It’s Just Hot Air!
Posted By Phil on October 7, 2007
October is here. Which means that here, in the great state of New Mexico, it’s one of the touristy-est times of year. Welcome to Albuquerque’s International Balloon Fiesta. Non-New Mexican people have a tendency to refer to is as the balloon “festival.” Please note that this term is completely and totally inappropriate. It’s fiesta. Considering how many people aren’t aware that New Mexico is part of the United States, I don’t think it’s too much to ask to use our Spanglish jargon.
Given that I’ve spent my entire life right here in Albuquerque, one might think I’d be bored with the balloon fiesta. Like, hot-air balloons, big deal! In actuality, though, it is during this time of year that I imagine owning and piloting my very own hot-air balloon. This fantasy usually goes away as soon as the week is out. Still, it doesn’t matter how many I see, I am still so easily amused by hot-air balloons it’s not even funny. And if anyone else talks about hot-air balloons and/or events involving more than one balloon, you can be sure that I’m right there telling them how in Albuquerque, there are nearly 1,000 balloons present each year at the balloon fiesta. Because I’m competitive that way.
There’s really only one thing not to like about the balloon fiesta: the population practically doubles in the city. Every motel and hotel in town is packed, and the cheapest place to stay is, on average, $100 per night. Most places are booked long before the October for the whole week of the balloon fiesta. Now, I don’t really mind having lots of people here, because I like to play tourist myself from time to time. But. The city gets really crowded, and whereas at other times of year most drivers are ‘jerks,’ the average ‘jerk’ driver suddenly elevates into ‘asshole’ driver.
But none of this can stop me from enjoying myself. Though I’ve slept in and missed the mass ascensions for the past two mornings, I at least saw one balloon up close so far. The picture above was taken just outside my apartment this morning. I heard it outside, and managed to get a picture with my camera phone. Never mind that I was still in my pajamas, and was probably close enough for the people in the balloon to see me. I mean, I’m sure they see that sort of thing all the time, and are quite used to it by now.
Tonight I’m going to the balloon glow, or “Glowdeo,” to use our awesome Southwestern terminology. While I’m there, I’m thinking about buying a pin of the Darth Vader Balloon, because I’m all about the dark side.
Well, if we don’t want to use Spanglish, but proper, Spanish, I guess we’d call it “Fiesta de Globos”. I myself loved the champagne brunch that I had two years ago in Napa Valley. There is something so undescribable about having champagne in a hot air balloon. I don’t think I’d ever tire of seeing them either Phil.
LOL @ glowdeo. I wonder if that would be ‘resplandor de globos’?
We have a balloon rally about 40 miles away and I’ve always wanted to go. It was last weekend. We missed it…:( I told Sheldon that hopefully we can get there next year. I would love to take photos of them at night while they are glowing.
Is $100 a night for a hotel high for there? That’s sounds like a deal for us around here.
I would love to see a balloon rally, it sounds really cool. I have seen pics of the Darth Vader balloon, and it is uber cool!!! Take some pics if you can Phil!!!!
Balloon “rally”? That sounds so strange to my ears. And, well, when you consider that places like Motel 6 and Red Roof Inn are charging $100 bucks per night, it’s not such a bargain for here. They’re usually only like $50 or $60 a night.
lol, enjoy
I love the Vader balloon.
I personally would be more interested in the VLA - but i think that might be in Arizona, not New Mexico.
Nope, the VLA is in New Mexico. It’s another one of our small but awesome claims to fame.
I’ve always wanted to see NM’s Balloon fiesta….one of these days. We have a couple of balloon festivals here in Utah, none of them are as spectacular or as well attended as the NM one…but one could always hope they will grow!
There are a lot of small ones in Olkahoma and a lot of ballooners? if that is what you call them around here. I have a friend that used to have one and I helped them get it up and down and even went up in it which I must say is one of the most fabulous things I have ever done. It’s like floating on a cloud.
Oh, how I miss home. It’s not been a good year for ballooning though, has it?
Just sat on my back patio this morning drinking hot tea and taking photos of the balloons. I never get tired of looking at them either! And I still enjoy going down on the field every year, even though there are thousands of people down there. Last weekend I was down there and the folks from the BP balloon asked me if I wanted to get in the basket for a photo before they took off because I’d gotten a grant from BP to teach solar energy this year to my students. Of course I said yes! What fun!!