Albuquerque Camping
Albuquerque camping was at another KOA because my husband has become a fan. The KOAs do offer consistency in amenities. This one was very nice and we had the added bonus of being near a sweet couple in a T@B for one of the nights. We don’t often see other teardrops, so it was nice talking to Trisha and Jim. We took the opportunity to do a little laundry while there and to connect with a local CVS to get a prescription filled.
A Facebook traveler recommended that we have a green chili cheeseburger in New Mexico and we finally did while on the way to Albuquerque at the Blue Moon Diner in Farmington. I cannot say enough good things about this adorable 50’s restaurant with great food, including homemade ice cream. The cheeseburgers were amazing and the service was stellar! I would drive well out of my way for another meal there.
Old Town
We decided to spend our one full day in Albuquerque’s Old Town. We wanted to take a tour with ABQ Trolley, which begins in Old Town and has great reviews. The ABQ Trolly tour is a two-hour scheduled tour in a 14-passenger Mercedes van, despite its name. But, I did not book on line in advance. It was fully booked by the time we arrived. Regrets!
Consequently, we decided to take ourselves on a tour of Old Town. First, we began with lunch at High Noon Restaurant. The restaurant has been in operation since 1974, but the building dates back to 1785. The High Noon building is reputed to have been both a gambling parlor and a brothel. Legend has it that it is also haunted! We did not see any ghosts, but we did have a nice meal. I had a margarita with an added southwestern twist: a chili lime salt rim and cucumber. Quite tasty.
Next, we visited the Albuquerque Museum of Art, located in Old Town. It was a very nice museum with many interesting pieces. I highly recommend it.
San Filipe De Neri
We also visited a landmark in Albuquerque, San Filipe De Neri, which is a beautiful church. San Filipe is a site not to be missed while in Old Town. Most noteworthy, it is the oldest church in Albuquerque and has been in continuous use for over three hundred years.
The original building dated back to 1706. The Catholic Church built the current structure in 1793 after the original building collapsed.
A lovely adobe courtyard surrounds the ancient adobe church. The church is beautiful in its simplicity and longstanding history. We sat for quite awhile in the sanctuary taking in its peaceful, calming presence. The church had draped the holy images in purple for Lent.
Other Attractions
Lastly, Old Town has many restaurants and shops. We both had frozen yogurt (for dinner) and did a little shopping. I am trying to be less of an acquirer of goods these days, but I did buy some nice handmade soaps. A link to Old Town is below the next photo.
http://visitoldtownalbuquerque.com
Snow Flurries
It became much colder on our last night and as we drove out of Albuquerque the next day, there were actual snow flurries, the first of our trip. This confirmed for me that it was a good decision to not stay in the higher elevations of Santa Fe. Albuquerque camping was a great for us.
Next, we will camp in Amarillo as we make our way home. A link to that post follows.
SW Trip Stop #15, Amarillo Camping
