The last time I was in Yellowstone National Park was 15 years ago. On that trip, I had detailed lists of everything I wanted to see and do and what time of day to go to each location for the best lighting. By contrast, on this trip I have only a vague idea of which direction I want to head each day and am leaving the rest up to whatever I feel like doing at the time. Spontaneity isn’t usually my style, but I’m learning to embrace it!
Today I flew two-thirds of the way across the country, crossed the Continental Divide three times, admired deep turquoise and emerald geothermal pools, and watched a couple of small geysers erupt. Yes, it was a great start to the next week and a half in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks… but I am exhausted, so this first blog post will be short and sweet!
I’m always excited to fly, but this weekend’s trip to Annapolis, Maryland was extra special since it was my first time flying since February 2020. I took a road trip to Florida to visit my family in April, so this isn’t my first post-Covid travel experience, but Friday night was my first time stepping onto a plane in well over a year. It was a great feeling to take to the skies once again!
I know I don’t normally blog about short weekend trips in New England, but today was a perfect fall day and it feels blog-worthy. I’m in northern New Hampshire and Vermont this weekend, where the leaves are close to peak color, with a lot of yellows and oranges dotting the hillsides and a few reds sprinkled in here and there for good measure. Not the most vibrant foliage I’ve ever seen, but still pretty and worth the drive. We can dispense with the fact that I sat in traffic for (literally) hours last night to get here and quickly get on with the highlights of the day, of which there were many (and none of them involved being stuck in traffic).
1,906. That’s the number of pictures I took while I was in Germany and Austria. It was a great vacation, but I’m very glad to be home now. The sun was shining in Munich this morning and it was a great day to fly. I woke up to the sound of planes taking off and even squeezed in a visit to the observation deck before I had to get to my own flight.
I spent the day today alternately torn between wanting to go home (I’m ready!) and wanting to enjoy more of Germany. The wanting to go home part had a stronger pull today, especially after getting back to the Munich airport tonight.
Today I rode a cable car, hiked down a mountain, saw a massive gorge, visited the tiny village, walked around a Bavarian town, and attended a choral concert. Here are the highlights:
What did I do today? I dropped my phone and cracked the screen. How did that happen? I was trying to take a picture of my kücherl (German-style fried dough). End of story.
Just kidding, but that sort of soured the day. My phone still works, and it can probably be fixed, but it shouldn’t have happened because I didn’t need the picture. I already had one on my camera.
Anyway, I spent the day driving up to Wieskirche (the Pilgrimage Church of Wies) and then made stops in Oberammergau and Ettal on the way back. I’ll just give a couple of highlights of each place.
Any guesses about the weather today? Clouds, rain, clouds, rain, and a couple of hours of sun to end the day. Despite the weather, I spent the day touring the two castles everyone who thinks of Bavaria knows: Schloss Hohenschwangau and Schloss Neuschwanstein. Neuschwanstein is obviously the more famous, and you’ll no doubt recognize the picture of Mad King Ludwig’s prize castle high on a hill. But it was actually Hohenschwangau that I enjoyed more.
The day has finally come. You know which one I’m talking about: the day when I’m ready to go home. I love all the places I’ve seen, but the weather forecast calls for more rain and clouds the next few days, and I just want to sleep in my own bed and stop living out of a suitcase.
Hallstatt was a great little town, and being able to wander the streets without the crowds this morning was very peaceful. I did manage to grab the iconic photo with a little sun before the clouds set in.
Traveling with Laura 