Sorry about not updating last week I was in the Land of Enchantment was so enchanted I delayed the post!
On Thursday before flying out I went to another CRS briefing, this time on appropriations. Another enlightening session on how the money on the Hill gets spent, or not spent. Got another great meal at the Madison Cafe, a real turkey dinner and again so cheap! Then the Capitol Hill Fellows joined together in a completely unique and interesting tour of the Capitol building. Backstage knowledge and details galore with our friend George! My Aunt Jackie, the amazing 81 year old Senior Olympian came to visit and we had dinner!
And then I got up way early to make sure Konstantin was awake on on the plane to Baltimore where I met up with him and we soared the sunny skies to Albuquerque. The nickname for the state of New Mexico is Land of Enchantment and I can certainly see why! It was truly beautiful, and a little chilly.
We were blessed to be one of the early birds at the balloon fiesta on the final day. It was truly a beautiful moment to see the balloons rising in the early dawn hours. It was also a STEM teachers dream, like much of the trip. We saw a drone show, ate a delicious funnel cake, walked a bajillion miles, and saw the glory of the balloons. From the traditional to the wacky to the extreme, it was all amazing. The Balloon Museum is fantastic for learning the history of balloon festivals, the challenges of design, and how people have built the fiesta from a small gathering to a world wide phenomenon.
Then we hopped on the road to Alamogordo and visited White Sands National Park. Another dream visit with a unique environment. They have a 30 minute video in the welcome center and I was furiously taking notes on this one of a kind habitat. I wrote up a 3 page STEAMy connection for place based learning. Just magnificent.
We went to Santa Fe and attended the 2nd annual Indigenous People's PowWow on Indigenous People's Day. One of my favorite ways to connect with nature, people, and spirituality is attending PowWows. I Have been to the Waccamaw PowWow outside of Aynr, SC, the Seminole PowWow in Florida, and now this beautiful celebration in New Mexico. Downtown Santa Fe is a nightmare for parking, but a beautiful area. I loved visiting the Native American vendors and checking out their work. I bought tin art from a local woman who was showcasing her style of creations at the park. She was demonstrating how she makes the art and again my STEAM mind was connecting with activities and ideas. Another cool stop in Santa Fe is MeoWolf. This interactive art exhibit defies description. Around every corner there is another mind blowing site. It is a huge venue that goes on and on and on. I think it would take several days to see all the hidden rooms and amazing exhibits. They have other museums in various locations, but according to my eavesdropping, this one is the largest and best.
Back in Albuquerque I visited the District Office and met the folks who work in New Mexico to help the community. It was great to put faces with names and to see how problems are solved for the people of District One. We toured Old Town and saw the historic area of ABQ. I spotted Jane Fonda, Chelsea Handler, and Connie Britton walking down the street. We visited STEM programs and met with stakeholders at the Museum of Natural History and Science, Explora Children's Museum, Albuquerque BioPark (gardens, ponds, zoo, and aquarium), Sandia Mueseum Natural History Center, and more. We attended a lecture at the Natural History and Science Museum on National Fossil day! I was totally impressed with the dinosaur talk by the director of the museum, Dr Anthony Fiorillo. I continually said I wish my younger cousins could be there to hear him share about fossil discoveries in Alaska. The amazing learning opportunities fo kids and teens in New Mexico are just amazing. Talking to the directors gave me great ideas for place based learning and the partnerships between schools and the STEM organizations should be modeled around the country.
We also visited Petroglyph National Monument and Boca Negra Canyon. It is a stunning landscape and amazing to think how these signs and symbols have lasted so long. We found Clifford the Big Red Dinosaur, a roadside attraction. The peaceful Rio Grande Nature Center State Park was a wonderful stop where we got to see many kinds of birds, a nice garden set up, and an interesting little visitor center.
For anyone who is a Breaking Bad fan, a trip to Albuquerque is not complete without a tour. There is a store in Old Town full of memorabilia. We visited the locations for filming, spots like Los Pollos Hermanos, different houses, and a very remote location on a reservation WAY OUT in the middle of nowhere. It was beautiful, except for the lightning, thunder, and eventual rains.
The New Mexico Science Teacher Association Conference was also held while we were in town. I presented about Literacy and STEM during a morning session and represented Albert Einstein Fellows in the Expo Hall. It was great to learn with local educators and share opportunities with them. You can see the activities and ideas we worked on under the 2024 tab above, click New Mexico. You are welcome to explore the resources, ask if you have questions!
The food of New Mexico was an adventure all on it's own. My sinuses may never be the same after my chicken green chile soup. I loved Weinerschnitzel, Twister, Cocina Azul, and the yummy BBQ at Rudy's. The casinos Black Mesa and Route 66 were quick stops that paid out prety well. The key is cashing out when you are up and not reinvesting!
Our final stop before heading to the airport was the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center where we saw a dance deonstration and toured the amazing museum. It is a truly beautiful representation of the Indigenous cultures of New Mexico. I had a great lunch at the restaurant and wished we had more time to explore and visit each of the pueblos thenmselves.n
On Thursday before flying out I went to another CRS briefing, this time on appropriations. Another enlightening session on how the money on the Hill gets spent, or not spent. Got another great meal at the Madison Cafe, a real turkey dinner and again so cheap! Then the Capitol Hill Fellows joined together in a completely unique and interesting tour of the Capitol building. Backstage knowledge and details galore with our friend George! My Aunt Jackie, the amazing 81 year old Senior Olympian came to visit and we had dinner!
And then I got up way early to make sure Konstantin was awake on on the plane to Baltimore where I met up with him and we soared the sunny skies to Albuquerque. The nickname for the state of New Mexico is Land of Enchantment and I can certainly see why! It was truly beautiful, and a little chilly.
We were blessed to be one of the early birds at the balloon fiesta on the final day. It was truly a beautiful moment to see the balloons rising in the early dawn hours. It was also a STEM teachers dream, like much of the trip. We saw a drone show, ate a delicious funnel cake, walked a bajillion miles, and saw the glory of the balloons. From the traditional to the wacky to the extreme, it was all amazing. The Balloon Museum is fantastic for learning the history of balloon festivals, the challenges of design, and how people have built the fiesta from a small gathering to a world wide phenomenon.
Then we hopped on the road to Alamogordo and visited White Sands National Park. Another dream visit with a unique environment. They have a 30 minute video in the welcome center and I was furiously taking notes on this one of a kind habitat. I wrote up a 3 page STEAMy connection for place based learning. Just magnificent.
We went to Santa Fe and attended the 2nd annual Indigenous People's PowWow on Indigenous People's Day. One of my favorite ways to connect with nature, people, and spirituality is attending PowWows. I Have been to the Waccamaw PowWow outside of Aynr, SC, the Seminole PowWow in Florida, and now this beautiful celebration in New Mexico. Downtown Santa Fe is a nightmare for parking, but a beautiful area. I loved visiting the Native American vendors and checking out their work. I bought tin art from a local woman who was showcasing her style of creations at the park. She was demonstrating how she makes the art and again my STEAM mind was connecting with activities and ideas. Another cool stop in Santa Fe is MeoWolf. This interactive art exhibit defies description. Around every corner there is another mind blowing site. It is a huge venue that goes on and on and on. I think it would take several days to see all the hidden rooms and amazing exhibits. They have other museums in various locations, but according to my eavesdropping, this one is the largest and best.
Back in Albuquerque I visited the District Office and met the folks who work in New Mexico to help the community. It was great to put faces with names and to see how problems are solved for the people of District One. We toured Old Town and saw the historic area of ABQ. I spotted Jane Fonda, Chelsea Handler, and Connie Britton walking down the street. We visited STEM programs and met with stakeholders at the Museum of Natural History and Science, Explora Children's Museum, Albuquerque BioPark (gardens, ponds, zoo, and aquarium), Sandia Mueseum Natural History Center, and more. We attended a lecture at the Natural History and Science Museum on National Fossil day! I was totally impressed with the dinosaur talk by the director of the museum, Dr Anthony Fiorillo. I continually said I wish my younger cousins could be there to hear him share about fossil discoveries in Alaska. The amazing learning opportunities fo kids and teens in New Mexico are just amazing. Talking to the directors gave me great ideas for place based learning and the partnerships between schools and the STEM organizations should be modeled around the country.
We also visited Petroglyph National Monument and Boca Negra Canyon. It is a stunning landscape and amazing to think how these signs and symbols have lasted so long. We found Clifford the Big Red Dinosaur, a roadside attraction. The peaceful Rio Grande Nature Center State Park was a wonderful stop where we got to see many kinds of birds, a nice garden set up, and an interesting little visitor center.
For anyone who is a Breaking Bad fan, a trip to Albuquerque is not complete without a tour. There is a store in Old Town full of memorabilia. We visited the locations for filming, spots like Los Pollos Hermanos, different houses, and a very remote location on a reservation WAY OUT in the middle of nowhere. It was beautiful, except for the lightning, thunder, and eventual rains.
The New Mexico Science Teacher Association Conference was also held while we were in town. I presented about Literacy and STEM during a morning session and represented Albert Einstein Fellows in the Expo Hall. It was great to learn with local educators and share opportunities with them. You can see the activities and ideas we worked on under the 2024 tab above, click New Mexico. You are welcome to explore the resources, ask if you have questions!
The food of New Mexico was an adventure all on it's own. My sinuses may never be the same after my chicken green chile soup. I loved Weinerschnitzel, Twister, Cocina Azul, and the yummy BBQ at Rudy's. The casinos Black Mesa and Route 66 were quick stops that paid out prety well. The key is cashing out when you are up and not reinvesting!
Our final stop before heading to the airport was the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center where we saw a dance deonstration and toured the amazing museum. It is a truly beautiful representation of the Indigenous cultures of New Mexico. I had a great lunch at the restaurant and wished we had more time to explore and visit each of the pueblos thenmselves.n
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