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Writer's pictureBarbara Frandsen

Leaving the Land of Enchantment


After visiting our son David and his wife Melissa in Albuquerque, I came away convinced that New Mexico truly must be the land of enchantment. Trees with autumn colors backed by mountain ranges, and Native American decorations throughout the city promoted a feeling of peace and beauty.

David and Melissa went out of their way to show us a good time. We visited a film class and watched students at the Central New Mexico Community College making a movie. I found filming activities entertaining and educational.

The next day, we visited KOAT, a television station with a new face for reporting. We felt very impressed with Melissa’s obvious leadership.


A visit to the Nuclear Museum proved to be both a review of history as well as a poignant reminder of the pain inflicted by nuclear weapons. I took a single picture; a trike minus its small rider who died in the explosion at Hiroshima.


Riding the tram to the top of a mountain provided amazing views of granite boulders and trees. Our Native American guide gave especially interesting explanations and introduced himself as Positive Terrance.


One afternoon, Chris and I drove to a Visitor’s Center to see Pueblo Petroglyphs (etchings on rocks). As much as I wanted to climb to the top of the mountain, it seemed wise to stop hiking while I could still get down without creating a scene!


Without a doubt, the most fascinating (weird) museum turned out to be Meow Wolf in Santa Fe. The name did not seem to fit the museum attractions, which included climbing into a washing machine, walking through a refrigerator, making music on dinosaur bones, and many other strange possibilities. In the end, we could only say, “Wow!”

Both David and Melissa cooked such fabulous meals that I feared I would have nothing large enough to wear on the return trip! We savored every bite. On our final day in Albuquerque, we visited the historical Old Albuquerque. Throughout the visit, we thoroughly enjoyed being with Melissa and David and sharing memories, hopes, and ideas. I returned to Austin full of vigor and good health and with a heart full of gratitude.

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