finally, the prolog.

by Shanti

2010-05-02 02:12:25

OK, so I haven't been writing since we made this thing go live. so I guess now is my recap of the past few weeks, as I've been traveling quite a bit.

First, I left Saigon. this is the beginning. On the way back we stopped over in Narita. as this was a monday morning, none of my friends in Japan could meet us, so Derek (who had been visiting me in Vietnam, and returning on the same flight) and I went into Nartia to explore. The weather was crap. cold and drizzly. but we pushed on, wondered around looking for somewhere to eat, nothing was open. finally we found an open little restaurant. Ah, Udon noodles are goodl we then spent a very cold time exploring a very nice temple in the middle of town. After so much time in Asia, I"m over seeing temples, except for shinto one's in Japan, they're amazing. so, as we were sufficiently cold enough, we decided to go find a sento. for those of you who don't know, a sento is a Japanese bath-house, that doesn't use hot spring water. Almost every neighborhood has one, and it's a place you can come and just soak in lots of different hot pools, some inside, some outside. It's one of my favorite parts about Japan. SO, rejuvenated, we had a gyoza lunch, and headed back to the airport for our flight back to the USA.

Back in Portland. I was back for a little over one day, had a buritto, saw family, was too tired to see friends, and then went back to the airport for the start of the next adventure.

The next adventure. I flew to Washington DC. Here I met up with Graham, one of my best friends from Uni days, and his wife Erin. great to meet up with them, and catch up. but could only see them for two nights as they were going out of town for the weekend. At this point I move over to Molly's. SHe was my best friend in Barcelona, great to see her after almost two years. Molly works for a senator, so after we had lunch, she took me on a tour of the capital building. it's pretty cool. and I got to walk back along staff only corridors. the next day Molly had scored us passes to the White House Garden, which they only open to the public twice a year. it's a very nice grounds, and so well designed that as soon as your in, you can't hear any traffic from the streets, a little oasis in the middle of it all. then I went and saw all the memorials. The capital mall is really quite something. It's hard to pick a favorite, the Lincoln is so classic, the jefferson as well, but I do think the Roosevelt captured me the most. maybe thats because I didn't know it, but it was just great. While walking around these memorials, I got a phone call that my grandfather had died (we already know he wasn't doing good, and he'd been in hostiptal for more then a week.) kind of a fitting place to get the news. we were all kind of expecting it, but I was supposed to go see him in two days, so bad timing for me. so insted of taking the evening train to VA beach, I changed and took the morning one, so I could hep my mom and Aunt with what ever. and so because of that, I didn't go to a single museum while in DC. next time.

IN virginia. so coming down to virginia, I just needed to pick some things up at m grandfathers house in Va Beach, and bring them to my Aunt and mom in Harrisonburg. so two days in Virginia, but my schedule was the same, I still needed to drive the van down to New Orleans, and I had to be there in two days.

So I guess I should backtrack a little but here. the reason for this grand adventure I was setting out on. My parents van was in Virginia, and they were doing New Orleans Jazzfest, and it needed to be there. so enter me, I drive it, and work the show. after I driving to California, where I work another show in Davis.

And this takes us to the beginning of the journey, which I will continue soon.