Joe Morone for President!

The last few days have been mostly driving from Chicago to Mount Rushmore. We passed through the stretch of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Each state is more beautiful than the next. Joe has done ALL of the driving. He's my superstar! He truly is the best travel buddy; helping me cook, making great fires to keep us warm, and singing silly songs as we go. I couldn't do this without him.  I included a photo of him at Mount Rushmore because if I had my way, he would be our next president and his face would make it beside the others up there. 

As for lodging, we camped one night in Jackson, Minnesota and another in Custer, South Dakota.  I'm not sure where we will end up tonight, but the goal is to make it to Yellowstone by the 29th. For now I need to pay attention to the road in front of me because it's too spectacular to miss!

Chi-chi-chi-cago

I have to share that Chicago is one of my favorite cities. Although we were only in town for a little over twenty-four hours, we lived it up! This city is full of beauty, both natural and man-made. Fortunately we found this great boutique hotel that accepted dogs and even greeted Barley with a goodie bag filled with treats, doodie bags, and a toy. Way to go Kimpton! We are fans for life. After checking in we decided to grab some Chicago-style pizza at Lou Malnati's. This was Joe's first visit to Chicago, and according to him, "the first real Chicago pizza" he's ever had.  It was delicious, and even Barley found a scrap or two under the table to enjoy. At lunch we decided to make most of our short visit and signed up for an architectural tour of the city on a river boat. We dropped off the pup and headed down the river to fully enjoy the gorgeous and incredibly interesting history of Chicago's skyline. I would totally recommend anyone to do the tour when in the Windy City. When the tour wrapped up, we headed to the hotel again for the free happy hour; honestly, way to go Kimpton. Later that night we had plans to go to dinner with a dear friend from grad school, Carolyn. She suggested this place called Cafe Iberico for tapas and drinks. It was the first time she had met Joe, and I had met her significant other, Niles. Together the four of us had great conversation, delicious food, and a round or two (or three or four) of drinks. The visit with them was such a great end to our night in Chicago. We then headed back to the hotel to put on our cheetah-print robes (did I mention I loved Kimpton hotels?) and soak in the last moments before it's back to camping for the next week or so. On the way out of town we grabbed brunch and strolled by the Bean, because no trip to Chicago is complete without it!  (Side note: I write this while riding through the farmlands of Wisconsin where we just had one heck of a grilled cheese. Picture included ;) 

The Grass is Always Greener when Eight Generations Have Enjoyed It

Yesterday we journeyed to western Pennsylvania to a small town called Conneaut Lake. This is a town where my father's family came over two hundred years ago. Joe and I decided to come here to check out some land, 30 acres that is, that has been in my family for the past eight generations. I've known about this land for my whole life and always dreamed of coming to see it. In college I imagined using it for a hippie commune, more recently, Joe and I have considered it to build a summer cabin. That may be more realistic at this point in life, but I won't rule out the commune ;). We arrived in the sleepy little town and checked into our hotel, still having no exact address for this land. I contacted my mom, who had no address, but instead had the name of the tax collector she had been paying for years without ever seeing this land for herself. Fortunately the tax collector had some information. She knew the address that was across the street, and connected us with a county website that shows property lines. So we adventured out to find the land. After getting lost a few times, we arrived to what looked like a gorgeous wooded lot. We parked on the side of the road, and the three of us went on what felt like a real hike. Originally we kept Barley on his leash, but after crossing the creek that runs through the property we decided to let him run freely. He LOVED it! LOVED IT! This trip made me feel more connected to my ancestors than I ever have, while making me feel more excited about the future at the same time. We thoroughly enjoyed the trek through the woods, and then headed back into town where we found an awesome little brewery called Table and Tap. What an incredible day! 

Virgina is for Lovers

The first three days of our trip have been amazing. We spent last night in Richmond with my friend Jes from college. She's got an amazing little place, filled with amazing things from her travels around the world that all tell a little story about who she is. When we arrived, she had made us an incredible Indian meal; then we walked down to a little local pub and had a drink in the gorgeous Virgina evening temps. Churchill, the neighborhood where she lives, has a community garden that we walked through, cute restaurants, and the most quaint row houses. We spent the rest of the evening talking about life, good times we had living in Asheville, and what's to come. Both Joe and I were so humbled by her amazing hospitality! 

This morning we got up and made our way west to the mountains of Virgina. We spent the afternoon on one of the cutest, hipest towns I've been to, Staunton! The local scene is amazing here. There is even a store that sells all fair trade, ethically made, good-for-others products. I connected with the store owner, Anna, about philanshopic.org and plan to stay in touch with her. After some time enjoying the small city, we took Barley to a great dog park called Gypsy Hill. He loved it! Then we decided to go set up camp. I can't even begin to describe our campsite, so I'll have to add photos. I am looking forward to a great night ahead and have some smores waiting for me. Off for now! 

The Oregon Trail (with one wagon, one dog, and a tent)

When Joe and I sat down last year and decided to get a dog, we had to get real about our travel. You can't just pick up a cheap flight to Mumbai when you have a furry little friend to care for at home, (which had kept me from buying every cute little puppy I've seen up until that point). As we sat and dreamed, then talked about what our hearts were really craving, and the places we were really wanting to see, both of us individually came to this desire to drive out west. Let me share, it is not that international travel or a quick flight to NYC is out of the picture, it's just that at this stage, we feel this need to drive out west and see our beautiful country. It also meant we could get a puppy! Win! So, with months of dreaming, and loosely sketching out an itinerary, we are on the road! The plan is for 30 days (mostly because that's how long the post office will hold your mail ;)). Excited for the road ahead, and trusting it will be a transformational and spiritual journey like none other, we head west for adventure. For now, the itinerary is posted below.

Costa Rica, a Central American Toothache

When I set the goal of visiting all 21 Spanish-speaking countries years ago, I never thought that I would be traveling to Costa Rica under these terms. I've had friends live here, offers to travel with work, and even once planned a trip here that never happened. Although the country is named for its rich coast, Joe and I are here for its  affordable dental care. He had some serious crown work that needed to be done, and so we thought, "let's make it a trip!". The low prices in Costa Rica, and the multiple positive reviews on the dentist, allowed us to confidently plan a trip for two, get the dental work done, and still come out ahead financially. Unfortunately since moment one, this trip has been full of difficult moments.
We arrived at SJO to find out the car we rented came with a $37/day government fee, and because we planned to be here for two weeks, that just wouldn't work. I'm so grateful I speak Spanish because we were able to navigate the bus system and get into the city for about $3. After the dental visit, we decided to see the country a bit. Our little hostel in San Jose was perfect and about a block from the dentist, and within walking distance to an art museum, the center of town, and a few bus stops. After 3 days in the city, we headed out to see the beauty that everyone raves about in Costa Rica.
That's when another challenging moment presented itself! We decided to rent a car for a few days to see the countryside, and fortunately had a GPS with Costa Rican maps preloaded and ready to go. We  were eager to get out of San Jose, as it really was quite pricey and truthfully, dirty. So, when the GPS said we could be at a tropical volcano within two and a half hours, we hit the road ready to explore! After almost 5 hours of the worst roads we had ever experienced passed, and the GPS said we were only 2km away, we almost got out of the car to run the rest of the way. Sadly, as we turned on what was supposed to be the second to last turn before our arrival, and a man came out to close the road! What?!?! How could this have been? The rain poured down, and we found another path.
The next day we explored a bit, recovering from the long and exhausting drive from the night before.
The next three days were more of the same. People I know and trust, LOVE this country, and sadly, we can't stand it! After a week of being overcharged for everything, getting lost or delayed due to challenging roads, and the overall shock that comes from seeing dogs running in the trash-filled streets, we left. We actually bought plane tickets and went home. I've never left a trip early, but CR disappointed. Maybe it was the high expectations of others' magical moments here, but this place was not for us. Good news, Joe's dental work came out beautifully!

A Little Bit of Lima in My Life. A Little Bit of Chile by My Side

After much deliberating I decided it was best to extend my ticket in Chile a few days so that I could get done a few things that I had really wanted to do.  I managed to head back into Santiago, where both going out to Valparaiso and ascending the Cerro de San Cristobal were on my list to do, and the list for some friends I had made there as well.  I took Friday night to stay in and rest a bit, and then headed out to the bus station the next morning to meet up with my friends and go to Valparaiso.

Valparaiso, or Valpo, is known for its colorful houses that line the hills of the small beach town.  It offers both residents and visitors all types of local arts to enjoy and really yummy seafood.  I arrived at the bus station about twenty minutes late, and unfortunately this was one of those days where my friends had arrived early and thought that I wasn't coming after all.  I looked around for them a bit, and then decided it was best to catch the next bus out of town if I was going to enjoy the day.  I got to Valpo around 11 on Saturday, and saw what looked like miles of streets lined with people selling things.  I saw phones from the 70s, shoes from last season, and everything in between.  I suppose this is something that happens on Saturdays, because the whole town was out shopping.  I bought a thing or two for those back home, and then caught the local bus to Pablo Neruda´s home, La Sebastiana.

La Sebastiana 

I have had the chance to teach some of Neruda's poetry in the past, and have never quite connected with it in real meaningful way.  Something about listening to it while strolling through his home made it come to life for me.  His obsession with the sea was something that made me miss home a bit, but also made me respect him so much for making it a priority to see the sea from ever room of his house.  I took my time enjoying looking at everything from his whisky glasses, to the stuffed flamingo he had hanging from the ceiling.  Who once seemed like an over-the-top romantic, became personal to me and left me wanting to read his words in a whole new light.  After the house tour, I strolled through the winding streets of Valpo, grabbed a great vegetarian lunch at Donde Luca (supposedly this is one of the only cities in Chile where they really get what it means to eat vegetarian), and then headed back to Santiago.

I finally ended up meeting my friends that evening at a bar in Santiago called La Piojera (it means lice- nice, huh?).  I tried my first and only 'Terremoto' (a strong drink that means ´Earthquake´), while thoroughly enjoying laughs and good conversations with my new friends who have made this trip for me.  The next day we planned to hike up Cerro San Cristobal.  This is a highlight in Santiago, and can be hiked or ridden up in a small funicular.  We made our way up there about 3pm, and were able to enjoy it in the funicular (the hike seemed a bit ambitious at that moment) and arrived in time for sunset.  The view of the city really affirmed a deep love for Santiago and Chile that has been building throughout the past 5 weeks.

Riding up in the funicular

View from the top- Santiago is gorgeous!! 

Why not?? 3 Faces, 3 of Us, it works! 

Sunset on my last night in Santiago

I headed out at 2:50a.m. the next morning so that I could make my flight to Lima.  I had planned to sleep on the flight, but instead I ended up chatting with a Chilean guy, Cristian, for a few hours.  He, like every other Chilean, was over-the-top kind.  I had shared with him that I would be meeting my friend at her hotel that evening and was planning on spending the day strolling around Miraflores while waiting for her to arrive.  He quickly offered to share the shuttle that his work had arranged for him with me, and even offered to let me leave my things at his hotel luggage-check.  Really, Chileans are extraordinarily wonderful and kind people.  I asked if he was sure about twenty times, and then decided because I had no other plan at that point to take him up on the offer.  We ended up eating lunch together and strolling around Miraflores, a cute (yet touristy) neighborhood of Lima.  Miraflores literally translates to, 'look flowers'.  As we arrived to the small park in the center of the neighborhood, I understood why.  This area has got some gorgeous flowers!!  That evening Cristian helped me carry my things to the hotel where my friend Rachel was staying with her husband and then went on his way.

Flores from Miraflores 

The Cat Tree, in the Cat Park, by the Cat Church

It has been 7 years since I saw Rachel, who I had met in Granada, Spain.  When I arrived at her hotel it instantly felt like a wonderful little piece of home.  Although we never connected in the States, we had shared some fun memories in Spain together; and with the power of Facebook, have managed to keep up with one another for the past 7 years.  I met her husband, Paul, who is here with his graduate program working, and couldn't have felt any more welcomed in their beautiful hotel room.  We headed out to dinner, in search of seafood (we are in Peru after all), but the restaurant was closed because it was Peruvian Independence Day.  Just like many Americans in the US on Christmas, we found ourselves eating Chifa.  Chifa, which is not quite Chinese food but pretty darn close, is something that you can only get in Peru.  Our waiter recognized Rachel and Paul, and this little old Chinese-Peruvian looking man greeted us all with a fist-bump.  Throughout the dinner, I could have sworn that he was a professional mime-comedian.  He managed to recommend dishes, take our order, and check-in with us with very few words and some amazing gestures.  It was probably the most entertainment I've had in months.

Peru is ALL about their flag!  

A Yummy Ceviche Moment 

Plaza de Armas 

Rooftop View from Sol de Oro 

The next two days Rachel and I have been able to enjoy together while Paul has had to go to work.  We slept in late, ate a Spanish style meal (chocolate con churros with tortilla de patatas) in honor of our Spanish time together, watched some extremely interesting Peruvian television, and strolled around a small artisan fair that is here in the area for the celebrations.  She also shared with me some of her favorite food spots, and I have eaten better in the last two days than I maybe ever have.  A visit to Plaza de Armas, a great nap, and some last minute gifts for loved ones back home have seemed to bring this trip to a close.

I fly out of Lima this evening, in some ways feeling as though this time has flown, and in others feeling as though I have had experiences that have changed me forever.  So many reflections and insights I have gained from this journey fill my heart and mind.  I am so grateful to have the life I do, so grateful for Divine provision of everything I needed just as I needed it, and so grateful that I will be returning home to paradise tomorrow.  Until the next journey- buen viaje y un abrazo desde Lima!