"Between the mountains and the mesas runs a river. Astride it stands a city. A city that embodies the diversity of cultures and breadth of ideals that are uniquely American.”

In Albuquerque, the views go on forever. A ride on the Sandia Peak Tram puts you on top of the Sandia Mountains, where, on clear days, you can look out over 15,000 square miles of magical landscape.

To the west, the Rio Grande snakes its way through the cottonwood-lined valley, and dormant volcanoes are silhouetted against fiery red sunsets. As darkness blankets the city, thousands of lights twinkle like diamonds, matching the stars scattered across the enormous sky.

Albuquerque is a city full of exciting attractions and events, from Historic Old Town, where the Villa of Albuquerque was founded in 1706, to the Kodak Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the most popular ballooning event in the world.

New Mexico is the Land of Enchantment and Albuquerque is its gateway.

I did not go up on Sandia Tramway this time as I had done it on my road trip in 2000 so I do not have photos of that here.

All the pictures here are from Old Town Albuquerque.

I had the best Mexican food at this restaurant - Little Anita's 

San Felipe De Neri church is located in Old Town Albuquerque

Of course, one cannot talk about Albuquerque without mentioning the annual world's largest hot-air balloon festival.

Albuquerque Hot-Air Balloon Festival 2001