http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Stephanie-and-Andras/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Stephanie and Andras en-us Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:47:35 +0000 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:47:35 +0000 Did you ever watch the Wizard of Oz and in that scene where Dorothy et al are running through the endless red poppy fields trying to reach the Emerald City think I wish I could do that Same here Well we finally made it to the tulip festival fittingly a few hours north of Seattle our own Emerald City. I've been wanting to visit the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival with Andras for years. N http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mount-Vernon/blog-394748.html There is something so inherently classy and romantic about the great wine regions of the world. The quaint reserve of Riems the misty mornings in Napa Valley the feed store in Prosser with the heavyset lady pushing an equally hefty child in a stroller out front....okay that last one doesn't exactly fit the idyllic image you get when you think of wine country but then again this area is young. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Prosser/blog-332710.html We've been hunkered down riding out the extremely uncharacteristic winter weather for the past week or so and it finally looks like it's going to let up this weekend. Who would have thought Seattleites would actually be looking forward to a forecast of 40F and rain. One of the news reporters this morning commented that we'd be waving the white flag of surrender to Mother Nature but it would jus http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Seattle/blog-356451.html From the driest area in the state to the wettest in a little over two hours we rounded the east side of the Olympic Peninsula heading towards the Hoh rain forest. I must say for being one of the few temperate rain forests worldwide it was remarkably dry on the days we were there. Not that I am complaining it's just that you don't expect an area that receives over 12 ft 3.6 m of rain a year http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Olympic-National-Park/blog-368480.html This trip has been forever in the making. I'm honestly surprised to be writing of it as I thought it would never happen. We had originally planned to go last March. Yes I realize it's almost October but we had a week off and our brains swam with visions of rainforest camping and montane hikes. And then a huge storm blew through and flooded the campsites while mudslides completely demolished http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Sequim/blog-325431.html Slowly over the summer I've began to knock some things off the long list of todo's and have been getting out and exploring the little town we know call home. I thought it would be difficult to start seeing the city with new eyes passing by the same sidestreets and details that in a foreign place would snatch my attention away for hours but that here being so quick to move on they barely regi http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Seattle/blog-322527.html It's been nearly one year to the day since we arrived in the Seattle area and we still hadn't made the time to go visit the mountain. The mountain I look at nearly every day the mountain that symbolizes the northwest the same mountain I used to reminisce about when I was away....yes that mountain. At 14410ft Mount Rainier dominates the Seattle skyscape and when the weather is clear and the http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-309960.html Spring is finally here Birds chirping sun peaking through the cloud layer. The city is alive again. We are alive again. Almost. I'm trying to be optimistic.It's been a difficult adjustment these past few months settling back down into a routine but as the weather warms and the greying sidewalks and street corners become swathed in the colorful patina of spring our senses are once again ar http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Seattle/blog-257702.html Tucked out of sight in the middle of nowhere is a city dedicated to the seven sins. Gluttony Lust Greed Wrath Sloth Envy Pride all alive and well out in the Nevada desert. More remarkable than a city built upon the hedonistic desires of man young and old is the recent desire to market the resorts as family destinations. If you wipe the lipstick off a prostitute and dress her up in a http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/Las-Vegas/blog-229590.html How do you wrap up the last three months of your life With reflection on the past or wistful thoughts of the future I suppose all that will come with time but right now more than anything we feel like slapping each other five and toasting with a little selfcongratulation because we did it We completed the journey we planned in the manner we envisioned with the budget we hoped. In fact we http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/blog-310220.html Driving up US 101 the landscape changes back from the warm fields of southern California and one dominated by tall shady evergreens a prelude to the drops in temperature and increased precipitation we can expect the further we head up the Pacific coast. It's a welcome sight to be sure certainly one familiar to a Northwest native but also a clear indication that our trip is quickly coming to a http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Redwood-National-Park/blog-254044.html There is a reason I've been schlepping a pair of strappy black heels and an impractical sundress over mountains and deserts through forests and fields allowing them to take up precious space in our very limited cargo hold and that reason is Napa Valley. The very thought spins visions of elegance sunkissed vineyards romantic BBs limosines and vintage bottles of wine being sipped on the t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Napa-Valley/blog-250145.html The warm land air mixed with the cooler sea climate caused a heavy fog to roll in overnight and it occasionally obstructs our vision as we drive north into San Francisco. We only have a day here before meeting my mom at the airport tomorrow when we'll take a sojourn down to Yosemite so we don't want to see too much and risk ruining her sightseeing experience which leaves us with some decisions t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/San-Francisco/blog-250142.html Like pioneers traveling westward on wagon train we too are thrilled to finally see the Pacific Ocean. It's been a long time coming. The salty seabreeze the familiar wail of seagulls the methodical crashing of waves up against the rocky shores below. In many ways the trip seems somehow complete even though we remain hundreds of miles away from our destination. It's almost too familiar. W http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Monterey/blog-250141.html We snuck into California the back way so we first realize wersquore over the state line when the traffic starts to get worse. Itrsquos not the sheer volume of cars on the road that make this drive so frustrating itrsquos the fact that even though wersquore driving a good five miles over the speed limit wersquore still getting passed and dodged around like wersquore standing still. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Death-Valley-National-Park/blog-237856.html You know that feeling when you wake up and for the briefest of moments you don't quite know where you are and have to retrace your steps to remember That is not the Grand Canyon. First there's the continuous presence of heat radiating from every angle from the ground below and the sky above and even the rock escarpments surrounding you. Then there's the aching feeling radiating throughout y http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-249643.html We have officially hit rock bottom and couldnrsquot be happier. After weeks of planning and a summers worth of training we hiked down to the base of the Grand Canyon in four and a half hours. More importantly we eventually hiked out. Over a month ago when we started this trip our minds kept tricking us leading us to believe that Yellowstone marked the halfway point and though it did geo http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-237855.html High temperatures have prompted authorities to issue warnings stating that activity anytime other than the early morning hours could be dangerous. You know I thought we were really going to enjoy this break from the open road lounging around in a temperature controlled environment but claustrophobia is quickly setting it. Temperatures here reached up to 116F 47C yesterday and have reached re http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Quartzsite/blog-239189.html The sun glints off the the bumper of the vehicle in front of us and I flip the visor down to shield my eyes. Andras has the windows rolled partially down trying to find the perfect compromise between the heat and the fumes of exhaust. I would not have guessed that this park would be so popular but there it is the long line of cars inching closer to the entrance station. Nor would I have guessed http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Colorado/Mesa-Verde-National-Park/blog-226663.html If you think you need to travel to the far reaches of Africa to experience sand dunes you would be mistaken but certainly not alone. If anything our travels thus far have firmly cemented the notion that adventure and discovery can indeed take place in your own backyard. After a fantastic evening with our friend Joseph and his girlfriend exploring bookstores downtown Denver and trying out new http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Colorado/Great-Sand-Dunes-National-Park/blog-225687.html