Balloon Fiesta 2014

This week is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, it's the second time we've been here for it and it is AMAZING.

Last year we did one of the dawn patrol sessions, but didn't get there early enough to see everything. I was determined that that wouldn't happen again so we all got out of bed at 4:30 AM, out of the house by 5 AM, a quick stop for breakfast sandwiches and coffee and hot chocolates (my mother-in-law and the kids were with me) and then up to the park.

We were there plenty early, enough time to eat our sandwiches and then we walked out to where the test balloons were filling up. (While it's still dark, they send up a dozen or so balloons to check the conditions.) They were all in a row, dark and then lighting up as the fires flared...so cool to see:

Here's one of the test balloons going up...and the lunar eclipse/blood moon above and to the right (that was also an amazing thing to see...)

Three of the test balloons went up and went VERY fast to the south, after which all the remaining balloons quickly deflated. No one tells you what is going on at Balloon Fiesta really, so you get information from listening to the people around you. What we heard is that the conditions were bad. (Too windy?) Anyway, we waited quite a long time--maybe 2 hours--after that with nothing happening as people were saying it might change when the sun came up. It was cold...the kids were dressed for it but I wasn't. We were just heading back to the car half a mile or so away to get warm when we started to see some balloons inflating, and so hurried back, found a spot on the grass, and watched. (The kids continued the game of tag they had been playing to keep themselves entertained.)

This balloon went up first to the Star Spangled Banner over the loudspeaker:

And then many, many, many balloons over the next 2 hours...someone said about 550 total. 

This was my favorite. Love the colors:

One of the cool things about Balloon Fiesta is you get to be right in the middle of the action. They'll shoo you out of the way if you're in the path of a balloon about to take off, but other than that, you are right there. Here's one of the balloons that inflated and lifted off, right at our side:

Everyone waves and cheers as each balloon leaves the ground:

A few more of the balloons right close to us:

And then some of the "special shapes," which are so cool. There are days devoted to them and this wasn't one of those days, but there were still a number of them to see...

Luke said the bees and the shark were his favorites. Can't get a favorite commitment out of Sis. :)

This is one of those things pictures just don't do justice...the cold of the air, the friendly crowds, the warmth from the burners that inflate the balloons and their brief whooshing sounds, the hot coffee and the clean fall air, all the colors going up into the sky...it's magical...

XOXO