Tag Archives: USA

Let’s Play Golf!

25 Jun

The mini golf yesterday was quite enjoyable. I think the last time we did a round of mini golf was ages ago when hubby and I went to Florida for vacation. Of course during that time, it was just the two of us.

I looked at the score card and had a good laugh. If only our usual games are like that! What pros we were coming back with 11 pars and two birdies (for me) and nine pars and a birdie for hubby. M1 was not quite the golfer unfortunately.

Today we will play a real round of golf. Let’s see the scores after that…

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A Rest Day

24 Jun

Even holidays need a break! It’s Sunday today and we’re keeping the itinerary easy. We slept in longer this morning.

We spent the day without a fixed itinerary so we decided to do something fun – a round of mini golf!

Then it was basically checking out all the stores around town to see lovely packaging design and colorful produce on the shelves. It’s a good bonding time.

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The Crazy Drive

24 Jun

Yesterday we were on the road for slightly over 13 hours, reaching Corvallis at 11.30pm after the day’s adventure.

The drive back heading West after Bend was crazy. There was one stretch through Willamette National Forest that made us felt like we were racing along the Monte Carlo circuit in Monaco.

It went on for an hour or so, as we turned left and right many times on the road that curved almost like Monaco. Along the way, we saw a few more deers and even a dead one by the road side. Oh dear (no pun intended).

This fella paused to pose for me in Bend!

Bend was very nice and we had dinner at McMenamins, trying out their stout and beer. As M1 is now of legal drinking age, we had three drinks. I must say, I still can’t appreciate a Stout, even a good one, so I stuck to beer.

Well deserved drink after a long day

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Snow in Summer

23 Jun

The road to Crater Lake was very straight to drive. We saw a couple of deers along the way. When we got to the area, there was still snow on the ground and the slopes! We had to stop and made two little snowmen. Haha… and this is Summer!

Crater Lake was really, really beautiful and picturesque, totally worth the drive. We spent some time there, trudging through the snow to get to the edge of the rim at the first stop to take pictures and breath in the fresh air.

We made two more stops around the lake before leaving at five, heading towards Bend for dinner.

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Crater Lake

23 Jun

The drive to Crater Lake was very pleasant and scenic. There was hardly any cars and no five-lane highways to maneuver. We drove into Willamette National Forest and at one point, reached 5,000 feet elevation. No wonder my ears felt blocked and I couldn’t pop them. Ugh.

We stopped briefly at the Diamond Peak lookout point to admire the snow-capped mountains. Very pretty.

Next stop was Beaver Marsh Rest Area for a quick picnic lunch and bathroom stop. It was three by then before we drove on to Crater Lake.

Love the clouds!

Straight road to heaven ahead!

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Farmers Market

23 Jun

It was interesting this morning to check out the Farmers Market akin to what we have back home, the ‘Pasar Tani’ which means the same thing. The only difference is the produce of the stalls.

Back home it’s more of daily vegetables, food and made in China gadgets, here I see things like unusual mushrooms, seasonal fruits, exotic jams, honey, cheese and organic produce. Besides these, there were also crafts, plants, flowers, some clothes and coffee.

I bought a jar of Chardonnay Pear jam after taste-testing a couple of exotic combinations. We also bought a pound of roasted hazelnuts, some pastries and a tray of fruits (Mulberries, Golden Raspberries and Gooseberries) to eat in the car.

After trying out the other berries, I think I like the Mulberry best. The Golden Raspberry are a bit mushy in its overall texture and the mini Gooseberries are almost like grapes, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside but not as sweet though.

By noon, we made our way towards Crater Lake.

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A Good Rest

23 Jun

For the first time since we arrived, we didn’t have to wake up so early. We woke up only when we were done sleeping which was really nice.

Yesterday we had to wake up at six to go to the airport. And it was tiring given that the night before, returning from the long drive back from Seattle, everyone slept at 1.00am or thereabouts. This morning we heard from M2 who has arrived safely back on campus in Ireland. Relief…

Today we plan to have a leisurely paced itinerary, starting off with a visit to the Farmers Market and then head towards Crater Lake National Park. Although city visits and their attractions are fun, I enjoy trail hikes and be with nature more because it’s more relaxing. No rush, no need to keep time and just breath in the fresh air. Aaaahhh… nice.

With the good rest, I am ready.

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What Do We Do Now?

22 Jun

After saying goodbye to M2, we left Portland and headed for Washington Square to check out Dick’s Sporting Goods. There I found a box of matte fluorescent golf balls which I had to buy. I’ve never seen a purple matte golf ball before. Pretty cool.

So colorful

We hung out at the mall and the Tesla showroom caught our eyes. There were two cars – the Model 3 and the Model X. The X was way, way cool with its super huge double iPad touchscreen panel and wing doors.

The super cool Model X

Checking out the Model 3

The 3 has its appeal too with its super minimalist look and equally huge iPad-like touchscreen panel which controls everything. So clever.

We left the mall to go get an Earl Grey boba tea at Bubble N Tea en route to TopGolf golf range for some fun. The weather by then was beautiful to be semi-outdoor, so we ended up spending an hour and a half there, hitting balls into targets. Quite a good workout!

But the day went by slowly as we waited to hear from M2 which we did when she finally arrived at Atlanta in transit to connect for the next flight to Ireland. Feeling assured that she’s safely on her way, we made our way back to Corvallis, had a home-cooked meal and prepared for an early good night’s sleep to recover from today’s trip.

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A Heavy Heart

22 Jun

This morning we sent M2 to the airport. She returns to Ireland to continue with Summer school. I felt a sense of heavy heart but thankfully no tears.

And now that there’s just the three of us, we will do some winery tours and play some golf.

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The Final Stops

21 Jun

It’s a chilly morning (how else would the weather be?) and this time, we were fortunate to find a good street parking spot and we didn’t have to walk too far.

Today we explored Chihuly Garden & Glass situated to the left of Space Needle. Now I have been to many galleries and museums all over the world and nothing moved me—maybe except for Monet—but this one totally blew my mind!

The glass sculptures were simply amazing. The pictures I took of the exhibits are an injustice to their actual beauty, precision and effort. Even the cafe decor was totally awesome. Highly recommended for anyone planning to visit Seattle, this is a must-see destination not just for art lovers but everyone.

Next stop: MoPop or the Museum of Pop Culture, right of the Space Needle. Our CityPass also covered our entrance to these two attractions.

It was very cool to see all those movie props and costumes on display. There was also music tribute to various musicians and groups, like Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Totally fun indoor sights today and the weather was nicer by noon when we came out.

We met up with M1’s friend over dessert which turned into lunch because we got hungry. After the goodbyes, two final quick stops to buy some stuff and by 2.45pm, we were leaving the city.

We thought we made it out in good time but traffic was heavy, not just heading towards the city but outbound as well. It took us an hour to clear the crawl. We arrived back in Corvallis slightly after nine.

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