MJ Travel: New Mexico Road Trip

New Mexico Road Trip - January 2021

Travel, road trips, adventures in a pandemic are a challenge but a challenge gladly accepted! This road trip was planned so I could visit my son and daughter-in-law while they were staying in Albuquerque. As locals say Burque! A last minute plan that resulted in a weekend full of adventure!

The pandemic continued into January 2021 so discovering possible activities was part of the challenge. Our weekend was so full that we could have used a much longer visit. Outdoor activities were not only part of our requirements but the state of New Mexico had regulations that structured our plans.

If you are ready for a short but fun-filled Albuquerque weekend travel along with me-here we go!

The two photos above are from the first Airbnb I rented. It was filled with artwork. The outside of the building even showcased art. The second photo is of the mural in the dining room.

Now, let's leave my Airbnb and walk to Old Town. My daughter-in-law was an excellent walking tour guide. We had a great time looking for architecture, street art, coffee shops and window shopping!

The state of New Mexico is being very proactive and mandates many measures to help mitigate the spread of Covid-19. One example is all indoor dining is prohibited. We decided to support a few local breweries since it was nice enough to sit outside and enjoy each others' company and a local brew!

In case you are keeping count; Boese Brewery, Marble Brewery and Tractor Brewery. So many breweries so little time!

New Mexico and Albuquerque are filled with signs of ancient history. We visited Petroglyph National Monument and hiked the main trail. Viewing the ancient artwork prompted many questions. Some were answered and some answers do not reveal themselves. Providing more material for contemplating the creation, preservation and meaning of petroglyphs.

The website's title; A Landscape of Sacred Symbols

Since my first Airbnb was only available for two nights I was fortunate to find a great Airbnb loft in a very walk-able neighborhood. I wish I could have stayed longer and explored the area.

Burque (pronounced boor-kay) is just one of numerous nicknames for Albuquerque. The origin is very interesting. Learn more about the Burque nickname; Decoding Albuquerque's Many Nicknames

My daughter-in-law is an expert at finding local gems in every city they visit. She mentioned a local bakery and the "best bread they have ever tasted" and I knew we had to go! The Burque Bakehouse definitely deserves a post! Oh sure they advised me there would be a long line and they sell out of items quickly. That just adds to the challenge and I told them I wanted to experience this local tradition. Standing in line was an education in itself. The line was wrapped around the building when we arrived. The anticipation built as I overheard customers discussing what they hoped to purchase when they got to the front of the line. About 2 feet from the actual buying window there was a small window giving us just a peek into what was in store. More anticipation and the list of what we hoped we could buy grew even longer. What a fun experience! The couple in front of us shared what they buy every single week. Well, of course add that to our list! Then.....we get to the window where we could see the selection and speak to the baker who would with great care place our treats in a bag so we could rush home and taste the treasures. He shares with us that the specialty bread of the day was Pear, Pistachio and Cardamom Sourdough! Add it to our list!