. Although it has lost most of its importance since then, it continues to recognize its role in history and it has become a leader in education. Las Vegas is home to New Mexico Highlands University and the United World College of the American West (UWC-AW). The UWC-AW is a two year independent boarding school that is highly competitive consisting of about 200 students from 80-90 countries. Most of the graduates go to attend prestigious universities. The UWC-AW is the only United World College in the USA and one of thirteen around the world.

We decided to stay in Las Vegas because we wanted to get away from Albuquerque for a few days. We wanted to see some other parts of the state, but most importantly, to relax and unwind after almost two weeks of traveling. Las Vegas is in the northeast corner of the state along Interstate 25, about two hours from Albuquerque. There are not a lot of attractions within Las Vegas, but I found a museum that surprised me. I am an admirer of Theodore Roosevelt and there was a museum dedicated to him and the Rough Riders, the name given to his unit that fought during the Spanish-American War.

I was so surprised about finding this museum because I had no idea that Las Vegas had any connection to Theodore Roosevelt. Because many of the soldiers in his unit were from Las Vegas, it was decided that the first reunion of the Rough Riders would be held here in June of 1899. Roosevelt attended that first reunion. The Rough Rider museum is very small. In fact, it is so small that it shares the same building with the courthouse. Although small, it has a wealth of information and memorabilia related to the Rough Riders. While I was speaking with the curator, she told me that the last reunion was sometime in the 1970’s when only two of the soldiers were still alive. A short distance away on the Plaza in downtown, which is where Las Vegas was founded, stands the Plaza Hotel. This hotel was built in 1881 and it was the site of the first Rough Rider reunion in 1899. It is still a functioning hotel and although we did not stay here, I took a walk through it. The inside of the hotel seems practically unchanged from the 1800’s.

Because our Las Vegas city tour was pretty brief, we noticed two National Parks that were not far away. This first one was Fort Union National Monument, about twenty miles north of Las Vegas. Fort Union is literally in the middle of nowhere. It used to be the largest military fort in the region. It was originally built in 1851 and remained in use until 1891. Today, the park consists of the second of three forts built on the site as well as the ruins of a third. There is a $3 entrance fee, which is also good at Pecos National Historic Park and visitors may walk one of two self-interpretative trails. The first one is 1 ¼ trail or there is a smaller half mile trail. As you exit the interstate heading to the park, there are ruts along the road and through the fields marking the Santa Fe Trail. The highway that closely follows the original trail is known as the Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway.

Less than an hour south of Las Vegas in the opposite direction is Pecos National Historic Park. The park preserves the Pecos Pueblo. These pueblos were built around 1100 AD. A 1.25 mile self-guided trail leads you through the ruins as you gain a perspective of how the Pecos people lived. Also along the trail is a church which was built in 1625, which was later destroyed in 1680, but the foundation remains. A smaller church was built on the original foundation in 1717.

The park also consists of Glorieta Pass Battlefield, a civil war battle that took place near the ruins. There is a 2.3 mile Civil War Trail which requires a visitor to sign in and a gate code will be given to you that allows you access to the battlefield. Admission is $3 which allows access to Fort Union National Monument as well.
Las Vegas may not have the lights and glamour of its cousin in Nevada, but it’s proximity to a few different National Parks as well as Santa Fe and Albuquerque made it a great place to stop, relax, and recharge before coming home.
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Among the lessons of in life in the desert is a deeper appreciation for all things associated with water. Living in the desert usually means that water is scarce, and if not scarce then often violent, as cloudbursts send torrents of rushing water down…Read More

Among the lessons of in life in the desert is a deeper appreciation for all things associated with water. Living in the desert usually means that water is scarce, and if not scarce then often violent, as cloudbursts send torrents of rushing water down slopes and through formerly dry arroyos. In the Pueblo tradition of the Tewa peoples, these concepts combine in the form of Avanyu, the plumbed serpent who is the guardian of water and the herald of storms. Avanyu’s image is found among the petroglyphs left behind by the region’s pre-Columbian residents, and it appears as an element used in their descendants’ decorative arts. Few New Mexicans would fail to recognize and understand its symbolism. I grew up as the child of an outdoorsman who loved hunting and fishing, which means that I had opportunities to visit the better-watered places of New Mexico on a regular basis. With all this in mind, here are a few of my favorite places and memories as influenced by Avanyu and the waters of the region.

San Gregorio Lake

Among the first places to leap from my memory is San Gregorio Lake, a small manmade reservoir surrounded by woodlands and high meadows in the San Pedro Wilderness of the state’s northern mountains. My father took me there for the fishing, but what I remember are the sparkling waters, the beaver island in the midst of the waters, and the eagles that flew overhead. I also remember the magical mile-long walk through quaking aspen to reach the lake. The violent face of this paradise included the nearby arroyos that quickly filled with water during rainstorms and the currents in the vicinity of the dam. I have been back once as an adult, and San Gregorio Lake is one of those places that seems untouched by time—even the beavers are still in residence.

Jemez River

My father also liked to fish the swift-running Jemez River and its tributaries in the mountain country northwest of Albuquerque. On weekends and holidays, we would pile into the car and drive to Jemez Pueblo. After paying a fee at the tribal offices, we made our way into mountains with their surreal southwestern landscapes—red and yellow ochre pigments giving the mesa and cliffs a special glow, especially at sunset. The narrow, shallow river made (and still makes) small waterfalls and rapids that were perfect for rainbow trout. Daddy waded the river while I explored the rocks and wildflowers—always aware that rattlesnakes love this country. I would sit with my father for lake fishing, either on the shore or in a boat, but I had no patience for fishing with a fly (nor did he have the patience to teach me). As elsewhere, we always kept a weather eye out. The steep banks of this mountain river meant that the water rose quickly during a rainstorm. We might carry on with caution during a shower, but not in a heavy downfall. Like San Gregorio Lake, the Jemez is still wild and remote, much as it was in my youth. A recent return found the river and the mountains much as I remembered them, and an occasional fisherman practicing his art allowed me to visual Daddy doing the same.

Battleship Rock

Battleship Rock is also located in the Jemez country, but it lies within the Santa Fe National Forest rather than on Pueblo lands. The formation is a large red volcanic butte rising up from a small valley carved by the confluence of the San Antonio River and the East Fork of the Jemez. My father brought us here for camping and, of course, fishing the streams. This is a lush place for New Mexico, the lushness made possible by the abundance of water from the two streams. It is a place shaded by ponderosa pine and aspen, a cool respite from the desert. The larger area is also known for warm natural springs and even a ‘hidden’ waterfall. Here a child had no trouble letting her imagination run wild, and when the fishermen took their quest further upstream, she could splash and wade to her heart’s content. It was a place of trails, picnic tables, and primitive camping. Today camping is not permitted, but everything else is largely as was half a century ago—except that the trails and the picnic tables are in better condition. In this place, Avanyu seems more a guardian of peace than a herald of storms.

Rio Grande

During my childhood the Rio Grande, which flows through Albuquerque, was often so dry that we at times walked its full width without getting our feet wet. Scavenging the riverbed for treasures—some made by man, others by Nature—was a popular pastime. Most of the water we found flowed in narrow trickles and settled into dirty puddles. We knew the dangers the rivers posed. The sandy riverbed was not always as innocuous as it looked, and nowhere was the threat of flash floods more perilous. Fifty years later, the health of the river is better. Water once again flows freely along its familiar channel, and the Rio Grande Nature Center helps to protect both the river and a strip of the bosque (a riparian woodland)--and with them a return of wildlife, including beaver. All this is within the city boundaries, and I must say that exploring the riverbank and wandering through the bosque beats those scavenger hunts in the dried up riverbed of my childhood. The good old days weren’t always all that good.

El Morro National Monument

My memory of El Morro is first and foremost of the pool at the base of a large sandstone formation—a watering hole that has provided refuge and renewal for centuries. This landmark is surrounded by the badlands south of Grants. "Badlands" is a word that should be taken literally, a region characterized by a black basalt terrain formed by volcanic forces. El Morro’s importance to generations of wanderers is documented by the messages carved into Inscription Rock—petroglyphs by paleo-Indians and the signatures of conquistadors and cowboys, among others, who stopped here to refresh themselves and their beasts before facing the next stage of their journey. My father brought me here as we traveled through the badlands over paved roads and carrying containers filled with clean water on the seat behind us. For us as for our predecessors, clean water in such a harsh environment was not something to be taken for granted.

I have more youthful memories of the desert and its various oases, but this should do as an introduction. Today’s wanderers carry water in plastic bottles and camel packs, and they remind each other to remain dehydrated. Regardless of the pervasiveness of civilization, the desert remains dangerous and unpredictable. And from time to time it warns those who live there that their greatest resource can also be their most dangerous enemy. Avanyu serves as a reminder, either way.   Close

It’s plausible to argue that growing up the Southwest is to grow up with art as a birthright. This was certainly true of my New Mexican childhood. Mother Nature herself provided the paintbrush—there is even a wildflower called the ‘Indian paintbrush’—and the deserts and…Read More

It’s plausible to argue that growing up the Southwest is to grow up with art as a birthright. This was certainly true of my New Mexican childhood. Mother Nature herself provided the paintbrush—there is even a wildflower called the ‘Indian paintbrush’—and the deserts and mountains of the region provided the canvas.

The stark drama of the landscape lends itself to thinking in artistic terms. Mesas and buttes have been sculpted into fantastic shapes by wind and water. The desert really does bloom during the brief and infrequent rainy seasons, with the local flora providing a profusion of color. And the colors of rock and soil lend themselves to other forms of painting—producing painted deserts in many places, not just the one carries the name in eastern Arizona. The map itself often reflects the colors of nature and her marvels: White Sands, Bluewater Lake, Red Rock State Park, Tierra Amarilla (or ‘yellow earth’), Red River, Rainbow Lake, and the Turquoise Hills. Even the word Albuquerque has colorful natural origins, commonly translated to mean ‘land of the white oak.’

Human activity has been creating public art for millennia throughout the Southwest. Petroglyphs and pictographs are common in many areas, and as with other forms of public art, they provided rich fodder for an active imagination--in both adults and children. I grew up in close proximity to what became Petroglyph National Park, and seeking out these ancient etchings and paintings was as natural a pastime as picking wildflowers and chasing jackrabbits.

In modern times, the local Indian tribes gave us pueblo-style architecture complete with vigas (timber beams often with ornamental elements) and native motifs for decorative accents. They also reached into their cultural heritage to give us Navajo blankets, Pueblo pots, and turquoise-and-silver jewelry—all of which enhanced our lives and our homes even for those of us who couldn’t afford the best-of-breed items that found their way into shops on the Plaza in Santa Fe. The Spanish colonial influence added vibrant colors, carved doorways and enclosed courtyards, milagros and santos, tin-work ornamentation, fiesta traditions, and luminarias. Cowboy culture gave us tooled leather belts and bags, cowboy hats, and the "Anglo" vision of the Wild West.

With all these influences swirling around us, it’s easy to see that art was an integral part of our lives. Add the artist colonies in Santa Fe, Taos, and the northern mountains, and you have a perfect storm for producing generations of New Mexicans who took for granted that some form of public art should be part of their lives.

In Albuquerque, more official forms of public art started with Art Deco (or Pueblo Deco for a regional twist) buildings—like the KiMo Theater in Downtown. The KiMo opened in 1927, and its interior and exterior surfaces are covered with Native American motifs. The Owl Café on Eubank is in the same tradition but came along later. Built in the 1990s and modeled after an older building, it is shaped like a large adobe owl—the owl being one of many birds common in pueblo motifs.

Commercial art and billboards were other forms of public art that became popular in the 20th century. It seemed to take its start from roadside signs along Route 66, reminding motorists of the distance between gas stations across long stretches of almost empty desert. These warnings gradually gave way to serial billboards featuring elaborate designs and bright colors—leading to so-called trading posts where gas, food, water, and every sort of gaudy souvenir could be obtained. I even recall a filling station and café to the east of Albuquerque that was done up to resemble an iceberg in the desert. In the city itself, there were oversized 3-D representations of lumberjacks, cowboys, buffalo, autos raised on arches, and other visual stimuli. Some of these are still in place, still providing potential customers with bearings to reach the desired destination.

By the latter part of the 20th century, the city fathers of Albuquerque had taken up public art as an official municipal duty. Pulling primarily from Native American and Spanish colonial sources, they commissioned a variety of sculptures, murals, and landscape art to beautify the city. Now there are oversized Pueblo pots in traffic medians, tall kachina towers on the Interstate, ribbons of stylized mountain motifs accenting sound walls along the highway, and a growing number of statues commemorating historical figures, great deeds, and tragic events.

The street signs in Downtown have been refashioned to offer practical location information using striking graphic accents. City-supported institutions to preserve and create the artistic heritage of the region have been established. In some places, bus shelters have been redesigned with emphasis given to aesthetics, and parks and other public places have been refurbished with an eye toward enhancing their beauty as well as their functionality. Historic adobe structures have been restored, and even the best of 20th-century kitsch has been refurbished and preserved.

Do Albuquerqueans notice? Of course we do—especially those of us who have been displaced elsewhere and return home only too infrequently. Is all this effort taken for granted? Well, yes and no. . . . New Mexicans in general and Albuquerqueans in particular have always lived with art, and we expect it to be there to enhance our lives. Besides, there is still plenty to do. Art as a birthright is still evolving, and the city is still a masterpiece in the making. But most of us like the direction it’s taking.
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I tell people that the Sandias are my mountains: they belong to me. Despite the fact that they have not been a daily physical presence in my life for more than four decades, they are still my mountains. Their silhouette was imprinted on…Read More

I tell people that the Sandias are my mountains: they belong to me. Despite the fact that they have not been a daily physical presence in my life for more than four decades, they are still my mountains. Their silhouette was imprinted on my mind in youth, and that persistent image is a constant in my life that is both nostalgic and comforting.

My mountains owe their name to early Spanish explorers who saw them at sunset and decided that the reddish golden glow they reflected resembled the color of ripened watermelon. I never quite got the watermelon vibe when admiring the glow, but a name ultimately defines its object, so ‘Sandia’ seems thoroughly right.

Albuquerque, my childhood home, lies in the Rio Grande rift valley between the Sandia Mountains and the West Mesa. The mountains loom imposing above the city and their magnificent presence to the east was part and parcel of my everyday life as a child. For example, I had a constant directional reminder—find the mountains, that’s east. It’s impossible to be truly lost if the mountains are in view. Given that the Sandia range tops out at more than 10,000 feet, it’s never that difficult to find them. So, lucky me, as a kid I never felt lost. My mountains saw to that.

My favorite memory of the Sandias involves setting outside our house on cool desert nights to watch lightning dance across the peaks. That particular view was and is an almost surreal vision. The mass of the mountains blocks the view of stars that one might expect above the eastern horizon. Against the deep black of night-shaded mountains, the lightning was magic—the gods sparring on Mount Olympus or the thunderbolts of Native American lore. The light shows on the peaks fired my imagination, and they were quite simply beautiful. They are always on the edge of my memory, where they are prized as a living remnant of my youth.

The Sandias were also a practical resource for family outings and recreation. Having the mountains so near at hand allowed for long drives to achieve spectacular views. They were a place where children of the desert could play in snow that so rarely fell in the valley below. They welcomed picnics in the wilderness and exploration along mountain trails. The mountains were our playground. A drive to Sandia Crest (elevation 10,679 feet) on a hot day was a major treat. On days when the temperature reached 100F in the valley, it would be 75F to 80F on the Crest—a serious difference, especially in the days before AC was common.

In the years since my childhood (the many years since my childhood), recreation in the Sandias has expanded and formalized to include enhanced ski lifts and runs, more and better trails and related facilities under the auspices of the Cibola National Forest, the addition of a world-class tram with a visitor center on Sandia Peak (elevation 10,378 feet), and a network of parks and trails in the foothills. There is even an award-winning golf course, Paa-ko Ridge, on the gentler eastern slopes. (In our later lives together, Himself found the course a satisfying challenge to play.)

In addition to playgrounds, the mountains provide outdoor classrooms for students and scholars interested in climate zones and geology. And they provide a magnificent backdrop for the colorful hot-air balloons that drift up from the valley floor north of Albuquerque.

For all this, the Sandias are still my mountains. They still belong to me. But I share them willingly—as do all those other New Mexico who feel similarly proprietary. All we ask is that you respect our mountains as you enjoy their beauty and their bounty.

© BawBaw/LovesTravel   Close

Although Taos has been populated since 1300 AD by Native Americans (Pueblos), its fame as an artist haven truly came to the fore in the 1900s. Two women--Millicent Rogers and Mabel Dodge--began encouraging their creative friends, including photographer Ansel Adams, writer DH Lawrence, and painter…Read More

Although Taos has been populated since 1300 AD by Native Americans (Pueblos), its fame as an artist haven truly came to the fore in the 1900s. Two women--Millicent Rogers and Mabel Dodge--began encouraging their creative friends, including photographer Ansel Adams, writer DH Lawrence, and painter Georgia O’Keeffe to come explore Taos and the desert Southwest.

O’Keeffe and others who were part of the New York American Modernist movement relocated to the area, as did other artists from San Francisco, and together these groups eventually came to be known as the Taos Moderns. Much of their work can be seen at the Harwood Museum of Art.

Not only are the works of the Taos Moderns featured at the Harwood (HarwoodMuseum.org), but the museum also showcases drawings, prints, painting, sculpture, and photography by contemporary artists such as Ken Price, Agnes Martin, Larry Bell, and Earl Stroh, as well as the largest collection of wood sculptures by Patrocino Barela.

In addition to the Harwood Museum of Art, visitors to Taos can find more art at the Millicent Rogers Museum (known for its collection of rare historic micaceous pottery) and the Taos Art Museum and Fechin House (named for Russian artist Nicolai Fechin and containing works by founders of the Taos Society of Artists, including Ernest L. Blumenschein, Joseph Sharp, and W. Herbert Dunton).

Taos is home to more than 80 galleries, two major arts festivals in spring and fall, film festivals (due to its legacy as home of "Easy Rider"), a storyteller festival, and several music festivals. It’s a city whose walls are covered with murals, some dating to the WPA era. Not only is Taos a historic city, it’s one whose life’s blood is infused with art and creativity.
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We took this trip to Albuquerque for our 9th Anniversary to see and do some things that we normally would not have. To start our Anniversary day celebration we scheduled a balloon ride through the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort with Rainbow Riders. It cost about…Read More

We took this trip to Albuquerque for our 9th Anniversary to see and do some things that we normally would not have. To start our Anniversary day celebration we scheduled a balloon ride through the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort with Rainbow Riders. It cost about $400.00 for the two of us, but the experience was well worth the money. Rainbow Riders comes to the hotel and picks you up at 6:30AM to take you out to a field in the middle of a suburb of Albuquerque. There were 2 or 3 companies and a number of private ballooners out there, all getting ready for balloon flights. This was one of the best moments of the experience in my opinion because you are out there with 8 to 10 balloons being filled and readied, with all the colorful balloons, the noise, the excitement, and the new morning sun.

They instruct you up front on what to expect, and after you sign your liability waivers, they tell you that there are two types of landings. One is like an elevator ride down to the ground - when there's no wind, the other is a bumpy, bouncy, touchdown that is a little rougher - when the wind blows. They fit about 6 to 8 people in the gondola, which is quite sturdy and roomy. The flight lift off is just like an elevator, smooth and airy. They actually kind of "fly" you around the city and over the Rio Grande for about a little over an hour at different altitudes using the wind to navigate. As you can imagine - they really don't have alot of control on where your going. It is really a quiet and smooth ride and the views are stupendous!

The landing was exciting. Remember, if there's wind - you get the bumpy, bouncy landing! This actually was not as bad as you might think. You crouch down and hold on to the ropes in the gondola as the basket hits and bounces until you come to a stop. No one gets hurt (at least none of us did) and the adenaline kick was a lot of fun.

After helping to load the balloon, we all headed back to the landing zone for pastries, Mimosas and souvenier hats. After breakfast at the launch site, they take you back to your hotel. Rainbow Riders was great! Their people were friendly and knowledgable. We highly recommend the ride and the Rainbow Riders!    Close

With slightly more than half a million inhabitants, Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico and one of fastest growing cities in the USA. Founded in 1706, it was named after Don Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, Duke of Alburquerque and Viceroy of New…Read More

With slightly more than half a million inhabitants, Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico and one of fastest growing cities in the USA. Founded in 1706, it was named after Don Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, Duke of Alburquerque and Viceroy of New Spain from 1653 to 1660 by the by the provincial governor Don Francisco Cuervo y Valdes. In the nineteenth century, Amtrak decided to place there its main station in New Mexico and transformed the city into the biggest one in the state. An Anglo-American railroad stationmaster, who was unable to pronounce the name, dropped the first "r" in "Alburquerque" and again the city's destiny became linked to Amtrak.

Despite its important location and size, Albuquerque is overshadowed by nearby Santa Fe, the state's capital and its main tourism attraction. Being relatively low (at 4989 ft as compared with the 7000 of Santa Fe) means less natural attractions are available to the visitor; as per cultural ones, the Pueblo Revival style in which Santa Fe is constructed steals the show in New Mexico. Yet, Albuquerque is worth a short visit.

The nearby Sandia Mountain is a constant reminder of the city's importance: the Sandia National Laboratories are there, other security related sites are here as well. As in all of New Mexico, Spanish and Spanish names abound.

Albuquerque Biological Park

This park includes the Albuquerque Aquarium, the Rio Grande Botanic Garden, the Rio Grande Zoo, and Tingley Beach; it is located southwest of downtown at 903 Tenth Street SW. Combo tickets can be bought at the main entrance. The weirdest exhibits are the polar bears, seals and sea lion; probably these are the highest specimens of their species in the whole world.

Albuquerque Aquarium

The aquarium is on 2601 Central Avenue NW and features freshwater fish from the Rio Grande and saltwater species from the Gulf of Mexico. Beyond fish, the collection includes jellyfish, seahorses, sea turtles, rays, Koi fish, a Gulf shrimp fishing boat, and an eel tunnel. Other displays include plants from desert and Mediterranean zones, a farm and a butterfly garden.

Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum

This museum is at 9201 Balloon Museum Dr. NE, next to the grounds of the Balloon Fiesta, and is the perfect solution for those arriving off the balloons festival season. It contains exhibits related to Albuquerque’s balloon festival; admission is free on Sunday’s mornings.

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

The 19 Pueblos of New Mexico operate a cultural center on 2401 12th Street NW. "Pueblo" is a Spanish word meaning "village," it denotes the original population of the area being sedentary, unlike in other locations of North America.

The museum includes a collection of artifacts of the pueblos, an art gallery and a photographs archive.

National Hispanic Cultural Center

This center displays items dedicated to the life of the Spanish settlers prior the annexing of New Mexico by the USA; it is located on 1701 4th St SW.

Sandia Peak Tramway

Located on the northeast corner of the city, the tramway runs from a lower terminus in the northeast heights to the top of 10400-foot Sandia Peak; it is one of the longest aerial tramways in the world. The ride takes fifteen minutes, and can be enjoyed from 9 AM onwards; the trip costs $17.50 for a round trip and offers awesome views of the surroundings.

Old Town

Without any doubt, the main attraction in town is the Old Town, where the city was founded; it is located east of Rio Grande Boulevard, between Central Avenue and Mountain Road. Despite its humble size, the area is charming, offering a good display of adobe 18th century architecture and narrow brick paths. Nowadays it is the home of souvenirs shops, jewelries and restaurants. The San Felipe de Neri Church, the oldest building in Albuquerque, is located there.

Museums

Albuquerque includes a surprising number of museums; most of them are near each other on Mountain Road, or near downtown. The main ones are:

* Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, at 2000 Mountain Rd. NW. Guided walking tours of Old Town and the historic Casa San Ysidro are operated from here.

* The American International Rattlesnake Museum, at 202 San Felipe St, displays a large collection of these reptiles.

* Turquoise Museum, 2107 Central Ave NW, displays exhibits of this rock, which is widely used for the local souvenirs industry.

* The University of New Mexico, on Central Avenue, includes the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, the Meteorite and Geology Museums, and the University Art Museum. These three museums are free.

* ¡Explora! Science Center and Children's Museum, 1701 Mountain Road NW, is considered one of the best such establishments in the USA, teaching science, technology, and art.

* New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, 1801 Mountain Road, displays a bit of everything, from dinosaurs to a planetarium.

* National Atomic Museum, 1905 Mountain Road NW, includes replicas of the Little Boy and Fat Man bombs dropped on Japan, and acts as a reminder of the war horrors and atrocities.

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Albuquerque is the main travel hub in New Mexico; despite its being connected by road, railway and air to all the main destinations in the area that does not sum up to much. On the paper, the Sunport is an international airport; in reality, it…Read More

Albuquerque is the main travel hub in New Mexico; despite its being connected by road, railway and air to all the main destinations in the area that does not sum up to much. On the paper, the Sunport is an international airport; in reality, it is hard to find flights to cities beyond the adjacent states. It is Amtrak’s main stop in the state; but only the Southwest Chief crosses the city. Even crossing to nearby Mexico is mainly done through El Paso, in Texas. Thus, understanding the counted available options is important.

Car

Two interstate highways cross Albuquerque, the I-40 runs from east to west, while the I-25 from north to south, the last connects the city with Santa Fe and is by far the most important road in the state. The intersection where both highways meet is called the "Big I."

A point stated in almost every street sign in town is that Central Avenue is part of the historic Route 66. The avenue is the principal east-west street and is just south of the "Big I," running parallel to I-40. New Mexico University is on that avenue and delimits downtown to the east.

Plane

Albuquerque International Sunport is the major airport in New Mexico, providing mainly flights to the main cities in adjacent states; I have not seen announces of international flights departing or arriving at the Sunport. Due to the security related industries in the surroundings, this airport features the highest security level I have witnessed, including ion mass spectrometry detectors and L-3 machines capable of viewing and picturing a body covered with clothes. The last – by far the ugliest human rights violation the common traveler encounters while visiting the USA – is apparently not yet in use. Thus it is recommended to arrive as early as possible, though the truth is that I came to the conclusion that while within the USA, Amtrak is the friendliest option for travelers.

The airport can be accessed from downtown from the Alvarado Transport center, where Greyhound and Amtrak have their terminals. Bus 50 makes the way for $1; take into account that buses leave only every twenty minutes and that the trip lasts roughly thirty minutes. The airport is slightly above the city and offers awesome views of the city and its surroundings; Sandia Mountain is clear visible from there.

Amtrak and Greyhound

Albuquerque is a major refueling stop for Amtrak's Southwest Chief, which connects Chicago with Los Angeles, and Albuquerque with Santa Fe. The station is near downtown at the Alvarado Transportation Center, at 214 First Street SW.

The westbound train to Los Angeles arrives daily at 3:55 PM and departs at 4:45 PM, while the train to Chicago arrives at 12:12 PM and departs at 12:55 PM. The facilities at the station include toilets and a restaurant.

The New Mexico Rail Runner Express train connects Albuquerque to communities north and south along the Rio Grande, and is planned to reach Santa Fe in 2009, solving thus the commuters’ problem. Santa Fe being a very expensive city, many people opt for working there while living in cheaper Albuquerque.

Greyhound serves adjacent settlements as well as Denver, CO and El Paso, TX; however, the service run at odd hours and the buses are old and uncomfortable.

The ABQ RIDE city buses charge a flat $1 fare (25 cents for transfers) and have their destination clearly stated; most routes leave from the Alvarado Transportation Center. The buses include sophisticated cameras inside as well as a camera attached to the front window, which watches the streets. Big brother buses.

The Rapid Ride is an express bus service with two routes; the Red Line (766) runs along Central Avenue, from Uptown to the Westside, stopping only at the major destinations along the way, while the Blue Line (790) connects the University of New Mexico with the Cottonwood Mall area.

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This covers the main transport options; since after all Albuquerque is a rather small town, the existing grid is sensible and allows a comfortable tour of the main attractions.
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Amtrak's Southwest ChiefAmtrak's Southwest Chief connects Chicago with Los Angeles, passing in the way through Kansas City, Topeka, Dodge City, Raton, Lamy (Santa Fe), Albuquerque and Flagstaff. Santa Fe - AlbuquerqueBy the end of the nineteenth century a dramatic event shaped the future of Santa…Read More

Amtrak's Southwest Chief

Amtrak's Southwest Chief connects Chicago with Los Angeles, passing in the way through Kansas City, Topeka, Dodge City, Raton, Lamy (Santa Fe), Albuquerque and Flagstaff.

Santa Fe - Albuquerque

By the end of the nineteenth century a dramatic event shaped the future of Santa Fe; Amtrak decided to skip the city in favor of Albuquerque. Consequently, the last became the largest city in the state, while Santa Fe kept its status as the state's capital. Currently a direct railway - called the Rail Runner - is being constructed between Santa Fe and Albuquerque - the first Amtrak station south of Lamy-Santa Fe. Being a major Amtrak stop, thus trains passing trough Albuquerque stop for refueling and uploading food, thus the breaks there tend to be lengthy.

In an attempt to counterbalance Amtrak's decision, early in the twentieth century it was decided to create a tourism industry by building Santa Fe mainly of adobe in the Pueblo Revival style. The hamlet of Lamy - roughly eighteen miles southwest of Santa Fe - houses the nearest Amtrak station to the capital; from there, the Santa Fe Southern Railway brings passengers and cargo to the city. Lamy was the name of Santa Fe's first bishop; the quarry from where the stones for the cathedral were taken is next to the Amtrak's station.

This time I joined the Amtrak's Southwest Chief in Lamy and left it in Albuquerque. As per the travel conditions, the short trip lasts between a hour and ninety minutes, thus instead of finding a seat in a couch car, I loitered the whole trip at the lounge car.

Practicalities

As of late October 2008, the trip costs $16; though the additional cost from Santa Fe to Lamy should be added. Amtrak operates shuttles between them, but since the last adds $20 to the cost, the trip is not recommended, unless - of course - you are writing an IgoUgo review. As of the same date, there is no public transport from Santa Fe to Lamy.

The Cars

Amtrak cars have two levels, the entry one is often dedicated to boarding the car, hand-luggage storage, some couch seats and toilets, while the upper levels host the couch, sleeping, and dining areas. The lounge car is usually located between the dining one and the first couch car.

The Lounge Car

After having traveled extensively in Chinese trains, the American ones offered an interesting and complementing experience. There is no doubt that the Chinese one are more modern, faster and often more sumptuous; however, those failed to provide a lounge car.

In comparison to other cars, the lounge one offers a slightly different arrangement. Its upper level offers an attractive sitting area while the lower one hosts a snacks bar, a cozy sitting area with proper tables and toilets much larger than the ones in other cars. A point to keep in mind is that the upper level has air conditioners, while the lower one is cozy and warm; that is of special relevance after the sun is gone, when the train becomes a training camp for Arctic conditions.

The Upper Level

Connecting the dining car with the couch ones, the upper level of the lounge car is the perfect place for sightseeing while enjoying a coffee and a snack. At its ends are television sets, though I have never seen them working. Not that it matters since the seats are arranged perpendicular to it and facing large windows covering much of the walls and ceiling; ignoring the moving landscape is impossible. Small tables are on the sides of some of the low chairs; they fit for drinks and small snacks, anything more substantial should be consumed in the lower deck

The Lower Level

In Chinese trains I enjoyed very much the free hot water offered at the samovars located by the cars' ends (the other end featured the toilets). Boarding a train with a tumbler or a cup and a large stock of coffees and teas ensured pleasant trips, where I stayed hot and happy in the freezing Chinese winters. Not surprisingly, American trains do not feature samovars.

The snacks' bar is the local version, and how its name hints, it is much larger than the Chinese counterpart. This is the economic version of the dining car, offering drinks, snacks and small meals. All the heating is done using microwave ovens, thus sandwiches and similar products end up chewy and rather spoiled.

Electric Outlets

Electric outlets can be found on both levels of the lounge car and allow recharging gadgets. However, they often do not work properly. If trying to use the one on the upper level, take note that it is not allowed to leave the cable across the central passage.

The Announcements

The way between Lamy and Albuquerque crosses several Pueblos - indigenous settlements of the high desert. The word is Spanish for "village" and denotes the fact that the indigenous people in the area lived in settlements andwere not nomads.

One of the attendants kept informing us of the sights along the way through the speakers system; this happens only along interesting stretches of the trip, and as a matter of fact this is the last such stretch until Los Angeles.

I have witnessed this several times by now, the event always provides entertaining moments:

"The church would be facing this way," the conductor proclaimed, apparently unaware we couldn't see her hands. She giggled when she caught herself, but did not gave us the correct direction.

The Food

Food is available in the dining car and in the lounge; at the lounge car it is in the form of a snack bar at its bottom level. Unlike most of America, the prices here include taxes and are rounded, saving thus the need to deal with dimes, nickels and pennies. A coffee in a paper cup costs $1.75, the complete menu is presented in one of the pictures added to this entry. However, the choice of foods includes just comfort and fast foods and the service is patchy with often breaks; a sign on the counter announces the time it will re-open.

The Views

The second half of October in New Mexico's high desert is beyond the frost date, hence despite the days being hot, the nights are freezing. Thus, the vegetation offers a rather timid display with the greens fading into yellow. Low grass fills the space between scattered bushes and tree, while "mesas" (table-shaped rock formations) provide interesting views. Next to Albuquerque, the Sandia (Watermelon in Spanish) Mountain is especially beautiful.
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