A Different Kind of Traveler

A very good friend of mine, who is a U.S. Marine, has just returned from his first tour of Afghanistan. I am overjoyed! Thankfully he is healthy and unharmed.

I asked him if he learned a foreign language while overseas and he said that, yes he had in fact learned a few useful phrases. Here are the examples of the things that he learned how to say:

Stop.
Raise your arms.
Wait here.
Go away, now.

A big difference from the typical phrases that sight-seers pick up! No hellos, good-byes, pleases or thank-yous here! It was unexpected, but after a bit of thought, I was not surprised to hear it. I suppose that when people have different reasons for leaving home, then they discover different learning opportunities.

Thank you, Chris. You are my hero <3

A Must See

When in San Francisco, a fantastic (and free!) 360 degree viewing point is sitting atop the DeYoung Museum: the Nancy B. and Jake L. Hamon Tower. It even has an elevator to take you to the top! Nine flights of stairs would just be far too many to squeeze into an action-packed day in the city.

Vanity Has a Home

After my sister sent me an article from CBS News reporting on the findings of a recent survey of several American cities, I wanted to confirm these findings for you in the best way I know how- photo evidence.

Please see this link: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/07/national/main5368922.shtml

for the article titled, "Survey: Miami Full of Hot, Dumb People". Actually, the title pretty much sums it up if you don't feel like following the link. Anywhoo, I would like to share with you an experience along these lines, at least in terms of the hotness.

You see I spent the duration of my four year college degree in Miami and wondered why it was that so many of the students attended class in attire fitting of the nightclubs. Seriously, it's 10am; I know you are not going partying on South Beach right after this class, and I am pretty sure that you have time to go home and change first. So, was the body glitter really necessary? (that goes for men and women, mind you) It just seemed like a lot of effort for the morning routine. But that's just it- the residents of Miami put a lot of effort, a lot of value, and a lot of pride into their appearance. Now don't get me wrong- It's not always a bad thing! They just have a style of their own. Let's take a look, shall we?

Here is a photo taken at a PeeWee football game. We have a woman, well groomed, hair flattened, nails done, shirt tied up (with a scarf to keep her warm!...in 80 degree weather), flashin' rhinestones on her belt. She looked good! But perhaps a little over done for a PeeWee game.

Especially standing next to this guy: shirt, shorts, fuzzy wig. Now that's football.

I saw later, though, that the thing that really made her all that is Miami fashion:

The Thong Tan. No. No thong. Just the tan line.

Oh, my.

Ghost Hunting

While staying just outside Oxnard with my best friend and one of her former travel buddies, we got an inside look at California State University at Channel Islands.

While the school is not in fact on the islands, it has lots of history to offer a curious traveler. Our lovely hostess and her roommate are both students here and they were happy to give the tour, in both the day light AND in the darkness of the night.

Why the night? Because this is no ordinary establishment. It was once ... a PSYCO WARD!! DUN DUN DUN

Seriously.

This charming school nestled in the rolling hills of Southern California was one a psyciatric hospital hidden away so that the rest of society didn't have to think about its misfits. Camarillo State Hospital to be exact. I'm not even joking! Check it out- they still have this sign on the front door of the main building because they have kept all of the original facilities.

That's right its still all of the same old Spanish-style buildings. The administration building once used to register the mentally ill patients is now used to register new students. The same rooms where the patients slept after their families abandoned them at the loony bin are now the dormitories for the students. The building once used to care for unstable children is now the day care for CSUCI students' kids. And yes, psychology is the most popular major at this school. Ironic? Yes. Spooky? DEFINITELY. Crazy? Oh Ya- I mean... ahem.

The transition was so recent that some of the buildings still have that hospital smell to them. *Shivers* Actually, the current library stands where the main hospital once was. The girls tell me that when they first arrived at school the basement of the library was still accessible and mostly untouched! For those who don't know, the basement of the hospital serves as the morgue. How could you study knowing that one floor below there remains walls lined with body freezers and rooms filled with examination tables that stand over floors with drains in them. Ya, those drains were for blood. OoOoOooo... In the early years some freshman hazing at this school included shoving the poor, frightened freshmen into the body freezers down there and shutting the door. Welcome to CSUCI!

No wonder I've never heard of this school.

I tried to let the past of the campus go and think, "This is kind of a nice place, would be that bad living here?" That is until I did some research. Could I sleep in the same room where a patient once lived? A patient that walked down the hall to his room dragging shackles from his ankles after receiving treatment. Treatments like mind numbing drugs or shock therapy so intense that the patient kept a Kotex in his mouth so that he wouldn't crush his own teeth with the power surge rushing through his body. Then, off to bed! Uhh, no. Thanks.

Now I see why these girls live in an apartment off campus.

But really. How creepy is this place? They actually came here to film that movie "The Ring" -ya. See that structure on top of that hill up there? That's the well from the movie, you know, where the scary little girl lives or whatever. Yep. Living at CSUCI would pretty much be like living with that girl from the "The Ring" ...and pretty much every other scary movie ever made, because let's face it, an abandoned psycho ward makes a great premise.

Alright, alright, alright. Enough with the ghost stories. Let's show some respect now.

Of course, this is California, and there is beauty to be held everywhere. I got a great shot over the reflection pool as the sun was going down.

And then came the darkness...

Don't know where to begin, except that I'm glad that it's over.

Who knew that so many sleazy guys could fit into such a small space as Campbell? Why is there such a high concentration of them? Here is a recap of my night out with a girlfriend:

Appetizer at Rock Bottom (this name is appropriate for the whole town)

Dinner at some pizza place where immediately a drunk man thrusts his single friend toward our table to make conversation; they eventually ask the waiter for a round of the deadliest drink available, buy a round and sleazeball #1 lifts his shot glass to say, "here's to tits" (that man finished the night wearing no shirt)

Dancing at the next bar over. We have to wait in line for no apparent reason; receive hand stamp, enter and leave immediately to drop coats in the car; return only to wait in line again (why the hand stamp, then?). My conversation with the bouncer at the door:
*bouncer reads my shirt featuring the Incredible Hulk: "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."
Me: "True story."
Bouncer: "Ya, I only like an angry girl when she has a gag in her mouth."
Me: "Ew." I enter the bar.

Encounters with various men:
*man approaches extending his drink to me
Me: "No, thanks."
Man: "You don't drink? Where is your drink?"
Me: "No, I am driving home."
Man: "May I buy you a drink?"
Me: "No. Thanks."
Man: "What if I get you a beer that is completely unopened?"
Me: "No. Thank you."
Man: "Where are you from?"
Me: "Here. Where are you from?"
Man: "Milpitas."
Me: "Where is your accent from?"
Man: "Guess!" (side note: I hate this game.)
Me: "Peru."
Man: "No. Israel! *pause* May I have your number?"
Me: "No."
Man: "No?"
Me: "No."
Man: "Ok, I am going back to my friends, then." *he leaves
{Did he really think it was going to be that easy? He didn't even ask for a dance first.}

Another man:
Him: "Do you have a drink?"
Me: "No."
Him: "You don't drink?"
Me: "No, I am driving home."
Him: "So, you will have no alcohol?"
Me: "No."
Him: "Oh." *he turns on his heal and leaves without even closing the conversation. I guess talking to a sober girl is clearly a waste of his time.

This went on for hours. I am SO glad to be home.
BTW: I LOVE THE WORD NO! :D

Close but No Cigar

My best friend in the whole world is Danish, and since the first grade when we met, we agreed that we would travel to Denmark together. Well, we have yet to make that happen, but we visited the next closest spot (figuratively and physically): Solvang. This cute little coastal town is a Danish city right here in California. Adorable. I get the feeling, though, that Denmark will be much more fulfilling.

Help Her Out!

I visited Venice Beach, CA to see the famous Muscle Beach. I was more excited about this stop than any other on our road trip. :D Upon our arrival, my travel companion called her mother who said, "Venice Beach? Why would you go there? That's where the help lives!" Well, this is what I get for traveling with a self proclaimed Spoiled Child. (I am pretty sure that my travel buddy enjoyed the stop too, though.) We checked out the weight machines, the gymnastics equipment and the surrounding shops. Then, after we were through getting our kicks out of a few failed attempts at the gymnastics rings, we headed for the beach.

A couple of babes like up draw a lot of attention, but only one guy that day at the water's edge had the guts to make conversation with us. We told him of our adventures so far and the plans for the rest of our trip, at which point he asked if we'd be seeing the Playboy Mansion. While I would have loved that, I let him know that I had already done my research and found that because it is a private residence, the Mansion does not give tours. "Oh ya," he said, "I forgot that not just anybody can get in because I'm there all the time."

Whaaat???

He finally had my attention. "What do you doing at the Playboy Mansion all the time?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm part of the staff. I work at the Mansion."

Oh no! After a day of telling my friend to be open-minded, the one person that we encounter at Venice Beach fits the profile of those who she and her family generally avoid! I can just see her going home and telling her friends and family, "Mom was right- Venice Beach is just where the help is." What a shame. She, her family, and anyone else in that mind set will miss out on a beautiful city with blue skies, nice guys, soft sand, warm water, great surfing, and of course, muscle men.

Home of Manly-Men

For those of you who seek the burly man in uniform, who most likely sleeps with a gun under his bed (even though he himself could qualify as weapon in comparison the average civilian), then look no further than Fallbrook, CA. Located just outside of Camp Pendleton in sunny Southern California, this small town is populated with -you guessed it- Marines! And Mexicans, it is So Cal after all lol. Of the few men with whom I spoke, they had seriously high levels of testosterone and aggression, and seriously low levels of manners, domestic abilities, and generally all those other things that make you seem normal in a standard social setting. So for all those Suzy Home-makers out there looking for a Real Man, then look no further- Fallbrook is the place to be.

Make Love, Not Assumptions

I took a friend from Miami to Haight and Ashbury to check out the place where the hippie movement started. We spotted a modern-day version of a hippie with a card board sign that read, "free hugs". My friend was sceptical and even her mother who only heard about it over the phone responded with, "she probably would pick your pocket while you hugged her". How sad. The revolution still has a long way to go. This is San Francisco people, show some love.

For those of you who don't know:

How to "spread some CalTrain love" according to the driver of a fully-occupied train who just happened to be leaving the station from San Francisco one of those days I was visiting this beautiful city: "Make room- no feet on the seats, no bags on the seats- sit down, shake a hand, and make a friend." Now that's what it's all about!

Oil, Water, Fire

As we drove into Santa Barbara, the thickening layer of smoke overhead was a suffocating reminder that the surrounding hills were on fire. So, naturally, we headed for the water!-- Only in retrospect do I realize that not even this ocean could save us if the flames came close because of the tip a friend gave me: the beaches in this city are soiled by oil spills. While the sand and water appear clean, you'll later notice the blackness on your feet as you leave the beach. (Windex will take care of that!) The oil riggers dotting the horizon confirmed this warning, so we avoided the beach and visited Stearn's Wharf. -- Stearn's Wharf was a beautiful little tourist trap with free validated parking after a purchase at a gift shop. The ocean breeze kept the smoke out of the air, and the large pelicans and sea lions kept the wonder in the air. It's amazing that the wildlife continues to survive despite our filth. I'm afraid that one day we'll find the joke's on us.

Las Vegas

I woke up this morning and rubbed my eyes and I could still smell steak sauce under my fingernails from the dinner from the night before. Steak sauce under my nails even after several hand washes? Yea, I’m a savage like that. While most people may wake up in Vegas smelling like cigarette smoke, booze, and the party smell in general, I wake up smelling like steak. Oh, so much food, so little space in my stomach.

Pool side
Sitting in the shade in the water under the mister, I nevertheless fear the serious possibility of spontaneous combustion. IT’S SO HOT OUT HERE. I just might burst into flames. Hm men are starting to talk to me- time to go.

Dining at the Top of the World in the Stratosphere:

I shared a similar, carnivorous diet with the lions on display at the MGM Grand:

A Look Ahead

I just finished a California road trip with my partner in crime, so I wanted to give you a sneak peak at the list of locations that we visited that are soon to be discussed:


Santa Barbara

Ventura

Fallbrook

La Jolla

San Diego

Las Vegas

Los Angeles

Santa Monica

Venice Beach

AT&T Park

If you happen to be attending a ball game in San Francisco, and are cheap like me, then I suggest that for once you do not go with the lowest-priced option. This is one instance in which you are better off shelling out that extra $7 and upgrade your seats from the bleachers in the outfield to the nose-bleeds above right field. The view is worth the price.

Mind Over Matter

While hiking up Bishop's Peak (San Louis Obispo, CA) my sister assured me that it's all "mind over matter" to get to the top. She told me that reaching to top is so refreshing that you feel like a new person and the hike down is no problem. She was right. Standing on the top of that rock felt so good that it was hard to believe that at times during the climb my heart was beating so hard that I thought it was going to explode.

Up there, I spotted a woman meditating on a near by rock on the neighboring peak. I guess that day she needed a new start.

Naples, Florida

Naples, Florida is full of old people, and boy do they love it there. It is a place where they can congregate and let those years of experience shine. In a society where youth is admired, not a one seemed jealous of my youth and its inherent ignorance. Of all of the free (and unsolicited) advice that I received, the best lesson that I learned is that optimism doesn't have to fade with age.

Have a look at some pictures of the Independence Day Parade. This was one in which high school marching bands are replaced with senior citizens and boy scouts' floats are replaced with retired war veterans. I have to say, after the tank rolled past, everything else seemed anti-climactic.

night flight

Have you ever flown east to west in the evening? It is beautiful. From 34,000 ft above sea level you have the best view in the world of a sunset that can last literally for hours as your plane races the sun to the other side of the earth. The sun always wins.


How could you sleep through a flight like that?

Alligator Alley

I travel lots between Naples and Miami, Fl on I-75. The portion of this road that crosses the Everglades is called Alligator Alley. It is a dead straight line through the middle of no where. And it is beautiful. Sometimes people are unimpressed by the Everglades, or the River of Grass, because it is just that: grass. Lots and lots of grass. Spectacular grass, though!

About half way across (mile 50 on a road that stretches from mile marker 23 to 100), you find Snake Road. A passage into Seminole territory and their unique tourist traps. For once I decided to stop and see what they had. After all, I had driven by signs for the Ah-ta-kaka-what-ever Museum for years so I thought it was about time.

Well, I never found it.

I exited Alligator Alley and the rest stop had a map with only two perpendicular roads (Alligator Alley, and Snake Road) with directions claiming that the museum was only 15 minutes north of that spot. Ok, I thought, 15 minutes is not too far off the road. I checked the clock and left. Two minutes later, I checked the clock again. Ok, Natalie, don't get impatient. Five minutes into the drive I saw no signs of people, just grass, and I started to regret the decision to do this alone. Maybe I should have brought someone with me. Or at least told someone that I'd be out here. If I drove my car off the road no one would ever miss me. Don't panic. By then there was no going back. The two lane road was far too narrow to make a u-turn and the surrounding wetlands would quickly swallow up my car given the chance.

After driving for 10 minutes- a street sign! Yes! An almost entirely useless sign with a list of the upcoming attractions and their mileage from that point. On a road with no mile markers. I figured Hell, I can't miss it out here. I passed Billy Swamp Safari, a rodeo and entertainment center, a gift shop, a water treatment plant, and hundreds of cows, but no museum! curses. Finally I passed a sign that said "No Trespassing/ Seminole Land" OMG now I'm trespassing. And I'm not even on American soil anymore. If one of these indians wants to kill me for some reason he could do it and nothing would come of it! Cute town, though. How did I miss that damn museum?? Is that the high school? 'Home of the Unconquered Seminoles' Are they their own mascot? That's bad ass. lol

I finally turned around at the laundromat and got back on my way to Miami. The next day I noticed some pretty gnarly bug bites on my leg. HUGE Are those from that rest stop in the Everglades or the couch I spent the night on in my friend's living room? hmm...

I can do that!

Today it hit me: I was watching Samantha Brown on the Travel Channel do a weekend trip to Winter Park, the place where people (locals, not tourits) actually live in Orlando. I thought, "I've been there." It reminded me about the Food Channel's special once on Benny's Puerto Rican Cuisine, a restaurant literally across the street from my home of four years. I then realized, I can do that! In fact many of the places that I go just might be the trip of a life time for some. I have been across America, Colombia, Spain, and Italy, and now I want to share my daily adventures with you. This is my new travel blog.

=)

signs from god

today the black storm clouds cover the sky. at least it appeared so. I looked outside at the rumbling clouds and noted that they broke in just the right place to let sunlight shine through onto my pool. is it safe to go swimming in thunderstorms? I had to. These holy rays of sunshine were a clear sign from God to get into the pool. How could I deny this holy decree?

Then as I was standing on the back patio I noticed a little black torpedo ripping through the water in the canal behind the house. It dipped below and above the surface leaving a steady stream of bubbles. what is that?

A river otter! aaawwww how cute!

o! o! o!

my feet hopped back and forth-
do i stay and look or run to get my camera? what if i miss it?!?!

I ran back in the house only because i knew exactly where the camera was.

ran out the back door thru the screen door over the sharp tan bark (bare foot of course, how else do the unemployed dress?) over the pesticide treated lawn down to the rocky river bank into the soothingly soft yet disgustingly green sand.

awww! he's so cute! I had never seen one so close up in the wild! well, its only semi-wilderness out here i guess. His teeth are so white!

the thunder grew louder. the sunlight faded. the battery on my camera died. sprinkles started to come down on me. o no.

it was probably better that i left that otter alone anyway.

as i ran back into the house i noticed that the sun was no longer shining on my pool.

so it wasn't a sign from God to go swimming after all- he drew me out of the house because he wanted me to see the otter!

Thanks, God! =)