Our Anniversary in Wine Country

We have been spending about a week and a half in Prosser, Washington in May for the past few years. We usually meet my parents there, and sometimes other friends or relatives as well. Our wedding anniversary is late in the month, so this year we also had a celebration at one of our favorite restaurants in town with my parents and with the two friends that were the witnesses at our wedding. I never used to like repeating vacations or trips, but because my parents like to return the the same places repeatedly, we've been doing the same, and I find I now appreciate being able to return to favorite spots, like that restaurant.

The water tower welcomes us to town.

We hiked again the year.

From the Horse Heaven Vista at Sunset.

The Equinox in Ecuador

We were not planning on going to Ecuador, but a close friend asked if we would join her there. I try to always say yes to such things, and figure out how to make it work, rather than say no, and find a reason why not. We traveled there in 2012, but to the most visited sites... Quito and the Galapagos Islands. This time we headed for the coast, just south of Esmeraldas. The nearest town to our resort was Tonsupa. Nothing very big at all. The resort was lovely and had a great pool, but minimal amenities. It was a nice condo with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. We drove out to the coast from Quito. It was so nice to get to see the country that way. I was initially nervous about driving, but Z was a pro, even in the rain. This was the off-season and the area was quiet. Plus the spot where we stayed was frequented by locals only. I got to use my Spanish for real, since we didn't see any English speakers.

Lovely Flight from Seattle.

Layover in Atlanta. A healthy lunch in an airport!

Live music during lunch.

Fun flight.

Quito from above at night.

The next morning. We stayed at an airport hotel.

Valentine's Day and a Girl's Weekend in Ocean Park

It's rare that I travel or spend a weekend away without Russ now, but sometimes it's nice to find myself without his influence. I think that different people pull different aspects of my personality forward, and although I do love who I am when we are together, I like to make space for my other selves as well. I enjoyed a girl's weekend at a friends house in Ocean Park, Washington, on the Long Beach Peninsula. We left for the beach the day after Valentine's Day, which I spent with Russ, naturally. 

The beach at Leadbetter State Park.

Sculpted sand.

My girl group.

Cabo Before Christmas

We made a last minute decision to join our friend Z in Cabo San Lucas again this year, much closer to Christmas than last year. I relish the chance to go somewhere with warm weather in the depths of winter. I do appreciate our climate, but it is so hard to beat the beach after months of dark clouds and near-constant rain. I managed to prepare for Christmas at home by decorating the house (always done the day after Thanksgiving) and sending the holiday cards before we left, but the cookie baking with mom was scheduled for after our return. Mostly this trip is about spending time with Z and complete relaxation.

Christmas tree in the lobby.

The first sunset.

Flights of fancy.

Glimpse of the cape.

 

An Omar Rudberg Concert in NY

I mentioned in an earlier post that I am rarely spontaneous. Buying the tickets for an Omar Rudberg concert in New York may be the most unlikely thing I have ever done, and the best. I live near Seattle, so the west coast show in LA may have been closer, but NY is more practical because I have a place to stay with my brother-in-law and his family on Long Island. When the notification of the sale hit my phone, I mostly wondered what the price was and ended up downloading the ticket app to see that. I managed to click through immediately though and just went for it. My friend Gisela, who had agreed to join me at an Omar concert (she likes his music, too), certainly didn't expect the show to be on the other side of the country! It turns out the the tickets sold out within like a half hour, so I feel really lucky to have done it right away. I typically would wait at least of few days before making travel decisions like this. Also I think this will be my last opportunity to see Omar in a small venue like this, so next time I go to his show, it will be a different type of experience.

Omar Rudberg.

Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Riding the NY Subway.

Welcome to NY.

Plymouth Park and Wine Tasting with Friends in Walla Walla, WA

My October was bracketed with travel, both trips borne of an unexpected opportunity. I rarely do something spontaneously, but in October 2024, two trips get that appellation. Our full-time RV friends texted with an invitation to join them at Plymouth Park on the Washington Side of Lake Umatilla. Umatilla is the location of one of the major bridges over the Columbia River, which are not close to each other on the east side of the Cascades. It's also quite close to Walla Walla; the small city is home to Whitman College and a thriving wine scene.

Mostly though, it's just wonderful to hang out and spend time with our friends. My theme for this year was connection, and it has been a good choice to focus on. Connecting with friends, however, was one motivation for saying yes to a last minute trip in the R-Pod before we packed it up for the winter. Our weather was lovely and the drive was too.

The I-90 Wildlife Overpass.

The dry side of the Cascades, complete with wind turbines.

Our campsite at Plymouth Park.

The park was full, but the sites were not too close together.

Memories of a Trip to Port Townsend

Way back in September, Russ and I met my parents at Point Hudson Marina and RV Park in Port Townsend, Washington for what has become an annual trip. This year, we weren't joined by any other relatives or friends, so it seemed even more relaxing and chill. It always feels like such a huge lift to pack up the R-Pod and leave, even for such a local destination, but I'm glad to get it done and just zone out in the passenger seat as we drive.

Point Hudson at Sunset.

Our spot for the week.

Point Hudson Marina.

Point Wilson Light.