http://www.balloonfiesta.com/Last year my brother and his family movedto Albuquerque, NM. It is a very nice city with a lot to do. Ihave visited a few times and have been the Botanical Gardens, the Rattle Snake Museum and the Native American Museum. I have also done some good hiking and snow shoeing. Last year, they attended the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta and I decided I NEEDED to go, too.
What is the Balloon Fiesta you ask? Well, it is an amazing 2 week event with more than 600 hot air balloons of all different colors, sizes and shapes launching almost every morning and even some evening events. Each balloon has its own truck of chasers and team of volunteers to hold the ropes and help inflate the balloon for launching.
The first day I was there was "Special Shapes day." It reminded me a lot of the Macy's parade in NYC. The balloon shapes included; all sorts of animals, pirates, witches and Tasman's favorite, Darth Vader. (He felt the need to do the GATOR CHOMP every time we said VADER...very funny!)
The park is about 2 miles away from my brother's house so each morning, at dawn, weloaded the kids into the BOB and walked downto the field. At dawn the first few balloons launch and check out the weather conditions of the day. These balloons are call the "Dawn Patrol." You learn a lot more about weather conditions in Albuquerque these weeks then you will ever learn anywhere else. Wind speed, direction and temperature have a huge impact on even if the balloons will launch at all each day.
Day two was mass ascension day. Rows upon rows of balloons lined up and ready to launch. The organizing officials, called The Zebras (because they wear black and white to stand out in the crowds) use their head sets to let the balloons know when to launch. Truly, there are no words to describe it, except for AWESOME!
They say it is one of the most photographed events and I can completely attest to that.
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