Tag Archives: Water

Travel Guide

Down by the Lake

Leave a comment

Happy Labor Day to all those celebrating here in the US! I used the long weekend to drive down to Starrucca, Pennsylvania with my friend Ally and a couple of her friends from college. Another one of my high school friends joined us for on the second night, too! It was a lot of fun to be in a completely different environment from the city, meet new people, and reconnect with people who I have known for almost half my life. This weekend was rejuvenating and I needed it.

The largest town near Ally’s family’s lake house is actually just over the border in New York State so there’s really nothing around. That’s what made it incredibly relaxing. I had zero cell service so my phone remained on airplane mode for the weekend and acted merely as my camera, which was a much-needed break from my current preoccupations.

Other than visiting a farm stand to pick up some corn and peaches . . .


. . . and a smoke house to buy delicious cheese and check out the selection of smoked meats and fish . . .


. . . we opted to spend the weekend eating, drinking, laughing, and playing on the water.

Wouldn’t you?

Both the air and water were chillier than we were hoping, so we voted for boats instead of swimming. Island Lake is so named because of a small tree island towards the center, which I explored with the aid of a canoe. I haven’t canoed since summer camp as a kid and had never been responsible for a row boat, which we also took out. If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you already know that I adore boats and anything to do with being on the water. I was very much in a happy place.

When the sun went down, we entertained ourselves over a 550-piece puzzle! We remained surprisingly focused throughout and completed it in about 4 hours. If anything, the margaritas that we made to go with our tacos were quite the asset to our puzzling. The margaritas and the “all the hits” radio station that played all weekend long. They literally meant all. There were eras of hits.

The second night was the warmer of the two and we made a fire and roasted s’mores after dinner. My favorite part was looking up at the sky and seeing nothing but stars. (I will never forget our school trip to Battambang, Cambodia last January when that’s the first thing the students commented on when we arrived. I heard their voices in my head and felt their excitement.)

The cloudless sky over the water made the world seem so much bigger and emptier than it did during the day. It was a stark reminder of how small we all are in such vast space. Simultaneously, however, mesmerized by fire as I always am, I was reminded of how interconnected we are as a collective humanity. It was a strange juxtaposition that I continued to acutely feel and notice until we let the fire die and went inside. While it’s not new, the idea of being so insignificant and yet so integral to the existence of every other person is humbling and difficult to comprehend. I can still feel that weight in my heart.

What I appreciated most about the lake was not the break from the city or the weekend with friends, though both were delightful. I was not expecting the sense of peace that came over me when I went out on a paddle board for the first time on Sunday. I regularly make an effort to seek out and do things that scare me but I’ve always avoided paddle boarding out of fear of falling into the water, which is a bit silly since I’m a decent swimmer. (And what’s the worst thing that can happen when you fall into the water? You get wet.)

The silence I experienced in the middle of the lake took me pleasantly by surprise and I appreciated the opportunity to seek out serenity, alone with my thoughts. There’s a lot of uncertainty in my present daily life and it makes me uncomfortable. There’s even more in the near future that has me questioning everything I’ve ever wanted, anticipated, or dreamed about. Alone on the paddle board in the middle of the lake, I asked myself the hard questions that I usually avoid (mostly questions starting with, “What if . . .”) and let myself reflect on the very honest answers that I also usually avoid. (Are you sensing a theme?) The whole experience was eye-opening and, ironically, significantly scarier than first standing up on the paddle board.

Not that it matters, but I didn’t fall.

Summer is now officially over because I start with students tomorrow! I’m also moving next weekend and eagerly anticipating a change of pace. The personal goal that I am setting for this fall (I have seasons now!) is to continue asking myself hard questions and, more importantly, being honest about the answers. Hopefully I’ll be able to continue finding the peace that came to me on the paddle board on Island Lake.

I hope it’s been a wonderful weekend, wherever you are. As always, thanks for reading. Thank you for journeying with me.

img_2319

 

New York

Morning Run

4 Comments

I’m a morning person. My favorite days start when the sun forces me awake. Quickly it’s curls in a ponytail, contact lenses instead of glasses. Throw on various layers of neon clothing depending on the season, digital watch, Brooks running shoes. Leave the house thinking of the coffee I’ll make when I get back.

The town where I grew up is the kind of place where everyone says hello, waves, or smiles as you pass by. It’s a town where cars stop to let pedestrians through and drivers don’t wait long before being waved into a lane. There’s a sense of community that I don’t realize I’ve missed until I come home.

My run this morning was a warmup loop in my parents’ neighborhood and then down the road about a half-mile to to the village section of town. I flew through the downhill on the way out; it hurt going the other way to get home.

Once in the village, I turned right to follow the Erie Canal just under two miles up to the closest lock. There’s a hotel at the corner; it used to be an old train depot but I’m not sure if I remember that. I could see a group of men of all ages at breakfast. I wondered who they were and where they came from.

It was already hot when I got to the canal and I knew fewer people than usual would be out on foot. There were more bikes and boats instead. The sun dazzled off the water and I squinted, shading my eyes towards the ground to avoid stepping in duck droppings.

Boats, docks, and buoys acted as landmarks. I used to work as a deckhand on Erie Canal and Genesee River tour boats, teaching passengers from around the world about the importance of waterways to the Genesee Valley’s industrial development. I heard the tour narrative running through my head: “If you look to starboard, or the right side of the boat, you will see my favorite spot on our tour. . . . ”

I gave a family of geese a wide berth. I’ve hated geese ever since a gaggle of them chased me while I was pushing my little brother along in his stroller. That was probably about 17 years ago.

I’ve never run with music, preferring my thoughts and the sounds around me. Running by the canal on a sticky morning like today had the added benefit of rowers who were out even earlier than I was. I’ve always loved watching their sculls glide, listening to the oars slice into the water and pull backwards.

Keeping the rhythm of the oars in my head, I slowed to keep my breathing stable as the elevation rose. The trees grew thicker for a moment, offering a respite from the heat that made the hill almost pleasant. “It’s a lot more fun on the way down!” someone had called to me once. I laughed at the memory.

When I reached the lock and prepared to turn around, there was a splash in the water to my left. The carp were biting. It’s catch-and-release here and we claim that the fish swim around the hooks all day until there’s an audience. Some days, I’m sure that’s the case, and I’ve spent enough time down here to know.

I turned and immediately looked down to avoid the glare of the sun. My watch told me I was running too fast and my lungs agreed.

I passed a woman with two large Golden Retrievers; we’ve seen each other before. It has become a joke between us that one of the dogs behaves until I show up, watches me until I pass, and only then nonchalantly picks up the walk again.

“Good morning, two bikes on your left,” came the warning. I managed to raise my hand and nod. The biker added, “Beautiful morning for a run.” I felt a smile crack through parched lips.

It was.

Travel Guide

Travel Guide: Luang Prabang

3 Comments

UNESCO World Heritage city Luang Prabang was the third city that my friend and I visited during our week in Laos. We spent two nights in Vientiane, another two nights in Vang Vieng, and the final three nights here in Luang Prabang, which was definitely my favorite of the three cities we visited. It was serene and beautiful with good cafés and a bar that served a delicious spicy cocktail. It was truly a wonderful way to end an amazing week full of good conversation and exciting travelling experiences.

To get there, we took the most beautiful bus ride that I have ever experienced. It was over seven hours long, a bit crowded, and not as ventilated as we would have liked but I am so glad we were able to see so much of Laos during our travels. The country is very rural, very agricultural, and absolutely stunning. The higher we climbed into mountains and the more we were able to see, the more humbled I felt for being so privileged to be where I was, seeing what I was seeing.

P1080098

P1080101

Like much of former French Indochina, Luang Prabang maintains colonial charm with a distinctly Asian vibe. Mopeds and bikes are the preferred means of transport for locals and many tourists, and tuk tuks and songthaews are easy to come by to get around. Also located on the Mekong River and surrounded by mountains, Luang Prabang is beautiful as well as historic.

We spent much of our time in Luang Prabang exploring the delicious Asian and French foods, coffees, and other sorts of beverages that the city had to offer. We walked through a very busy night market selling souvenirs of all sorts, as well as various fruit juices and snacks. Mostly, though, we just enjoyed being in the quiet outdoors, particularly welcome after the more raucous town of Vang Vieng.

By far my favorite experience in Luang Prabang was our trip to Tat Kuang Si, which I’ve seen described as Laos’ “most spectacular waterfall”. I haven’t seen all the Laotian waterfalls, but this one certainly deserved the top-shelf adjective. Even young monks were playing in the water!

Unsurprisingly, this waterfall came with a story:

P1080135

I have to thank an Israeli tourist who we met, too, for making this a particularly memorable experience. Moral of the story: My Hebrew used to be a lot better! I understood everything she said but responded mostly in English. She, of course, understood perfectly and responded mostly in Hebrew. Small world just gets smaller the more of it I experience.

As a UNESCO World Heritage city, we expected Luang Prabang to have a range of temples to explore, in addition to its incredible natural beauty. We were not disappointed.

On our final night in Laos, we climbed Phu Si Hill at the recommended time (shortly before sunset) to get a look at the entire city:

We passed various Buddhas and temples on the walk down the hill, which was a nice reminder of the values of this beautiful country:

I am so glad to have had such a relaxing, rejuvenating week in Laos with such a good friend. It was really wonderful to explore this country with a friend and get another perspective and ideas on what we were doing, seeing, and experiencing. We had great conversations throughout, which was the best overall part of the week. I’d happily return to Laos at any time – let me know if you’d like to come with me!