October 6

I got out of bed around 7:45 A.M. Since Dianne was already in the shower, I decided to open the windows and see what was going on outside. I was amazed to see a large group of balloons off in the distance. Obviously, what I was seeing was the height (pun intended) of the Balloon Fiesta. It was very impressive to watch a couple of hundred balloons populate the sky, even from the distance where I was watching. The sight just heightened my anticipation for the next day, when we’d be watching the morning launch from the Fiesta’s grounds.

After we finished getting ready, we talked about how to spend the day. My feet were getting better, but were still too sore to do any kind of serious walking. That meant that a hike up Sandia Mountain was out of the question. Instead, we decided to discuss our options over breakfast.

We headed back to Central Avenue in order to try the famous food at the Flying Star. The Flying Star (formerly known as the Double Rainbow) is well known for its large portions and low prices. It’s also known as a college student hangout, thanks to its late hours and casual ambience. All of these qualities were in evidence when we visited. The restaurant was filled with college students (distinguished from the tourists by the body piercings). There were even a couple of professors sitting in a booth discussing school politics and classroom assignments. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their food, which was served in portions that was as large as advertised. We ordered omelets, which came with toast and hash browns. The servings were so large that neither of us finished our breakfasts. We definitely felt like we got our money’s worth ($5.95 for each omelet). It was pretty easy to see why the Flying Star has such a great reputation. For the combination of great food and great ambience in Albuquerque, it can’t be beat.

We waddled out of the Flying Star and headed across the street to Rick’s Photo. I bought a roll of 1600 speed film to shoot the nighttime balloon launch at the Balloon Fiesta. Then, we headed off to our next destination. We decided over breakfast that we should pick up our Balloon Fiesta tickets first, and then head back to Old Town Albuquerque to explore some of the shops and attractions of that area. Of course, that plan went out the window when we came across the University of New Mexico (UNM). I had to stop in order to satisfy my eternal urge to buy university clothing from whatever university I come across. Fortunately, the UNM bookstore is right along Central Avenue, so we were able to get in and out of the store quickly.

After our impromptu shopping trip, we headed over to Balloon Fiesta Park. The morning’s festivities had ended, so there were just a few people in the Fiesta’s office buying souvenirs and tickets for future events. We got our tickets and a schedule listing the events for the next day. With our Fiesta plans set, we drove off to Old Town Albuquerque. Instead of taking Highway 25 back to Old Town, we decided to drive along the Rio Grande in order to see something a little different. What we got to see was the homes of Albuquerque’s rich and famous. We even drove past Al Unser’s (the Indy racecar driver) house. It certainly was interesting to contrast the extravagance of these homes with the simplicity of the dwellings we’d seen the day before in San Miguel Ignacio.

We made it to Old Town Albuquerque about a half-hour after we left the Balloon Fiesta Park. We spent about three hours walking around the area and visiting the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science.

After having thoroughly explored Old Town, we headed back to the hotel to shower and change. We then went out to get some dinner. We thought about going into Old Town for some Southwest food, but hadn’t found anything in our earlier explorations that caught our eye. So, we headed back to Central Avenue and Il Vicino for some more delicious pizza. After our dinner, we went to the Flying Star (which was as crowded as it was for breakfast) for a large piece of apple pie. With our stomachs full, we drove back to the Holiday Inn and retired early so that we’d be ready for our early morning visit to the Balloon Fiesta.

October 7 Home

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page