Night Out In Alburquerque

Am I the only person that relates Alburquerque to Bugs Bunny? After such wonderful time in Santa Fe, I descended upon this city in search of solace. The first time I have booked a hotel in advance. Hoping for a pool to lounge in, a room away from the highway, a place where I didn't have to look over my shoulder in exchange for a reduced rate (because hey, I paid 66 bucks for this res), the city that holds more than half of the state's population, I thought I would find respite.

Well, the pool was dirty and, though the hotel made numerous mentions of its security (in spite of the fact it is located across from a public park, where I noticed numerous denizens sitting out, almost hunting for gullible tourists to wander uncharted into their thieving hands), I found myself feeling less than safe. Regardless, I had a room facing West. I was right downtown and, honestly, what can you expect from any city on a Monday night. I did well.

Wondering the main street exhausted, looking for some sustenance, I ended up in some lounge ordering an egg and jalapeno sandwich, which was sensational. But then they started playing Adam Lambert. Quite loud on the PA but also displayed on the video screens and I needed to escape immediately. I found myself at a seemingly suitable location. Yet I sat at a table entirely ignored, for a protracted amount of time. It wasn't all bad though. The bouncer questioned me about being a Red Sox fan. "Does that bother you?" I asked. "Not at all, I'm a Rangers fan," he replied and, though I offered that they were in first place, he astutely replied that they always play well in the first half of the season before falling to pieces.

I found myself in a pool hall, which made me feel good about my affinity for "The Color Of Money" and the fact that I had already highlighted Robert Palmer's standout song on the soundtrack ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOqOvsjpGOU). The place was rather dead. But the movie reminded me that pool halls are for diehards to begin with, and those are both males and females completely disinterested in those who can't challenge them or be hustled. I am horrible at pool. No skill whatsoever, despite the occasional lucky streak. Thus, I stayed by the bar, and found myself in conversation with a displaced local and a fellow traveler. I questioned the traveler about extending my route an additional night to stay in Palm Springs. He advised against it. And he had just spent a weekend in Charlestown, Ma, and loved it. (originally from Milwaukee, been up and down all over).

So, seven plus hours to Phoenix. Then 6 hours to LA. It was nice to spend a day enjoying the sites of one state. If you couldn't tell from my rather harried post, I loved Santa Fe. I felt so much that I couldn't even express it, in hopes of relaxing in Alburqeruque. I should have realized that I had already reached my apex for the day. That's the way trips like this go. It's not like a planned vacation to a destination, where you have seven days and live it up only to wonder where the time went. Experiences I had yesterday feel like a lifetime ago. Things I'm looking forward to...I quite honestly have no idea what to expect. But I am clear on one thing, I I have some time because I have created this opportunity. And I have only done that because I have been, and remained to be unemployed and adrift without a rudder for far too long. I refuse to let that continue. . .

As long as I get to stop at the original McDonalds in San Bernardino, I'm okay.