Even after my thesis last week on why not to rent a car in Europe, I am reminded of how much fun it is just to drive around and explore unfamiliar places. There's something about just cruising that can't be beat. Thinking back, I remember several instances where driving was just a fun past time. Sitting in the back seat with Uncle Mark and Mimi cruising country roads above Winnsboro, or taking the long way home after church on Sunday with Mom and Dad.
It seems like Isaac and I are continuing this tradition. Lately we've done a fair share of driving, exploring the neighborhoods and parks nearby our new place.
Our biggest find thus far is yet another green blob I noticed on a map - the Parklands of Floyds Fork. It's a beautiful collection of parks that cushion a winding river (Floyds Fork). The parks have baseball and soccer fields, access points to drop in kayaks, small meandering footpaths and one long, paved trail that runs the park's entire length. I'm not sure how long the whole park is, but there's incremental signs measuring the distance (both by foot and by boat for path and river-goers) and the part we visited was mile 60-something.
It reminds me a bit of the river parks in Columbia - Riverwalk and Riverfront Park - in that they are separate parks that flow together. But one big difference is these parks are not in the heart of a city. It feels like a polished and new park in the middle of nowhere - there's kids playing soccer, parents watching and a background of tree-covered hills.
The particular part we went to is known for its beech trees, many being between 200-300 years old. I can't wait to visit this place in the fall.
Below is the main paved trail that runs the entire length of the parks. Do you see what I mean about being in the middle of nowhere? Shiny white pavement plopped down in the country.
Something else you're bound to encounter while driving (or just being here) is storms. I'm learning that this part of the country is where tons of weather fronts meet - cool air comes down from Canada and warm, wet air comes up from the Gulf. They smack together and we get some serious storms. To me, it just feels a little more intense and frequent than what we get back home.
I took this picture when we were heading west on the interstate one evening. This storm was one that caused some tornadoes in other states and brought high winds and hail to our state too. Luckily just the edge of it tickled Louisville, but it did make the sky look pretty unreal and scary. I can't imagine what it's like living in "tornado alley", just being on the edge of all the fun is enough for me.
My parents have done their fair share of driving this past week too. They came to visit us! They were also so sweet and carried up more items for our apartment too. Most notably, they brought Cookie, our beloved and spoiled rabbit. Mom has been caring for her the entire while we lived in South Korea, and it is nice to finally have her back with us. She settled in more quickly than any of us expected.
Since my parents were in town, all four of us drove around together just to show them parts of Louisville. One place we visited that sticks out is a cute barbecue place we just happened to stumble upon. It is located in the kind of area where it's hard to find parking close by, and the only options are along cramped streets. Yet this restaurant had exactly one parking place, and it was empty and waiting on us.
One more place we drove by was the Ford Truck Factory Plant. I have to admit that this place didn't provide such beautiful scenery, but it was still neat to see what seemed like an endless gleaming sea of spanking new trucks and SUVs.
That just about sums up this past week. It was a lot of fun and zoomed by quickly. We continue to settle in, buying little things like a can opener and a different sized spatula. Now that the weather is warming up, I'm planning our next driving adventures. I've got a few green blobs on my mind.
Many times when we are hanging out, Isaac and I reflect upon the highlights of our honeymoon - the unreal beauty of Lake Como, the charming countryside town of Montelupo, the surprisingly tropical southern part of France and the picuresque buildings of Paris. But just as often, we remember other quirks from it too - that shady rental car agent in Paris, the sneakily expensive breakfast in Nice and the brazen gypsies in Rome.
We had a lot of unforgettable experiences on our honeymoon, but not all of them were scrapbook worthy. So I thought it'd be fun to revisit our honeymoon and cover a few tips we learned along the way.
Rental Car vs. Public transportation
Coming from America, having a rental car was something we assumed we would need for travelling around Europe. But if you think about Europe, it's smaller than the States and there is less distance between many large cities.
We encountered so much trouble because of our rental cars in France in Europe. Reservations were a hassle, followed by being told at pick-up that our promised vehicle was unavailable, the only option being to rent a more expensive BMW sedan. And then the morning we had to drop off our BMW in Nice. It was an intense half hour suitable for the television show "The Amazing Race". We had to find the hidden drop-off point in a city unfamiliar to us. It literally came down to the final minute before we would be charged for another day. Isaac ran ahead with the car keys and paperwork, while I trailed behind with our luggage calling "I'll find you, don't worry, just go!" after him.
I showed a picture of this lovely train station in Nice before. Although our train was delayed over half an hour, we didn't mind at all, having just completed our relay race to return that cursed rental car.
On board the train from France to Italy, with a full day of travelling ahead of us, I can only see relief in our faces, and for Isaac gratitude to have a break from driving.
After crossing into Italy, we got off the train at the Genoa station, which is so tiny that it had no staff or restrooms. After an hour of dragging our luggage down picturesque streets, boarding a bus with no tickets and meeting a friendly pedestrian, we made it to the pick-up point of our second rental car.
Besides the logistics of getting a rental car, don't forget about the trouble of driving in a foreign country. You need an international driver's license, which luckily Isaac had because of business trips. Signs and symbols can be unfamiliar, and traffic laws unknown. On the highways there are sensors and cameras which measure your speed and record your plates. Several months after returning from our honeymoon, a gift arrived in the mail from France in the form of a speeding ticket.
There were a few moments when having a rental car truly felt worth it though. That was when we stayed in remote, country areas with small roads and scarce public transit. Having a car in Lake Como and in the Tuscan countryside was a treat. We felt that wonderful sensation of being alone on the road, surrounded by so much unfamiliar beauty.
We did utilize public transportation as well - subways, trains and buses in Paris, Florence and Rome. Long distance trains were pleasant and city buses were crowded yet efficient. Paris and Rome's subway systems were old and grungy, as you might expect for cities of their age. But being a bit uncomfortable because of the grit of public transit is a lot easier to stomach than feeling the stress and burden of a rental car.
If we had not gotten a rental car, I wouldn't have experienced the excitement of riding along these tiny, winding streets, with colorful buildings and homes stacked together on the mountainside, sloping down towards Lake Como. But still, if at all possible, I think it's best to avoid the hassle of rental cars
Food
One of the best things about travelling to new places is trying out the food. Whether it's some foreign country, or just a different side of town, finding new restaurants must be one of our favorite hobbies.
We were able to eat many tasty local foods on our honeymoon. But it seems like there is a line you have to balance. Factors that can push you to one side or another are price, personal taste and mood. During our two weeks in Europe, we flipflopped on either side of the line. Two faux pas come to my mind quickly.
Our second night in Paris, we ate at a cute cafe on the street where we were staying. I ordered a tasty sounding salad, playing it safe and having previously learned that the French make incredible salads. Isaac impressed me by ordering something very French called fois gras. It just so happened my camera was out and ready when he received his dish, and I captured this telling gesture.
That is the Isaac thinking face - as his mind linked the dish with an unsavory memory. Fattened duck liver in spreadable form with crunchy bread. He ate a hearty portion of it as we googled about how fois gras is made and discussed what a repulsive concept it is.
We had been travelling for about a week when we ate dinner at a seafood restaurant in Como, Italy. I wanted to save a little money, and so decided to just order a side salad instead of a full fish entree. It was called a Sicilian salad, and when I googled it pictures of rainbow colored salads came up. What arrived in front of me was a dinner plate full of sliced tomatoes with pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette swirled across it. That was all. So I ate tomatoes for dinner. No basil, no cheese, no bread, just tomatoes. I guess I was so disappointed that I didn't feel like taking a picture that night.
After these experiences, Isaac and I learned the balance between enjoying local flavors, being reasonable and following our own tastes. So sometimes we skipped the Italian pastas and breads in exchange for what we were truly craving in the moment - McDonald's and Korean food in Florence, Chinese soups and stir-fry in Rome. These meals, which satisfied our cravings and provided a much needed break from bread and pasta, also saved us money, being significantly cheaper than the standard Italian food which must be ordered a la carte.
Planning vs. Meandering
When you're getting ready for a trip, there is always the matter of planning. Some people prefer to plan every moment, others float freely. We oscillated somewhere in between. If you are visiting somewhere famous, like Paris and Rome, it seems obvious that there are key attractions you've heard of or that others recommend to you. But similar to what we discovered with food, our schedule needed a healthy balance between local "must-sees" and relaxed wanderings.
I had a rough outline of ideas to explore in each place we stayed. Sometimes these sights ended up living up to the hype, other times they fell short. Paris museums were impressive and unforgettable, yet the palace of Versailles was disappointing. It is far from the downtown area, you must wait in a very long line before entering (even if you have a special pass like we did), and the insides are lackluster. Wandering in the gardens seemed nice, but on random days (like when we visited) you must pay additional admission which we weren't willing to do. I told Isaac that the Biltmore House (which ironically was modeled after French chateaus like this one) is way better and we'll have to visit there.
We did love that courtyard though. It felt like Alice in Wonderland with so many bright colors and unique patterns.
Our first coffee in Italy was at a picturesque cafe in Como. We admitted it didn't taste much different than a good latte elsewhere but enjoyed it nevertheless. This was an item in my mental to-do list. "Have espresso in Italy." Check.
A few days later, in the adorably quiet town of Montelupo, we stopped for refreshments at a small convenience store. Isaac got a popsicle shaped like a foot, and I got another latte. This moment was perfect, unplanned and just naturally occurring on a quiet afternoon sitting in plastic chairs at a plastic table. I think about it more often than that first planned coffee experience.
By the time we arrived in Rome, the last city of our trip, we had decided to trim down our list of must-sees and enjoy as much of our time away from the tourist crowds as possible. Taking a city bus to the Pantheon was a fun experience, and that temple was truly a spectacular sight. Wandering northeast through the small cobbled streets of Rome was just as fun, looking through small shops, stopping for tiramisu, our only objective being to reach the Villa Borghese Gardens. I shared about this place before, with its wondrous mature trees and sweeping views over the ancient city.
This park was not in any guidebook we skimmed or on any list of must-sees. Rather, we saw the large green colored area on google maps, about halfway between the Pantheon and our accommodations, and decided to check it out. This kind of spontaneous meandering and fun is often more enjoyable and fulfilling than an hourly schedule.
Sometimes when we are talking about our honeymoon, we do it in the form of questions. What was your favorite meal we ate in France? If you had to live in one of the places we visited, which would you pick? Usually our answers are different, but one topic we both agree upon is Lake Como. If had to boil our honeymoon down to one tip or suggestion, it would probably be "go to Lake Como."
I took this picture walking to our mailbox last weekend.
That's the apartment office and community center straight ahead. And the landscaping here isn't anything elaborate, but the fertile ground of the bluegrass region really makes it pop, which is why I randomly snapped this photo.
Reflecting over this past week, we are getting pretty settled in our new home. While living in South Korea, there was always an uncertain feeling since we did not know how long we would end up staying - a few months, a few years? Because of this mindset, I resisted buying many household items which make day to day life more comfortable. Things like forks and knives, drawers for clothing and the kind of decor stuff that seems to especially make wives happy - kitchen accessories, wall art, bed linens, lamps, rugs etc.
I don't mean to make it sound like we did without, for as my previous blogs show, that definitely was not the case. We just chose not to invest much into our home, and rather to enjoy the city around us more while we had the chance. But it did teach me a little about what is really a necessity and what are just comforts. No one actually needs a toaster.
Now that we have moved though, I realize the value of such little things even more. I already feel more comfortable in our apartment here than I ever did in Suwon. Part of it is the experience of moving in with Isaac and picking out things myself. Moving after our wedding was simple for me, Isaac had already lived there and bought the necessities. Coming to Louisville was my first true experience of having a fresh start - not living in my parent's house, or a dorm room, or Isaac's apartment where furniture and basics are already there waiting for me.
It's these kinds of small touches that make our apartment feel like home. The clock from Mimi and Uncle Mark's house, a painting from my Great Aunt Mary, doily from Mrs. Jones, duck set from my brother both on table from my sister, plate set from Isaac's Aunt and Uncle, displaying some of my old cameras and our books.
The birds still serenade us every day - raucous crows begging for bread, chirpy cardinals, a pair of mourning doves, cowbirds, bullying blue jays and some others whose names I don't know. And our west facing balcony is just right for a mini garden.
Our apartment is still not complete, which is why I'm sharing snippets but not full rooms. This time it is not because of any temporary feeling.
Last summer while tending to my potted wedding plants, I listened to an audiobook, the "Steve Jobs" biography by Walter Isaacson. One story about him that stuck out to me regarded buying furniture for his house. Jobs was kind of well known for his preference of living with just the bare essentials. There's even a famous picture of him that was in a 1982 Time magazine illustrating this. He didn't have much, but those things he did have were carefully chosen - I see an awesome lamp and a killer early '80s sound system.
(From from http://archive.fortune.com/galleries/2009/fortune/0911/gallery.steve_jobs_rare_photos.fortune/4.html )
After getting married and moving into a house with his wife, Jobs was faced with the daunting task of having to buy furniture. It was hard not because of money, but because of the weight he placed on picking the most perfectly designed specimens. His wife, Laurene Powell, was quoted speaking about their experience together. "We spoke about furniture in theory for eight years. We spent a lot of time asking ourselves, 'What is the purpose of a sofa?'"
I've always been indecisive, and lean on the side of saving rather than splurging. So when I first heard this story, I saw myself reflected in it a great deal. When I told Isaac about it, his response was concern, and then hope that I would not be as atypical as Steve Jobs. Yet I've done this on a small scale before, agonizing about a purchase for a long time before actually (or never) making it. Sometimes I compensate for my indecisiveness and perfectionism by seeking out items well in advance of when they are needed. During the years we dated, I slowly accrued things for our place - like a queen sized sheet set, two pillows, two rocking chairs and two matching mugs. For me, it's about finding a product with the perfect trinity of traits: high quality, low price and great design. If something has all three of these, I'll bite. Sometimes I fall for something if it's just really cute and/or has a face, but I'm working on that.
All of that about Jobs and being indecisive is just me trying to invoke sympathy for Isaac. Just joking. But since moving to Louisville, I am reminded of how well we balance each other out. In this respect, his practical nature ("Let's buy what we need to settle down comfortably") and my flighty nature ("But I think it's too expensive/cold feeling/ugly/wobbly/small) work well together. We bought a mattress two days after moving here, but will not buy a bed frame and other bedroom furniture until I find the perfect pieces. Between the two of us, we have a pretty practical and cozy nest here. There is still a good bit to be done before we are truly settled in, but for now, we sleep comfortably upon our nice mattress that lies on the floor.
Before moving to Kentucky, I mentioned that one of the only things I knew about the place is horses. That has proved true. Driving through the country you pass mansion-sized stables and horse pastures with polished fences that must cost a fortune. In the more populated areas like Louisville, even if there aren't breathing horses, there are countless different horse-themed decorations. Horse fountains, life-size horse statues, horsey things adorn nearly every public building or walkway here.
The affection and popularity makes sense, because fertile pastures and happy horses have made Kentucky famous, especially this time of year. Right now must be the most exciting week to be a Louisvillain (that's not a word, but I like the sound of it). The event that turns all eyes to this city, the Kentucky Derby, takes place next weekend, May 7.
What I didn't realize, is that if you live in Kentuckiana (that is a real word, the collective title for the areas in and around Louisville, part Kentucky and part Indiana), the Derby is about more than just that three minute race. There are three weeks of celebrations, the Derby being the grand finale of all the fun. The table behind us at a fast food restaurant, the workers at a cafe, everyone we encounter here is buzzing with excitement about these events.
Last weekend, Isaac and I caught the fever and attended one of the KDF's (Kentucky Derby Festival's) most popular public events: Thunder Over Louisville.
Taking place in the heart of Louisville, alongside the Ohio River, this event shuts down the bridges connecting Kentucky and Indiana, interstate exits that run through the city and many city streets. There are two main parts, and they are both about as rumbling, loud and patriotic as it gets: an air show and a fireworks show.
All afternoon there is the air show, with aircraft from all five branches of the military showing up and showing off trick maneuvers.
Most people bring lawn chairs, blankets and coolers and just camp out by the river all day. There are vendors and fair rides and all sorts of outlets for entertainment and money spending.
This picture to the right of some parachuters having fun was taken just at the beginning of the air show, at 3pm. Planes continued whizzing and rumbling by sporadically for the next 6.5 hours, until the fireworks began. Even when I took this first picture, there was quite a crowd gathered already.
In the final minutes before the fireworks show, blaring radios told us that there were an estimated 720,000 people in attendance.
We had many hours to kill, and no tailgating posse with lawn chairs to call home base. This was our first trip to downtown Louisville, and so we killed time by walking along the river and getting better acquainted with the city. Throughout the afternoon, there was a steady stream of people with blankets and children in tow heading towards the river. And the influx only thickened as the hours passed.
And so we wandered, turning our eyes towards the sky above the Ohio River whenever we heard a zipping, rumble or squeal. The fighter jets came and went way too quickly for me to snap a picture of. I was lucky just to catch a glimpse of them.
I was able to get a shot of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor (identification credit is 100% Isaac) because it has insane abilities like floating super slowly through the air. We were quite far away from the river when this one made its entrance (looking for a bathroom because I decided to boycot porta potties). It was a surprise to see this powerful plane lazily drifting across the sky, like a strong man slowly flexing his muscles. Its noise was thick, rumbling the air and ground around us, a uniquely different sound than the ripping screams of the other fighters.
We found a nice and useful souvenir too. Mixed in with the typical fried desserts and greasy meats on a stick was a stand selling just old fashioned sodas. We paid for this souvenir cup, and got free refills of root beer all day. I was rationing my liquid intake (see refusal to use porta potty statement above) but Isaac still refilled it three or four times total. When we got home, we measured how much this big mug will hold. Four cups comfortably, five to the brim. I think we got our money's worth of root beer and birch beer.
I've only ever had birch beer once before, with the Jones in Pennsylvania probably a decade ago. It tastes like candy cigarettes and root beer, a fantastic combination I think. I was excited to taste it again and share it with Isaac. "It's good, but too sweet" were his thoughts about it.
I guess it's no surprise that a car with a horse on it would be popular here. Ford has TWO assembly plants in Louisville, so of course they showed up with something special for this big event.
We escaped the madness by the river and ate dinner at a nice restaurant. It's wonderful to go into a busy restaurant with just a party of two. As soon as we fell onto one of the place's velvet couches to wait, our name was called. Throughout the afternoon and evening hours, we considered bailing out before the 9:30 fireworks. Beat traffic and just watch it online from the comfort of our new home. But we kept talking ourselves out of it. We found a cozy spot on the Great Lawn, a bluegrassy field next to the river, surrounded by others, to wait out the final hours. Even at 9:00 I tested the waters, asking "Are you sure we shouldn't just go now?"
But as the sun set, the atmosphere seemed to become charged. The speakers started booming out classics like Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" and Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" and everyone sang along. Well, at least most of the girls sang along to that second one. The moment felt so patriotic, and I smiled reminding myself that this was not the fourth of July, just some day in April for the rest of the country.
At last, fireworks.
Two identical barges are loaded down with fireworks, and so is one of the bridges across the Ohio River. The barges get into position, one on either side of the bridge. In these photos, one barge is directly in front of us, the fireworks bridge is to the left and the second barge is out of the picture even further left. The smoke drifted in that direction, perfect for our viewing, but probably choking some of the people along the river we passed earlier.
The show is 30 minutes long and boasts itself to be one of America's largest fireworks shows. It's hard to check this fact, since most big shows (and online rankings) are only for the fourth of July. In 2011 Isaac and I saw one of the biggest Independence Day shows together (Macy's in NYC) and this one felt just as spectacular. Half an hour is a long time for constant explosions in the sky.
I have to take a moment and acknowledge the wonderful soundtrack for the show. It wasn't the typical mashup of popular songs - mostly instrumentals featuring classics like In the Hall of the Mountain King, 1812 Overture, Mars, New World Symphony and the Star Wars Theme. There was a brief interlude where they played some pop numbers (Katy Perry's "Firework" of course) and it just seemed to bring the moment down a notch. But maybe I'm just being a music snob.
The grand finale of the show was so loud, bright and, well, thunderous that I lost my footing and stumbled backwards a step. This event is aptly named.
As soon as the fireworks were over, the crowds surged into the streets like it was the zombie apocalypse. It was pretty scary, everyone in a rush to get to their cars and "beat" traffic. We now know that such a thing is impossible. It took us 2.5 hours to drive the measly 11 miles back to our apartment. Next year, if we are feeling brave, we now have a master plan: reserve a parking spot, arrive a half hour before the fireworks, eat a late and lazy dinner afterwards. But it is hard to even think about that yet. Just enjoying the pictures and videos we took is nice, and sharing the best bits with you makes that long day and night even more worth it.
It was a decision that seemed to be made quickly, but not lightly. A week before my flight to America, Isaac received an email and we officially decided to come back home for good.
This decision bred excitement of course, but it also came with some hardship. In a short amount of time, we had to say goodbye to Isaac's father, our companions and the country where we made our newlywed nest. I went from packing for just a visit home to packing our lives away. In the end I had to leave most of the mess for Isaac to take care of by himself.
I tried to make that final week in Suwon, South Korea special. I narrowed down my sprawling list of "places to visit, things to do" to just one item: visit Suwon Hwaseong Fortress. For the past couple of months, out of our west facing windows, I've seen a mound of green rise up above the building tops. Looking on google maps, I found out that its name was Suwon Hwaseong Fortress. Built during the Joseon area, it's a UNESCO World Heritage site and is a little over 200 years old. In modern times, it's a beautiful park with scenic vistas, a lovely day date and a fitting farewell.
We took a long bus ride to the north end of the park and strolled our way along its outer wall, down well-trodden dirt paths and wide paved roads that meander through the fortress. What is most stunning is the mixture of old and new, of nature and city.
To the right is a peek through one of the many arrow slits in the outer wall of the fortress. When the land is pretty level the holes face out, other times they peer down the steep slope of a mountainside.
After walking through the park, we headed down this long chain of stairs to Paldalmun, one of the fortress' main entrances which is now the hub of an overwhelming array of markets and street vendors.
Paldalmun just looks like some traditional rooftops near the middle of the picture above, below you can see that it is the center of a busy roundabout.
The Paldalmun markets were just overwhelming. Small walkways, both sides cluttered with products, people all around pushing to get by and the occasional moped honking its way through it all. It didn't take long for the novelty to wear off. We considered ourselves lucky just to find our way clear of the market maze, blessed to gobble up a few desserts. Above Isaac is holding old fashioned hoddeok, which has a sweet filling with all sorts of seeds and nuts squished inside of fried dough.
At the base of all of those stairs, we found a calm, charming street to eat lunch on and rest our feet. Then we tromped up the stone stairmaster to explore the park some more. We were rewarded with an even wider view of Suwon.
I have to make the picture below huge so that you can enjoy it. If you look closely, you can trace the outer walls of the fortress amidst the rooftops. On the left side it's marked by a line of grass and trees breaking up the buildings. The far side traces along that dark clump of trees out near the horizon. Look for similar signs as your eyes scroll right and you can create its basic outline. This old fortress of kings is now home to a sprawling city that expands far beyond its stone walls.
Our house cannot be seen, but we did locate the other side of two tall buildings (near the right edge of this picture) which stand between us and the fortress.
I liked this place so much, I decided to return for a visit during the week by myself. It has a certain majesty about it that called me back. I retraced the path Isaac and I walked a few days before, but also explored other trails, like one that outlines the fortress walls.
I walked down that almost endless staircase again, and turned left onto the first street at the bottom. It's the same small road where we ate lunch before, an area known for its hip atmosphere and street art. Since Isaac and I had visited on Sunday, most of its shops had been closed.
This time the shops were open, each one the home and working place of artisans. I wandered along the street, into and out of the small stores usually containing just one person, shelves and walls covered with their creations.
I talked with a potter, two jewelry makers and a carpenter. Carrying on these conversations in Korean made me feel proud of my many solitary hours of studying over the past months.
Exploring this area and talking with friendly strangers who love to create was bittersweet. Just when I finally became confident and able, at last getting a grip on this foreign language and thinking of this place at home, it was all coming to an end.
The shop to the right was my last stop before heading home. It is called "namu ahjussi", which means something like Mr. Tree or wood man. Inside was a gentle man wearing a worn work apron, his fingers were stained and rough. He invited me to sit down and have a cup of tea while he finished something.
It was a gift. A simple wooden charm he painted with one wide stroke of wood stain for each side. With a black sharpie he wrote 잘 될거야, then using a thin leather strip he tied it onto my purse.
It was a small gesture, probably one that he's done for countless tourists like me. But it was so perfect, so serendipitous.
잘 될거야 means "it will go well" or "it's going to be okay". And during the half hour bus ride home, and the days that followed full of lasts and farewells, I held onto that little piece of wood, rereading its words and knowing that it was true. And it has proven outstandingly, wonderfully to be true.
Our biggest find thus far is yet another green blob I noticed on a map - the Parklands of Floyds Fork. It's a beautiful collection of parks that cushion a winding river (Floyds Fork). The parks have baseball and soccer fields, access points to drop in kayaks, small meandering footpaths and one long, paved trail that runs the park's entire length. I'm not sure how long the whole park is, but there's incremental signs measuring the distance (both by foot and by boat for path and river-goers) and the part we visited was mile 60-something.
