This place is different. Make no bones about it! I appeared to step back a decade or 2 when signing in at my new hostel. The Route 66 Hostel is a rarity on many levels. Hostels in Albuquerque are few and far between. I believe there may be one more floating around somewhere but that aside it was this or a motel. So here I was being told about their rather antiquated chore system. Yep, you heard that correctly. Now I was aware that's how hostels may once have worked but in this day and age its far from common. SO each morning before you leave its case of taking a card (each with a simple chore on it) and carrying out said task. I've yet to find another hostel in the world that still does this, I guess it makes this place a little unique.
Travelling Route 66 is undoubtedly one of those romantic notions of travelling the US. I might not have had the chance to do that but I was staying on a stretch of the Original Route 66 and would have to walk down the famous road to get anywhere in this Town. Strange as it may sound, that made me glow a little inside. To be staying on such an historic road and to wonder about all the dreams that may have been realised as the Kerouac generation sped down here in search of their own freedom.
Now, I'd already met some weird and wonderful people on my travels but Albuquerque would host possibly the strangest of the lot. Staying at the hostel were a seemingly endless stream of religious cult followers. very few travellers were inhabiting the hostel, instead it was overrun by a group of people who had come to see their "Spiritual Leader", Amma. It seems these folk had come from far and wide to get a hug from this woman. I later found out that Amma is in fact India's primary Spiritual Figure and a woman who has hugged more than 21 million people over the last 3 decades! They were as inoffensive a group of people as you could wish to meet. A little peculiar for sure but they came across as a pretty harmless bunch.
The result of infestation of Amma lovers was a real lack of travellers. I'd found a couple kicking about in my dorm room although our plans to find the local bars had put paid to one of them joining us. With US drinking laws stopping you drinking legally until you're 21, our 20 year old room mate wasn't able to come. We tried to convince him otherwise but he had decided to do other things instead. I wasn't going to argue a 2nd time.
Albuquerque's bar scene is centered around the 4th and Central area, about a 10 minute walk from the hostel and gave me the chance to try another local beer. Fat Tire is the beer of choice around these parts and whenever I asked for something local I was always "Have you tried Fat Tire"? Well, I'm delighted to say I have and what an awesome brew it is too! The further into America I get the more I realise just how good their beer really is. Its just a case of staying away from the Bud, the MGD and without doubt the ugly side of Yank beers, the Pabst Blue Ribbon! The bad side of American beers can, unfortunately get even worse than that, for the sake of everyone, pray you don't end up going down that avenue!
Albuquerque's night life may not be world renowned, heck it might not even be the best in the State but its got a bit going for it. The happy hour bars, the good beer and seemingly plentiful supplies of live music make it a good fun place to while away the hours. That said, watching thrash metal bands does not a happy Dave make. Still the beer was good. The people here seem to enjoy their nights out and like a good chat too. Sat in a few bars someone would start up a conversation 90% of the time. I like them odds!
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