New Mexico as a Travel Destination-Part III

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Part I of this series focused on the benefits of visiting the city of Santa Fe and part II discussed how you can enjoy Albuquerque. This final article describes other parts of the state that are enticing to travelers.

If you visit in the winter, you will want to take advantage of the world class skiing that is available in the state. In particular, the Taos area offers great winter sports and excellent ski runs for beginners and experts. Snowboarding and cross-country are available, too. The town of Taos is very attractive because of its artist and alternative culture. The food in the area ranges from basic to five star.

Heading south past Albuquerque, are a number of interesting attractions. The city of Socorro is home to New Mexico Tech, an excellent technology and mining college, but is also only 50 miles from the Very Large Array. This “farm” of 27 radio telescopes has appeared in a number of films, most prominently “Contact.”  The array provides an eerie feeling of connection to the cosmos. Also in that general region is the Bosque del Apache reserve, a wildlife area devoted to migrating birds. In the late fall, the Bosque hosts thousands of birds, including ducks, geese and Sandhill Cranes.

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If you visit the area during the first week in April, keep alert for the first Saturday, when you can tour the Trinity site. It is only open one day a year because it is part of the White Sands Missile Base. Trinity is the location of the detonation of the first test atom bomb. Just as a visit to the Very Large Array connects you to the cosmos, a visit to Trinity connects you to the power of humanity and its fragility.
 

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There is so much more to New Mexico than what you find in this three-article series, but it gives you a good start.

Louis Habash writes about travel as a freelancer. He lives in Los Angeles. A lover of photography, hiking, water sports and nature, Louis Habash is able to combine these interests while travelling.

Dive into a New Culture

If you are an experienced traveler and have decided to return to a spot that held good and special memories for you, do not hesitate to expand your horizons on your next trip. Of course, returning to special areas and rekindling the awe and inspiration of your first impressions is always good, but also call the adventurer within yourself to forge a different and new path that will also create new moments that will forever remain within your memories.

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Sometimes, that unknown place will be right around a famous corner. Other times, a long rambling walk through a new neighborhood or nearby city will reveal an establishment that beckons with soft lights and quiet laughter. Perhaps best of all is when you hear a voice singing or guitar playing, and you are lured around corners and down alleys only to discover true local genius that will offer you a night of entertainment and a memory that will last forever.

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Now take this very same idea and apply it locally. Yes, you have your favorite haunts and love to congregate with like-minded appreciators of music and cuisine, but every once in a while, you might want to scratch that adventurous itch and try something that is not your normal locale. Hit a neighboring city or simply go into a section of your town that you usually skip. Taste the magic and uniqueness of your own city and state and commune with your fellow citizens.

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Keep in mind that nor every adventure will end up becoming eternal in your mind. But at the same time, without leaving your own home town, you can travel to a new and as yet undiscovered world, where people thrive on getting together and having a fantastic time. Yes, even at home, you can dive into as yet undiscovered and special cultures!

New Mexico as a Travel Destination-Part II

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New Mexico is unique among the states of this country in that it is a majority minority state. In other words, Hispanics are in the majority and Caucasians the minority. There is also a healthy number of Native Americans in the state. The benefits for the traveler are that you can enjoy the cultural mélange deriving from this situation. You will not feel racism or schisms between races like you do in other states. You will enjoy seeing art everywhere (all public works require a set aside for accompanying art). And the food… well, it is incomparable.

Part I of this series focused on the city of Santa Fe, also known as “the city different” to its inhabitants. This article will take you through Albuquerque, the other major city in New Mexico.

Celebrating its tri-centennial in 2006, Albuquerque was founded by the Spanish and remained a sleepy, little town until the railroad came through. Over the past 125 years, the city gained a major university, an air force base, a national research facility, and a population of more than half a million.
Everywhere you go in the city, you see representations of the mix of cultures and the sense of history.

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The National Hispanic Cultural Center officially represents the city’s Spanish heritage, but the bilingualism, the focus on red and green chile, and the adobe structures bring that feeling into everyday life. The Zia symbol that is everywhere brings the Native American culture into the mix.

Walk along Nob Hill, which is the neighborhood surrounding the university and you will sense the creative spirit of the area. Funky, one-of-a-kind shops displaying art, food, and paraphernalia will capture your attention. Walk on the campus and you will see a wide range of architecture, some of which is clearly from the early 1900s and Hispanic in origin. At sunset, look at Sandia mountains, which are crystal clear and a palette of changing colors.

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Visit New Mexico and make sure that Albuquerque is part of your vacation. Part III of this series will take you through a few of the other notable sights of New Mexico.

Louis Habash writes as a freelancer about travel. A resident of Los Angeles, Louis Habash is a lover of photography, hiking, water sports and nature, and is able to combine these interests with travel.

Off the Beaten Path

Sometimes, by taking a path less traveled while on vacation, treasures can be discovered. Whether traveling locally or internationally, finding an out of the way spot that highlights a magical yet local venue is normally one of the most memorable experiences a traveler can have while traveling.
 

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Even in your own backyard there are special and astonishing venues that can offer a local flavor that is overseen by most residents. A neighborhood pub or jazz club will often highlight or promote a local group that really makes its mark as truly homegrown and vibrant. Sometimes, finding a small little eatery with almost family styled meals can open one’s eyes to the hidden treasures that our own cities tuck away in unexpected corners.

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The same holds true while traveling. Sometimes by stepping off the path of popularity and obvious tourist attractions you can end up in a special spot that glitters with its own magic and inspiration. And you become part of that moment, etched forever in your memory as well as the memories of every other attending person.

Of course, when traveling, there is great value in touring well-known and popular establishments. Walking across famous bridges or entering an ancient and well-known building can also etch permanent memories. But whenever a traveler stumbles across an unknown but honestly authentic diner or club, those are typically the experiences that hold a place front and center in our memories of our trip.

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In essence, whether at home or abroad, trust the adventurer in yourself. Discover places you cannot pronounce or remember how you came across it. Travel is always magical, but when you find a true paradise that even the locals often overlook, you can and will hold such an experience forever.

Never forget that a place that is off the beaten path is not less special than the spots where everyone who wants to be seen gathers. Sometimes, it is even more special!