Despite popular belief I have seen snow before

Last week I was feeling homesickness pretty harsh. It's better now but I felt like reminiscing about my homeland and we have talked about being international by being local so I'll see how well that works.

Anyways if any of you know me (and not a lot do I'm not that vocal) you'd know that I was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Let me get rid of a few misconceptions you midwesterners seem to have about New Mexico.
It. is. not. all. DESERT. Seriously like 50% of you guys seem to have this idea that once you pass Colorado it's desert, cactus, desert, desert, desert, desert, Las Vegas (which is in a desert), desert, California.
Wrong. I think you get that idea because you pass through there on highways, and highways never pass through any interesting landscape. (I encourage a route-66 road trip) But New Mexico has a vastly diverse landscape, fact, many movies have been shot in New Mexico and tv shows (breaking bad and that witness protection show i forget the name) But you know what they say a picture's worth a 1000 words so I'll give you a small NM photo album.

 This is Ruidoso, my aunt has a house here. It's known that if you have a house here you are usually a rich person. (My aunt's a teacher she's not rich)
What is that? Snooow? Whaaat? The question I'm asked the most "Have you ever seen snow before"

Dude I live 30 minutes away from a Ski area. New Mexico is riddled with ski resorts, a lot of it is mountains.

 Ok most people know about this place, where they tested the bombs and the sand is all white n stuff... what's it called? White Sands ooooh.

I've only been there once but i love that place it's so friggen cool, the lizards are white, the bugs are white. That plant there is our national plant called the Yucca. Indians used the thick spiky things as paint brushes but usually they just stab me as I walk past them.

 This is the Bosque. It runs by the river and is rather swampy and beautiful, it runs dry sometimes but yeah.

 Let me just put up this arguement, sunsets anywhere else are just whimpy compared to home.

 Seriously, whimpy












Ok this is something that comes to mind when you think New Mexico, pueblos! They are simply the coolest thing. They're awesome tourist attractions and most houses are fasioned after them. It's annoying sometimes to be honest. These are the Toas Pueblos

Ahhh that's home. The shining amber jewle that shimmers in a deep black river that runs along the base of my scarlet mountain. The Mountain's named Sandia (If you know Spanish you can see why it's named that)
Technically I live right on the other side of that mountain, in the mountains. I live at 6000 ft and the top of the Sandia is at 8000 I believe.




Ok I'm nearly done (that's a lie) just a couple more things. Yes Albuquerque is a bit crime ridden (hello we're cousins with Mexico and it's obsession with drugs) and New Mexico education system is real sucky but I gotta say that it is culturally rich and there is so much in it if you know how to look.

 One thing is we celebrate Dia de los Muertos, (Day of the Dead).
Over here we see some totally legit, traditional face paint for the occation. The one on the right is a good friend of mine and her family is very hispanic. (Lesson one before going to NM, never mix up Hispanics and Mexicans)

Here's some from the Dia de los Muertos parade.
 

And here is my favorite time of year, it's probably 2nd to Christmas. This is the international Balloon Fiesta that lasts a week every october. It is something you have to see before you die. I saw one hot-air balloon a couple weeks ago and it made me want to cry (with joy). The Balloon fiesta is just hundreds of hot air balloons from all over the world coming to ABQ and lifting off all at once. It's gorgeous.






This is Old Town ABQ. It's a gorgeous little place right along 66. For Christmas ABQ decorates most of the city in these little candles and sand in a bag. In the midwest you have some white person name for them.
Of course in ABQ we call them Luminarias and that's not even the proper name for them. Sante Fe calls them Farolitos which is more correct but w/e.


I love christmas here, and occationally we do have a white Christmas!

There is just one more thing I have to mention before I'm finished... Two Words


GREEN CHILE
















My amigo Johnathan knows what I'm talking about. We roast this pepper from heaven every year right when school starts. The smell of roasting green chile is just heavenly. We put this shiz on everything and EAT IT. sooo goooood. I miss green chile pizza.... :(

Anyways there's a lot I could say about my hometown that I won't bore you with any longer. But everyone has a home they feel this way for right? I know many of you are at most a couple hours away from home, and you miss it and your friends and family I'm sure. I missed my family too even when I went to school at UNM (not UofM, it's University of New Mexico) and i was living 30 min away from my family. Course I got along with them sooo much better after living out of the house but anyways.
I live 23 hours away from home so you'll have to forgive me for raving about good ol' Nuevo Mexico.

Anyways, I defiantly have learned the importance of indulging in your local life. That's all I gotta say 'bout that.