An exceptional airfare sale takes travelers to Albuquerque, N.M., at a one-way rate of just $79. Factor in fees and taxes for a total ticket rate of $98.90 for a steal of a deal (rates are regularly $500 round-trip!).
Continental Airlines offers this special rate seven days a week, based on sale seat availability, and on trips finished on or before March 11, 2012.
To qualify, give at least a 21-day advance purchase notice. Don't worry about blackout dates -- there are none.
Make haste to buy tickets at this low rate. This sale does not have a ticket-by date -- meaning it is bound to vanish at any time.
Travel from Albuquerque to Santa Fe for an unsurpassed vacation experience. Santa Fe is consistently rated one of the world's top travel destinations for its confluence of scenic beauty, long history (founded in 1607), cultural diversity, and extraordinary concentration of arts, music and fine dining. The drive to Santa Fe from Albuquerque is 60 miles via interstate roads. An alternate route from Albuquerque to Santa Fe is Highway 14, The Turquoise Trail. The road is named for the old turquoise mines that dot the countryside. The route passes through artist communities, rustic cow towns and ghost towns.
Santa Fe hosts many special annual events. One of the most popular is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the world's premier balloon event, held Oct. 1-9, 2011; www.balloonfiesta.com.
Another very special time to visit Santa Fe will be held Dec. 11, 2011 with the performance of a traditional Spanish play on the plight of Mary and Joseph as they searched for lodgings in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. The characters set off from the Palace of the Governors, Las Posadas, and are joined by crowds from the community and walk in a procession around the Plaza before returning to the Palace, where refreshments are served.
For all local events in Santa Fe, visit www.santafe.org/calendar.
And there's one don't-miss event coming up this summer. It's the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market -- when more than 150 of the world's finest traditional artists travel from the farthest corners of the globe to participate. Some will arrive as widely celebrated cultural artists, while others will be leaving their villages and boarding planes for the very first time. Many will be coming from developing countries where the average income is less than $3 a day, and where overwhelming political, social and environmental challenges can make everyday life — not to mention the creation of art — a struggle. All artists will be taking part in an extraordinary event that not only showcases their work but helps change their lives and their communities.
The largest event of its kind in the world, the Market offers an unparalleled chance to collect treasures from around the globe and meet the artists who created them. Last year, more than 22,000 people attended, along with 132 artists from 50 countries. Mingling with the visitors and local market goers were dignitaries from Cuba, Oman and South Africa; representatives from Donna Karan, Martha Stewart and Yves Saint Laurent, as well as representatives of the Clinton Foundation and UNESCO, both of which have partnered with the Market.
Shopping at the Market is shopping that clearly makes a difference -- it helps many artists raise themselves and their communities out of poverty, and it helps preserve critical cultural traditions. Last year's Market generated more than $2 million in sales, 90 percent of which went home with the artists. This means that, in a remote village in Pakistan, the Lila Handicraft women's collective was able to use the money made by selling its patterned ralli quilts to build a new school. An embroidery group in Afghanistan, Kandahar Treasures, was able to rescue women begging on the streets and teach them traditional needlework to support themselves. In Rwanda, Janet Nkubana was able to continue the work of her cooperative, which features Hutus and Tutsis coming together to weave "peace baskets." She also earned enough to buy mosquito nets to curb the spread of malaria and build new vegetable gardens for the local community.
The 2011 Market will feature more than 70 new participants including artists from Cambodia and Algeria. Many popular artists will be returning, including papier-mâché artists from Haiti, exquisite embroidery artists from India, jewelers from Niger, felters from Kyrgyzstan, and rug weavers from Uzbekistan. Along with booths filled with wonderful art, visitors can enjoy exotic food and live entertainment ranging from Latin rock to whirling dervishes from Turkey to the music and dance of Senegal. It's a readily affordable weekend of global experiences and connections.
Another fascinating aspect of the Market is the unlikely coupling of cultures: Israelis and Pakistanis; Kyrgyzstani and Uzbeks; Tibetans and Chinese. All of these artists find common ground in their work and their dreams for the future. They share meals and together take workshops on how best to develop their businesses for the global marketplace.
During the market, Santa Fe hotels will be offering special Market Week rates, and several restaurants will be creating menus featuring the cuisines of Market-artist countries.
For ticket prices and details, visit www.folkartmarket.org. For more on making the most of your Santa Fe visit, see www.santafe.org.
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