Walking on Elm Street in New Hampshire

     I was excited to go to Manchester, New Hampshire, to wrap up my New England states. Manchester is not the capital, but it is the largest city in New Hampshire. 

      I walked on the famous "Elm Street" in that nice afternoon weather. Elm Street, the city's main thoroughfare, is "the longest dead-end street in the US." I was surprised that there were few people in downtown. Nevertheless, I did enjoy my walk. 

     The "Dean Avenue" had caught my attention with its very narrow size. The historic "Seethe Old Mill District" on the Merrimack River was fascinating. It was an old industrial building used for business offices, restaurants, and a university.

     At the Veterans Memorial Park, I met a couple from "Glory of the Lord Ministry." The gentleman was a presidential candidate. They go to the park in their free time to lead a bible and prayer group. We chatted for a while, and they were nice to say a prayer for me.

     I bought chocolate at the famous Granite State Candy shop for Mary, had dinner at Portland Pie, then I went back to my hotel. I ended my day relaxing with my favorite jacuzzi and a great sunset view from my window. 

     It was a busy weekend because of graduation events. I was lucky to get a hotel room because somebody had canceled. Unfortunately, I didn't get the first flight on my way back to New York. I had to wait for a couple of hours to get on the next flight. My waiting time was well spent anyway doing my training. 

     New Hampshire is famous for outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, snowmobiling. So next time I come back, maybe I can try those adventures. 

Elm Street at the corner of Manchester Street

Seethe Old Mill Building

Dean Avenue

A Bus Ride to Providence, Rhode Island

     Do you know that Rhode Island is the smallest state? Its official name is "Ocean State" in reference to miles of its coastline, large bays, and inlets. 

     I traveled to Rhode Island in May 2015.   This time, I decided to take a bus ride so that my friend, Rousel, could join me on this trip. It was a four-hour bus ride, yes, a bit long. We enjoyed the view outside, but our butts were tired!

     We started with a walk at Water Place Park and Riverwalk. It was pretty quiet that day, and the weather was nice. I could spend a day here with my book and watch people ride the gondola. 

     I've heard about the famous Water Fire event. Have you seen that? It's a yearly event where you see fires floating atop the river. It occurs during sunset and lasts until midnight. It's a must-see event that Rhode Island is famous for and I would love to experience this someday.

     After walking at the park, it's time for lunch at PF Chang’s. Then we continued our walking along the Federal Hill and did some window shopping. We ended the night with a margarita.

      We wanted to take a ferry and explore Newport to experience more of the riverside, but we decided to go to Boston instead.  I know there's another chance to visit this beautiful state in the future.  It was a short visit but it was worth the ride and time with my friend. 

Water Place Park and Riverwalk

Water Place Park and Riverwalk

Water Place Park and Riverwalk

Federal Hill

I Love Vermont

     Burlington is a small town yet has many things to offer. According to the records, it is one of the prettiest towns in America.

     Lake Chaplain is my favorite place to hang out -- what a beautiful lake! You see sailboats sailing and docked, a lighthouse view from a distance, bikers and joggers around the park, and couples dating waiting for the sunset.

     It's peaceful and relaxing to sit overlooking the lake with a book or magazine, waiting for the sun to set, watching boats sailing and people passing by.

     My second favorite during my trip was the labyrinth experience. Have you heard about this? "A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. It has long been used as meditation and prayer tools. A labyrinth is a metaphor for the journey to the center of your deepest self and backs out into the world with a broadened understanding of who you are." If you're having some soul-searching or finding your journey to peace, this is a good activity for you. I guess you can find a labyrinth in most meditation places. 

     The Market Place on Church Street is busy where most tourists are. So I spent some time walking and of course, window shopping. There are many good restaurants here, and I chose to eat lunch at an Italian restaurant. People watching is one thing I enjoy doing, especially in a tourists area. So I had my coffee and cookie on the bench while watching passersby.

    I chose to stay at a hostel on this trip, and I discovered Burlington Hostel. The place is impressive, especially its cleanliness. I would rate this hostel five-star - the best hostel I've stayed in so far.

     Vermont is one of my favorite states. I know that winter here is brutal, but I would love to go back when the weather is beautiful and explore this pretty town.

Lake Chaplain

Lake Chaplain

Lake Chaplain 

Market Place

Labyrinth

A cab ride from Raleigh to Durham, North Carolina

     Thanks to a day of layover in North Carolina. I took the opportunity to see both the city of Raleigh and Durham.

     On my solo travels, I usually spend a lot on transportation. The same thing happened here. I paid an expensive cab fare to see Raleigh and Durham. A peak of downtown Raleigh included a photo shoot of the State Capitol and the globe at the Museum of Natural Sciences. I wished I had more time to visit the Museum.

     According to the cab driver, there's really nothing much to see in Raleigh. Sometimes, we have to listen to the locals. So I decided to go to Durham, home to Duke University, and I was glad I made that decision.

     Duke University is ranked as one of the top universities in the US. The compound is as beautiful as Harvard and Princeton Universities. The campus was huge, with impressive architectural designs, and the lawn areas were green and clean.   Like the students, I went inside the library and gift shop and had lunch at the cafeteria. Unfortunately, the church was under renovation; hence I couldn't get inside.

     I feel I am too old to study and go to school, which should not be the case. But whenever I visit a university, I feel young and pretend that I can be a student again. Who knows, maybe someday. It's always nice to reminisce about our college days. Good times. 

     The university has a lovely garden called Sarah Duke Gardens. The spring colors of flowers were so delightful to see. The ambiance was relaxing and peaceful. Overwhelmed with the beautiful flowers around me, I took many photos, and my battery eventually ran out. There are always friendly people around. I asked a young lady to take my pictures and send them to me. She gladly did it. Lesson learned: make sure you always have a battery charger with you. 

     I heard North Carolina is a friendly state to live in. The laid-back life, a less expensive standard of living, and good weather are a few good things that I like. No doubt, North Carolina is one of my favorite states.

Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh Downtown

State Capitol, Raleigh Downtown

Duke University, James Buchanan Duke statue & church

Duke University Campus, Durham

Sarah Duke Gardens, Durham

Carriages and History in Charleston, South Carolina

     I’ve heard a lot of good things about Charleston. They said it’s a beautiful city – and I agree.

     My visit in April 2015 was the most difficult non-rev trip I’ve had so far. Originally, I was supposed to go to Myrtle Beach, but I changed my itinerary to Charleston because I couldn’t get a seat. I didn’t know that there were lots of events going on that weekend. It took me a lot of hotels to call before I finally got a room at Crowne Plaza Hotel. The person who checked in me was nice, and he gave me a crew discount. I was happy because the room was really nice with the price I paid.

     I explored the downtown through a walking ghost tour.  It was an interesting tour, and it covered historical landmarks and some ghost stories.  The Provost Dungeon was the creepiest part of the tour because we went inside the dark dungeon. It was a good experience anyway.  There’s a church on the main road which they believe a ghost used to come out in the old days.

     Horses and carriages are very much visible in downtown. It’s obviously for tourists who would like to experience Charleston traditionally. I didn’t ride a carriage, but I had a close encounter with a horse.

     I had a chance to window shop at the night market. I sat on the park bench while listening to musicians and had a taste of Kilwin’s ice cream. There was a downpour of rain that afternoon, and I was glad it stopped.

     I wanted to see more of Charleston, but I decided to do it on another trip. I may have experienced getting stuck at the airport almost the whole day trying to get a seat with Delta and running back and forth to get a seat from other airlines, but I didn’t regret going to Charleston that day.  It was one of my spontaneous plans, but it’s always a learning experience.

Ghost Tour, Provost Dungeon