Big Picture

ABQ's Up, Up and Away

hile its reputation has recently been cemented into popular consciousness by an unlikely has bizarrely boosted tourism to the city, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta annually draws almost one million visitors who arrive to watch while as many as 600 hot-air and gasfilled balloons are launched over nine days at the start of October. Purportedly Earth's most photographed event, it includes mass ascensions, dawn patrols and – on the ground – chainsaw carving competitions. There's also the Special Shape Rodeo, when multitudes of non-standard balloons Yodas, animals, cars, cartoon characters, spacemen, virtually any shape balloon imaginable – lift into the sky. Come evenings, balloons are set aglow, creating sweetly surreal scenes. And, of course, between balloon-spotting, visitors can explore the city for a peek at Walter White and Jesse Pinkman bronze statues of the infamous TV drug dealers were unveiled in July.