After visiting 14 states and 3 foreign countries in 2008, here are some top domestic and international moments to remember.
11. Connecticut: Skiing for the first time in 9 years. Graduated the first-timers class quickly and proceeded to have a one on one lesson for an hour. Dad did well too, although he hasn't yet graduated to the ski lift area yet. Racing through the gently falling snow as the sun was sinking in the sky. Beautiful.
10. Pittsburgh . . not Shitsburgh as someone once called it. Is 600 dollars too much to pay for a single hockey ticket to watch the Penguins in the playoffs? Turns out the answer is YES. Glad we decided that before any money exchanged hands. But the bar and the
camaraderie and the cold beer still made this day one to remember.
9. Poutine in Montreal followed by Patrick Roy's number retired followed by talking hockey with French Canadians until 2 am. Look up Poutine. It involves cheese curds and gravy.
8. The image of the American flag while landing in Fort Lauderdale after having spent 2 weeks in Guatemala and Mexico with little money and improper identification. I was ready to be home. The immigration folks didn't let me through right away and I thought perhaps I'd be moving to the Fort Lauderdale immigration waiting room to live in the United States. But FINALLY . . they let me come back in. Aren't you glad?!
7. Tailgating for the first time in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I didn't believe Jay and Stefan when they told me drinking in Milwaukee was more intense than in Chicago. However, I think the Bush-voting Republican chick who I accosted at the end of the night would agree that I wasn't close to sober. All day in the sun. Wearing my Cubs shirt to piss off the Brewers fans. Grilled shrimp.
6. Climbing Old Baldy in Kentucky. 15 of us doing our best to encourage one another and carry my 2 year old nephew up to the top of a mountain. We all made it. Including Max and Ben. Max ended up having a hysterical meltdown on the way down. Not surprising. Eastern Kentucky mountains can bring anyone to their knees.
5. New York City. February. One short day in NYC. Times Square for 10 minutes followed by the New York Rangers at MSG beating my Sabres. Next, Katz's Deli for some brisket, corned beer and pastrami. Finally, a mad dash to Long Island for an Islanders game. Then some cold beers in Connecticut. We're all Islanders.
4. My 28th birthday in Mexico City. Huevos rancheros, top of the Cathedral, lime sorbet, Coyoacan, Frida and Diego's house, Murphy's hysterical love of all the food we ate, pork soup, coke in a glass bottle, tortas, pan, top of the Latin American tower, Coronas. I ended up with a mysterious intestinal parasite that didn't leave my body for 6 weeks. But, damn, that torta was good.
3. The Monday in July when I got my purse stolen. Rainy and running through Antigua looking for my friends. I was convinced they could help me make sense of being in Guatemala with no passport, credit cards, cash, or identification. Once I located Jay and Stefan I was immediately taken me to an Irish pub. The end of that night is cloudy. Beer. Guatemalan children begging. Def Leppard. Laughing about bad luck and travel stupidity.
2. July 4, 2008. San Mateo, Xela, Guatemala. Hammering all day. My entire Habitat team worked together to finish a project while annoying our Guatemalan mason with singing "America the Beautiful" and other patriotic songs. The sun scorched our ears and the expletives flew, but after 7 hours we had completed 2 wooden plank ceilings in our home. A family now sleeps under those ceilings which keep them warm each night.
1. Chicago. Grant Park. Barack Obama. Yes We Can with my Dad.
Looks like traveling to experience #1 only took about 20 minutes on the El. Sweet Home Chicago.
Happy New Year. Wishing you peace and safe travels in 2009. Always bring copies of your passport. Trust me.
Love always,
Jamie Lynn
