Okay I know what you are thinking, you are probably thinking that Global Giraffe has died and that the blog is now just collection of internet space dust. Well…. you are right it is pretty dusty around these parts of the web, but rest easy now because Global Giraffe is far from dead.

Just a quick update since our trip to Helen, Georgia and if you haven’t read our last blog post go read that by clicking here.

I know many of you might have been wondering what has been up with us and the truth is that we have been moving, Yes we are still in Asheville, North Carolina, U S of A, but we are constantly dreaming, planning and scheming up new places that we want to go visit or even live.

I have been working on several blog post all about our new home in North Carolina and our future plans for travel, but that is not what today’s blog post is about. Today I wanted to share with you one place that is on our list of places to visit in 2019, oh yes I said 2019, it is right around the corner ya know?

I wanted to talk a little bit about none other than New Mexico, Albuquerque to be exact. Now I say that I’ve never really been to New Mexico, but I know Teryn has because well she grew up right next door in Arizona.

However, my dad was a truck driver and I vaguely remember going through a rough cowboy town called “truth or consequences”. That is the actual name of the town and you thought you had a long address?! Since I haven’t been to Albuquerque (or for us abbreviators out there) the ABQ, I interviewed one of my good friends Carina, who grew up in Albuquerque and just recently moved back there after living in Denver for the better part of the last 12 years.

So without any further delay, I’ll turn it over to the interview.

Why did you want to move to Albuquerque, New Mexico?

Our family lives all over NM and ABQ is central to everyone and where my parents live. Also, we realized that we could have the same income we had in Denver with a much lower cost of living.

What is the cost of living like compared to other cities that you have lived in?

Lower, but mostly because we benefited from the housing market in Denver. Houses are much less expensive here. Also, car registration and insurance are much less expensive. Homeowner taxes are higher though.

Do you have any recommendations on neighborhoods that are better than others?

We live on the Westside which is where all the new development. Its pretty suburban which is fine for us. Cooler places would be near UNM or Old Town.

What industries are doing the best there in your opinion?

It’s not great, but I lucked out because I telecommute. Medical in general is in high demand here, and we just got the Netflix studio so that should make film industry jobs. There’s a big push for legalization here and that will make a huge job market.

Is it just one big desert or what?

We get all four seasons but we get a hotter summer than Denver but a more mild winter, but we still get snow, just not as much. Spring gets really windy and we had a lot of rain this Fall.

How would you describe the downtown scene?

Its been a while but there are some great bars with live music. Lots of places for old punkers to hang out still like Anodyne and Burts Tiki Lounge. I can’t really speak of the club scene as that was never my thing.

What kind of restaurants should I expect to see?

The best New Mexican food you will ever find. Blake’s Lotaburger is the local NM burger joint that you can find everywhere around town and I’ve heard people argue its better than In and Out. However, there is a diverse selection of cuisine to choose from Sushi, Indian, Poke and of course all your national chains. There is a growing brewery scene here as well.

What are your favorite establishments?

Los Cuates for authentic NM food at a great price, Pizza 9, Lotaburger, Poke Poke Chevichria, Gardunos, Bosque Brewery, Nexus Brewery (great chicken and waffles) Marble Brewery, Boba Tea Company, Anoydyne

What makes Albuquerque special or different from other cities?

It’s the people here. People here are real and helpful as long as you are nice back. There’s a huge and diverse Hispanic/Latino population here and we don’t feel like a minority being here.

The natural scenery here is beautiful, the perfect point where the desert meets the mountains. And although Balloon Fiesta is only for a week in October, it is not uncommon to see balloons in the morning throughout the fall.

If a travel blogger is going to visit Albuquerque, where should they go? ( Top attractions in or near Albuquerque)

Botanical Gardens, Old Town, Balloon Fiesta if its going on, and Santa Fe and its attractions are only 45 min north including Meow Wolf. The Rio Grande Bosque (area around the river) Hikers should check out the Sandias and if you want to see the mountain without the work, take a ride on the tramway.

How would you describe the music scene?

A lot of bands tour here. Meow Wolf in Santa Fe is also a venue that hosts a lot of indie bands. There’s a ton of local bands in all kinds of genres. Everyone I knew had a punk band when I was growing up and now they are all doing some kind of bluegrass, acoustic thing.

How do you think Albuquerque will change in the next 5 or 10 years?

If legalization happens here I think we will get a lot of Denver overflow and the place will really progress. However, the rich roots and culture will keep too much change in check.

What are some interesting facts about Albuquerque?

The whole Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul series not only takes place here but is completely filmed here. The city is really a character in both shows.

Can you describe the art scene in Albuquerque?

I’m still kind of learning it, there are galleries in old town and probably some places on Central but that’s all I know so far. Santa Fe is where its at for art.

What kinds of public transportation does Albuquerque have?

Not great ones. This is car country. The Railrunner is a train that goes to Santa Fe and there was planning of a bus that would run up and down Central (the street where all the shopping and nightlife is) but no one wants it because takes up an existing lane and creates traffic.

Can you tell us what 5:00 pm on the local highways is like?

Depends where you are. I-25 is pretty bad, Paseo del Norte is bad Westbound but not Eastbound. I don’t really know much about the rest.

What would you tell someone that is considering buying a home in Albuquerque?

Shop around and figure out what kind of house you want vs what area you want to live in. Nicer houses may mean more “boring” places.

A huge thanks to my Carina with helping me learn a little bit more about Albuquerque, Teryn and I can’t wait to visit that part of America and who knows, maybe we might stay for a while.

If you are thinking about going to New Mexico or even perhaps thinking of moving to Albuquerque, then you should check out some of the best homes for sale in Albuquerque, New Mexico and find your perfect home in Albuquerque or just about anywhere else!