Albuquerque ( pronounced al-buh-ker-kee or something like that)

While researching what to do on our vacation,  it was Jane who spotted the balloon museum located in Albuquerque.

 Albuquerque -whose name the British certainly must say in a completely different way than us. I remembered my friend laughing for about five minutes after I mentioned wanting to visit a place in Australia. I had only read it and guessed how it was pronounced, I guessed really funny.  I imagine this name has been pronounced in all kinds of funny ways. 

The city is famous for ballooning. We were two weeks shy of the biggest ballon festival in the nation. I was kind of sad about that and kind of glad we didn't have to put up with extra traffic and possibly no place to stay. I had to snap a picture of the poster featuring Detroit. 

The kids liked trying to land their simulated balloon on the right spot. 

The  red and white  'gondola' was from the first successful balloon around the world, March 1st 1999

 Balloons were used in wars. The Japanese knew about jet streams in WWII and used them to have balloons carry bombs into the US called Fugo bombs. One landed in Michigan. These incidents didn't make the news because the US didn't want their to be panic and they didn't want the Japanese to know they were working. This trip to the museum was my first time ever hearing about them. 

The only hot air balloon Elliot wants to ride at this point in his life. 

Playing at the park. We were total tourist taking pictures with the tumbleweeds.