The Zia people are an indigenous tribe, and they currently live on the Zia Pueblo outside of Albuquerque.
The sun is considered a sacred symbol, and the Zia symbol design reflects the tribe's philosophy of harmony of all things in the universe.
There are four rays in four directions on the Zia Sun Symbol, meant to show the four points on the compass, four seasons of the year, the four seasons of life (childhood, youth, middle age, old age), and the four sacred obligations one must develop according to Zia belief (strong body, clear mind, pure spirit, and devotion to the welfare of others).
The state flag of New Mexico (pictured above) has the red Zia on a field of Spanish yellow, symbolizing both parts of the state's culture and heritage.
I hope you've enjoyed these little snippets of New Mexican information! I've learned a lot about my new home (though there's a lot more out there) and I can't wait to explore my new home state.
There are about 40-50 species (including perennials, shrubs, and trees) and none are actually specified as the state flower.
They're pollinated by a specific moth that goes from flower to flower and deliberately transfers the pollen from the stamen of one to the stigma of another, then lays eggs in the flower. The moth's offspring eat some of the developing seeds when they hatch.
One of the most fun museums I've ever been to has to be Explora! (yes, it has exclamation points in its name), located on the west side of Albuquerque.
It's an interactive museum--all of the exhibits are things you can touch and play with.
Most of the topics are science and technology, and the different exhibits are fun to play with.
Want to learn about aerodynamics first-hand? Try and float various items on a stream of air!
Sound waves? Light? Gravity? Learn about all of these while interacting with objects and instruments.
Even better, Explora! has special events like Adult Night. If you've ever been to a science museum and watched kids play with the children's exhibits, trying hard not to move them out of the way and play with the exhibits yourself, you're in luck--this is exactly what it's for. We had a blast making giant bubbles and playing with blocks without worrying we were going to get kicked out.
If you want to have a fun day out, I totally recommend checking out Explora!
Because, at sunset, the Sandias turn a lovely pink shade in the fading light. Sorry I don't have a picture of it (it only lasts a minute or two, and I'm often not near my phone), but here's a great shot of the mountains.
So I decided to do this extra post because my friend, Valency, is a talented artist and because she lives in New Mexico, it's perfect for my A-Z Challenge theme!
Valency got her BFA degree at the University of New Mexico, and has been creating what she calls vegan taxidermy ever since. Her extraordinary pieces resemble, well, decapitated Dr. Seuss creatures, and each one is lovingly crafted to find their forever home. Some of her creations have gone to people from Pixar, and even Vincent Price's daughter took one home!
She recently had a very successful show in Chicago, and I know she's creating new creatures for some upcoming events. If you like her work, she ships all over the world.
Before I link to some pics of her amazing work, Valency can be found on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ValencyArt/
A photo posted by Sarah Allan (@sarahallanauthor) on
There was St. Clair Winery Cabernet Sauvignon and Blue Teal Reisling. I figured it would be good to have a red and a white. The third wine, a Moscato from Voluptuous, was purchased because it was as close to a dessert wine I could find.
Of course we had to have delicious snobby wine-tasting snacks.
A photo posted by Sarah Allan (@sarahallanauthor) on
And now for the verdicts. Disclaimer: Neither of us are professional wine tasters; we normally just drink what we like. All opinions are our own--if we didn't like a wine, it doesn't mean it's bad. It just means it wasn't for us.
The St. Clair was, by far, not our favorite. I'll preface this by saying that neither of us are huge fans of red wine (though there are a few I've come across that I do enjoy), but neither of us thought the Cabernet had rich flavor or was enjoyable.
The Blue Teal Reisling, on the other hand, was very good! Surprisingly so. Hubs is a big fan of sweet wine, and this Reisling was a bit on the sweeter side (for a Reisling), so he was in heaven. I enjoyed it, but it almost bordered on dessert wine to me. I'd definitely get it again, though!
The Voluptuous Moscato was very sweet--definitely a dessert-like wine, but it's supposed to be. The flavor was good, and it was best chilled.
Summary: New Mexican wines are worth a try. Apparently an arid climate can produce tasty grapes! Who knew?
Have you ever had a wine from a surprising place? How about New Mexican wine? What did you think? Tell me in the comments!
The main campus for the University of New Mexico, a large public university, is located right in Albuquerque. If you can't make it to the main campus, there are four satellite campuses around New Mexico.
It was founded in 1889, and is very close to Nob Hill and central Albuquerque. It offers more than 200 undergraduate degree programs, and offers a variety of associate and certificate programs as well as graduate and professional programs.
UNM is well-known for its research programs, and has a hospital associated with campus as well.
One way to get to the top of the lovely Sandia Mountains is to take the tram. The Sandia Peak Tramway begins in the foothills at the base of the Sandias and runs over two and a half miles to the top. It's one of the most popular things to do in Albuquerque.
It's supported by two towers between the first and last station, and took two years to construct. It was built by a Swiss company in the 1960s, and made its first trip up in 1966. The journey takes about fifteen minutes each way, and each tram car has a guide on it who will talk you through what you're seeing--the landscape, the different rocks, the trees.
There's even a restaurant at the very top, so you can stop and have something to eat and enjoy the gorgeous views.
From the top, you can get to the Sandia Peak ski area as well as hike various trails. The tram is also one of the outlets for the La Luz Trail we discussed on L, and a lot of folks take the tram down after they've hiked all the way up.
At any rate, this is one unique way to see New Mexico!
The beautiful Sandia Mountains border Albuquerque on the eastern side. While Albuquerque itself is at about 5,500 feet in elevation, Sandia Crest is its highest point at 10,678 feet, and the mountains provide a lot to do.
Hiking is a popular activity, and from the Crest, you have breathtaking views of Albuquerque and beyond. There are over twenty trails, and they range from easy to very difficult, so there's plenty to satisfy every hiker.
Sandia Peak is also known for its skiing. The ski area is on the eastern side of the mountain, and is a short drive for those with the urge to enjoy some winter sports.
The Rio Grande ("Grand River" or "Big River" in Spanish, in case you've never really thought about it) runs from Colorado into New Mexico and then forms the border between Mexico and Texas as it empties out into the Gulf of Mexico.
The Rio Grande runs through Albuquerque, and you can enjoy it in non-motorized craft. There's a lot of wildlife to see near the river, and the plant-life is green in the desert landscape.
As you've seen from H is for Hatch Chiles, they're the bee's knees in New Mexico and they're in everything here. Creme brulee, bagels, wine (no, I'm not kidding), and one friend even ordered a lobster roll with green chiles. Being from New England, she was not thrilled with the result, but that's not the point. The point is, New Mexicans love their chiles, even putting them in things that, well, probably shouldn't be tampered with.
But queso isn't one of them. It's made for Hatch chiles.
In the interest of finding a delicious restaurant-style queso dip you lovely readers can try, I tracked down two recipes on the interwebs (Pinterest, to be specific), and taste-tested them for you.
A photo posted by Sarah Allan (@sarahallanauthor) on
First off, this recipe was very tasty! I got the American cheese from the deli (Boar's Head brand; I'm a bit of a deli snob), and the Monterrey Jack in a block from the regular 'ol cheese section which I took home and grated. I had everything prepped and sliced ahead of time which was good, because once we started, this dip came together quickly. I had a can of Hatch Green Chiles (whole), and there were probably 10 of them in the can, already skinned and seeded. They'd actually be perfect for stuffing, but that's for another time. Anyway, I chopped up two of them, and I think this recipe could actually use a third. These were very mild, but had a nice, sweet flavor to them. I was actually a little disappointed that it didn't have more heat and wasn't quiiiite as flavorful as I'd expected. The dip thickened very quickly once it was off the heat, and we microwaved it the next day (adding about a tablespoon of milk to thin it out and microwaving it in 30 second intervals, stirring after each) and it was just as good.
A photo posted by Sarah Allan (@sarahallanauthor) on
Though the other queso dip was good, this one was the clear winner! It had a stronger chile flavor (it uses 3 chiles instead of 2), and we thought it would be even better with another chile added. The Mexican cheese blend was better as well. It was very thick while mixing, but thinned out readily when the half-and-half was added. It also didn't firm up so much as it cooled that you couldn't dip a chip, a complaint we had about the first recipe.
Time for me to go warm some up and enter another cheese coma!
Petroglyph National Monument falls under the National Park Service, and stretches along Albuquerque, New Mexico's west mesa. As the NPS website says, "Petroglyph National Monument protects on of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, featuring designs and symbols carved into volcanic rocks by Native Americans and Spanish settlers 400 to 700 years ago. These images are a valuable record of cultural expression and hold profound spiritual significance for contemporary Native Americans and for the descendants of the early Spanish settlers."
There's a visitor's center, but there aren't any petroglyph viewing areas there, so you'll have to go to the trails, which you can hike.
There are three trails where you can see petroglyphs and one without any. It's very neat to be able to be up close and personal with such vivid history.
Considered to be the most photographed event in the world, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest ballooning event in the U.S. and is held every October.
A photo posted by Sarah Allan (@sarahallanauthor) on
The Fiesta has many events, including mass ascensions, special shapes, and even special events and competitions.
What makes ballooning in Albuquerque so good? It's what's known as the Albuquerque box--predictable wind patterns that are great for ballooning. Below is a diagram of how the winds in the Albuquerque box work from Balloon Fiesta Park. The balloons rise and are taken south by southerly winds, then rise and are swept north in the higher altitude by northerly winds. When they drop in altitude, they are caught by the southerly winds again which bring them back to the park.
Of course, things don't always go so neatly, so each balloon has pilots and crew. This includes people to keep track of and chase the balloons down and help load them back up after landing.
If you visit, going up in a balloon can be quite expensive (during the Fiesta they're more expensive and run about $300 per person, give or take) but it might be worth it if it's on your bucket list!
Otherwise, enjoy the festival and the colorful balloons.
Nob Hill in Albuquerque is actually named after Nob Hill in San Francisco, and is considered to be the commercial area alongside Central Avenue (which we discussed on C day as also being U.S. Route 66) and the surrounding residential areas. Nob Hill is east of the University of New Mexico, and encompasses a roughly square shape that runs from Lomas on the north side, Girard on the west, Garfield/Zuni to the south, and Washington on the east.
It's a great place to enjoy a small-community feel in a city, and a wonderful place to enjoy a night out, whether you want to go to the cinema, go dancing, or enjoy a nice meal out.
The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History (yes, I'm aware it technically starts with N, but I'm taking liberties here) is located in Albuquerque, and is a great way to spend some time.
A photo posted by Sarah Allan (@sarahallanauthor) on
We've gone once so far and we had a great time. It's easy to get to, has plenty of parking, and, best of all, is very interesting.
When we visited, there was a Modern Marvels from the History Channel show that they broadcast in the little theater. It was about 45 minutes long, and gave a great history of the Manhattan Project and nuclear science in general. It was worth watching before we went and explored the rest of the museum because we found we recognized names, locations, and dates from the show as we walked around.
The museum itself isn't huge, but it's laid out in a way that makes it easy to explore. There are interactive and kid-friendly areas scattered about and not one large kid area--great to hold their interest as you all walk through. The exhibits are labeled well and are often in chronological order, so you can follow nuclear history through...history.
There are special exhibitions as well, so check their website to see what's there.
I'd definitely go back, and I'd encourage anyone visiting Albuquerque to budget half a day or so to this fun museum.
The La Luz Trail is an approximately 8 mile hiking trail that leads from the base of the Sandia Mountains to Sandia Crest.
It's a strenuous trail and folks attempting it should be in appropriate physical condition. Be sure to leave enough time to do the loop (or take the tram down), bring plenty of water and snacks, and to wear proper gear.
It offers lovely views of Albuquerque and the surrounding area.
No, we haven't done the trail yet, but it's on our list of things to explore!
Kirtland Air Force Base is a big part of Albuquerque. It's in the southeast part of the city, and adjacent to Albuquerque International Sunport (the airport).
It was born out of three private airfields in the late 1920s, and actual construction was completed in the early 1940s. Before it was named for Col. Roy C. Kirtland, it was known as Albuquerque Army Air Base. During WWII, B-17 and B-24 bombers were trained there. After the war, the base was placed under a different command and took up the task of test flight activities for the Manhattan Engineering District, the same organization that produced the atomic bomb.
In 1973, Kirtland enlarged due to the combining of Kirtland, Manzano, and Sandia bases.
Kirtland is also celebrating its 75th anniversary this year!
It's currently the sixth largest base in the U.S. Air Force, and is known for being home to the Nuclear Weapons Center, and is also home to other well-known research facilities such as Sandia National Laboratories.
Even stranger, though, is that New Mexico--the southern bit, anyway--is home to jaguars. They're extremely rare, but they are listed as a native species.
So, of all the interesting things that can kill you on your outdoor explorations--snakes, falling, etc.--fierce felines are also on the list. They're not common, though, because most of New Mexico is dry and desert-y, and jaguars prefer places with trees. So just watch out for the mountain lions and you'll be all set.
One nice thing about Albuquerque is that they have a Minor League Baseball team! The Isotopes are part of the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.
Albuquerque and New Mexico is often associated with nuclear research and technology (Sandia National Labs, Los Alamos, and the Manhattan Project), the name is very appropriate. And the Isotopes do have an interesting connection with The Simpsons television show.
They play at Isotopes Park, and in 2016 they have their home opener on Friday, April 15th.
While not being huge baseball fans (it's a snoozer to watch on TV, in my opinion), the Isotopes games are a lot of fun to go to. There's a good variety of food to eat, and they have some fun giveaways and theme nights.
The green chiles are sharper in flavor and have more front heat, while the ripe red ones tend to have a more complex flavor and less front heat but more back heat.
In the late summer and early fall, the chile harvest begins. You'll start to see crates of Hatch chiles showing up in grocery stores, and there will be chile roasting areas, too, where if you get a certain amount, you can get them roasted for free.
If you can't get to New Mexico to get some fresh roasted chile or to the Hatch Chile Festival in early September, Hatch does sell it online.
In restaurants where New Mexican cuisine is served, you'll be asked, "Red, green, or Christmas?" They're asking you whether you want red chile sauce, green chile sauce, or both (Christmas) on your meal. I prefer the red chile myself, and I'll often get it on the side, because your food usually comes smothered in it. It's also a good idea to ask your server how hot the chile is that day, because it can be tough to control the heat--probably the luck of the draw for which chiles the chef gets that day.
If I have a recommendation from their website, it's to get the Sadie's Not As Hot salsa. Sadie's is a restaurant started in Albuquerque (they have a few locations) and the food is delicious. Their in-house salsa has a good kick to it, and their Not As Hot salsa does as well, but not as much.
If you're ever in New Mexico, the chile is a must.
Casinos aren't uncommon in New Mexico, and, like many in the U.S., a good number are run by Native Americans on their lands.
There are a few in Albuquerque itself, but a good number are outside of the cities on the Pueblos. Santa Fe has quite a few nearby as well.
As with most casinos, you'll encounter plenty of gambling but also buffets, restaurants, and shows. If you're looking for something a little different, or to see a concert, they might be a good bet.
The 505 dates back to being one of the original area codes established in 1947.
Due to the demand for new numbers, the 575 was created in 2007. It actually covers more of the state, but the areas with higher populations are still under 505.
Still, the state had one area code for so long that "The 505" is considered a slang term for New Mexico.
New Mexico has a pretty fabulous nickname: Land of Enchantment. Surprisingly, it only became the official nickname in 1999.
What makes the nickname so great is that it encompasses so much of the state's history and landscape. Not only does New Mexico have stunning views (enchanting, perhaps?), but it was inhabited by indigenous peoples for a long time before Europeans explored the New World.
The gorgeous scenery combined with the rich history of many peoples combines to make a truly enchanting place.
Albuquerque's climate is considered to be high desert. It has extremely low humidity levels, which makes even the heat of the summer where temperatures average about 90 degrees F bearable. At night in the summer, it's not uncommon for temperatures to swing lower by 40 or 50 degrees--if you go out, layers are a must.
Winter is dry for the most part, and definitely colder--sometimes just a sweatshirt will be adequate, and other times you'll need to bundle up. They do get snow, but it's more common in the Sandias.
A photo posted by Sarah Allan (@sarahallanauthor) on
Spring and autumn are more temperate, with pleasant temperatures and lovely weather.
Some folks ask if the weather is like it is in Arizona, and the answer is no, at least not in ABQ, because of the elevation. It doesn't get nearly as hot for as long as in a city like Phoenix, for example.
The elevation makes things challenging for some people--the city is at around 5,000 feet in elevation, but that goes up to about 6,500 in the Sandia foothills. If you're not used to the elevation, due to the thinner air, you might experience headaches and light-headedness during physical activity. Make sure to drink plenty of water--I've taken to carrying around a refillable bottle wherever I go. To feel "normal" here, it took me about four months. Before that, I didn't have headaches, but I did feel winded when carrying heavy things and going up stairs. I tired quickly when exercising, which was sometimes frustrating, but my body wasn't used to the limited oxygen.
Albuquerque averages over 300 days of sunshine (I've seen some estimates as high as 330 days per year), and UV rays are also stronger at higher altitudes, so definitely wear some sunscreen to avoid getting a sunburn. I wear a moisturizer with SPF in it each day.
Historic highway U.S. Route 66 is better known as Central Avenue in ABQ. It runs concurrently with I40 through a good chunk of the state, but in Albuquerque it's a centerpiece.
Along Central Ave, you can find plenty of unique restaurants and even the UNM campus. The city has made an effort to embrace the historical route, and often you'll see signage that reminds you of the 1950s and 1960s.
Breaking Bad is, probably, and I'm not exaggerating, one of the best-written television shows I've seen in a long time. I almost did an "Awesome Writing in Media" feature on it, but figured I could do this first.
Full disclosure--hubs and I didn't watch it when it aired; we binged on it from start to finish over a period of a couple weeks recently. Thank you, Netflix.
Because when we moved to Albuquerque, most of the time the first question out of someone's mouth was, "Have you seen Breaking Bad?" So it was mandatory viewing. "Yeah, bitch!" as Jesse Pinkman would say.
Even only having been sort-of familiar with the city (we've lived in New Mexico since last summer), it was evident that the location was its own character on the show. No, it didn't overshadow Walter White or Jesse Pinkman, but the city shone in its own way. I'm one of those people who Googles stuff about shows afterward--trivia, filming locations, etc.--and one thing was that it was almost filmed in LA, but New Mexico offered attractive tax breaks. While that's obviously a good reason to film a big-budget show not in Los Angeles, I can't imagine Breaking Bad would have been as awesome if it had been set somewhere with less character.
Imagine it--no gorgeous Sandias in the background while driving a Pontiac Aztec. No scrubby desert in which to drive your meth-lab-RV out to cook. No Grove Cafe [link has spoilers!] for chamomile tea with stevia. No car wash.
A photo posted by Sarah Allan (@sarahallanauthor) on
Notes:
--The car wash is Mister Car Wash now, but the address is the same. We've been there--they do a good job. It's been remodeled, but there are pictures of the cast on the walls. They embrace the tourism!
--We went to The Grove in 2011--the food is great but it tends to get very busy and parking can be a nightmare. Have patience.
--I have no comment about RV meth labs, but we have seen a few oddly-placed ones when we road-tripped to Colorado...
It's been a fun experience to watch the show and point out places we recognized. There are filming location tours in the area (one even has an RV that they take you around in), but most are easy to find if you look them up in the interwebs. But please don't throw pizzas on the roof of the White's house. It's just not polite.
Albuquerque--New Mexico's largest city (but not the capital--that's Santa Fe), is probably best known to most folks due to a certain cartoon rabbit's wrong turn.
But it's so much more than that. It's relatively in the middle of the state, and sits at about 5,000-6,000 feet above sea level. The population of the area is a bit over half a million people.
Bordered by the Sandia Mountains on the eastern side and sloping down westward, the sunrises and sunsets are something to behold. The scenery is lovely--yes, it's mostly brown, but there's something beautiful about it.
There's a lot to do, a lot to see, and so. Much. To. Eat.
So instead of making that left turn at Albuquerque, stop by for a bit.
I'll be hitting a lot of Albuquerque stuff in the coming days as well as New Mexico as a whole. I hope you enjoy my A-Z Challenge posts!
