biscochito | Wing's World

It was hard to leave the Chiricahuas on Monday morning, and they didn’t make it any easier.

But we knew we were headed to a sweet spot on Road Trip XII: Albuquerque, home of my Adventure Buddy Beth (a former Lopezian & very gifted musician). It, and she, did not disappoint…and I’ll get to that in a moment.

Before that, though, social media has reminded me that this month marks the 10-year anniversary of my publication of The Flying Burgowski. Social media also reminds me (like a pushy theater mom) to make a little something of this fact. So here goes.

Need a good, edgy, but heartwarming story to distract you from the headlines? Have a young person in your life (age 11 & up) who loves both fantasy AND real life? Click here to get your copy now…or, even better, ask your local bookstore to order it for you!

Shameless self-promotion: check. Now, back to Albuquerque.

The Mate and I love the place. Twenty years ago we spent 5 months in Santa Fe as part of his sabbatical, but realized later that its big, gritty cousin down I-25 was a better fit for us: less touristy, less expensive, and much better for athletic endeavors. Plus, ABQ has plenty of artsiness of its own.

Like this installation near Beth’s house, set up after the 2011 tsunami in Japan: it’s a “phone booth” for “calling” and connecting with faraway and/or lost loved ones around the world.

…or this bridge over one of the old local irrigation ditches (not yet open, but still in use)

Though not as ancient as Santa Fe, ABQ still oozes that wonderfully understated adobe style:

Most houses, modest or not, fall in with the local groove (though it’s not mandated, as in SF):

just some random house on my walk–but notice the basic materials.

Then there are the local flora and fauna, like this cottonwood…

My buddy Beth’s not a large person, but this tree makes her look like a Hobbit!

…and these Sandhill Cranes, stopping on their northerly migration to glean a field in the middle of the neighborhood:

Probably my favorite piece of Albu-quirkiness on this trip, though, was this vending machine installed outside a 50 year-old bakery…

Bakery’s closed? No worries, we got your treats right here!

…whose 86 year-old owner was still hard at work inside making empanadas, and New Mexico’s “state cookie”, the biscochito:

Despite greeting us with two days of HORRIBLE wind and blowing dust, Albuquerque redeemed itself today with perfect, still sunshine. It’s going to be hard to leave this place too.

Especially since the Texas Panhandle, and a good portion of Oklahoma, seem to be on fire. Not sure Vanna wants to go there! See you along the way…wherever that turns out to be.