Albuquerque, New Mexico
Route 66 would be with us for a major period of the drive, but this was probably the only spot en route, that had any touristy value. Route 66 was laid in 1926, and ran from Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA through MO, KS, OK, TX, NM, and AZ, a 2300 mile long endeavor. The city of Albuquerque, NM, though a historic city, did not have a vibe about it. Rusty buildings, and lower than expected pedestrians on the main street was disappointing. Apart from the historic (and often referred to as ghostly) KiMo Theater, the downtown did not have much to offer.
So, we decided to focus on the later part of the day, which was to check out other national parks along the way. We did some research on the go, and decided to swing by the Aztec ruins in Aztec, NM. We reached towards the end of the day’s hours, but managed to take a close look at the ruins in the park. There was a self-guided tour available, and all you had to do was to walk along the designated trail. Intriguing aspects of Aztecs’ lives were depicted in the rooms that were built thousands of years ago. Skillful stone masonry, wood roofing, and other architectural structures apart, the great Kiva, the subterranean structure that housed major events in Aztecs’ lives, were literally enlightening. Further details about the Aztec Ruins National Park can be found here. It is a must visit for anyone interested in the history of the native civilizations of the area.
At the end of a busy traveling day, we decided to stop at the nearest small-town of Farmington, NM. An early start of the next day was looming!