Five Days in Cancún

Daniel and I just returned from a five-day vacation in Mexico, our fourth time in that country together.  February is an ideal time to go to Mexico, especially if you live in a climate like those of us in northeast Ohio.  Also, as Cancún is known as a spring break destination, by going in February you’re avoiding the spring breakers – although we saw our share of drunken Americans.  We chose Cancún as our primary destination partly because we hadn’t been there before but mainly because it was served by nonstop flights from two carriers: United and Frontier.  We’ve only flown Frontier once before, a trip to Las Vegas in 2017 where we encountered no difficulties and the flight was like a party.  Many travelers seem to dislike Frontier Airlines.  I think part of the discomfort some feel with Frontier is the DIY aspect of doing business with them.  Everything is done via the app or the automated kiosk at the airport – including tagging your own checked baggage.  Aside from a bit of lagginess with the app, we had no issues and since we were flying internationally, we had to interact with a ticketing agent – who was very nice and helped us resolve a very minor issue.

We awakened at 4am Wednesday the 11th and drove to the airport.  After checking our bag and showing the ticketing agent our passport, we made it through TSA with enough time to grab a quick breakfast and buy some bottled water before going to the gate.  This worked out well for us because food and beverages cost extra onboard.  Our flight to Cancún was uneventful, but people baffle me - Cancún is not the place to bring babies or toddlers, yet our flight had plenty of them.  The plane itself, an Airbus A321neo, was clean and functioned well, but the cabin was designed for efficiency more than comfort.  The seat backs did not recline, did not have touch screens, nor were there chargers on board.  You get what you pay for.  If you can fit these factors into your expectations, Frontier will work fine for you.  Frontier is known for its unique plane livery and the animal tail for our flight down was Chopper, the Great White Shark.  (Our return flight featured Mitch the Wolverine.)

Once we landed at Cancún International Airport, we breezed through border control, got our luggage, and took the ADO bus to the hotel zone.  The bus dropped us off at Plaza la Fiesta, and we grabbed a quick lunch on our way to our hotel of choice, the InterContinental Presidente resort, an IHG hotel.  After multiple travel experiences with Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and Raddison, I’ve concluded that IHG simply offers the best value for the money.  Our hotel room on the 5th floor was comfortable without being ostentatious.  The resort had three restaurants and a host of amenities.  It also had beachfront access although Dan & I aren’t especially beach oriented.  After settling in, we explored the hotel zone and stopped at Mextreme restaurant for drinks and a small dinner.  Later that evening, we took a taxi to a gay club in downtown Cancún which was nearly empty and where the music was deafeningly loud.  There was another gay club nearby but they had a $20 cover charge and nothing was happening there aside from a drag show and karaoke.  Cancún is not Puerto Vallarta.  So, we called the same taxi driver - who had given us his phone number - and he swung by to return us to our hotel.  This time his young son was in the passenger seat and I showed him photos of the snow in Ohio.

Enjoying a bit of nightlife.

We awakened fairly early Thursday morning and had a fine breakfast which included beef tips and chilaquiles in the hotel’s beachside restaurant buffet. This was Dan’s birthday and we had an open day to follow our whims.  We took the R2 bus (12 pesos, about 70 cents per rider) to La Isla mall.

Truthfully, there wasn’t much there that you couldn’t find in any US mall.  But we did ride the Ferris wheel which offered some excellent views of the hotel zone.  Then we went to the local cinema and saw “Send Help,” which was presented in English with subtitles in Español.  This was one of those fancy theaters where they bring drinks and snacks to you.  

I gained a bit of weight in Mexico.

Friday the 13th was a lucky day for us and featured a trip to Yucatán including stops at Chichen Itza - which gave us a sense of the pre-Conquistador history of the area, a buffet lunch at La Casona in the small town of Valladolid, and the cenote of Oxman.  An interesting thing we learned is that many residents of this area are of Mayan ancestry and their Español is heavily peppered with Mayan Yucatec words and phrases. The late lunch we had in Valladolid was so generous that we didn’t have room for dinner, although we had a small snack with drinks before turning in for the night. 

Chichen Itza

 After the long trip to Yucatán Friday, we stayed close to Cancún’s hotel zone Saturday.  We did have one excursion out to the bay where we were able to see the underwater ecosystem in a glass bottomed vessel.  From there we walked to the Mayan Museum of Cancún, which has the ruins of a small Mayan village.  The museum itself does not appear to be in very good shape.  This is something we’ve noticed in Cancún: parts are modern, parts are charmingly rustic, and parts are in serious disrepair.  We walked to Plaza la Fiesta that evening for dinner at Casa Tequila and some shopping at the Mexican outlet where we saw an extremely drunk American guy struggling to remain standing.

Daniel outside the Mayan Museum.

Sunday was our last full day here.  We spent two hours on the beach.  The sand here is so white and fine - and the water amazingly clear.  Then we returned to Mextreme for lunch and drinks before a final walk around Plaza la Fiesta.  They say that Cancún is not the “real” Mexico, but we had an enjoyable time.  Still, our next visit to Mexico will likely take us elsewhere - perhaps Zipolite in Oaxaca, or Mexico City.

 

Our return trip to Mextreme.

We awakened early Monday morning for a quick breakfast before checking out and heading to the airport.  As we waited in line to check our luggage, an announcement was made that Frontier’s flight to Philadelphia had been canceled - eliciting a groan from some of those in line.  Meanwhile, an arrogant American bound for Cleveland was berating the ticketing agent for something which was his own mistake.  I always feel the strong urge to speak up to bullies like this, but I held my tongue.  Soon we were checked in, through security, and at gate 53 in terminal 4.

Our flight to Cleveland arrived early, but as usual, US border patrol was a cluster of inefficiency.  This has been a sadly familiar experience, encountered every time we return to the United States, whether at airports in Chicago, Dallas, Charlotte, or Cleveland.  A noteworthy contrast to our experiences with the efficient, friendly border services we've witnessed in London, Barcelona, Puerto Vallarta, and now Cancún.  We retrieved Brownie from boarding around 5pm and were soon home; unpacking, having dinner, relaxing, and planning our next trip. 

One week in Spain

Daniel and I recently undertook a one-week trip to Spain.  Owing t0 some unanticipated and expensive home repairs, this will be our only major trip this year.  We spent several days in Barcelona, with a trip via high-speed rail to Madrid for the remainder of our time there. 

Based on scheduling and layovers, it made more sense to use different airlines for our departing and return flights.  We took United Airlines to Barcelona, connecting in Newark.  As the overnight flight is seven hours long, I booked United’s Premiere Plus seats so we would have enough room to sleep.  All was not as expected.  Along with several other travelers, our in-seat monitors wouldn’t play any entertainment despite the crew rebooting the whole system.  We could only view the flight map.  Fortunately, the plane’s Wi-Fi worked, and I watched “Saturday Night” on my phone.  When the time came for our meal, they only had one chicken dinner left, so I let Danny have it while I had the vegetarian meal - a cauliflower dish that was quite good.  This proved to be fortuitous for me as I ate a lot of meat during the following week. 

View from our in-flight monitor...

Our flight landed in Barcelona on time.  Border control at BCN is very efficient and professional.  The airport is clean, modern, and well laid out.  Wanting to avoid the expense of a taxi, we took the Aerobus to Plaça de Catalunya, which was just a few short blocks from our hotel.  We had no agenda for that day.  So, after dropping off our luggage at the hotel, we decided to wander freely. 

Barcelona is mostly laid out on a grid pattern and very walkable.  Although we did purchase passes for the local Metro, we only used them a few times.  On that first day, our wanderings took us to the Banksy museum; his work runs the gamut from amusing, to witty, to thought-provoking.

At the Banksy museum...

Later that afternoon, we returned to Hotel Indigo and were delighted to learn that our room had been upgraded to a larger space with a patio.  Our Spain trip marks the third and fourth times I’ve stayed at Indigo properties and I have never been less than pleased. 

Appropriately for a Sunday, our morning trip took us to Sagrada Familia, architect Antoni Gaudi’s crowning masterpiece – finally nearing completion some 142 years after ground was broken and a century after the architect’s death.  Words simply fail me in describing this structure, so I will let the photos below speak for themselves.

That afternoon we traveled to Park Guell via bus where we chatted with some American students before walking through the park. 

Monday we saw two more of Gaudi’s well-known works: Casa Batlló, and La pedrera (Casa Milà).  The former of these was a single-family home, the other an apartment building.

On Tuesday we did more free association as we walked La Rambla all the way through the Gothic Quarter to the waterfront and back, stopping into various shops along the way.  That evening, we attended a flamenco show which was a highlight of the trip.  The intoxicating melodies, sensuous harmonies, and bracing rhythms left me mesmerized and inspired.  I’ve spent the week since our return noodling Spanish flavored melodies at the piano.

At the Rambla's southern point...

In both Barcelona and Madrid, we enjoyed numerous and varied culinary delights.  Tapas is the thing in Spain and none of our selections were less than very good.  Even fast-food staples like McDonald’s and Burger King were on a higher level than in the US.

McDonald's in Spain is superior to its American 

counterpart, but no match for Tapas.

Wednesday morning, we took a short Metro ride to Barcelona Sants railway station for the high-speed rail trip to Madrid on IRYO.  This was our first experience with high-speed rail – although I used the commuter rail when living near Boston.  Rail in Europe is the superior alternative to air travel when travelling moderate distances – say, under 500 miles.  Think of it this way: if you’re in a city and want to fly somewhere, you need to go to the airport – which is usually in the outskirts of town; then there’s security which can take an hour; you board the plane about a ½ hour before departure; then you fly and land in your destination, get your luggage, and commute to your destination city.  But with our trip via rail, the train stations were right in the middle of town, security was quick, we were on the train and off in a flash – plus the seating options are far more affordable and comfortable than when flying.  We look forward to more inter-Europe travel via rail.    

Our high speed meal on IRYO.

 

Barcelona and Madrid have similarities but many differences as well.  In both cities, we saw same-sex couples holding hands or walking arm in arm without being harassed or even particularly noticed.  Both cities are dog friendly – although people in Barcelona are more diligent about picking up after their dogs than in Madrid.  While both cities are highly walkable, Barcelona is more easily navigable due to the grid pattern layout as opposed to Madrid’s winding alleys.  Madrid, being Spain’s political capitol and financial center, has a busier atmosphere and the kind of bustling city crowds one associates with New York. 

Both cities have airports that put their American counterparts to shame.  Border control at Barcelona airport was efficient and the border personnel were friendly.  Madrid’s airport is beautifully designed, with many restaurants and duty-free shops. 

Terminal 4 at Madrid's gorgeous airport

As with our flight to Barcelona, our return on American Airlines was in that carrier’s Premium Economy section.  The experience was comparable and our in-seat monitors worked this time. 

Arriving in Charlotte after our eight-hour flight was an exercise in exasperation:  It took over 45 minutes to retrieve our luggage because the conveyor that carries baggage from the plane to the truck was broken.  By the time we had it, we undertook a mad rush to recheck it, go through security, and get to our gate.  By the time we landed in Cleveland, we were exhausted and more than ready for bed.    

A cruise to Cozumel and Progreso

Northeast Ohio winters aren’t as severe as they used to be.  Indeed, over the past few years, our worst weather events have occurred during the summer – including two extended blackouts.  I’ve never minded the snow that much.  But the cold and dry air are hard on my sinuses and skin.  So, Daniel and I are always eager to get a break from the weather.  We avoid travel during holidays – too much price gouging by airlines and hotels, along with overcrowded airports and roads.  But the first two weeks of December have worked out well for us.     

Daniel and I had previously been on two other cruises: a west coast Princess Cruise in 2017, and a Royal Caribbean cruise to Key West and Havana the following year.  Both cruises and lines had their benefits and drawbacks.  COVID put the kibosh on more cruising, plus there were more landlocked areas we wanted to see.  So, it wasn’t until last week that we returned to cruising, out of New Orleans visiting Cozumel and Progreso Mexico on the Carnival Valor. 

As we’d never been to New Orleans before, Daniel and I decided to fly in a day early and explore the area.  Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport has been extensively renovated over the past decade and I found myself wishing once again that Cleveland had a better, more connected airport.  I found a hotel that was convenient to both the French Quarter and the cruise terminal – both were within walking distance.  We greatly enjoyed walking the French Quarter and stopping in the various shops and watering holes there.  Being on a Sunday evening, the scene there was quieter than one would see on Mardi Gras.  But we observed several people in striking costumes, and no one seemed to pay them much mind.  I found the genteel decadence of the place to be surprisingly appealing.

Daniel in the French Quarter.

The next morning, Daniel and I walked from our hotel to the cruise terminal via the Riverwalk outlets – probably the weakest mall of its kind I’ve ever seen. 

Each cruise line has its own brand identity, even if the line is owned by a larger parent corporation.  For example, Carnival, Princess, and Cunard are all subsidiaries of Carnival Corporation and plc – yet the experience of cruising on each varies widely.  When we cruised on the Grand Princess, I was in the midst of the usual angst about turning 50.  I discovered I was younger than most of the passengers and decided to forego further cruises on that line until I was a bit older.  Carnival is the opposite.  Somewhat like Walmart, Carnival is all about price point, emphasizing shipboard parties, and promoting itself as the “fun” cruise line.  Cabin prices for two, which of course include meals in the “free” restaurants, can be astonishingly low.  Thus, one sees more variety in age and ethnicity among the passengers than one would see on Princess or Cunard.  The vast majority were American, but we also met with two British brothers.  One of the unofficial rules of cruising relates to something my grandmother used to say, “Never speak of sex, religion, or politics with casual acquaintances.”  I heard no mention of the recent election during the cruise, or politics of any sort.  In that respect, this cruise was a welcome escape.      

As with movie theaters, most cruise line profit is not made on the rooms themselves but on the extras they constantly try to sell you.  The extras range from taking a meal in one of the “premium” restaurants, to purchasing pictures of your and your loved one(s) taken by the ship’s photographer, to buying accoutrements like cologne and jewelry onboard ship.  Then there are the drinks, which are expensive.  I will say Carnival was a bit less in my face about these perks than Royal Caribbean was.

Valor is a Conquest class ship, 20 years old and due for a major refurbishment next year.  American design motifs are seen throughout: bas-reliefs of Washington, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt; sculpted bald eagles; wallpaper featuring figures like Eleanor Roosevelt and Neil Armstrong.  Depending on whether you select “fixed time” or “anytime” dining, you will be seated in either the Washington or Lincoln dining rooms.  The food in Lincoln was good but not outstanding, the service was mostly on-point; Blue Iguana and Guy’s burgers are also good – the former had an excellent breakfast burrito; Rosie’s buffet had standard buffet food; there was also a BBQ place with the blandest sides imaginable – although the meat itself was good.  Daniel & I only dined at one premium restaurant: Scarlett’s Steakhouse, which was very fine indeed.

Carnival Valor, our home for five days.

A very fine steak and cheesecake at Scarlett's.

Everything, from dinner reservations to excursions to texting with your travel companion is handled via Carnival’s Hub app.  All the scheduled events for the day were listed which made it easy for us to select things to do and get reminders.

We experienced rough weather Wednesday and our excursion in Cozumel was subsequently canceled (a refund was promptly posted to our account).  Daniel and I did some local shopping, then went to Fat Tuesday near the pier and began drinking at 11:00am – something of a record for me.  The nachos there were on a lower level than Taco Bell.  But at least we got some commemorative cups. 

Getting our morning drink on in Cozumel.

The rough weather continued Wednesday night as we sailed into Progreso.  By the time we docked, the skies had started to clear and we were on our way to Hacienda Sotuta de Peón for some horseback riding, swimming in a local cenote, and lunch.  Daniel was lucky enough to get a nice tranquil mare named Cielo, whereas I was given a slightly feisty Napoleon.  The water in the cenote (itself a likely remnant of the asteroid that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs) was unexpectedly warm – when our tour guide told us the temperature was 64°, I momentarily forgot that he was measuring in Celsius.  The tour also included a rope making demonstration which I found fascinating.

Some snaps from our excursion in Progreso.

We flew home Saturday, connecting at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.  Our flight from Houston to Cleveland boarded from the recently renovated C terminal, which simply has the best gates I’ve seen at any airport, anywhere.  Instead of rows of seats with the occasional outlet, there are sets of desks with outlets aplenty, from which you can charge your devices while enjoying a meal or getting some work done.  Cleveland should take notice.

There was another aspect to this trip that we haven’t had to deal with since our dog Mason died in 2020 – boarding our pet.  Brownie has been to visit Camp Bow Wow several times and we’ve been able to observe him enjoying himself with his canine companions.  He’s come to anticipate his trips there so much that as we dropped him off the day before our flight, he began pulling on his leash to get in.  Brownie was there for the duration of our trip and we picked him up the morning after our return bathed and ready to go home. 

After the activity of the last few weeks, we’re looking forward to a quiet Christmas.

 

 

Six Days in Puerto Vallarta

Daniel and I tend to plan our vacations well in advance of our travel dates – we’re already thinking about our next three trips.  For months, we had been sketching out a visit to Hawaii for this March.  But late last year, we crunched the numbers and travel time, and decided instead on a return visit to Puerto Vallarta, where we’d travelled in December 2021. For those with short memories, the world was a very different place 28 months ago.  We had to mask up while travelling and had to get a COVID test before we returned to the US.  A good part of that trip was consumed by the hassle of getting in and out of Mexico.  Not this time.  But out of an abundance of caution, I went into a partial quarantine the last two days before our trip.  I went to the gym for my usual leg day on Wednesday.  After that, I only left the house to mail a letter, take out the garbage/recycling, and pack up our vehicle for the trip to the airport.   

I'm a great believer in lists, and I love using Excel for cataloguing my physical media and other collections.  I have a template for traveling with tabs for our itinerary, places to go, and checklists. Everything has been preformatted, so when I decide to travel somewhere, I just copy the template, change the name, and fill out the fields. If things are planned, the experience is smoother.

Yes, I have eye bags - it was 4:30am.

We took pretty much the same flights as before: American Airlines, connecting at DFW.  We arrived at CLE at 2:30am for our 5:01am flight to DFW, only to discover that the ticket counter didn’t open until 3:30am.  We got checked in and went to the TSA pre-check, which didn’t open until 4:00am. Hurry up and wait.  DFW was very crowded, and it continually annoys me how people walk with their eyes glued to their phone instead of looking ahead so they don’t bump into others.  PVR airport is not large (a new international terminal is being built) but reasonably modern and very clean.  We were through passport control and customs quickly, made our way past the timeshare hucksters, out the door, past the official expensive taxis, and across the footbridge to the cheaper yellow taxis. 

Puerto Vallarta (PV) is very hilly, one of the reasons it has been called the San Francisco of Mexico - the other is the large gay community that has formed there over the past 20 years.  We had such a great time in December of 2021 that we regretted that our trip was so short.  We gave ourselves an extra couple of days this time.  One thing I didn’t notice the first time we were here is that even the birds seem to speak their own language.  

When we planned the trip, we forgot that this week is spring break for many colleges.  Since the drinking age in Mexico is 18, there were tons of American teens here - and it was amusing to see the look on their faces as they walked about in the Zona Romantica and saw all the rainbow flags.  But I didn’t hear any of them say anything homophobic.

We got to the hotel before noon and our room was ready for us.  The concierge, Gabriel Borroquez, took us to our room where we were welcomed with a “Feliz Cumpleaños” sign and a bottle of champagne.  We love Hotel Mercurio - it’s not the fanciest place preferred by the snobby queens, but the staff is on point and the location can’t be beat.  Many of the staff, including Joselo, Briam, Deyvid, and Ray have been there for years – and there are some new faces as well, including Danny.  The hotel’s longtime bartender, Jorge Gonzalez, was recently voted best bartender in Puerto Vallarta.  Breakfast is included with the room – and this is not the coffee & stale donuts that passes for breakfast at many hotels, but eggs made to order, pancakes, waffles, and several Mexican breakfasts – including chilaquiles, which were new to me and to which I am now addicted.

With Hotel Mercurio's resident cat, Junior.

Relaxing before breakfast.

Chilaquiles, my new friend.

As mentioned above, PV has a festive gay scene.  Both Dan & I have lost interest in the loud crowded places, preferring the smaller bars where one can enjoy conversation.  We found a place near our hotel called Kevin’s Hideaway and met the owner, who briefly lived in Akron.  The bar is on the 2nd floor, and we were able to watch the street scene below.  We also like Los Amigos – a great place for a quiet drink and conversation with Glenn the bartender.

With Kevin at his hideaway.

Saturday, we met up with some friends from our first trip here.  We hit up the art galleries and explored the foodie scene, which included dinner at Kaiser Maximilian - the Wienerschnitzel was simply the best I’ve ever had, not surprising since the owner is from Austria. 

Delicious.

Sunday was my birthday.  We started it off with a hike to Mirador de la Cruz.  The climb was even more arduous than I anticipated but we eventually made it to the top.  The view was spectacular.  The way down was almost as taxing and we rewarded ourselves with desayuno at McDonald’s, which has several options not available in the United States.  We walked around a bit more and stopped for some ice cream and did some more shopping.  That evening, Dan sprung his surprise: a delicious birthday cake presented to me by Mercurio's Danny while the staff sang Happy Birthday. 

My birthday cake and Piña Colada - purely nutritional.

By Monday our energy was winding down.  We did some more shopping and I found something for the house.  That evening we lounged in the hotel’s small pool. 

Tuesday was our last full day here.  We caught an early bus to the Vallarta Botanical Garden, where we saw many unique plants, peacocks and other birds, and butterflies.  I suddenly felt inspired and recorded several of the bird calls for possible use in a new musical work.  Unfortunately, despite wearing bug repellent I was bitten by a small bug which I hope was not a tick.  After coming back, we got some tasty street tacos - with drinks they were 170 pesos - about $10.  Aside from the chilaquiles we had for breakfast, this was the only Mexican food we had while in PV.   

We went back to the hotel to rest up for the walk to dinner.  Barcelona Tapas is far north of Zona Romantica - but totally worth the walk.  Everything was fab from the food to the service to the view.  We could see the planes taking off from PVR - doubtless filled with tourists sad to leave.  Then a last night of socializing before we packed and got ready to fly home.  

Wednesday, I awoke early and walked to the pier for some photos.  After a leisurely breakfast and packing, Danny & I said our goodbyes & walked to the corner to grab a taxi for the airport.  We arrived at the airport 2.5 hours before our flight, got our baggage checked, and went through security where some entitled American mother was complaining because they wouldn’t let her bring her kid’s play-dough on the plane.  Danny & I spent most of our remaining pesos at the duty-free shops before strolling to our gate.  The terminal was super crowded which explains why they’re building a bigger one.  The return connection at DFW was a nightmare.  Customs and TSA there are the least competently run I have ever seen.  I’m glad I got us a long layover because we needed it.  We landed in Cleveland around midnight.  The first thing we did after getting our luggage was to grab our jackets, then we headed to the shuttle that takes us to long term parking.  Unfortunately, their computers were down for about ten minutes as a queue of cars waiting to cash out and leave formed and grew.  We finally paid and made our way home without further incident.  After six days, it was nice to sleep in our own home again.  But I already miss Puerto Vallarta, especially the friends we made there. 

A Trip to New Mexico

Daniel and I have prioritized our travel to explore places we’ve never been before.  Our latest trip was to New Mexico, which neither of us had ever visited.  Friends have been telling me about Santa Fe for years.  I originally planned to visit in the summer of 2021, but the Delta variant reared its ugly head and I decided to forego that trip.  We finally got around to visiting New Mexico this month, partly for leisure, partly to investigate a possible winter home.

If flying, the most efficient way to get into New Mexico is to fly to Albuquerque (ABQ).  Santa Fe has an airport, but it’s very small and we found if we were to fly there, the price would have been higher, and our layover would have gone on forever.  So, we flew into ABQ via Denver.  Upon landing in Denver, we had to wait 20 minutes before our gate was ready, then had to rush to the other terminal for our connection – only to discover that that flight was also delayed.  No worries, we arrived at ABQ’s charmingly westernized airport only slightly late, got our rental car, and enjoyed a leisurely drive to Santa Fe. 

By the time we got into Santa Fe, we were hungry, so we headed to Santa Fe Plaza, near the Palace of the Governors and parked our rental.  We selected Coyote Cantina, where I enjoyed some fine drinks, and I sampled my first ever Frito Pie.  Delicious!

A Frito Pie

Dan in a hare-ey situation.

We started Friday with a hike at Cerrillos Hills State Park.  Exercise was necessary, because we ate so much during our trip that we ran the risk of sabotaging our diets.  Then we headed to Meow Wolf, a sort of combination art gallery and funhouse, which was the highlight of our trip.  This is the kind of place that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and persuasions.

Outside Meow Wolf

Dan in the cotton candy room

We were unaware an annular eclipse was going to occur during our trip, so we neglected to bring solar viewing glasses and, despite looking at numerous places, were unable to find any.  We went to an empty parking lot Saturday morning and enjoyed it as best we could without harming our eyes.

That evening, we took a break from our sightseeing to take in the new Exorcist film.  It was totally unmemorable. 

Sunday morning, we packed up and headed to Albuquerque for the last two days of our trip.  Instead of taking I-25, we took state route 14.  This proved to be interesting as it took us through the tiny town of Madrid, once a mining town, later a filming location for Wild Hogs, now mostly an artists’ colony.  Continuing our journey south, we took a detour and drove to the top of Sandia Crest, then back down again.  By the time we got into Albuquerque, our appetite needed to be satisfied and we stopped at the 66 diner.  The experience was more notable for its vintage Route 66 décor than for the ordinary Chicken Fried Steak I ate. 

On our way to ABQ from Santa Fe

Comfort food

Albuquerque is quite a bit larger than Santa Fe – its population is greater than municipal Cleveland, yet it retains a small-town feel.  With the roads largely laid out in a grid pattern, it’s easy to navigate.  (Just about every road we encountered in New Mexico was far superior to Ohio’s counterparts.)   Old Town was quite crowded on Sunday, with vendors and activities aplenty.  Yet we found most were selling the same things as in Santa Fe. 

Monday was our last full day in New Mexico.  Dan had been wanting to try blue corn pancakes, so we headed to the Range café for an early breakfast.  Although I’ve been on a low-carbohydrate diet since 2021 (and have lost almost 40 pounds), I tried the pancakes and greatly enjoyed them.  We then headed to the Sandia Peak Tramway for a ride to the top – some 10,679 feet.  Yes, our ears popped on the way up and on the way down.  Unfortunately, due to a minor injury I wasn’t able undertake a hike to the Kiwanis cabin, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.  Still, the vistas from the peak made it one of the highlights of our trip.

View of ABQ from Sandia Peak

We flew home Tuesday, connecting at George Bush Intercontinental Airport – a fine, well-run airport.  During our brief connection, I had the need to use the restroom and walked in to hear Beethoven’s last string quartet on the overhead speakers.  One wonders what the Master would think to have his music playing in such a place.