Snazzy Snaps & Travel Tales
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Patricia Piccinini at the Singapore ArtScience Museum
Patricia Piccinini is an incredible artist and her exhibit at the Singapore ArtScience Museum was nothing short of inspirational and motivational!
We Are Connected - Artist, Patricia Piccinini
It has been quite a long time since I’ve gotten to visit an art museum! Thankfully, museums and galleries are starting to reopen!
My wife and I visited Singapore this past a few weeks ago, and we headed over to the ArtScience Museum in Marina Bay.
Before I write about the exhibit, I have to say that this museum, along with so many other buildings in Singapore is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful! The architecture, design, layout, colors —- everything is top notch.
Wow, Singapore is so impressive—-I’ll probably do another blog about the Gardens By the Bay!
Ok back to the show: We Are Connected:
Patricia Piccinini is an Australian artist (born in Sierra Leone). Check out her website here. Here is a little bit about her, taken directly from her site here:
Her work encompasses sculpture, photography, video and drawing and her practice examines the increasingly nebulous boundary between the artificial and the natural as it appears in contemporary culture and ideas. Her surreal drawings, hybrid animals and vehicular creatures question the way that contemporary technology and culture changes our understanding of what it means to be human and wonders at our relationships with – and responsibilities towards – that which we create. While ethics are central, her approach is ambiguous and questioning rather than moralistic and didactic.
“My practice is focused on bodies and relationships; the relationships between people and other creatures, between people and our bodies, between creatures and the environment, between the artificial and the natural. I am particularly interested in the way that the everyday realities of the world around us change these relations. Perhaps because of this, many have looked at my practice in terms of science and technology, however, for me it is just as informed by Surrealism and mythology. My work aims to shift the way that people look at the world around them and question their assumptions about the relationships they have with the world.”
Check out Patricia on Instagram here
In the first room, is basically a self portrait of the artist holding an odd and eerie creature that has a shoe print for a back. I listened to the audio of Patricia describing the piece and it was fascinating. The evolutionary fusion of human-made objects into human bodies…
Real creepy, dark stuff
I LOVE IT
Meanwhile, the back wall features videos of gross looking fleshy plant-like organisms that are constantly growing and morphing…
This gallery is laid out stunningly…
The creatures in this next room are sick! Especially against the hot magenta backdrop!
ALL My senses are peaking at this point…
Ok this is by far and away my favorite piece. Largely because of its largeness, life-like size.
But also the attention to detail and realism is jaw dropping.
This room is straight up horror film stuff and surely causes nightmares for kids under 13!
The Comforter
This may be my second favorite piece —- I wish I got a close up of this creature she is holding:
I found a great close up angle online at The Hosfelt Gallery
Back to my photos—-this one is so creepy…
Another merging of artificial and natural body parts…although looks kinda like an armadillo back…?
Third favorite piece here:
I didn’t get a close up of this kid, but i love how he is dressed like he’s in the 80s! Kinda reminds me of that film, was it RatBoy?
This is the entrance to the exhibit, and what a powerful first impression!
I should have gotten a close up of this…
This exhibit was so incredibly inspiring!
I need to make more of my own art.
I need to go to more museums and galleries.
More stories coming soon…
Canadian Rockies Pt 3: Jasper National Park and the Icefields Parkway
To round out my 3 part Canadian Rockies series, it’s the home of Spirit Island—Jasper National Park! A true gem that deserved even more of my time. What I saw left me wanting more! I will return…
Jasper National Park
JASPER is a cool name and this national park lives up to the cool name!
Most of the features of Jasper are off of the Icefields Parkway, which is such a gorgeous drive! More info on Wiki
Only spent a couple days in Jasper, as I was nearing the end of my road trip in the Rockies.
Check out some of the cool stuff I saw:
Icefields Parkway
Most of my time was spent driving up and down the Icefields Parkway, and really, that alone is a spectacular attraction. The environment ranges from crazy glacier passes, to mountains abloom with purple flowers, and gobs of delicious glacier fed rivers and lakes.
Some serious glaciers!
There are plenty of different colored flowers along the way…
Peyto Lake
OK, technically, this is in Banff National Park. If you read my Banff blog, you may remember me opting to put it in my Jasper post because the short walk to see this view is on the Icefields Parkway, so I’m including it here.
If I remember, there is a decent walk to get to this vista, and it was very crowded. Definitely a hot spot!
More blue Gatorade! DELICIOUS!
Coleman Creek
This is some random spot I pulled over to take a walk and check out the river.
The color was fascinating…Gatorade needs to make a drink this color…
Back on the Icefields Parkway….
Drove through this area a couple times and pulled over to walk around and admire the views. Each time it did not disappoint!
Come on now…Canada…
Some rich reds, and magenta or violet flowers seemed plentiful in this area:
Ahhh when the sun goes down, the colors just get sooo cool!
After dinner, I decided to head back on the road and check out the scenery around sunset.
Pulled over in some spot for reflection photos:
And why not some long exposures on the Icefields!?
The next morning, I was back on the road, nice and early. This may be my favorite snap of the day:
Sunwapta Falls
When I stopped at Sunwapta Falls, I had some time on my hands. I decided to go for a little trail run along the river trail. Felt so good to get out and stretch the legs! Beautiful area.
More views from the river side:
Maligne Lake Scenic Drive
Ok, my final destination was good ole Maligne Lake. Maligne Lake is the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies. It gets a ton of hype and may be the most quintessential spot in Jasper.
The Scenic Drive to get there is really cool also!
And, I finally arrived…
Maligne Lake
Maligne Lake has such a rich turquoise color!
Maligne Lake Cruise to Spirit Island
This is the tourist upsell spot, but I did not even hesitate. I wanted on that boat ASAP!
Get me out onto those turquoise waters and I gotta see Spirit Island.
I got lucky with a really cool tour guide, and I completely forget their name. They filled in nice little info about the lake, and answered our questions about Spirit Island.
Spirit Island
Arriving at Spirit Island was super cool, a spiritual experience! Naw, I’m messing, but it was a beaut. And we got to walk by ourselves for a while on a nice little trail with various views of the iconic feature.
Like everyone else, I took a gazillion snaps…
My last night in Jasper was a bit sad—the end of the road trip! So, I took my time, slow and steadiy made my way back down the Icefields.
I’ll be back some day I said!
And that concludes my 3 part series on the Canadian Rockies!!!
If I was forced to rank these 3 Canadian Rockies National Parks: Yoho, Banff and Jasper, I would have to go:
But they all have such unique charm! LOVED THEM ALL!
I would love to visit again during wintertime.
Would love to do some boarding…
maybe hit up Whistler!?
And, who am I kiddin’, I just want some o that POU-TIINE!!!
Here’s a couple other random Canadian snaps from the road:
What do YOU think of the Canadian Rockies!?
Leave a comment below!
Canadian Rockies Pt 2: Banff National Park
Ne’er has there been a national park with a cooler name. Big & Bold and FUN. I can’t help but say it with an explosive sound at the end!
BANFF!!!
Here is the 2nd in this 3 part series about my 2017 road trip in the Canadian Rockies!
BANFF!!!
Ne’er has there been a national park with a cooler name, IMO. Big & Bold and FUN. I can’t help but say it with an explosive sound at the end!
BANFF!
And the park itself lives up to the name in so many ways. It was probably my favorite of the 3 I visited (w/Yoho, Jasper), most likely because it boasts so many big and beautiful features.
I spent the most time on my Rockies road trip in Banff. And I feel like I barely scratched the surface.
On my way out of Yoho National Park I stopped in Field to get a snack and a snap:
Banff National Park
If you know of Banff, I imagine you saw pics of their 2 most popular lakes: Moraine Lake
…or Lake Louise.
I first peeped these spots on Instagram a few years back.
“I want to go to there…”, I thought (salivating like Liz Lemon).
Both lakes feature stunningly colorful glacier-fed crystal blue water.
All I could think of was…Gatorade!
Lake Louise
I visited LL both at sunset, and in the morning. I did the typical tourist thing…went to the selfie spots.
Around sunset, the sun rays were emanating on to the lake…majestic.
Majestic!
But all of that bright backlit sun made it difficult to realize the true color of the water.
Returning in the morning, the light was waaay better.
But, my solo posing game was still suspect.
This next one is not bad as it looks a bit like I’m falling into the lake!
Simple selfie, maybe better:
It just looks delicious doesn’t it!?
Reminds me of Gatorade!
Moraine Lake
First, I arrived at Moraine Lake also around sunset and…WOW. The deep turquoise colors do not seem real!
During the day, the water color is a mix between Cool Blue and Glacier Freeze Gatorade I think…
Ok, this next video is not even remotely factual, but when you’re traveling alone you get some funny thoughts…
After spending some time in Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, I wanted to do some trekking. Heard about Hector Lake, which seemed like a healthy hike.
On the way, I pulled over to check out this smaller lake, I believe this is Herbert Lake. Quite cute for a picnic:
Hiking to Hector Lake
Saw a sign for the trek to Hector Lake, and Hector Lake looked gorgeous, so I ventured on to the trail..
Alongside some beautiful rivers…
But, the reality was, I did not have a map. I lost the trail after crossing the river and I had to bail. Wish there were other hikers around to point me in the right direction!
While I did not make it TO Hector, I was able to see it from afar:
Back on the road!
So much to see, so little time!
Mount Norquay
I need to come back here to snowboard, cuz Mount Norway features some absolutely stunning views of Banff! And these are just taken from off the road up to the mountain, I can imagine how gorgeous the views are from the peak!
Pretty romantic spot.
I barely spent any time in the Town of Banff, would love to do some night photography here.
Vermillion Lakes
As far as photography goes, this is a GEM. I was here mid day, but I drool over snaps from Vermillion at sunset or sunsrise. It’s just extraordinary!
Loads of different flora to put in the foreground. See the smoky sky from the forest fires a little bit.
Random snaps from the road when the moment felt right…
Oh come on, OK i’ll pull over and have a look…
Sunshine Valley
Another ski resort, and this time I’m actually going to the top. Love a good gondola ride. Just the right amount of exhilaration to get you amped for the peak!
PEAKING.
A short walk from the gondola, and this next view…
The smoke was intensely blowing in this direction, which made for a cool, creepy ominous tone…
Colors… everywhere…
Lots of smoke though…
Just down to the Mount Standiff chairlift, there are a couple trails and I chose the Meadow Park Trail
Trekking!
In gorgeous COLORS.
The views…
GIDDY POSING
Coming back down the colors were even more rich!
After the hike, it was time to head back down…
Driving in the Rockies during sunset is one of my favorite things to do!
Peyto Lake
OK, technically Peyto Lake is in Banff, BUT, because:
1) this is already super long…
2) Peyto Lake scenic view is on the Icefields Parkway, which I associate a bit more with Jasper…
3) I did not spend AS Much time in Jasper and don’t have as much to share!
Saving Peyto for the next blog…
All right, that pretty much wraps up my blog about Banff! Thank you SO much for scrolling (I mean, reading) down all this way!
What did YOU think of Banff!?
What did I miss!?!?
NEXT UP: The last in this 3 part series:
Jasper National Park!
Canadian Rockies Pt 1: Yoho National Park
In 2017, I embarked on a 2 week road trip in the Canadian Rockies, visiting 3 National Parks and driving through a couple more on the way. This is the 1st of a 3 part series, starting with Yoho National Park!
After this, Banff National Park and Jasper National Park! Coming soon…
In 2017, I went to Vancouver for the first time to watch the World Championship of Public Speaking live!
BTW, Vancouver is an incredible city!
I could see myself living there because I love coastal cities and it’s so close to some amazing mountains!
Rockies Road Trip!
After Vancouver, I head east to begin my road trip through some of the Canadian Rockies — which are HUGE.
When I set out to visit the Canadian Rockies, I didn’t even realize it was the 150th birthday of Canada and all national parks were free for the year! YEAH BABY!!!
On the way to the Rockies, I pulled over at this “beach”, Rutherford Beach which is right outside of Revelstoke. My timing was on point and the views were fantastic!
I should mention that during this trip there were some pretty heavy wildfires raging in the Canadian mountains. This is normal for the mountains during this time and sometimes it created an interesting ambience of warm colors in the sky. But most of the time it just meant that the visibility was crappy and the sky was tainted. Here you can see the warm tones up in the smoky sky.
Revelstoke seemed like a cool little town, maybe better in the winter when you can hit the slopes!
Yoho National Park
First blog will be about Yoho National Park. There are lots of gorgeous sites and things to do in Yoho, and below is just a sample. I think I spent 3 days there, which is really not enough.
I stayed in the small town of Golden, the Gateway to the Western Canadian Rockies and drove into Yoho each day. Golden was a great spot to post up. One note about the Rockies, is that almost all hotels and lodging are expensive. You are paying national park touristy prices. Golden had a hostel which I believe was about $50 USD per night for a bed in a dorm. I didn’t have all my camping gear, so I needed a hostel.
And, Golden had some incredible poutine! If you like cheese and fries…you need to try poutine. I ate a LOT of poutine on this trip. :P
One of the first places I stopped was Emerald Lake, a gem indeed!
I would have loved to spend more time here and see a sunset or a sunrise, but I had so much to see! Next time…
My solo posing skills are sub-par but I do my best. Nice remote clicker in my left hand.
Leaving Emerald Lake, heading back toward the vacation town of Field, British Columbia in Yoho National Park.
A small lake in the town of Field:
And this is the view in the opposite direction…fascinating colors especially the water juxtaposed against the warm color smoky sky:
When I was in this location, I decided to make a video about my newfound Canadian accent.
Ok, so maybe I didn’t really pick up a Canadian accent but I did find myself pronouncing words differently and picking up the local phrases.
I just recently realized that this accent video has over 200 views on Youtube. Super random, and I’m surprised the video hasn’t gotten troll comments!
Faeder Lake
In the Canadian Rockies, there are some huge glacier fed lakes and then there are some little lakes like this: Faeder Lake. You could almost call it pond cuz it’s so small. There are some picnic tables, a parking lot and then this cute lil cozy spot! Loved it.
I ended up stopping at Faeder Lake almost every day before returning to Golden, because it was so peaceful. Especially when the sun is going down!
One of the nights I ran into these two car-camping, bear-seeking gals from Denmark, Sophie and Julie. They were nice enough to share the lake with me, and we had a great time chatting! We ended up meeting up one more time a few days later up in Jasper National Park. They were so amped to try and see some bears and I personally was so amped NOT to see any bears. I gave them my bear spray as a nice parting gift. Thankfully, they did not have to use it.
After leaving Faeder Lake, I had to pull over for these colors!
Takakkaw Falls
What’s a mountainous national park without some waterfalls, eh?! Takakkaw Falls is a nice short walk from the parking lot and well worth the stop.
I love how every stream, lake, river, pond, etc has its own unique color scheme! Takakkaw is sweet.
And you know the ole saying from the sea: “where there are waterfalls, there are usually rainbows!”
That’s a saying, right?
The road to exit Takakkaw is a view of Yoho Valley. I absolutely love driving in mountain scenes like this! EPIC.
There is a lot more to see in Yoho, so I will have to go back sometime. Lake O’ Hara seems really nice and Wapta Falls also.
NEXT TIME.
Overall, Yoho is gorgeous YOOO!!!
Next up, Part 2: Banff National Park!
Coming soon…
South Dakota and the Bad Ass Badlands
I had no idea what to expect from South Dakota, but the state really surprised me! This blog should probably be called 'West South Dakota’, because, I only really stopped in the western part of the state, which I think is certainly more picturesque! I spent time in both the Badlands National Park, and Mount Rushmore.
See more snaps and a review of the experience!
I had no idea what to expect from South Dakota, but the state really surprised me!
(Sorry SouthDakotaCJ, I should have known how good it would be from your IG!)
I left my friends in Louisville CO, which is a fine town in Boulder, BTW!
Actually, it got voted “2nd Best Place to live in America” recently. It features this dog / people park the Davidson Mesa, which is where this sunset video comes from.
Nice big park, big time dog-friendly! Great neighborhoods!
This blog should probably be called 'West South Dakota’, because, I only really stopped in the western part of the state, and just drove straight through the east.
The West is certainly much more picturesque! I spent some time both in the Badlands National Park, and Mount Rushmore!
Badlands National Park features these iconic rolling hills
BTW, if you want the ULTIMATE Guide to the Badlands National Park, the folks at 10Adventures.com have an incredibly detailed website and gobs of info about it here. Free to download route maps, with reliable GPS coordinates and much more info.
Mount Rushmore is set in the Black Hills National Park.
I arrived at Mount Rushmore kinda late, but got there just in time to set up my tripod and see sun down and the ceremonial pre-show they put on before the nightly lighting of the Monument.
The scene is pretty epic!
First, a Black Hills National Park Ranger starts the show with a warm welcoming speech.
He told a touching story about the history of the park and the creation of the monument, which is a little bit…let’s just say…complicated. Read more here and more here.
After the initial welcoming speech, they played a ~35 min video tribute to the 4 men featured on the famous monument:
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Abraham Lincoln
Theodore Roosevelt
Legends!
The cinematic video was well done!
A great history refresher featuring stories about each man. The show is loaded with tons o pomp and circumstance, good ole Americana values and and just the right touch of cheesiness!
And then…they lit the monument!
“Ahhhhhhhh….oooooohhhhh….wooooooowwwww….”
I felt this incredible sense of pride for my country when I visited this monument. So much that I felt I needed to invest in a souvenir t-shirt:
Ok time to go.
Here is the scene looking back from the main entrance.
Driving out of Mount Rushmore, we had some tough traffic, but it gave me a chance to snap this side view of George Washington.
Nice posed profile pic Georgie! Sign him up for an Instagram!
The next day, I headed west toward Badlands National Park!
I basically just took an afternoon to drive the Badlands Loop Road (Highway 240), which takes a couple hours and features plenty of scenic vistas, and stopping points.
I had no idea what to expect about the Badlands but I was big time impressed! Super cool rock features, super unique coloring on the mountainous terrain and just overall weird! (In a wicked awesome way)
Where’s Wildlife?
Get after the view player, I got your back! 100 Insta Likes right there.
Boy vs Goat Standoff!
The vast landscape is quite nice all over the park!
A fellow park visitor asked me to take a snap of him, and I agreed to send it to him.
I sent it through email, but I don’t think he ever responded. Not surprised.
It’s cool, I ain’t mad at ya, Badlands Guy.
The Park was cast in a decent amount of clouds that day creating some sweet mood.
Glad I had my wide lens for some if these vast long shots!
Fascinating colors…
Would be a blast to do some longer hiking around here!
“Hey guys, come here check out this view!”
The coloring in these hills is so unique and cool! For more info about it and free downloadable hiking routes, 10adventures.com has tons of info!
If you look close, you’ll see a bunch of lounging mule deer, maybe? Maybe pronghorns!?
Hmmm, looks like it’s about to rain…
STORM WATCH!
Then, it cleared up.
Watch out for rattlesnakes!
I really only drove through the Badlands National Park for a few hours, but it was a total blast!
Every National Park has its own style, aesthetic and flavor.
A goal of mine is to visit ALL the US National Parks someday.
I highly recommend visiting the Badlands National Park.
And I can’t say enough good things about the Mount Rushmore experience!
Visit South Dakota!
Strangers in Saigon
A year ago, a kind stranger swooped into my life and showed me the best skyline spot in Saigon. For the full story, tons of snazzy snaps, and details about travel safety, check out this latest blog post.
* My award winning photo of the Saigon Skyline! Check out Bonsai Cruises to book an incredible night!
One of my last nights in Saigon, I wanted to snap the skyline at sunset. I asked the sweet ladies at the front desk of the Saigon Mansion (my home for that month), and they directed me over to this bridge across town: Cầu Thủ Thiêm
Hopped on an Uber Moto with my camera / tripod and got dropped off right by the bridge. I realized I needed to hit the loo before setting up my snap sesh, and was wandering the streets when this young guy on a moto stopped by me.
My first thought was, "Stranger danger."
Second thought, "Oh yeah, I've got a heavy ass tripod in my hand."
One strategy I started during my first month of travel was to always carry my tripod with my camera bag. If someone wanted to snatch my gear, they're gonna have to deal with my weapon.
Him: "Hey, are you a photographer?"
Me: "Ummm, yeah, I was just looking for a spot to take pics of the skyline."
Him: "I know a great spot to take pics of the skyline. You want to come with me?"
This is one of those moments when you see your life flash before your eyes. I've seen the movie Hostel and it left an indelible imprint on my imagination.
As murdery thoughts were making their rounds in my mind, he pulled a small tripod out of his bag.
"This is my tripod for my photo class."
I stalled for a bit, as we chatted. We introduced ourselves (his name was Lam) and he showed me his student ID.
He was in college and was an avid photographer. We talked about photography for a bit and my spidey-sense stopped spiking.
Photo: Lam Đinh
The sun was starting to set and it was decision time. He had kind eyes and seemed like a real nice kid.
Photo: Lam Đinh
I trustingly hopped on the back of his moto, but told him I needed to hit the loo quick before we set up shop.
As we rode through the streets of Saigon away from the bridge, a few murdery thoughts reemerged. But they were squashed when we arrived at a mini-mart and he offered to pay my small fee for using the toilet.
After that, Lam brought me to this sweet spot on the Sai Gon river, near this park. It was dark but there were tons of people around. It looked like a lot of locals with maybe a couple tourists sprinkled in. We set up our tripods and started snapping.
And I got to know Lam a bit more.
He was also a tutor. If I recall, he was tutoring students in English. (I could be wrong, it was over a year ago now).
And, he was SO incredibly nice. He went out of his way to help some random tourist.
He was so nice, that he was almost late for his tutoring lesson, because he wanted to give me a ride home!!! When I realized he was cutting it close, I insisted he just drop me off and I would walk the rest of the way.
What an incredibly nice and thoughtful guy! We exchanged Facebook profiles and I checked out his profile. He is a FANTASTIC photographer. And an even more fantastic guy.
Photo Credit: Lam Đinh
Photo Credit: Lam Đinh
Photo Credit: Lam Đinh
Photo Credit: Lam Đinh
This was one of my last nights in Saigon. And, now, ~1 year later, I'm going back to Vietnam.
I look forward to reconnecting with Lam, and maybe doing some more photography with him.
Photo Credit: Lam Đinh (?)
For me, this story proves that, while it is important to keep your guard up while traveling, it is also important to keep an open mind.
Some of my most amazing memories from Remote Year center around meeting random locals and them inviting me into their lives for a brief moment in time.
Sometimes, I get a little sad when I think about how many awesome people I've met on my travels that I no longer see. But, that's life. And, if our paths cross again, it will be like we never skipped a beat.
"See you soon, Saigon! See you soon, Lam!"
* UPDATE - 2 years later, I submitted my photo of the Saigon Skyline to a photo contest run by the Bonsai Cruise company that does premium dinner cruises here in Saigon and I won 1st place! WOW! Thank you to Lam Dinh and also my friend Dung, who saw the call for entry and tagged me! I guess I can say I am an Award Winning Photographer now!?
THOUGHTS ON TRAVEL SAFETY
Before I started traveling on Remote Year, many of my family members and friends cautioned me about the dangers of traveling abroad.
"You better watch your back in Buenos Aires. So much crime there."
"Be careful over there in Asia."
"Are you going to wear a money belt?"
"South America is really dangerous."
I definitely agree that travelers need to exercise strong street smarts, wherever they go. And, yes, certain countries / cities, extra caution is wise.
But, I also think people are pretty paranoid of the unknown. I felt just as safe in almost all areas of South America than I did in almost all areas of Los Angeles.
You stay away from Skid Row, you're good to go.
I traveled with ~70 other people for 1 year and I recall (may have been more):
3 Females getting their purse snatched: (1 left a bar alone to walk home; and 2 others who got their purse stolen via a fast moving motorcycle thief in Kuala Lumpur, & Phnom Penh)
1 Male getting mugged in Lima by a taxi driver who drove into an alley where guys were waiting
1 Female who had her cell phone snatched from the side pocket of her backpack
~70 travelers, who each traveled to ~15-25 countries each over the course of 12 months. To me, that's not that bad, especially when you often stand out like a sore thumb.
Sadly, female travelers need to be more careful than males. It's just statistics. Even if you're walking on the street with your hand on your purse, those motorcycle thieves are driving fast and your hand grip is no match for their slick n crafty techniques.
And, don't walk on the sidewalk with your head buried in your celly.
It's impossible to always walk in groups, so if you are walking alone, walk on the building side of the sidewalk, not on the street edge of the sidewalk. YES, motorcyclists can and will ride on the actual sidewalks, so you do always have to be on alert.
In Buenos Aires, and a lot of other cities in South America, young women and men, often wear their backpacks with the pack side on the front. Much safer than having it on your back, where someone could be walking behind you, and unzip it.
And, there were several times (at least 3) that I personally left my apartment / hotel with one of my backpack sections accidentally unzipped. Guess what happened? Every time, someone on the street noticed it and told me about it so I can fix it. (Cities: Bogota, Belgrade, Kuala Lumpur) I personally alerted several people throughout the year that their packs were unzipped.
That doesn't mean you should just let down your guard when traveling. But, I do think a lot of people are overly paranoid. If this is what's keeping you from traveling abroad---please reconsider! And message me if you want more advice.
When I returned from RY, I got this question a few times: "Was there any time or city you felt unsafe?"
The only time really was in Paris at Le Louvre.
It was the day after Bastille Day, 2016. Tragically, this was the night that terrorist drove his truck through a crowd of partygoers in Nice, France, killing 87 (including himself). After buying my ticket to tour Le Louvre, I was eating a baguette sandwich when the alarms started going off.
"PLEASE EXIT THE BUILDING. PLEASE PROCEED TO THE NEAREST EXIT IMMEDIATELY."
Everyone was on high alert, and we all started to funnel toward the exits, eyes darting around, people looking for their loved ones. As we approached the underground exit, there was a Louvre security guard who was stopping the flow of traffic telling everyone they needed to go back the other way.
This was a weird moment. My imagination ran wild with the idea that a shooter was on the other side of where this security guard was shielding us off from. So, people started to turn around, but people were also pushing from behind. Getting trampled temporarily trumped my worry about an active shooter.
Thankfully, within ~30 seconds, the guard opened things back up and allowed everyone to exit through the underground pathways. And, the whole thing was a false alarm.
Other than that, I found every city I went to just as safe as any other in the good ole USA. Of course, you do your research about the bad areas of town and you steer clear of them.
Don't let fear stop you from traveling abroad!
Book your flight TODAY and then check out my friends at AllTheRooms.com to find a ton of cool places to stay! They are travel experts and they got you covered!
The Thrill of Uber Moto
Forget skydiving, or bungee jumping, Uber Moto is where it's at! In Vietnam, for as low as $1 you can ride the gnarliest thrill ride!
A year ago almost to the day, I hopped on the back of an Uber Moto for the first time and had one of the most thrilling joyrides I've ever experienced! Forget skydiving, or bungee jumping, just spend $1 and take an Uber Moto and your adrenaline will be through the roof!
Ho Chi Minh City is home to roughly ~8 million people, and there are ~7.5 millions motos. It's how most people get around. To a westerner like me, it just seems like total chaos. Madness!
They get so close to each other.
They drive on the wrong side of the road.
They drive on the sidewalks. They dart out in front of oncoming traffic. The rules of the road seem like merely suggestions.
But, there is a fascinating harmony about it all. It's the norm for them and it just kinda works.
Except for the half a dozen accidents I saw during my month I was there. The accidents weren't bad, thankfully. But, they bump n grind a bit.
Hanoi
It reminds me of India, although not quite as chaotic. For me, nothing will ever top that! The traffic is unreal. SOOO many vehicles on the road. Bikes, motos, cars, rickshaws, trucks, cattle, monkeys, etc.
4 or 5 family members on one moto. Dozens hanging out of rickshaws. Monkeys and cows crossing the roads and everyone just swerves around like it's no big deal.
I saw a mother with two small children, probably ages 2 and 4, smack dab in the middle of a busy rotary. All 3 begging for money. I couldn't believe the 2 year old was just right there! A little sad actually.
This was a different girl:
The other strikingly different thing about the traffic in India is the incessant beeping. They are not beeping to be jerks. It's how they communicate. Beeping is just someone saying, "Hey, I'm on your right."
India is by far the most incredibly culturally rich travel country I've been to!
The traffic in Vietnam seems tame compared to India. But, it is still thrilling!
Check out the video of my first Uber Moto experience. My heart was pounding!
These next two snaps are from Hanoi, long exposure shots from the top of the hotel I was staying at. You can see the crazy traffic madness:
Wonder if UBER Moto would ever happen in the U.S.? Probably not.
Guess that means I need to go back to Vietnam for my next adrenaline fix. Hmmm...
Grand Teton & Delta Lake
If you visit Yellowstone, don't ignore the Grand Teton! Read on for the story of how I came face to face with a bear and survived!
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.
If you visit Yellowstone, why not throw in the Teton?! If you drive south and exit Yellowstone, you're entering the Grand Teton park. And, it is indeed grand.
The Tetons, as they are commonly referred to, are much different than Yellowstone. They feature the Teton mountain range (~4000 m), which is omnipresent throughout your experience in the park.
Most of my time in the park was on the east side of the Teton range, which meant that the sun was setting behind the range. The result are these majestic, sharp backlit mountains that seem to glow in the evening.
Before I left for the Tetons, I asked a Yellowstonian what I should see and do in their Tetonic neighbor. She highly recommended taking a walk around Jenny Lake.
Jenny Lake is a gorgeous little body of water nestled just in the valley of the Tetons. A lot of campers come and camp out along the edge of the lake. Hammock abound. And, the views are stunning. Unfortunately, the lake water levels were a bit high, which obfuscated the path around the lake. Yes, I did just use the word obfuscate.
But, I met a local gal who was hangin' in a hammock and we got to chattin'.
Told her I had ~2 days to play with, and she recommended I hike the Delta Lake Trail. It takes about 3 hours to get up to the top, but apparently, the view of this emerald green Delta Lake is worth the difficult and lengthy trek.
She also warned of serious bear action on that trail.
You can't go anywhere around these national parks without hearing about bear safety. And, at a certain point, you think, "Well maybe I should stop and listen to this action?"
Knowing I was going to hike alone, I decided to invest in some bear spray. Bear spray is like high powered pepper spray, shoots up to 30 feet. Maybe saves your life.
Next up, I stopped at the National Park Visitor Center to see if they had any updates about the Delta Lake Trail.
Also, met the moose outside.
When I told the worker I planned on doing the Delta Lake hike, she went from playful, positive happy-go-lucky government worker --- to concerned & cautious parent.
I guess she trekked it a few days before and there were some slippery spots near the top.
"Oh, ok, that's good to know. I also heard there are bears up there, so I bought bear spray."
She looked me in the eyes and said, "Oh, bears are probably the least of your worry."
She went on to tell the story of a girl who was trekking earlier in the week, and stepped on a snowy patch, only to realize the snow was just covering up a shallow crevasse. She stepped into the crevasse and a stick impaled her calf. 30 stitches.
Ok, I get it. it's a tough trek.
But, I'm still gonna send it!
Halfway up the trail, the weather is gorgeous, the views are great. No bears yet.
Met some nice trekkers from Canada. And then, 90% up the trail, I run into these 3 Bostonian hikers. I'm from the Boston area too! Serendipity.
Andrew, Ana and Alice---I later dubbed them the "A team". Or, "Triple A".
It was nice to have a crew to summit with, especially so close to the top and especially when the trail gets a little dodgy. Here is Ana and Alice crossing this avalanche-y area which I felt a little uneasy on.
And, YUP. We made it! The reward: Delta Lake.
I wish I had gone a little earlier in the day, because the sun was setting right behind the range, and affected my snaps. If you're goin' for the high quality snaps, check where the sun will be on PhotoPills first.
It was already getting late and it was gonna take a couple hours to get back down, so we didn't spend much time at the top, even though we all wanted to.
This was one of the better hikes I've done in my life and truly satisfying to reach the top! The adrenaline was flowin' for all of us as we headed back down.
We were hootin' n hollerin' n yuckin' it up nice. The A-Team was awesome and I was super glad I met them and got to share the experience with them!
Also, we were stoked we didn't see any bear action!
We traded stories about recent run ins with wildlife. I shared my story of seeing the mama griz and her two cubs at Yellowstone 2 days before.
And, the A-Team shared their story of how they were surrounded by bison TWICE on a Yellowstone trail days before!!!
We talked about how we had no idea how we would react if we did indeed run into a bear.
And, then we turn a sharp corner and Andrew says, "Guys, there's a bear right there...and we need to keep moving."
JYNXED OURSELVES.
WE RAN INTO A BEAR.
10 YARDS AWAY.
Here's a full video description of the experience, OR continue reading.
The bear was no more than 10 yards away. A black bear. As soon as I see it, it sees us. And, stands up at attention.
Andrew is in front, then Ana, then Alice then me bringing up the rear. The first thought that went through my head was, that we should actually retreat and put distance between ourselves and the bear. But that's because I was in back. And, going forward meant that I was actually cutting the distance between me and the bear!
Second thought that came to mind was, "I should take a photo." I had my camera hangin' off my neck, and thought, this would be an epic National Geographic snap that will put me on the map!
My third thought was, "NOOO, this will be the last photo I ever take."
And, my next thought was, "Oh, Alice has her bear spray out. Oh yea...bear spray."
It is incredible how quickly thoughts race through your mind in a traumatic experience. It all happens so fast, yet time seems to stand still.
And then, "Don't make eye contact. No sudden movement. Talk a little bit..."
Seconds after pulling out the bear spray, I realized my legs were very shaky. Everything else felt ok, but I was a little jelly-legged as I continued to walk.
3 out of 4 of us had bear spray. And, petite Ana had a knife. Which is slightly funny in hindsight.
Thankfully, the bear did NOT charge. It was probably eating some berries and simply let us walk by.
Maybe if I was alone, I might have been viewed as prey. But, there's strength in numbers when it comes to bears in the wilderness.
We still had about ~1 hour to get back down and the rest of the way was giddy! We were all freaked out and tried to joke as much as possible. While nervously scanning our surroundings like paranoid fiends.
Thankfully, no more bear action. We made it down. What an incredible experience! What a day.
Ohhh, Delta Lake, you!!! You gave us the thrill of a lifetime! And, thank you for being kind.
My thoughts in the immediate aftermath:
Sadly, I had to part ways with the A-Team. They were heading to West Yellowstone and I was heading to Jackson Hole. And, driving out, I was lucky to see some non threatening wildlife.
And, stopped to admire the heavenly glow behind the Teton range.
And, back to Jackson, which rivals West Yellowstone in its charm and design!
All in all, an epic adventure in Wyoming, which now ranks up there in my list of most underrated U.S. States. Do yourself a favor and book a trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton. I know you will not be disappointed!
Yellowstone (Not Jellystone) National Park
Yellowstone, not Jellystone. Definitely different than Yogi Bear's top place to picnic. The world's first National Park, A UNESCO World Heritage site, and one of the weirdest places I've seen on Earth. In a word: otherworldly!
Yellowstone, not Jellystone. Definitely different than Yogi Bear's top place to picnic.
It's a UNESCO World Heritage site, and one of the weirdest places on Earth. Truly otherworldly!
Yellowstone National Park is noted as the world's first National Park (although the folks up in Yosemite would beg to differ). It spans across 3 states (Idaho, Montana and Wyoming), with the vast majority in Wyoming.
It really is unlike any place I've visited. Remember science class? I know it was a while ago, so let me school you.
Volcanos. Deep below volcanos, you find this wicked hot stuff called magma that exists in this big underground chamber. Yellowstone is home to a wicked big 'supervolcano'. This wicked big volcano had a wicked big magma chamber. Think of a cave under the Earth's crust, "about 37 miles (60 km) long, 18 miles (29 km) wide, and 3 to 7 miles (5 to 12 km) deep".
In this chamber is water.
Magma is so hot it heats the water.
Water boils.
Creates steam.
Sometimes gets so hot and steamy it needs to escape.
Kinda like a teapot.
Creates holes in the Earth.
These holes are geysers. (Remember them?)
Or steamholes.
Or, they create thermal pools.
Or, hot springs.
Scientists and geologists could give you a lot more info. But, that's the gist. Get it? Got it? Good.
Enough science. Let's just look at some of this madness!
Tons of wildlife in Yellowstone: Bison, Elk, Bears, Coyotes, Badgers, Moose, etc.
First place I visited was the Lower Basin. They call this the "ghost forest" cuz the trees have been killed by the geothermal features (hot springs are super salty and toxic, and btw, it smells like rotten eggs in a lot of these basins):
Looks like you could swim in this nice hot spring, right? WRONG. Death.
Really? Did you think I was going to blog about a national park and NOT include a waterfall?
I loved the Lower Basin, especially at sunset, but the Norris Basin was really otherworldly! Almost reminiscent of the Salt Flats in Bolivia.
I stopped briefly at the Midway Geyser Basin...huge cavernous pools, and some incredibly shallow pools featuring floors that look like stepped slate or something.
In the big pool, there was this weird phenomena where I saw a rainbow circle around my head in the steamy shadow of this pool. Can anyone science-splain this to me?
The Upper Basin is the main course for Yellowstone. Featuring everyone's favorite geyser: Old Faithful, which lives up to its name in every way. It used to erupt every ~30 mins or so, but after an earthquake years ago, it now is on a ~90 min schedule. Old Faithful's blowhole is only 4 inches wide.
Old Faithful gets so much love from park visitors, but the Upper Basin offers so much more than that! Again, I can't help but think this of this word: otherworldly.
Looks like a nice place for a dip, eh? (If you're into the whole sudden death thing)
This next snap shows the scale of some of these geysers. Granted, this one is slightly in the foreground compared to the people on the left, but not by that much. Some of these things are huge.
Just a coyote crossing the trail. "Don't mind me, just comin' through, doin' my scavenger thing."
Sentimental moment:
My last experience before I left Yellowstone involved a Grizzly Bear mama and 2 little cubs and a heroic effort by me. (Not really. But let's go with it, k?) Full story in the video below:
Yellowstone is now 2nd on my list of U.S. National Parks, behind the Grand Canyon!
GO BOOK YOUR TRIP.
NOW. I highly recommend checking out the travel experts and friends of mine at AllTheRooms.com, this crew has got you covered!
Wait, why are you waiting? :]
Next up: Grand Teton National Park and the story of how I came face to face with a black bear and cheated death!
World Championship of Public Speaking in Vancouver
I bet you're probably thinking, "I didn't know there was a World Championship of Public Speaking?" Well, now you do! For me, this is up there with the Super Bowl and the NBA Finals.
Me, geeking out at the Convention!
I bet you're probably thinking, "I didn't know there was a World Championship of Public Speaking?" Well, now you do! For me, this is up there with the Super Bowl and the NBA Finals.
The competition is run by Toastmasters International. It starts at the Club Level. If you're in a Toastmasters Club, and you've given 6 speeches or more, you are eligible to compete. I competed a couple years back and made it to the Division level, but lost to some fine competition!
Contest season culminates at the Toastmasters International Convention, which was held in Vancouver Canada this year. I went with my good friend, and mentor Eno Georgette Inwek.
Speech Contests are highly subjective. I've studied Contest Judging extensively, and while there is a set of criteria that you are supposed to use for scoring, I think most judges tend to use the simple "Which speech did I like the most?" approach.
In my humble opinion, you can never get mad when you hear the results from the judges, because every person interprets a speech in their own way.
Eno and I in our seats, ecstatic for the event to begin!
New friends of mine from Tokyo!
In my years in Toastmasters, I've been a part of District 1 and District 52. This year, the District 1 Contest winner, Tristan De Montebello won his semifinal region and competed in the Finals!
Tristan being interviewed on stage.
Tristan's speech was dynamite! Brilliantly delivered, well crafted, and very unique. Sadly, he did not place. But, alas...I have no idea what the 15 judges were thinking. Personally, I did not agree with the 1st place and 2nd place winners. They were great, don't get me wrong. But, I LOVED Tristan's speech and the 3rd place winner, Kevin Stamper, who had me eating out of the palm of his hand.
1st Place
2nd Place
3rd Place
Here is a quick recap of thoughts from Eno Georgette Inwek and I:
Getting to see the WCOPS live was a remarkable experience! Perhaps, I'll be on that stage one day...
If you have a fear of public speaking, or you simply want to improve your presentation skills, I can help! Please contact me. I provide one on one coaching services and I put on workshops all around the world.
In the meantime, visit one of your local Toastmasters Clubs! The organization is highly supportive and it has helped me in more ways than I can explain.
And who knows, maybe you could be on that world stage one day!
Oregon Trails
Oregon does not disappoint! I spent ~a week and a half hiking trails, putzing around Portland, looking at lava lands and floatin' down the Deschutes River. Oregon is on point!
Oregon does not disappoint! I spent ~a week and a half hiking trails, putzing around Portland, looking at lava fields and floatin' down the Deschutes River. Oregon is on point!
Portland gets a lot of hype and I get it now! Very charming city. Culturally rich! Coffee shops, boutique art shops, and big time beer culture. Here is a snap of Portland from the Ross Island Bridge.
But at the end of the day, I'm more inspired by nature than cities. I'm going to let the images do the rest of the lifting from here. No need for words when you got beautiful imagery!
On Father's Day, I hiked the Mirror Lake Trail to see some reflections of mighty Mount Hood.
Gorgeous weather...only thing better would have been to stay for the sunset to capture golden hour colors.
The opposite side of the lake is also sweet.
I got lucky when someone pointed out a snake swimming on top of the water. Not every day you get to see a snake on a lake.
A day or so later, I made my way down to Bend Oregon, aka "the new Aspen of Oregon" where I was going to meet up with my friends, Alexis and Roger. They highly recommended hiking at Smith Rock and even though it was 97 degrees that day, I embarked on the Misery Ridge Trail.
Hiking alone is nice, but when it's 97 degrees and you're huffin' n puffin' up the steep switchbacks, it's sometimes nice to have a buddy. Met this local girl Peri, and we headed up together.
Peri was only going halfway up the trail, so we hung out for a bit at this summit, before we parted ways.
This is the view on the opposite side of the mountain as you can see Bend off in the distance.
Smith Rock is known for having great rock climbing routes, and I saw tons of climbers diggin' deep in the heat. There were actually a few on this thumb-lookin' rock formation. Definitely a multi-pitch climb.
Seeing white capped mountains off in the distance when it is near 100 degrees is always bizarre to me.
That thumb-lookin' rock formation looks like a face from the other side!
Deer aplenty.
Did I mention it was hot? The hike is about a 3 hour hike, and by this time, I was definitely dehydrated and squinting from the sunblock that seared my eyes.
And, this is the final stretch of the Trail, a nice reflection photo for the road.
Here's a sweet little state park: The Cove Palisades State Park.
Some cool bridges.
Some rivers and waterfalls in Bend.
Floatin' down the Deschutes with Alexis Brandow!
And later that day, we visited the Lava Lands, or Lava Buttes, which are out of this world. A volcano erupted thousands of years ago, and today the lava still lies. Fascinating. Creepy? Maybe. Odd? Yup. Cool though!
Unfortunately, I did not make it to the Lava River Cave, but at that time, I realized, I gotta start heading east if I want to be in NYC by the Fourth of July. I never made it to Crater Lake either, which gets highly recommended, especially for photography.
Will put them on the list for future trips! So much to see in this great country. Good ole' USA! It is truly GREAT!!!
Yosemite Mountain Madness! - Day 2
After a tumultuous day 1 in Yosemite, Jay and I joked about how we could top it on day 2. Yeaaa, we may have jinxed ourselves...
Day 2: Gettin' Down Glacier Point
After a tumultuous day 1 in Yosemite, (see day 1 blog here) Jay and I joked about how we could top it on day 2. Yeaaa, we may have jinxed ourselves...
Day 2: Gettin' Down Glacier Point
This next video tells the story of day 2 if you don't want to read. But definitely scroll down to see the pics and additional videos.
Since the adrenaline rush from day 1 had us up all night, we decided to sleep in on day 2 and have a late lunch before heading to the park in the late afternoon.
We stopped at the Visitor Center in Mariposa and decided we would drive up to Glacier Point, which is 7200 feet up, and has spectacular views of Yosemite Valley. The lady at the Visitor Center mentioned they got snow up in Glacier Point that morning but that the roads were completely fine.
Glacier Point is about an hour from Yosemite Valley and the road up is one of those white-knuckle narrow & winding mountain roads with a steep cliff on one side. A lot of the turns require 15 mph. But, along the way, there are many beautiful scenic overlooks and pullouts that we took full advantage of.
Sorry, Jay, but you take a selfie, you face the consequences.
One of the coolest stops on the road to Glacier Point, is the "Tunnel View". I thought they called it this because you can see through the valley, as if it's a tunnel. But, it's actually because the stop comes right before a tunnel. Ha! Maybe it has a dual meeting. Tunnel-esque, right?
After the tunnel, we pulled over a couple more times, cuz how could we not? Yosemite is breathtaking!
Washburn Point is very close to Glacier Point and although you can't see Yosemite Valley from it, it offers stunning views of Half Dome and some waterfalls.
Finally, made it to the top! Glacier Point, baby!
The sun was just setting and the colors were coming in nice with all the clouds in the sky! It was pretty cold up there, and we realized it was flurrying!
This area is very much off limits, but dude had no problem dangling his dog out on the ledge. Cruel? Well, at least he got the photo and that's what really matters.
Every night on Glacier Point, a Park Ranger comes and gives a talk about the history of Yosemite and some of the interesting flora and fauna that live in the park. Interesting Fact: The only human death by animal in Yosemite was a deer, who sadly, impaled a child with its antlers as the kid was trying to pet and feed it.
If you read my Day 1 blog, you may recognize these next waterfalls, as the moonbow falls. And the green grass below the falls is where we took the pics of the moonbow and saw the deer.
And, Jay also pointed out, "Hey that's where I got lost!"
Oh, Half Dome, you had me at Half.
It started to get a little dark, and we figured it was time to bolt. Didn't want to do the white knuckle drive in the dark!
In the parking lot, Jay was amused by the fact that there were snow piles and he decided to make a solid snowball.
We set off driving back down Glacier Point Road...and the flurries started turning to bigger flurries. Jay recorded this video of us joking about getting caught in a whiteout. Yeaaa, we may have just jinxed ourselves again.
Sure enough, in 5 minutes, the flurries turned to hail! The hail turned to bigger hail and bigger snowballs! It was a complete whiteout.
Glacier Point Road is a white-knuckle drive sans snow. You add snow to the mix and it's like a death drive.
I was only going 15-25mph, and my car started fishtailing! I have a rear wheel drive Lexus and it is not meant for snow in any way shape or form. I righted the ship and continued on, slower...
And slower...
Fishtailing again...
YIKES!
Hmmm...this is scary.
Whoa...I think the sleet created a nice layer of ice below the snow that was accumulating with the quickness.
And, fishtailing again...
After the 3rd fishtail, I came to a stop on the hill. I tried to accelerate and my car just starts spinning with my rear sliding toward the cliff side!
STUCK.
On a hill.
Complete whiteout.
The car behind me was stuck too. And the car behind them and the car behind them. Some cars ended up in the ditch.
And within 15 minutes, our windshield was covered in snow. It was coming down HARD.
Looking back, I did notice there was an obvious storm on the horizon. But, I didnt' think twice about it. Never even considered that it would come our way.
We settled in, with no clue how long we would be up there. There is NO cell service on Glacier Point Road. But, people with 4 wheel drive were able to drive down. And, we knew there was a Ranger that would have to come down at some point.
Thankfully, we had snacks bags, water, even a 5 hour energy drink that would come in handy later. We went into survival mode, rationing our snacks, occasionally turning on the car for heat. Broke out the leftover glow necklaces that I bought for #beachBonfireBash .
Not gonna lie, things got a little punchy!
But, we were able to amuse ourselves with tunes, pass-n-play scrabble on my phone, and steppin' outside every now and again to check out the scene & talk to fellow strandees. (word?)
Hazard lights cast a cool color spectrum illuminating the dark road!
We got stuck around 8:45pm and had bets on when we would get down. Jay said 7am. I said 1am.
Thankfully, the Park Ranger came around 11:30pm and let us know that help was on the way! The plows were over an hour out, but at least they were coming. I think I won the bet.
Once the snow stopped, the skies cleared and it was mighty nice out!
The plows came around 1am, and they started towing the cars that went into the ditch. And, they came and shoveled us out of our spot around 2am.
On the way back down the mountain, we stopped at Tunnel View, and I snapped this long exposure.
And, I couldn't help stopping for one more snap in a foggy moonlit meadow.
It took us ~2.5 hours to get back to our hotel. I was so nervous driving thinking everything was black ice! All in all, stuck at 8:45pm, got to the hotel at 4:45am. 8 hours.
Ohhhh, Yosemite, you!!!
What a weekend. Two days in a row, madness in the mountains!
On Remote Year, our Community Manager and Travel Guru Travis King introduced me to the 'levels of fun'. Level 1, planned fun. Level 2 fun is unexpected, serendipitous moments! And, Level 3 fun is when things go terribly wrong!
You've got to embrace the Level 3 fun! 'Cause, the reality is, Level 3 stories are the ones you'll remember and retell for the rest of your life!
Thank you, Yosemite for giving Jay and I many Level 3 memories!
Yosemite Mountain Madness! - Day 1
My first weekend at Yosemite National Park is one I will never forget! 2 days, 2 incredible stories! Day 1: Missing the Moonbow
My first weekend at Yosemite National Park is one I will never forget! 2 days, 2 incredible stories!
Day 1: Missing the Moonbow
The next 2 videos feature my side of the story and Jay's side. You can watch these and bypass reading the lengthy blog post, AND/OR read the full blog post which contains more details, pics and videos. Your call.
Either way, you should scroll down and see the pics, as they are pertinent to the story.
Jay Muniz and I headed out from Oakland later than we wanted to on Saturday, ~12:30pm. It takes ~4 hours to get to Yosemite and we only had Saturday and Sunday to explore the parks---so I was a bit bummed about the late start.
But, at least our snack bag game was solid!
It’s peak season in Yosemite, because the snowfall is meltin’ and the waterfalls are flowin’!
The closest hotel we could find was over an hour away in Mariposa. As we got about ~1 hour outside of the parks, there were electronic signs saying: “YOSEMITE VALLEY PARKING LOTS FULL. EXPECT 3 HOUR DELAYS.”
Ugh...not cool.
The signs did not deter! We wouldn’t be arriving until ~5ish, so maybe some people will have left by then? In the meantime, the scenery was sweet and our snack bags are doin’ their jobs.
We got to the national park gate and there wasn’t a line of cars which felt like a positive sign. And, the nice park employee (who vaaaaguely resembled my sis) informed us that the 3 hour delay was over.
We still encountered some traffic, but the scenery just outside Yosemite Valley is really sweet!
Once we finally parked and walked around, the time was ~6 and the sun was going down. We were in awe.
Jay is super afraid of wild animals, (as well he should be) and we talked a lot about bear survival skills on the ride there. So, it was hilarious seeing him geek out over this deer who strolled right past us!
We continued to explore the valley and I was snapping pics of Yosemite Falls, with a small pond and some nice reflections.
Two men approached. “That’s a great photography spot, are you guys staying for the moonbow later?”
Has anyone ever heard of a moonbow? Not me.
“A moonbow” he explained, “is a rare phenomenon when a ~full moon is in the exact angle and illuminates a rainbow in the mist of a waterfall. And, this just so happens to be one of the best and only nights of the year for it.”
Apparently, the moonbow was starting at 11:30 pm and all these photographers camp out hours beforehand to get a good spot to snap the bow.
We had 3 hours to kill, but Jay and I decided to dig in and go for it. What are the chances we came on this particular day!? Can you say 'serendipity?'
The weather was going to be in the 30s, and we had warm clothes, but we needed to replenish our snack bags. I dropped Jay off at the Yosemite Village Store to get supplies and we agreed to meet where we saw the deer crossing.
I set up my tripod right next to the pro photographers, who had multiple cameras and were well prepared for the night. Got my shot lined up!
After a while, I was thinking it would be smart to put my snacks back in the car, so as not to attract any new bear friends. I ran to my car and I realized....
Whoa...it is PITCH BLACK.
And, where is Jay!?
I started to get worried. The Village Store was only a 10 minute walk and Jay had been gone for 45 minutes to an hour. I get no cell service in Yosemite Valley, so we can't communicate. His phone battery was almost dead and he doesn't have a flashlight…
So, I hopped in my car quick and drove to the Village Store. No sign of Jay. And, now that it was so dark, the route from the Store to our meeting point was indeed confusing!
Panic started to set in. I tried to stay calm, as I packed up my camera gear and got ready to search. I told the photographers “If a tall Puerto Rican guy named Jay comes around looking for his friend, keep him here!”
For the next 2 hours, I drove back and forth from the Village Store, to the meeting point, around the Valley, searching, trying to stay calm...asking people "if they saw any tall Puerto Ricans", telling them to detain him if they do.
I wasn’t worried that he was going to die in the woods, although it was going to be ~30 degrees that night. I was a little worried that somehow the sick and twisted universe was going to introduce him to a family of bears!
My mind was playing tricks on me.
I went through a range of emotions. I was momentarily mad that I would be missing the moonbow! Then, I realized how selfish that line of thinking was, when my friend was lost out in the cold, dark wilderness with no light!
He had warm clothes and snacks. But, how we were going to find each other, with no cell service, and given that our hotel was over an hour away and it was pitch black!?!?!
I tried going to the Yosemite Lodge to get wifi, thinking, maybe he texted me (Unlike me, he got a weak signal in the Valley). But, the Lodge couldn’t give me wifi unless I was a hotel guest. BLURG!
I spoke to Park Rangers, Bus Workers, etc. Most of them seemed fairly annoyed, condescendingly telling me to just go back to the meeting spot and wait. Yeaaaaaaa, I don't think you know my friend Jay and his familiarity with the outdoors. Homeboy needs a search party, pronto!
At this point, it had been almost 3 hours. My last resort, was driving back to Mariposa, and seeing if he was at the hotel. Maybe he hitchhiked there? But, that seemed like such a risky prop, as it was an hour away. I didn’t want to abandon him in the Valley if he was wandering.
I drove around the Valley one last time. Almoooost turned onto the road back to the hotel. But, I stopped at our meeting point, and it was just about 11:30. I asked the photographers: “Has the moonbow started yet? Have you seen Puerto Rican Jay?"
Out of the dark, I hear a voice: “Matt? Matt Sherwood?”
I look over, and Jay is sitting down right there, all bundled up.
We looked at each other and I cannot describe the feeling. I wanted to punch him!!! Out of brotherly love and frustration, of course. But, we just mumbled obscenities to each other and gave each other a big ole bear hug. #punintended
We hopped in my car and Jay said, "Hey I got those snacks!" as he pulled out a steak sandwich, and a bunch of other eats, which I couldn’t even stomach because the fear and adrenaline were coursing through my veins and overpowering any normal bodily functions.
After trading several, “You have no idea what I've been through's", we decided to pull out the tripod and go try and catch some moonbow action. It was exactly the right time for the moonbow to start!
After all that madness, we did NOT miss the moonbow! Got some cool snaps and headed back to our hotel, where we couldn’t sleep until the adrenaline sent us crashing back down to Earth.
Want to see what a moonbow looks like?
Welcome to Yosemite National Park! Day 1, done. At least on Day 2, there’s no way we could top this madness, right?
Right...?
Joshua Tree National Park (in June)
I’m almost embarrassed to admit I had never been to Joshua Tree, ~2 hours from LA. This rare jewel hidden deep in the desert is fascinating and freaky and hotter than hell (in June).
I’m almost embarrassed to admit I had never been to Joshua Tree National Park which is only ~2 hours from LA. This rare jewel hidden deep in the desert is fascinating and freaky and hotter than hell (in June).
Campground #1, Joshua Tree Lake Campground
When I first got into Joshua Tree, I realized that I'd have a lot of freedom to sightsee, camp and hike because June is the off season. It’s dangerously hot in June! But that didn’t stop me.
I think I was one of 3 people in the Indian Cove Campground which has 101 campsites.
Joshua Tree National Park is essentially a big garden of Joshua Trees in the Mojave Desert. Which, at first, I thought was a bit strange. Why isn't there an Oak Tree National Park?
But, there is something mystical about these Seussian looking trees and the fact that they only grow in this specific unique climate. Very surreal.
The trees have this Keith Haring-like energy to them, almost as if each one is caught mid-dance:
And, I'd be remised if I did not mention that Joshua Tree is a rock climber's paradise! (Just not in June)
After a day or two of sweating, hiking, sweating, camping, sweating, hiking --- my hair started to reach for the sky and resemble the trees!
Maybe it was the heat stroke, but I started to see creatures in the desert flora. Seemed like the cacti turn into monsters when they don't get enough water.
Decaying cacti look weirdly otherworldly:
Some desert animal made a nice little camp in this small cave, using some especially caustic cacti to shield their nest from nasty predators:
Ran into a tiny toddler tumbleweed, that acted all timid when the camera started rolling.
Joshua Tree has these cute little creamy colored chameleons that blend in with the light sand.
How has this big boulder not toppled?
Skull Rock!
If you visit Joshua Tree, I highly recommend stopping by the Cholla Cactus Garden! More Seussian shrubbery!
One hiker I ran into said, "Yeah, it looks like someone just dropped a pile of rocks in random spots around the park. So true.
Overall, I had a blast exploring this national park, even in the hellish conditions.
Joshua Tree is a mystical must-see attraction!
Just don't go in June!
On the Road Again!
I’ve been back in the US for ~2 months. The transition from international man of mystery to domestic couch surfer has been less than inspiring. Being back in Boston was great! But, LA has felt twilight zone-ish. So, I’m back on the road!
I’ve been back in the US for ~2 months now. The transition from international man of mystery to domestic couch surfer has been less than inspiring. Being back in Boston was great! But, LA has felt twilight zone-ish.
For 13 months I didn't have a car. It was refreshing living in walkable cities, and using public transpo. Los Angeles is not really one of those cities. It is astounding how much time one spends in their car in LA. It's a total turn off. Unless you like sitting in traffic at 11am on a Tuesday or 10pm on a Wednesday. Trade offs, I guess.
Living in LA the past 6 weeks has felt like the end of a bad relationship. Those last few months, when you're struggling to make it work but the writing is on the wall. It's sad, because I still love LA. And I guess I'll leave the door open to try again in the future. But, for now, some time apart will be good for us.
So, I’m back on the road! Kerouac would be proud!
I’ve never done a cross country road trip. Always wanted to do it when I could take some time and smell the roses along the way. I’ve got about ~5 weeks to make my way from LA to Boston. I’ll be taking a supremely circuitous route.
Basically, starting in San Bernardino, heading east to Joshua Tree National Park, then up to northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, South Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, and then east to NY / Boston. Somethin' like that.
My first stop was the iconic Wigwam Motel off of Route 66! "Welcome Travelers! Have you stayed in a teepee lately?" I had no idea the Wigwam Motels were a chain. There are only 3 remaining.
The owner was a super cool guy: Kumar. Fantastic food recommendations! And we had some great conversations.
The whole lot is themed out in Route 66 memorabilia.
They have classic cars and vans in the parking lot like this rusted out beaut:
The wigwam was a lovely, cozy home for a few days! I highly recommend staying in a teepee --- if you have the means.
Next up, Joshua Tree National Park. Excited to get my photo game back in gear in this picturesque park!
My Remote Year Marathon
12 months, 19 countries. A year of new experiences and constant stimulation. A year that can never be replicated, and never fully comprehended by anyone outside of RY3 . A year that probably seemed so luxurious on social media. But, in reality, it was just as challenging as it was rewarding. Like running a marathon.
12 months, 19 countries. A year of new experiences and constant stimulation. A year that could never be replicated, and never fully comprehended by anyone outside of RY3 . A year that probably seemed so luxurious on social media. But, in reality, it was just as challenging as it was rewarding. Like running a marathon.
It's been 2 weeks since I completed Remote Year and you may have noticed the radio silence on my part. The reality is, I'm recovering from the marathon!
Our first week in Remote Year, Carlos Paz, Cordoba, Argentina
In our very first meeting in Cordoba, Argentina, the staff played a video for us. It was an advice compilation from the original RY group that was in month 9 of 12. One of the older guys in the group said,
“RY is like a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself, because a year of travel and work is really challenging.”
Being a marathoner, I took these words to heart. In the beginning of the race, I know I always feel like this:
The adrenaline is flowing and I'm so excited the race is finally here!
But, I know that the mid to late miles are tough. The initial adrenaline wears off. Fatigue sets in. I get numb. And the last few miles I'm on auto-pilot, emotionally and physically. I sometimes can't remember a lot in those late miles, because my body is in this weird state of confusion. I'm just going through the motions, and everything is a blur.
And, when I get to the finish line, I'm often not able to savor the moment. I'm just numb. I may have an emotional moment for a minute, realizing that I just completed a big race that I'd been training so hard for. But, then, it takes me a couple hours to get some feeling back.
On my Remote Year marathon, I didn’t quite realize how tough the late months would be!
It wasn't tough to visit gorgeous National Parks, UNESCO sites, and Wonders of the World. It wasn't tough to adapt to the local culture or find my way around a new city. It was not hard to get along with such a great group of people who cared for each other and treated each other like family.
But, the combination of: constant travel, sightseeing, work, time zone challenges, lack of sleep, blogging, photography, the high of forging new friendships, the lows of saying goodbye and start all over, etc, etc. It's all amazing but exhausting!
The last few months of RY were challenging. I constantly felt fatigued. Got sick a bunch of times. Wasn't sleeping much. Was pushing my mind and body to the limits, trying to see all the sights. In a lot of ways I was just going through the motions. Checkin' stuff off the list.
Oh, another UNESCO World Heritage site. Neat.
A Wonder of the World...huh. Cool.
Most people plan their whole year's vacation around some of the things that I probably took for granted. I got emotionally numb in the late miles.
And, towards the end, I just wanted to hit that finish line.
Final day of Remote Year, just finished packing up my stuff.
But, now, I'm getting my feeling back. :]
Looking back, I realize just how lucky I am to have been able to be a part of Remote Year. So few people on this Earth will ever have the opportunities that I've had. It was the most extraordinary journey I've ever taken. The best race I've ever run.
And, the best part about it is, I'm not numb any more! And, while I may have been fairly unemotional during certain times, I still experienced it all. And, I can look back on those experiences now and fully appreciate them. And, I've got thousands of photos and videos that I haven't even looked at.
In a marathon, sometimes I forget the mid-to-late miles.
But I will never forget one mile, one day or one month of Remote Year.
Patrick and I on day 1 of 365. We were just babies back then.
Fuerza Bruta show, Buenos Aires, Argentina---one of the best nights of the year.
Wandering the streets of La Paz, Bolivia
Climbing Mount Huayna Potosi, one of the gnarliest, craziest things I've ever done!
Cusco culture, they love their little lambs and llama and alpaca.
The train to Edinburgh, Scotland
My romantic weekend in Paris
A phenomenal weekend in the Czech countryside to hike and watch the Perseids meteor shower.
A solo trip to Santorini, Greece, and some gorgeous beaches.
The slow boat in Laos with the Golden Shower Trio!
Admiring the Kuang Si Waterfalls in Laos
Sure, I'll buy a straw hat for $1 in Myanmar
The sweet hotel owner and her daughters in Inle Lake, Myanmar
Zaw Min! The best driver / tour guide of the year, hands down. Loved this man.
Inle Lake!
Jumped on the mic on the cruise in Halong Bay!
HA LONG BAY
Vietnam Mekong Delta cruise.
Vietnam welcome party spilled into the streets for the Tet New Year!
My final memory of Remote Year. A candlelight speakeasy. Magical.
Floating Village and Forest
After temple running at Angkor Wat and seeing the circus in Siam Reap why not check out the “Floating Villages” tour at Kompong Phluk? I was skeptical about this at first, but was pleasantly surprised by the beauty and tranquility of the experience.
After temple running at Angkor Wat and seeing the circus in Siam Reap why not check out the “Floating Villages” tour at Kompong Phluk? I was skeptical about this at first (lots of negative reviews online), but was pleasantly surprised by the beauty and tranquility of the experience.
What is a floating village? Basically, houses built on stilts to accommodate monsoon season flooding on the Tonle Sap river in central Cambodia.
It’s a bit funny to me that this is a tourist destination, since back home, my Dad’s boat is docked in a river with houses on stilts. But those stilts accommodate the varying water levels brought on by tide fluctuations.
So, essentially the floating village tour features “flood-proof houses”. But, either way, being on a boat ain’t so bad, especially when it’s 90 degrees F!
TRAVEL TIP: DON'T BOOK A FLOATING VILLAGE TOUR ONLINE IN ADVANCE. You can get it much cheaper in Siam Reap. Actually, this is something I have experienced almost the whole year through for all tours. Almost NEVER book in advance. This theory is completely contrary to how I used to travel. You want to feel safe knowing you have travel plans and tours solidified. TRUST ME. 9 times out of 10 you will get ripped off. Unless the tour is something like the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, which requires special permits and a guide---you can almost always get something cheaper by booking through your hotel or asking around town. Be patient. Been burned many times on this year trip by booking in advance.
There are lots of tour companies that feature the floating villages, but beware---lots are overpriced and get really bad reviews. Some of the more well known companies are $40 - $50 and some include a visit to the crocodile farm.
But, my Siam Reap travel buddy Carolin and I did our homework. Well, she did most of it. She found a small tour ticket booth in Siam Reap that offered a tour for $18 USD! And it was really nice.
We were picked up first thing in the morning and our tour guide ‘Vanna’ was quite charming. He grew up in the village and was eager to show us his hometown. He was entertaining too, “I am lucky, I am the most handsome man in my family. I am 30 years old. My wife is older than me, but it’s ok because I love her.”
Our cruise was only ~8-10 people total. Lots of the big companies pack you in like sardines on 50-70 person boats.
When we got on the boat, a 10 year old Cambodian boy named ‘Ka’ joined us. As soon as we sat down for the cruise, he got in the seat behind me and started massaging my neck. I realized he was looking for a tip...and sure enough he says, “$1 dollar.” It felt really good though, so I was happy to oblige. But, as soon as I said yes, the quality of the massage went down the drain. Ahhhh, what do you expect I guess. He was a good kid and kept me plenty entertained throughout the day.
We cruised for a while down the Tonle Sap river and stopped at the center of the village to check things out. Lots of kids getting out of school! Super cute.
Optionally, the tour featured an up-sell of $5 USD for the ‘floating forest’ cruise through the mangrove trees. Mangrove trees have special roots that allow them to grow in brackish water. I know, nice use of the word ‘brackish’, Matt!
This was SO worth it! It was incredibly peaceful. And, the shade of the mangrove trees provided a cool relief from the unbearable heat. We even saw a monkey climbing in the trees. Monkeys always make things more interesting, methinks.
The women of the village are the ones who row the boats. That’s their job, while the guys are out fishing. They even bring kids with them.
Our guide was super sweet, and paddled like a pro. Near the end of the tour, she pulled up a shrimp trap and sure enough, one little shrimp!
After the forest, we ate lunch on a floating restaurant and I had a huge craving for shrimp...which I devoured like a giant.
The ride back was quite nice. I mostly hung out on the roof of the boat, snapping pics of the locals and fishermen...
...and clownin’ around with my new buddy Ka. Good kid, he is.
All in all, our tour was ~5 hours with travel time to and from our hotel. A relaxing way to spend a half day in Siam Reap. And, an interesting Cambodian cultural experience!
A famous man once said, "No day on a boat is a bad day." Wait...I may have just made that up? But, you get the point.
Hot Air Balloon in Bagan
My 10 day vacation in Myanmar was marvelous! Traveled with some Europeans: Jacek, Kasia and Viktoria. Myanmar just opened their tourist doors a few years ago and it felt like the wild West. The highlight was the hot air balloon ride over Bagan, the ancient city with thousands of temples.
At the end of January, I left Cambodia early for a 10 day vacation (no work) to travel Myanmar with fellow Remote Jacek (Austria), his sister Kasia and her friend Viktoria. (Sweden)
Myanmar, aka Burma is a country that just opened its doors to travelers ~5 years ago and as such felt like the wild wild West. For me, the highlight was the hot air balloon ride over Bagan, the ancient city with thousands of temples!
We went with Oriental Ballooning, which was the most expensive of the 3 companies, but got the best reviews. If you want the best deal with Oriental Ballooning, you can find it here at Myan Marvels.
Ballooning ain't cheap. ~$350 to $375 USD for a ~1 hour flight. It’s the 2nd highest sightseeing thing I did this year, behind the Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu ($675 USD). Some friends of mine opted out of ballooning because of the costly price tag.
But we all said, “Well it’s a once in a lifetime thing.”
Guess what? I know it won’t be JUST once in my lifetime. I want to fly again! Maybe in a different place with different landscape.
It was worth every penny!
And, I realized why it’s so costly. Of course, there is high demand for it. But also, it’s not easy getting that aircraft in the sky and landing it back down safely with anywhere from 9 to 13 people in it. I think it took a crew of ~8 to launch our balloon, plus our pilot.
We lucked out with the pilot. Donna, from Australia has been flying for 11 years, and works seasonally in Australia, New Zealand and Myanmar. She seemed to be the manager of the other pilots---or, maybe just the one who does the public speaking. Either way, she was really fun and charming and we couldn’t have asked for a better leader!
We lucked out with the weather too! Another gorgeous sunrise in Myanmar.
Breathtaking.
We even got to fly with some birds along the way.
Bagan was the capital city of the Pagan Empire that thrived during the 11th to 13th centuries. ~10,000 Buddhist temples were built and today there are still ~2200 temples remaining. This makes Bagan perfect for a bird's eye view!
The skyline is peppered with pagodas popping up out of the dry desert plains.
We flew fairly close to the ground, especially toward the end of the flight. So close we could say hello to the folks down below:
"Mingalabar!" (Hello)
One potential drawback of flying in Bagan is that the Bagan Airport is nearby and they restrict the top altitude that balloons can fly at. We got about 600 meters up, which was a gorgeous height. But, according to Donna, in areas like Inle Lake the flights get up to 4,000 meters! That would be very nice!
That being said, no complaints! What a magical experience seeing Myanmar from above. The flight was super smooth and peaceful. An adrenaline rush, but it felt really safe too.
I've got some videos that I'll compile at some point.
After the flight, we sat around eagerly chatting and enjoying fresh fruit, orange juice, and champagne for those who partake. We were told that the French invented hot air balloons and used to carry bottles of Champagne with them to give to the land owners when they accidentally landed on their property! And so the tradition continues.
If you want to do a hot air balloon ride in Myanmar, I highly recommend Oriental Ballooning! Go to MyanMarvels.com for the best deal!
More on Myanmar coming soon!
Phare, The Cambodian Circus
Siam Reap, Cambodia was a breath of fresh air compared to Phnom Penh, literally and figuratively. I ventured off on a solo trip for a few days to get out of the city and see the Angkor Wat temples. Angkor Wat was certainly impressive, but it was the Phare: Cambodian Circus that captured my heart!
Siam Reap, Cambodia was a breath of fresh air compared to Phnom Penh, literally and figuratively. I ventured off on a solo trip for a few days to get out of the intensity of the city see the famous Angkor Wat temples. While the temples at Angkor Wat were certainly impressive, it was the Phare: Cambodian Circus that captured my heart!
It's like Cirque du Soleil, but with Cambodian performers who studied at a local non-profit school for the performing arts. The NGO was started by 9 Cambodian men after the Khmer Rouge to help support local artists. Check out the website
The Phare Story is "Uniquely Cambodian. Daringly Modern. More than just a circus, Phare, the Cambodian Circus performers use theater, music, dance and modern circus arts to tell uniquely Cambodian stories; historical, folk and modern."
Phare was recommended by fellow Remote Translator.Liz who had visited earlier in the month. I went with a German friend (Carolin) who I met on the bus from Phnom Penh to Siam Reap. The only seats left were general admission and we were in the far back corner. But, it was a tiny tent venue and it didn’t matter. The performance was so powerful, there were no bad seats in the house!
Just like Cirque, the show featured music, dance, juggling, acrobatics and humor, all sprinkled on top of an overarching story of an outcast in a village who yearns for acceptance. It was brilliant.
The energy in the show is top notch! These performers had us eating out of the palm of their hands. Every audience member seemed entranced from start to finish. I found myself giggling and smiling so much my jaw hurt at the end.
I got emotional at one point during the show. My mind wandered back to the Fuerza Bruta show back in Buenos Aires, which was same same but different. BA was month 2 of Remote Year, and there I was in month 11. The whole year flashed before my eyes and the realization that the year is coming to an end brought a range of mixed emotions up to the surface.
I think the reason I loved the Phare Cambodian Circus so much was because Cambodia was a hard place to live mentally and spiritually. Phnom Penh is overpopulated. The streets are littered with trash. Poverty is ever-present. The dark history of the Killing Fields looms in the back of your mind. As a caucasian foreigner, everyone thinks your rich and merchants can be rather aggressive. It is probably the most challenging place I’ve lived this year.
For me, Phare represents hope! And Cambodians need hope. Feeling the positive vibes, the warmth of the circus and seeing the smiles of the performers was exactly what I needed. It was electrifying!
Hope.
Hope is not a dangerous thing, Red.
"Remember, Red, Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."
Super Bowl Monday in Saigon
6:30 am. Monday. Sun's coming up and it's Super Bowl time! GOOD MORNING, VIETNAAAM! Yes, it's wicked weird but with wings and Coca Cola, feels just like 'Merica. Kinda. 'Same same but different'.
6:30 am. Monday. Sun's coming up and it's Super Bowl time! GOOD MORNING, VIETNAAAM!
Yes, it's wicked weird but with wings and Coca Cola, feels just like 'Merica. Kinda. To use a common Asian quote: "same same but different".
I arrived at the Guru Sports Bar about one drive into the game. The bar was packed inside, but thankfully I spotted a table with a great TV view outside. Sat next to Vietnamese couples on both sides --- Atlanta fans. Or, probably just Patriots haters.
The bar had some western style breakfast specials going on, but I opted for the wing platter. To my surprise, it did NOT disappoint! I dissected it like Matt Ryan did to the Patriots D in the first half.
BEFORE
AFTER
Everyone was rooting for the Falcons. Couple Pats fans inside but outside was all Hotlanta. No surprise. I’m used to the haters by now.
The first half was depressing. I was texting with Stevo, and we kept saying things like “lotta football left to play”, even though things were lookin' bleak.
On top of that, watching it on Sky Sports was annoying. (Sorry Jena) No ads. During commercial breaks they went back to the booth with 3 British announcers and Ndamukong Suh, a dubious choice at best. Suh is the Bill Laimbeer of the NFL, and has the personality of a Keanu Reeves or Vin Diesel. (More Suh dirt here)
My sis and I texted at halftime.
Sis: “Yes!!! Soooo disappointed. :[”
Me: “Ain’t over yet tho.”
The halftime show was the highlight of the day for me. I thought Lady Gaga was spectacular! She is a phenomenal performer! And she actually sings and plays music instead of lip synching. Loved it.
Then...
People on social media started ripping into the Pats. Nasty stuff, calling out Pats fans, ripping Brady, etc. I’m used to it. But, I'm also tired and cranky. (And also sick with a nasty cough)
One of my friends posted: “I don't even like football, but... GO FALCONS! Beat the cheaters!”
I felt like this was a good time to pick a fight with her. I messaged her and asked her if she was aware that the Falcons got caught cheating two years ago? She was unaware. Or that the Giants got caught cheating this year? She was unaware.
Of course she was not aware. Cuz no one cares if other teams get caught in scandals only the Patriots. This led to a healthy political debate, which strangely momentarily made me feel better. Guess I needed to blow off some steam. Ok, back to the game.
Watching the second half was SURREAL. I felt like we had a chance to come back but assumed we might fall up short. 28-3 is a big hole to dig out of. And especially when they got a beast like Julio Jones, and the MVP Matty Ice.
But, Brady is the GOAT. And Belichek is the GOAT.
Funny thing happened. When they started coming back, ALL of the people outside the bar switched sides. Slowly but surely, everyone started rooting for the PATRIOTS. Whaaaaaa!?!?!?
This was a fascinating turn of events. It proved to me that people just like the underdog. All of a sudden, the Pats were the underdogs. And, no one wants to see a blowout.
It was an incredible moment in sports history. Greatest comeback of all time.
We are so lucky in New England.
I wish people didn’t hate the Patriots so much, because we are witnessing greatness in the NFL the likes of which we may never see again. I never liked the Yankees, but I appreciated when Derek Jeter retired because he was GREAT and he was humble and classy. Brady is classier than anyone and always takes the high road. So happy for him. Maybe people will come around on Brady n Belichek? Not holding my breath.
I did shed a tear when the Patriots won. I didn’t cheer and scream and yell when they won. It was just a moment of elation, and relief after gritting my teeth, clenching my fists with a nervous leg twitch for 3 hours. I got handshakes from the Vietnamese couples next to me. And took some selfies with an Australian guy and a British guy.
Yup, teary eyes.
I'll leave the celebration up to my boy Mike Bracco, who recorded this raw, unfiltered reaction to the end of the game (NSFW): Click to watch here
And then I scowled when Goodell gave the most inauthentic presentation of the trophy to Robert Kraft.
And then I hopped on a motorbike home with “Son”. Rode through the streets of Saigon, Vietnam back to my home.
Just your typical Super Bowl Monday morning.
Well, same same but different.