Today we go to the Balloon Fiesta. Woke up at 4 am to get an early start. You want to be at the Fiesta grounds for the launch at 6:20 am right around sunrise. Driving and parking your own car is an ordeal so we decided to do the Park and Ride from the nearby Intel factory parking lot. We hopped on a school bus to the fiesta. The whole logistics of moving people is impressive and seemed to go off without a hitch. We had a particularly skilled bus driver who was able to literally cut through the traffic and avoid the long lines of cars. She was given a round of applause by all the riders.
The bus dropped us at the park entrance. It was pitch dark with thousands of people milling around. It was kind of hairy navigating the crowd until you got to a good vantage point. We contemplated getting coffee or a Blake’s breakfast burrito but the lines were so long that we decided to wait for later. First there was a great drone show. I have seen drone show before and this was easily the best that I had seen. It even included a rooster crowing and a coffee pot pouring coffee.
The Drone Show
Dawn Patrol
Dawn Patrol fires up at 6 am. The first balloons go up at 6:20 to roars and applause. We got to stand right next to a couple of balloons. We were there when they first inflated them with a huge fan and then with the propane burners. We were able to shoot the breeze with the crew while they were setting up.
After the launch began, we walked around to watch some others lift off. There is the iconic Darth Vader balloon usually accompanied by Star Wars nerds in costume. There is a big Smokey the Bear and best of all a giant inflatable cow complete with big udders and an anatomically correct sphincter. It is a spectacular sight to see hundreds of balloons ascend as the sun came over the mountain. When most were in the air, it was time to find food. We bought breakfast burritos at Blake’s and enjoyed the people watching.
When we were back home, we walked Chile down on the bosque. The bosque is adjacent to the subdivision and a great place to walk. It consists of a trail that runs along the Rio Grande with occasional loops for whatever distance suits your fitness. Everybody walks their dogs down there. It's perfect. It was getting warm out but still comfortable in the shade.
When we got done, we had some lunch. In the course of conversation, we decided to go to the ABQ Art Museum. It featured an interesting show of the “decadent” German artists working in Germany in the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. It was the Nazi’s idea to show “decadent“ artists and then contrast them with “appropriate patriotic” art work. Also showing was a display called “Good Dogs” with paintings and photographs of dogs. Fun stuff.
We were next door to Old Town so we headed over there for coffee and shopping. We hit the same places we always hit, Guerilla Graphix and a couple of the gift shops. Miraculously, I didn’t buy a single thing except coffee. We didn’t stay long. With tired legs from standing and walking, we decided to head home.
We relaxed, washed up, watched football and then had a tasty dinner of posole, blue corn cornbread and Christine’s cookies for dessert.
The Art of Cookies by Christine Tade