Category Nature
The Hike: Mount Si, followed by Seattle’s Dragonfest
It finally feels like summer in Seattle! The days are long, the skies perfectly clear and sunny, and plenty of things happening. I had originally planned to spend the weekend Getting Things Done. You know, because now that I’m back from vacation it’s time to be a responsible grown-up and actually take all that stuff that’s […]
Mount Fuji (Day 2) – Descent
What to people say about labor pains — about how after you’ve had the baby the whole ordeal somehow recedes and seems totally worth it? Whatever it is, that’s basically how I felt when the sun rose on Mount Fuji. I was tired and ornery and uncomfortable as hell, but the instant I walked outside […]
Mount Fuji (Day 1-2) – Overnight at the Eighth Station
As neat as it was to be on top of Mount Fuji, our visit was necessarily short. It was just too cold, wet and windy to hang around up there. Plus, with no views, it was kind of boring. So when the Australian began to complain of the cold (he didn’t have the extra warm […]
Mount Fuji (Day 1) – Ascent and summit
When we decided to come to Japan this summer, I told Amanda that climbing Mount Fuji was my top priority on my list of must-do activities. In fact, it was my only must-do activity. Why? Well, why not! Although not the tallest or most difficult climb in the world, Mount Fuji ranks among the most […]
Kyoto (Day 1) – Biking through Kyoto: Golden Pavillion, Ryoanji, Bamboo Forest
Tokyo is a glittering, modern city and I love it in all ways, but it’s a little short on history and tradition. If you want that, you need to go to Kyoto, which was the seat of imperial power for centuries and escaped the worst of the bombing during WWII. The city has a higher […]
Seoul (Day 2) – Changdeok Palace and Huwon Garden
According to our guide books, Seoul has a couple of palaces that are really worth visiting. We had originally planned to devote today to visiting two of them . . . but then we spent half the morning blogging about yesterday’s activities and then having another multi-pastry breakfast at the Paris Baguette Cafe down the […]
Seoul (Day 1) – Monsoon!
Amanda and I have a knack for traveling to a place during the, shall we say, less than ideal time of year. (Witness our trip through Morocco in July — 120 degree daytime highs and Ramadan.) We seem to have done it again this year by visiting South Korea during monsoon season. Cindy and other […]
Hiking Serene Lake and Bridal Veil Falls
My plan to make my friends’ friends my friends, and then mine them for more friends, seems to be working! Vanessa (think Chicago, Vietnam and Rennes) introduced me to Ruth, a friend of hers who recently moved to Seattle from Germany to start a new job at the Jungle, and then Ruth invited me to […]
The Ride: Going to the Sun Road
Even if you’ve never heard of Kalispell, Montana, you’ve probably heard of Glacier National Park. It’s one of those places that has a way of turning up on calendars and post cards — all snowy peaks and sapphire lakes and lush green valleys — but it’s so remote that you’ll never get there unless you […]
Kalispell
At long last, a break from traveling! Today I got to Kalispell, Montana, and all I want to do is channel my inner Elsa and sing say, “Here I’ll stand, and here I’ll stay“. Because NATURE! Flathead Lake as seen coming over the pass from Polson.A truly breathtaking view, I did a u-turn so that […]
A More Gentlemanlike Manner 