Albuquerque (pics) is New Mexico’s largest city with over 500,000 residents.  It sits in the shadows of the Sandia Mountains.  It serves as a hub for the state sitting at roughly the geographical center of the state and at the intersection of Interstate 40 and Interstate 25.

We only had one day here.  So for some exercise we headed to the 16-mile long Paseo del Bosque.  It is a recreational trail that runs alongside the Rio Grande River.  It’s a nice paved path suitable for both walking and biking.  There is also a pedestrian bridge that crosses the river alongside Interstate 40.

Later we took a walk through Old Town Albuquerque, the cultural heart of the city.  It is built around a shady central plaza and the San Filipe de Neri Church, built in 1793.  There are nice art galleries, shops and restaurants along the many side streets and courtyards.  We decided to have a light meal at the Backstreet Grill.  It’s a small place in Old Town serving their own take on New Mexico cuisine.  We had their New Mexico Gumbo which was quite tasty and came with fresh blue corn chips and salsa.