Modern day adventurers

When you spend as much time hiking as we do, it gives you a lot of time to think. Oftentimes, I think about how pristine these places are we visit and how rugged and utterly breathtaking they must have been back when Lewis and Clark first laid eyes on them. From May 1804 to September 1806 they were the first American expedition to cross the western region of the United States. Their primary objective was to explore and map the recently acquired territory while documenting the plants, animals and geography.

Over this past year when my heart has felt heavy missing our son, I have focused on improving my childlike wonder and amazement in all of God's creations- from the tiniest rock to the daintiest flower. I like to think Cameron and I would have been fantastic explorers. We have just the right combination of curiosity, guts and drifter in us. I would have been in charge of cataloging and naming all the flora and fauna, while Cameron would have been in charge of setting our course and hacking our way through the forest.

Fernweh

I love the world "fernweh, it literally means, "farsickness" or "an ache for the distance". For any of you experiencing fernweh, here are some stellar trips we have taken both far and wide.

Day trips from Granada: Las Isletas and Volcan Masaya

There are 365 islands which comprise the islets of Granada, one for every day of the year. The islets were formed when Mombacho blew its cone thousands of years ago creating the archipelago. Most of the islets are covered in dense vegetation and are rich with wildlife, namely birds. Cameron and I awoke early one morning to set out on a boat through these islets. The day prior, we had worked out a ride down to the water with Giovanni. We were under the impression he would be driving us down there, so when his friend showed up we were a little uncertain. Being the trusting souls we are, we went against everything our mothers taught us and climbed into a stranger's car. Once down at the water we were a little hesitant climbing into yet another stranger's boat, but since we were in a relatively remote part of the country we figured most of the criminals and kidnappers were probably in the city and not here. Looking back, I guess it is all part of living on the edge while vacationing.

Dwellable

If you are a long term reader of Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary, than you might be able to sense my excitement and passion for travel. Many of you have asked for easier access to my travel posts, so I am happy to announce I have teamed up with Dwellable to feature many of them. You can go here to check them out, and I will be adding more in the upcoming weeks. Happy travels!!

Ten under ten

New York City is infamous for being expensive, but with a little time and effort you can have your fair share of cheap thrills.

1. Walking along the High Line is free and provides views not only of the Hudson River, but public artwork, scenery, and is a great place to stroll for an hour or two or enjoy a picnic lunch.

Great architecture along the High Line.

They made us to do it

One of the most iconic buildings in New York City is the Empire State Building. Although we decided to forgo going up to the top on Valentine's Day, we made certain to visit it while we were in New York. It was busy at the top, but by no means crowded. We watched as the sun began to set and the city began to transform into a sea of twinkly lights. 

While up at the top I decided to ask one of the employees to take our photograph. Little did I know they were not suppose to take photos (because of liability...ie. dropping someone's camera) but he said he would do it nonetheless. As he went to take our photograph he told us to kiss and then proceeded to wait until we did. Oh, how awkward this feels when you are put on the spot with strangers watching from the sidelines. So eventually we realized there was no way around this and we kissed. Then he happily obliged to take another photo of us smiling. Looking back I am glad he made us kiss because I love the photo and more importantly the memory of kissing my love atop the Empire State Building.

To market to market and a little pre Valentine celebration

There is so much exploring to do outside of all the touristy attractions in Midtown and Times Square. Chelsea has to be one of my favorite areas because that is where Chelsea Market and the High Line are. Chelsea Market opened in 2006 is an urban food market, shopping mall and office buildings. Most the products are made locally and if food is your thing you could spend an entire day there. This building used to be the National Biscuit Company and is where the Oreo cookie was invented and produced. For those of you who have been to San Francisco, this place reminds me of the Ferry Building. 

Taxis, drizzle and snow

Day two we were greeted with rain, which was most helpful in eliminating all the leftover snow. Cameron worked during the day, while I roamed around the city snapping photographs and feeling happy to be there again. It had been ten years since I last visited NYC, so it was high time to come back for another visit. After work, Cameron and I met up for a delicious dinner at The Meatball Shop and an evening stroll through Times Square.

You can purchase a week long unlimited Metrocard for $29, it saves your legs and at $2.50 per ride it easily pays for itself in no time.

Day One: NYC

After the 9/11 memorial, we enjoyed a delicious brunch at Sarabeth's and then winded our way down Battery Park to go on a cruise around the Statue of Liberty and then walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. We enjoyed the sunset on the bay as we headed toward Grimaldi's for pizza. Once there we lucked out with no lines and for once we happened to have cash on hand. Such a relief since we had walked all that way!

9/11 memorial

A little rainbow formed in the mist of the cascading waterfall.

On our first night in the city we looked down to see a construction zone, a dark void and one tall tower from our hotel window. Could we really be staring down at the World Trade Center? This notion simultaneously felt eery and amazing, making us both self reflective and awestruck. Seeing something on television is very different than witnessing it first hand.

Our first morning in New York we bundled up and walked across the street to see the 9/11 memorial. It was a clear, chilly day with the thermometer hovering in the teens. Just walking onto the grounds was enough to make me feel overcome with emotion. The loss, the tragedy, the families forever changed. I felt as though I could keep it together and then I came across a name followed by "and her unborn child". In that moment, it brought tears to my eyes. In one moment all of a man's hopes, dreams, and possibly his entire future were decimated. Walking around the perimeter of the Twin Tower's footprint reading name after name was a very powerful experience.

Must do in Alaska: fly over glaciers in a bush plane

One of the coolest things we did while in Alaska was hire a bush plane to take us over the glaciers. It was both exhilarating, a bit scary and completely unforgettable.

The murky brown water is glacial silt.

Haines, Alaska.

Glaciers

These dark blue lakes reminded me of the alpine lakes we have in Washington.

Bird's eye views of land masses are beautiful.

This almost looks like a tropical getaway.

Our pilot flew low looking for bears and moose.

Trying to capture all the beauty was impossible.

Our trusty pilot, Paul. We recommend him highly.

Alaska on Dwellable

Icebergs and cocoa

Early in the morning we cruised through Tracy Arm. The scenery was breathtaking and made every minute of lost sleep completely worth it. We braved the elements with hot cocoa in hand while we reminded ourselves it was Summer.