Wednesday, 6 October: Albuquerque Balloons and Santa Fe

Fantasy balloons launched after the competition balloons

Very early this morning we drove to where Albuquerque's annual International Balloon Fiesta is held. Hundreds of balloons were being inflated with hot air, and they gradually launched. There were teams from many countries, and wonderfully coloured and patterned balloons were in all stages of preparation. There was a huge crowd of enthusiastic spectators, food stalls, bands and souvenir sellers. It was a very festive occasion, truly a fiesta. When most of the competing balloons were up, the novelty balloons started to inflate and launch. They were amazing, and included two kangaroos, three pigs, a can of soft drink, a stork carrying a baby...and Darth Vader. There was a huge cheer when he went up, and the balloon's support team also got a cheer because they were all in costume as Vader and storm troopers.

A house in Santa Fe

After a late breakfast we set off for a day in Santa Fe, about an hour's drive away.Santa Fe is the capital city of the state of New Mexico. It is the highest of all the state capitals in the USA. It is a beautiful city, with wonderful museums and galleries. The streets are narrow and winding in some parts because it is an old city. Most of the houses, shops and other buildings are in traditional Mexican style, built of adobe. Adobe is mud brick, and the houses have thick walls that are then coated thickly with smooth mud. The roofs are generally flat, and the ends ofthewooden beams stick out on the outside walls. The houses are cool during the day, and day's warmth is retained in the walls to keep the house warm during the cool night.

We spent time in museums of the American Indians of the Southwest, admiring many different styles of pottery, of beading, and other arts. Especially amazing was the fine woven rugs by the Navajo. The style of the local tribes is called the 'Two Hills' style, and they use all the natural colours of the fleeces, very rarely dying the wool. The fleece is spun to fine yarn using a spindle, then woven into intricate patterns on an upright loom, the weaver sitting on the ground in front.  Navajo legend says the Holy People, or gods, such as Spider Woman, Snake People, Corn People, lived in worlds below this one. The Navajo women believe the spirit of the Spider Woman inspires their weaving, passing her skill to them. The antique rugs generally have a fine line from one of the patterns to the edge, representing a pathway for her spirit.