Albuquerque Museums and dinner on Route 66

We had a lovely day in Albuquerque yesterday.  We went to the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, then after lunch we went to the Pueblo Indian Cultural Center.  Rudy decided that he wanted to go back to Santa Fe for a few days instead of heading east and south for the rest of our trip, so we said goodbye to him after lunch.  Once we finished the second museum, we took the time to drive downtown to find the Amtrak station.  Twice we took the train all the way from Washington, D. C. to Los Angeles.  Each time it stopped for 30 minutes in Albuquerque for refueling and restocking.  While doing that, passengers could get out and shop the many tables of Native Americans selling jewelry and other wares.  Each time Mark bought me a little necklace.  It was kind of fun to see the station from the other side, and the Amtrak train pulled up while we were there!  That was cool.

About 5:30 we finally said goodbye to Albuquerque and drove 125 miles due east back over I-40 to Santa Rosa.  It's a small town that used to be a stop over on Route 66.  Now you can barely see it as you whiz by on the interstate.  There is a large blue hole there that is popular with divers, so the town has had a rebirth.  There are over 20 motels and a car museum.  Last night we ate at Joe's Bar and Grille, a restaurant that was established by the family who had owned the house for generations.  It became a restaurant in the 1950s.  Wow!  It was so cool.  There were pink and turquoise metal diner tables and booths.  The walls were covered with old license plates and other oddities.  A gift shop had all kinds of Route 66 memorabilia and delicious Mexican food.  I had another veggie burrito while Mark had another cheese enchilada with rice and beans.  We also shared a small bowl of red chili with cheese.  Of course, soapapillas were put on the table like bread would be in the east.  We have had those four days in a row and every restaurant made them differently.  Then I ordered their famous lemon meringue pie for dessert.  OY!  Today we are pledging to spend the next three days at Denny's.  The only reason we ate at Joe's last night was that there is no Denny's or IHOP here, just like in Taos.

I am up three pounds from the four times we have eaten Mexican food.  In fact we have been in NM four days and eaten Mexican food every day.  This is going to stop today.

Today we are going to the car museum and then driving south to Fort Sumner for some Billy the Kid history before checking in to our next motel in Roswell for three nights.  We are half way through our New Mexico tour now on day 24 of 64.

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This is not a postcard or painting. It was just that beautiful when we pulled up in front of the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History.

A huge sculpture representing the original several hundred Mexican settlers who came to this area with Conquistadors and priests from Chihuahua.  In fact their names are all listed on the sculpture, and many residents of Albuquerque are descended from them.

Mark and Rudy walking through the trail set to simulate the walk the settlers did.

This was a special exhibit in the museum right now, but there were no pictures allowed.  We really enjoyed it since we knew we would be staying on Route 66 in Santa Rosa Wednesday night.

Mark is talking about this piece of art made to look like a Marvel comic book.

This was a fascinating piece.

It's a tribute to Country music stars.

Then there is THIS fascinating piece.  Mark and Rudy studied and discussed it for quite awhile.

Here is just one piece of it close up.  See why it was so popular?

The gallery on the history and culture of Albuquerque was my favorite.  I enjoyed the videos in each area, especially the one on the Navajo Code Talkers.

We said goodbye to Rudy after lunch and headed to the second museum for the day, Pueblo Indian Culture Center.

Weaving sashes for dancing.

The train at the Amtrak station

The El Rey theater was featured in the Route 66 exhibit in the first museum.  We watched a 26 minute video called "Neon on the Road," which featured six old neon signs that were restored.  The El Rey was one of them, but we had no idea we would drive by it today.  Later in Santa Rosa we drove by the Sun and Sand Motel, which was also featured.  

Mark's plate of cheese enchilada, rice, and beans, soapillas in the upper right, and red chip with cheese.