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Day 1: March 25, 2008 Billy and I got up around 5:55 a.m. We had everything packed up and ready to load into the car. We took care of the last minute things at home, like taking out the trash and making sure the fridge was free of things that would rot. Since we took showers the night before, we just had to freshen up before we left for the airport. We left the house around 6:20 a.m., and parked our car at the Fast Track parking lot.
We got to the airport and checked our bags quickly. We were surprised to see a line for the T-gates security. The line moved very quickly. Billy was carrying my tote bag which had to be hand-searched. We figured that our mini-tripod looks like a weapon on the radar screen. We picked up breakfast at the Burger King right in front the T-gate security exit. They have new kiosk in which you can place your own order. I was a little disappointed that a clerk was there putting the information in for us.
We made it to our gate T13 in plenty of time to eat and relax for a few minutes. Little did we know that we would have even more time. As the time approached to board the plane, a United representative came on the intercom to tell us that the plane was having electrical issues. I was thinking, “Great, put me on a plane that is going to stop working.” About 20 minutes later, the captain came out to inform us that they had to restart the plane and it started working correctly.
Everybody quickly boarded the plane for the 3 hour ride to Denver. Billy and I were lucky enough to not have another person sit in the third seat. Billy slept most of the flight. I was wide awake, so I decide to attempt the Sudoku puzzle in airline magazine as well as read a few magazines of my own. For my inflight beverage I had Sprite along with my Biscotti cookies. Yum! Billy got apple juice. I decided to nap about an hour before we landed. There was quite a bit of turbulence as we approached Denver. As we neared the aiport, we were sweating it a little bit because we only had an hour layover in Denver.
We made it to our next gate in plenty of time for both of us to take a restroom break. The flight to Albuquerque was full. I had the pleasure of sitting next to some weirdo who wanted to invade my space. Has he ever heard that he shouldn’t go over the armrest? Luckily it was short flight. Billy and I both enjoyed ginger ale. We landed in Albuquerque to find the temperature around 70 degrees. We were pleasantly surprised to get our luggage so quickly, even the skis. I guess that we are so used to the Atlanta airport. We loaded the Rental Car shuttle that takes everybody to the rental car center. Billy and I were both impressed with the airport as well as the rental car center.
We loaded our rental car, Pontiac Colbalt, with all of our stuff. Unfortunately the Pontiac was the last compact car on the lot. If we were just a little later, we may have been upgraded. Luckily we didn’t need any more space. As we got on the I-25, the traffic began to slow down. We found it interesting that Albuquerque had traffic at 1:30 in the afternoon on a Tuesday; we soon found out that a car was overturned on the side of the interstate. We made our way to Santa Fe. I enjoy the scenery of New Mexico as Billy drove. We were happy to find that our car came equipped with XM radio. As we entered Santa Fe, we ate lunch at Wendy’s. We got there right before a crowd of people.
We got back in the car to continue our ride to Taos. We got to our bed and breakfast, Salsa de Salto in Arroya Seco around 4:30. We got to the office to find an envelope with our name. It included the keys to our room as well as map of the property. Soon after, we were greeted by one of the owners Pam and Gordy the dog. She is super friendly. She gave us a quick tour of the common area as well as info about the surrounding area. I already think I am hooked on staying at b & b’s. Billy and I go to check out our room, Lobo. It is modestly decorated room with a king sized bed, couch and bathroom located in an adobe building attached to the owners’ unit. I was pleased the find the room immaculate. I got the camera to take the obligatory pictures for TripAdvisor. Billy began to unpack our luggage. After settling in, we relaxed for a little while by watching T.V., using the computer and reading up on the area.
Around 6:00, we headed to Taos to pick up some snacks at Cid’s Grocery. It is reminiscent of Whole Foods on a smaller scale but definitely the same prices. After some research on the Internet, Julia Roberts frequents this grocery store. Luckily, we got there when we did because Cid’s closes at 7:00 p.m. I guess it is one of the perks or downfalls on being in a small town.
We made our way over to Guadalajara Grille to grab some dinner after some backtracking. Walking into the restaurant, just gives you a feeling of comfort with the diversity of all of the families eating at tables covered with vinyl tablecloths. You must go to the counter to order your food. The menu ranges from classic Mexican food to all American hamburgers. I ordered the cammerones alla mojo de ajo (shrimp with garlic) per Frommer’s recommendations. It came with beans, rice, guacamole and pico de gallo. Billy ordered the carnitas. It came with the same side items as my dish. You place a number on your table for your food to be delivered to you. Billy and I both enjoyed our dishes. The guacamole is definitely a must. Both meals had very large portions of food, so much so that I had to take half of mine to go for lunch. As we were eating, we saw some Fried Ice Cream desserts being delivered to other people. In the future, we would order one meal and then get a Fried Ice Cream for dessert. We may have to stop back by Guadalajara just for dessert after dinner one night.
We returned to Salsa de Salto after dinner. We went over to the main building to investigate the common area. We found a variety of VHS tapes, books and games. We tried a couple of the chocolate chip cookies that we eyed upon our arrival. Billy made himself some hot chocolate and I grabbed a Sprite for the room. We went back to our room to relax for the rest of the evening. We decided to go to bed around 9:00 p.m.
Day 2: March 26, 2008
We both woke up around 7:30 as the morning light started to seep through our blinds. We relaxed for a few minutes before going to take showers. After freshening up for the day, we headed over to the main building to eat some breakfast. We were greeted by Marty and Jim, Pam’s husband. We were pleased to a find spread of breakfast items that included muffins, fruit salad, oatmeal and my personal favorite, chocolate cake. The daily special included a spinach, tomato and Romano cheese omelet. It was served with potatoes, bacon and a huge croissant. I chose the omelet, and Billy opted to get eggs over medium. The serving sized could have served a least two people if not more. The food was absolutely delicious but there was just too much of it. I also indulged in some chocolate cake and fruit salad. I love that all of the food was fresh. I don’t think that I will want to leave this place.
We returned to our room. Billy got ready to go to the Taos Ski Valley as I got ready for a day of relaxing. My day included reading, creating a website for a math coach position and starting a blog for my trip journals. I was surprised when Billy returned around 1:30. His boots were hurting his feet. He is going to try to find new boots before he goes skiing on Friday.
We took advantage of the relatively warm weather by soaking in the hot tub. It was very relaxing. I wish that we could have had a view of the mountains from the tub. We took showers and then headed off to the Rio Grande River gorge. We walked across the U.S.’s 2nd tallest suspension bridge, stopping to take pictures every few minutes. The lighting was not that great but hopefully we got a few good shots.
Afterwards, we ventured into town. We parked in a free public parking lot on the north side of the plaza. We strolled around the plaza. All of the shops were closed so we just glanced in the windows. We enjoyed each other’s company while touring Taos.
We ate dinner at Graham’s Grille. Upon entering the restaurant which is modernly decorated, we were welcomed by a friendly host. Our waiter was very friendly as well. He described all of the nightly specials for us. Billy chose the buffalo burger with spicy fries and I chose the appetizer portion of the macaroni and cheese with bacon and green chiles as well a cup of Mexican hot chocolate. The waiter seemed disappointed that we did not order more. Billy devoured his burger; I only ate half of my meal along with all of my hot chocolate. Billy and I were both impressed with the food, atmosphere and service at Graham’s Grille. After dinner, we made our way back to our room to rest.
Day 3: March 27, 2008
Once again, we got out of bed around 7:30. We quickly showered so we could go get breakfast. On the menu for this morning was Huevos Rancheros with pork or chicken tamales as well as eggs. I choose the chicken tamales along with my fruit salad and chocolate cake. Billy ordered eggs. This morning I had water with orange in it along with my meal. I definitely want to do this at home; it adds a nice fresh flavor.
We ventured out to find a church, San Francisco, that I was interested in seeing. We accidently went past it because we did not have a specific address. It is near the post office in Ranchos de Taos. We got out to tour the church. There were construction workers outside of the church, but I still tried to get some pictures. You are not allowed to take pictures inside the church. I enjoyed viewing the local folk art that decorated the altar. I would love to be able to attend Mass at this church.
Then we ventured back to Taos to walk around the Plaza again. I stopped inside the store, Made in New Mexico, to look for possible souvenirs. I did not purchase anything. While I was looking, Billy went back to the car to get the travel book. We parked in the same parking lot as the night before. When he returned, we strolled over to the Kit Carson House and Museum. It costs $5.00 per person to view the house. I thought the price was a little steep for the 4-room house with minimal artifacts and information, but it does help with the upkeep of this historic place. I did enjoy getting to learn about the daily lives of Kit Carson and his family.
We then walked down to the Taos Art Museum and Fenchin House. To view this museum and house, it costs $8.00 per person. Once again a little steep, but going to the upkeep. I really enjoyed the layout of the house and the wood carvings created by Fenchin. They do allow photography without flash so I played with the settings on my camera. I still have so much to learn.
Afterwards, we went to the Bent Street Deli to get some lunch. We were greeted by a flustered hostess who had two larger groups to seat before us, but we did not have to wait long. We were seated inside along the window. We never got a chance to hear the specials but that was alright because Billy and I both knew what we wanted to eat. He got the Bent Street Sub and I chose the William Dunn sandwich which has roast beef, tomatoes and horseradish sauce on a hoagie.
We made a quick stop in Moby Dickens Book Store after lunch. I purchased a children’s book set in New Mexico. When traveling, I like to get books from the places I visit so I can share them with my students when I return to school.
To try to help solve Billy’s boot problem, we went to ski shop right near the plaza. They did not seem to have a large selection of ski merchandise for sell, so we just browsed.
As we headed back to our room, we stopped in Arroyo Seco at the Taos Cow to get some ice cream. I got a scoop of chocolate malt with Oreo cookies ($4.00) and Billy got a sundae with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and sprinkles ($4.50). We enjoyed our frozen treats in the eclectic setting.
We went back to our room to relax. We ended up taking naps. After we awoke, we went over to the main building. I decided that I did not want to eat dinner because I was still feeling full. I told Billy too late. Jim just put away all of the afternoon appetizers. Billy and I played Monopoly. Of course, Billy won!
We went back to the room to watch basketball and go to bed.
Day 4: March 28, 2008
We must really like getting up around 7:30. I was surprised that I got up that early this morning because I had trouble sleeping last night. We took our daily showers and went over to the main building to have breakfast. On the menu for this morning: organic blueberry pancake with apple compote, turkey sausage links and eggs. I opted for the pancakes and sausage with my fruit salad and chocolate cake while Billy got the whole deal. Billy attempted to the use the Internet while we were eating breakfast. It has been a bit sketchy in our room; the signal continuously goes in and out.
We returned to our room after breakfast. Billy got ready to head to the slopes. He had to stop by a ski rental shop to try to rent some other boots. I started my day off by relaxing and using the Internet. Afterwards, I finished reading one of the books I brought, Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella. It was good read, but not my favorite of hers. I glad that I decided to borrow if from the library instead of buy it myself. I then went over to the main building to have my leftover macaroni and cheese leftovers for lunch. I enjoyed a ginger ale from the community fridge and some cookies. Also, I started reading another book, Jesus Land by Julia Scheeres.
Billy got back from skiing late afternoon. We headed over to the main building to check out the snacks. This was the most crowded I had seen the area; there were two other families. I was feeling bloated and not up to eating. Billy had a meal’s worth of the chicken appetizer they were serving this afternoon. We played Monopoly. I was off to a good start, but of course Billy won. We then went back to the room to watch some more March Madness.
Day 5: March 29, 2008
Today is our last day at Salsa del Salto. We woke up, showered and headed over for breakfast. The hot meal for the day was Eggs Benedict. I chose this while Billy had a scrambled eggs and an English muffin. This was my first time eating Eggs Benedict, and I do have to say it was very yummy. We finished packing up and head out. So long Taos!
Salsa del Salto Bed & Breakfast review: Salsa del Salto is a modest bed and breakfast in Arroyo Seco outside of Taos. Pam and Jim along with their two dogs (Gordy and Big Baby), the owners, were friendly during our entire stay. Marty, who helps out around the place and serves breakfast as well as some of the afternoon appetizers, was personable as well and helped make our stay enjoyable. They were interested in our visit and shared their advice for the surrounding area. Our room, Lobo, was tidy and well taken care of for the most part. The Lobo includes a king-sized bed, couch, dresser, TV with satellite, closet and bathroom. There was plenty of space to store our things, including my husband’s ski equipment. Each morning you are served breakfast in the main building. The food was appetizing and the portion sizes were huge, so be sure to ask for a smaller size if you are light eater. Some of the meals included Huevos Rancheros, Eggs Benedict, tamales, etc. In the afternoon, Pam and Jim supply the guests with appetizers. Many of them are worthy of being a full meal. My favorite appetizer was the green chile stew. One minor downfall was the Internet connection was very poor during our stay. The signal kept dropping throughout our use, both in our room and the main building. Overall the Salsa del Salto is in good condition but in need of some minor routine maintenance. I would stay at the Salsa del Salto if our journeys take use back to the Taos area.
We took the High Road to Taos or I guess I should say Santa Fe, since that is where we were headed. The country side is absolutely beautiful. The landscapes are amazing. You look to one side to see sloping mountainsides and then the other to find mesas and flatlands. It was depressing to the number of crosses on the side of the road due to accidents. Billy informed me that New Mexico has a problem with traffic accidents and drunk driving. Hopefully they can get a hold of this problem.
We stopped in Los Alamos to have lunch at Ruby K’s Bagel Café. Billy and I shared a ham Panini and broccoli soup. Both items were tasty. Many local people were enjoying lunch when we arrived. Los Alamos definitely has a “Lost” feel to it. We had to go through a guarded gate to get on the road to go to Bandelier National Monument. We didn’t have to show any identification or anything. It was strange.
We used our National Parks pass to get into Bandelier National Monument. We have got our money’s worth out of this pass. If you plan on going to more than one national park within in a year’s time, I would recommend getting an annual pass. Bandelier National Monument is amazing. I enjoyed crawling on the ladders into the cave dwellings. It is amazing to stand in place that people from the past have once lived. The cave ceilings are black due to the fires they once lit for light and warmth. I was a little hesitant about climbing the 140 feet up to the Alcove House, but it was well worth it. It was not all scary because there were four sets of ladders as well as steps that covered this length. I recommend that anybody do this climb.
We left Bandelier and headed to Santa Fe. We checked into our hotel, Holiday Inn at Cerrillios Road. Be careful because there is a Holiday Inn Express a few blocks away. We arrived to a full parking lot and got a first floor room at the very end of the building. After checking in, we unloaded the car. We were able to park near our room and bring the items in through the sliding glass door. I guess that is one of the perks to being on the first floor. We relaxed for a little while.
Billy and I ventured towards the Plaza area of Santa Fe to have dinner at Guadalupe Café. I had a chicken burrito with green chiles, and Billy had chicken enchiladas with green chiles. Both meals came with rice, pinto beans and sopaipillas. The meal was delicious. Be sure to have some honey on your sopaipillas. After dinner, we walked around the Plaza area. Most of the stores were closed since it was around 7 p.m., but we were still able to enjoy the sites. I especially enjoyed seeing the San Miguel Mission.
We went back to the hotel to settle in for the night.
Day 6: March 30, 2008
Billy and I got up and showered. We went to Tecolotate for breakfast. Tecolotate is a local diner that has a homey feel. You can definitely tell that lots of locals eat here. Billy had to try the French toast made with French bread while I had a breakfast burrito topped with green chiles. My meal was served with potatoes as well as a bakery basket that included three mini-items: muffin, cinnamon bun, and biscuit. Billy and I shared the items in the basket.
After filling ourselves with food, we went to the Plaza area. Since it was Sunday, we were able to park street side for free. First, we went to the Museum of Fine Arts. We got the two museum pass for $12 each. I would recommend doing this if you are planning on a going to the Palace of Governors or if you only have one day to tour the area. The Museum of Fine Arts housed a reasonable amount of art that is related to New Mexico. There are also visiting exhibits, such as Flower Power. While at the museum, Billy and I both had to use the facilities due to eating all of the green chile dishes throughout the past couple of days. After leaving the museum, we had to go to the Five and Dime store to purchase some Immodium so we could enjoy the rest of our day.
We then went to the Palace of the Governors. As we entered, they were starting a docent led tour of the museum. I can’t remember the name of the lady but it was definitely worth it. She is an older lady with lots of energy as well as information. Our tour was full of facts about New Mexican history. I learned a great deal. We took a few minutes to explore the museum by ourselves after our tour to view the special exhibits. After leaving, we perused the items the Indians had for sell under the portico of the Palace of the Governors; it is the only place that you are guarunteed to get authentic Indian items. We didn’t buy anything.
As with any vacation, I recommend you relax. We took a few minutes to sit in the plaza area on one of the benches that were not taken to people watch and enjoy the day. We then decided to take a open-air van tour with the Loretto Line Tour that left near the Hotel La Fonda. Santa Fe is a walkable city, especially the area around the Plaza. I would recommend this tour because it took us to places that we probably would not have gone and we learned lots of information from the tour guide who was native to Santa Fe. We rode up Canyon Road as well as through Museum Hill.
After our tour, we decided to have a late lunch or early dinner at Upper Crust Pizza next to San Miguel Mission. Billy and I had a large cheese pizza. We ended up taking two slices of pizza with us back to the hotel. Thank goodness for mini-fridges. We went back to the room to relax and watch basketball.
Day 7: March 31, 2008
We got up and started packing up the room. We ate our leftover pizza as a morning snack. We left the Holiday Inn around 10:45.
Holiday Inn – Cerrillios Road review: First of all, be prepared to stay in an area with lots of generic restaurant and stores. If you are looking for a place to sleep, this is the place of you. If you are looking for a place that reflects the feeling of Santa Fe, stay somewhere else. We used Priceline for this room. As we entered the Holiday Inn, we found a nice looking lobby with couches, a fireplace and a TV. We checked into our room (121) with a king-sized bed. We walked to our room to check it out. I was not pleased to find a stain on the desk chair, a dirty fridge door, drips of something going down the dresser and stained lampshades. There were also burn marks on the bathroom counter. We did not receive shampoo for the two nights that were there. This all took away from the feel of the room with exposed rafters that are supposed to give the room more of a New Mexican adobe feel. We were located near the back of the building and we heard a good deal of noise from the parking lot and surrounding area. Since we had a first floor room, it was very convenient to park our car near our room and load our suitcase in and out through the sliding glass door. Another plus was the Internet was reliable and we were able to check our e-mail and daily news. I would probably not stay at this hotel again if I were given the choice.
We decided to go to the Wainwright Museum based on the recommendation of our tour guide. He told us that they have an authentic Trading Store that has lower prices than the vendors at the Palace of the Governors. Luckily, the admission for this museum was donation only with suggested amounts. There was very little art in this museum, but it gave a good feel of the New Mexican culture. We perused the items in the Trading Store. I didn’t check any prices at the Palace of the Governors, but I don’t know how they could be much higher than the prices at the Trading Store. It was very hard to anything that was lower than 3 digits unless you were looking for a book. I’m glad that I did not have my mind set on getting a souvenir from New Mexico. \
We headed back to the Plaza area to have lunch at Tia Sophia’s. As we entered you could tell this is an establishment that many locals come to for their daily meals. I chose the tamales with rice and beans. Billy had the chicken tacos with rice and beans. We stopped by some ski shops after lunch to look for new boots for Billy. We didn’t have any luck.
We then drove to Albuquerque. It was a nice drive with moderate traffic. As we got into Albuquerque we went to REI, Sports Authority and Sportsmen’s Warehouse. After that we checked in to our room at the Hampton Inn. We unloaded our luggage and got settled into our room. After leafing through the hotel guide and travel books, we decided to eat at the Flying Star Café on Central Avenue. As we drove over to the restaurant, we passed through some neighborhoods that gave us a better feel of the city. Billy found a front row parking spot. We did not have to pay since it was after 6:00 p.m. As we entered, we were greeted by a counter full of treats and large menu posted above it. At the Flying Star Café, you order at the counter and then receive a number to put on your table. Billy ordered the pancakes and I chose the chicken pot pie. Boy, do they serve large portions at this place?! My pot pie could have easily served 2 people if not more. I have never seen Billy turn away pancakes, but he had to stop eating because they were so large.
Day 8: April 1, 2008
We started our day with the continental breakfast at the Hampton Inn. We then headed over to the Albuquerque Biological Park, which includes the zoo, aquarium, and botanical gardens. When we first arrived at the park, we went the zoo. We bought a pass to access of the attractions for a reasonable rate of $12.00. You must enter the zoo before noon to get this deal. We were pleasantly surprised to find the park empty, and we were able to find to see many of the animal exhibits free of people. I enjoyed using my digital SLR with all of the animals.
After we had toured about half of the zoo, we board the park train to go to the aquarium. The aquarium was a letdown after seeing how great the zoo was. The aquarium does not have many exhibits. I did really enjoy the jellyfish though.
Then we went to the botanical gardens which are very impressive. I thoroughly enjoyed the children’s garden with giant watering cans and bugs looming over. Billy on the other hand tolerated my need to act like a child. The adult gardens were absolutely beautiful. We rushed through the other areas of the gardens so we could catch the train back to the zoo to finish seeing all of the animals.
When we got back to the zoo, we ate lunch at one of the zoo cafeterias. The food was run of the mill cafeteria food but it served its purpose. We finished touring the zoo and it ended with the seal & sea lion feeding. If you plan on visiting the Albuquerque Biological Park be sure to have a whole day to devote to it. It is well worth it.
After our adventure filled day, we decided to pack in even more adventure by heading over Sandia Peak. We got the base around 4:30. Be warned that the tram does not open until 5:00 p.m. on Tuesdays. We were there in time to get tickets for the first tram ride of the day. The ride to the peak is an awesome experience. If you have a fear of heights or being closed in, you may want to rethink this experience. I do not have a fear of either but mid-way through the ride my palms began to feel sweaty. The views from the peak are out of this world. You can see panoramic views many different directions. Billy and I “hiked” for just a little bit to see what else was there. If it was earlier in the day and we had the proper gear, I would have liked to hike longer. Having snow on the trails didn’t help either. Add this as a must do to you list of things to see in Albuquerque.
After seeing Albuquerque for 10,000 feet above, we drove to the Old Town of Albuquerque. It is a quaint area of town that includes the town square with many shops and restaurants. There were very few people around since it was so late in the day. We strolled around and then head to the downtown area to eat dinner.
We had dinner at Tucanos Brazilian Grill. Be ready to eat when you get here. We had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated. This was a good thing because it gave us even more time to get hungry. We made a trip to the salad bar and buffet to get some side dishes before we turned our cylinder to green to get bombarded with items from the grill. Billy and I enjoyed trying many of the items. If you would like high-end meat be ready to order and pay extra money for it. I personally think you get your money’s worth from just eating the items they serve from the grill. By the time we left, I was absolutely ready to pop from eating so much. The service was great and the food was tasty at a reasonable price for a Brazilian grill
We went back to the hotel to pack up and get ready to leave Albuquerque.
Day 9: April 2, 2008
We dined on the continental breakfast buffet again this morning for breakfast. We finished filling out the comment card, packed up and checked out. We went to the car rental facility to drop off our car and pick up the bus to go the airport. As we arrived at the airport, I received a call from the manager at the Hampton Inn in response to the comments on our card. We made comments about minor items, such as water stains on the ceiling and burn marks on the counter. Since we used points for our stay the manager stated that she would refund all of our points (as of May 17, 2008, we still have not received the points back). I really commend the customer service. At the airport, I had a midmorning snack of ice cream from Baskin-Robins to hold me over until we got to Chicago.
We had a long layover in Chicago. Ironically our gate to head back to Atlanta was next to the gate we landed at. Our dinner came from McDonald’s and dessert came from Starbucks. Our flight to Atlanta was on time. As we got into the air, I started feeling bad and had to make frequent trips to airplane bathroom. Not fun! Luckily my stomach was able to hold out until we landed in Atlanta. Poor Billy had to get all of our luggage and pick up our car all by himself while I waited in the airport bathroom. I can say that I was happy to be home.
