April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Zoo, Sanctuary, Aquarium]

#249

What's the difference between a Zoo, a Sanctuary, and an Aquarium?

Aquarium's easy because it only deals with animals found in water - the seas, oceans, and rivers. Basically a house for marine life.

A zoo is typically a facility where animals are conserved and sometimes also housed for public display for education purposes. They can feature a variety of animals from across different regions and ecosystems. Zoos can also focus on breeding to conserve endangered species, whereas a sanctuary provides a safe haven for rescue animals. Put simply, a sanctuary's focus is care and rehab for animals. 

Finally, a safari, typically a wildlife one, is an outdoor adventure experience, where visitors in jeeps or open buses observe wild animals in their natural habitats while listening to the guides educate them about their daily interactions with the animals. It's the most immersive experience out of all the above options.

Except for sanctuary, we were able to experience the other three in the US in the past year since we've been here. We visited the massive Georgia Aquarium, followed by the Atlanta Zoo, followed by the Wildlife Safari in San Diego's Safari Park.

While I'd rate the zoo and safari pretty much equally, the aquarium stands apart, as it was truly an amazing experience we had, and even got to touch a sting ray (under supervision, of course)!

The above picture was taken at the Atlanta Zoo - where we were greeted by a flock of pink flamingoes. Did you know - a group of flamingoes is called a flamboyance. What a mellifluous word! Absolutely apt for the sight for sore eyes we encountered just as we entered the place!

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Yosemite National Park]

#248

I finally accomplished one of my US Trip bucket list items - visiting the Yosemite National Park. We planned a 2-day trip with two of our other friends and visited this majestic masterpiece of nature in September, when the weather was just right to witness various cliffs and mountains and lakes and waterfalls.

We stayed in an Airbnb inside the park for a night and drove around to famous places like Half Dome and El Capitan. We also hiked to the top of Bridal veil falls - which I learnt is one of the most common names for several waterfalls across the country - a waterfall that free-falls as a thin stream, resembling a bride's white veil, giving it the self-explanatory name.

One of our friends had been here before and she came up with a fantastic itinerary that ensured we covered the major points like Glacier Point and a few other MacOS wallpapers, and maintained a balance between hiking and driving such that we didn't tire out doing either full-time. 

On our way near the entrance, we even saw a grizzly mama bear with her three cubs, settled near a tall tree, but perhaps on hearing car noises, the four of them scurried away deep into the forest. That was our first experience witnessing bears in this country.

We ended our trip by driving to a nearby place called Mammoth Lake, and also stopped on the way to take pictures underneath Giant Sequoias at the Mariposa Grove.

Oh what natural wonders the Pacific Northwest has to offer!

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Xbox Controller]

#247

In between trips, it takes some time to get back into the regular routine of work and housework, among other things like workout and cooking. 

Finding moments to relax and rejuvenate is essential - which we achieve through gaming. After contemplating for several months and struggling to play co-op games like Overcooked (and Overcooked 2) on a single keyboard, we finally bought an Xbox controller. 

I chose the above one for myself in the Astral Purple color - my favorite. 

Amidst the hustle of work and planning the next trip, diving into the immersive worlds of these frenetic cooking games that are the ultimate tests of our teamwork and coordination make it the perfect entertaining yet relaxing (though stressful during gameplay) activity to enjoy after meals and avoid napping!

This has been our 2024 post-travel pursuit, going steady for the past 4 months after every trip and post almost every other meal, especially on weekends.

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [World of Coca Cola]

#246

An adventure of taste, effervescence, and rich history - that's what we got when we stepped into the World of Coca Cola!

From spending time mixing up our own fizzy drink recipes, to walking through an exhibit showcasing Coca-Cola advertisements throughout the years, to tasting hundreds of flavors of Coca-cola from across the world, to guessing scents from their smells alone, it was a wonderful 90-minute assault to our senses.

This place offered visitors like us a journey through its iconic branding, logo, and origins of this beloved beverage. We tasted the original Coca Cola and the recalled ones and everything in between.

There were fruity flavors such as the Parletta Sparberry from Zimbabwe and Minute Maid Joy Apple Lychee from Korea. There were funky ones none of us enjoyed, like BBQ Coke and Cranberry-infused Coke which turned out to be a combination of bitter and sour and cough-syrupy. 

And then there were my favorites, which I went for refills - like Sprite Cucumber from Romania, and Stoney Ginger Beer From Tanzania.

In the end, our thirsts were quenched, both literally and figuratively!

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Valley of Fire State Park]

#245

Our last day in Las Vegas was completely free and so we decided to drive to the Valley of Fire State Park for a day trip. Why is it called so? Because at sunset, it looked like the whole valley was on fire, hence someone traveling through this place in the 1920s gave it this apt name. Pretty much the entire place contains sandstone rocks, which are colored red due to the presence of iron oxide, or rust, in them.

When we went in September, it was quite scorching, and there was a funny-but-serious warning sign we came across within the park - "Heat warning - you might die". Great warning!

This was one of the very first places where my husband took up driving in the US, a pretty good place to hone your skills - an easy, low-speed drive but with challenges like driving on a single, narrow lane with big vehicles coming slightly fast on the opposite side. 

We ended up wrapping up our visit within half a day as it was getting hotter and drier even inside the car, and we headed to the Seven Magic Mountains from there - a queer name, since they were neither mountains nor was there anything magical about them! But there were thankfully 7 of them!

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [UCLA]

#244

Tucked away within the geology department of the University of California Los Angeles, famously known as UCLA, lies its meteorite gallery. How did we stumble upon this during our LA trip? It was listed as a must-see in Google Maps!

Driving through LA traffic, it wasn't easy to get there. Fortunately, we made it in time - 4:15PM - and had 45 minutes to leisurely browse through the entire gallery before it closed at 5PM.

Yet another aspect of luck - we ended up listening to a who we thought was a UCLA professor share with some of the students there about the origins of some of these meteorites and talk about rock formations in general. 

Walking around the exhibit, there were showcases housing stunning collections of meteorites from across the cosmos - the Moon, Mars, asteroids - offering visitors a glimpse into the wonders of our universe.

There was a sheet attached on a bulletin board above each meteorite that told the story of how UCLA acquired it and high-level information about the type of mineral identified from it, and related details.

Overall a good suggestion from Google, since otherwise we wouldn't have found out about this place, and I gathered from friends who went here that not much else was worth seeing within that campus. It was truly a much better one-time experience that we had in LA over visiting regular beaches and restaurants.

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Tulip Festival]

#243

We drove 90 minutes north of Seattle to the The Skagit Valley, where there was a Tulip Festival, a yearly occurrence. A kaleidoscope of bright colors, this place beckons visitors from across the state to witness this vibrant landscape.

We spent about an hour here, navigating long paths of various colors and sizes of tulips as well as gardens contained sculpted grass and greenery. I recently learnt that this is known as 'Topiary.' 

Visitors like us - it was very crowded even though we were one of the first people there at 9AM - were enamored and enveloped in a sea of blossoms that stretched as far as the eye can see, painting the countryside with shades of red, yellow, pink, white, and purple.

From nature enthusiasts to those in search of different experiences, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival enthuses one and all, leaving them with awe and wonder and making their long trip worth the drive.

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Snorkeling]

#242

It was our very first experience of doing snorkeling as well as having huge magnificent manta rays swim right underneath us. This was yet another must-do adventure if you ever go to Hawaii.

It was 8PM. They took us out to slightly deeper waters by boat, a short ride. We had to put on snorkeling gear and swim a bit to reach a raft where everyone had to become completely horizontal and stretch out to hold on to the sides of the raft. We then had to put our face in and await until the manta rays swam beneath us, gracing us with their soft gentle touch as they swam by near bright lights, because according to the guide, that's where they swim around for food.

Mastering the snorkeling gear was a little tricky at first and took some getting used to. It snugly fitted to my face, completely disallowing breathing through my nose—a sensation I initially found disconcerting. 

Once I adjusted to the rhythm of breathing solely through my mouth, a world of wonder unfolded beneath the surface. 

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Red Rocks Amphitheatre]

#241

Yet another unplanned venue, the Red Rocks Amphitheatre was suggested to us as a must-visit by the hotel staff in Denver the night we checked in. It is kind of unique because it's carved into the red sandstone cliffs and is one of the tallest amphitheatres at over 300 feet. It seats more than 9000 people and is apparently one of the most popular concert venues.

An intriguing aspect we observed other than its remarkable acoustics was the number of people busy working out on the stairs! There was a lady doing push ups combined with hopping up on each stair, reaching the top (which took quite a while because there were so many steps), and repeating the entire routine. There were several others jogging, doing abs workouts, and a few others doing periodic pushups as well.

Climbing to the top was a bit of a workout for us too, but it was worth it, as we witnessed the beautiful Denver city skyline, also mountainous, but in a different way than the Pacific Northwest.

We also enjoyed visiting the Rocky Mountains and Colorado Springs while we were there, but that's a story for another day!

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Quesadilla]

#240

After every adventurous trip with new foods and experiences, we return home to relish comfort food once again. As it can take a few days to get over the tiredness and get back into regular routine, we typically use the food service called HelloFresh to segue back into making home-cooked food.

HelloFresh simplifies meal preparation by sending the right quantity and proportion of ingredients and the recipe to make fun stuff like pastas and protein bowls. Our recurring favorite, as avid enthusiasts of Mexican cuisine, has been their veggie quesadilla. 

With its vibrant flavors and simple preparation, it captures the essence of homemade goodness. And keeps us full and content, alongside providing a balanced diet - protein from beans and guacamole, carbohydrates from the rice and tortilla, probiotics from sour cream, and essential vitamins from the pico de gallo, cheese being optional.

My husband and I typically make these dishes together as we relive the highlights of our trip, making it a cherished ritual we look forward to after our trips.

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Portland]

#239

The Pacific Northwest is THE place to be outdoors - hiking, kayaking, skiing, what have you. 

With beautiful mountains and waters and lush greenery, it's an unmissable experience. 

After soaking in the new city of Seattle, Washington, when we moved here, we visited Portland in our neighboring city of Oregon. 

From Mount Hood to Mount Tabor to Witch's Castle and Pittock Mansion to Multnomah Falls, it has been a wonderful journey for us, experiencing nature through these landscapes.

We visited Portland once via Amtrak, which offered scenic views during the 3-hour ride. 

We visited another time by driving down 250 miles from our house. 

These won't be the only two trips that we make, as Portland has a lot to offer - stunning murals and captivating storytelling art museums located within its art districts, good food in Downtown, spanning several cuisines, and even more beautiful trails, waterfalls, and mountains.

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Orlando]

#238

Orlando's Universal Studios has revamped and expanded a lot since I visited it 15 years ago. Apart from additions like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter which houses the famous Diagon Alley, there was a whole new set of rides and worlds in the adjacent park called Islands of Adventure. Though both parks were at walkable distances, we took the Hogwarts Express to go from one to the other. It was a jolly train ride with immersive narration of the scenes from the first book.

During the first half of our long thrilling day, we prioritized rides from each of our favorite movie franchises and common ones, such as Fast and Furious, Transformers, and MCU. We went to a Horror Make Up comedy show and took pictures of the Jurassic Park props, but didn't go on any of its rides such as the VelociCoaster. We also caught a flash mob outside a restaurant, dancing to fun tunes in vintage British clothing, while we were waiting for our show to begin. 

We dedicated the second half to the Potter world. We visited Hogsmeade, Ollivander's - the Wand Shop - where we purchased souvenirs - a couple of good-quality tall mugs, one for each house we thought we resonated with, which were Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, and wrapped up the day with the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, an exhilarating ride!

One of the highlights of our entire day and trip was the Bourne Stuntacular, a show that had us on the edge of our seats from start to end. It was a blend of performers acting live on stage combined with dazzling special effects on a large 3640-sqft LED screen to bring to life some action-packed heart-pounding scenes from the Bourne movie series. 

Overall, a fun-filled day that left us satisfied yet at the same time still wanting more of the adrenaline from the immersive experiences we'd had all day long.

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [NBA Games]

#237

One of the items we bake into our itinerary when we travel within the US is an ingrained American cultural phenomenon - 'watching a game.' Be it football (rugby), soccer, ice hockey, baseball, or basketball, you will have a stadium filled with loud fans, cheering (the home team) and jeering (the away team), chomping on pizza and fries, sipping soda and beer, wearing their favorite team or player jersey and cap. 

Being a basketball fan, we catch NBA (and WNBA where applicable) games when we visit the home ground of where a home team is playing on a day we're there.

Watching an NBA game is more than just witnessing athletic prowess; it's an immersion into a quintessential American experience. From the electrifying loud atmosphere of packed arenas to the rhythmic chant of passionate fans, which we join too, each game is a spectacle of sportsmanship and entertainment. The energy is palpable as the crowd rallies behind their teams.

This has now become a 'thing' for us, and though we don't yet have any favorite team or player, it is always fun to join the crowd but applaud for both teams who're giving it their best.

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Museum of Illusions]

#236

Stepping into the Museum of Illusions was like entering an unreal, surreal realm. We visited the one in Las Vegas as the one in Seattle hadn't opened yet; it's a coming-soon feature sometime in 2025. 

From mind-bending optical illusions that challenged perception to interactive exhibits that defied gravity, each exhibit offered a new marvel to behold. From the spinning vortex, which had us literally in for a spin, to the unbelievable square-pyramid 2D-3D conversions depending on which side you look at it from, to the mirror-play and kaleidoscope exhibits and tunnels, all of these sparked awe and wonder within us as we experienced these from room to room. 

Similar to us, several guests, adults and children alike, left the place mesmerized by the endless possibilities of the mind. Oh what tricks the mind plays on you! We, along with a few other people there, spent a long time looking at a few of the artwork, approaching it from different directions and angles, but we just couldn't see it! And once we eventually saw some of it, we then just couldn't unsee it!

Though illusions may date back to more than 2000 years ago, they sure still continue to stump us all - young or old, man or woman, people across the world.

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Legoland]

#235

San Diego was yet another fun trip we embarked upon this year. One of the unplanned places we visited and ended up having way more fun than imagined and spent more than 2-3 hours was Legoland. It was like a giant amusement park built mainly for kids, with kiddie rides and kiddie films, but we sure had loads of fun, without going on a single ride. 

We started out the day with a short Lego film where the storyline and concept was similar to a combination of Power Rangers and Kung Fu Panda’s Furious Five, with one Zen master. 

We then walked around the park, admiring stunning renditions of iconic landmarks such as LA's SoFi stadium (where Taylor Swift's Eras Tour began) and mini-replicas of famous cities and their landmarks (New York - Statue of Liberty, Capitol Building - Washington D.C, San Francisco - Golden Gate Bridge, and more). Beautiful, intricate, artful. Simply amazing.

We stopped at a stall to play what looked like an easy 'throw-two-balls-into-a-bucket' game but took us 8 or 9 tries to win the prize - a giant, stuffed Pikachu. This stall was the most crowded and several kids were crying to their moms to let them play 'one more' followed by 'one more' round, but being unable to put the ball into the bucket each time, and walking away dejected. The bucket looked innocent, but the ball would easily bounce out of it like a boomerang, and the trick was to carefully, strategically throw the ball such that it hits the lip of the bucket - that was the only way to make 2 balls successfully go into the bucket and have them stay there.

We clocked in over 15,000 steps that day, leaving with memories as colorful as the bricks themselves!

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Kerry Park]

#234

Located on the south slope of Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, Washington, Kerry Park offers an unparalleled view of Downtown Seattle. People flock to this small public park to view the city’s iconic skyline, with the Space Needle standing tall on the left, the majestic Mount Rainier in the middle, and Elliott Bay on the right.

Despite the lack of public restrooms and the struggle to find free street parking nearby, people especially tourists remain undeterred and you’ll often find clear, non-cloudy evenings at this park to be crowded. Last Friday, though the sky was covered with dark gray clouds as you can see in the picture above, I was able to capture a decent photo of the skyline with Mt. Rainier gracing the background. It was a miracle for it to be visible amidst dense clouds.   

The neighborhood around this area of West Seattle is filled with beautiful mansion-like houses. I bet they’d be expensive though, as you might not get to enjoy a view like that every day without paying a hefty price for it!

We’ve visited Kerry Park more than a few times now, as it has become a typical tourist attraction. We take our friends and family there, each time someone visits us, and none of them have returned disappointed.

For those visiting, Kerry Park is a must-see attraction, perfect for capturing stunning photos and creating everlasting Seattle / Washington memories.

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Jurassic Valley]

#233

One of the top highlights of our Hawaii trip last year was the ATV (all-terrain vehicle; resembles an open jeep) ride in Jurassic Valley at the Kualoa Ranch.

My friend and I took turns driving the ATV through sandy, rugged, narrow roads, between pit stops. This went into my list of ‘things I did for the first time ever’. It made for an entertaining ride, with the beautiful backdrop of tall cliffs, lush greenery, and wavy mountains. 

‘Kualoa’ in Hawaiian translates to ‘long back.’ Our guide told us this, along with a mythological story about the Kualoa mountains, and about the volcanic formations in the island in general.

This ranch is a popular shooting spot for various Hollywood movies, the most well-known one being the Jurassic World trilogy. At each pit stop, we visited various dinosaurs, the T-Rex, velociraptors, and herbivores such as brachiosaurs.

Overall, a must-do, adrenaline-filled, unforgettable experience!

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Indian Wells]

#232

The Indian Wells Garden in Palm Springs, California is one of the largest stadiums in the world, with a capacity of over 16,000! It hosts a variety of sports events, one of them being the BNP Paribas Open, the world's largest combined men's and women's tennis tournament. My husband, his friends, and I booked tickets for the finals matches of both men's and women's tennis occurring last month, one of the most cherished, exciting trips of the year so far!

The national anthem was sung by actress and singer Katherine McPhee. Post that, we witnessed an exhilarating women's finals between Maria Sakkari from Greece and Iga Swiatek from Poland, the reigning champion, who defended her title well. Though 28-year-old Maria put on a really good fight, she was no match for the nimble 22-year-old Polish champion.

Soon after, we were on the edge of our seats for an even more enthralling men's finals between the reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz from Spain versus Daniil Medvedev from Russia. Alcaraz at 6 feet tall seemed quite short in comparison to the 6'6" Daniil, but his speed and determination fell nowhere short, as he hit almost impossible shots by running in opposite directions on the court.

Amidst the thrill of the matches, we enjoyed quinoa salad, flavored boba tea, and riveting discussions. At the end of each match, the winners and runner ups gave heartfelt speeches that included praising their opponent with genuine words, which showed good sportsmanship both on and off the court.

All in all, a wonderful event that left us with enthusiasm and satisfaction at watching a tennis match live for the very first time. 

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Hoover Dam]

#231

Yet another Vegas expedition was the Hoover Dam, a massive, tall structure over the Colorado River, which provides water and electricity to millions of Americans!

Fun facts: It was named after the US President Herbert Hoover, and spans two time zones - Pacific in Nevada and Mountain in Arizona.

An hour away from our hotel, it was a beautiful, scenic drive. We had a couple of viewpoints from across the dam from where we could take pictures, and we even stood from a different walkway which allowed us to look at the architecture and construction of different parts of the dam and related components.

Similar to most of the historic places in the US, here too we got to learn about its rich history and background into its durable construction. It is signified as one of the enduring spirits of the American achievement.

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Gondola Ride]

#230

One of the unique experiences we had in Las Vegas was the indoor Gondola ride at The Venetian.

True to the resort’s name, it gave us a glimpse of the allure of Venice. Though it was a short distance back and forth as it was indoors, the gondolier (TIL!) kept us entertained throughout with his mellifluous voice, singing various Italian songs, belting out melodious tunes, a few resembling the Godfather theme music.

His serenade made our experience romantic despite there being another couple on the gondola sitting opposite us.

Overall it felt like a great personalized adventure, and one of the highlights of our Vegas trip, where we explored a lot of things but did not participate in any of the casinos!

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [F.R.I.E.N.D.S Experience]

#229

As devout followers and fans of the beloved TV show ‘Friends’, my husband and I visited the F.R.I.E.N.D.S Experience in Seattle last year, which was an immersive, enjoyable, nostalgic journey from sets to props to scripts and more!

From the orange couch and fountain in the title song to the 2 fully set up apartments to the coffee shop, from the ‘pivot’ sofa to the ‘could I *BE* wearing any more clothes’ prop to Huggsy, from each main character’s costumes and hair to the 18-page script (front and back!) to the barcaloungers - we reminisced all of it - the episodes, the dialogs, the guest characters - as we walked through the well-set-up layout.

There were also interactive elements like trivia quizzes, and we got to see some of the behind-the-scenes footage and interviews. 

Overall, a truly experiential event we relive to this day about reliving memories from the show!

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Everglades National Park]

#228

Our trip to Florida started out as a spontaneous almost-unplanned trip with a day or two in Miami followed by Key West followed by a day in Orlando, but eventually fortuitously turned out to be a wonderful enjoyable nature trip!

After visiting the Dolphin center, we drove to the Alligator Farm in the Everglades National Park. This is one of the largest national parks in the US, Everglades being the largest wetland ecosystem in the country, spanning more than a 1.5 million acres!

It is predominantly covered in swampy land in which mangroves thrive, and a large population of (alli)gators. Because it was too hot and sunny to do kayaking in the lakes there, we ended up going to the indoor-ish covered alligator farm. One of the gator trainers there entertained us by putting his arms and head near a large male alligator’s mouth and opening it to count its teeth! It was scary to watch at first, and even scarier to see the trainer himself was pretty scared. The audience however kept applauding his crazy courage to put himself at risk like that.

At the end of it, each of us had the opportunity to hold a baby alligator, with its mouth taped of course, after being taught how to correctly hold it. It was an interesting first-time experience, it felt slimy and gooey underneath and scaly and hard at the top. A few folks didn’t end up listening to the instruction or just didn’t hold it correctly, so the poor alligator got a bit startled and tried to furiously twist and wriggle, until the trainer came to help with the situation.

Overall, a fun visit and experience - if you ever get a chance to hold an alligator, take it!

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Dolphin Center]

#227

One of the most intelligent and adorable mammals on this planet, are dolphins. Quick learners, problem-solvers, and playful, it is always a joy to watch these ever-smiling creatures out in the water.

That is exactly what we did in the Dolphin Center in Florida, located in the Gulf of Mexico.

This nonprofit organization is home to several sea animals - sea lions, turtles, and predominantly dolphins, several of them being rescues. 

We enjoyed a spectacular hour-long show where the trainers made dolphins perform several tricks like mouth-painting, scavenger hunting, and doing standing backflips. 

It was exciting to witness several enthusiastic, competitive although in a friendly manner, and hardworking dolphins play around in the water and earn treats as rewards for the tasks they accomplished.

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Crater Lake National Park]

 #226

We visited the Crater Lake National Park in Eugene, Oregon sometime last year. It was a bit of a journey to get there from Seattle - a 7-hour scenic train ride followed by a 4-hour drive from downtown Eugene to the National Park followed by walking in the snow while experiencing hail but it was all totally worth it!

As we reached this viewpoint, the hail stopped, the clouds started to clear, with the sun providing a bit of brightness from behind dark, dense clouds, and we got to witness this breathtaking view of the crater lake and the wizard island in the middle of it.

The snow on the mountains partially started to melt, giving them a neat, striped look, adding to the picturesque scene. Within ten minutes of standing there and taking in the gorgeous view, a crowd had gathered, and in the next few minutes, the clouds once again covered the sky and the top of the mountains, changing the color of the lake from shades of bright blue and white to dark blue and dark gray due to the shadows of the clouds above. 

We were fortunate and grateful for this experience and as we headed back into the city, ticked off yet another U.S. national park and city off our checklist.

April 2024 A-Z Challenge: U.S. Travel Chronicles [Blaine]

 #225

For New Year’s Eve, we went to a place in Washington known as Blaine.

It’s one of the places that is the closest to Canada, it’s very close to the border. It was a spontaneous long-weekend staycation where we enjoyed our first wine-tasting experience as well as witnessed a beautiful sunset where the sky looked like it’d been set on fire (the picture above).

It’s roughly a 2-hour drive from downtown Seattle, scenic at places. We also enjoyed long walks on and near the beach, admiring the ocean-facing houses and mansions, and discussing pros and cons of living in such a dwelling.

Fun fact: Blaine was apparently named after a senator who hailed from Maine (Blaine from Maine!) in the 1800s. 

The city’s official motto is: “Where America Begins”. Well, it was certainly where our new year began!