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ThH | profile | all galleries >> === Flying === >> Flight to Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, NM, Oct.1998 >> Balloon Fiesta 7.Oct.98 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Leg 1: San Jose to Winslow, AZ, 4.Oct.98 | Leg 2: Winslow to Albuquerque, NM, 5.Oct.98 | Flight to Chaco and Acoma pueblos, 6.Oct.98 | Balloon Fiesta 7.Oct.98 | Santa Fe, 7.Oct.98 | Leg 1: Albuquerque to Sedona, AZ, 8.Oct.98 | Leg 2: Sedona to San Jose, 9.Oct.98

Balloon Fiesta 7.Oct.98

Watching the Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, 7.Oct.1998
Nothing prepared me for me sight of the Fiesta. The number of balloons, their shapes, the "chase cars" with the ground crews, and the balloons landing in gardens and yards randomly over the entire city, all this is simply unique. Without my host Erica I would not have known where to go and what to expect. She was driving, what gave the opportunity to shoot without paying attention to the traffic. Needless to say, special traffic rules are in place during the Fiesta.

One aspect unknown to me was that the air temperature is essential for the takeoff, as is the wind. Thus the fiesta begins at dusk and settles down early afternoon. I was too tired to stand up that early in the morning: 4-5am if my memory serves me. We begun thus to drive to the fiesta as the balloons were already in the air and some even made attempts to land.

Albuquerque: After the fiesta we have explored a bit the downtown of Albuquerque, time did not permit for a really comprehensive sightseeing, but it was enough to make a real impression on me: I found a vibrant and unique city with a lot of Spanish heritage, arts, splendid cousin, student life and a very characteristic "Pueblo Style" housing. Before this visit I have had no real knowledge about New Mexico, what I saw was very intriguing.

092 Driving toward the Fiesta
092 Driving toward the Fiesta		 095 Driving toward the Fiesta
095 Driving toward the Fiesta		 096 The Moon and the Balloons
096 The Moon and the Balloons		 098
098		 099
099
100
100		 101 Wires are the enemy and danger number one
101 Wires are the enemy and danger number one		 103 A Ballonist
103 A Ballonist		 104 Rule Britannia
104 Rule Britannia		 105 The first landing I saw
105 The first landing I saw
107 A Happy Ballonist
107 A Happy Ballonist		 108 Precisely overhead
108 Precisely overhead		 109 Controlling orientation of the gondola
109 Controlling orientation of the gondola		 110 Sponsors and Balloons
110 Sponsors and Balloons		 112 One of the fantastic shapes
112 One of the fantastic shapes
113
113		 114
114		 115 This looks dangerous
115 This looks dangerous		 116 In someone's garden
116 In someone's garden		 117 In someone's garden
117 In someone's garden
118 One of the Chase Cars
118 One of the Chase Cars		 120 Just landed
120 Just landed		 121 After landing
121 After landing		 122 After landing
122 After landing		 123 Folding the balloon
123 Folding the balloon
125
125		 127
127		 128
128		 130 Many hands are needed
130 Many hands are needed		 131 The Burner
131 The Burner
132 Instruments
132 Instruments		 133 Working on the gondola
133 Working on the gondola		 134 The Flying Boot
134 The Flying Boot		 135
135		 136 Fairgrounds
136 Fairgrounds
138 Fairgrounds
138 Fairgrounds		 139 Flying Elephant
139 Flying Elephant		 142 Balloon and a Church
142 Balloon and a Church		 143 Albuquerque
143 Albuquerque		 144 Albuquerque
144 Albuquerque
147 Albuquerque
147 Albuquerque		 149 Albuquerque
149 Albuquerque		 151 Albuquerque
151 Albuquerque		 152 Albuquerque
152 Albuquerque		 154 Albuquerque
154 Albuquerque
155 Albuquerque
155 Albuquerque		 156 Albuquerque
156 Albuquerque		 158 Albuquerque
158 Albuquerque		 159 Albuquerque
159 Albuquerque

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