An Inspired Cook

It’s Balloon Fiesta time y’all! If you haven’t seen video or pictures of the past weeks festivities, I’ve got you covered.  I haven’t been to a Mass Ascension since 1995, wow has it been that long!  It’s much different and at the same time much the same as it was all those years ago.  It’s a magical experience to walk among the balloons as they are stretched across a huge field in anticipation of launching around 550 hot air balloons.  Whoever choreographed this is brilliant with so many balloons to manage among huge crowds of people.  As they begin to inflate and take shape you will see them float upward in a choreographed wave.  We arrived on opening day, later than we anticipated after a 2 hour wait in line to catch a bus out to the balloon field.  But we were luckier than some who never made it out to the field at all.  It was disappointing to see that more than half the balloons had already launched by the time we were dropped off and made our way onto the field.  We had to wind our way through a virtual wall of people all trying to see the last wave of balloons.  Everyone wanted to capture the magic in photos.  While we were saddened in missing some of the earlier events we did manage to see some extraordinary balloons and had a wonderful time.  We will be back, but next time we will plan better and get there earlier.  Next time we will arrive to see the Dawn Patrol as they ascend before first light and watch them glow through the early morning air.  Next time we will take more photos.  Next time can’t come soon enough!!

From our bus window we could see the balloons on the ground getting ready to launch.  So many colors, so many shapes, so many people!

Over 500 hundred balloons from all over the world will launch from the International Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta.

This balloon is just getting off the ground as a nearby balloon is being aired up.  Soon it will pop up and begin it’s launch upward into the blue New Mexico skies!

There is music and people all around watching in awe as each new balloon rises and lifts up.

I find myself constantly looking up in awe!

There are a lot of shaped balloons to see as well, here we have a penguin among the more traditional shaped balloons.  The blue balloon was one of my favorites, it seemed to glow like a light bulb.

Another cute balloon!

Amazing colors . . .

In the distance there are balloons getting ready to launch as well as several already up in the sky.

The Van Gogh balloon was a big hit with the crowd.

Here is the Wells Fargo balloon getting ready to lift off.

Yes the New Mexico sky is that blue!

Representing Plains Capital Bank, the Buffalo balloon.

The ever popular Darth Vader and Yoda balloons!

Yoda . . .

During the week there are different events for the balloon teams to participate in.  We just happen to live a few miles from the Balloon Fiesta park and frequently see them from our backyard.  This cloudy morning was the back drop for these balloonists taking off this morning.

Looking out at the Sandia Mountains at a balloon filled sky.

As the sun peeked through the clouds it made a beautiful sight!

Another magical moment as the sun tries to shine through the clouds.