I just turned my house upside down looking for our “America the Beautiful” National Parks Annual Senior Pass that we bought last year to go to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. It lets people 62+ get a whole car full of people into any national park for free. (It only costs $20, if you buy it in person.)
Good news! I found our pass in my husband’s wallet, even though he checked there himself. (Senior citizens cannot be trusted in these matters!) And even better, it’s good through September 30. So, I can book a post-Labor Day trip to one of our great national parks. I basically have to, right? I can’t let that Senior Pass go to waste!
I thought about Yosemite, because it’s such a wildly popular national park, especially for international travelers, but that’s a big commitment for people from the East Coast.
So, the national park I’ve most wanted to return to for many years (I haven’t been there since 1976) and that my husband has never been to is….
As I prepare to turn sixty in 77 days, I am working on my Bucket List (things I want to do and places I want to see before I “kick the bucket”). I’ve always been one to keep a “to do” list (I like getting stuff done), but this one is fun. I started it shortly after my dear friend Carla unexpectedly got sick and passed away in 2022 at age 57.
I try to really think about places and experiences that call to me, not just rack up instagrammable, exotic locations. I have reasons for wanting to see these places. For the bigger trips, I try to keep the budget to $10,000 (or less) for the two of us for a full week. I know that’s a lot of money for a lot of folks, but believe me, I know people that spend a whole hell of a lot more than that on their luxury vacations. I would say we are “budget conscious” travelers, but I will splurge on special experiences like dinner in the Eiffel Tower or a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon.
Is there any other foreign country that looms quite so large in the American psyche? I don’t think so!
Like millions of other Americans, I am a descendant of poor Irish immigrants. My great grandmother Mary Barry was from Dublin.
My mother’s father’s mother, Mary Barry, with six of her children, including my maternal grandfather Henry (far right). She was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1880 and died in Queens, NY in 1952. She immigrated to America, through Ellis Island, in 1903. She was 23 years old and arrived with three US dollars to her name.
This trip to Ireland will mark my first group tour experience. We’ve never been on a weeklong tour before. I usually book the hotels and do all the planning myself, but since it’s my birthday, I wanted to give myself a break and have someone else do the planning.
I looked at many types of tours (including on bikes and boats), but ultimately decided to try a Rick Steves tour. Good old Rick—PBS super nerd! I love his guidebooks and his travel philosophy in general. Plus, he is a well known weed-smoking liberal, so the chances of having any Trumpers in our group are slim.
So now, I need to start reading more about Ireland. I’ve already watched many of the recent TV shows and movies set there, including the excellent miniseries about The Troubles—Say Nothing.
Our tour is in the Republic of Ireland only, but I’m contemplating taking a trip up to Belfast (Northern Ireland, UK) at the end of the trip. We will be staying a few extra days in Dublin, where our son will join us, so I need to make some plans for that time.
Please send your Dublin recommendations and any advice you might have about planning a day trip to Belfast.
Also, books! What should I read to help truly understand the heart of this country and its people, from whom so many of us Americans descend?
I’m open to the classics, as well as modern fiction, historical fiction and nonfiction.
On my recent trip to Key West, I ate key lime pie five times. One night, I was too full for dessert and on the last night, I succumbed to the siren call of a chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream. But every other night I felt a certain obligation to try a different version of the island’s signature dessert.
Salute! (Same owners and same “mile high” key lime pie that is served at the famous Blue Heaven restaurant)
Limes & Pies (Duval Street)
And the winner is: Red Shoe Island Bistro
The entire meal was so good, it’s no surprise their pie was perfect. It also happened to be my husband’s birthday, so the delicious pie was on the house.
And the loser is: Salute! (Blue Heaven)
The “mile high” key lime pie is basically regular key lime pie with a ton of meringue piled on top. It just doesn’t work well. It looks cool, but the meringue does nothing to enhance the flavor of the pie. Any of the many grab-and-go key lime bakeries (Kermit’s, Limes & Pies, etc) are better than “mile high” in my opinion.
There is one bakery I really wanted to try for pie, but they close early. It’s possible that Old Towne Bakery could’ve been the winner. We met the founder (and recipe developer) at his satellite location and really loved his pastries. He’s a Boston expat and professional baker who relocated to Key West years ago.
I really do not want to leave Key West and go back to the cold and snow tomorrow. We’ve had fantastic Caribbean weather this whole week. It’s been gorgeous – day and night.
Hand-painted sign on a cute little Key West house Only 90 miles to Cuba
On the bright side, I get to see my granddaughter this weekend.
I’m settling into the vibe here. I know I was worried about getting bored on such a small island for a whole week, but Key West is actually a very lively town with many good restaurants and lots of live music. There’s definitely a lot of Yacht Rock here (I’ve heard multiple renditions of Steve Miller Band’s The Joker), but there’s also a lot of real talent playing in the bars.
The town feels safe, but colorful. There are some beautiful buildings and lots of cute houses, but none of the highrise condo buildings that are in virtually every other city in Florida.
Custom House
Episcopal Church
Walgreens
The roosters are real and they are everywhere. Apparently they were originally brought here by Cubans for cockfighting, but then cockfighting got banned, so the Cubans retaliated by letting the birds go free. They are now a protected species here.
Iguanas (“Key West dinosaurs”) are everywhere too, but they are not protected. They are an invasive species.
Despite my understanding that recreational weed wasn’t going to be available here, a very close hemp substitute is sold everywhere. This enhances the vibes, especially for those of us who aren’t big drinkers.
The food has been really good.
Blackened mahi mahi wrapped in banana leaf with mango salsa
And the legendary sunsets are truly spectacular.
To enhance the vibes, I’m reading Florida, short stories by Lauren Groff. They’re fantastic so far. She’s an amazing writer.
Before I left, I read The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton, historical fiction set in The Florida Keys in 1935, when the “Labor Day Hurricane” demolished Flagler’s wondrous railroad.
See? I got to the end of this post and haven’t mentioned Jimmy Buffett once.
As I’ve mentioned before, I appreciate the state of Florida, mainly for its warm weather, beautiful beaches, and easy access (numerous cheap, nonstop flights) from New England.
The obvious drawback for me (and many liberal New England types) is the politics there. It’s truly a red state now. (It didn’t used to be.) I know people that despise the whole idea of Florida so much that they actually flinch in disgust when it’s mentioned!
But after one delicious Cosmo and a beautiful Florida sunset on a balmy night in February (when it’s snowing and 20 degrees at home), Florida seems pretty fucking great.
I have been to many places in south and central Florida, including some of the Keys, but I’ve never made it all the way down to Key West—the southernmost point in the US. It’s been on my bucket list for awhile now, primarily for the vibes.
Having worked in the arts for many years, I had many gay male friends and co-workers and they always loved Key West. (A good sign) Also, Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote many of his most famous books there. And I’m currently watching Bloodline, with the amazing Ben Mendelsohn, Sam Shepherd and Sissy Spacek, which was shot there. Then of course, there’s the pie. I love Key Lime pie and I’m assuming they have some great places to get it in (on?) Key West. My understanding is that there’s also a heavy Cuban influence there and while I have no desire to visit actual Cuba, I do like the idea of experiencing some of its culture on Key West.
What I didn’t realize before I booked the flights is how tiny it is! It’s only four miles long by two miles wide. That’s like one-tenth of a Nantucket. Teensy! Hopefully we don’t get bored there for a whole week. Please send any Key West recommendations you may have.
So as the United States descends into fascism this winter, I’m going to practice total avoidance and have me some delicious Key Lime pie.
Final note: I did check their voting records and they went Harris, according to ChatGPT. So, I will feel slightly better about spending my money there. It’s a blue bubble area.
Do people think ChatGPT is reliable for questions like this?
I think a lot of people in the Northeast (including me!) checked off “See the Northern Lights” from their buckets lists last night. This was especially rewarding for those of us who missed seeing them in May. Who knew our once-in-a-lifetime chance would come twice in one year?
The Northern Lights from my very own neighborhood last night around 7:15pm. I was on my way to choir practice and happened to look up.
This feels like a lot of things.
Remembrance
The lights and colors in the sky last night reminded me of my close friend from college, Carla, who died in 2022. She had brain cancer. She really wanted to see the Northern Lights before she died, but was too sick to travel, so her friends and family found a way to project them onto the ceiling in her bedroom in Santa Fe. It was beautiful.
A Sign
I know I’m not alone in feeling a lot of anxiety about the state of the country and the way it feels like we’re never going to go back to “normal” — no matter who wins the election. I’ve never in my life been afraid of a US election, but I’m afraid of this one.
Similarly, I never once saw the Northern Lights as a kid growing up in Massachusetts, but this year, many New Englanders saw them twice! A little girl standing near me last night said, “this is God.” Maybe so. Or maybe it’s a sign of transition to a new era—an era where completely new things happen.
Unknown new things are scary and I have a strong urge to “circle the wagons” and try to protect the ones I love. (I think to myself, “please stay in Massachusetts where you’ll maybe be a bit safer from gun violence, flooding, dangerous reproductive care, crappy public schools, etc.)
But I know that’s not really possible.
My new granddaughter will hopefully live into the next century. She will live out most of her life in this new era, whatever it may be. I want her to feel free, adventurous, and safe to explore the world beyond her home state.
Living in the transitional time
An activist friend of mine left for New Zealand yesterday. She’s staying until the end of the month. She said she just needed to get out of the country for these last few weeks before the election. I can relate. In some ways, it’s all just too much.
Maybe seeing the aurora borealis is the reminder some of us needed to center ourselves and live in the moment. Humans have been around a long time and have accomplished many great things and many terrible things. Even though it sometimes feels like end times are upon us, there’s a decent chance that something great is just around the corner too.
In addition to amazing wildlife and geothermal wonders, Yellowstone also has spectacular waterfalls and a gorgeous canyon—“Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.”
Yellowstone Upper Falls – view from South Rim Drive
View of Lower Falls and the Yellowstone River flowing through the canyon from “Artist Point” on South Rim Drive
It was here that I could see where the park may have gotten its name. The canyon walls looked quite yellow in the sun.
As you might imagine, Artist Point was packed with tourists taking photos. In situations like this, my policy is that I always say yes whenever anyone asks me to take a photo of them, and I never say no if someone offers to do the same for us. A nice young Japanese tourist offered to take this photo of us. She did a good job! She placed the waterfall between our heads on purpose. (She was all set with a selfie stick and didn’t want me to return the favor.)
Our selfies are not very good. I just can’t figure out how to position my arm AND take the picture. People say to hold the phone up high, but then you end up staring directly into the sun.
A word about bison.
They are a big part of the Yellowstone experience. You see both herds and loners—sometimes very close up.
Traffic frequently stops for bison crossing in Yellowstone.Bison basically eat all day long. Sometimes they’re sitting down, but they’re usually munching.
They warn you not to get within 25 yards of a bison, if you’re not in a vehicle. They can run fast and have been known to rush (and even gore) people who get too close.
The animals in Yellowstone National Park are magnificent and wild, but the thermal features are insane. I was not fully prepared for the crazy geothermal activity.
This area is known as Porcelain Basin
Colloidal pool at Porcelain Basin
Roaring Mountain Old FaithfulGreat Fountain Geyser – we got very lucky seeing this one erupt precisely at sunset!Grand Prismatic Spring
Bubbling “cinnamon spring” at Black Sand Basin (this one really made me long for a hotel hot tub)
We’re flying home from Jackson, Wyoming later today.
We had an amazing trip—especially Yellowstone National Park. Many people told me how awesome and magical it is—and they were right. America’s first national park is absolutely spectacular.
Our first stop, after a quick visit to Bozeman, Montana, was Mammoth Hot Springs, which is known for its stunning thermal features.
“Minerva Terrace” in Mammoth
The sound was beautiful too.
We took a half-day wildlife tour out of Mammoth with a National Park Service ranger named Rachael. She was terrific. She took us through the Lamar Valley.
Rachael looking for wolves that were in the area feasting on a carcass
A sweeping view of a bison herd crossing the Lamar Valley
A closer view of the bison herd
A herd of pronghorn we spotted in Yellowstone’s northern range, which is sometimes called “America’s Serengeti”
We stopped here to check out an osprey nest through Rachael’s spotting scope.I was able to get a photo of this young osprey, still in the nest, by holding my iPhone to the lens of Rachael’s scope.
Back at the hotel, a few elk were hanging out near our parking spot.
After two nights at the historic Mammoth Hot Springs hotel, we headed south towards the major geyser region of Yellowstone.
Stay tuned for Part 2 (and possibly Parts 3 & 4). I took so many pictures!
I look forward to catching up on all your blogs when I get back. 😊
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