JAUNTS FROM ALBUQUERQUE TO SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

September 17- October 4, 2015

Albuquerque is known for its annual International Balloon Fiesta that occurs early each fall, filling the skies with luminous, colorful balloons. For more than four decades, the first week in October brings the smell of roasting chiles and the beautiful, magical moving picture show of hot air balloons sailing silently through the crisp fall air. 

Guests from all over the world come to Albuquerque to celebrate ballooning. We arrived a week early to join with our full-timer RV good friends Earl and Dot Underwood who drove down from Michigan to stage and base ourselves together for the 44th annual Albuquerque International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

The four of us the first night hopped in their silver convertible Cruiser and drove to Hong Kong Pavilion for a delicious Chinese buffet supper. Later we caught the red glow of the moon's lunar eclipse in the night sky that evening. 

We have enjoyed lots of fun here the week before the balloon fiesta with Dot and Earl. A night at the casino, nightly fireworks and balloon fiesta events, potluck meals and good laughs have been a few things shared  together.


Taking the Rail Runner Train as seniors from ABQ to Santa Fe round trip for a whopping $6.00 was a bargain.

In the centre of old town Santa Fe Plaza the St. Francis Cathedral built in 1886 took 17 years to complete. The church makes for really a lovely visit with its architecture. The historic Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi was elevated to a basilica status by Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. The beautiful Romanesque Revival cathedral stands out in contrast to the adobe structures surrounding it and is crowned with an exquisite stain glass window.

Another top attraction is Loretta Chapel with it mysterious spiral staircase that has no nails or structural support leading to the choir loft. Santa Fe offers lots of shops around the old plaza with local Indians wares. 
Silver and turquoise jewelry along with Acoma and Navajo pottery are hot items if one has money to burn. JR and Earl found a comfortable seat in the La Fonda Hotel while us girls meandered and browsed around the plaza square. 

 

JR and I drove the Turquoise Trail Scenic Byway one afternoon taking in some highlights of the small towns of Golden, Madrid, and Cerrillos along the High Road in the desert between ABQ and Santa Fe This is what traveling in the southwest captured along the way.