Climbing Mount Snowdon

During our visit to North Wales, we climbed Mount Snowdon, the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland at 1,085 meters (3,560 feet). My hiking boots were quite dusty from years of living in the Netherlands, one of the world's flattest countries, but we planned to take one of the easier trails past the lakes and waterfalls.

Due to a series of circumstances, we ended up taking the Watkins trail, deemed the most difficult route to the summit. It was very difficult. The first part of the trail had a moderate incline and an abundance of beauty. Most of the photos are from the first 1.5 hours of the hike. About the point where I took the photo of the cairn, the incline steepened and clouds rolled in. I put away the camera and we focused on the summit. There were moments I felt daunted, when the wind whipped and the fog was so dense that you could only see several meters ahead. Not to mention the 45 degree incline. Reaching the summit made it all worth it though and we basked in the glory before beginning the descent.

Snowdonia, Wales

The sunny weather stayed with us as we drove to North Wales on a narrow road, barricaded on each side by stone walls. I distracted myself from the terrifying proximity of oncoming vehicles by taking in the dramatic landscape and countless sheep grazing on the hillsides. We stopped for afternoon tea at Pont Yr Afon Gam Cafe, surrounded only by sheep, a stone bridge, and a swift-moving creek (images 2 and 9).

Our destination was the town Betws-y-Coed, nestled in the foothills of Mount Snowdon. We stayed in a Shepherd's Hut, again right in the middle of nature, with an ideal view for watching the sunsets. The first morning, we discovered Cwmni Cacen Gri (The Welshcake Company) and their delicious assortment of griddled Welshcakes. Another culinary highlight was The Silver Fountain, where I ate my favorite meal of the trip, Welsh style wild rice with roasted tomatoes.  Wales was amazing. One of the many reasons I love to travel is the opportunity to go to new places and discover new things. To put myself in unfamiliar territory in the chance that I might discover something new about the world and myself. It's the best of places that you long for when you leave and dream about returning to someday very soon.

The Cotswolds, part I

After leaving Bath, we headed one hour north to The Cotswolds, an area filled with rolling hills, stone cottages, and green meadows. We rented a yurt in a field owned by an organic farm to be in the midst of nature. Our days began with the sight of cows grazing on the fog-covered hills and ended around a campfire with the last bits of sunlight streaming through the trees.

We hiked through fields, spotted a fox, climbed over stone walls, cooked dinner on the campfire, and enjoyed the pubs and farmers' market in Cirencester. And we discovered the Budding Pale Ale made by the organic Stroud Brewery, one of the best drinks we've come across yet.

visiting Bath

Our road trip started in Bath primarily because we didn't want to pick up the car in London and have Marcus learn how to drive on the other side of the road in city traffic. Still, I was excited to see the place Jane Austen once lived in and a town so teeming with history that the entire city is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

When we arrived in Bath, it was sunny and warm. A nice welcome to England and the forecast for almost the entire trip! We dropped off our luggage and promptly went out in search of a pint. After getting in a properly relaxed mood, we headed towards the circular row of houses known as The Circus (images 2, 6, 7). It was beautiful and the sun shone warmly on the houses. Soon after, we found a fantastic vegetarian pub and then took a meandering walk back to our hotel among the old buildings.

The next day was dedicated to seeing The Royal Crescent (image 1), visiting the Jane Austen Centre, and picking up the rental car, which resulted in a long walk along a quiet canal. We left Bath and traveled 1200 miles (about 2000 kilometers) around England and Wales over the next ten days. At the end of our trip, we returned to Bath for the afternoon and had the chance to visit Prior Park (post to follow) and the Pulteney Bridge (images 3, 4).

a (other side of the) road trip

The last weeks have taken me across England and Wales, on a road trip dedicated to spending as much time in nature as possible. (And admiring the ease with which Marcus could drive on the left side of the road.) I'm still awash in the experience of waking to foggy hillsides and hiking across the Welsh countryside. More about the when, where, and how to come in the next days. For now, a few images from my Instagram feed.

weekend links

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. I hope you enjoy them as well!

1. Making homemade graham crackers for a s'mores party/workshop on a perfect summer night (pictured above) 2. Visiting the exhibition German art from Kiefer to Henning at Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam 3. Anticipating the Monocle and J.Crew collaboration, a show about print media 4. Putting a trip to the Scottish islands on the travel list 5. Learning a few more reason why to love sauerkraut 6. Dining at Hotel New York, where from 1872-1971 passengers began their voyage by ship across the Atlantic from Holland to America (pictured below)

Aaron Hobson: Cinemascapes

Aaron Hobson's Google Street View edition of Cinemascapes is not the first work of photography that utilizes the navigation tool for artistic purposes. Michael Wolf is a favorite, capturing mishaps and urban moments. In contrast, Hobson explores remote areas not often seen by outsiders. His artist's statement explains that he is 'in search of enchanted and remote lands typically only reserved for the eyes of its inhabitants, but now are captured on camera by the automated and aesthetically-neutered street view cars that linger.'

planning for England and Wales

The next adventure is almost here! Soon, Marcus and I will head on a journey through England and Wales. We'll go by train from Amsterdam, through the Channel Tunnel, to begin our travels in Bath. We've both been to London numerous times and want to get to know the countryside. Since we'll be making our trip around by car, we'll have the freedom to explore at our leisure.

If you have any tips or suggestions for England and Wales, I'd love to hear them!

Photo of the Cotswolds by mazzle

summertime in Oregon

Home is always sweet, but perhaps even more so in the summertime. After Ottawa, I traveled on to Oregon to visit my family for a week. It was 38°C / 100°F on the first day and I relished the heat.

The week was spent playing with my nieces, swimming, barbeque dinners on the terrace, roasting marshmallows, harvesting tomatoes from my sister's amazing garden, eating fish tacos, boating on Foster Lake, enjoying conversations with my parents and sisters, and drinking my first root beer float in years. Yeah, it was pretty amazing.

Oregon in August is just about as good as it gets.

at the Portland Farmers Market

The first morning I was in Portland, my sister Alyssa and I began the day at the Farmers Market at PSU. She lives downtown and we woke early enough to scout out our breakfast from individual vendors. Chocolate milk, strawberries, and Bavarian-style croissants. Finished off with coffee at Stumptown.

Even with all the impressive markets we have in Amsterdam, there was something special about this market. Perhaps it was the fact that I hadn't been to a Portland farmers market in years. I also appreciated the space that allowed for people to walk uncrowded. My sister also knew many of the vendors, like the bread bakers who are trying to learn German. Such a perfect start to my trip home.

in the capital of Canada

At the end of July, I headed to Ottawa for a work trip, my first time in the Canadian capital. The work part of the trip went smoothly and the after-hours part allowed for a peek at the city. A few things I enjoyed about Ottawa:

1. The Scone Witch. I ate breakfast twice at this small café tucked among the government buildings and skyscrapers of downtown Ottawa. Delicious, organic homemade scones served with a dollop of cream. They even had a Portland love sticker. Sold. 2. The weather. When I left Amsterdam, it was 17°C/62°F and rainy. Ottawa, on the other hand, was gloriously warm with a consistently blue sky. 3. The swimming pool in my hotel. Swimming laps under a glass ceiling is a perfect conclusion to a long day. 4. The Rideau Canal. I probably have a thing for canals, living in Amsterdam, but I loved the combination of a festival celebrating the Unesco heritage site, the sun, and the sound of water.

weekend links

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. I hope you enjoy them as well!

1. Tasting the unique ice cream flavors at Salt & Straw in Portland (honey balsamic strawberry with cracked pepper, rocky road with honey marshmallows, pear with blue cheese and honey lavender, pictured above) 2. Seeing The Shanghai Woolies perform at Portland's Washington Park Summer Festival 3. Viewing Finbarr O'Reilly's photos of the 10th Dakar Fashion Week in Senegal 4. Admiring the design of the Circus City Hostel in Athens, Greece (pictured below, photos by Olga Tzimou) 5. Wanting another opportunity to Roam Like a Roman

a walk on the beach in Barcelona

A posting from Portland where it is just like summer should be.

After our holiday in east Germany, we returned to Amsterdam on a Sunday afternoon and I promptly left for Barcelona on a work trip the next morning. It was a bit of a whirlwind and I was sick, but the sun is therapeutic, isn't it? A few hours before my return flight, I lounged by the pool, working and eating fresh watermelon. But the best part was probably my morning walk on the beach.

I stayed at Vincci Bit, which was close to the neighborhood I needed to work in and a convenient ten-minute walk from the beach. On my second day there, I woke early and headed out to feel the sand between my toes. Just me, a few elderly people, and several dedicated surfers populated the beach. A quiet walk to the sound of lapping waves.

summer in Germany

We took our annual summer trip to Germany in the middle of July. Marcus' father has a house on the edge of a lake and protected wildlife area. We spent most of our time in the woods and on the water, enjoying nature and the quiet. There was no internet, but lots of fresh fruit, nightly barbeques on the back terrace, the spotting of deer, reading books, and dancing in the fields.

weekend links

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. I hope you enjoy them as well!

1. Seeing the average color of the London Olympic sky, updated every 10 minutes (pictured above, via Jessica Stanley) 2. Listening to NPR's summer music preview 3. Watching a fine art photographic parody video by Maisie Broadhead (via bundleofbooks) 4. Visiting 't Nieuwe Diep, a small distillery Amsterdam's Flevopark (via the lovely Manja, pictured below)

photography by sarah natsumi

Sarah Natsumi is one of those people that oozes creative talent, whether she is taking photographs, making a film, designing a website, or applying a paintbrush to canvas. Her Etsy shop has a beautiful collection of vintage inspired travel photography, from the beaches of Spain and the parks of Amsterdam, to the mountains of Japan and the deserts of Texas. She also has a collection of European city postcards that capture scenes from some of my favorite cities.

I met Sarah in Amsterdam in 2007. She needed a bike, I had an extra one for sale, and a friendship was born. Five years later, she recently returned to her home in Austin, Texas and this city just won't be the same without her. For now, I have her beautiful Romantic Amsterdam photo collection (below) to remember her by and now a great reason to visit Texas someday.

weekend links

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. I hope you enjoy them as well!

1. Viewing the project Just Here's Fine by Victoria Hannan, profiling the cab drivers of London (pictured above, Gerry who's had his badge for 51 years) 2. Finding the project Beyond the Flavor, which looks past the ingredients to hear the stories behind meals in Virgina 3. Wanting to visit this house on Sauvie Island, Oregon 4. Planning to make a ginger and coconut oil sugar body scrub 5, Loving the one package, one fire concept from Deutsche & Japaner (pictured below)

urban aquarium

A beautiful art installation in the Portland International Airport by artist Sayuri Sasaki Hemann. Handmade jellyfish are suspended in a large-scale aquarium. The project aims to 'create a dialogue between viewers about context and displacement and about the unexpected.'

The jellyfish are styled after the Sky Jelly, A Midsummer's Night Dream (real name!), Portland Rain, Electric Moss Jellyfish, Magic Jelly, Moonlight Parade, and Sunset Jelly. I would love to unexpectedly come across this work while headed to a flight.

[vimeo vimeo.com/44358107 w=500&h=400]

Photos by The Weaver House