Let's play games with the weather!
And so we have returned.
HIGHLIGHTS:
*
My first plane ride.
* Offered a homeless man my leftover curry from our Thai dinner on the first night there. He instantly became angry, yelling at me for not offering him soda to go with the food. He absolutely would not accept the food without a drink. And as I walked away, he shouted "Yeah, be sorry!"
*
Just a general fun time goofing around.
*
Rode on tandem bikes (bicycles built for two) over the Golden Gate Bride. It was absolutely gorgeous out, one of the only days that the whole scene wasn't obscured by fog. But really, tandem bicycles are not as fun as you'd think they'd be.
* Several terribly awkward wedding functions where people either didn't know us or didn't like us. Thankfully, Daniel, Becky, Rachel, and Sarah were there, my saving graces.
*
The Hindu wedding ceremony. Remove shoes before entering temple, and then take a seat on the floor. The temple was gorgeous, fantastically draped with vibrant color and decorated with countless shining statues and artistic representations of the Hindu gods. Throwing of rice and flower petals, offering beans to a fire as a means of sacrifice, stepping on flowers to represent marital steps, rites recited by a shirtless painted Indian man, loud Indian music playing all the while, and chocolate and raw sugar for everyone. It was worlds away from the droning Christian ceremony that we've grown sadly accustomed to. (They did have a "normal" ceremony later, but it's not worth talking about.)
*
Watching Adam dance. He probably noticed me staring at him; it couldn't be helped, really. It was the most hilarious thing I'd seen all week.
*
Does this really need an explanation?
* My first trips to Amoeba Music and Urban Outfitters.
Simply glorious.
* Hike through Muir Woods, which was a lovely solitary moment, as Paige opted to sleep in the car and I walk faster than everyone else. Peaceful is the best word.
*
We went into this with a plan, but things kind of fell apart.
I would've appreciated this so much more if it hadn't taken so long to get there; I was a bit grumpy that day. The sequoias were incredible, though.
*
VS
Why am I the only one who doesn't like Tegan and Sara?
And why don't more people like System of a Down?
I'm so uncool.
*
QUAILS!
The first quails I've ever seen in my life. In total, I saw five adults (three male, two female) and approximately ten babies. I became a terrible giggling mess; if you know me, you know what the quails mean to me. (And please, say "quail babies" aloud. It's so amusing sounding.)
*
I absolutely loved that beach.
Huh?
Big Sur was an awfully nice little town that stole my heart. It didn't have much in it, but what it did have was great: a sort of souvenier store that sold amazing pottery and jewlery and other handcrafted items, a convenience store with nothing but health food and lots of emphasis on vegetarian diet, a burrito bar which made the best burrito I've ever had in my life, and a clothing store with gigantic wings and the most gorgeous and most expensive vintage clothes I've ever laid my eyes on. Out back of all of this, there's a shallow river that they set up chairs in so that you can just kind of hang out in the middle of the river. Completely intriguing.
*
This guy deserves his own category. The squirrels in Carmel have no fear, which probably comes from years of being fed by humans; they'll walk right up to you no problem. I got this guy to touch and kiss my hand, my first physical contact with a squirrel. Again with the giggling mess.
* Haight-Ashbury. The site of the Amoeba store shown above, as well as the most amazing clothing boutiques. I especially loved a thrift store called Wasteland. Goodwill or Salvation Army cannot compare in the least bit.
*Denis and Mom decided to have a romantic moment, watching the sunrise on the edge of this sloping dirt cliff over the ocean. While they were all wrapped up in each other, I pulled forward and gave one big blare on the horn. The both jumped and looked about wildly, and Denis apparently almost fell off the cliff. He turned to me with complete fury and shouted, in all seriousness, "FUCK YOU!" A second later, he broke into a huge smile, and told me that it seemed like something he would do.
* During a dinner, Mom said to Paige "I liked you better skinny." Of all the terrible things to say to a teenage girl! Hilarious, though.
*
Plane ride home. I didn't get pictures of what I really wanted to, because by the time it was happening, we were descending and electronic devices had to be shut off. Boston does their fireworks on the third, for some odd reason, so as it got darker, and we panned over the lit cities, fireworks displays began popping up over the ground. From the height we were at, you could see about twenty different displays flaring up in spread out locations, and more and more appeared as we flew on. It was one of the most incredible sights I've ever laid eyes on.
Overall, it was a fun trip. Family always can ruin experiences, but I did my best, and my best wasn't too shabby.
I hope everyone whom I sent postcards to recieved them; I know of one person who did, so I'm assuming the rest made it before I got back. Yeah, one day before I got back. So I'm a bit slow.
I realize that I should've lj-cut this whole thing, but I'm going to be a pain in your friends page's ass and not.
Neener neener.
I'm going to draw myself a big bath of Luminati and steep.
HIGHLIGHTS:
*
My first plane ride.
* Offered a homeless man my leftover curry from our Thai dinner on the first night there. He instantly became angry, yelling at me for not offering him soda to go with the food. He absolutely would not accept the food without a drink. And as I walked away, he shouted "Yeah, be sorry!"
*
Just a general fun time goofing around.
*
Rode on tandem bikes (bicycles built for two) over the Golden Gate Bride. It was absolutely gorgeous out, one of the only days that the whole scene wasn't obscured by fog. But really, tandem bicycles are not as fun as you'd think they'd be.
* Several terribly awkward wedding functions where people either didn't know us or didn't like us. Thankfully, Daniel, Becky, Rachel, and Sarah were there, my saving graces.
*
The Hindu wedding ceremony. Remove shoes before entering temple, and then take a seat on the floor. The temple was gorgeous, fantastically draped with vibrant color and decorated with countless shining statues and artistic representations of the Hindu gods. Throwing of rice and flower petals, offering beans to a fire as a means of sacrifice, stepping on flowers to represent marital steps, rites recited by a shirtless painted Indian man, loud Indian music playing all the while, and chocolate and raw sugar for everyone. It was worlds away from the droning Christian ceremony that we've grown sadly accustomed to. (They did have a "normal" ceremony later, but it's not worth talking about.)
*
Watching Adam dance. He probably noticed me staring at him; it couldn't be helped, really. It was the most hilarious thing I'd seen all week.
*
Does this really need an explanation?
* My first trips to Amoeba Music and Urban Outfitters.
Simply glorious.
* Hike through Muir Woods, which was a lovely solitary moment, as Paige opted to sleep in the car and I walk faster than everyone else. Peaceful is the best word.
*
We went into this with a plan, but things kind of fell apart.
I would've appreciated this so much more if it hadn't taken so long to get there; I was a bit grumpy that day. The sequoias were incredible, though.
*
VS
Why am I the only one who doesn't like Tegan and Sara?
And why don't more people like System of a Down?
I'm so uncool.
*
QUAILS!
The first quails I've ever seen in my life. In total, I saw five adults (three male, two female) and approximately ten babies. I became a terrible giggling mess; if you know me, you know what the quails mean to me. (And please, say "quail babies" aloud. It's so amusing sounding.)
*
I absolutely loved that beach.
Huh?
Big Sur was an awfully nice little town that stole my heart. It didn't have much in it, but what it did have was great: a sort of souvenier store that sold amazing pottery and jewlery and other handcrafted items, a convenience store with nothing but health food and lots of emphasis on vegetarian diet, a burrito bar which made the best burrito I've ever had in my life, and a clothing store with gigantic wings and the most gorgeous and most expensive vintage clothes I've ever laid my eyes on. Out back of all of this, there's a shallow river that they set up chairs in so that you can just kind of hang out in the middle of the river. Completely intriguing.
*
This guy deserves his own category. The squirrels in Carmel have no fear, which probably comes from years of being fed by humans; they'll walk right up to you no problem. I got this guy to touch and kiss my hand, my first physical contact with a squirrel. Again with the giggling mess.
* Haight-Ashbury. The site of the Amoeba store shown above, as well as the most amazing clothing boutiques. I especially loved a thrift store called Wasteland. Goodwill or Salvation Army cannot compare in the least bit.
*Denis and Mom decided to have a romantic moment, watching the sunrise on the edge of this sloping dirt cliff over the ocean. While they were all wrapped up in each other, I pulled forward and gave one big blare on the horn. The both jumped and looked about wildly, and Denis apparently almost fell off the cliff. He turned to me with complete fury and shouted, in all seriousness, "FUCK YOU!" A second later, he broke into a huge smile, and told me that it seemed like something he would do.
* During a dinner, Mom said to Paige "I liked you better skinny." Of all the terrible things to say to a teenage girl! Hilarious, though.
*
Plane ride home. I didn't get pictures of what I really wanted to, because by the time it was happening, we were descending and electronic devices had to be shut off. Boston does their fireworks on the third, for some odd reason, so as it got darker, and we panned over the lit cities, fireworks displays began popping up over the ground. From the height we were at, you could see about twenty different displays flaring up in spread out locations, and more and more appeared as we flew on. It was one of the most incredible sights I've ever laid eyes on.
Overall, it was a fun trip. Family always can ruin experiences, but I did my best, and my best wasn't too shabby.
I hope everyone whom I sent postcards to recieved them; I know of one person who did, so I'm assuming the rest made it before I got back. Yeah, one day before I got back. So I'm a bit slow.
I realize that I should've lj-cut this whole thing, but I'm going to be a pain in your friends page's ass and not.
Neener neener.
I'm going to draw myself a big bath of Luminati and steep.