8 views from the Space Needle

Good-bye Friday Harbor!

I had a great time visiting Friday Harbor. I just wish I had more time to explore the island! It's not very big, but we could have used another day. With another day we could have driven along the other side of the island and enjoyed the views from that side. 

This just means that I will have to visit again!

Thank you for having me Friday Harbor!

Anacortes, WA.

 After my trip to Santa Fe I made a trip to Anacortes to catch a ferry to Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands. It was the best decision ever! It was so picturesque over there. It was a little expensive to get there, the ferry alone was $50 for car and driver plus $10+ for one passenger. Of course, we can't forget about gas prices, the cost of food and lodging. Although, I did find the cheapest place available for about $60 for one night in the tiniest of motels, but it served its purpose.

More photos to come!

Capturing a Sunset

Capturing a sunset in Santa Fe is hard. The sunset is constantly changing. Between one shot and glancing at the screen, the scene has changed already. It maybe the placement of the clouds, the lighting or the colors. Honestly, the best way to appreciate the sunset in Santa Fe is with a drink in one hand and sitting in a chair. It's no wonder so many artists get inspiration in this landscape. Can't wait for my next visit to Santa Fe, New Mexico!

An Old Town Called Chimayo

 Chimayo was very quiet, not so many people in the area. But, of the people that we did meet they were very friendly. One man in particular was very....flirty. lol He was a very good salesman. I have to say his chili was pretty good!

 If you have time try to make a trip to Chimayo. Buy some chili and visit the chapels!

A Little Town Called Chimayo

 My friends were kind enough to take me to a little town called Chimayo. This town sells some amazing chili! I bought some and brought it home with me. I haven't tried making the chili "sauce" (apparently, it is blasphemous to say chili sauce. It looks like a sauce, has the consistency of a sauce, but we must NOT call it a sauce, or forever be labeled a tourist. Thank you Cynthia for saving me from that embarrassment. lol) All I can say is the chili in Santa Fe is delicious and make sure to order Christmas (red and green chili) with every meal you can!

 This little town also had a few chapels. It is a very quiet town, but people mainly come here for the chili and maybe for some healing.

Museum Hill Botanical Garden of Santa Fe

 This botanical garden was beautiful and the weather in Santa Fe helped to increase the visual effects. During my stay I kept saying "Wow, these are some amazing cloud formations!" My friends probably thought I had been living under a rock or something. I mean who is blown away by clouds, but that is what happened. The clouds in Santa Fe were massive! These are the type of clouds that people would stare at and see different animals floating in the sky. Also, I should mention that there was a lightning storm dancing in the mountains during my night drive from Albuquerque airport to Santa Fe. That was a pretty spectacular show. It wasn't scary since it was off in the distance, but I had to keep reminding myself to look at the road and to stop gaping.

The Streets of Santa Fe

 I loved walking around downtown Santa Fe. There were a lot of architecture that I don't get to see very often. The weather was perfect with some beautiful cloud formations. I wanted to watch them go by all day long, but I had places to go and food to eat.

 The streets of Santa Fe were relatively quiet. I'm sure it had something to do with the fact that I visited outside of the main tourist season. There were no festivals going on, but that made my time there more enjoyable. I really felt like I was on vacation with the leisurely pace.

Some more of the architecture that I imagined to be a part of Santa Fe's history.

A Chapel in Santa Fe

This is actually one of several chapels in Santa Fe. Each one is a little different, so I recommend a visit in each one. There is no fee, but instead they ask for a donation. Of course, you don't have to, but your donation does help with the upkeep of the chapel.

 This door isn't a part of the chapel architecture, but it is a short walk away. I like the feeling of this photograph and wanted to share it with you.

Time for a Vacation

In September I set off for Seattle to spend about a month in the U.S. I also used this chance to fly down to Santa Fe, NM. and drive up to Anacortes, WA. to catch a ferry to the San Juan Islands where I spent a day at Friday Harbor. This photo was taken at Nagoya airport before I left for the month.

My first stop was of course my hometown of Gig Harbor, WA. I had this lovely view on my first morning of waking up in my old room.

What a wonderful way to be greeted in my hometown!

Nakatsugawa: Beautiful River, Scary Bridge

The river here is really beautiful. At first you just hear it and then through the trees you start to make out the rocks and then the RIVER.

 Coming from a city called Gig Harbor (about an hour from Seattle) I am used to seeing the ocean everyday. To go to work or go shopping I would have to cross the Puget Sound. Some days I really miss seeing the water, so this was a nice trip for me.

 The Puget Sound isn't clear or anything, but just being near water and the view of a sunset on the water with Mt. Rainier in the background....(sigh)

I have to admit this bridge frightened me at first. Mainly because it moves a bit when there is more than one person on it. As you can see the "railing" is rope and steel cables nothing really "solid". But, I really wanted to get close to the water so I took a deep breath and just focused on the steps (after taking photos over the cables). 

Trust me it is worth it to cross that bridge to get here. You will have more proof in the next post.

Welcome to Iwana No Sato

 This area is in Nakatsugawa (about 2 hours by car from Nagoya). It is a popular place for people to escape to for the summer. I was here in February, so it was freezing. I've heard in the summers it is a wonderful place to escape the heat of Nagoya.

I couldn't get enough of the crystal clear (almost) turquoise blue water.

It was wonderful to spend the day with nature.

The path is set with stone steps, but still be careful of your footing.

Welcome to Iwana No Sato!

Toba, Japan: Omamori's

 These are the guard dog statutes that you will find at shrines. The guard dogs at each shrine are always different. It may not always be obvious, but if you pay attention you can find the differences.

Normally, people only buy one omamori (a type of good luck charm, it's so you will be protected by the gods. For example: protection for health or protection for driving, etc)

 This and the one above are from Ise shrine. (Geku then Naiku)

This is the one I bought at Meotoiwa. 

The boyfriend and I posing with the Meotoiwa with my GoPro. (Notice the curve? Really makes you feel like the Earth is round instead of just knowing it is round)