New Mexico, Balloon Fiesta
I had only one day to get some rest and to unpack from my Italy trip to repack for my New Mexico trip, but I was ready the next day to fly via Southwest Airlines from Burbank to Albuquerque with a change of planes in Phoenix. I was going to Albuquerque to see both my sister, Linda, and my brother–in–law, Rick, and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. I came near the end of its 9–day run, but still had two good days of its events to see. I rented a car at the airport but without a GPS as car rentals are very expensive during the Fiesta. I didn’t think I would get lost as this was my second trip to Albuquerque, and I didn’t. Photo: The official 2007 Balloon Fiesta poster, copied three times.
New Mexico, Balloon Fiesta
Sandia Indian Casino
Day 1. Linda and I went up to the Sandia Indian Casino to have dinner and to watch the Fiesta fireworks from its parking lot. We were there just when the sun was setting over the Sandia Mountains. “Sandia” means “watermelon” in Spanish, the color of the mountains at sunset.
Sandia Indian Casino
Sandia Indian Casino
A beautiful New Mexican sunset seen from the casino.
Sandia Indian Casino
Sandia Indian Casino
More of the sunset.
Sandia Indian Casino
Sandia Indian Casino
There was a wonderful warm breeze tonight. However, this resulted in the evening show at the Balloon Fiesta to be canceled (the After Glow)––too much wind and the balloons are not inflated. Therefore, the firework show went off early while we were still eating dinner at the casino; hence, we missed the night’s firework show. Photo: Sandia Indian Casino at night.
Sandia Indian Casino
Sandia Indian Casino
This was my first time in an Indian casino––not much different from a Las Vegas casino.
Sandia Indian Casino
The Gondola Club
Day 2. Linda and I left at about 4 a.m. to drive to the Balloon Fiesta––some of the events start at 5:45 a.m. and it was suggested that people arrive early. We were to view this morning’s events from the Gondola Club which offered an easy drive to its parking lot, a very good buffet breakfast, tables and chairs, and toilets. It also advertised having the best spot for viewing of the Fiesta (which turned out to be partially true).
The Gondola Club
The Dawn Patrol Show
The first event of the morning, starting at 5:45 a.m., was the Dawn Patrol Show. About 12 balloons are inflated and ascend so that their pilots can determine the aloft wind conditions. This is a photo of the lead balloon of the Dawn Patrol.
The Dawn Patrol Show
The Dawn Patrol Show
The lead balloon farther up in the pre–dawn sky.
The Dawn Patrol Show
The Dawn Patrol Show
The Dawn Patrol balloons starting to inflate before their ascension. I have put my photos of this Dawn Patrol on a slide show on this website: Go to Slide Shows, United States, New Mexico, Albuquerque: Balloon Fiesta/Main Street, with photos on it also of the Main Street Marketplace before dawn.
The Dawn Patrol Show
The Mass Ascension
The next event after the Dawn Patrol was the incredible and fantastic Mass Ascension. Hundreds of balloons are inflated and then ascend. They do not ascend all at once, so the show goes on for about three hours. Today’s Mass Ascension was one of the three best in the last 30 years, according to an old–time Fiesta volunteer. This was because there was hardly any wind this morning, which kept the balloons close–by after they were in the sky. View of the field from the Gondola Club.
The Mass Ascension
Fly Emirates
The choice of today’s lead balloon for the Mass Ascension was definitely odd: The Fly Emirates (airline) balloon from the United Arab Emirates (the airline is headquartered in Dubai). An American flag tailed the Fly Emirates balloon, which ascended while the U.S. Air Force Band of the West played our National Athem. I took a movie of this rather strange event and it is on this website: Go to Movies, United States, New Mexico, “Emirates Lead Balloon, Balloon Fiesta.”
Fly Emirates
The Mass Ascension
Photo: Balloons getting ready to ascend. I have put my photos of this Mass Ascension on a slide show on this website: Go to Slide Shows, United States, New Mexico, “Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta: Mass Ascension–1. The viewing area from the Gondola Club for this event was quite good. But you can get the same view for quite a bit less money by just paying the general admission price ($10) and walking over to the north side of the field and standing in front of the Gondola Club.
The Mass Ascension
After Glow and Fireworks
We left the Fiesta field after the morning show but came back at 4:30 p.m. for the evening shows: the After Glow and the Fireworks. We again went to the Gondola Club where we were treated to a very spicy Southwest dinner. (We heard that lobster and steak was served at the Gondola Club on the first night of the Fiesta.) Photo: View of the field at sunset.
After Glow and Fireworks
After Glow and Fireworks
We were surprised that during the After Glow show the balloons do not go up in the air. Instead, a good number of the about 700 balloons at the Fiesta are inflated and then lit up. The Gondola Club was not a good viewing area of this event as it only gave a view of some of the balloons. You really need to be able to walk around the field to see most of the lit–up balloons. (You are pretty much locked in the Gondola Club and there is no easy way to get from it to the field.) I have put my photos of the After Glow and the Fireworks on a slide show on this website: Go to Slide Shows, United States, New Mexico, “Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, After Glow and Fireworks.” The last photo on the slide show is a composite of photos I took of the firework show.
After Glow and Fireworks
Main Street Marketplace
Day 3. The last two events of the Balloon Fiesta were this morning: another Dawn Patrol and another Mass Ascension. I came back to the Fiesta by myself after taking the park and ride (a very easy way to get to the field). I arrived at the Fiesta about 5 a.m. and walked around the Main Street Marketplace which offered many vendors selling merchandise and also various kinds of food. I had breakfast here (Wisconsin cheese curds––not very good, but I could eat them while taking photos) and bought a wall hanging from a Peruvian vendor. This is really the time to shop. Linda and I took the Gondola Club shuttle to Main Street yesterday and it was so packed that we immediately left––this morning, it was rather empty. I have put my photos of the Main Street Marketplace on a slide show on this website: Go to Slide Shows, United States, New Mexico, “Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, Dawn Patrol/Main Street.” There were mariachi singers trying to keep people awake at Main Street. I have put a movie clip of them on this website: Go to Movies, United States, New Mexico, “Albuquerque: Balloon Fiesta Mariachi Singers.” Photo: Main Street lit up before sunrise.
Main Street Marketplace
The Dawn Patrol Show
After eating my cheese curds, drinking hot chocolate, and taking photos of Main Street, I ventured out to the very dark field to view this morning’s Dawn Patrol.
The Dawn Patrol Show
The Dawn Patrol Show
The view of the Dawn Patrol from the field was quite spectacular (photo). I have put my photos of today’s Dawn Patrol on a slide show on this website: Go to Slide Shows, United States, New Mexico, “Albuquerque: Balloon Fiesta, Dawn Patrol/Main Street”
The Dawn Patrol Show
The Mass Ascension
After the Dawn Patrol Show, I watched the balloons being inflated for today’s Mass Ascension. Photos: balloons on the ground waiting inflation.
The Mass Ascension
The Mass Ascension
Getting reading for inflation.
The Mass Ascension
The Mass Ascension
Igniting the propane.
The Mass Ascension
The Mass Ascension
Balloon beginning its inflation.
The Mass Ascension
The Mass Ascension
Getting there.
The Mass Ascension
The Mass Ascension
A bit more propane needed.
The Mass Ascension
The Mass Ascension
A peek inside the balloon.
The Mass Ascension
The Mass Ascension
The balloon has been inflated and its passengers have been loaded. This was one of the balloons of Rainbow Ryders which offers balloon rides to Fiesta goers. I had no desire whatever to go up in a balloon and, for me, it is a bit surprising, at this date, that any visitor would go up in one. There was a very bad accident in one of these balloons on the first day of the Fiesta which resulted in a fatality of one of the visitor riders. Linda told me that there were four other accidents during the Fiesta, some resulting in broken legs.
The Mass Ascension
The Mass Ascension
The Rainbow Ryder balloon ascending. I have put my photos of today’s Mass Ascension on a slide show on this website: Go to Slide Shows, United States, New Mexico, “Albuquerque Balloon Fiesat: Mass Ascension–2.” You can compare the photos I took of a Mass Ascension from the Gondola Club (Mass Ascension–1) with the photos I took from the field. One of the things I liked better about viewing from the Gondola Club was that we could hear the loudspeaker which I couldn’t hear on the field. The announcer was giving us much interesting information about the events we were watching. I have also put a movie clip on this website of the Mass Ascension: Go to Movies, United States, New Mexico, “Balloon Fiesta Mass Ascension.”
The Mass Ascension
Zebra Patrol
The men and women of the Zebra Patrol tell the pilots when they can ascend. They keep the order on the field.
Zebra Patrol
Zebra Patrol
More of the Zebra Patrol.
Zebra Patrol
Zebra Patrol
This Zebra Patrolman really gets into his job.
Zebra Patrol
Sandia Peak Tramway
Day 4. Today, Linda and I took the Sandia Tramway up to Sandia Peak. The city of Albuquerque has an elevation over 5,000 feet, the Tramway station overlooking the city is at 6559 feet, and at the top of Sandia Peak, it is 10,378 feet. The Sandia Peak Tramway advertises itself as the World’s Longest Cable Car. At the peak is the High Finance Restaurant and also a ski lift. We started out early today so we could be the first in line at the Tramway. We had heard that the lines can be extremely long during the Fiesta. We were first in line for the first car to go up this morning at 9 a.m. We were dressed very warmly––it was about 25 degrees F up at the peak. However, even properly dressed, we didn’t stay long at the top as there was frost on the steps leading downhill from the tram––we didn’t want to slip on the ice. (We think someone might have slipped. When we got to our car after going down, there were two firetrucks blocking the exit and then two police cars came roaring up the hill with their sirens on, but no ambulances.) I put my photos of our trip up the mountain on a slide show on this website: Go to Slide Shows, United States, New Mexico, “Albuquerque: Sandia Peak Tramway.” Both Linda and I very much enjoyed our ride up the mountain––my sister being completely relaxed and myself being somewhat nervous.
Sandia Peak Tramway
Sandia Indian Casino
In the afternoon, we went to downtown Albuquerque to buy some jewelry at an Indian store we discovered last time I was here. We ate dinner at the Sandia Indian Casino––we discovered a great buffet for $10.95 at the casino the last time we were there. Then, some gambling at the slot machines––I won $41.50 after putting $10 in the machine. Linda didn’t win anything. We had a very nice surprise right after by one of my son’s girlfriend’s mother, who also lives in New Mexico, meeting us at the casino for a very nice chat. Photo: Another sunset at the Sandia Indian Casino.
Sandia Indian Casino
Santa Fe
Day 5. This morning I drove us to Santa Fe, about 1 hour north of Albuquerque. I took very few photos here as I already did so on my last visit to New Mexico (Go to Albums, United States, New Mexico, “Day 6 and Day 6(Con’t), Santa Fe.”) We met Jack and Jill Duvall, who were on my Italian tour in 2005, for lunch. We had seen them on my last trip to New Mexico and we were just as thrilled to see them again. When I got home, I realized that with all the photos I took in New Mexico I had forgotten to take one of them. So I need to tell those of you who were on the Italian trip that Jack and Jill are looking very well and they are both still as delightful to know as they were in 2005. Photo: Our meeting place, The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, probably the most famous sight in Santa Fe.
Santa Fe
Santa Fe
The trees are changing color in Santa Fe’s Plaza.
Santa Fe
Santa Fe
Quite a beautiful tree in the Plaza.
Santa Fe
Santa Fe
Shopping for handmade Indian jewelry in front of the Governor’s Palace. Linda and I did some shopping here. We were surprised that the vendors were different from the ones that were here last April and the merchandise also was somewhat different. We were both tired from all our adventures of the previous days and left Santa Fe right after lunch. Day 6: Another nicely uneventful Southwest Airlines flight back home. I very much like New Mexico and am already planning, hopefully, another trip here.
