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It’s pretty obvious I have been slacking on the writing of late. Here’s a little something I threw together for an ABOUT.com Guide position. Apparently lots applied before me, and they consider applications in order. They don’t even look past the first few folks they give shots at the position, so I have no idea if anyone ever even saw it. Anyhow, it’s a piece of fluff, but here it is because it should see light somewhere!

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Enchanted

Growing up, the first reference to Albuquerque I heard was in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. (“I knew I shoulda’ taken that left turn at Albuquerque.”) I moved here at the age of seventeen, a young college student out on her first big adventure. I remember driving across the bareness of the Texas panhandle, Steve Miller’s “Big Ol’ Jet Airliner” (don’t carry me too far away) blaring in my orange Camaro.

The New Mexican landscape was in sharp contrast to the green bluffs and dark waters of my home on the Mississippi. But, the endless skies, riotous with stars at night, were a fine parallel to the expansiveness and possibility that lay before me. Many New Mexicans like to downplay the natural beauty of our state, joking when outsiders say in a disdainful tone “oh that’s a desert isn’t it?”, that yes indeed, the “Land of Enchantment” is an ugly, miserable place. They wish to covet the state’s inherent natural beauty for their own, and don’t wish to see it commercialized or overrun with tourists. Truthfully however, New Mexico residents report some of the highest satisfaction levels with regard to the climate, and the southern-tip of the Rocky mountain chain serves as a majestic backdrop for our high-desert city. At an elevation of 5000+ ft., rolling foothills dappled with Piňyon-Juniper are more characteristic of our vistas than the flat expanses of cactus in the imaginations of skeptics.

A fusion of the amenities of an urban area and a natural playground characterizes the city of Albuquerque. Founded in 1706 as a Spanish colonial outpost and surrounded by tribal lands, the city is culturally diverse in a manner unique to other large urban areas. The artistic community abounds, and while the city still maintains a small-town flavor, the tech sector is a major economic contributor. Each fall, people flock to the city for the International Balloon Fiesta, and our museums and Biopark remain popular attractions. However, in addition to a thriving community centered on the University of New Mexico, a brief drive will find you in the forest surrounded by wildlife.

In my time here, I’ve hiked pristine canyons and lava tubes formed by long-defunct volcanoes, gazed upon the petroglyphs of the ancients, seen the grave-site of Billy the Kid and the International UFO Museum in Roswell, wondered at the biodiversity of New Mexico’s bootheel, and seen blues legend Buddy Guy play his guitar right out on Central Avenue. I’ve visited D.H. Lawrence’s ranch. I’ve seen Georgia O’Keefe’s paintings up close, and through immersion in the landscape, I’ve come to understand them. The state question “red or green” makes me smile, and the smell of green chile roasting is what signifies for me it’s Fall. I have learned to love the truly unique local cuisine and appreciate the culture and ancestry that has shaped not just Albuquerque, but the state as a whole.

All those years ago, when I would visit Iowa, people would ask “why did you leave the country”, “did you need a passport?”. (A rather disturbing phenomenon reported by many transplantees I have met.) Now that I am 40, people have stopped asking me “what brought you here?”. Maybe it’s age-related. Maybe I just seem like a New Mexican now. Either way, from the first magnificent watermelon-colored sunset splashed against the Sandias (Spanish word for the fruit) I knew I was home. Twenty-three years later, I have yet to tire of them.

Without fail, I always spend too much preparing for a vacation. The days leading up to our Jamaication were no exception. In addition to that 5th bikini (because the others may not feel just right) and the Jellyfish-proof suntan lotion (yeah, really), I also picked up a couple of other items which proved to be great investments. I normally don’t do product endorsements here, but these products, or products like them are things you simply should not be without when traveling.

The Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere™ 2i portable speakers for my iphone, even at only $130 seemed a little extravagant. My main concern being that we’d drag the unit along, and then not use it. At only a couple of pounds, it wasn’t going to be too much wasted bag space. However, while I never put on that last bikini, we used the speaker dock every day of our vacation. Thanks to the built-in rechargeable battery, it went with us every day to the beach, and provided mood music when we ordered room service to boot.

The Olympus Stylus 770-SW is another can’t do without item for the traveler turned beach-bum. Yes, it’s a compact digital camera, and as such suffers some of the typical expected photographic limitations, but it also is super durable and opens up a ton of possibilities. Shockproof, waterproof, freezeproof, crushproof, this thing also went to the beach with us every day… and right into the ocean! While my husband missed getting the shot of the sting-ray he nearly stepped on, that was more user error than equipment failure, and at a little under $300 we have definitely gotten our money’s-worth out of this purchase.

We’re back, and we had a blast!

We had a wonderful time in St. Lucia, and… we’re married!