A year of adventures

 At some point in January I realized I had time for a small adventure before my next big one! I contacted friends to ask for lodging tips for the Olympic National Park, and was surprised & pleased to be invited to join a friend in a cottage he’d rented. Talk about serendipity!  I drove up the 4+ hours, stopping randomly at what turned out to be a fantastic lunch spot.  The cottage was adorable, and I got there in time to head out for a quick hike.  The next two days I did two longer hikes - amazingly I had zero rain any of the days! There was almost no one out there - on the first short hike I saw zero people; on the second I saw about 4; on the third hike I saw no one again. It was magical, and nice knowing that my host was aware of where I was going, just in case.  My impromptu idea for a quick getaway turned out better than I hoped, and I understand those who’ve fallen in love with that part of the world. But I’m still glad it didn’t rain. 

I chose Delft because a) it was less expensive than Amsterdam, b) a friend recommended it, c) a person in the Rome hostel also had a good impression. I found an airbnb that was a one-bedroom apartment and decided that after 7 weeks of travel, I was ready for some nesting. As it turned out, the weather became a bit rainy, and I was super happy to be able to curl up on a couch, make soup, and read a book or watch a show.  My apartment was just outside the historic downtown. Groceries! I especially liked the bags of soup. I did get out and explore Delft, as well. It’s exactly what a tourist would want - canals, bridges, old buildings, charming vistas - without all the heavy tourism in Amsterdam.  After somehow not climbing up in any church towers on this trip, I finally did in Delft - I bought a ticket to climb up the tower of the New Church. It was … stressful and challenging. The stairway was quite narrow, had 356 steps with only 3 places to exit the stairwell, and was subject to two-wa

It took all day - 10 hours - to get from Zurich to Amsterdam by train. I had to change trains a few times, but it was all very simple and efficient. I bought one ticket, showed my passport and ticket a couple times, and mostly just hung out watching the world go by.  I had really enjoyed traveling lightly in Italy, so I did something similar for my time in Holland - I left my bulky duffel bag in long-term luggage in the train station, and took just a backpack with me to my lodging. First I had 24 hours in Amsterdam. Nighttime arrival in Amsterdam   “Trash goes here” - so organized! I love a train station. Stumblestone - recognizing the owner of the home who was arrested and murdered during WWII Fries with mayo, and curry ketchup.  I opted to keep my time in Amsterdam short, as hotels there were not cheap, and airbnbs weren’t any better, and I’d spent a few days there about 10 years previously. I slept in my cheap hotel, then spent a half-day following a couple of free audio tours, and

  I had a final two epic Swiss experiences with my friends and their kids.  All the houses and walkways were lined with turnips that had been hollowed, decorated, and lit. This float was a clock whose pendulum swung. Whale …why not?  I mean… Tupac??? This was a narrow road absolutely mobbed with people moving both directions.  Very weird in the covid-adjacent times, but it WAS outdoors.  Very elaborate float. His nose grew and shrunk, and the puppeteer’s hand tilted, raising and lowering his arms.  Saturday night  we went to a nearby town’s annual event called a räbechilbi which translates to turnip light or lantern festival. It seems kind of harvest/Halloween adjacent - the whole town of 10,000 people carves literally tons of turnips and puts candles in them. They turn off all the streetlights, make floats, have a parade (marching bands and all) and then everyone wanders the streets buying snacks, mulled wine, and admiring the decorations- all to the scent of burning turnips.  On Sund