Balloons Balloons Balloons

During the ten days of Balloon Fiesta, life in Albuquerque takes on a different pace. In one sense, it's a slower pace, because the traffic is snarled-up with all of the chase vehicles and tourists, many of whom are towing motor homes of one sort or another. And in the mornings everyone is gazing skyward, even as they drive to work. Yes, there are more fender-benders during this week than normal. But there is definitely an air of festivity. How can there not be with hundreds of multi-colored balloons dotting the sky?!

The Fiesta begins on Saturday, but even this week things are gearing up. There are more balloons in the air than on a normal early-fall morning. So it wasn't that surprising when my boss, Betsy, received a call from the Foundation President's Office this morning to cancel a meeting she had scheduled with the president. Why? He couldn't get to the office in time. He was caught in a traffic stand-still due to a balloon landing on the road.