I can’t help but associate the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta with my wonderful father. My parents retired to the Albuquerque area in the early 80’s, in a small town south of Albuquerque named Belen. They lived right next door to my father’s identical twin brother, Elmer, and his wife, Aunt Vee. They were my parent’s very best friends. When my father passed away on October 6, 1988, my siblings and I assembled quickly to celebrate my father’s life and prepare for his funeral. I don’t remember all of the dates and events; however, I do remember that when we drove into Albuquerque the day after our arrival, I was in abject awe to witness to hundreds of beautifully colored balloons ascending into the heavens at the same time. I distinctly remember feeling that it was a message from my father stating “All is Well with My Soul”, and it gave me great peace.
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest hot air balloon fest in the world, and is claimed to be the most photographed event in the world as well. Albuquerque’s clear October skies, calm winds, and mild cool temperatures make it the perfect location and climate for hot air ballooning. Over 600 balloons participate in the mass ascension, and the launch field is over 78 acres in size, roughly the equivalent of 54 football fields. The 43rd annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta begins in less than 24 hours. Enjoy this week’s posts, including our Featured Post on the Images page: Timelapse: Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta by Joel Schat. It’s 2.5 minutes of sheer hot air heaven, and I hope it will whet your appetite to attend the festival in person some day. Please…dig in!
This post is dedicated to my beloved father, Alfred Dale Jurrens.
http://www.balloonfiesta.com/uploads/pdfs/2014%20Guest%20Guide.pdf
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