Rick Steves’ sister, Jan Steves, starts her second Iditarod competition this weekend in Anchorage, Alaska. While Rick and I couldn’t be there this year, I’m sharing my behind-the-scenes experiences with my three-part series from last year when I was a guest blogger on Jan’s website. Follow along to see what it’s really like to getContinue reading “Iditarod: A Little Help from Jan’s Friends”
Category Archives: Culture
Mayhem and Courtesy in Chicago
Tribal beats of ancient druid drums thumped and reverberated in my chest, and the ringing in my ears seemed to be in perfect pitch with the wailing music. Flashes of colored light hauntingly illuminated the gathering of devotees who swayed and swarmed in feverish rapture. I had never been to such a gathering, and myContinue reading “Mayhem and Courtesy in Chicago”
For Love of Country
Cramped in a middle seat, in the middle of a plane that screams its way across the country, traveling east to west from Washington D.C. to “the other Washington”, I find myself in the warm company of happy Democrats. Across the aisle are the Governor and First Lady of my state. Six rows up isContinue reading “For Love of Country”
From Travel Idiot to Travelphile: One Woman’s “Travelution”
With the start of a new year, many people take stock of their life in the last twelve months: choices made, goals achieved, promises broken, dreams unfulfilled. In optimistic form, resolutions are made in the hopes of making this year even better than the last. In a similar vein, I’ve been thinking about my travelContinue reading “From Travel Idiot to Travelphile: One Woman’s “Travelution””
It Takes A Village And Then Some
This might have been the lightest I’ve ever packed. Two pairs of lightweight cargo pants, one pair of leggings, two well-worn long-sleeve shirts, one short-sleeve, two tank tops, a sweatshirt, my jammies, my tennies, my undergarments, and my toiletries would be more than enough to get me through a week of construction work in Tijuana. Continue reading “It Takes A Village And Then Some”
Volunteering in Tijuana: Lessons in Gratitude
Life is good. While many complain, gobble up the spoon-fed fear from media outlets, and blame the other side for everything wrong in our society, traveling makes it clear: we have it good in the USA. That’s not to discount real problems that affect individuals like unemployment, lack of healthcare, poverty, and hunger. Those areContinue reading “Volunteering in Tijuana: Lessons in Gratitude”
Tijuana: Impressions Confirmed and Shattered
When people ask me what I do, I often find myself wincing on the inside before responding. It can be a loaded question, depending on who is asking the question and what the circumstances are. For nearly fifteen years, my answer was simple: I’m a Spanish and Dance teacher at Carlsbad High School. My standardContinue reading “Tijuana: Impressions Confirmed and Shattered”
Food, Friends, and Frankenfish on the Snake River
Living on the river for a few days sure can be rough…so I’ve heard. Fortunately for me, Rick, and our fellow river rafters, we were living the river life pampered-style. When we would take a break on the shore for lunch or when we would make camp for the night, the crew of Winding Waters,Continue reading “Food, Friends, and Frankenfish on the Snake River”
Slithering Down The Snake River
We got an early start to drive a couple of hours from Joseph, OR to the Hell’s Canyon Dam. That’s where we would “put in” and begin our rafting adventures on the Snake River. There were ten guests on this trip and at least that many staff and crew from Winding Waters, Plate & Pitchfork,Continue reading “Slithering Down The Snake River”
I Wanna Be A Cowgirl
Before coming anywhere near a raging river, we got to see some raging bulls. Well…docile, happy, and well-fed bulls and their lady cow friends. The Plate & Pitchfork part of the experience incorporated a visit to two different cattle ranches. Since steak would be on several of our gourmet menus during the trip, we gotContinue reading “I Wanna Be A Cowgirl”