Old Town; Route 66 and Sandia Peak Tramway - Albuquerque - TravBuddy

If you get to Albuquerque, you must visit these areas! Old Town is a great shopping center, with restaurants, tons of museums, galleries, and sidewalk vendors. I visited the Sandia Peak Tram once each week while I was there. There is a restaurant at the top of the tram, the bottom, and one as you turn off the major route leading up to the Tram area. The restaurant at the top is called "High Finance" and the prices live up to it's name. I did not get to eat at any of these restaurants.

In Old Town, I found great souvigners, and wonderful original pottery and art from New Mexican artists. I bought most of my Mata Ortiz pottery at a small gallery New Traditions. Down the street there was a gallery where I bought some horsehair painted pottery, and another collectible sized piece.

On Route 66, I stopped at Orchid Thai Cuisine. They have the most awesome pineapple chicken curry. They also make their Pina Colada's with sake instead of rum. Very different!

In Rio Rancho, there is are a few great places to eat. I experienced the thai diner: Pei Wei. I had asian curry with chicken. A friend took me to O'hares where I had a wonderful Ruben. Later that night, I returned for a great cocktail: Hypnotiq Passion, and Irish Cheesecake for dessert. Another day we went to a pizza place in Corrales that had a nice lunch buffet.

The scenery is fabulous either looking down from the Sandia Peak, onto the twinkling city lights, or watching the fog roll in covering the entire valley. There's always a hot air ballon in the sky in the mornings. And I saw the most fabulous rainbow.