NEW MEXICO: THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT
BY CLAY
LARROY
When you choose to travel, whether it is for business
or pleasure, it is important to plan your trip well before hand. Here are some
tips to help you. Don't be afraid to cash in your airline miles. Many travelers
let their miles accumulate and never bother using them. Reap the rewards of
your traveling and spend the miles you've earned! Miles have expiration dates,
so be sure to use them before they expire. Travelling is a great way to use
your airline miles. When you need to plan a vacation contact me!
Albuquerque, “The Duke City”
One of the most culturally diverse cities in the USA, Albuquerque
is rich in history and natural beauty, and surrounded by majestic mountains and
desert mesas.
Sitting at an elevation of
1,615m (5,300ft), New Mexico's largest city is among the highest metropolitan
areas in North America. It also lies in a technological corridor that began
life in the 1940s with labs dedicated to researching nuclear weapons.
It's a lab of a different
kind that's helping with the city's tourism resurgence, though - the meth lab.
As the setting for much of the television series Breaking Bad, location tours, blue
meth sweets, Breaking Bad bath salts and even food at Los Pollos Hermanos (actually a burger
bar called Twisters) are attracting fans.
But it's the broad ethnic
mix, reflected in the city's architecture, artwork, festivals and food that
should pique people's interest further. This is the center of Southwestern
culture and some 22 Native American tribes (each with its own traditional
language, customs, and way of life) call the surrounding region home.
Take a tram to the top of
the 3,050m (10,000ft) Sandia Mountains for a bird's eye view of some truly
spectacular scenery. With reliable sunshine throughout the year, there are
plenty of outdoor activities on offer like biking, hiking and hot air
ballooning. You can also make excursions to see ancient cliff dwellings or petroglyphs,
and there are numerous villages in the area where Spanish heritage is still
vibrantly celebrated.
When it comes to leisure,
nightlife options that range from casinos and brewpubs to wine bars and
restaurants. This is also a leading arts center, with over 100 galleries and a
packed events calendar.
Food-lovers will be wowed
by the diverse gastronomy. Many popular dishes are Mexican-influenced, and
include green chillies made into a spicy sauce that's ladled over enchiladas,
burritos and stuffed sopaipillas (fried pastries).
You can wash them down
with something unexpected. Spanish missionaries planted vineyards here 150
years before they appeared in California and the local wines are just another
example of a city that never fails to surprise and delight first-time visitors.
Things
to do in Albuquerque
Activities
Skiing and snowboarding
Ski and snowboard in
Albuquerque at the Sandia Peak Ski Area, around a 30 minute drive from the
city. The ski area and boarding Terrain Park boasts long, wide mountain runs
for beginners and intermediates. There are also cross country trails, a ski
rental shop and a ski school. The ski season runs from November to March.
Advanced skiers should drive one hour north to Santa Fe, home to one of the countries
highest ski areas.
Golfing
Abuquerque offers
year-round golfing at a number of award-winning public courses, which take in
high-desert scenery, including mountains, volcanoes and the Rio Grande. Two
courses consistently rank in the nation's top 50 – the Twin Warriors Golf Club
and the Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club. Golf lovers will also find it more affordable
here, with green fees considerably less expensive than elsewhere.
Mountain biking
Experience the natural
wonders of the Southwest with New Mexico Mountain Bike Tours (tel: (505) 385 9925);www.NMmtnBikeTours.com).
Tours include: ancestral ruins, ancient artifacts, incredible landscapes,
amazing geological formations, and much more all within a 45 minute drive from
Albuquerque.
Horse riding
Horse riding tours enable
visitors to enjoy the fabulous desert scenery of the pueblo backcountry where
cottonwood trees line the Rio Grande and Jemez Rivers and where you can meander
along trails where the Tamayame have travelled for centuries. The tours can be
arranged at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa (tel: (505) 771 6060);www.tamaya.hyatt.com).
White water rafting
The swirling Rio Grande
offers fantastic rafting and paddling adventures, just minutes from
Albuquerque. Whilst there are placid stretches of water for paddling and
swimming, the adrenalin comes when rafters hit the Racecourse, promising 10km
(6 miles) of class two and three rapids with names like the Maze, Albert's Falls,
The Narrows and The Thunderdome. There are a number of operators in the city or
nearby offer river adventures.
Hiking
New Mexico is a true
hiker's paradise, which is why it's nicknamed the Land of Enchantment. One of
the must-sees is Tent Rocks, just 45 minutes north of Albuquerque. Meaning
"white cliffs" in the Cochiti Pueblo Native American people Keresan
language), it is considered a place of spiritual importance and will also
enthrall with its incredible landscapes of slot canyons and otherworldly rock
formations. Guided tours are possible, or you could just strike out on your
own.
REFERENCE SITES:
I have traveled to many places
but have no desire to leave New Mexico.
Rudolfo Anaya
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