Endeavoring to enjoy myself while showing Elegant Friend the beauty of New Mexico, I embarked from home in Derby at about 7:30am (Central Daylight Time) on Friday, 10/14/2016, to pick up EF. About 10 hours later we checked into the Residence Inn Marriott - Albuquerque Airport. We spent four days and five nights, there, leaving on Wednesday, 10/19/2016 at about 6:30am (Mountain Daylight Time). We arrived home, last evening, at about 6:30pm (CDT) - weary, but having had a wonderful time. All told, we drove 1940 miles in 41 hours (actual driving time including twice when we sat for 10 minutes awaiting our turn to traverse construction along Highway 54), averaging 30.4 miles/gallon of gasoline. Forthwith, some photos. These (below) are photos that EF and I took using my camera.
Day 1, we prowled around my old neighborhood then, when it was late enough (10am), we went to prowl around Old Town Albuquerque. Unlike the forecasted weather, it was unbearably hot! EF took photos on her iPAD, of which I have none. We photographed my previous residence and the old church in Old Town.


Day 2, we drove to Santa Fe which, its being Sunday was crowded with throngs of tourists and their vehicles. We went by to see Elder Brother's former residence which, it turned out is now on the market. The house cannot be seen from the street (unpaved), but here's a photo of the entryway. EB lived in the Pygmy Forest, around the corner from the state's governor's house.

EF particularly liked the color of the Scottish Rite Center in Santa Fe.

Avoiding the throngs that clogged the square, we visited a museum featuring Spanish Colonial Arts. Somehow, I had misread the description on their website while planning our journey and thought it featured Spanish Colonial architecture. Instead, it was mostly religious stuff. EB enjoyed that more than I!

From Santa Fe we drove to Taos, visiting Harwood Museum of Arts. I've no photos from Taos, but lots of photos from our journey along the Rio Grande on our return journey to Santa Fe, along the highway to Albuquerque, and the stunning sunset in progress upon our arrival back at the Residence Inn.




Day 3, we drove down to San Antonio (NM) to the Bosque del Apache to do some birding. Absolutely, it is the wrong time of year to see anything, but we enjoyed being out in the wild. We didn't keep a listing, but I recall our seeing Great blue heron, Sandhill crane (one, lone!), See's phoebe, Lesser goldfinch (western), Northern harrier, Roadrunner, White-tailed kite (two each - previously known as White-shouldered kites - unusual for NM), Red-tailed hawk, Swainson's hawk, Baldpate (duck - not sure current name for it), and assorted lbbs (little brown birds). During the right times of year, there are tens of thousands of migratory birds.


Day 4, we went back to Old Town Albuquerque to browse through the Albuquerque Museum of Art & History and about 15 art galleries. Having time to spare, I took EF up to Sandia Crest. She took lots of photos up at the crest and I took one of her!
View to the north:

Views to the west:



The view to the east:


No matter how wonderful the trip, it is always good to come home. In my case, Hunky Husband always assures that he, the house, and the lawn are in tip-top shape for my arrival.
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