I don't vacation, I travel
Jul. 26th, 2012 06:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hypatia42I'm back from Portland. Covered in bruises for the second time this month. At least this time it was expected and not a surprise. I also have a small white heart in my tan. I doubt it will last long but its funny to see and is one of the things that reminds me of my time spent.
I went to the ocean and swam. I basked on the beach, letting the sun soak into my skin and the cool ocean breezes caress my mind to tranquility. The morning we left was cold, cloudy, and rainy. We headed to the coast anyway. Stopped for lunch in Astoria and by the time we left there the clouds were burning off and the sun was warming the air. Many hours later I was wondering if I was going to regret the decision to skip sunscreen. Turns out it wasn't so bad.
The food is amazing. Eleni's Philoxenia is worth the trip all by itself. I had so much good food while I was there. I ate well and it was good food to be eating. I actually managed to loose weight if that says anything about the quality of the food. I did have more wheat than I am used to having anymore and my digestive system is kinda wonky but it'll even out.
The Japanese Garden was blissful. The International Rose Test Garden was overwhelming.
Time spent with cool people, both previously known and recently met, was really good for me. I got to seejasminewind and her family. We had a lovely dinner and sat by the bonfire she built. It was cool enough that evening that having a fire was really nice...in July. Met up with the other massage therapist that I got to know last October. Interesting dude. He says he is old, I got the impression he was really young. Its all about perspective I guess. MrBunnyhelmet was a hoot, if a little more reserved than when last we met. I think some people's party brain is like the con brain experience, i.e. willing to do things you might otherwise think was not such a good idea.
I didn't get to meet her which was a real bummer. It complicates a few things but those are not really things I have to deal with and I'm working at letting it be what it will without taking ownership of things that are not mine.
Many long conversations had with many different people. I meet the most interesting people when I travel. Invariably people talk to me, this is not new. My travel companion is a stuffed bee. Buzz the Carbee to be specific. Apparently traveling with a stuffed animal makes one approachable. Lots of people comment on it anyhow. Sometimes it is the beginning of the conversation they needed to have with me. Sometimes it is the whole of the conversation they needed to have with me. The latter are generally the more surreal of the two. Its like they are looking for an injection of nonsense and absurd into their day. So I tell them the story of Buzz the Carbee, how he got his name, how Apis carbee differs from Apis mellifera, all of the different places he has been and looks forward to visiting, and their general temperament as companions. Flight attendants especially find him charming.
The last leg of my trip I was chatting with the gent next to me in the row. He had gotten all the way to Japan and then they told him he couldn't go in without a Visa. Interesting how many doors are opened simply by being a citizen of the U.S.A. I had no idea that they would require a visa from other foreigners. So he had to cancel his trip and was flying to MSP to see his sister and family because she is about to have a baby. Odd consolation prize but he seemed pretty zen about it. He enjoys cooking so I gave him a piece of the masala chocolate I purchased while in Portland. He was so impressed I gave him the rest of that bar. :) Many conversations about privilege and rights and progression of the country were had.
Other conversations all tended to follow similar trends. The state of the country, how the arrogance of small minded people living here in the US has damaged our global reputation, government corruption, and lots of things that are heavy hard subjects. Lots of Second Thoughts were going on in my head in the background of these conversations. Those deserve their own post though. I might even write it.
Lastly(for this post anyway) and possibly most importantly,dawningday was gentle with me and helped me rewrite some difficult and persistent tapes in my head. He talked with me through my anger over what happened to Niece. He fed me. He held me. He shared with me his love for his new home and drank in my joy of being there. He walked with me when I needed to walk slowly. He encouraged me to explore at my pace and be what I needed. He left teeth marks all over my shoulders, neck, and back before we went out dancing. It made me happy. In general he is a joy to be around and I feel blessed to have him in my life.
I went to the ocean and swam. I basked on the beach, letting the sun soak into my skin and the cool ocean breezes caress my mind to tranquility. The morning we left was cold, cloudy, and rainy. We headed to the coast anyway. Stopped for lunch in Astoria and by the time we left there the clouds were burning off and the sun was warming the air. Many hours later I was wondering if I was going to regret the decision to skip sunscreen. Turns out it wasn't so bad.
The food is amazing. Eleni's Philoxenia is worth the trip all by itself. I had so much good food while I was there. I ate well and it was good food to be eating. I actually managed to loose weight if that says anything about the quality of the food. I did have more wheat than I am used to having anymore and my digestive system is kinda wonky but it'll even out.
The Japanese Garden was blissful. The International Rose Test Garden was overwhelming.
Time spent with cool people, both previously known and recently met, was really good for me. I got to see
jasminewind and her family. We had a lovely dinner and sat by the bonfire she built. It was cool enough that evening that having a fire was really nice...in July. Met up with the other massage therapist that I got to know last October. Interesting dude. He says he is old, I got the impression he was really young. Its all about perspective I guess. MrBunnyhelmet was a hoot, if a little more reserved than when last we met. I think some people's party brain is like the con brain experience, i.e. willing to do things you might otherwise think was not such a good idea.I didn't get to meet her which was a real bummer. It complicates a few things but those are not really things I have to deal with and I'm working at letting it be what it will without taking ownership of things that are not mine.
Many long conversations had with many different people. I meet the most interesting people when I travel. Invariably people talk to me, this is not new. My travel companion is a stuffed bee. Buzz the Carbee to be specific. Apparently traveling with a stuffed animal makes one approachable. Lots of people comment on it anyhow. Sometimes it is the beginning of the conversation they needed to have with me. Sometimes it is the whole of the conversation they needed to have with me. The latter are generally the more surreal of the two. Its like they are looking for an injection of nonsense and absurd into their day. So I tell them the story of Buzz the Carbee, how he got his name, how Apis carbee differs from Apis mellifera, all of the different places he has been and looks forward to visiting, and their general temperament as companions. Flight attendants especially find him charming.
The last leg of my trip I was chatting with the gent next to me in the row. He had gotten all the way to Japan and then they told him he couldn't go in without a Visa. Interesting how many doors are opened simply by being a citizen of the U.S.A. I had no idea that they would require a visa from other foreigners. So he had to cancel his trip and was flying to MSP to see his sister and family because she is about to have a baby. Odd consolation prize but he seemed pretty zen about it. He enjoys cooking so I gave him a piece of the masala chocolate I purchased while in Portland. He was so impressed I gave him the rest of that bar. :) Many conversations about privilege and rights and progression of the country were had.
Other conversations all tended to follow similar trends. The state of the country, how the arrogance of small minded people living here in the US has damaged our global reputation, government corruption, and lots of things that are heavy hard subjects. Lots of Second Thoughts were going on in my head in the background of these conversations. Those deserve their own post though. I might even write it.
Lastly(for this post anyway) and possibly most importantly,
dawningday was gentle with me and helped me rewrite some difficult and persistent tapes in my head. He talked with me through my anger over what happened to Niece. He fed me. He held me. He shared with me his love for his new home and drank in my joy of being there. He walked with me when I needed to walk slowly. He encouraged me to explore at my pace and be what I needed. He left teeth marks all over my shoulders, neck, and back before we went out dancing. It made me happy. In general he is a joy to be around and I feel blessed to have him in my life.