Albuquerque, New Mexico SperlingViews

After two years here, I would have to finally agree. When I first arrived, I was quite upset over some things - when the bed delivery guys arrived, could barely make it up the stairs due to their slovenly bodies, and then actually slamming the frame up against the wall, damaging it. How lazy. I was angry at the laziness in the parking lots - any parking lot - of people not taking their carts to the cart rack, which would be a few feet away. Last evening, I HAD TO REMOVE three carts from behind my car just to get out after shopping.

You don't get a response for a job if you have an education. They prefer their local bunch. I've even heard some employers say, "We want to give everyone a chance." No you don't have to give everyone a chance. If they lack and education, decent working skills, and are not healthy, you don't have to give them a chance. I had agencies snicker at my resume two years ago since I had the education.

Many people here like being poor, I believe, since they don't know anything else, and probably don't want anything else. I've seen people move here and stay, only years later to have not accomplished anything and their children develop problems.

I'm leaving by the end of this year, returning to where I lived for 14 years. No place is perfect, but I had a much better standard of living in an area where a talented, educated workforce is much appreciated.

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Should we cancel our trip? - 4/1/2013

This site sure has been enlightening, is Albuquerque really this bad? Or perhaps it's just a flaw in human nature that people don't like where they currently live. I reviewed a few cities on this website and they were all negative. Jesus people, don't you like anything about any city in the U.S.A. Well, here goes my situation, my husband can retire in about a year and we are thinking of moving to Albuquerque - from Baltimore. I must say, with all the negative reviews, we are now re-considering our vacation there this summer. [read more...]

Albuquerque: Don't walk here, run! - 2/17/2013

This place is PERFECT! [read more...]

my three sons love it - 11/19/2012

Three of my sons (all approximately 30 yrs old) have been living in Albuquerque about 10 years. They prefer it over Colorado where they had been living with me as dependents. They prefer the cultural diversity and the lifestyle. They think there are more opportunities. One has his own business in medical sales, another is an electrician, and one is about to graduate from UNM. They have been encouraging me to move there. I recently left Colorado Springs, Colorado after 20 years to live in Hawaii. I have lived in many places in my lifetime including two other countries. I am considering moving to Albuquerque when I leave Big Island rather than go back to Colorado. All things considered, I think I can get more bang for my buck in NM. Try living in one of the costliest states in the USA, Hawaii, and you will have a better understanding and appreciation for affordable cities like Albuquerque. [read more...]

EUGENE FIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - 9/18/2012

This a wonderful school! I am a parent with a set of twins that attended the PK program two years ago, and are still attending classes at this school to this day with the best teachers that I have seen in a long time. I researched the school, was able to meet with the teachers and principal before my kids were enrolled just to make sure that they were compatible. Even my younger child is attending classes now, and loving every minute of it. All the teacher are warm, helpful, and care for each child's development as if they were their own. The principal is open with each parent (unlike some other schools) willing to listen and discuss the best options for your child. I recommend this school to all parents, whether your child is advanced or in need of a little extra help this is the best school in Albuquerque! I wish I had known about this school years ago so my oldest child could have attended here. [read more...]

re: ABQ is Ghetto - 7/1/2012 - 8/17/2012

This poster made a good and short point. Since I've been looking at the post here they've been accurate (even some of the positive ones to a point). People love body art, smoking and getting drunk here (not all but alot). See, it done in excessively here. There are many people that like to do this things but in moderation. The negative post are not of the mark and you can see there are many. Check out Hiedi's informative and accurate post. [read more...]

"I <3 Albuquerque" - 8/17/2012

I am originally from the northwestern corner of NM. I moved to California for 10 years and then decided to relocate to ABQ 2.5 years ago and could not be happier. I hear a lot of anger in most of these posts about a place that I find charming, beautiful and yes....enchanting. I have lived in Germany, San Diego, and Sacramento and did not find what I was looking for until I came back to NM. Yes, the pace of life here is somewhat slower, but I am at a point in my life where I enjoy that. I am healthier here than I was anywhere else as the outdoor activities, high climate, and grower’s markets offer me everything I need to live a healthy lifestyle. There are some poverty-stricken, crime laden neighborhoods here, but I learn from these people who have less than I do and chose a profession that was more about bettering our world and helping these people than being worried where my next $100K was coming from. This place is not for everyone, but when I look up at the sunset every night, take my dog for a walk in the mountains in the mornings, and have a hop-skip-and-a-jump to world-class skiing mountains- I am one elated human being. It’s hard to be around a bunch of old-school, uneducated thinkers, but again, I approach this as a challenge and relish in what I am able to teach people. I hear people complain about this place all of the time. To which I say, "THEN MOVE!!!!!" I am so sick of people complaining about living here- those are the people that we need out of our city so we can have positive innovators here that are going to make the changes that need to happen instead of perpetually contributing to the poor attitude and problems of our city. One of the greatest attributes of ABQ are the people. They are friendly, open and relaxed. After a decade in CA I was ready for someone to hold a door open for me, say hello when they pass me on the street and just plain play NICE. That is NM for you. It has a little old-western feel to it….some ruggedness and behind-the-times mentalities, but again, I use this as an opportunity to drop some knowledge on those that, quite frankly, have not had the opportunity to get a top notch education like I have. My biggest hope for ABQ in the next 10 years is that our schools improve, our police force improves, our drivers improve, and most importantly…..that we have a little more respect for this gorgeous land and become a “greener” city. I advise those thinking about moving here to listen to all perspectives, come and visit, enjoy the food, experience the culture and don’t just take these nay-sayers at face value because they probably belong in some white suburb of San Diego, which I found dreadful. [read more...]

WOW what a toilet - 8/6/2012

WOW what a toilet. I sawed off my toe with a dirty pocket comb, just to get transferred from there. Yea ABQ, NM is quite the shithole [read more...]

ABQ is Ghetto - 7/1/2012

Albuquerque is hands down the most ghetto place I've ever lived. It is: (1) The neck tattoo capital of America; (2) the "smoke shop" capital of America; and (3) the DWI capital of America.[read more...]

ten cuidado -- it ain't paradise - 6/1/2012

Albuquerque might be right for you if you are self-sufficient: have a perfect partner, are self-employed or have an on-line job, are backed up by a decent trust fund, find the internet intellectually stimulating enough and like to get outdoors. All in all the weather is quite pleasant, four mild seasons each of about 3 months length. The dryness helps with aches and pains, and it is easy to spend a lot of time outdoors. A big draw for Albuquerque is the remarkably inexpensive real estate (based on national standards.) You get more for your money and the swings in value are tame compared with almost any where else in the US. But all this 'easy living' comes at a high cost. I wouldn't want to find a job or a mate in this location. Educating a child would be expensive or perilous or both. The Abq. Public Schools are rock bottom bad in a state that between 45th and 47th every year over and over. This long history of poor education year after year means an uninformed, untrained and, frankly, under-socialized population to live with and among day-to-day. One result is that many, many front-line employees have no idea what they are doing. They: We couldn't send it because we don't know your fax number. I: Mail it! T: By mail? I: Yes, it would have been here two weeks ago. T: Ok, well, give me your fax number and I will send it now. I: I don't have a fax number. I am a patient, not an office. T: well, we can't fax it to you without a number. I: Mail it! T: Now? I: Yes. T: You could pick it up. This goes on all day every day. Of course, these folks are the ones with jobs. Many others deal drugs, drink heavily, drag down more motivated relatives or clog overworked social services. Albuquerque has no history of wealth and social commitment to provide the city with cultural institutions. The symphony has recently gone out of business; the Abq Museum is poky and largely irrelevant. Any "art scene" or "theatre scene" generally consists of amateurs, some better than others, some dreadful. Thank the merciful heavens I no longer need find a job here. A good education is a decided disadvantage; an excellent education is an extra disadvantage. No matter how badly prepared, locals have an edge. An outsider will consistently find her/himself being interviewed by someone with a notably lower level of competence. There are few exceptions to this, possibly nationally significant institutions like Sandia Laboratories. The University of New Mexico often has outstanding choices among candidates largely because academia is so over-supplied. Yet, time and again, the University makes wrong choices; the turn-over and in-fighting is significant. This is a driving city with little in the way of alternatives for transportation. Yet, by national standards, the driving is easy. Because it is, drivers are lulled into distractions and text and chat constantly. It is strangely exhilarating to go to Southern California and experience clogged highways where people drive faster and ferociously, but on the whole, more competently. If you've lived on the East Coast or the West Coast you will invariably miss the quick-wit and can-do spirit, the often world-class everything, restaurants, shopping, museums, style, music, and ideas. Albuquerque offers mediocrity, a kind of blandness with just enough distinctive Southwest veneer to either deceive you or keep it a little interesting. Albuquerque is a good alternative if you are being forced to choose among it and Little Rock or Tucson, Birmingham, Wichita, McAllen, Salt Lake City or Duluth, Indianapolis, Dayton, or Richmond. My friends from Pittsburgh love being here! [read more...]

Any advice..... - 5/27/2012

I have a 6 year plan as of now (hope its a 5), I worked at an early age and will be able to retire earl(ish) and want to move once daughter is in college. I am from NY and grew up in Queens,Brooklyn, and been almost every where here at one time or another, lived or temp. for work reasons. NOW- I get peoples opinions on "lousy" and "great" for the same place....all states are huge and neighborhoods are just a small piece to a big picture. My sister lived in Alamogordo NM, she and her hubby miss it, but complained also....same for everywhere I lived, theres good and bad points. Crime= gangs, dont phase me, I worked in areas we had to take "escorts", (a second pair of eyes), guns, drugs, 4 families in a basement apartment....dont agree with it, dont like it, but I am saying is nothing phases me......SO my question to all out there is, I am wanting to relocate to a different place to relax, enjoy life, with culture, beauty, cheaper to live, 45 minutes aprox from bigger city (cities)even less, arts, diverse, i like warmer weather, like cool too....I am white, date outside my race and inside as well (i am not prejudice), and want to be around decent people (no-one is perfect) so decent is good. NM i have been too, I like mountains, but not too much snow, even to see them in a close distance is OK. I have been looking at Raleigh NC, but hear its too southern mentality as far as mixed dating (but not sure), Santa Fe NM, Albuquerque NM, Austin TX, Virginia beach, San Diego Ca (Ca is expensive tho). I like exercise, being active, arts, fairs, good conversations, and most importantly...down to earth people....what would you recommend?, As I said....I have 5-6 years (or less), and want to plan now so IO may visit some suggested places. Thank you so much, you may email me as well, its in my profile. Thank you again!!![read more...]

Land of Entrapment? Maybe... - 2/18/2012

Albuquerque is aka as "the land of enchantment, land of entrapment, the 505, burque and ABQ. all of which I hate and refuse to use but thought some people might be interested to know. I feel compelled to write this review because I have been using this site for a few years and haven't posted yet. After reading the posts about Abq, both good and bad, I'd like to offer my two cents. I am a transplant to Albuquerque. I moved here when I was 14 from a greener and more pleasant land, England. It was total culture shock for me and I have yet to get over it. I graduated high school and went to college here, in fact I have just returned to college here as an adult to continue my education. I am now 40 years old and have three children. I have always known that I wanted to leave Abq from the moment I got here but I made choices as a young adult that prevented me from doing so. That said, I will offer my opinion as logically as possible based on the criteria that most people use to judge what makes a good vs. bad place to live. 1. Culture- We have little diversity outside of what is Hispanic, Native American or European descent. African Americans, Chinese, Eastern European or anything else is a rarity but you do still see some on occasion. Our restaurants are mainly American, Mexican, New Mexican or Fast Food. We have about 75% of the major fast food and casual dining chains found in the US. It is amusing that when we get a new chain, such as PF Changs or Pei Wei, people flock to it for months to get a feel for what a "real" city has to offer. We have an aquarium that takes all of 10 minutes to walk through. A zoo which is quite large and has some nice features but some disturbing issues as well. Twice I have come across bothersome situations at our zoo and reported it to security. I walked around the corner in an isolated area to find a girl standing topless agains an animal exhibit while some guy takes pics of her. Granted I go to the zoo in the middle of the week and in the off season when it is less crowded but come on! My kids saw the first incident but thankfully they were probably too young to remember. Fortunately they didn't see the second. We have a few museums and a bit of art but nothing compared to bigger cities. We don't get many good exhibits, shows or concerts but it is getting better over the years. 2. Climate-Our climate is ideal for some. Lots of sunny days. Many people, especially older people or those with asthma, arthritis or health concerns love the climate here. It is very arid and usually lends itself to being outdoors. We get a few snow storms that come through and leave a small amount of snow. It is usually gone by the afternoon or next day because the intensity of the sun is so great. The summers are too hot for me but some feel they're great. The sun is very intense and we have a high rate of skin cancer so expect to wear sunscreen. Most homes have swamp coolers not air conditioners so when the humidity is high in the monsoon season (July/August) the combination of increased humidity and heat (90+ degrees) is unbearable to me. Generally, I do not like the extremes we have here. Very hot in the summer with temperatures frequently above 90, very cold in the winter with temperatures freezing or below at night and in the 40's in the day. But as I mentioned, many people find it quite tolerable and there are always people outside enjoying out door activities. 3. Education-Extremely low educational standards. Consistently ranking in the bottom 10th of the US. APS (Alb. Public Schools) is poorly run, makes a great effort to cover the low rankings by continually LOWERING the standards so that it appears more students are passing. There is a strong blue collar work force here and an "old school" mentality that almost shuns higher education. Last I checked, the required GPA for entrance to the University of New Mexico was a 2.0. Really? I am in the medical field, my husband is a scientist. Almost everyone we know with school age children send their kids to one of the 3 main private schools we have here. I encourage anyone thinking of moving here to do your own research and compare our education system to that of the rest of the US and beware. It is in bad condition here. English is spoken here as if it is a second language. Probably because for a lot of families it is. The problem is that the slang reflects that. Here's an example of a few sayings. "get down from the truck, turn your cigarette off, out of battery" 4. Cost of Living- No doubt about it, it is much lower here than most places in the US especially other cities this size. No tolls, parking is plentiful and cheap on the odd occasion that you have to pay for it. Houses are inexpensive, property taxes are fairly low, food and gas is very inexpensive. Even day care and preschool is very affordable comparatively. This is one of the pluses to living here. But dare I say, you get what you pay for? 5. Work Force/Jobs-There is an odd income distribution here. As mentioned earlier, we have a lot of blue collar jobs. What we also have a bit of, that throws the income distribution off, is Sandia National Labs which I believe employs about 2000 people. Most of those are high earners in the 100K+/year range. There is some technology based around the labs and defense contracts from Kirtland AFB. Intel (in Rio Rancho) employees quite a few people but those stats would likely fall under Rio Rancho which is the next town NW of Abq. There have been lots of businesses closing and laying people off. Jobs are becoming more difficult to find even for professionals. To be fair, I think it is mostly a reflection of the current economic state of the entire country. 6. Recreation-Moutains, high desert, remarkable views, amazing sunsets, interesting geographic oddities (carlsbad caverns, ice caves, tent rocks) You can ski, hike, rock climb, cycle, camp, snowshoe just about all year. I don't because I don't like the extremes in temperatures but lots of people can handle it better than I can. I do ski, camp and cycle when the temps are suitable for me. I have learned over the years, with much patience and education, to grow an amazing garden but it is quite an art here. I am one of the few people who can successfully grow potatoes but I use raised beds and make my own compost. Tomatoes, squash and corn do well here with little effort. The soil is either sand, clay or granite and requires lots of amending to support growth but with determination and patience it can be done. There are certain tree, shrub and plant varieties that do well here and it is worth knowing what those are to avoid frustration. Visiting one of the local garden centers will help you determine what you can and can't do. But beware, do not move here from a green and moist environment thinking you can get things to grow that you grew some where else. You will be disappointed. 7. Crime-As I mentioned, I work in the medical field. I see a disturbing amount of polysubstance abuse. Granted I generally see people at their worst, not their best. Espanola and norther New Mexico (Santa Fe and surrounding communities) have incredibly high rates of heroin use. Our police officers carry an heroin antidote drug called Narcan so that if they find someone down and unresponsive they can assume it is a heroin OD and administer Narcan! Wow! Meth is another big problem here. I see people using meth that you would never in a million years peg for a meth uses. Intel employees, lawyers, real estate agents and school teachers. Think Breaking Bad... and don't forget all the ugly behaviors that go along with crime. Violence, oh by the way, we have one of the highest rates of murder per capita in the US. Yes, Albuquerque, really. Theft, child abuse rates are so bad, as is domestic violence. We just had a case where a ONE MONTH old infant was RAPED and subsequently died from internal bleeding because mom's boyfriend (she managed to get a new BF a month after giving birth... priorities I guess!) who was not the father of the baby... was coming down off of meth and was irritated that the baby was crying. So I guess this guy thought the answer was to rape the infant. Okay, I hope they take care of him in jail. Mom was at Walmart while this was happening. Need I say more? well, I will... Gangs, gangs and more gangs. They are disgusting and scary. Poor socioeconomic factors seem to make the gang life more appealing to youths. Those that aren't a part of them are still influence by them and it creeps into the schools and general pop culture. Lots of people walking around with their surname tattoo on their neck (incase they forget, or maybe so if they're found dead they can be identified? I dunno) Boyfriends name on the breasts, kids names categorized by which father they came from. It's tacky and gross. I've worked in Labor and Delivery and Mother-Baby as a nurse. The families and situations that kids in Abq are born into are distressing. We would all be so happy when a normal, semi-functioning nuclear family came in to have a baby. It was like a breath of fresh air. I have also worked in ICU where of course we had trauma and a bunch of death. Depressing and scary and a lot of it was gang related OR someone caught in the cross fire. My sister was a burn and wound care nurse. She left because she couldn't handle all the kids she had to treat. Kids under the age of 10 who are burned, dipped in vats of hot oil, dads who stick garden hoses up their children's bottoms because they're angry they soiled their pants. Cigarette burns, one infant was stuck in a sink full of hot water and suffered 3rd degree burns. Many of these crimes take time to act on. You have to FILL THE SINK full of water. That takes thought and time to prepare. People here are just disturbing but the fact is, it is what they grew up seeing and it is a vicious cycle that continues with each generation. I know these are horrible, graphic details but this is the reality of what happens here. I've seen it for the past 15 or more years working in the medical field and it isn't getting better, it is getting worse. So in closing, we are now trying to relocate. We have given this place every chance we can. It is time to leave. Enough is enough. I do not want my kids to be any more influenced than they already have been. They are even starting to speak as if english is their second language. I can't have that. We are so influenced by the New Mexican culture that we are loosing our own identity and it makes me sad. That isn't fair to us or them. They deserve a better place with more opportunity and higher standards. Another writer posted something about how because the education system is tough here it will prepare them for real life. That is not true at all. All it does is handicap them for anything outside of theses 4 walls. How can you possibly be competitive elsewhere when standards are higher everywhere else. So bottom line, if you are moving here to retire, this may be the place for you. If you are moving with kids or as a single person hopping to start a family, look else where. Since we announced to friends and family that we are thinking of moving, not a single person has said we should stay. Everyone has said that it is probably the best thing we can do for our family. That in itself speaks volumes. [read more...]

Pros & Cons - 10/6/2011

I was born and raised in Albuquerque but have lived in Chicago for over 15 years. I still visit often and have strong family ties there, but I'm pretty objective about it's pros and cons as a non-resident for so long. Pros: - One of the best climates you could ever ask for with four seasons. The sun shines in that enormous blue sky every day, the air is clean, the winter is very mild, and the heat rarely gets oppressively hot in the summer. - Extraordinary outdoor activities. If you love hiking, mountain biking, rafting, skiing, etc, the options are fantastic and easy to get to. - The city is very livable. Lots of real estate options at all price points, and the cost of living is low. The lifestyle is completely laid back. - Deep history and culture. Native American and Latin culture abound. Artists flock there and up north into Santa Fe and Taos. - Despite the rapid growth over the past several years, there's still about three degrees of separation among residents. - Diversity. There are three cultures, Latino, Native American, and European, in that order. - Great food, restaurants, and a solid nightlife. - Good options for schools. Some public schools are much better than others, but that's the norm most places in the US. Several good options for private schools. Cons: - It's a Rocky Mountain desert climate. If you want foliage, you'll hate it here. -Be ready to drive, drive, drive. You can't live here without at least one car. Public transportation is bad, taxis are non-existant. - You're isolated from the rest of the country, and this plays out in a lot of ways. The mentality is a little out of touch. Great if you want to retreat into your own peaceful or eccentric existence, not great if you want a life of excitement. - Weird crime. It's still the wild west. Is it a shock that DWI is a problem in a city with no public transportation and speed limits of 75+ mph? Did I mention you only need to be 14 to get a drivers permit? - Race relations can get contentious around social issues. - This is highly subjective, but there's a military vibe I found a little spooky after a while. A huge portion of the state's income is based on military contracts. - Not many college/university options at all. Huge UNM and NM State, community colleges, a few up in Santa Fe. This isn't a highly educated part of the US. On the bright side, if you already are, you can probably be someone's boss here. [read more...]

ABQ - after 18 months, we are ready to get out. - 9/1/2011

We moved to ABQ from Richardson, TX (DFW) about 18 months ago as part of a promotion. I must say, that we are ready to move out. We have two young children, and this has been a terrible place for us to raise them. We have resorted to homeschooling and really see no opportunity for a quality higher education here. Bad examples for them everywhere we go, except uptown which is nice. Teens drinking beer in the beds of pickups; tatooed youth who stare at you while you fill up your car at a convenience stores; trash everywhere. My wife will not go out alone at night. Amazingly rude drivers. We live in the East Mountains, and the water quality is terrible. Forget having a garden or horses. You have to use special gardening technqies to get anything to survive. Hay prices are astronomical. Houses are not selling in the East, so we're not even sure that we can move out when we need to. Only good thing is that Colorado and the mountains are nearby. Not sure this makes up for the depressed state of this area. Just not worth the move.[read more...]

I'm floored--so many Abq dissenters in one place - 8/26/2011

What a fascinating collection of malcontents all in one place--that there is such hatred for an eminently liveable and friendly city is truly extraordinary. I'm sure the sample size here is small and it is purely accidental that so many were so unhappy with what is an incredibly friendly and diverse city. There's clearly some ethno prejudice going on here--you folks clearly need to be in some midwest white-bread, conservative city or town to be happy. The Albuquerque I know is friendly, laid back, and pretty industrious all at the same time. Employers like Intel and Sandia Base among many other excellent employers wouldn't be there if Albuquerque was the place you describe. Albuquerque is a medium-sized city of over a half million--that many people can't be choosing to live there if they are unhappy with the place as most of you seem to be. I would hope any fair-minded reader here would seek out other sources before deciding whether to live or visit the charming "Duke City." But for you malcontents, I feel sorry for you--you're blind to a terrific place to live and work.[read more...]

Weather - 7/22/2011

For the most part Albuquerque is a great place to live. The weather is fairly mild for the most part. Nice winters with some snow and great fall. Summers are a little hot but not unbearable. The wind in the spring is my least favorite. I have live here most of my life and would like to experience something different.[read more...]

A very trashy town - 6/3/2011

Lots of alcoholics and it is a very trashy town.[read more...]

25%+ of ABQ population is an alcoholic/druggie - 6/3/2011

Don't move here. You are moving to one of the least educated states in the USA with one of the biggest drug problems. The UNM center for substance abuse prevention has statistics that more than 40% of the whole population smokes pot daily, 25% are alcoholic and 11% are addicted to meth/crack cocaine. [read more...]

Recreation - 4/24/2011

A person living must enjoy the outdoors. Visitors from large cities (not as rural as NM), comment that there is nothing to do. New Mexico offers more outdoor activities than theater/dining etc. [read more...]

Life in the 505 - 4/21/2011

505 is our area code. Albuquerque has a great climate. A week in winter is really cold; a week in summer is very hot, but it's nice the rest of the time. I wish we had more precipitation, but with climate change, we'll likely have less. We have blue skies and puffy clouds and gorgeous sunsets. In forty minutes you can be up in the mountains or out in the desert. The city is the largest in New Mexico and is a gateway to Taos, Santa Fe, Alamagordo, and Carlsbad. Sadly, the city's economy is not too strong unless you're in healthcare or associated with our high tech industry. We have Intel, Sandia Natnl Labs, Lockheed-Martin, and others, but we also have a lot of angry, uneducated, hard-strapped people. We're getting a handle on property crime though, and as a city of about 1M people, things are pretty OK.[read more...]

Not That Bad - 4/13/2011

I have lived in Albuquerque most of my life. I don't think its that bad. It's a slower pace than other cities which I like. I'm originally from California which is so fast paced, that when you return here you feel the big difference. I think Albuquerque has good restaurants and plenty to do, but its the Casinos that attract alot of people. Recently, Hard Rock Casino opened here and they are always packed. There are maybe 19 casinos in the state. In Albuquerque and surrounding areas there are about 4. And when you get tired of smoky casinos, you can go outside and breathe the clean desert air. The climate here is excellent. You don't have the high humidity like California and Florida. The only thing I don't like here is the brown and tan scenery. I only wish it was more green looking here. But what can you expect, its desert. If you want green, you have to live in humidity. Beautiful sunsets here also. If your into photography, this is an excellent place to shoot pictures. I don't have much complaints about Albuquerque. [read more...]