Mary Makes Stuff

Mary is a freelance graphic designer whose hobbies include making dinosaur, bug, and robot themed artwork. She let me follow her to a few of the Maker Market pop-ups she participates in. Then we had a chat about what she loves about Seattle, what she misses about her hometown of Cleveland, and how great wigs are at SUIKA Seattle.

Good food, good games, good times with Nicole

Nicole has been a friend of mine going on 6 years now, meeting through our love of games at Gamma Ray Games. She's such a fan of the hobby, she started a website with her boyfriend called Across the Board Games, which reviews the plethora of new games coming onto the market every day.
She took me on a perfect afternoon/evening tour of Capitol Hill, a tourists dream itinerary of food, museums, and relaxation.

Brunch and a Walk

Kicking off the New Year with an American tradition of weekend brunch and a lazy walk. The weather cooperated beautifully this year, not a cloud in the sky, giving the air an intense, brisk quality. All the better to enjoy the spectacular views of the mountain ranges on the other side of Puget Sound.

Panteón de Mezquitán

Putting 2015 to rest with the Cemetery of Mezquitán.
It's been an adventurous year for me, starting in Berlin with a visit to a friend, which gave me the drive to quit my job in the tech world and dedicate myself full time to traveling and teaching English.
I've visited Pittsburgh for my brother's wedding; spent more time in Berlin with quick side trips to Leipzig, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam; gained a new appreciation for walking around Los Angeles; spent over a month in Guadalajara getting my TEFL certificate; met wonderful Couchsurfers, fellow life travelers, and reconnected with old friends.

There will be one more post from me before the year is out, but for today, enjoy a look at the Panteón de Mezquitán.

Festival Internaciónal del Globo 2015

An easy 2.5 hour drive from Guadalajara, the ITTO graduating class of Nov 2015 decided to check out the International Balloon Festival held in Leon every November. There are worst ways to spend a weekend than in a park enjoying hot air balloons play in the wind. If you ever make your way to this event, do yourself a favor and camp at the park. There's an ample supply of hammocks for sale for you to enjoy throughout your visit.

Murals of Mexico

While I'm working on editing some videos, thought I'd share the murals I came across in Guadalajara, Tequila, and Leon. Some of these have been featured in other posts, but I wanted to collect them all in one place so you can appreciate the variety of styles and locations of the public murals. Murals are an important part of Mexican life. The government commissions many pieces to tell the history of the land for population who aren't as literate in Spanish. The following pieces were all found on the street, maybe commissioned for the business it resides on or just a way for a neighborhood artist to show their stuff.

Couchsurfing Potluck Dinner

Bernard (Bernie) responded to my Couchsurfing request to show me his city by inviting me to a Wednesday dinner at his place. Coming with the expectation of a few friends around a table, I should have known better growing up in a Mexican family where one person invites a friend, which snowballs into the dinner turning into a little party.

Sunday Wanderings with Tour Guide Karla

Karla contacted me through Couchsurfing, having posted a notice to all those in Guadalajara interested in showing me their favorite parts of the city. We met at Parque Revolucion near my hostel because she said she spends almost every Sunday there. I knew that Juarez had been shut down to car traffic for the day, but I didn't expect to see so many activities as I rounded the corner.

Saturday Night Clubbing

Most towns have a hip area where the kids come out to play, in Guadalajara, this is Chapultepec Avienda. The evening started with the ladies of my class meeting up for a dinner around 7. We walked from the hostel where two of us are staying to the land of restaurants and clubs.

East of L.A.

The greater Los Angeles area is made up of many small cities with their own downtowns and cultural centers. I happen to have family living in one of the towns east of L.A. and spent Friday night and Saturday morning hanging out here.

Art Around Seattle

A brief respite in my city of origin, the graffiti scene in Seattle isn't as rambunctious as it is in Berlin, but there are some interesting pieces you can find if you keep your eyes open as you wander the streets.

Copenhagen Couchsurfing Host's Tour

I was so fortunate to be hosted by a wonderful couple living near the center of Copenhagen. My timing couldn't have been better, as they were packing up to move to a new location the coming weekend. The morning of my arrival, I was greeted with coffee (brought from the husband's, Thomas, favorite roastery in Southern California) and fresh backed bread. After an overnight bus ride from Berlin, these touches of hospitality were greatly appreciated. The wife, Karina, was full of wonderful ideas that took me to some tourist spots and some spots off the beaten path. She had grabbed a map of the city and we spent about half an hour marking interesting spots to visit. Being a world traveler herself, it was great talking about the differences in culture you see when flying around the world and the things that makes your home feel comfortable to you.

Crafty Copenhagen

Choosing a tour can be difficult when you're looking to see the city outside of the normal tourist destinations. Due to my short stay in the city, I was looking for a tour that would give me a good overview of the city outside of the famous Center.

Miscellaneous Berlin

Sometimes pictures just don't fit in a themed post, but that's no reason not to share the interesting sites encountered in Berlin.

Surreales Museum für Industrielle Objekte

It's hard to walk around Berlin without running into a museum. There is a lot of history and culture in this city and 

 The entry draws you in, giving just a taste of the wonder found inside.

In Transit

Traveling can lead to a lot of "hurry up and wait". 

Airports, for the most part, are bland waypoints that can lead to existential angst, making one wonder why you have decided to embark on a journey that moments before you were pronouncing your life's mission. Heathrow very much makes me question the meaning of life.

But other airports are trying to make the transition period a little less bleak.