Serenity!

Yoga Beach Vacation with Yogaville

Here it is, in one tidy package. All donations accepted!

Flying From Snow

Here it is, folks. The wish of the day.

A Visit to Lawrence: the Hippie Capital of Kansas

Signage at the Antique shop.

Lawrence exists because once upon a time the residents of Kansas considered coming down on the side of slavery. Alien intellectuals moved here to swing the vote. And then, having succeeded in keeping Kansas free, they stayed.

The place is now a university town, attracting liberals from all over. The main street, Massachusetts, has become a hippie happening (particularly on Saturday) with artsy shops, museums, fabulous food, assorted crafty places, and the requisite hipsters. The street is wide and pedestrian-friendly.

8-track tapes! Still to be
captured in the wild.

We (my two house mates and I) started off at the Antique Mall because it was early and most of the other shops were closed. You have to arrive by 10 am or you won't find a place to park. It's all meters with a 2-hour limit. The only free day is Sunday.

After wandering around viewing 8-track tapes, funky signage, and school desks I hadn't seen in at least 30 years, we headed out into what was becoming a throng.

Next stop, the Yarn Barn with luscious yarns all in the nosebleed price range and catering primarily to weavers. Need a loom? You can find it here and the warp and weft to go with it.

The shock of student desks.

The British food shop, Brits, was up next. And through the next door, separated only by a glass wall into au Marche, a European food shop. Ooooooh! Flake! Assam Tea!

Back to the car to move to another meter. Everyone else was playing the game and we lucked into another spot two blocks up.

Take a card! 

Lunch at Aladdin's was amazing! Flavorful authentic Mediterranean cuisine, a blend between Lebanese and Greek. I had perfectly grilled lamb kebobs with vegetables and a tangy fresh cucumber sauce. The lentil soup was delicately spiced. The server noticed I preferred water with no ice, and brought me a glass after my Rose Lemonade ran out—without having to be asked.

Lamb kabobs with cucumber sauce. Yum!

If you get the chance to visit Lawrence, be sure to stop into the Phoenix Gallery. And drop into the fine art gallery downstairs, too. The Phoenix shows a variety of pottery from unique shapes and colors to original glazes and thoughtful specialized dishes. There's a stand of Holly Yashi (my favorite) and lots of other handmade jewelry.

We browsed the shops for four hours, but you could easily stay longer.

For the Whovians at Brits.

Next up: the Wamego Tulip Festival. Hoping to get some good photos and a sunny day.

Baños de Santa Agua!

Courtesy WikiMedia.

The only reason I choose Baños is because you need neither heat nor air conditioning there. Travelers report the wonderful weather, friendly natives, and natural hot springs. What they fail to mention in much detail is the local volcano and that Ecuador is a volcanic country. They also fail to report on the conservative Christian culture and government. While it's lost some of it's charm for me (including the myths about cheap and/or free housing*) I still would like to visit. And right now would be nice.

*A search on airbnb turned up only really expensive places to stay. None of them in Baños.

Bahamas! Anytime!

Such a deal! It hurts to be penniless.

Where shall I go? Follow the river ...

Not sure where I would go if I were allowed a vacation right this minute to anyplace I wanted to go. Probably I would stay here. With someone I love. And we would laze about and pick at the things that need doing here. And we would do them with whimsy and lack-a-daisicalness. Splotching and poking and gathering and winnowing and toodling and doodling. Nothing would be serious except our love. And we would be happy making this our home for those springs and autumns that are heaven in Richmond VA.

If I have to choose, and I know I must or I wouldn't be writing this, I would choose Maine or Northern Idaho or possibly Seattle or maybe even Bandon by the sea in Oregon. All lovely cool places. No. Wait! I have it! Germany! Back to my home town of Höchst in Hessen. To visit relatives and relations. To relish the cool misty days and warm connections. Yes. That's it.

The house will have to wait.

Dancing in the Dark

Lots of dancing in the dark in lots of lovely romantic places. Maybe even some moonlit woodsy options and a few mountain tops. This is what I need right now. Perhaps a SL vacation is just the ticket. There are certainly tons of available and willing partners.

Song of the Moment: Dancing in the Dark - The Look of Love