And a quick trip to Santa Fe before heading home...

After the conference concluded on Friday (26th Oct) afternoon, Lani, Thelma, Gabo and I headed for Santa Fé, the capital city of New Mexico and the fourth largest city in the state of New Mexico (after Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho). It is located about an hour's drive north of Albuquerque and is 7,000 feet (2134 m) above sea level, making it the highest state capital in the United States. The drive was spectacular through rolling hills, dry landscapes, and a dozen or so pueblo villages.

An important style implemented in planning the city is the radiating grid of streets centring from the central plaza. The city also created the idea of requiring a unified building style – the Spanish Pueblo Revival look. The sources for this style came from the many defining features of local architecture: vigas and canales from many old adobe homes, churches built many years before and found in the Pueblos, and the earth-toned, adobe-coloured look of the exteriors. By an ordinance passed in 1958, new and rebuilt buildings, especially those in designated historic districts, must exhibit a Spanish Territorial or Pueblo style of architecture, with flat roofs and other features suggestive of the area's traditional adobe construction to reflect the historic style.

Hotel in downtown Santa Fe using the traditional architectural style

The town and the surrounding areas have a high concentration of artists. One of the most well-known New Mexico-based artists was Georgia O'Keeffe, who lived for a time in Santa Fe but primarily in Abiquiu, a small village about 80 km away. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe is devoted to exhibitions of her work and associated artists or related themes. It was a Georgia O'Keeffe exhibition that I attended in Vancouver.

We also visited the State Capitol building (the Roundhouse),which is the seat of government of New Mexico. It is unique as the only round state capitol in the United States. It also houses a wide range of paintings and other works of art.

We also visited the oldest church in the US and the oldest house. The original adobe walls and altar of the church, San Miguel Chapel were built by Tlaxcala Indians, from Mexico, under the direction of Franciscan Padres, c1610. I notice wikipedia challenges the "oldest church in the US" label.

Thelma, Gabo and me in front of San Miguel Chapel

The house is the last remnant of the Pueblo of Analco, which at one time occupied much of the area on the south side of the Santa Fe River. Built of “puddled adobe,” this building is believed to be pre-Spanish.

We then headed to Coyote Cafe Rooftop Cantina for dinner before driving back to Albuquerque. The next morning (27th) was my journey home - Albuquerque - Phoenix - San Francisco - Auckland - Brisbane, arriving there at 10am on 29 October!

Albuquerque continued...

After Day 1 of the conference, we picked up our other "roomie" at the airport, Gabo (pronounced Ha-boo) from Botswana and made our way to Lani's house.

Gabo, Lani and Thelma

During the conference, I managed to meet up with many of the authors whose work I read, quote and recommend to my students.

Jack Mezirow and his wife, Edee meet Phil...

...and the rest of the gang!

I was also fortunate to catch up with Sharan Merriam, Professor in the Department of Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy at the University of Georgia, and reconnected with Dr Patricia Cranton (profilic adult education writer and examiner of my doctoral thesis) and Dr John Dirkx.

Shirley meets Professor Sharan Merriam

And finally...Albuquerque, New Mexico...

My final activity for this ADL journey has been to attend the 7th International Transformative Learning conference held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The conference, titled "Transformative Learning: Difference and Diversity" was again a wonderful experience as I was able to link up with numerous experts in "my" chosen field of transformative learning and its application to a diverse range of contexts. I also caught up with folks I had met at the 2003 conference in New York at Teachers' College, University of Columbia.

Day 1 was a challenge - the great airport pickup - but where do we store the luggage?!! Thanks, Kerrin for the ride - and for being the mum of 4 gorgeous dogs - 3 of which are longhaired, miniature daschunds (just like George and Amber!!).

Kerrin delivered Thelma (from Uganda) and I to the University of New Mexico (UNM) where we met up with our hostess, Prof. Lani (Charlotte) Gunawardena. Lani visited us at USQ 10 years ago (1997), just as we entered the online arena. We have maintained intermittent contact since then so it was fantastic to see her face-to-face again. Lani is a Professor in Education Leadership and Organisational Learning in the UNM College of Education's Technology and Education Center.

Another of Lani's students, Daniel showed us around the UNM campus - what a wonderful campus and such facilities - theatres, a huge student union area, impressive architecture, sculpture, statues....

UNM campus and theatre complex

Last day in Vancouver...

Has been a few days since my last entry but due to flight delays, I am sitting in Phoenix airport checking emails and updating the blog! Marsha and I did a bit of a tour round Victoria before heading to the ferry for a 3pm crossing. Here are some images from the last day....

Here is a house typical of the Vancouver Island style and the other image was taken while our drive around Victoria on Vancouver Island. Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia (BC).

The weekend in Victoria BC

A few images from our weekend activities in Victoria - a visit to the off leash dog park, and the great turkey stuffing - a belated Thanksgiving, just for me!

Jazz and Halla

Marsha stuffing that darn turkey - what a job!

...and Janis and Marsha moving the cooked turkey from the oven to the table - what a beauty!

The cooked turkey - it was truly delicious and accompanied by yams, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, cranberry sauce, gravy, followed by pumpkin pie!

Great company - Janis, Marsha, Donna and Claire - a girls' thanksgiving!

And a contented YoYo cat.....

And over to Victoria on Vancouver Island

Because of the rain, we decided to come over to Marsha's house in Victoria on Vancouver Island a day earlier. After visiting the Museum of Anthopology (have included several photos) at the University of British Columbia (UBC), we caught the afternoon ferry across.

The trip is just over an hour and we were, in fact, the very last car on because we were held up in huge volumes of traffic on the way to the ferry.

TIME DIFFERENCE - VANCOUVER

We are now 17 hours behind Toowoomba!