Wanderlust Wednesday: Postcards from the National Parks

Hello all!  My road trip is barely over a month away and all I can think about is all the amazing National Parks I’m going to be visiting, so I thought I would share some postcards from the National Parks that I have already been to.  I am a huge fan of the National Parks and always enjoy going- even if I have been to that same park before.  There are always new things to see and new sections to explore!  So I hope you enjoy these postcards.

 

Glacier National Park                                Denali National Park

 

 Yellowstone National Park                             Grand Canyon National Park

 

  Grand Teton National Park                                       Zion National Park

 

Redwoods National Park                           Bryce Canyon National Park

 

Crater Lake National Park                                     Badlands National Park

Hope you enjoyed these postcards!  What is your favorite national park, or the one you have to see?

Wanderlust Wednesday- 5 Day Trips I Want to Take This Summer

Tomorrow I have my last final, so at noon tomorrow it will officially be summer vacation, and it’s all I can do to get through these last two days.  All I can think of is planning all the day trips I want to take this summer, and I thought I’d share a few of them with you, and if I’m lucky enough to go, I’ll share posts about them on here!

1) Hemmed in Hollow (Arkansas)- I have been wanting to hike this trail for a long time, and I’m hoping to actually do it this summer.  The trail ends at the highest waterfall between the Rockies and the Appalachians!  I can’t wait to hike it!

2) Johnson Shut-Ins (Missouri)- I have been to this state park a couple of times when I was a little girl, but I didn’t do any of the hikes, so I want to go back and do   the hikes, then cool off in the shut-ins!

3) Turner Falls (Oklahoma)- I found these falls in a couple of amazing books I got at a book sale, and I haven’t been able to get these falls out of my mind!

4)  Hannibal, Missouri- Mark Twain was born in Hannibal and they have his childhood home, and a lot of other things that are Mark Twain themed, and a lot of things from Twain’s childhood in Hannibal inspired The Adventures Huckleberry Finn and Life on the Mississippi!

5) Kansas City, Missouri- To visit a couple of the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives restaurants!  There is also the Nelson Atkin’s Museum of Art up there for free, and  I would love to visit it!

Well, there you have it- 5 of the places I’m wanting to go on day trips this summer, and I’m so excited to hopefully do them all on top of my road trip to Washington and back!   Where are your top day trips you have to go on this summer?

 

Wanderlust Wednesday: Quotes That Inspire Travel- Part 5

I just wanted to share 5 more quotes that I have written down that constantly make me think of traveling.  I love not being able to get these quotes out of my mind because keeping them on my mind hold me over while I’m at work and make me want to hit the road!

“The road is pulling me, my home is wishing me away.  The street-lamps beckoning, “Come careless, swiftly and stray.”

Lyrics from “The Road” by the Finches

 

“People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.” 

Joseph Campbell

 

“It is in all of us to defy expectations, to go into the world and to be brave, and to want, to need, to hunger for adventures.  To embrace the chance and risk so that we may breathe and know what it is to be free.”

Mae Chevrette

 

“As the traveler who has once been from home is wiser than he who has never left his own doorstep, so a knowledge of one other culture should sharpen our ability to scrutinize more steadily to appreciate more lovingly our own.”

Margaret Meade

 

“Make voyages! Attempt them, there’s nothing else.” 

Tennessee Williams

Well, I hope you guys found some inspiration from these quotes, and I would love to hear some of your favorites!  Thanks for reading, and for more “Quotes that Inspire Travel” you can read:

Quotes that Inspire Travel- Part 1

Quotes that Inspire Travel- Part 2

Quotes that Inspire Travel- Part 3

Quotes that Inspire Travel- Part 4

Wanderlust Wednesday- Moab (Canyonlands and Arches)

I’m really excited to be taking a road trip up to Washington state this summer, but I’m not just excited about Washington, because we’re doing a lot on the way up and on the way back.  One of the stops on the way up is through Moab!  We’re going to spend some time in Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.  So I thought I’d share a few pictures that I’ve found that have made me excited for this trip!

Arches National Park

(This last one really makes me want to camp under an arch!  I’m doing it!)

Canyonlands National Park

(I want to explore some slot canyons like this last one!)

I would love to hear any tips about these two parks that anyone has- where to hike, camp, etc.

*All photos were taken from pinterest

Wanderlust Wednesday- How to Save Money While Traveling

Sorry about my absense the past 4 Wednesdays, but I have been swamped with school and work, but now I’m ready to jump back in with 4 Wanderlust Wednesdays today!

Earlier this year I did a post on how to save money in your everyday life to set back for traveling, but I decided to share a post on how I save money while  I’m traveling, so here are my top 7 tips on saving money while traveling.

1. Camp or sleep in your car- you can, and a lot of people do, spend a fortune on accommodation, but it’s free to sleep in your car, and a tent will more than may for itself after a few nights.  Plus, most of the time it’s more fun to camp!
2. If camping or car-sleeping isn’t quite your thing, travel to places you have friends or family!  I have done this quite a few times: Florence, Los Angeles, Arkansas and Nasvhille- I’m  strategically placing friends and family around the world
3. Use coupons, still, when you’re on the road.   Whether it’s on gas, food or entertainment it’s money that when you save you can spend on more travel!
4. Don’t spend all of your money eating out- pack a cooler and some snacks before you hit the road!  I love to be able to prepare meals for myself for about 2 dollars a piece!
5. Use airline miles if you’re flying.  Not using them is just silly- take advantage of any offers you can get!
6. Go outside!  Visit State or National Parks for some cheap travel!  Take  hikes, go biking and spend some quality time with your friends or family!  It’s great exercise and you get to take in the amazing natural wonders of the world!
7. Ask for discounts- the worst they can do is say no.  I flash my student ID around everywhere I go.

These are my seven tips for budget travel!   I would love to hear tips from you guys, so I can save even more while traveling!

Kansas City, MO- Day Trip

A few weekends ago a few people from my Christianity class and I went up to Kansas City for the day.  We went to the Mormon Temple up there and decided while we were there we might as well make a day of it.

The Kansas City Temple is the 137th Mormon Temple in the entire world, and we got to tour it because it wasn’t blessed yet.  Two ladies from my class, my professor and me toured the temple and we were completely amazed by the beauty of this church.  It was really beautiful, and there was a ton of beautiful artwork in there.  (We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside, but I took some pictures of the brochure that we got up there.)  We went into the room where they change into their white robes, we saw the baptismal font- which was HUGE and beautifully ornate, and up into the different teaching rooms.  My favorite room in the temple was the Celestial Room.  It was so well lit with these intricate chandeliers, and these massive windows.  There are also huge mirrors that help reflect the light all over this room.  It seriously looked like heaven’s glow in there.  I loved it!  My other favorite thing about the temple is that they commissioned this artist to paint these beautiful paintings.  The artist was a local and he painted scenes that were inspired by the Ozarks!  I learned so much about the Church of Latter Day Saints, and found it all very interesting- it was a really great experience.

 

After touring the temple the girls and I headed downtown to the Jerusalem Cafe for some delicious Mediterranean food!  We had stuffed grape leaves, hummus, tzatziki, lentil soup, kabobs and other amazingly delicious things!  It was great and very affordable.  Plus, I was in great company and all talked about our travel experiences-  I love other people who really value travel!

We were completely stuffed and decided while we were up there we might as well do something else, so we decided to go to Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art!  It’s a great little museum and admission is FREE!  (I love free things!) There were a lot of really great works of art and I wanted to share my favorites with you guys!

 

(Left: Dale Chihuly’s “Campiello del Remer”.  Right: Georgia O’Keef’s “Maple Cedar, Lake George”.

(Diana Block’s “Portrait of My Mother and Father”)

 

(Left: Hung Lui’s “Grand Canal”.  Right: David Bates’ “The Coming of the Storm”.

It was a great day trip up to Kansas City and I hope I get to go up there more this summer and do some more exploring up there!

Wanderlust Wednesday- Tastes Like Italy…

I have been getting an insane itch to do some real traveling, but I sadly have no big plans to get out of town until June 30th.  However, a couple of my best friends came over last night and made dinner, and we cooked spinach pasta with chicken and homemade alfredo sauce! It was very, very delicious, but made me want to go back to Italy so badly!  It got me thinking about all of my favorite things that I ate while I was over there and I wanted to share a few recipes with you!

The first it the Fonduta val Dostana or Fondue that I cooked in the cooking class I attended!

INGREDIENTS:

• 14 oz fontina cheese
• 7 oz milk
• 7 oz butter
• 7 oz flour
• 4 egg yolks
• sliced bread

In a stainless steel pot, melt butter and add flour, stirring.  Then add milk until you have obtained a béchamel.  Next, add the cubed fontina and melt it over a double boiler.  Finally, add the egg yolks one at a time, and stir well until the Fonduta has a smooth homogeneous texture.  Serve in small bowls with sliced of toasted bread.

My next recipe to share is the Tiramisu that I got from this cooking class as well!

INGREDIENTS:

• 7 oz marscapone cheese
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup of strong coffee
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 16 lady fingers
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Brew coffee, add rum and set aside.  In a separate bowl beat the egg yolks with sugar until fluffy.  Add the marscapone and mix well.  In another bowl whip up the egg whites until firm and fold them into the cream.  Then, dip the ladyfingers in the coffee and place them side-by-side on the bottom of a rectangular serving dish.  Next, pour half of the cream mixture on top and spread evenly.  Then add another layer of coffee soaked ladyfingers and the rest of the cream; spread evenly again.  After this sprinkle with the cocoa powder on top of the cream.  After this simply refrigerate the Tiramisu for at least one hour before serving.

The last recipe I’m going to share with you is a Pumpkin Risotto that Stacey’s roommate made for us on Thanksgiving in Florence!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 cups  arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 6 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for the vegetarians)
• 1 butternut squash (half baked then pureed, the other half cult, peeled and sauteed in butter and olive oil)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and garlic, and saute, stirring continuously, just until softened (about 3-4 minutes).  Add the rice and continue to stir, coating the rice in olive oil.  Add the white wine and continue cooking, stirring often, until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.  Pour enough broth in to cover the rice completely (about 3 cups) and continue to cook, stirring often, until the liquid has been absorbed.  Pour another cup and continue to cook, stirring often, until the liquid has been absorbed.  Then add the remaining broth and continue to cook, stirring often, until the liquid has been absorbed.  Continue cooking until the rice is al dente.  Then, stir in the squash puree and diced pumpkin and reduce heat, very low, so it doesn’t simmer.  Lastly, stir in the shredded parmesan and butter.    (The pumpkin risotto is picture at the top right in the photo below).

I hope everyone enjoys this post and makes some amazing Italian food!  I would love to get any recipes you guys love, especially of a local cuisine!  Also, what are your favorite foods that take you back to a place that you’ve traveled to?

If you want to read more about my travels to Italy you can do so here

• Food Envy: A Look Into the Foods I Ate in Italy (2011)
• Bologna (2011)
• Florence and Assisi (2007)
• First Evening in Florence (2011)
• Low-Key Day in Florence (2011)
• Another Beautiful Day in Florence (2011)
• Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella- Florence (2011)
• Last Day in Florence (2011)
• Rome (2007)
• Day Trip to Siena (2011)
• Venice (2007)

My First NHL Experience

Last week I went up to St. Louis with my boyfriend, Zach.  It was our first little trip together and our main purpose of the trip was to go to the St. Louis Blues/ Detroit Red Wings game.  I cannot say that I am knowledgeable in hockey in any way, shape or form.  I hadn’t seen a game on TV, I didn’t know any hockey players’ names, I haven’t even seen “Mighty Ducks”, and all I knew about how the game was played was that it was on ice, and you hit it into the goal!

My brother is a huge hockey fan, so he and my dad have gone to quite a few Blues games up in St. Louis, and my dad was telling Zach and me about the “Towel Guy”, how they chant “Ell-I-Ot” when Elliot keeps people from scoring and how to do the “Power-Play-Dance”,  and I just looked at him like he was crazy, not knowing what any of this meant.

Zach and I arrived in St. Louis a few hours before the game and we stayed with his grandparents, who were the greatest hosts ever.  They showed us the way to the train station, and Zach and I took that right to the front of the Scottrade Center, which was amazing because we didn’t have to pay for parking or fight traffic, and the train ticket was only $4.50 round trip!

 

We found our seats and decided to walk down by the ice and stand over by where the players come out.  I was trying to get Zach an autograph, but instead got to “fist-bump” about 7 members of the St. Louis Blues, which was a weird sort of excitement for me!  When they got out on the ice and were practicing I could not believe how good they are at skating.  I have watched figure skating in the Olympics, but I almost think this is just as impressive in a different way.

The game got started and we sat through two fairly uneventful periods, but the third one was all kinds of exciting.  We scored two points and we got to see the infamous “Towel Guy”- who jumps over a row of seats and flings a towel around and snaps it one time for each number of points we have.  It’s just a silly tradition, but I guess he’s at every single game; I’d love to know how that got started.  We chanted “Ell-I-Ot”, “Let’s go Blues”, and cheered the players on.  We even got to do the Power-Play-Dance, which made us both giggle the first time because all we could picture was my dad dancing.

Unfortunately for us, the Red Wings came back and scored two points as well.  The game went into over-time, in which no one scored, and then I got to see a shoot out!  It was really intense and I caught myself holding my breath when we shot, hoping the goalie would miss the puck and we’d win, but unfortunately the Red Wings beat us in the shoot out.

Even though our team lost there were a lot of conversations and laughs between the Red Wings and Blues fans, and it was actually a lot of fun.  I always love live sporting events with all the energy flowing through the crowd, and it even carried on to the train where Blues fans still showed their support for their team, and looked forward to the play-offs!  It was a really great first NHL experience.

Wanderlust Wednesday- The ABC’s of Travel

I saw this post done a while ago, and thought this would be fun to do, so I saved the template for a few months, and now seems like a good day!

 

A: AGE you went on your first international trip

I went to Canada at 11, but I really count France, at 15, as my first international trip.

 

B: Best (foreign) BEER you’ve ever tasted

I do not remember what it was called, but I had a Turkish beer at a restaurant in Athens that was very tasty!

 

C: CUISINE (favorite)

Italian. Italian. Italian!

 

D: Most and least favorite DESTINATIONS

I don’t have a least favorite destination, so I’m going to cheat and do my two favorites!

Hosios Loukas Monastery

Seward Alaska

 

E: EVENT you experienced that made you say “wow”.

When my dad and I were in Yellowstone National Park and we were 2 feet away from a mama grizzly and her two cubs! 

 

F: FAVORITE mode of transportation

Car!  I love to take road trips!  Sure, my butt gets sore, and it takes a long time, but you can pull over and see anything you want, you get to see the country pass by you and it’s a great time to get closer to your friends and family! 

 

G: GREATEST feeling while traveling 

The greatest feeling I’ve experienced traveling (besides the general rush of experiencing new things) is when I have successfully communicated in another language!  It’s a great sense of accomplishment, and I feel like a more independent traveler.

 

H: HOTTEST place you’ve traveled to

I think Mexico is the hottest place I’ve visited, luckily water was always around!

 

I: INCREDIBLE service you’ve received and where

 Flights!  Any time I fly Lufthansa I always receive the best service!  Also, on British Airways!  I just feel like the flight attendants go way out of their way to make sure you’re comfortable!

 

J: JOURNEY that took the longest

When I drove to Alaska!  We  did it in three weeks, but with me being in school and my dad still working, that was all the time we had.  I would love to do it again very soon and make it a 6 month journey! 

 

K: KEEPSAKE from your travels

Too many things… Always postcards, though.  I also love just random little trinkets that aren’t typical.

 

L: LET-DOWN site; why and where

I think the closest thing to a let-down wasn’t as much a site, but a city.  I expected Athens to be a more beautiful city like the cities in Italy or France and so many other places in Europe, but it was very modern, and that disappointed me.  However, the people there were some of the nicest I’ve ever encountered on my travels, and I would still go back, it just wasn’t what I initially expected.

 

M: MOMENT that you fell in love with travel

When I was 8-years-old.  My family went on a road trip to the southwest and I don’t think I stopped smiling once!  I wanted my parents to live on the road forever, I wanted to explore all over the national parks and take pictures on the disposable cameras my parents bought me!

 

N: NICEST hotel you’ve stayed in

The resort in Mexico.  I don’t really spend money on nice hotels- not my thing. 

 

O: OBSESSION- what are you obsessed with taking pictures of while you travel?

E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G

 

P: PASSPORT STAMPS- How many and from where?

 Germany, Canada, England, France, Greece, Italy, and Mexico… A lot more to see!

 

Q: QUIRKIEST attraction you visited and where?

 Signpost Forest in Watson Lake, Canada.

R: RECOMMENDED site, event or experience

The National Parks.  I’m so proud of our Natural Wonders and think everyone should experience them!  (So far my favorites are Zion National Park in Utah and Denali National Park and Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska!)

 

S: SPLURGE- something you have no problem spending money on while you’re traveling

I’m a budget traveler…. I’d say traveling itself is a splurge!

 

T: TOURISTY thing you’ve done

Went to the top of the Eiffel Tower, probably.

 

U: UNFORGETTABLE travel memory

 Anything with my family.  I am truly blessed to have shared so many experiences with them and I love, love, love the time I spent with them!

 

V: VISAS- How many and from where?

Zip!  I seriously need to get on doing some long-term travel, huh?  Can’t wait to be done with school!

 

W: WINE- Best glass of wine you’ve had, and where

 Ooo I have a blueberry dessert wine in France, and it was heavenly!

 

X: EXCELLENT view and from where?

The Bell-Tower in Siena or the Duomo in Florence.

 

 

Y: YEARS spent traveling 

I’ve been traveling since I was 4!  So 18 years!

 

Z: ZEALOUS sports fans and from where?

New Orleans Saints fans at the Superdome in ’09.  CRAZY!

 

 

Well there are my ABC’s of travel!  I really enjoyed reading other people’s… I hope you guys do too!