Netherlands - April 1 - 7, 2018

Cycling toward Utrecht

Spending this spring break in the Netherlands has been a fantastic learning experience. My good friend Christian and his partner Kat were the best hosts a person could ask for. Being busy with school up to the moment of departure kept me from forming any real expectations for the trip. This is, to be honest, the way that I love to travel. Stay loose.

Over Whidbey Island (Home)

Hand Truck - Christian and Kat's Place

Camera Shy - Christian and Kat's Place

Trying to Keep My Eyes Open for the Pancake (Just Arrived)

Christian and Kat live in what I would refer to as a “Tiny Home”. They built it to live in while they replace the existing home on their property. Later, it will become a guest house. The craftsmanship and decor are very attractive. Everything has a place, even Kat’s dog Yuko. Besides the intriguing conversations, I particularly enjoyed the game night that lasted until two o’clock in the morning. Kat soundly defeated both Christian and I in Hero Realms. This evening was accompanied by New Kids on the Block hits. At one point, I called on the power of the hit “Hangin’ Tough”. With my champions stunned and health reduced to zero, I will think twice about relying on inspiration from the boy band. The simplicity of this beautiful home has convinced me to further explore a live-aboard boat situation in my hometown of Langley.

Entrance - Utrecht Bicycle Garage

Picking a Spot to Park - Utrecht Bicycle Garage

Ready to Haul - Haarlem

Bicycles rule, and nowhere else can I imagine in a larger way than in the Netherlands. I’m still riding the high of the Dutch commitment to the most beautiful machine. Christian and I spent hours cycling bike paths to and from Utrecht. There, we pedaled into bicycle garages and locked our frames to metal stands. One particular garage will hold 12,500 bicycles when it is complete, making it the largest in the world. If we in the United States desire a transportation system to model our future after, the Netherlands, in my opinion, is the obvious choice.

Every moment of the trip would be worth writing about. Early on, Christian and I climbed the Dom Tower, the highest church tower in the Netherlands. Our young tour guide was refreshingly blunt in her approach. The massive bells and spectacular view of Utrecht were worth the 400+ step climb.

Eyeing the Climb - Dom Tower, Utrecht

Dom Tower Bells (Tour Guide in Red)

Copper Graffiti - Atop Dom Tower 

Potato Eaters - Van Gogh Museum

Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette - Van Gogh Museum

Looking In - Van Gogh Museum

On all of my travels, I am drawn to the artwork of the place. Street art is of interest, although it is not prevalent in the Netherlands. In Amsterdam, we spent several hours in the Vincent Van Gogh Museum. Their collection of his work is the most comprehensive in the world. My only misstep was taking a picture of the “Potato Eaters”, which prompted a verbal reprimand from a disheartened staff member. A deep desperation lay beneath his “No pictures!” Upholding this standard has undoubtedly impacted job satisfaction and turn-over rate.

Jumping Off Point - Utrecht Central Station

Tap In, Tap Out (Turnstile View)

Under Cover - Amsterdam Central Station

Canal Scene - Amsterdam

Light Beer and Bicycles - Amsterdam

Leaving Late - Amsterdam

Later in the week, we visited Kat’s father, Fritz, in Enkhuizen, a port city associated with the once powerful East Indian Company. It was enjoyable to wander the bright waterfront; the extra layers of clothing that I brought cut the chill. Fritz treated us to his fine home and, later, dinner at a local restaurant. I ordered the Bree salad.

Fritz's Project - Enkhuizen

Town Gate - Enkhuizen

Exploring the Waterfront - Enkhuizen

Bow - Zuiderzee Museum, Enkhuizen

As with any fulfilling trip, many moments were spent conversing on street corners, captivated by movement, enjoying a beverage and light fare. If I had to choose, these are my favorite times.

Knowing that one trip is a stepping stone to the next, I have decided to begin cycling across Europe this summer. What will that be like?

Contemplating Raw-Herring Sandwich and Great Church - Haarlem

Remembering - NDSM Amsterdam Ship Wharf

Pllek Cafe Interior - NDSM Amsterdam Ship Wharf

Posing - Amsterdam

Los Angeles - December 31 - January 6, 2018

Painting on the Parrot - Old Los Angeles Zoo

For winter vacation 2017, I decided to visit my brother, Lars, in Los Angeles. I needed to dry out.

The trip started in a stressful way after Anders dropped me off for the seven o’clock ferry boat leaving Whidbey Island. I quickly became aware that it didn’t run on weekends. Rocky start. The bus that I wanted to catch would be long gone before I arrived in Mukilteo.

While waiting on the 7:30 ferry boat, I called a cab. Catching it to Lynnwood Park and Ride set me back thirty dollars, but I was able to board my connecting bus to King Street Station and the Amtrak Coast Starlight.

Sleeping Spot - Amtrak Coast Starlight

Train in View - Amtrak Coast Starlight

Long train rides are a form of transportation that I actively seek out. From conversations in the dining car to the challenge of finding a restful sleeping situation (while paying for a coach ticket), the rails have it all. One highlight was listening to the life story of a former carnival employee. Several times he stated, “I don’t play!” when speaking openly about those who had crossed him. I made a conscious effort to send good vibrations.

PodShare Reflection

Treewig - PodShare

My Spot - PodShare

After arriving just a touch late at Union Station in Los Angeles, I walked to PodShare, an open hostel service located approximately fifteen minutes, by foot, from the station. The price was right and the accommodations interesting. By eleven o’clock, I had ascended to my bed.

Getting Creative - Grand Park

Pools and Buildings - Grand Park

On Tuesday, I settled in at Grand Park for several hours, enjoying the sun and the fourth book in the Dune series (God Emperor of Dune). I met a homeless man named Raz, who was about my age; we went to dinner at a restaurant in Korea Town. I very quickly recognized Raz’s kind heart, but his frequent and prolonged stays in the restroom prompted me to ponder the possibilities in such a small space.

Overlooking - The Last Bookstore

Fiction Tunnel - The Last Bookstore

Decorative Type - The Last Bookstore

After stopping by the Korea Town Public Library and The Last Bookstore, I met Lars at “The Little Easy,” a bar close to his apartment. I found the French influence interesting, albeit a little overdone.

I spent the rest of the week hanging with my brother. On Wednesday, after picking up a picture Lars had framed, we walked through the heart of skid row on our way back to his place. The living situation there is shocking in the extreme. How can the local people help those who don’t fit this system?

Entrance - Grand Central Market

Lakers Pregame - Staples Center

Remembering the Great - Staples Center

In the evening, we took in a Lakers game at the Staples Center where the young team was dominated by the Oklahoma City Thunder, quashing my desire to purchase a T-shirt.

On Thursday, while visiting the remains of the Old Los Angeles Zoo, I looked on as Lars wheat pasted a parrot to one of the old cages. I will not soon forget the light in a young teenager’s eyes as she saw his process.

Upset with the President - Old Los Angeles Zoo

Going Back to Nature - Old Los Angeles Zoo

Later, at Griffith Park, I consumed a vanilla ice cream bar before we boarded a merry-go-round from the 1920’s. According to the placard, Walt Disney found inspiration on the back of one of the stallions. I rode the dark horse and became slightly ill.

Going solo on Friday, I took the Metro out to Santa Monica for a saunter on the beach. From the pier, I walked north to the lifeguard headquarters along the shoreline, taking in the view and wondering about the shorebirds and life, in general. Near the pier, I cleaned my feet with my socks before putting a fork to banana cheesecake and hopping the Metro to LA.

Evidence - Santa Monica

Life at the Transition - Santa Monica

Later that evening, we met up with his friend Sam in the Silverwood area. I found it enjoyable conversing about science fiction stories of all kinds. I enjoyed Sam’s perspective and mannerisms.

It was easy getting around the city using a combination of the light rail Metro system, Lyft/Uber and my feet. It’s difficult to understand why LA residents own cars.

The following is a breakdown of my trip back to Whidbey Island:

From Lars’ place, I took the Metro light rail to Union Station ($1.75), hopped the FlyAway bus to LAX airport ($9.75), flew on Alaska Airlines to Sea-Tac airport ($104), boarded the Link light rail to Seattle’s International District ($3.00), caught the 512 Sound Transit express bus to Lynnwood Transit Center ($3.75), transferred to Community Transit route 113 to Mukilteo ($2.25), sailed to Clinton on the Washington State Ferry ($5.05) and was kindly given a ride home by my friend Craig Stelling.

I’m very much looking forward to visiting Los Angeles in the near future, particularly in the winter months.

Lars' Place - Downtown Los Angeles