Back to the Motherland

On Friday I headed to the Seattle Airport with the hopes of flying standby on an early flight.  I was super lucky and got on an early morning flight to Anchorage.  I was lucky and also got another standby flight out of Anchorage to my hometown.  My luck ended there.  When I got home I drove my car into town only to discover that I had a VERY flat tire.  Santa bought me two new tires for Christmas.

The Seattle Airport was completely decked out for Christmas.  They had carolers, people dressed as trees and snowmen, lights, and even the wheelchairs were covered in garland.

Just outside of Seattle

Southeast Alaska volcano

Anchorage.  Yes, that's ice.

The seven passenger plane I took home.

Cheers,

Ali

Seattle

After 56 hours on the train I made it to Seattle on Wednesday at 6 p.m., eight hours after our schedule time.  I spent Wednesday and Thursday hanging out in Seattle and Fremont before my flight to Alaska on Friday.

Cheers,

Ali

Chicago to Seattle

On Monday I boarded a train in Chicago bound for Seattle.  We ended up leaving two hours late, and spent six hours stuck behind a immobile freight train in Minneapolis.  The 48 hour train ride turned into 56 hours, but was very good otherwise.  I made the decision to get a sleeper car, especially since all of my meals would be included.  This was my 10th overnight trip on the train.  Thankfully I made it through all of them in one piece.

Sunset just outside of Chicago

Minneapolis

Fargo, North Dakota

"However Yule Celebrate Everyone Loves A New Bike"

So True.  I missed my bike while I was gone.

I took this picture for my sister, who is a safety major.  I just love the illustration near the top.

I got to do a wine and cheese tasting on the train (another sleeper car perk) and this is my new favorite wine. *Hint, hint to my secret santa.

Cheers,

Ali

NYC to Chicago

Thanks to a lack of wifi and a crazy travel schedule I got a little behind of my blogging.  Last Sunday I boarded a train for Penn Station bound for Chicago, which meant that we were basically heading straight toward the blizzard.  We made it to the Windy City on Monday with just a two hour delay.  I had a few hours in Chicago before I had to get on another train.

Just a tad cold

Ice frozen to the train window

Union Station in Chicago

The Chicago River in downtown.  Someday I will make it here for St. Patty's when they turn this river green!

More about my trip soon.

Cheers,

Ali

NYC 2008

In 2008 during my last semester of college I went to New York City during Fall Break.  During this time we traipsed all over the city seeing the sites.  This was actually before I started blogging.  So here are some blast from the past NYC photos from October 2008. 

Wall Street

New York Stock Exchange

Brooklyn Bridge

One of my favorite newspapers

Time Square

My visit was right before the election.  Right after we took this picture some guy offered to sell us McCain and Obama condoms.  Oh, Time Square.

Empire State Building

Grand Central Station

United Nations, New York

Waldorf Astoria

Central Park

New York City Public Library

Columbia University

Even after two visits I feel that I still have much of New York City to see.  There are a million things going on, and each season has its own fun events.

Cheers,

Ali

NYC 2010

My trip to NYC was kind of a whirlwind trip.  I arrived Friday night and left Saturday afternoon.  Unfortunately, my trip coincided with some gross weather as well.  Fortunately, my trip overlap Whitney's and Julia's visit to NYC and Kristy's birthday celebration.

Starting Saturday out right with a New York bagel.

Manhattan, one cool island.

The view from the boat ride to the Statue of Liberty

NYC Subway

It didn't turn out like I planned, but I like this photo anyway.

Kristy got a flaming cake for her birthday!  A tad scary though.

Whitney and Kristy

Kristy and Julia

A very rainy Time Square

I didn't make it to the tree, but Whitney took this photo for me.

Whitney and the tree!

I had to buy the Sunday New York Times, of course!

Cheers,

Ali