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02

Apr

Absolutely Albuquerque!

by Joyce McGreevy on April 2, 2018

A detail from Maisel’s Indian Trading Post inspires a travel writer in Albuquerque, on one of her best trips to awe-inspiring New Mexico. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Floor detail from Maisel’s Indian Trading Post, in downtown Albuquerque since 1939.
© Joyce McGreevy

An Underrated American Gem
in an Awe-Inspiring Setting

To many who’ve yet to travel here, Albuquerque must be a colorless locale on flat, treeless land. Such is the power of stereotypes about desert cities.

So let’s cut to the OIC Moment: Visiting New Mexico’s largest city is one of the best trips you’ll ever take. Original, affordable, this is a Southwestern urban gem surrounded by awe-inspiring nature.

Route 66 inspires a travel writer in Albuquerque, on one of her best trips to awe-inspiring New Mexico. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Albuquerque is home to the longest urban stretch of Route 66 in the country.
© Joyce McGreevy

Follow the Rio Grande—or the vintage neon glow of Route 66—to a colorful city whose diverse neighborhoods reflect four centuries of architectural variety. When I arrive, it’s a cool spring day. A canopy of brilliant blue stretches overhead.

As for “flat”—pull-eeze. Despite its rift valley location, Albuquerque commands one of the highest elevations in the U.S. The panorama includes the watermelon-pink Sandia Mountains, conifer-covered mesas, and towering, snow-capped peaks.

Soaring Exploring

Where to begin? Local friends Julie and Lisa suggest we take it from the top. All aboard the Sandia Tramway!

Sandia Peak Tramway inspires a travel writer in Albuquerque, on one of her best trips to awe-inspiring New Mexico. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Swiss engineers recalled Sandia Peak Tramway as their most challenging project.
© Joyce McGreevy

A glass tram suspended in air reveals stomach-dropping views of the land below. Far below. I pick this moment to confess my fear of heights.

Four 100,000-pound Swiss-made cables carry us to the summit of Sandia Crest, altitude 10,378 feet. As I crawl along the deck, I’m glad I didn’t let mere terror come between me and awe-inspiring vistas of the Land of Enchantment.

Spencer, a guide at Sandia Peak Tramway, finds Albuquerque, New Mexico awe-inspiring. Image © Joyce McGreevy

“Best work-study job ever!” enthuses Spencer, our guide.
Sandia Peak is the longest tramway in North America.
© Joyce McGreevy

What Goes Up Must Come Down

Downtown, that is. Albuquerque Historical Society’s free walking tour is an absolute must, a fascinating stroll from 1800s boom through 1960s bust to today’s revitalization.

Abraham Santillanes recounts the history of Albuquerque, making awe-inspiring New Mexico one of the best trips in the U.S.. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Historian extraordinaire, Abraham Santillanes turns our tour into time travel.
© Joyce McGreevy

Abraham Santillanes guides us through beautiful landmarks like Hotel Andaluz and KiMo Theatre. He also conjures up history’s ghosts:

  • It’s the 1900s. We hear hubbub in the sumptuous, long-vanished White Elephant Saloon. Look! The bartender abandons the massive mahogany bar and steps outside to whack a metal lamp post with a meat cleaver. That’s how you “called 911” back in the day.
  • Jump ahead several decades. We laugh as the Marx Brothers hop off the train to crash a local wedding in character.
  • Picture it, 1953. We watch as a 14-year-old girl hides out in Sears-Roebuck after hours, helps herself to cowgirl duds, and then—Whoa, Nellie!—burns the place down. Seems she was bored.
  • Today: Downtown Albuquerque is getting its groove back, with a transformed Civic Plaza, flourishing Downtown Growers’ Market, and lively arts and dining scene.
Anna Muller is awe-inspiring, famed for restoring historic buildings in Downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Civic dynamo Anna Muller buys and restores historic Downtown buildings,
and was a driving force behind the Growers’ Market.
© Joyce McGreevy

City of the Centuries

Founded in 1706, Albuquerque is one of the oldest inland communities in the U.S. It’s named for a Spanish colonial duke—hence its nickname “The Duke City.” Centuries earlier, it was home to the oldest farming civilization on the North American continent.

San Felipe Neri and The Giant Red Arrow inspire one of a travel writer’s best trips, to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Albuquerque icons: San Felipe Neri (1793) and The Giant Red Arrow (circa 1960).
© Joyce McGreevy

Today, most of the 19 pueblos that are home to New Mexico’s 22 tribes are within easy reach of Albuquerque. The Pueblo Cultural Center, a treasured resource of weaving, pottery, jewelry, clothing and photography, honors each tribe’s uniqueness. Exhibition texts offer compelling, pull-no-punches historical commentary.

Native American pottery is awe-inspiring to a travel writer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, one of the best trips in the U.S. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Precise patterns were achieved by hand, using brushes made of yucca fiber.
© Joyce McGreevy

Eat Like a Local

Scenic venues and innovative menus abound in Albuquerque. Los Poblanos Historic Inn graces acres of lavender. El Pinto Authentic New Mexican Restaurant nestles among cottonwoods. Farm & Table’s stylish city brunch offers views of organic fields.

Biscochitos and bread at Golden Crown Panaderia make Albuquerque, New Mexico one of the best trips in the U.S.. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Local flavor to savor: Biscochitos, New Mexico’s official state cookie, and Green Chile Bread.
© Joyce McGreevy

From hipster-district Nob Hill to charming Old Town, a world mix of bistros, bakeries, and coffeehouses up the culinary ante. Casually chic Grove Café & Market makes salads so good you’ll crave them—the better to balance “second breakfast” at Rebel Donuts, green-chile pizza at Golden Crown Panaderia, and liquid gold at 25 craft breweries.

But for my absolute ABQ favorites, you’ve gotta go old-school.

Frontier Restaurant’s friendly staff in Albuquerque, make awe-inspiring New Mexico one of the best trips in the U.S. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Lunch for three barely dents a twenty at this local favorite near University of New Mexico.
© Joyce McGreevy

Start at the wildly popular Frontier. How warm, soft, and tasty are their tortillas? Honey, I wanted to wrap myself in them like a blanket. It wouldn’t break the bank. For $3 a dozen, I watch the friendliest counter crew in the west make tortillas on the spot.

Then there’s Monte Carlo Steakhouse. Newcomers unwittingly pass by, but every local knows this place like his mama’s kitchen. Enter by the liquor store, where George Katsaros recommends affordable fine wines, then join the wait for a table.

Monte Carlo Steakhouse in Albuquerque, make awe-inspiring New Mexico one of the best trips in the U.S. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Monte Carlo’s ambiance is set to 1962 but there’s no dust on this old treasure.
© Joyce McGreevy

All of humanity’s here: dressed-up couples on dates, family reunions, ZZ Top lookalikes, the business-suited, the cowboy-booted. On a bench up front, everybody squeezes in to make room for everybody else, and conversations flow. That guy in the bowling jacket? He’s a retired professor who plays in the local symphony. Those harried parents with toddlers in footed pajamas? They just bought their first home.

Look! Up in the Sky!

A week of Burque adventure flies by—sometimes literally. While savoring early morning coffee in my friends’ splendid adobe, I hear a distinctive hiss. . . . Could it be? Bathrobe flapping, I race to the garden, look up, and . .  . There. It. Is.

A hot air balloon is an awe-inspiring sight in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Rising like the sun is the biggest, brightest hot air balloon I’ve ever seen. 
© Joyce McGreevy

The city’s clear skies, low humidity, and high elevation offer the ideal conditions that have made Albuquerque the Hot Air Balloon Capital of the world. Now, a balloon hovers over the house, so close that my friends and I exchange pleasantries with the passengers.

A close-up of hot air balloon in Albuquerque, make awe-inspiring New Mexico one of the best trips in the U.S. Image © Joyce McGreevy

“Have a beautiful day!” shout the passengers. “Already having it!” we reply. 
© Joyce McGreevy

Adios Too Soon

En route to the “Sunport,” I see a baseball stadium. It’s home to a minor-league team with major-league cool, the Albuquerque Isotopes. Shouldn’t I linger to cheer them on? Stay until the cottonwoods turn gold again? Until Albuquerque’s outdoor ovens scent the air with roasting chiles?

I still need to hike the Paseo del Bosque Trail, take the “Breaking Bad” tour,  sign up for that cooking class at UNM.

A variety of donuts from Rebel Donuts, in Albuquerque, make awe-inspiring New Mexico one of the best trips in the U.S. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Leaving Rebel Donuts is such sweet sorrow. Note the tribute to TV hit “Breaking Bad.”
© Joyce McGreevy

As my flight rises above the watermelon mountains, I jot down plans for future best trips.

In Albuquerque? Absolutely!

The awe-inspiring Sandia Mountains make a visit to Albuquerque, New Mexico one of the best trips in the U.S. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Sunport bound, I catch one more glimpse of the awe-inspiring Sandia Mountains. 
© Joyce McGreevy

To add Albuquerque to your travel list, start here. 

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

Art of Travel/Discoveries/USA

06

Mar

Street “Seen”!

by Joyce McGreevy on March 6, 2018

A mural in a street in Glasgow, Scotland shows why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

Street art is big in Glasgow, Scotland.
© Joyce McGreevy

Seeing the World One Step at a Time

When was the last time you took a walk just to see what you could see? What discoveries did you make? Sometimes seeing the world comes down to a stroll around the corner.

French photographer Robert Doisneau wrote, “The marvels of daily life are exciting; no movie director can arrange the unexpected that you find in the street.”

So, put on your favorite walking shoes. Let’s meander from street to street.

Footfall and Snowfall

Here we are in Malta on a sunny Mediterranean spring day. As we wander the narrow, baroque streets of Valletta, we turn a corner onto St. Paul’s Street and . . . What’s this? A snowstorm?

Why, the entire street is covered in—oh I see: confetti!  Everyone has come out to play.

A festive street scene in Valletta, Malta shows why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

Confetti—and time—fly in St. Paul Street, Valletta, Malta.
© Joyce McGreevy

We wade in up to our knees. A marching band plays, crowds cheer and sing, children lark about, and confetti cascades from balconies. A young man graciously explains what the heck is going on.

This is the grand finale to the Festival of St. Paul—a street-centric celebration. Beyond this street, all is business as usual, so most visitors to Valletta never notice this happy hoopla.

Oh, I see: Wandering leads to wonders.

Perhaps you’d prefer to walk somewhere quiet? I know just the place: the Bath.

Bath, England, that is.

A street sign in Bath, England shows why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

Oddly enough, Quiet St has a sound map, the creation of 19 artists. 
© Joyce McGreevy

Animal Tracks

Now then, how do you feel about cats?  Wherever we wander, we’ll see many a feline local.

Street cats in Greece and Turkey show why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

Turkish cats rest on roofs and walls. Greek cats catnap on cars and motorbikes.
© Joyce McGreevy

 

An inquisitive cat in Howth, Ireland has a way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

Irish cats can be very inquisitive.
© Joyce McGreevy

Look out for lions—they’re the “pride” of many major cities.

Statues of lions in cities show why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up.(Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

Lions in Vienna (left), Chicago (center top), Bodrum (center bottom), and Athens (right).
© Joyce McGreevy

And on some streets “here be dragons”!

Dragon statues in Aarhus, Denmark and Santa Fe, New Mexico show why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

(Left to right) Dragons are fired up in Aarhus, Denmark and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
© Joyce McGreevy

It’s a Mystery

In beautiful Budapest, we walk from the Jewish Quarter and then cross the River Danube to Margaret Island. Along the way, we admire Art Nouveau architecture and statues of famous poets and politicians. Then, we turn a corner and see…

American TV detective Columbo.

Wait, whaaat?  

A statue of Peter Falk as Columbo in Budapest Hungary shows why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

What’s TV detective Columbo doing in Budapest, Hungary?
© Joyce McGreevy

Sure enough, a life-size bronze statue of actor Peter Falk stands before us, complete with rumpled trench coat and cigar. Columbo’s basset hound, “Dog,” is here, too.

Suddenly we’re on the case, Columbo-like, with “just one more question.”

But our best clue turns out to be a red herring. Yes, the street is also named after a Falk. But that Falk was a 19th-century Hungarian author, and no evidence exists that he and Peter Falk are related.

Nevertheless, in 2014 a statue of Falk as Columbo was unveiled to great fuss and fanfare. We question a local witness, who proudly informs us that the canine model for the basset hound attended this event “in person.”

As for Peter Falk? Alas, he was a no-show, having passed away in 2011.

Hmm…Maybe the Columbo and Dog statues should set out for the Big TV in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

A giant TV sculpture in Santa Fe, New Mexico shows why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

David Rudolph’s “Big Picture TV” sculpture invites creative interaction. 
© Joyce McGreevy

The Weird . . .

Some statuary we’ve seen is surprisingly animated:

Statues and mannequins in European cities show why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

(Clockwise) Mannequins “rule” in Budapest; a diver demurs in Oslo; a character climbs in Greece. 
© Joyce McGreevy

 . . .  And the Whimsical

And don’t forget these lively knights in Vienna.

A whimsical street scene of statues and a worker in Vienna, Austria shows why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

Things are looking up in Vienna, Austria. 
© Joyce McGreevy

Scene in the Streets

Who knows what sights we’ll see as our wandering continues?

Ancient streets and modern streets.

Street scenes like Aghia Ekaterini Square, Athens, and the Samuel Beckett Bridge in Dublin, Ireland show why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

(Left) Aghia Ekaterini Square, Athens, Greece. (Right) The Samuel Beckett Bridge in Dublin, Ireland. 
© Joyce McGreevy

Busy streets and quiet streets.

Street scenes in Istanbul, Turkey and Bruges, Belgium show why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

(Left to right) Friday night in Istanbul, Turkey; Sunday morning in Bruges, Belgium. 
© Joyce McGreevy

Sunny streets and snowy streets.

Street art in Santa Monica, California and a snowy street scene in Evanston, Illinois show why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

(Left to right) Sunmery street art in Santa Monica, California; a snow-covered street in Evanston, Illinois.
© Joyce McGreevy

Streets by night and streets by day.

Street scenes of Millennium Park, Chicago and Telthusbakken, Oslo, Norway show why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

(Left) Millennium Park, Chicago. (Right) Telthusbakken Street, Oslo, Norway. 
© Joyce McGreevy

And always the promise of fascinating street scenes just around the corner.

A street scene of Plovdiv, Bulgaria show why walking is a great way of seeing the world close up. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

An evening stroll in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
© Joyce McGreevy

Tell me, what streets are your favorites for seeing the world on foot? What discoveries have you made?

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

Art of Travel/Discoveries/On Foot/Worldwide Sites

26

Feb

Travel Inspiration from Lemons . . . Lots of Lemons

by Meredith Mullins on February 26, 2018

An elephant temple made of lemons and oranges, part of the Menton Lemon Festival that provides travel inspiration to learn about lemons and India. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

An Indian Elephant Temple made of lemons and oranges
© Meredith Mullins

Welcome to the Menton Lemon Festival

What happens when a small French coastal town has one of the most famous lemons in the world thriving on its sunny hillsides?

The townspeople know a surprising number of lemon jokes?

Q: Why did the lemon go to the doctor?
A: Because it wasn’t peeling well.

Q: Why did the lemon get depressed?
A: Because it lost its zest for life.

 Perhaps . . . but they’re too cultured to say these eye-rollers out loud.

Bottles of limoncello, travel inspiration to visit the Menton Lemon Festival. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur
© Meredith Mullins

The townspeople make a plethora of lemon-based concoctions?

Yes. True. Lemon products abound. Limoncello, jams and jellies (confitures), lemonade, lemon tarts, lemon vinegars, lemon lollipops, perfume, syrups, soap, and olive oil and honey with lemon infusion.

Why not make the most of your assets?

Lemon magnets at the Menton Lemon Festival, travel inspiration for unusual events. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Lemon kitsch
© Meredith Mullins

The town promotes its lemons well?

The word is out.  Many of the great chefs of the world have incorporated Menton lemons into their creations, prizing the fruit’s perfect balance of flavor and sweetness and the unique quality of its skin’s essential oil.

The town honors its treasure?

Most of all, the town honors its bright yellow gem (also known as “Riviera Gold”) with an annual multi-week citrus celebration that begins in mid-February . . . providing a town blanket of warm, sunny colors (and plenty of Vitamin C) in anticipation of spring.

Welcome to the now famous Menton Fête du Citron (Lemon Festival)—travel inspiration fueled by fruity innovation . . . in fact, 145 tons of fruit.

A monkey sculpture made of lemons and oranges at the Menton Lemon Festival, travel inspiration for unusual events. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Citrus sculpture designers begin a year in advance.
© Meredith Mullins

Lemons and Oranges Everywhere

For 85 years, Menton has been celebrating its love of the lemon during the annual Citrus Festival, each year evolving to add more artistry and more events.

The “Oh, I see” moments can be squeezed from every corner of town. (That’s another bad lemon joke in case you missed it.)

There are exhibits, fruit sculptures, concerts, parties, and parades with floats made of citrus and flowers and tons of confetti.

Parade float with Indian man throwing confetti at the Menton Lemon Festival, travel inspiration for unusual events. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The night parades leave the streets (and revelers) snow-covered with confetti.
© Meredith Mullins

Each year’s theme is different, but all offer an opportunity for education and discovery.

Often, the theme features a country and its culture. Sometimes, the theme focuses on literary characters, famous people, or fairy tales (such as Pinocchio, Alice in Wonderland, Asterix, Jules Verne, and Mozart) or broader themes, such as music of the world, love, circuses, movies, or great civilizations.

Visitors can learn the history and characteristics of the Menton lemon and, with this year’s theme of Bollywood, can gain the added bonus of learning about Indian culture and the history of Indian cinema.

A rickshaw made of lemons and oranges at the Menton Lemon Festival, travel inspiration for unusual events. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The rickshaw is a popular transportation vehicle in India.
© Meredith Mullins

What’s Different about the Menton Lemon?

The first OIC Moment at the festival is learning how to distinguish the Menton lemon. Its beauty is in its imperfections and in its hidden secrets.

It is not a perfect lemon shape as we know it. It is elliptical, with a little bell bump at the end. It is a brighter yellow than most lemons and sometimes has indentations and brown spots on the skin. It epitomizes the Japanese art of imperfection (wabi-sabi), where flaws are embraced.

Menton lemons on a branch, travel inspiration to visit the Menton Lemon Festival. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Think different: the Menton lemon
© Meredith Mullins

Its thick skin harbors the sought after essential oils and its sweetness is unusual. You can smell its sunlit fragrance from a distance. And you can take a bite without an after-pucker. There is no bitter finish.

These lemon trees flourish in the Menton microclimate—the warmest town in France, with more than 300 days of sun a year. The salty sea breezes, sandstone soil, and moderate differences in temperature between day and night are also beneficial to growth.

Lemon trees for sale at the Menton Lemon Festival, travel inspiration for unusual events. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Grow your own?
© Meredith Mullins

The mountains to the north protect the trees from wind, especially when the branches are heavy with fruit (branches that produce three times more lemons per branch than regular lemon trees).

The Festival of the Lemons (Fête du Citron)

To thank the lemon gods for such an abundance—and to share the beauty of the fruit with a wide audience—the annual festival turns lemons (and oranges) into high art.

The Indian god Ganesh made of lemons and oranges at the Menton Lemon Festival, travel inspiration for unusual events. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Ganesh: The most popular deity in India
© Meredith Mullins

More than 140 tons of citrus fruit are needed. Many of the lemons and oranges come from Spain and North Africa, since the Menton lemons are somewhat limited and are so highly prized for gourmet purposes.

In addition, 750,000 elastic bands and five miles of chicken wire are the basic tools for 20,000 hours of work by the artists and production team responsible for creating the parade floats and the garden sculptures.

A peacock made of lemons and oranges at the Menton Lemon Festival, travel inspiration for unusual events. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The peacock, a symbol of immortality, is the national bird of India.
© Meredith Mullins

The theme is selected almost a year in advance. The designers immerse themselves in their new work and provide research and sketches for the floats and sculptures.

They then add color (yellow and orange are dominant, of course), and work begins on the first floats five months in advance. The fruit is the last component since it needs to be fresh.

It takes about 100 pounds of oranges or 65 pounds of lemons to cover one square meter of a float or sculpture. And ten additional tons of fruit are needed to replace damaged or deteriorating fruit during the festival.

The Taj Mahal in lemons and oranges at the Menton Lemon Festival, travel inspiration for unusual events. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

How many lemons and oranges does it take to build a Taj Mahal?
© Meredith Mullins

A Citrus Voyage through India

The 2018 theme of Bollywood was rich in travel inspiration.

We can travel from the Taj Mahal to an elephant temple and from Bollywood dancers to sitar musicians. We can learn about Hindu gods and everyday India life.

Hindu goddess Saraswati at the night parade of the Menton Lemon Festival, travel inspiration for unusual events. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, wisdom, and learning
© Meredith Mullins

Each imaginative sculpture of lemons and oranges provides a glimpse into the Indian culture.

Bollywood cinema is a world full of color, music, spirituality, and the beauty of nature, interwoven with the day-to-day lives of its heroes. It is a perfect theme for the Fête du Citron, as this festival has all of that . . . and more.

A Buddha made of lemons and oranges at the Menton Lemon Festival, travel inspiration for unusual events. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Buddha offers a sacred lotus flower, the national flower of India.
© Meredith Mullins

A Legacy of Paradise

Legend has it that Eve (of Adam and Eve fame) brought a “golden fruit” from the Garden of Eden when she and Adam were banished. This theft made Adam nervous and he begged Eve to throw the fruit away.

They wandered far and wide before coming upon Menton and the Bay of Garavan, a place that reminded them so much of paradise that Eve decided to bury the golden fruit there.

The rest, as they say, is history. The lemon flourished.

Whatever your beliefs, the town of Menton is indeed a paradise . . . and even more of a paradise with the celebrated Menton lemon. It is travel inspiration of the sunniest kind.

The 2018 Fête du Citron runs until March 4, with exhibits, parades, and even a Holi party to celebrate India’s festival of colors. Visit the festival website and the Menton Tourist Office.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

Art of Travel/Cultural Heritage & Traditions/France

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