From Old Town to Old Town

My friend and Forma colleague Kellee traveled to Albuquerque for the annual Tapestry Conference. We came a few days early, so we could spend some time sightseeing and also to begin setting up for the event. This year's conference will take place at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa located on the Santa Ana Pueblo, which is between Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

This is my first trip to New Mexico. In some ways this part of the state reminds me of the San Joaquin Valley in California--an arid, flat area surrounded by mountains. Unlike the San Joaquin Valley, it's not criss crossed with irrigation canals. I didn't know, or had forgotten, that the Rio Grande flows through this area. We drove across it on our way to the hotel, a shallow, muddy-looking stream. I did remember that so much water is taken from the Rio Grande that it is nowhere near the size it once was. Still, it was rather anti-climactic to drive over something so ordinary looking with a grand name.

We met Pat, another formation colleague from New York City, in Atlanta where we changed planes. Once we settled in to our rooms at the hotel, the three of us drove back down to Albuquerque to poke around Old Town Albuquerque. It's quaint. It's southwestern. It was gray and rainy. Lots of art galleries and souvenir shops with everything from kitsch to fine art. There were a few native artisans along the Plaza. Many had already packed up and gone home by the time we arrived late in the afternoon. I imagine it's very different when the weather is better and it's not the middle of winter.

We had a list of options for dinner, but we decided to stay in Old Town and eat at the Casa de Ruiz Church Street Cafe. It serves a variety of salads, hamburgers, and what most Easterners would consider Mexican food. Fortunately for me, there were minimally spicy options. I ordered the mixed (chicken and steak) fajitas. I brought half of them back to the hotel with me (we have small refrigerators in our rooms) and still felt like I'd eaten too much. There was a time when I'd have finished the whole plate just because it was in front of me. I'm getting better about food as I get older.

It's been a long day having got up at 5:00 a.m. Eastern Time for our flight. Even though it's only 10:30 p.m. here, I've been up for 19 hours, and it's time for bed.