One of the loveliest sunsets of vacation

My vacation has finally ended.  The past 3 months have been a bit of a blur!  I traveled a lot, and was blessed to be able to spend time with friends and family.  Here are some of the highlights.

Snow! Didn’t see that in Australia!

After about a week back “home” in San Francisco, I went to visit a very close friend in Portland.  We were mainly focused on catching up, but also managed to do some tourist activities.  She took me downtown a few times and convinced me, quite easily, that I should move to the Pearl District when I’m done with ships.  We also drove out to Multnomah Falls.  Due to heavy snow, we weren’t able to climb up the bridge, but the view was amazing!

Charlottesville, VA

I went back to SF for a training course, and then packed up my winter gear and went to visit family in Charlottesville, VA.  I enjoyed some much needed time with my sisters, took a few yoga classes, and played in the snow!  Unfortunately, I don’t know how to drive in snow, so I was housebound for most of my visit.  I’m now an expert at snow angels, however!

Snow Angel Pro

My next stop was Romania.  I went to visit a gentleman from the ship that lives outside of Bucharest.  Early in the trip, we went to Peles, a beautiful castle built in the German Renaissance style.

Peles

We also went on a tour in Bucharest.  Our first stop was the Museum of the Romanian Peasant, where we were able to walk around a village of sorts featuring houses, mills, and chapels in traditional styles from across the country.

Museum of the Village

After lunch at a Lebanese restaurant, we went to the House of Parliament.  It is the second largest government building, after the Pentagon.  We took a tour inside, during which I learned a lot about the country.  The decor is beautiful, and I was fascinated to learn that all of the materials used to build and decorate the building, except for one set of doors, are from Romania.

Parliament

Towards the end of my trip, we went to Brasov.  We went up to a ski slope to meet some friends, wandered in the city, and took advantage of the nightlife.  It was a great week.  I was able to explore a new country, learn more about a special friend, and meet some wonderful people.

See ya, Romania

Upon returning to the States, I spent some time with one of my sisters in Northern Virginia.  From there, a friend from the ship picked me up to drive to New York.  There, I saw a few ship folks, including my roomie, and some recently relocated friends from SF.  I did a few touristy activities, like going to the MoMA and walking through Central Park, but mostly made the rounds to see my people.

Washington Square Park

My next stop was Texas.  I was able to spend a good few weeks with my parents, see my old friends perform with the ballet, throw my best friend a bridal shower, and do a photoshoot with an old dance buddy.  It was nice to be home, but I was anxious to get moving again.  I needed to feel like I had a purpose once more.

Bridal shower

For the past few days, I’ve been back in Florida.  I just started rehearsals for my next ship, the Adventure.  In the past 3 days, we’ve learned a hip hop routine, a lindy, cha cha cha, foxtrot, and quickstep.  Only one of the dancers from my last cast is with me this time, so I’ve also been busy getting to know my new group.  So far, things are going well!  Check back next week for more updates from rehearsals!