philadelphia : staging
So it begins.
to danielle : edinburgh
Late mornings of honey and butter drenched sourdough toasts, golden as the warm sun streaming through the kitchen windows.
isle of skye
We leave for the Isle of Skye hours before the sun is awake. Hell, I’m barely awake. I almost immediately curl up in the backseat, nestled among the boys’ coats, a loaf of warm sourdough clutched to my body. Thomas and Quentin rouse me from my slumber often, forcing me into the cold to see the majesty of the Highlands. Thomas has detailed itinerary for our long drive up north and the Highlands have many more surprises in store for us. No time for sleep.
fife and aberdeenshire
I practically ran to the snow when I got off the car at Glenshee. We're climbing up great big hills of hardened snow, falling thigh deep into the giant snow drifts when the surface breaks. I shriek in surprise. Ice cold wet in my socks. From the top, a valley of pure snow spread out below us like clouds. Racing back down the hill to the car, running, slipping, falling, laughing as Quentin catches up to me and kisses me, both of us breathless and freezing.
woodlea stables : real bread
4:30 am. My phone rang and buzzed lightly by my head. Merde. It's early. But I hardly cared. I was already so excited. As I turned off the alarm, I saw Hillary in the darkness, already awake and getting dressed.
london : february
My London isn't the London you're imagining.
I've never been to the Tower of London or the London Eye. I think I might have walked past St. Paul's Cathedral or Buckingham palace once. It doesn't really matter. Not really.
to tc : nîmes
We've been spending long afternoons in her small apartment just sitting at her table, sipping coffee and talking about what it means to be back here as the warm southern breeze blowing through her open window….We’ve been talking a lot about how difficult it is to be in French.
so long, iceland
Lake Mývatn, Hverir, the Blue Lagoon, and Reykjavik
akureyri
Northern Lights
the golden circle
We're on a redeye to Reykjavik with Ronnie and Lisa, one of my many adopted aunts and uncles. The flight was cramped, uncomfortable, sleepless, but taking off from Newark was like falling into the arms of an old friend.
pescara and gran sasso
pays basque
My sojourn in the south of France was in the heart of Pays Basque or Basque Country, a region spanning across France and Spain where the Basque people live.