Survivable. If there’s one take away from what I’ve seen over the last two days, it’s that people are capable of surviving seemingly impossible situations and coming out of it on the other side. I saw that in the survivors of Auschwitz and in Maddie Corman’s unbelievable story in Accidentally Brave yesterday. And I saw it again today.
The weather was uncooperative again today, but the sun managed to peek out for a few minutes this afternoon in between rain and thunderstorms. I think I will have a permanent indentation on my waist from tying my raincoat there every day. The highlight of today was definitely seeing Accidentally Brave tonight. Here are the rest of the day’s adventures:
I certainly didn’t plan for my summer excursion to New York City to coincide with a week of damp, cloudy weather. But such is life. After an early morning drive to New Haven and a train ride from there to Grand Central, I’m here to enjoy a couple of days of sights in the big city. Here are today’s highlights:
If you’re wondering where all of my blog posts are, there hasn’t been very much to tell and I’m very much ready to go home. I’ve eaten some lackluster meals, took a long, traffic-filled road trip up the Keys, and witnessed an altercation at the pool. Read on for more details…
I bookended my day with sunrise this morning at Smathers Beach and sunset tonight at Mallory Square. Because sunrise is my favorite time of day, and I made it my goal to be up and watching the sun rise every day of vacation, I figured I’d start the week at Smathers Beach. I thought I might be alone, but there was plenty of company between walkers, photographers, and other sunrise enthusiasts. Sunrise tonight was equally beautiful, though I was certainly not alone for that one!
First impressions: Key West is Charleston/Savannah meets the Caribbean. I’ve only been here for a few hours, but I can already tell that Key West has a personality all its own. It was 24 degrees when I left home at 3:30 this morning and a balmy 81 degrees when I landed in Key West a few hours later. Flying over the Caribbean blue-green waters and deplaning right onto the tarmac was reminiscent of my visits to Turks and Caicos, while the historic homes with rocking chairs on the front porch remind me of the deep south.
I had wavered on spending a weekend in Philadelphia, but having not visited Philly since I was young, I figured there was enough to do to keep me occupied for three days. Of course, I planned the trip before the government shutdown closed the main attractions… c’est la vie.
The two highlights of the day: food and Hamilton. I got a good night’s sleep and started the day indulging in a “French toast flight” at Batter and Berries in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. I had been planning this breakfast for weeks, so it should come as no surprise that I didn’t even need to look at the menu. I ordered the “super flight”, which includes four of the regular French toast menu items (blueberry, strawberry, caramel, and lemon) along with this week’s special: Heath. I started by trying a couple of bites of each one and then decided to work my way up from my least favorite to my most favorite. I cleaned the plate.
First things first: it’s COLD in Chicago. Not just “Oh, there’s a little chill in the air” cold, but 18 degrees and blustery wind cold. At least that’s what it was when I was walking to my hotel a little after midnight. Oh, you want to know why I was out so late? Let me tell you the story! As I was getting to my gate at Logan last night, they were making an appeal for 5 volunteers to give up their seats on the 5:30 flight. In exchange for a guaranteed seat on the 8:15 flight. And a $700 travel voucher. Gosh, I’ll have to give this some thought. Just kidding! I immediately jumped into line and the rest is history. The flight was delayed but I eventually got to my hotel a little after midnight and…. wait a minute. I canceled that reservation and rebooked at a lower rate. What’s that? I canceled the wrong reservation and kept the more expensive rate?! Well that puts a little dent in the $700 I just earned. 😦
I spent the day among the redwoods and along the coast today. After a rejuvenating ten hours of sleep, I went for a non-sugary breakfast (I know, what’s wrong with me?!) at the hotel and then set out for Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve in Guerneville. I have been to Muir Woods before, and Armstrong Redwoods has the same beauty without the crowds. There are several trails you can take, but I settled for a loop walk on a couple of shorter trails. I am always amazed by the sheer size of the giant trees and the knowledge that those same trees have been in the same spot for centuries.
Traveling with Laura 