Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 10/10/13

Adventure Caravans Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Rally Day 7
Thursday, October 10, 2013

It was very windy and rain was predicted for this morning, so the mass ascension was cancelled for today.  This was a very busy tour day with the Adventure Caravaners.  We left early to take a walking tour of Old Town Albuquerque.  The town was founded in 1706, so many of the buildings in this area are well over 300 years old and have been restored and repurposed for modern times.  There is a central Plaza as there is in most cities in the Southwest and areas with Spanish/Mexican heritage. 

Old Town Albuquerque Plaza

Life revolves around this Plaza anchored by the San Filipe de Neri Church on one side.  This church is the oldest church in Albuquerque and has been serving its parishioners continuously since 1706.

San Felipe de Neri Church

Behind the church, there is an old tree trunk that was carved by a parishioner in 1970.  It is known by several names - Virgin de Guadalupe in the Cottonwood tree, Cottonwood Madonna, Virgin of the Tree, to name a couple.  We would never have seen this if our guide had not told us that it was there, because it faces a courtyard at the back of the church and not the street side where the sidewalk is.  (note the street and store behind the tree trunk on the right)

  Cottonwood Madonna, Virgin of the Tree

Here are some buildings that are located on two of the other three sides of the Plaza.

Hacienda del Rio Restaurant

Covered Wagon Store

We walked around the Old Town after the formal tour and saw this statue of Don Francisco Cuervo y Valdes, the founder of Albuquerque, in a small park at the entrance to Old Town.

Don Francisco Cuervas y Valdes

Our tour continued to the Turquoise Museum, where we learned about how turquoise was mined and its contribution to the southwestern and Native American cultural heritage.  We were told that it is easy to imitate turquoise and we should always ask if it is "natural turquoise" not if it is "real" because anything that is in front of you is real.  Well, of course we had to get some "natural turquoise" earrings.  No photos were allowed in this museum.  While we were inside, the rain began to pour!!!

Our last stop, for the tour, was the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center  in Albuquerque.  It is dedicated to preserving and perpetuating the Pueblo Indian culture, history and art and provides education about the indigenous people of New Mexico.  No photos were allowed here either, however, the dance demonstration did allow pictures to be taken, if we acknowledged the center with a link, so I did.  The dance had to be inside because of the rain, but normally it is outside in a courtyard.

Buffalo Dance

Drummers and Singers for the Buffalo Dance

After we got back to camp, there was still too much wind for the huge special shapes balloon glow, so we stayed in for the evening.