Happy New Year! Thought I'd kick off the year with the rare personal post. I recently turned 30 years old and to celebrate, my sister and I spent a few days visiting New Mexico.
We arrived in Albuquerque late on a Thursday night, and worked remotely on Friday (PTO is a precious commodity!). It happened to be Halloween Friday, so we ventured out to Old Town Albuquerque to see the Dia de Muertos decorations like the Marigold Mile, the ofrendas, and the paper mache sculptures. Even though we didn't get to see the actual celebrations like the Dance of the Matachines or the Catrina procession, it felt other worldly to see the plaza and the community gearing up for the holiday. We also got to enjoy our first sopaipilla with dinner, which became a treat to relish wherever possible for the rest of the trip!
After spending Halloween in Albuquerque, our plan was to head towards Santa Fe, but we made a couple pit stops: some hiking in the Sandia Mountains and an evening at the mineral springs resort & spa at Ojo Caliente! We were blessed with the best fall weather, making it the perfect day for a hike. The mountains afforded us stunning views and air so fresh, I wanted to drink it. After a lunch break, we decided to make our way north to Ojo Caliente for their acclaimed mineral springs. The mineral soaks were exactly what we needed after a day of hiking. After thoroughly unwinding in the springs, what better way to relish in the relaxation than drive to Santa Fe?
The driving itself was a major highlight. Our trip took place just after peak tourism season had ended, so we got to enjoy (mostly) empty roads and actually take in the scenery. The vast skies seemed to form a tapestry with the surrounding hills and mountains. The dessert landscapes should have been monotonous, but were instead striking and honestly, enchanting.
Santa Fe did not disappoint either. We loved seeing the adobe architecture throughout the city, and the downtown area felt so quaint and inviting. One of my favorite places in downtown was the Georgia O'Keeffe museum. It was illuminating to learn more about her life, and I especially loved being able to see works from the various stages of her artistic evolution all in one place.
Last, but certainly not least, we capped our trip with a day at White Sands National Park. On our drive there, we studied up on the geology of the area and learned about the source of the gypsum sands, of course. However, that didn't lessen our awe of the sand dunes when we arrived. They seemed endless and were captivating. To really *celebrate*, my sister and I decided to go sand sledding, which started as a fun idea but ended with my sister breaking her collarbone. Fast forward to an evening in the local ER, where the doctor gently hinted that she might need surgery and should meet with a surgeon ASAP after returning home. Luckily, we were scheduled to fly home the next day.
Despite the unfortunate ending to our trip, we had an amazing time and are hoping to make it back to New Mexico sometime soon.
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