The Flavor Of Albuquerque Old Town

Once in a while we get visitors who want to see the local sights. It's a chance to see our hometown with fresh eyes and appreciate the finer points. You get to taking a place for granted, and forget that some folks are willing to pay money to see what you pass by every day.

Old Town Albuquerque is like a little museum. A small sample of what once was. There are quite a few original buildings, almost all having been converted to shops. I'm not the least interested in the shopping, so we let our people wander at will, and I was free to do my own townie tour.

At heart, The San Felipe Church, 1706.

Brick is a much later era. But I just liked this old wall.

This restored original building is Territorial style. The big hint-- the pediments over the windows and doors. Pueblo style, which is earlier, doesn't have them, and also has those round posts sticking out at the roof line.

New Mexico is a drab color in general. Especially in winter. Lots of brown, brown, brown. The early structures were all mud colored (since they were made with adobe brick), and in keeping with tradition many newer ones are the color of dried mud too. Because of the arid climate, there is not a lot of lush or colorful vegetation. Old Town tries to dress things up, and isn't completely reflective of the rest of Albuquerque.

But today I'm a tourist, and it's the color that is catching my eye.

Storefronts are pretty cheerful and inviting. Cool air, and often a wonderful scent, spills from the open doors.

Chili strings hang to dry outside buildings. This one has a refreshing whitewash exterior!

My favorite aspect of Old Town is all the nooks and alleys to explore.

Don't adjust your screen, the doorway is just wonky. The whole place is all round surfaces and wavy lines like everything just grew up from the ground here. It kinda did.

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Native American vendors have been selling their wares on the plaza just like this for three hundred years.

I meandered behind a shop to find this shady spot of grapevine and apple trees; an obvious bird sanctuary. The difference in temperature is impressive.

Wine making in America began with the friars of New Mexico.

Blue is traditionally painted around doors and windows to keep out bad spirits. It's pretty cheery too. This is a cafe courtyard, but there are also residences tucked in here and there in Old Town as well.

A dooryard garden often contains a small religious sanctuary or saint.

I wanted to show the wavy walkway here. Nothing seems very level or straight in the old parts of town. My own house included.

I had the luxury of shooting in pretty quiet lanes and streets. The Chamber of Commerce probably wouldn't like me to mention just how many vacancies, going out of business signs, and steep discounts are happening here. Just more signs of the times. . . .

A prickly pear town. This cactus grows near an old well.

The plaza gazebo is a popular spot to gather. Lovely at night.

The restored church on the plaza.

This old postcard looking place accepts the full brunt of a hot summer sun. That's light haze at the roof line.

I like window shots old or new. The double panes reflect blue skies and a bit of local color.

Iron gates protect a weathered double door.

The Zia, or sun sign, a New Mexico symbol, is displayed on the state flag. Perfectly logical.

Well, there it is. The micro mini Albuquerque Old Town tour from a local native. Here's a link to Old Town at Christmas if you like. Now lets go find the margaritas! Thanks a bunch for  tagging along! Maybe you'll take in some local summer color too!

Jacqueline