The beginning of the end

Blogger - It has been great. It really has. But I think it's time for me to move on. You were my first blog, this is true, but sometimes things change. People change. Situations change.

I thought changing your header was the fix I needed...the right direction. Not true. I actually like the old you better. But that's not why it has come to this.

I had been neglecting you lately anyway. I have been trying to figure out how to get you to work for me the way things are now. And I realized something:
It's not you. It's me. Really. REALLY. Although you have served your purpose, you really and truly are the boring blog I created from the beginning. And that's what you should be. You should remain true to yourself. I needed you and you helped me - but I can't change you to what I need now. And I need to start anew.

I will still always love you dearly. I have no doubt I will be back. There are needs to have greetings from places, for sure. I still love your ability to keep track of lists; to let me know where I have been for the year. To remind me of websites I find amusing. Who else keeps track of this? I barely do - without you it would all be a "oh, yeah at one point I was in China" but now I know exactly WHEN that happened. Thank you.

So, this isn't the end - it is the beginning of a new relationship. One where I am not trying to make you into something you're not. Where I can appreciate you just as you are. And where you can remain true to yourself.

hear ye, here ye

greetings from Bali!

But that's not what this post is about.

This post is my one chance to re-invent, re-vamp and re-introduce my blog! New and Improved! (and as someone once quipped, how can it be improved if it is new??)

A good friend once told me my blog was boring. And that is probably the best comment I have ever gotten about it. It has only taken me two years, but this blog is headed in a new direction. I have finally come to the realization that I don't have the patience nor desire to sit around and blog about everything that is happening. I have tried, and it just isn't me. The whole thing becomes a chore, and then something on my 'to-do' list I haven't done, and then a worry and then and then and then. And that's not what I am doing this for.

I'm blogging so my friends and family (and anyone else who wants - hellloooo internet...net...net...) can get a glimpse at my travels. And because I actually enjoy writing, when the mood hits. :) However, we don't want this to turn into one of Uncle Peter's infamous slide shows. I always enjoyed them (honestly!) but they have become the stuff of family lore...to the point that someone may have broken the slide projector on purpose. Maybe. Thank goodness that the internet allows you to have A.D.D. on your own without offending your presenter! HEY WAIT!! - WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!

My friend Val suggested I talk about traveling for real, and the things that happen that aren't available in a guidebook...that's what makes it interesting after all. If it was just like the guidebook I would never need to go anywhere other than the library. :)

SO - here's to adventure, here's to silliness, here's to FUN!
see you next Thursday!

Slainte! (in honor of March 17)
~L

recap of 2010...sort of

wow. How time does fly...and how mental malaise gets the best of us. I didn't even update my lists after June! DOH!!

so, here's my somewhat recap of 2010...and here's to a more blog-ful 2011!!

2010 Ports of Call (until June - only listed once)

• Tuktoyaktuk, NT
  
• Inuvik, NT
• Whitehorse, YT
• Comox, BC
• Lund, BC
• Squirrel Cove, BC
• Refuge Cove, BC
• Powell River, BC
• Garden Bay (Pender), BC
• Buccaneer Bay, BC
• North Vancouver, BC
• Woodinville, WA
• Westport, WA
• Buchart Gardens, BC
• Tofino, BC
• Ucluelet, BC
• Nanaimo, BC
• Squamish, BC
• Seattle, WA
• Edmonds, WA
• Vancouver, BC
• Whistler, BC

2010 Airports/Transportation stops (until June :))

• YUB
• YEV
• YOC
• YDA
• YXY
• YVR
• Horshoe Bay (ferry)
• Departure Bay (ferry)
• Comox (ferry)
• Powell River (ferry)
• Pacific Central Station, VAN (bus)
• Seattle Greyhound Station
• Departure Bay (ferry)
• Horseshoe Bay (ferry)
• Edmonds Station (train)
• Pacific Central Station, VAN (train)

after standing on the Arctic ocean, then leaving Tuktoyaktuk, I went back to Whistler for 2 days...which turned into 2 weeks. :)

left Whistler, went to Toronto for the G20, then Rapid City, SD - (made it to IOWA!!) - St Louis, MO, Chicago, IL and back to NJ and NYC.

in August I left the US for OMAN and worked for the Asian Beach Games for 5 months.

and that brings us to 2011...

2009 Recap

Well, turns out a did an exceptionally poor job keeping up with myself in 2009! Here are the summaries for the year, even if they didn't get a post! (and what I can remember, trying to do this a year later...)


2009 Ports of Call (not in chronological order)

• Whistler Olympic Park, BC
• Squamish, BC
• Thunderbird Arena, BC
• Granville Island, BC
• The Whistler Sliding Centre, BC
• Whistler, BC
• GM Place, BC
• Vancouver, BC
• Seattle, WA
• Spring Lake, NJ
• Asbury Park, NJ
• Neptune, NJ
• Fair Haven, NJ
• Durham, NC
• San Jose (Airport), CR
• Manuel Antonio National Park, CR
• Quepos, CR
• Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
• New York, NY
  
• Athens, Greece
• Paros Island, Greece
• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Banff, AB
• Calgary, AB
• Moose Jaw, SK
• Winnepeg, MB
• Thunder Bay, ON
• Sault-Ste Marie, ON
• Toronto, ON
  
• St. Louis, MO
• Rapid City, SD
• Badlands NP, SD
• Wall, SD
  

2009 Airports (not in order either, listed only once)

• SEA
• EWR
• RDU
• IAH
• LIR
• SJO
• XQP
• STL
• ATH
• AMS
• YYZ
  
• RAP
• YVR
  

Greetings from Whistler Olympic Park

Whistler Olympic Park is located in the Callaghan Valley, and is the first time that all components of the Nordic Combined will be found at the same venue. It is a very serene place, in the middle of a pine forest. Biathalon, Cross Country, Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined will all take place here in 2010.


The inukshuk at the base of the ski jumps. This guy is called "Pete".


Sunrise on the tree tops



Athletes testing the wax on their skis

the view of the biathlon range from the broadcast booth

One of the volunteers in front of the ski jump



When you get up as early as we did, the moon hasn't even gone to sleep yet



Panoramic view from p8



How volunteers stay warm...

Greetings from Squamish, BC

Oh, Squamish. Where to begin? How to accurately describe?

Seated along the Sea-to-Sky corridor, Squamish is the Heber City to Whistler's Park City. It is pretty much half way between Vancouver and Whistler, and is trying its darnedest to be an up-and-coming enclave for young professionals. Good luck with that.

Since it is half way between the two, the idea is you can easily (kinda) go to either and live for much less than you could in either of those locations.

All sarcasm aside, Squamish has an incredible granite face towering above it called The Stawamus Chief. Perhaps reminiscent of Yosemite? (I don't know, I haven't been there yet).


The "entrance" to Squamish from the north (headed in from Whistler)



The Chief from the north

Squamish really does have a "downtown" sort of area...but it is not the strip mall-y kind of fast food chain mecca you know Squamish to be. You have to actually turn OFF the highway to get here. Which means you have probably never been.


Legit downtown

We stayed at Quest University in the dorms. Yes, real dorms. It was just like college dorm life all over again -- except we could drink legally. On a clear day I would imagine the view to be spectacular, as the University sits above the town and looks out toward the Chief and Howe Sound.


Pizza party in our 'living room' (the rooms were set up suite style)
...trying not to wake the RA...


our "kitchen"

Greetings from Whistler

I finally made it back to Whistler for a weekend to do nothing other than ski. Some great powder-esque moments but still nothing up to the standards that have been set for me in Utah. I am one spoiled skier! Run of the day Sunday was definitely Saddle -- and I made my friends do Whistler Bowl...which was also great snow...


The lift line at the base of red chair. Totally nutso but we had a great time entertaining ourselves regardless...


No trip to Whistler is complete without a stop at Sushi Village! This was obviously toward the end of the meal...


Photo op at the top


The view from the top


Here is some video from inside the Peak 2 Peak gondola. There are all kinds of interesting facts about it but at the end of the day, all I care about is I can get from the top of Whistler to the top of Blackcomb in 11 minutes. Totally beats having to ski down and go back up like the old days! :)

Here's a view from a regular chair lift, on the Blackcomb side

Greetings from Thunderbird Arena

I went to UBC watch the US vs Canada sledge hockey game. Sledge hockey is a Paralympic sport, and overall it is very exciting to watch! Even if the US loses. And you lose your bet. DOH!

Funny enough, I actually know more players on the Canadian team than the US team since I had the chance to watch a screening of Sledhead, a documentary about the Canadian sledge hockey team's quest for the 2008 World Championships in Boston. Very good movie.


The US Team po-wows


The rink was specially fitted out with plexi-glass at rink level so players on the bench could see all the action. It is also the first time the ice was continued out to also cover the bench area, allowing easy on-off for players.



some of the action


I could just barely touch both sides...they had a goal area set up to try out the sport, but we didn't visit this area until the game was over and everything was shut down

Greetings from Granville Island

What better way to relax after sport events than to go to the Granville Island Brewery for a tour?!

The Brewery itself is actually now located further east from the city, but they brew their small specialty batches and give tours on Granville Island itself.

We ran into some students doing an ethnography, which I haven't thought about much since I had to do one in high school! So it was fun to reminisce about the process, and how they chose their subject matter (their subculture? Beer tasters :))

I also learned from our tour guide that I.B.U.s are "very American" - which I would have never guessed considering the "I" stands for "International"...go figure.


Some hilarious "guerilla art" on the Granville Bridge


Sampling beer...tough day


While on Granville Island we also tried a "Whoopee Pie" which is your choice of gelato and two fresh-made cookies. I opted for Mocha flavor

Greetings from Whistler Sliding Centre

I didn't take this picture, someone else on the venue team did. Thank you!!

I was up at the Whistler Sliding Centre for FIBT International Training Week, FIBT world cup and FIL world cup. The track is built into the mountain along Fitzsimmons Creek, between Whistler mountain and Blackcomb mountain.

Although I spent the vast majority of my time in Lot 8, it was really great to meet a bunch of the althletes, and spend time along a track again. I forgot how quiet it is along the ice when no one is sliding, and how tremendous it is to hear a sled coming toward you then zip past your eyes so quickly you would miss it if you sneezed.


For each event they put the logo into the ice on the track


The spectator's view of the track


Don't sneeze!


View from the entrance hut on a snowy morning

In my first attempt at uploading video to blogger, here are some clips from along the track (when they are just training...no spectators around)


The Track Crew will stay in until the very last moment possible. At WSC they have named the corners rather than just having numbers, you can hear the announcer calling the times as the sled passes through each turn.


This is the view of Bobsleigh Start from one of the loading docks. Also, there is a waterfall at the top of the hill.

Greetings from my deck

The view of the skyline at dusk from my porch.

Greetings from GM Place

Back in Vancouver, I went to see the NJ Devils come play the Vancouver Canucks!

Let's Go Devils!


The beers have lids you can still drink through. Of course the Canadians have this figured out!


I don't have a Jersey so this was as good as it got. I think I get the point across.


Devils won 5-3

Greetings from Cameron Indoor Stadium!!

I have finally checked off a lifelong goal, and have been to a BASKETBALL game AT DUKE!! Even though the Hokies lost it was an amazing experience! :)

Basketball:Duke::Football:Virginia Tech


It was so exciting to even walk up to the building. And luckily since I was a "student" there I got to sit in the lower level!


Proof!


You will notice I did not take a photo of the score AFTER the game...


They hand out cheer sheets and include specifics about the team they are playing that day...all ammo for cheers. This was the first ACC game of the season, and the noise was unbelievable from start to finish. They get louder when Coach K moves - and when he stands, the crowd erupts, regardless of what is happening on the court. I can't even imagine a big rivalry. Truly amazing.


Picture of Coach K as requested by my mom :)

Greetings from the San Jose Airport

I spent some good quality time in the airport since I couldn't get a connecting flight that left early enough in the morning to make my flight back to the US...and since I was headed to a basketball game at Duke there was no way I was going to chance missing my flight. So, here are some happy thoughts of Costa Rica on my way out...


At least the ceiling of the airport was interesting to look at


Public telephone. Spanish is tricky!


Pirate money!! I'm still not over it! YAR!


Beach :)


Bebidas

Greetings from Manuel Antonio National Park

I SAW A SLOTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and some monkeys, and some raccoons (during the day?!), and some beautiful beaches.

But I will not get over the sloth! They look like aliens! All those years of watching "Nature" as a child seemed to finally pay off with my seeing a real life sloth! Thank you George Page!



monkey. Like Marcel.


Bamboo

Greetings from the jungle

Many people start off the new year with a resolution - they want to stop doing something, or try and change something in their life they feel is negative. I like to think of things in a different way - a new year is a great opportunity to try something new, to set new goals, to improve yourself in some way. Rather than trying to correct a negative, I prefer to enhance a positive :)

That being said, on Jan 1 2008 I went skiing and got my butt handed to me by Alpental (That Edelwiess Chair is not messing around!)

So, this year I decided why not entrust my life to some Ticos and go on a zip line! It was a great tour of the jungle canopy but I didn't bring my camera along for fear of breaking/smashing/knocking/dropping it.
safety gear lined up and ready to go
All-in-all? It actually wasn't all that "thrilling" - I had fun, it was nice to go fast through the trees but I don't have a fear of heights so being on a wire high above the ground didn't get my heart racing as much as that sensation of falling does...I would rather do Tower of Terror or Free Fall again

This is all that was keeping me alive. And it didn't even phase me.