On Finding Paradise

in #travel7 years ago (edited)

My Adventures Escaping Tundra-Land


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Not in Minnesota anymore!

When I returned home to Minneapolis from college in late December I realized I should have been more thankful for the mild boston winters that seem balmy in comparison. In the two weeks I was home I never experienced a day where the temperature made it above zero. Any other cold-weathered folk out there? I pretty much spent most of my time on the couch trying to self-teach crypto-basics and watch Elliott Wave tutorials.

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My tundra ride-or-die

Thankfully I had plans in the works to travel around the West coast before returning to Wellesley for my spring semester.

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Icy tarmac--good riddance MPLS!

In the past few weeks I’ve slept on many beds, met many people, and witnessed countless amazing sights. So I thought I'd compile a list of a just a few of my favorite spots between Seattle and LA.

I first flew into Seattle to visit my brother who recently moved there. He took me around Bainbridge Island to some lush moss-covered forests, introspective reflecting pools, and barnacle-covered beaches.

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Mossy trees at the Bloedel Reserve

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This quiet reflecting pool was also nestled into the Bloedel Reserve

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I would definitely recommend hiking down to this quiet beach at Gazzam Lake Preserve

I met up with some friends in Seattle who would travel with me down the coast. But first! I got to see @rose666 play an awesome show after getting some drinks at a dive bar in Wallingford with perfect greasy fries from Dick’s Drive-In to follow.

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Check out the Hardly Boys!

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Excellent fast, cheap option for late-night grub

The next morning we hopped on a flight to Santa Cruz where we stayed with my dad for a few days. It was mostly raining but we got to be arcade rats at the boardwalk as well as take some rainy neighborhood walks.

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We set off for LA and made the drive in record time, passing miles and miles of Almond orchards along the way. Once there we relaxed in the sunshine at the Getty museum which is truly worth a visit--if not for the art, for the space and architecture that houses the art.

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Amidst neighborhood walks, pancake breakfasts with new friends, and late night Korean Barbecue, we also spent some time at some iconic LA destinations--the Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach. I love these vibrant spots because there is really every kind of person here. I saw a woman fire-dancing in a swimsuit while being filmed by a drone, a talented pack of skateboarders, artists, travelers weightlifters, performers, and families. I even ran into my 4th grade crush who recently moved to LA.

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Just look at these colors!

I said goodbye to my friends and drove back up to Santa Cruz to spend a few more days exploring. I got to visit two of my favorite parks in the world--Point Lobos and Butano State Park. Point Lobos is basically real life Jurassic Park while Butano is a heavy, deep forest exploding with oxygen and banana slugs.

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Point Lobos State Reserve is located just south of Monterey

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Those rays bring me life!

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Butano State Park has barely any visitors on a rainy day in the off-season and is absolutely worth a visit

I head back to wintery Boston in a few days but I feel superhuman after all that nourishment, sunshine, and good company. Until next time, West Coast!

Let me know if I’ve missed any of your favorite spots out west :)

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Hi! Sweet to taste a bit of your travels. Live it up out East. Catch you at Himalayan again soon!

keep the tea flowing and the conversations vibrant out there! much love

Love that sun-ray photograph, epic. Also the shot from Butano State Park.

Hey man! Your trailblazing sounds were accompanying my whole trip :)

Happy to hear! I need to go back and tighten it up a bit. Then.. dance party. :D

Yao! so glad to seeeee you here, and all your brilliant exploratory glory! Holy cows, you made it to all the places! My favorite quotes:

"I saw a woman fire-dancing in a swimsuit while being filmed by a drone..."

lord I love Venice Beach! and,

"Point Lobos is basically real life Jurassic Park while Butano is a heavy, deep forest exploding with oxygen and banana slugs."

We're all waiting for you to write a travel guide! ;)

Icelandic smurfs feel like they might fit in really well at Venice Beach...
Hope you're hunkering down drinking some good potions in the blizzard-scape back home.

woww I loved each one of those parks <3. Butano State Park is an excellent forest to venture on a great hike in the middle of nature

It's one of my favorite spots ever! thanks for reading :)

No doubt if I went there it would also be my favorite place <3. I really like to explore, investigate and discover new places without a doubt, it's one of the things I love the most. The closest thing to such an amazing forest as the Butano State Park that I like to visit often is this pine forest <3 , certainly an excellent place to walk and enjoy the scenery

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The boy in the photo is my little brother, he likes to go for walks with me

awesome shot! trees bring so much life

SO JELLY! I miss all the green!

oof I know. Just a few more months of ice dams and salty snow boots before winter erupts into a beautiful spring :)

For sure! It makes me so happy to think about when the little buds come sprouting out...but that's not for another few months. waaaah hahahahha :)

Sweet pix. That sounds way nicer out there than the subzero/blizzards conditions of the midwest Minnesota. Stupid landlocked state. J/k It's home. Those trees though- most awesome. Always feels revitalizing visiting the nature.