En route to the plaza we saw Noah's Ark, waiting for a flood. Has Noah spent any time in New Mexico in summer and autumn? As it happens it is a hot air balloon waiting for the fiesta starting Saturday.
This is the church San Felipe de Neri on the plaza in Old Town. Below are shops which used to be homes. The doors are in blue to ward off evil spirits..
Just outside the Velvet Cafe there is this wishing well with water constantly flowing from the bucket.
A mural on a wall coming out from the cafe.
Inside the Church of San Felipe
Here we are on the ABQ Trolley preparing for our tour of the city. Aren't we a happy pair!
Below, one of the many quirky signs along Route 66. Unfortunately neon does not show up in daylight.
Street art on Route 66
A famous old theatre the Kimo. Art deco New Mexico style.
Albuquerque is 4th in the US for street sculpture. Public funds are set aside for it.
A nod to the railway workers of the past in the railyard area.
This used to be the High School. Now it is apartments many of which still have chalkboards in their living rooms. One lucky tenant occupies the girls' locker rooms.
2 of the unusual houses in this area.
And their garden "animals"!
The University of New Mexico team logo -the lobo. At this stage the guide had us howling like wolves and doing the sign of the ears and the snout with our fingers - mad or what!
Motel on Route 66 bought by developer to raze to the ground but locals united and now it is to be preserved and done up appropriately.
Our trolley at the end of the tour - empty but hopeful of more idiots! This was a hilarious tour with the guide and driver determined that we would enjoy ourselves. Stories were punctuated with clips of film, bursts of music -Chuck Berry singing Route 66 - questions that gained the first with an answer a prize - a lollipop, 10% discount in a museum shop and, for Jim, a pack of 4 salsas. Jim was first with the answer to New Mexico's state question - red or green ? Referring of course to chiles. And if you want them mixed you say Christmas!
We spent a while in the sculpture garden at the Museum of Albuquerque because we like sculpture gardens.
This is La Jornada, a series of life-sized bronze statues of Spanish colonists crossing the desert. It is similar to the one in Santa Fe depicting the traders arriving in Santa Fe.
My leg was improving but is giving me a hell of a lot of pain again. Could it be cruciate ligament whatever that is?
I loved these bears!
I was fascinated by Groffrey and his Dog because of the similarity of the facial expressions. No Geoffrey, you don't want a dog!
I suppose we could just have talked!
Lunch time so we lunched at the Hacienda del Rio Restaurant and Cantina noted for its Margaritas and sensational cocktails and New Mexican cuisine. We shared a starter - just look at the size of it 2 pictures down!
On the wall behind us.
Up above in the portal of the restaurant
It was very enjoyable but more than enough for the 2 of us.
The rest of the day was spent in Old Town viewing horrendously expensive jewellery and pottery. And then we had to go to the rattlesnake museum for something different. We even got certificates of bravery!
I was fascinated by the shedded skin.
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