| PrairieHikerI |
Oct 1st, 2023 01:02 PM |
Old Town. Old Town with its historic Plaza features the 1706 San Felipe de Neri church and 300-year-old adobe homes converted into art galleries and boutiques selling Native American pottery and jewelry. Nearby are the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and the Alb Museum of Art, History and Science which features ancient Spanish maps and Spanish conquistador armor and helmets. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center shouldn’t be missed and is 10 minutes north.
Sandia Peak Tramway. The Sandia Peak Tramway takes you up 4,000 feet from the high desert floor to the lush mountaintop where there are fantastic views of the city and a restaurant. One can walk on trails through pine forests and on large boulders.
Rio Grande Nature Center has walking paths (no bicycles) through cottonwood trees along the river. Across the river is the Petroglyph National Monument. One can rent bikes at Routes Bicycle Rentals and bike along the river on the shady 16-mile Paseo del Bosque Trail.
UNM Museums. On the UNM campus are the art museum with Renaissance Italian paintings, Georgia O’Keeff pieces and Ansel Adams photos of nature plus the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology which features the People of the Southwest permanent exhibit which depicts 11,000 years of the cultural heritage of the American Southwest and features artifacts from Mimbres, Ancestral Puebloan, and Puebloan cultures.
New Mexico Cuisine. Be sure to eat traditional New Mexican food (different from TexMex) which includes green-chile stews, blue corn dishes, purple pinto beans, Chile rellenos, blue-corn enchiladas and Sopapillas. Check out Sadie’s of New Mexico.
Acoma: Sky City is about 1.5 hours west of Albuquerque. Built on a mesa rising 357’ above the valley floor, this is one of three oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the U.S. It is thought it was built c.1250 A.D. The tour takes you through the adobe/stone village where one can buy lovely Indian pottery from venders for little money. The 1629 San Esteban de Rey Mission Church has five-feet-thick walls and impressive religious paintings from that period. One can walk down the side of the mesa on a narrow footpath cut into the rock, but your leg muscles will ache after the experience. This is an enchanting sight and experience that should not be missed.
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