New Mexico – Oh, the Places We See . . .

Travel theme: Dried — Pueblo of Acoma

Pueblo of Acoma is a mesa community that may have been inhabitated even before the time of Christ. It’s a place where adobe homes are inhabited by strong people, who have managed to live without running water or electricity even during modern times. The word acoma, you come to find out, means “a place always prepared.” Most dwellings at Acoma began […]

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Timely tips for enjoying Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta

As I write this, the official countdown on the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2015 website reads: 0 days, 23 hours, 12 minutes, and 12 seconds remaining before lift-off on October 3, 2015. What an exciting time for balloonists, fiesta organizers, and lucky ticket holders who will be making their way to the launch field for this […]

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10 things to do if balloons don’t rise: Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta

OK. So you’ve read our other four posts showing the glorious skies over Albuquerque filled with colorful balloons, and you really, really want to see this phenomenal event for yourself. But bear with us as we bring reality to you: Not all sessions at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta have successful lift-offs. We know it’s sad. […]

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Pulling strings to launch the big ones: Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta

Far be it from us to pretend to be experts on what makes a successful balloon launch. But as we said in our first post in this series, Best advice for Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta, with just a plain ol’ general admission ticket (prices here) you can stand on the launch field and watch crews fire […]

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Best advice for Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta: Go early. Really early.

We’re kicking off our series on the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta with pictures from the 2014 event and the best advice we can give you: Get up at the crack of dawn (No — BEFORE the crack) and head to Balloon Fiesta Park early. There’s an old saying: You can’t soar with the eagles in the […]

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Ready to launch: Balloon Fiesta 2015

With only a few days remaining before Balloon Fiesta 2015 officially begins on October 3rd, we’re launching a series of posts based upon our experiences at the 2014 event. Spanning the days of October 3 to 11, Balloon Fiesta 2015 promises more color, more variety, more excitement . . . well, more of everything. But […]

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Doors

Doors that tell a story interest us — even though the story may be implied, not told. Consider three very different doorways and the lives of the people who passed through them. Doorway of a humble dwelling at Acoma Pueblo, the oldest continuously inhabited dwelling in the U. S. where today approximately 100 people live […]

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Wall

This special place, Acoma Pueblo, is known as “Haaku,” a spiritual homeland for an eternal dwelling. One of the oldest continually inhabited communities in the U. S. where almost 100 people live year-round with no running water or electricity, New Mexico’a Acoma Pueblo Sky City is open for tours on which you can take […]

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Refraction

We looked for the flag flying high over Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta 2014 even as we left the parking lot for the long trek to the launch field. It was yellow. Caution. A probable go for the October 9th lift-off. But when the crowd turned in the direction of the refracted light of a rainbow — […]

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A Word a Week Photo Challenge: Fly

Probably any hot air balloonist asks the same question: Will my balloon fly today or not? Up ’til now, we’ve had little experience with hot air balloon launches, fiestas, flights, etc. But Balloon Fiesta 2014: Spirit of the Winds changed all that. In an enormous field in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from October 4 to 12, balloonists […]