Oregon: Upper Klamath Lake

Believe it or not, there's a lot of water out on this part of the country! Coming from a drought-stricken desert where the better part of my lifespan has been spent conserving water and watching our most precious resource dwindle and wither away, it's kind of mind-blowing to drive for hours and pass one body of water after the next. From one river to a boat launch at the end of a neighborhood street, to endless lakes, there's so much water in this area! This, of course, facilitates the explosion of greenery that you'll see as you drive along. Coincidentally, there's quite a lot of farmland proliferating throughout the region, perhaps due to this abundant foliage and potential grazing lands. Like I said, coming from a desert, this all seems a bit weird. Everything is so green, and there's so much life springing from every nook and cranny, any location where a fortuitous foothold might be struck and dug into. The tracts of mankind's interjections can be seen stripping the land in bland, blase streaks of nudity, but even with our tireless efforts nature, uhh...finds a way... 

Upper Klamath Lake is one of these bodies of water you may find yourself driving by, should you follow a similar path to ours. There's something poetic in the blue sky touching the tippy-tops of purple mountains before a horizon of pallid water stretches out below. It's majestic, one could say. Inspiring. It can be difficult at times to quantify just how large these United States actually are...in the span of three days we'd driven over 1,000 miles (1,609 Km)! And we still had some miles yet to traverse before reaching our destination, too. We drove more than the entire length of the country of Italy (1,185Km or 736 miles)! We'd safely traversed the Extra-terrestrial highway in South-Central Nevada, visited Reno without getting divorced, spent the night and troubleshot some vehicular difficulties in the town of Merrill, in Southern Oregon...and now? Now we'd made it here, to Upper Klamath Lake, a beautiful expanse of blue where the earth and the sky blow kisses at each other. I recommend pulling over to take a moment and appreciate all the beauty surrounding you because if there's one thing you can say about nature it's that she's an absolutely inimitable genius. I mean, humans do some cool stuff- like the Cavendish banana is tasty enough, though it's potentially going to go extinct in our lifetime due it's simplistic genetics. Again, leave it to nature, she'll, uh, find a way.

Oregon: Deschutes National Forest

Onward and upward, away we went. Oregon is one of my favorite states to visit, probably because I've only ever spent a brief interim in the state on the long journey South or North. When some of my friends lived in the state, I was happy to spend a night in Portland, and another further South near Corvallis in a small farming town. The property my friends further south were occupying backed up onto a river and had expansive fields of wildflowers that would bloom during the right time of year. And once, upon a long ago time, my friend Christina and I made a trek down to Portland area from Seattle for some hiking and waterfalls, even stopping to grab some Voodoo Donuts along the way. This time, however, was more for getting to our destination rather than idle enjoyment of the scenery, unfortunately, as the Deschutes National forest is absolutely stunning! Most of the drive, whether you're going up towards Seattle or South towards California and Nevada, however, is going to be beautiful scenic routes through the forest, generally, two lane winding routes that made us clench our cheeks at times. Not only is it massive (like, huge, as in 1.8 Million acres HUGE) but the scenery evolves as you wind your way along, from mountain lakes to dense forests, burnt plains to tunnels. And did I mention it's massive?! Yes, 1.8 MILLION acres of forest are included here in the national forest, which meant there were multiple points along our drive where I'd see signs for entering the forest, again, and balk at the fact we were still driving through it hours into our journey. No wonder the mystery of Sasquatch lingers on, unsolved. With this much terrain, in mild temperate climate, there's ample room for some fuzzy hominid with exceptionally large flippers to nest and scurry undetected. 

Sometimes the drive would see us entering small towns, forcibly slowing the traffic with their traffic lights and stop-signs, before inevitably finding our way back to the forested wilderness. When we were still in Merrill, sweet young Diana had warned us not to stop too long among the mountain ranges, as there are supposedly hungry mountains lions that linger known to have an appetite for human flesh, or so she claims. We still had to stop and take in the scenery at least once or twice during the drive, if not solely for the excuse to shake our legs out and get some stretches in. We were making pretty good time, all things considered, and we thoroughly enjoyed the densely terpene-laden air streaming into our windows as we drove. Even the squeakers would poke their snoots up for a sniff from time to time, curious about the cool evergreen scented air. 

On and on, away we go!

Reno: Driving in towards the city

Once we were properly stretched, situated, and caffeinated (given I'm a hopeless coffee fiend, while Antho has only started to dabble in the beany-brew quite recently) we returned to the road. We were grateful for the daylight, as our drive in the wee hours of the night had taken us down some back-country roads where we were anxious about stopping despite being bleary-eyed with exhaustion, lest we awaken to find an angry farmer banging on our window. The scenery directly outside of Vegas is quite familiar to us, too, so we weren't especially heartbroken about missing out on the scenic views further south, but as we were rapidly stretching into new territory and it's far more interesting to be able to watch the scenery evolve as you travel! Antho took the camera for this stretch of the road, so he caught some shots of my old Volvo rolling along, as well as his own co-pilot's nest. I had Ollie riding along with me, while Antho kept our sweet girl Buttercup with him for the duration.  Her cage was only a temporary solution, as she was previously living in the big mansion of a cage that had housed all of our ladies and was impractical and illogical to cram into either vehicle. Normally we travel together and only take one vehicle when we go out and about on day to day adventures, so having our fuzzy company helped take some of the edges off of going it alone. The walkie-talkies helped quite a bit, too, as we could communicate immediately with one another about road conditions, a guy riding our butts, a strange burnt out abandoned structure off to the side of the road, what-have-you. If you ever find yourself traveling an extensive way as part of a caravan, I absolutely and emphatically recommend getting walkie-talkies to stay in touch with your fellow drivers! Not only will you be able to communicate with everyone in your party (crucial), you might get to pick up on some random conspiracy chatter as you hurtle across the landscape. We caught some serious government conspiracy rants breaking through our channel somewhere around here, which added some unexpected intrigue to the proceedings. 

Korea: 홍어회 in화정 or Hongoe in Hwajeong

Throughout my entire stay in South Korea, I lived in the small town of Hwajeong, in Goyang prefecture. It's only a short commute outside of Seoul, about 30 minutes by train in to Anguk area which was without a doubt one of my favorite neighborhoods to spend time in. Hwajeong was a charming little suburb to reside in, though, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time living there! Not only was it easy (enough) to commute to and from work on the daily, but there were multiple options for shopping, recreation, and dining throughout the area. While your typical suburb in Las Vegas has at least one convenience store nestled in its midst, there's no real guarantee that you'll be able to get to a grocery store on foot, not in any timely manner anyway..this issue is referred to as "food deserts", where fresh foods are less readily available and residents need to commute to have access to amenities. In Hwajeong I could walk 5 minutes and have my pick from several small groceries, multiple convenience stores (of different brands/names) and countless fast or slow food restaurants. Who says that Americas the greatest country in the world? For sheer capitalistic indulgences and opportunity, South Korea certainly seems to have learned from us and upped the ante.   

Another thing South Korea does well, that we don't really do much here, is fermented fish. Tangent much, eh? In the United States, you might find some form of pickled fish hiding in a dusty, forlorn corner of the grocery store's "ethnic" section, but in Korea, there's a famous fermented fish whose name strikes fear into the hearts (and nostrils) of those familiar with it: Hongoe. This funky beast is the result of fermenting skate, those cute little mini-mantas who have the peculiar habit of urinating through their skin. This, naturally, gives the fermented variety of their flesh a distinctly ammonia-heavy odor that even I, a girl whose sense of smell is laughably non-existent, found challenging. To be fair, hongoe is a challenge even for native Koreans who grew up around the stuff. Typically eaten with super-ripe kimchi and sweet milky rice alcohol in the form of makkgeoli, you can also find hongoe prepackaged at some grocery stores. It's much more affordable to buy the prepackaged variety, and so I decided to give it a go, but I have to admit I wasn't able to eat the whole package on my own. The texture of the fish is unusual, too, with a cartilaginous crunch that's hard to compare to anything that hasn't been rotting in its own urine for an extended period of time. 

Even just looking at these photos is giving me olfactory flashbacks. Oof. Enjoy the photos of the pretty view from here out, to hopefully get some of the funk out! You might also enjoy noticing the little bird, who perched atop the tower here. 

Until next time, thanks for stopping by!

🐟

XOXO,

NAU

Vegas: Skaters and Squab

On the city streets of Las Vegas, Nevada, you'll encounter all sorts of life as it, uh, finds a way- whether it's the homeless caravans gathered in scruffy shambled assemblages clustered around and in nooks and crannies, not unlike sea urchins or coral on a reef, or the pigeons proudly strutting across the cobblestones with little to no concern for the humans towering alongside, or even the occasional skater kid clacking their wheels over the pavement. Tourists, wildlife and extreme sports side by side, in an extremely photogenic locale none-the-less! Oh my. Just another day in Vegas, though. 

Most major cities will eventually play host to some form of film, and Las Vegas has certainly had it's share of cinematic homages, from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas with its peak drug mania, or Con-Air when Nicolas Cage and company crash-land the plane on our eponymous strip, though to any local who was living in the city at the time the scenes here make little to no sense geographically speaking...but I digress. That's the nature of film- taking the reality of a place and glamming it up, shooting it at it's most flattering (or nonsensible) angles to maximize the impact of the scene, and splicing in scenes shot at any possible location, so long as they keep the narrative cohesion going. 

Cohesion is not an easy thing to find in a city like Las Vegas, where rich and poor rub elbows with disdain and greasy glares. You can walk down our prestigious Las Vegas Boulevard, home to all our newest glittering casinos,  and hear any language imaginable being batted back and forth in casual conversation, from Urdu to creole. Sweaty chefs leaving work in their stained coats wiping their brow next to a coifed and powdered beauty queen, precision nails and hair kept a safe distance away. A veritable cross-section of the human experience gathered for your consideration, ambling along taking photos. Needless to say, Las Vegas is certainly a primo-destination if people watching is something you like to do for fun, as Antho and I obviously do. 

Photos in this post were provided by Antho Jay~

Vegas: Summer Storm

It's no secret that in the desert, rain is a rarity. There are songs about it, and not just that one you've been hearing a lot lately. I've talked about it. There are water-cops! It is, simply, a known fact- rain and the desert are generally pretty rarely acquainted, and on those few and far between times when the sky does actually open up and let loose it's typically hot and heavy, like most summer romances. And in that same vein, the rains tend to occur mostly during the summer season, when the unrelenting heat gets peeled back for just a brief respite and the sky darkens. They're often turbulent storms, crackling up a lot of lightning and thunder, so we like to joke that Thor is paying us a friendly visit. Naturally, these brief and intense storms typically result in flash flooding, as water runs downhill and the city of Las Vegas itself is situated in a valley. This transforms normal-seeming roads into potential death traps, as drivers underestimate the depth of the water and drive in too deep, get stranded, or worse. So, if you happen to find yourself visiting Las Vegas during one of our few and far-between monsoons, be smart about driving out there and stay on dry land. 

These photos were captured by Antho, at a safe elevation away from the majority of the rains. It's not easy to capture lightning on film, and it took a lot of attempts to get some of the shots he managed, with a lot of tinkering in settings. It's so gratifying when you do finally capture the ephemeral bolts in action, though! I've always loved stormy weather, probably in large part because it is such an unusual occurrence here. I mean, we typically get them during the summers, but beyond that, they'll happen when mother nature decides it's time. We've been in quite a serious drought for a long, long time, too, so each time we get rain there's the vain hope that maybe, just maybe this time will be the one to really crack open and dump desperately needed hydration into the lands. We're still waiting...but these rains, they're nice. 

Korea: Walk from Goyang to Hwajeong through countryside

If you take a visit to Goyang-si or Ilsan Lake park, or just happen to find yourself far enough outside of Seoul for this area to be of interest to you, rest assured that there is still plenty to do out in this somewhat more suburban corner of South Korea. Goyang is a decent sized town just down the road from Hwajeong, which is a short drive outside of Seoul. 

There's a shopping mall, wall / rock climbing gyms, restaurant supply stores, ample restaurants and of course Ilsan Lake park to see! If your Korean is better than mine (which isn't any good) you'll have even more options available to you. The main road is quite busy and there's a lot of busses and traffic going through, so you can always opt for busses or a taxi if you'd rather not walk or take the trains. There seemed to be several hiking and historical sites of interest near here, too! I'd definitely recommend staying in this area if you're looking to stay near Seoul but don't want to pay exorbitant urban rates, or simply prefer a quieter more suburban neighbourhood. Goyang, being dubbed Flower City, is home to an annual international flower festival every spring! This year it's going to be from April 27th through May 13th, so I'd highly recommend taking a trip out around then if you're in Seoul or the nearby area! The event has been going on since 1997 and includes floral or flower-related displays from over 300 groups out of 25 countries! I didn't get to visit as I wasn't there during the right time of year but I bet it's spectacular. All the farms and gardens that dot the land between Goyang and Hwajeong certainly make the area appear fertile, so I can only imagine how lovely it would be in the springtime season.

 

During this sojourn it was more subdued. The majority of people on the streets were locals returning home from school or work, possibly grabbing a snack along the way. As the sun was setting and I had only taken the long and winding path once, a month or two prior, I was in a bit of a quest to get on my way. I had enjoyed my time at the park, marvelled at all the cute animals, and even ate some spicy noodles but it was time to get back to the apartment and I had miles to go yet...

More photos below!

Kyoto Day 4- part 5- Leaving Kyoto

As happens with all good things, my time in Kyoto came to a wrap shortly after lunch. Once again I found myself seated inside a bullet train, gliding through the countryside with the smooth and lethal grace of it's namesake. Given the speed with which we traveled, I shortly found the sunshine of a cool winter's day in Kyoto replaced by grey skies and rain, then gentle snow followed by a dense white haze... then it cleared up once more and we were well on our way back to Tokyo. 

What is a train trek in Japan without the eponymous eki-ben, so named because it's literally a train station bento box. Small stores selling them proliferate both inside of and near any train station you may happen across in Japan, though their fillings will vary immensely depending on the price of the box and the region it's purchased in. Attention to detail is high, and while the quality of the ingredients can fluctuate a tad based on the price, you can trust that the majority of times you'll find a reasonably well-balanced meal to enjoy regardless where it's from. 

Traveling on the shinkansen was, for me, extremely comfortable. I was able to stretch my legs out with ample room in front of me, and the easily accessible outlets to charge my devices allowed me the freedom to entertain myself with any electronic without fear of the battery depleting on me prior to our arrival some hours later. Personally, I found it a bit difficult to actually go so far as to sleep but some of my fellow passengers had little to no difficulty in doing so. Given the ready availability of alcoholic beverages at the station and stores surrounding the train stations, it may play some role in that. In a lot of ways it feels very similar to flying, from the fold-out tables on the chairs in front to the seat designs... that being said, it should be noted that bullet train travel is not cheap. If you're looking to save money, you can always opt to take an overnight bus (as I've done when traveling to L.A. from Vegas several times) or fly. Personally, it was worth the expense because it gave me the opportunity to see the country in a way that was special to me. We certainly don't have any bullet trains in my part of the world yet, though the Hyperloop might hold promise...but I digress. It was a lovely trip and though I was sad to be leaving my new friends behind for the routine of work, work and more work, I was so very glad to have had the adventure and met those lovely people. 

XOXO,

NAU

Kyoto day 3- part 3- Nyakuouji-jinja

After crossing paths with the kindly stranger and the kittens along my walk, I found myself at a smaller temple. Nestled upon a small hill shrouded in forest, this temple was particularly mysterious with the absence of tourists (who were amply abundant at most other sites throughout the city) and, unfortunately, my less than stupendous grasp on kanji. Smoke billowed lazily from a small smoldering fire near the front, and while an uninterested man tended to the grounds it was quite quiet. I explored the area a bit and found my way to the top of the hill, which offered a wonderful view of the city. A change of perspective is rarely a bad thing, really. 

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, I started making my way back towards the more occupied areas. I walked through many residential streets and enjoyed the small glimpses into daily, normal life for the people here. One of the best parts of traveling is the exposure to other ways of going about the same basic things all civilized humans must tend to, be it architecture or chores. Strolling along on foot provides ample opportunities to notice small details and surprises during your journey. That, perhaps, is why I try to walk as much as I can when I travel. Driving, taxis and trains are all fabulous means of getting to a location, but once you're there try to enjoy it and live in the moment. The smokey charr of the fire as it crackles, the rustling of the wind through the leaves and grasses of the forest, quiet chatter of school children...these provide the tapestry with which we can weave memories. 

Calico Basin Hike

Just outside of Las Vegas lies countless, nearly endless expanses of desert, rock formations and mountain ranges. Some mountains are capped with forest and get snow during the colder months, others get a sparse coating of desert shrubbery allowing the mineral filled rock below to shine. There's no mystery as to why our Red Rock National Recreation Area has earned it's name- the rocks are resplendent and come in shades of red, purple, beige and more. Wild burros, mountain lions, big horn sheep and rattle snakes proliferate the area, though they generally tend to be too shy to be spotted with any frequency. 

Given our proximity to great swaths of nature, hiking (and skiing!) are popular activities. I've been a fan of hiking for quite some time, having even been in a public hiking club during my junior year of high school. As such, whenever I get the opportunity to venture out into the great outdoors, I'm generally pretty quick to take it. On this particular day, my friend Julie and I had made plans to go for an adventure together. 

We met up early and after psyching ourselves up for the journey at her apartment, we packed up the car and headed out! It was a beautiful day for the excursion, early enough in the year that the sweltering summer heat had yet to fully settle in but warm enough to be comfortable. 

Have you ever ventured beyond the city limits of Las Vegas? One of the best parts of living in the city is how much nature is actually available and accessible just beyond it's limits. Lake mead is about 45 minutes one way, with aquatic recreation available, while Mount Charleston offers snow sports during the winter months and camping among the trees. Today, we went to Calico Basin!

More photos after the cut!