Travel Blog

Sue:

As we were driving downtown the other day, we saw quite a few hot air balloons floating around. This is not uncommon around here. Even when it's below-freezing temperatures, you can usually see at least one balloon if you look upward.
Rainbow balloon high in the sky:


But then we saw the balloon coming down pretty low, so we decided to keep an eye on it.


Hey, wait! That balloon shouldn't be that low over downtown, should it?


I sure hope they had change for the parking meter.


So that's not something we see every day around here. And it was nice that its fellow balloon buddies flew low enough to check and see if it was ok before taking off for higher heights. Someday we want to come back in October when the Balloon Fest happens here. It must be nuts, with more balloons than sky. I have one more balloon shot for you. Both Phil and I really liked this one.


Another sight around these here parts are the kinds of things being sold by the roadway. All sorts of things from pinons to, well, cotton candy.


It's an interesting place, that's for sure.

Sue:

Chinese New Year, that is. Year of the Ox. It's Phil's year. Yay Phil! To celebrate the new year, we went to the Chinese Culture Center in ABQ yesterday. Despite the rude, entitled people who thought it was ok to squeeze in at the last minute and block folks behind them, especially this 8-foot woman who decided to stand in front of me, and the little rugrat who was using me as a leaning post, we had a great time. Happy New Year everyone, and GO STEELERS!
Chinese Culture Center:


Drummers:


Flags:


Forms:


Dragon Dance:


Monkey King:


Butterfly Girl:


Orange Lion:


Ribbon Dance:


White Lion:


Red and Yellow Lions:


Happy New Year: