Wanderlust Week
“The life you have led doesn’t need to be the only life you have.” – Anna Quindlen
Wanderlust Week could not have happened at a better time. As I was searching through thousands of photos to find the best ones, I noticed I was looking at the photo but remembering so much more. I was remembering the events that were happening in my life at the time I took a trip. I have evolved so much since those times. I am in awe of who I have become. My life is not remotely close to where I would have imagined it but that’s the thing, the life I have now doesn’t have to be it for me forever. Another great quote I love is “Our heads are round so our thoughts can change.” Travel changes you in ways you may not realize until years later. It makes you stronger, more independent, and more resourceful. It also makes you more empathetic. I feel like I have accomplished a lot in my 31 years and I am excited for what is around the corner.
Speaking of change, I have an announcement… I AM MOVING! I am not moving out of Santiago, simply to another apartment across the park to avoid the construction occurring next to my current building. My apartment shakes daily six days a week and I am ready for a change in scenery anyway. In that same spirit below is a roundup of all the beautiful places I revisited during Wanderlust Week. I hope it provides a change of scenery for you as well.
Middleburg, Virginia, USA
Every year that I lived in DC, I would take a trip on the first weekend of December to see the Middleburg Hunt parade. It is truly something to see. Thousands of people line main street as hounds, accompanied by horses, make their way down the street carrying riders wearing the traditional scarlet jacket in celebration of the English tradition of hunting.
A nice dinner on Saturday night at the famous Inn At Little Washington was not to be missed.
Nothing would top off the weekend better than a good night's sleep and breakfast with the cows at Caledonia Inn. If you ever end up in Northern Virginia then Middleburg, Virginia is a great place to go.
France
Ahhh France. It really took my heart away. The top 7 things to do in France:
1. Do a moonlight cruise of the Seine to see the Eiffel Tower's lights come on. It's the best view in the city
2. Shop! Many stores have their flagships here and they are worth going into
3. Walk the many gardens around Paris
4. Do some sightseeing! France is rich with history and there are significant things to see everywhere
5. Eat! The food is even better than you can imagine. Pack some stretchy pants and enjoy it all
6. Walk the cities at night. There is so much life going on you won’t want to miss out
7. Escape to the countryside and stay at the 17th-century château turned 4-star hotel Château de Courcelles. The best thing...it's less than $100USD a night!
À votre santé
Redwood Forest, California, USA
“The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always. No one has ever successfully painted or photographed a redwood tree. The feeling they produce is not transferable." - John Steinbeck
I camped under the redwoods when I was living out of my car and doing a cross-country road trip two years ago. There truly are no words for their beauty.
Oklahoma, USA
I have spent a ton of time in Oklahoma and it never gets old to me. The open skies, the horses, and the freedom. Here are my favorite things to do in OK:
1. Enjoy the fall festivals! Fall is a big season for Oklahoma with festivals happening every weekend.
2. Learn how to blow glass at the Tulsa Glass Blowing School - one of the only in the United States
3. Attend the Cavalcade. Inaugurated in 1947, this yearly event has it all and each night there is a western dance in the arena. It's a great piece of Americana
4. Relax on Grand Lake. There is nothing better than laying out on the water to appreciate the wide-open Oklahoma skies.
5. Watch the sunset in Tulsa. Speaking of skies, sunsets in Oklahoma on not to be missed. They are works of art produced every night.
See you there!
Ireland
Éire Is fada liom uaim thú. (Ireland I miss you). What a beautiful country with even more beautiful people. The top 6 things I suggest to do in Ireland are:
1. See the Cliffs of Moher in person. They are far grander than I expected.
2. Visit the Titanic museum. Standing in the same spot where the Titanic was built was an amazing experience for me.
3. Run the city. Every Irish city has so much history. Waking up early for a run when others are not out really gives you time alone with it.
4. Go out for the night. The Irish know how to party! You'll definitely want to be in the center if this.
5. See the street art in Belfast. There has been a lot of change since the Troubles but Belfast has not forgotten its past.
6. Drive the countryside. A long drive is like a big breath of clear Irish air.
Sláinte!
Mexico
México is such a vibrant country with a very tangible heartbeat. I have travelled all over the country and here are some of my favorite things:
1. Watching whales in Cabo San Lucas. They get so close to the boat!
2. Listening to a sale pitch so I could play Tiger Woods' golf course.
3. Visiting the Trotsky Museum in CDMX. The Mexican people have kept the house exactly as it was the day he died.
4. Touring the churches of Puebla. With over 300 there is a church to see every day of the year.
5. Walking Teotihuacán. Teotihuacán saw its rise and fall before the beginning of the Aztec empire.
6. Watching a parade from a rooftop bar in San Miguel de Allende. It's definitely the best view.
7. Dancing with the company of Ballet Folklórico de México. At the end they actually come out into the crowd!
Viva México!
Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Lexington, Kentucky is heaven on earth for anyone who loves horses. My favorite place there is the Kentucky Horse Park. It is a working horse farm, international equestrian competition venue, & an educational theme park all rolled into one. The park is also home to a Smithsonian Affiliate museum, the International Museum of the Horse. On my last visit I got to meet Go For Gin the winner of the 1994 Kentucky Derby. He really loves peppermint candy. A day spent here is great but a weekend or longer is life changing.
Washington, District of Colombia, USA
Washington, DC the capital of the United States. During the three years I lived there I was able to experience the best of the best. The entire world comes to DC and I was lucky enough to live in the middle of it all. My top 5 favorite things to do in DC - other than site seeing - are:
1. Celebrate the United States' Independence Day in the capital. There is nothing like being in the capital for this HUGE American holiday.
2. Watch the Presidents Race at a Washington Nationals game. It's not to be missed.
3. Attend the Washington International Horse Show. This 6 day Olympic level competition event has something for everyone and brings thousands to the city every year.
4. Check out a themed pop up bar. They are always a blast.
5. Go to a DC party. As the saying goes "work hard, party harder".
Oahu, Hawai’i, USA
I had the absolute luck of living in Honolulu, Hawai'i for three years while going to grad school. During that time I made sure I experienced all that the island had to offer. Some of my favorite things to do when my friends & family visited, other than enjoying the beach, were:
1. Do a Spartan Race together - the weather is always perfect.
2. Rent a room and do karaoke with your friends. You will never regret this...ok maybe.
3. Watch the submarines come in and out of Pearl Harbor.
4. Go hike up the mountains to get the best views on the island.
5. Attend a surf competition.
6. Go to Germaine's Luau. I have been to every luau on the island and Germaine's is the best.
7. Take a horse tour of Kualoa Ranch and see where movies like Jurassic Park were filmed.
ALOHA!
London, United Kingdom
London, what a treat! I tacked this on to the end of a week in France - see other posts for those photos - and I am so glad I did. Here are the top 6 things I did in London:
1. Saw the changing of the Queen's guard at Buckingham Palace. What a show of pageantry!
2. Ate lunch at The Pie Room at Holborn Dining Room. They specialize in English pies.
3. Did a walking bridge tour. I love bridges and this did not disappoint.
4. Walked through The Regent's Park after the rain.
5. Went shopping for a trench coat. When in Rome!
6. Went to the Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221B Baker Street. It was incredible. Cheerio!
