Halloween Humor & Politics

Seattle Arboretum: Autumn

Leaves changing from green to vibrant colors is the best part of Autumn. Nothing feels more comforting than taking a walk and being surrounded by changing trees and falling leaves while wearing a jacket and a scarf. As children, most of us despised having to partake in the chore of raking leaves; but nothing was more joyful than jumping in piles of raked leaves. I still at 26 years old kick small piles of leaves on sidewalks and am filled with pleasure when the leaves flutter back to the ground. Something so innocent takes me back to cherished childhood memories.

Therefore, I was definitely looking forward to exploring the Arboretum for the first time during Autumn. The Arboretum is located less than a block from my work so I parked there and walked with my friend and we began doing the trails. There were some trees that were already completely turned, and then there were trees in transition (half turn half green). Trees in transition are by far my favorite; you see the past, present and future all in one tree.

With the changing of the leaves plenty of people were out taking pictures with their kids and families. One of the most interesting spots to see at the Arboretum is the "Musical Trees." It's just a small area but with the way water was flowing it was so serene to hear; it sounded just like someone playing a harp in my opinion.

One could easily spend half a day walking throughout the Arboretum but I truly couldn't imagine a more breathtaking time to visit than during Autumn. For those that live in areas that deprive you of experiencing the most amazing season of the year in my opinion; you have my deepest sympathies. Fall is the one season that I cannot live without in my year!

Stairway off the main trail

Graham Visitor Center

Pond off Azealia Pathway

In front of a fully changed tree :)

So many interesting vibrant colors

The beauty of Nature

Canadian T-shirt: Hockey > Women

Hockey and Canada go together like two peas in a pod. While I was walking downtown Victoria, I saw this t-shirt and definitely found it amusing...hopefully you will find it amusing as well! Due to the reflection in the window I went ahead and type it out as well to make it easier to read, enjoy.

1. In hockey, everyone likes it rough.
2. You only get 5 minutes for fighting.
3. Puck is not a dirty word.
4. You don't have to play in the neutral zone.
5. It's possible to score a few times a night.
6. When you pull the goalie nobody gets pregnant.
7. Missing teeth doesn't stop you from scoring.
8. You can always get new wood if your stick breaks.
9. The Zamboni gets to clean up the mess.
10. Periods only last 20 minutes.

And here's another amusing thing I came across while walking downtown, I think the same could be said about coffee:

Apron says: Wine improves with age. I improve with wine.

2nd Trip to Canada: Victoria, British Columbia

My first trip to Canada was a road-trip to Winnipeg, Manitoba and it did not end well. My last few moments in Canada involved being interrogated by Canadian customs, my car searched, and all of my other belongs....yes fond memories. Therefore, I was slightly hesitant to embark on another Canadian adventure; however, Seattle has so many tempting options to make the endeavor back to Canada. My dad was visiting and we thought why not try our luck and do double the dose of Hosseins for the Canadians.

Thankfully our round-trip was drama-free. My dad and I took the Victoria Clipper from Seattle to Victoria; I love how the pier is less than a 10 minute walk from my apartment.  It was lovely and convenient that the Clipper drops off passengers in downtown Victoria so there is no need for a car.

First stop in Victoria was stopping at The Empress hotel to catch our bus, the Cruise Victoria Sightseeing (CVS) which I booked on the Clipper. My advice, don't book it on the Clipper wait til you get to Victoria and then chose a different bus line. The CVS bus line clientele was filled with an older population that look like they are on their way to a bingo championship game; however, the bus drivers were hilarious. The CVS bus line has five main stops that one can get off and on at: China Town, Craigdarroch Castle, Oak Bay Village, Cook Street Village, and Beacon Hill Park. The whole tour took about 90 minutes. The bus tour involves a lot of historic real estate. Since my dad and I did not spend the night in Victoria we did not get to visit the Butchart Gardens because that tourist attraction alone is an all day event. Going to the gardens is something I definitely look forward towards visiting in my next voyage.

The Empress Hotel

The BC Parliament 

My dad and me at The Empress

On the bus beginning our tour of Victoria

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

My First Castle: Craigdarroch Castle

I remember exactly the day that I wanted to live in a castle; it was when I watched Disney's Sleeping Beauty on VHS...ahhhh simpler times before the world of DVDs and Blu-ray. I remember one year I dressed up as Jasmine from Disney's Aladdin and imagine living in a palace. What little girl wasn't enamored with being a princess? Well, fast forward 20 years and I finally got to visit a castle, Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Although this castle doesn't look like it would be fit for a Disney Princess it was still intriguing and well worth taking the stop on seeing this legendary landmark on the sightseeing bus tour.  It reminds me of the architecture of Hogwart's Castle from Harry Potter, but sadly the Castle was sans a Headless Nick. Admissions to the castle is $13.75 for adults and $8.75 for students. You will also receive a map and a short history brochure. Some of the rooms to the castle are closed, and you have to be able to climb four flights of stairs to tour the castle. I recommend allowing at least an hour to go through the castle. My dad and I just had 40 minutes until the next bus arrived, and we felt a little rushed.

Here's a little advertisement announcement from the pamphlet we received on the ferry ride from Seattle to Victoria:

Coal baron Robert Dunsmuir was the wealthiest man in British Columbia. He died in 1889, just months before Craigdarroch Castle was completed. He left his entire estate (28 acres) to his wife Joan, who lived in the Castle until her death in 1908. Their immense fortune is reflected in four floors of exquisite stained glass windows, intricate woodwork, and ornate Victorian era furnishings. The Castle speaks of the lifestyles of the very rich at the end of the 19th century. Experience breathtaking views of Victoria, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains from high in the Castle's Tower.

As my dad and I were exiting the castle grounds, a little girl of maybe 4 or 5 years old asked, "Did you get to see the Princess inside the castle?" Now as many of you know that I am not too fond of children that I am not related to but it was the look on the girls face..wishfulness and hope; she reminded me of myself from two decades ago and so I answered her. I tried to quickly think of an answer that wouldn't disappoint the little girl but yet I wouldn't be lying either. I told her that no I didn't see a princess inside but you will to see lots of princess dresses. The little girl got super excited....and that was my good deed of the day :)

The front of the castle

My dad and I in front of the castle

Me in front of the sign that is located on the side of the castle

Stained glass window

Stained glass windows

The spiral staircase that goes up four floors

Classiest bathroom sign

Table is all set for dessert in the billiards room

View from one of the towers

Discovery Park

There are days definitely when I consider Seattle to be "the city of parks". There are just so many of them that I feel like I have only visited a handful of them. However, I get to cross another one off my bucket list, I got to visit Discovery Park with my dad.

Discovery Park is over 500 acres, making it the largest park in Seattle. It's about a 15 minute drive from downtown Seattle, and it's nestled in the neighborhood, Magnolia. Discovery Park offers spectacular views since it's situated on Magnolia Bluff, which allows you to have breathtaking views of tidal beaches and a lighthouse.

There are many trails leading to the lighthouse and unforuntaely since the signage is a little scarce (especially on the Loop Trail), it makes it a little difficult to be confident you are still on the same trail. But half of the fun of a new park is the exploring aspect; I was definitely on several different trails. If you end up taking the Hidden Valley trail from the lighthouse to the visitor center, you are going to end up climbing about 100 stairs. At the visitor center they sell maps for $1; however, there are free (somewhat blurry) maps available on the kiosk at the park's entrance. If you have a teeny tiny bladder, no worries; there are several bathrooms throughout the park. Parking was a little difficult, but my parking lot stalking skills are superb, so I was able to get a parking spot in less than 5 minutes on a Saturday afternoon.

The beach was really pretty and especially on the North Beach Trail, which has an array of rocks and seashells. It was definitely peaceful in the park with several great views of the mountains (Cascades and Olympics) and the sparkling water of the Puget Sound. The day we went, it was definitely a little hazy but the views were not disappointing.

An expected surprise was that along Discovery Park Avenue (the main road to the park), the intersecting streets are named after states. I started noticing this when I saw a Nebraska street sign. Also along this road there were little entrepreneurs selling Gatorade by the glass; I guess lemonade stands are so 2011.

Meadow and the Puget Sound

At the top of the bluff, the lighthouse is sort of located on the peninsula; the trail that is visible is South Beach Trail

My dad and me at the lighthouse (from the South Beach Trail)

My dad at the lighthouse (from the North Beach Trail)

Trying to locate rocks and seashells

The precious seashells for the grandchildren

A little touch of the Midwest in Discovery Park

uhhhh...where did Mount Rainier go?

Since this is my third blog posting about Mount Rainier, I have realized I am definitely a Rainier Enthusiast. Since I have an annual pass to the National Park, it is definitely one of the destinations I enjoy taking visitors to when they come and see me. Therefore, since my dad is visiting me, I thought he would thoroughly enjoy this majestic mountain.

We left early on Sunday morning and it was cloudy in Seattle and we couldn't see Mount Rainier (which to anyone else that might have meant that there would be poor visibility and to not go), but me, trying on the new pants of being an optimist (I still think my pessimistic pants fit better), I thought it would be crystal clear by the time we arrived to the mountain; since it is a well known fact how quickly the weather changes in Washington. This fact is very true, but the weather changed for the worse.

About five miles before the Paradise National Park Entrance, it was evident that we were probably not going to be able to see the mountain when we got to the Paradise Visitor Center. However, what I didn't count on was the thick fog that would be surrounding us while we drove around twisty roads to 5500 ft elevation. I know for a fact my dad's blood pressure was high during that entire drive; it wasn't just the nonverbal signs (holding onto things in the car and the cringing) but also the verbal signs "Shaida, slow down!" Additionally, after September 4th (right after Labor Day) all of the roads past Paradise are closed so plan your trip accordingly.

He and I survived the 20 minute drive in the park to Paradise. We step outside of the car and it started to rain.....and we did no have any rain gear. It was at this moment that I realized how useless weather.com is when one is checking the weather for travel plans (weather.com indicated that it would only be partly cloudy with 10% chance for rain). But we were here to hike and to see the scenery; unfortunately, that did not include viewing the mountain because it was covered by fog and more fog. And the icing on the cake was it was around 45 degrees with a constant cold breeze.

We hiked for about an hour and then between the rain and my dad not being accustomed to hiking it was time to get somewhere warm and dry, my car. Overall, we got to see some chipmunks, a deer, and different kinds of birds for wildlife sightings. My dad enjoyed just walking in nature (he is use to walking on a track back in Missouri), and was okay with not seeing the mountain; but I was definitely disappointed that missed out of seeing the mountain up close.

I was definitely spoiled my first two trips to the mountain, warm weather and great visibility. However, I got to see a different side of Mount Rainier. During our drive back through the park it began snowing. Yep snowing in September. Therefore, I think it is implied when I state that I was happy to once again see my beloved Seattle Skyline welcoming me home with 65 degree weather with just a slight overcast.

This is where Mount Rainier is at but the fog was too overwhelming to see anything :(

At Myrtle Falls

On the Skyline trail to go and see Myrtle Falls

Enjoying the hike

The wildflowers were still in bloom

Almost done with our hike

A stroll through the trees

The view of Sculpture Park upon our return from the mountain