Omaha Nebraska

We just have a weird obsession with Omahaaaaaaa.

(Picture not taken in Omaha)

Seattle Washington

Okay, Seattle was alright. The driving there was horrible. I made Lia drive everywhere there. I don't know. We went to gum wall though, and stuck a piece of us there. Obviously went to Pike Market right next to it. Didn't see anyone throwing fish around though. Saw the original Starbucks (the first one ever).

I went up the Columbia Tower instead of the Space Needle because it was $19 (student discount) and the Space Needle is $29. As well, it's tiny. Space Needle did not impress us. The Columbia Tower is the tallest building and can see everything 360 degrees. Highly recommend, however, go when it is a clear day. I did not do the ferris wheel on the boardwalk, but I am okay with it.

Going out was a lot of fun. Went to Unicorn Bar (expensive drinks but cool and has arcade), Grims, Cha Cha, and all the other ones on Capital Hill. Very very fun. We did go out on a Friday and Saturday. Saturday was way more crowded and has covers so we enjoyed Friday night on Capital Hill way more. We heard The Ball Room is a good one but didn't get an Uber to see it.

Saw the Fremont Troll Bridge. I thought it would be larger and Lia thought it would be smaller.

We found a love for Zeek's Pizza. Five minute walk from our airbnb. We went three days in a row. Happy hour is the best deal. Went to Biscuits Bitch (http://biscuitbitch.com/about.html), very very very good and fun.

Alki Beach in West Seattle was cute to visit.

Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/23895640 (eh, location was the worst part I think, West Seattle, Marlee has a lot of info on Seattle though)

Portland Oregon

On our way to Portland, we ran into an organic marijuana spot, called Emerald Farms (https://www.emeraldfamilyfarms.com/). I got Aphrodite. Then we stopped at Glass Beach in Fort Braggs, California. I really had high expectations. I mean, it was a cool stop but I thought there was going to be triple the amount of glass in the sand. Rode the coast for a while and then went through the Red Woods. Drove through a tree. We saw so many signs for it and we thought, why not, its on the way. $10. I thought the tree was going to be so much larger. It's all good. The trees were so thick, so many red woods. Not a lot of service.

 Glass Beach ^

PORTLAND. We stayed with Lia's family. Uncle Time and Aunt Vera (Ver). Artists. Ver is from South America. Their house is amazing. True inspiration for artists every inch. Ver is also a tattoo artist so she gave us small free tattoos at her shop. I got a paper airplane she drew up. The had so many succulents and baby heads and artwork. We crashed in her studio. However, the last day we went to stay in a van. The guy who lists it on airbnb is actually a Wisconsin native. We didn't get to meet him because he was visiting Wisconsin.

Airbnb van: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/24993776

Voodoo Donuts is a thing. 24 hours. Very good but I still love Hurtz Donuts in Springfield Missouri way more. At Voodoo I had a Grape Ape, Froot Loops, Miami Vice, and Oreo. Lia got some Bacon Maple ones, Oreo Peanut Butter, and a Voodoo Doll with jelly inside.

The bars in portland were eh but that is only because it wasn't a weekend. Same thing like Denver. Went to Riley's Tavern and Dantes and Dixies and more.

Went to Buffalo Exchange and Give N' Take. Resale shops. I found my favourite shirt in the world at Buffalo Exchange. I fell in love. Wearing it in the photo of me and Riley's Tavern. I also got a Selenite crystal. Went into Powell's Bookstore.

There are millions of food trucks. We were fans. Also bought some forbidden fruit marijuana at a dispensary on Alberta Street. And some Tangie at Be Wonderful shop. Javier's Tacos is a 24 hour mexican fast food spot three blocks from their house so it was dangerous. We ate there like three times.

Vera and Tim took us to Trillium Lake. Very beautiful but the ducks were not afraid. they came up to us. I freaked out, I just didn't like it. The ducks loved me though. It was like they wanted me to pet them. I didn't even have any food on me.

San Francisco California

Driving to San Francisco was an extremely long day. Stopped to see the Salt Flats in Utah. Also stopped in Lake Tahoe very spontaneously. 

Wyoming is very cold. We were not fans of Wyoming. Saw a little of a Reno, Nevada (which is extremely hot) and (ghetto) Sacramento, California. 

By the way, Lia and I made a very good team with the whole driving 19-24 hours straight together. Good time and understanding. Switched every 3-5 hours. 

 Utah, Salt Flats

 Lake Tahoe, California side

SAN FRAN was pretty cool. Lia was NOT a fan of driving here or even being in a car there because of the major hills. I thought it was pretty cool up until I had to take my car out of the e-break on a hill inches from a car in front of me and behind me. Thankfully that happened the morning we left for Portland.

Baked Bear needs to come to Milwaukee asap. Customize your very own ice cream sandwich. I got funfetti cookies with bear batter ice cream (blue cake batter with fudge chunks) and topped with sprinkles. The next day I got the same one (yeah we went again), but with fruity pebbles instead of sprinkles. Got our caricature done for $6 by Brian. We posted it up every place we went after this. Also, I was on my postcard game this trip. Lots of fog/smoke from the forest fires.

Got sweatshirts because it also chilly in San Fran, because duh, the bay area. Got them at Fisherman's Wharf. Saw the famous Painted Ladies (even though any set of colored houses on a hill can be called painted ladies). Saw the Full House house, which was very funny. There were hilarious signs posted up saying, "People live in every other house, condo, & apartment on this block" and then a foot over, "you came to visit this one house". People are obviously annoyed with Full House fans. Btw, the door is not red anymore. 1709 Broderick.

Visited Haight and Ashbury, a very hippie street. Got some gifts for friends and a Rose Quartz for myself. Lia and I had thai there too. No chocolate or candy shops there btw. Only a Ben and Jerry's in case you were wondering.

Went out Friday night to Double Dutch and Blondies. Very fun.

We waited for In and Out in the morning for them to open at 10am, I was customer #1 and she was #2. We went to the closest one after we went over the Golden Gate Bridge the day we left for Portland.

Airbnb link: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/21694543 (eh)

We also took a day trip to Los Angeles. VERY SPONTANEOUS> 6 hour drive down. Went for a full 24 hours (including drive time). I stayed with Jasmine of course (see 2015 January posts). Lia stayed with a high school friend, JR. We mainly went for the beach and better weather. I took Lia to Venice beach, duh. Went out. It was eh. Millions of covers and took forever to get around LA, forgot about that. Best part of this day was the beach, seeing Jasmine, and sleeping in her bed.

 Jasmine and Pookie. (honestly forgot his name, she only ever calls him Pookie on social media and in person).

Denver Colorado

Nothing too exciting in this post. I've done this drive before, however, it was a lot easier and exciting to do it with my best friend. I booked with Rez again, but this time it was not in the Westfalia. That is no longer available. I guess Rez got a lot of attention from the news from that awesome listing and then the city cut in and got upset. So we stayed down in the basement. I was actually the very first guest down there last year before he even put it up on airbnb. Rez is awesome. I HIGHLY suggest to stay with him in LoHi Denver. 

Link: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/20761981 

Lia and I ate at Public School restaurant downtown. Rented bikes. Went out, however, it was a Tuesday night (our only night to go out) in Denver. Not so bumping. Went to a dispensary, Green Solutions. Best one we went to all trip. Very high class feeling and cheap, it is a chain so there are plenty around but this is the location we went to: 1995 Wewatta St, Denver, CO 80202. Make sure to ask for Destiny (I think that was her name). I got Blue Dream and Grape Escape here. Showed Lia Avanti in LoHi.

Also a very important note to make.. for those of you who don't know, I am a vegetarian. For three years now. HOWEVER, I made this a adventure a meat-cation. So I did have meat when I felt like it.

Next Official Trip Dates

Arriving and Departing Dates for Road Trip with Lia:

Denver, CO: August 14th (Tuesday) - 16th (Thursday)

San Francisco, CA: 16th (Thursday) - 20th (Monday)

Portland, OR: 20th (Monday) - 24th (Friday)

Seattle, WA: 24th (Friday) - 28th (Tuesday)

Yellowstone, WY: 28th (Tuesday) - 29th (Wednesday)

Milwaukee, WI (HOME): 29th (Wednesday)

Heads up, Lia is crazy. Complete opposite of me. It'll be an interesting trip for sure. Test us both. 

Arriving and Departing Dates for FLORIDA (Miami and St. Petersburg):

Miami with Anna: August 31st (Friday) - September 4th (Thursday)

St. Petersburg to visit Gloria (Michaela pops up too): 4th (Thursday) - 15th (Saturday)

Michaela on left, Me, Gloria on right. 

Paragliding Lima Peru

Back in America Unfortunately

My last post on Peru. Days flew by...

• New roommate kinda sucked. Judgmental and ignorant. 
• Eli (Elizabeth told me her story)
• Hechado Pisco is 40% and the best (brought a bottle back to the states)
• Be nice to the market people, they'll give you free stuff and bigger discounts
• I had a small stomach bug again, then got fainty (RIGHT before I went on both my trips to Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain)
• Mia, a new girl that came into the orphanage with her sister had me heart broken. Mia is 5 years old and her little sister Angelina, 3 years. I was washing some brushes after our art lesson and Mia came up to me.. I asked "te gusta arte?" and she just started crying. Saying how she wanted her mom and dad. I was shocked, I picked her up to comfort her but the mom of the house and the other kids pretty much tore her out of my arms. I get it, tough love but at her age and she JUST arrived, let her get some human connection. I was rubbing her back for a while while coloring in some coloring books and then she asked me in spanish if I could take her home with me because she didnt want to be in that house. She cried again later and I took her outside to hold but again, they took her from me and literally threw her in the room alone to cry. So I left. It was too much on me. Worst experience working in the orphanage. 
• It gets dark between 5:30pm and 6pm during this time of the year (winter)
• Sacsayhuamán translated is satisfied falcon
• During their summer season, it rains a lot so they say "it's raining llamas and alpacas" Dec. 21st. Now, is winter and it's their dry season.
• Two bulls on top of their houses is a sign of protection. Abundance in money, love, family, etc.
• Guinea pig or Cuy is a popular dish. Can get Cuy on the stick. The pig is killed by the stick being shoved through the mouth and out the bottom and then roasted. 
• Paucha Mama is like their form of mother nature. Can contact her through a ayahuasca ceremony
• I got a ring in Pisaq during one of my trips. Silver is considered cheap here. 
• Elvis was our tour guide one day through Pisaq and Ollantaytambo.
• Met Sherry, Angelina, and Susan on this trip. Also met Meagan from Marquette!
• Terraces were common here for Incans, used to support buildings, prevent landslides, and grow food at different altitudes.
• After my hike up Montana MachuPicchu, my legs were SHAKING so bad (did rainbow mountain the next day)
• Met Andres (from Chile, spoke very good english), I would have not successfully hiked Rainbow Mountain without him. We kept eachother in line with pacing ourselves and such. We later decided to go out to celebrate and because it was his first night in Cusco and my last night. 
• Did a bloody shot and tequila shot at Loki Hostel with Andres after going to Limbus (nice resto-bar with an AMAZING view.
• In the train back from Machu Picchu, I couldnt breathe. It was kinda scary. I removed a ton of layers and drank water, and focused on my breathing. 
• In Chile, instead of saying "I blacked out" they say "I have legs in my head".
• I miss my family in Cusco. Ale, Eli, and of course Jhade. They were more than amazing. I became their daughter and it was extremely hard to leave that morning. Tears were shed. 

 

NEXT, Lia and I take on a road trip to the West. Denver, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Yellowstone. Two weeks. After those two weeks, I will have one day of rest and then I will be driving down Miami to meet up with a friend, Anna (Met her in Lima) and then go visit Gloria in St. Petersburg for a few days. So much.