Albequerque Balloon Fiesta Day 1

The day started early: 6:00 am and the Dawn Patrol Balloons go up to check on weather conditions.












By 7:00 the Special Shapes balloons are filling up and getting ready to fly. There were about 100 special shapes balloons from all over the world.













Click on the picture to get the "big" picture of these great balloons.












Not only is the color special, but listen to the sound!





Jayne and Bill after a great Mexican lunch buffet at El Pinto.















Later on we did a little wine tasting. It should make the NightGlow very interesting.

On the road to Albequerque

We started to head out about 7:00 am, but not before I scraped the windshield of the car. Unbelievable!







We stopped at Acoma Pueblo, a 400 year old pueblo atop the mesa. Look carefully and you can see some old adobe homes still inhabited on the mesa top. They have no running water or electricity.



We walked back on the steps carved into the rocks that were used in ancient times to access the mesa.






Betsy and Ed after some more heavy duty eating and shopping.

Joe's Birthday

After a busy day of sightseeing, we took a break. Connie had made a huge pot of chili and with everyone adding to the meal, we had a great Happy 73rd Birthday party for Joe.

Please say a prayer for Sarah

Shayne called today to let us know that Sarah is in the hospital with complications in her 24 week pregnancy. Her water had broken and she had gone into early labor. The contractions have been stopped and they are now waiting to see how everything goes. Shayne says she will have to stay hospitalized until the baby is born, hopefully in three months. Please keep Sarah and the baby in your prayers.

Day 14--Wolf Sanctuary and Navajo Weaving

Every day is a busy day! This morning we visited Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary where 60 wolves have been rescued from various places that could no longer keep them, many from private parties who thought they could domesticate, like a dog, these wild animals. The stories of each animal were sometimes funny, sometimes sad.


Listen to the wolf call (with a little imagination--we had to get the wolves started)!




After a traditional lunch of blue corn mush, fry bread, and vegetable stew, we saw a demonstration of traditional Navajo spinning and weaving. The history of the Navajo includes a war lead against them by Kit Carson.

Day 13--El Morro National Monument

The morning started out rainy, but we don't let a little rain keep us down! By the afternoon, the sun was out and off to El Morro we went. El Morro is in part Inscription Rock. As the natives, the Spaniards, the pioneers traveled by the rock they inscribed their message.











Here are some petrogylphs from the early natives. On top of the rock is a 1400s Zuni
pueblo with a square and a round kiva.







Then came the Spaniards. This message was dated 1649 and tells how they claim all the land and all that belongs on it for Spain.




We hiked up the side of the rock on onto the top revealed a spectacular view. Inside was also a box canyon which was beautiful.

Day 12--Gallup

Gallup is a small town in northwestern New Mexico with the highest number of millionaires per capita. It is a town of trading posts--or pawn shops of sorts. The natives bring their crafts into the trading post to sell or to pawn (and hopefully get their items back). We took a fascinating tour through the "store"--many antiques, rooms full of saddles and woven blankets.

This room was full of turquoise jewelry--all being held for pawn.



This room was full of Navajo rugs--mostly for sale. The ones you see here were about 3x5 feet and sold for $3000-$6000 apiece. One rug was for sale for $72,000. They are amazing, but I didn't buy one.

Many of the other rooms were like going through a Native American museum.