The Unexpected

Last month I traveled to Austin, Texas for a work training conference with the U.S. EPA. I had never traveled to Texas before and had many preconceived notions about the Lone Star State. What I experienced while I was there surprised me, a lot and in all honesty I may have fallen in love with the place.

Austin Skyline from Auditorium Shores Park

View of Lake Austin at the Hula Hut

Barton Springs

If you know me, I know you're thinking "You fall in love with every place you go", but this runs deep into many aspects of live in the city. The climate is warm and the attitude is very relaxed and beachy (even being 3+ hours from the coast). People are friendly and there is tons to do between the lakes and rivers in the area, the natural springs, the music scene and nightlife, the food trucks, and activities around the Texas state capital. Who knows, may one day I'll get to experience life there. =)

The Last Frontier

Alaska is a very special place. I'm sure hundreds one people have written about its vastness,   innate beauty and serene wildlife... and they're all right. While there, I covered a lot of ground but barely even saw half of all there is to offer.

I flew into Anchorage to meet my aunt, we did some grocery shopping and then drove up to Denali National Park where we hiked, took a tour of the park, and spent endless time viewing wildlife. I can't even express how vast and awesome the park is, not to mention the vast differences in landscape in the 6 million acres. It is truly awe inspiring.

View from Teklanika River Rest Area in Denali

Caribou Grazing in Denali National Park

After a few days in Denali, we headed south to the small port town of Seward on the Kenai Peninsula. The landscape here was also awe inspiring, but full of water, mountain views and glaciers. We filled our time with tons of kayaking, hiking, a glacier tour, and some more wildlife watching. We saw orca whales, sea otters, humpback whales, puffins, walrus, and sea lions.

Otters Swimming in Resurrection Bay 

View in Resurrection Bay

Humpback Whale in Aialik Bay 

The Aialik Glacier

I have to say that out of all our activities, seeing the glaciers was the most impressive thing for me. To see such a pristine landscape and the massive geology that contributed to making it all was just awesome... and I have to admit, I was really sad to see how these glaciers have receded and melted. I definitely hope it's in the cards for me to return and hike a portion og the Harding Icefield some day.

One month +

I never have "good" excuses on why I haven't blogged. Nevertheless, I have still been on many adventures and in my true nature, wanted to post a map of everywhere I've been this past month.

I do love a good map. More entries to follow.

Busy Thoughts

To start, let me state the obvious and say that it has been over a month since I have blogged. The tail end of my summer has been full of trips, a heavy workload, local weekend festivities, and the overall dealings of day-to-day life. I've been to Michigan to visit a friend, Florida (Fort Myers to be exact) to hijack my parents' vacation, and put in countless hours of report writing/ compiling for projects at work.

Kalamazoo, MI

Picnic with the Pops in Lexington, KY 

View over Bowditch Point Park in Fort Myers Beach, FL

Things have slowed down a bit now and I have thoughts of days past and current that I am dealing with. I have recently become very aware of all I have accomplished in my 24 years on earth. I also am very aware of my dreams and desires for my life and realize I have a lot of ground to cover. The conflict lies in the fact that I would like to pursue a number of these dreams but doing so may not be the most 'responsible' or 'safe' by societal standards (and my family's).

My sixth anniversary of living in Lexington has come and gone and I find myself somewhat rooted here. My problem is I don't feel settled here, per se. I find myself desiring other things for my life and struggle with what exactly that is and making preparations to pursue other dreams. Thinking about pursuing dreams and settling down has left me with the difficulty of not growing complacent, bitter, or withdrawn from other activities I generally would enjoy because I am in Lexington.

It is hard to see what is on the horizon when you know you want a change of scenery or pace, but you have no idea where to start. I know I will figure out, but I struggle with my nature of planning it and having the stars perfectly aligned before I leap and sometimes we just have to go. 

Alas, time will tell what's in store and I'm going to keep on trucking now and "suck the fun out of this place" as a good friend phrased it. 

FIFTY States!!!

Today I am expanding my boundaries and heading to The Great Lakes State with a good friend of mine. (That's Michigan for those of you that may not know.)

Leaving for this trip got me thinking, "How many states have I been to in this mammoth country?" The answer is 23 (if you count Michigan). I've got a lot of ground to cover!!!

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Back to the Blue Ridge

Recently I went back to the birthplace for the weekend. My favorite teacher from high school was retiring and there was a surprise gala in her honor. It was a great time for me to go back home and see old friends and my family. It had been almost 6 months since I had gone home.

View of the Blue Ridge Mountains
from here

I love having grown up in Roanoke, it is set amidst the Blue Ridge Mountains and while I would not like to return (at least until I am older), it is simply beautiful.

Things have been very busy lately and my mind has been turning a lot. I am in that “mid-twenty-something restless state”, where I know I am not where I want to be but majority of my circumstances make it difficult to leave. It’s tough knowing you want more and are ready for a change, but are weary of the ramifications. For now, my goal is to make a plan, and carry it out.

Summer Plans

This week I have been finalizing some of my summer plans and I am super excited.

 Roanoke Star

Springfield Park Central Square

L.A. 

Fort Lauderdale Beach

Thunder Over Louisville

Last weekend I went with some friends to Thunder Over Louisville (known by Kentuckians as “Thunder”). This is the kick-off of the Kentucky Derby Festival and is supposedly one of the best fireworks show in the United States; I, however, still have no clue. The weather in Kentucky recently has been stormy and this was the case over my trip to Louisville for Thunder.

Louisville's Riverfront

We still had fun, we went downtown for the festivities but the weather was prohibitive so we went back to the hotel and then out on the town for some drinks later. I had a blast, even though we didn’t see what we went for.

Thunder Fireworks 2010

Source: Derby Festival

Since last weekend, the weather here has been pretty stormy. We have had a storm about every other day and this weekend we’ve had one about every 5-6 hours with threats of tornadoes too. It has been interesting for me because I have a huge fear of tornadoes. I am ready for some springtime sun to say the least.

San Diego

Recently, I was fortunate enough to have been sent to San Diego for a training conference for my job. I love travelling and have a continual zeal to explore new places, so I was pretty excited to go and arranged to fly out early and even take off a day of work to explore and get to know ‘America’s Finest City’ a little bit.

I flew out on a Friday after work and was able to have free time until my conference started on Tuesday. Arriving exhausted, I picked up my car for the weekend, went to check-in at my hotel, and instantly became energized about being in a new and energetic city. I got in the car and drove to the neighborhood of Hillcrest. A lady from my office grew up in San Diego, and she told me this would be a great place for me to go given its culture, nightlife, and shops. While out for a beer (or two) that night, I wound up meeting a few people that I wound up spending some extra time with during my trip; but that’s a separate blog entry.

Saturday was a little dreary, but it wound up being a gorgeous day. My close friend and her fiancée from Orange County were down for an anniversary party in northern San Diego County, so we started the day off meeting up. We drove up to Pacific Beach enjoyed the beach a little bit. With advice from my cousin (and maybe copying her—A LOT) we walked the boardwalk, watched the surfers from Crystal Pier, and ate a late lunch at the awesome PB Shore Club.

 (Trying to copy my cuz on Crystal Pier)

(Surfers in Pacific Beach) 

After lunch we drove over to Old Town Historic Park which is supposedly the earliest part of San Diego. This area was neat to see with historic buildings and a genuine effort to feel the history, but ultimately reminds me of Colonial Williamsburg with automobiles driving around and nothing but restaurants. Soon after we headed out, tired after walking and decided to call it a day. My friends headed back to Orange County and I went to dinner and out to Hillcrest (again) for a drink or two and some dancing.

 (Old Town, San Diego)

Sunday I woke up to a misty morning with the anticipation of heavy showers for the day, which being my luck does not happen frequently in Southern California, so I decided to drive to see my friend up in Orange County and where she lives. I took my time getting up there, driving along the Pacific Highway visiting La Jolla which has a gorgeous beach front park, a bay of seals, and a different feel than the rest of San Diego. I continued up the Pacific Highway along the ocean and eventually got on the freeway and headed to Orange County. Once I arrived, my friend and I didn’t do much but lounge around, talking about life, her wedding, watching movies and just enjoying our friendship. We went out to dinner at an amazing restaurant ‘Yard House’ for what turned into a little birthday celebration for me.

 (Sealsbay in La Jolla, San Diego)

 (Birthday dinner at Yard House)

Monday was my last day of freedom in Southern California before my conference and I decided to go for a hike. I went up to Black’s Beach, north of La Jolla, which is a notorious nude beach, but also one of the most beautiful beaches I have been to. I intentionally saved this for a Monday with hopes to avoid any nudists, thinking they all work on Mondays. The hike was quiet a chore, but well worth it. Once I reached the bottom, I spent a couple hours just sitting on the beach enjoying the sound of the ocean, enjoying the sun, and just soaking in the beautiful setting.  

(View on the hike to Black's Beach)

After my hike, my coworker arrived and I turned in my car and much of the exploring of larger San Diego ceased. We spent the rest of our days in the Gaslamp Quarter for our conference, exploring the restaurants, shops, and nightlife. The Gaslamp is a cool area and very different from the rest of San Diego. It is oriented for the many people that come to San Diego for conferences and for dining out, but with a few historic jewels sprinkled throughout (old houses, warehouses converted into shops, restaurants, nightlife, or hotels).

  

(San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter)

 (San Diego Convention Center)

It was a good trip. I love being in a city that has many neighborhoods to explore with different vibes to each of them. I met a few people, learned a lot about a new city, worked, ate amazing food, and thought about a little more of where I want to go with my life, which is after all an non-stop adventure. 

(California Sunset)

San Diego Snippets

This week I have been at a conference for work in San Diego. I flew out early for a little vacation and wanted to share some of the sights...

(Mission Beach Park)

(Gaslamp Quarter)

 (Black's Beach)

I've had blast exploring all the neighborhoods and enjoying Southern California. Will share more details and thoughts soon!

Louisville in a Different Light

About a week ago I went to Louisville for the weekend. I stayed in Old Louisville, close to downtown and the University of Louisville campus.

Every time I go to Louisville in my free time, I see it in a different light. Each area is completely different from another and has a different feel to it. As a result, every time I go I leave feeling different about the city.

(Houses in Old Louisville)

(Row houses in Old Louisville)

I cannot say I left "loving" or "hating" Louisville because this last trip was strange. I spent the weekend meeting new people, trying new things, and being out of my comfort zone, but even a short time later I think I grew as a result of it. A mere nine days later I have a little bit of a different perspective about the life I have built for myself, my relationships (acquaintances, friendships, dating, etc), what I want out of life, and even self-reflection for how I evaluate (virtually) everything.

Sometimes it is nice to have that self perspective smack you in the face without even wanting it. It makes you appreciate yourself for what you are and all you've accomplished; it even helps you to relax a little and let things happen as they may.

Red River Gorge

Two weeks ago a few friends and I spent the weekend in a cabin in the Red River Gorge. Kentucky is a very diverse state in terms of its terrain, from the Appalachian Mountains to the plains of the Mississippi Valley, making it fun to explore the vast differences. The cabin was perfect, set down in a hollow (or holler) at the end of a gravel road. 

(Cabin at the end of the road)

This weekend was a change of pace to the fast travel I usually partake in. We cooked every meal in the house which included barbecue pork, roasted potatoes, homemade fried chicken, mac-n-cheese, and so much more. Cooking with friends is always a blast and this was no different; it even included a mouse crawling out of the kitchen!  In addition to eating way too much, we spent a lot of time in the hot tub just talking, telling stories, and laughing. 

(View from the hot tub)

We hiked a little too, but spent most of the weekend in the cabin. I have been through a lot with these friends and a lot is in store with a wedding and possibly buying a house. It was nice to pause a little, out of our Lexington home, and reconnect as close friends. 

My Fatherland

Two weeks ago I was on vacation in the Netherlands. While I travel a lot for work and in my free time, It was the first time that I have taken a formal vacation on my own. This trip was probably one of the best trips I have ever taken for a lot of reasons; I spent time with family I do not see often, my grandmother turned 90, I experienced a huge part of my culture/heritage first hand, and of course got to relax along the way. My only regret is that the trip was too short, but I think we all say that about vacation.

(The Netherlands aka Holland)

The first half of my trip I stayed with my cousin who lives in Leiden, a city centrally located in Randstad Holland. Staying with her was an amazing bonding experience for us. We spent a lot of time talking and catching up, exploring, trading life philosophies, and laughing. When I arrived Saturday, we went to the market in central Leiden for a snack and met up with my other cousin who took us to her flat and cooked dinner for us. Since we do not see each other often, we spent a lot of time there and just caught up with everything that’s been going on in our lives and reliving memories.  The next couple of days were filled with a lot of activity, venturing to the Hague to go shopping, have dinner, and have a little evening fun. The Hague is a really cool city, a lot bigger than I ever thought and a lot of fun places to see. My cousin and I are very social people, so we met a few people while we were out which was a blast. After a little too much fun Sunday, we just hung around on Monday teasing and laughing so hard. It was a great day. Tuesday was time to move… we woke up and headed in to Amsterdam where we, oddly enough, randomly wondered around with no purpose, just discussing our lives and our outlooks. Before we knew it, my train was leaving to head to Oma’s (the Dutch word for Grandmother).

(The Royal Palace in The Hague)

I took the train south to the Rotterdam area where my uncle picked me up and drove me to Oma’s in Zeeland. We spent the evening together and it was off to bed soon because Oma’s birthday was the next day! Waking up was quick with a lot to do; I ran to the village baker’s, picked up the cake, and the neighbors and my uncle came over for cake and coffee. It was a big day for my Oma, turning 90, and it is just amazing to me. Being in my mid-twenties, I can’t imagine being 40, let alone 90! We spent the day with my uncle and went to the village restaurant for a birthday dinner; it was “gezellig” as they say in Dutch.

(Oma's birthday dinner in the village)

The next few days I spent at my Oma’s were quiet, but more than I could ask for. Life at her house has a very particular routine that leaves me thinking, life is really simpler than we make it to be. We spent a lot of time sitting and talking over morning tea or evening coffee which is something I couldn’t have enjoyed more. We talked about work, money, memories, and politics- debatably one of her favorite topics. We went through countless family photos of my Father and Uncle as children and even pictures from my childhood. She told many stories of her children growing up and their life in the Netherlands Antilles and in the Netherlands. I really enjoyed the days at her house and am so fortunate I was able to make the trip there and spend time with her for her birthday.

The week ended quickly with a big birthday party. All of the family came to Zeeland to visit with Oma and we spent a lot of time talking at the house with coffee and tea (as the Dutchies do) and went to dinner. It was really nice to get together with family, some of which I have never met before. After dinner it was back to Leiden for a few drinks and then back to America on Sunday.

My vacation to the Netherlands was an amazing trip for me. My father was raised in the Netherlands, so it feels very comfortable for me. I have only been four times in my life, but I can feel that my roots are there. Being able to spend time with my family is amazing. We always are able to spend quality time together and for that I am grateful. Sitting at the table in drinking tea with my grandmother is something that is so valuable to me. I also appreciate the Dutch culture; the food, the language, and the customs. I already miss the Netherlands, yet I barely know anything about it. 

Vacation

Vacaciones / Vakantie / Vacanza / Férias

However you say it, that's where I've been. I was off work a week and it was amazing and refreshing to have some time off. Returning is kind of whirlwind right now, trying to take care of things around the house, get caught up at work, and keep in touch with friends.

I hope to write a blog entry about my trip soon and more to follow about this adventure of life, but until then here are some pictures to hold you over.

Until soon...