Travel Less – Page 5 – Budget Bliss: Bucket List

Dancing with Wolves

Published on July 13, 2024June 15, 2024 by BudgetBlissLeave a comment

We humans seem to have a love-hate relationship with wolves. In fairy tales and folklore, wolves are often seen as evil. It was after all the big, bad wolf that ate Little Red Riding Hood and blew down the houses of the three little pigs. Two wolves will herald the apocalypse in Norse Mythology. They were hunted to almost extinction because of their “threat” to farmers and people. Up until more recent times when every supernatural being got a sexy makeover, werewolves were considered hideous monsters.

Yet, we know that man’s best friend came from a wolf or shared a common ancestor to the wolf. There are also folktales and myths of good wolves. The founders of Rome were raised by a she-wolf. In Egypt, it was a wolf that separated the heavens and the earth and protected the pharaoh and his army. The Wolf-Kamey of Japan protects people from disease and other disasters. Wolves are totem animals, spirit guides and more.

Though to be honest many of the apex predators enjoy a similar treatment, bears, tigers, lions and crocodiles to name a few. Most of these are both revered and feared subjected to various treatments depending on the prevailing thought of the day. Unfortunately, for many of these creatures the previous thought was destruction and in some areas continues to be. Wolves have spent many years on the endangered species list with many of them disappearing from areas they had previously reigned for thousands of years occupying only 10% of their previous range. Their return to places like Yellowstone were hailed across the nation as a huge win for conservation efforts. Their return actually demonstrated how critical they are to other species as their arrival helped support plant life, birds, and other mammals. There is no substitute for an ecosystem’s apex predator.

One of the larger packs at the sanctuary

With education public support has slowly grown over the years for wolves and with that support people’s love of them. Unfortunately, this has led to some negative consequences for some individual wolves. For some insane, unbeknownst reason, people think that they should keep wolves as pets. They also think that for things like tigers, but I digress. Wild animals are wild animals and are not like your dog. Sadly, this means that they are often mishandled and ill treated. However, because of their intense interaction with humans this also means they are unsuitable to return to the wild.

This is where the PA Wolf Sanctuary comes in. For over 40 years, they have provided a home for wolves and wolf-dog hybrids where these beautiful creatures can live out their days in an environment suited to their needs with people who understand and can properly care for them. In order to support the care of their over 50 wolves, they offer educational tours where you can get close to the wolves, hear their stories and learn about these amazing animals.

I first visited the sanctuary in college with my now ex-boyfriend. The tour was a small intimate affair of only a handful of people. This allowed us to linger near the wolves and really take them in. It’s hard to describe these majestic creatures in words. They are clearly very intelligent and inquisitive. They watch you with a certain intensity with eyes ranging in color from golden yellow to deep amber. The pack moves together with grace and purpose. You find yourself holding your breath as you take them in and then, the spell is broken and they remind you that they can be big, lovable goofs.

My sister and I embarking on an early November excursion to see the wolves in their glory!

Your face cracks into a smile and then a delighted laugh at their antics as they play with one another. You watch them splay out their front paws, their faces low to the ground in the universal “play bow”, much like your own dog at home. They wrestle and chase one another with the elders nearby to supervise.

The juxtaposition of their graceful, majestic selves and clown hints at their complex personalities and individuality. They become more than just a “wolf” they become Freya, Odin, Scandal, Kodie and Rumor. You fall in love with them as you hear their stories and you connect with them through the fence. Spending time with them is truly an honor and you leave even more committed to their preservation because it’s not just about fighting to save the “wolves” but wolves like Violet, Fenrir and Vivian Laurel of the Serenity Pack. They are truly ambassadors of their species.

I had the pleasure of visiting again years later with my sister during one of their full moon fundraisers. What I hadn’t expected was the sheer explosion of popularity in the interim of my first full moon tour and my much more recent tour. What had been a small affair of perhaps a dozen people had exploded to be hundreds. The place was absolutely packed with people and cars. I was understandably a little disappointed by the large crowd. When one is expecting a quiet evening, it can be a bit shocking.

However, it is important to adjust one’s expectations when confronted with reality and not allow such things to ruin your fun. There are times when the unexpected can truly make an experience extraordinary. This was not the case this time, but we got to see the wolves at a time of day when they are most active. In being mindful to be flexible and maneuverable with regards to our expectations, we were still able to have a wonderful evening.

Some of them came really close to visit us, you could almost forget they’re wild animals

How can you visit wolves?

There are not many dedicated wolf only sanctuaries throughout the country, but there are plenty of zoos and other wildlife encounters that feature them. The biggest drawback to this option will of course be the lack of dedicated guides for the wolves that you see and of course seeing fewer of them. However, you can still get up close to these beautiful animals and learn about their species. Check the calendar to see if there are any dedicated programs for wolves specifically at your local zoo or other wildlife encounters. As with any activity involving animals, it is important to do research into the entity beforehand to ensure you aren’t unintentionally contributing to animal abuse. The Wolf Sanctuary is a well respected institution and known for its extraordinary care of the wolves.

Completed: 2007

Miles from home: 8.2

Cost: Guided tour $25/Private tour $45

Some suggestions for Wolf Sanctuaries throughout the United States:

Apex Protection Project in California

Wolf Mountain Sanctuary California

Seacrest Wolf Preserve Florida

Wolf Creek Habitat Indiana

Predators of the Heart Washington

Howling Acres Wolf Spirit Arkansas

W.O.L.F. Sanctuary Colorado

Run With Wolves Maine

Endangered Wolf Center Missouri

Howling Woods Farm New Jersey

My Pack of Wolves Ohio

Saint Frances Wolf Sanctuary Texas

Stay Local: Buy Local

Published on July 2, 2024June 11, 2024 by BudgetBlissLeave a comment

There is a movement of staying local and buying local. The idea is based on a simple economic principle that if you want to have a strong local community you need to keep your money in that community. If I go and buy a hand thrown piece of pottery from the local gallery and pay $30 bucks for it, that is $5 dollars to the owner of the gallery and $25 to a local artist. That they can then take to the local grocery story and if they buy locally grown produce that’s $30 to a local farmer who can then go and buy their goods at the gallery or perhaps purchase a service I’m offering. Not to mention that each time that money is spent, there is a small tax paid to the local and state government. Taxes which are spent on public goods that you use everyday. When money stays local it benefits the whole community which benefits you.

Now if I go onto etsy and order the same mug for $30, well first less money to the artist because $5 for the shipping and handling, plus the cost of the box and shipping materials, then etsy gets its cut and so we’ll say $20 goes to the artist. Well now that $20 is in his community and he’s paying his local farmers for their local produce, etc. So you’ve benefited their community and not yours. So if given the choice between spending $30 for a locally produced item or $30 on an item not from here, I’m going to choose my local producer.

The same can be said of travel. There is a reason why so much is invested in tourism. Tourism is a huge industry that attracts tons of outside money into your local community. States spend thousands on advertising to people not living nearby to come to where you live.? I remember the story my 8th grade history teacher told of some tourists that had come to my area. He asked them semi-perplexed “why would you come here?” They said their choice for their family was between Amish Country and Disney World. Amish Country won out. My whole class was flabbergasted, who one earth would want to come here of all places? The answer is a lot of people. No matter where you live, there are people who are paying lots of money to go there or at least to a place nearby. They are bringing a lot of money into your local area and not putting it into their local economy.

Which begs the question if people are paying lots of money to come to your area and are supporting local businesses while doing it, shouldn’t you check it out too? After all, they’re paying a lot of money to come there, maybe your town isn’t as boring as you think. Shouldn’t you consider keeping your money in the local community? I’ve already outlined why keeping your money in your local area is so important. Your own leaders wouldn’t spend so much money trying to get more money into the economy if it wasn’t important.

One other thing to consider is that by encouraging locals to enjoy these venues and events it keeps a certain amount of leverage with the tourism industry. I’ve written about overtourism. Often calls to curb tourism by locals fall upon deaf ears as the response by politicians is typically something about the local community being reliant upon these tourists. However, if the local population are the ones going to these areas then they can say “actually, we’re huge supporters so we don’t need these tourists”.

This is just one of the many reasons I choose to travel less. I am keeping my community strong all while living richly. It turns out being a budget bucket lister is good for my wallet and my neighbor’s.

Escape Room

Published on June 29, 2024May 27, 2024 by BudgetBlissLeave a comment

The clock was ticking and every moment counted down to either our escape or doom. Even if we managed to beat one clock, another was also ticking, an uncertain one because just as quickly as we were solving the puzzles, so was the other just through the bars. If we could just solve the puzzle we would win! Her fingers trembled with excitement as realization struck and my sister’s friend exclaimed “I got it!” We were off! But so was the other team. Knowledge that they were as close as we were semi-scattered our members for a brief second before order could be restored, but it was the delay that would cost us. As we tried to get our final pieces in place, we heard their yells of elation. We were too late, by mere seconds. We did complete the puzzle, we were not about to simply throw in the towel completely, but the sting of defeat was still there. We looked over at the other team, well played sirs and madams, well played.

In 2007, the first escape room was launched by Takao Kato in Kyoto Japan. A fan of manga and in the publishing business, he told the Japan Times “I wondered why interesting things didn’t happen in my life, like they did in books. I thought I could create my own adventure, a story, and then invite people to be a part of it. The world certainly accepted such an invitation as the concept of “escape rooms” swept nation after nation. Ironically bringing everything full circle as it can trace its roots back through “escape the room” video games, adventure game shows on television, which spawned from D’n’D where you can be the protagonist of your own adventure, which is exactly the appeal.

For me my love of puzzle adventure comes from the now classic video game of Myst. My siblings and I spent hours going through the game, sharing notes and progress, taking turns trying to solve the puzzles. I still enjoy puzzle games on the computer, but an escape room allows you to really feel and experience the story in a different way because of course you’re in the actual environment interacting with the physical objects. I’m not necessarily a fan of having a timer, since it means I can’t be as reflective as I can be in the video game. I happen to enjoy just exploring an environment, taking in the physical artifacts of a civilization as a semi-anthropologist. Do I care that the civilization doesn’t actually exist and is only a game? No, but I shalln’t digress too much. However, most escape rooms aren’t set in exotic alien civilizations so I needn’t worry about having my contemplations being overly rushed.

Escape rooms allow you to be “in” the story, solve the crime, stop the villain, rescue the princess and all do it before needing to be home for supper. For a brief time, the outside world stops existing and you can live out the fantasy of being the hero. They are often done in small groups which means you can bring your friends along for the ride. Some you can even pit your friends against each other as I did. Others are purely cooperative. It’s a chance to get away from screens and enjoy something different. Some of the puzzles are easy, others quite fiendish and you can select the level of difficulty based on where you want to go . There are leaderboards in some places where the fastest teams to complete a given puzzle are showcased.

For me, I joined my sister and her group of friends for a dueling escape room. The theme was the old west where a group of convicts were trying to escape the jail. We started off “tied up” with ropes that we had to “undo” by way of a rope maze and then we were off. Trying to open safes, collect clues, decipher scripts and even throw balls to try and knock down clues that were trapped on the other side of the bars. Each side had to solve puzzles, racing each other to the finish. At one point we were forced to work together despite the competitive nature of both teams. Neither team made use of the control room for hints instead spying to steal from one another.

Either way, completing it was a fun mental exercise of trying to think fast under pressure, learning how to quickly work together as a team and allowing different people to play up their strengths. I was not the person to throw the balls at the cards to knock the clues down so we could see. However, I’m a natural leader so there were times when I jumped in to give direction to help divide up the tasks. Nothing quite like being thrown in the middle of an adventure with a new group of people that you have to learn to work with quickly!

So if you think you might want to join your friends for a semi-real life mystery adventure, an escape room may be for you.

How can you complete your own escape room?

The cool thing about escape rooms is they come in many shapes and sizes. You can even order smaller versions online to do at your home which I did in the middle of the pandemic. It’s not quite as immersive as an actual room, but it was still quite enjoyable. If you want something that is in between an escape room and a boxed version, you could do as my sister’s friend Joanne does and make your own puzzle game for your friends.

My sister and her team solving the mystery of who broke into the backerey!

Every few months, she invites a group over to her home and introduces them to a mystery that has to be solved or a race that has to be completed. She hides clues around the house along with various puzzles that we have to use those clues to solve. We usually compete in teams for prizes, but we always have a good time working together and unveiling the answers. One doesn’t need a large room, filled with stuff to create an escape room or a lot of money to make one. It can be just as fun or more so to create it for your friends and have them create one for you. Take turns, start a yearly tradition of hosting a party. Bucket list experiences are all well and good, but cultivating close personal friendships through shared activities that everyone can enjoy is even better!

Completed: 2019

Miles from home: 33

Cost: $125 for 8 people (about $16 per person) / For an at home party, you will most likely spend about $50 – $100 on various materials for a group of 12 – 16 people.

Butterfly Garden

Published on June 15, 2024May 25, 2024 by BudgetBlissLeave a comment

Is there any other insect quite as magical as a butterfly? They have fascinated humans for centuries. The word psyche which is another word for the soul is derived from the Greek root for butterfly or night moth. They show up in myths and folklore throughout the world. They represent love, transformation, resurrection, triumph, endurance, immortality and ephemerality across various cultures and times. We are endlessly enthralled by them. They show up in art, literature, poetry and even political campaigns. For such small creatures, they take up a lot of space in the human world. They are vital pollinators and essential to our ecosystems.

For all their beauty, they begin as a sort of worm-like creature which actually dissolves itself inside its chrysalis to transform. It is not that a caterpillar grows wings, it becomes complete mush to become something else. Much like how a wildfire clears out old growth to make way for new, the complete and utter destruction of the caterpillar is the only way to transform into a butterfly.

They are in some sense living jewels. Their brilliant hues run the full gambit of the rainbow and even contain colors we will never see as their wings also contain patterns of ultraviolet light. Their wings are unique in that the simmering colors we see are produced by both pigments on the wings themselves and structural color. Structural color is produced by how the light hits the wings themselves causing the color to seem to shift and change suddenly, giving the wings the characteristic iridescence. The wavelengths of light are amplified through layers of the butterfly’s wings.

Entering the Butterfly Atrium at the Hershey Gardens is to be transported to a tropical paradise where hundreds of butterflies take flight. Visitors are delighted by rare species from South and Central America, Asia and Africa. One strolls through the winding path among the plants imported from far off places to be enchanted by the dancing jewels shimmering in the air. They are enticed to come closer with trays of hanging fruit which they gather around as a never ending feast. Sometimes they will even land on you. The delight at seeing them float effortlessly through the air is unmatched. They swarm together elegantly in a mesmerizing waltz. It is as if you had fallen through a portal to a magical realm and you half expect to be greeted by a member of the fair folk. Perhaps, one should pack a pinch of salt just to be safe when visiting such places and be mindful not to share your name with strangers.

The garden is not only for mere enjoyment, there is an educational piece as well where one can see the life cycle of the butterfly and see the various stages of their lives. Additionally, it houses other displays of animals such as frogs and spiders. Do not worry, the only creature that roams free is the butterfly!

My own visit was an extension of an employee appreciation day by a previous employer. I suppose it was an apt gift to a group of social workers who needed an afternoon of self-care. We all left feeling rejuvenated from the experience. Each person’s face transformed the moment they walked through to the butterflies. The outside world melted away, stress and worries disappeared for just a small window of time. It certainly begs the question, dear reader, though the butterfly be a common creature, is it not truly magical?

These beautiful ladies that I worked with!

How you can visit a butterfly garden

This one may require you to venture a bit further afield depending on where you are. At the time of this writing, Hershey Butterfly Atrium is one of only 25 indoor butterfly gardens in the country but there are other options for watching butterflies take flight. In my research, I stumbled upon a website that listed out various options here: https://butterflywebsite.com/GARDENS/butterfly-gardens-exhibits-displays-houses-usa.cfm

Completed: 2022

Miles from home: 30 miles

Cost: Free for me, but regular tickets are $16.50

I left a shortened compiling of the list below in case the website link no longer works. You will note that only 35 of our 50 states have either butterfly gardens or displays. I do hope that those who are in states not listed below are able to find something nearby. I recommend googling and seeing if there is anything closer, or perhaps you are lucky to be in a state where the butterfly migrations occur. Perhaps, it will simply be something to keep in mind when you do travel.

Alabama

Huntsville Botanical Garden – Purdy Butterfly House

Arizona

Butterfly Wonderland

Tucson Botanical Gardens

California

Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County – Butterfly Pavilion

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

Turtle Bay Exploration Park

Butterfly Farms

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Water Conservation Garden

Colorado

Butterfly Pavilion

Western Colorado Botanical Gardens

Delaware

Ashland Nature Center Butterfly House

District of Columbia

Smithsonian Butterfly Garden

Florida

Arnold’s Butterfly Haven

Butterfly World

Caribbean Gardens, the Zoo in Naples

Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Florida Museum of Natural History – Butterfly Rainforest

Lukas Butterfly Encounter

Panhandle Butterfly House

The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory

Georgia

Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail in Plains

The Day Butterfly Center

Hawaii

Foster Botanical Garden Butterfly Habitat

Illinois

Brookfield Zoo – Chicago Zoological Society

Peck Farm Butterfly House

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Indiana

Indianapolis Zoo

Iowa

Reiman Gardens

Kansas

Botanica Gardens

Kansas State University Gardens

Kentucky

Louisville Zoo

Louisiana

Audubon Nature Institute Insectarium & Butterfly Garden

Maryland

Brookside Gardens Conservatory

Ladew Gardens

Massachusetts

Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory and Gardens

Museum of Science Butterfly Garden

The Butterfly Place

Michigan

Detroit Zoological Society

Dow Gardens

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Horticultural Gardens and Butterfly House

John Ball Zoological Garden

Mackinac Island Butterfly House

Wings of Mackinac Butterfly Conservatory

Minnesota

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory

Missouri

Saint Louis Zoo

Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House

The Butterfly Palace & Rainforest Adventure

Nebraska

Lincoln Children’s Zoo – Laura’s Butterfly Pavilion

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo

New Jersey

Camden Childrens Garden

Kate Gorrie Memorial Butterfly House

New York

Breck Chapin Memorial Native Species Butterfly House

Butterfly Garden

Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden

Sweetbriar Nature Center Butterfly House

North Carolina

Airlie Gardens

Museum of Life and Science – Magic Wings Butterfly House

Ohio

Butterfly House at Wheeler Farms

Butterfly Museum at Perry’s Cave

Cleveland Botanical Garden

Cox Arboretum MetroPark

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Garden

.Krohn Conservatory

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City Zoo Butterfly Garden

Tulsa Zoo’s Wings of Wonder

Honor Heights Park Butterfly House and Gardens

Oregon

Elkton Community Education Center

Pennsylvania

Churchville Nature Center

Philadelphia Zoo

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

The Butterfly Atrium at Hershey Gardens

Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary

South Carolina

Coastal Discovery Museum Butterfly House

Cypress Gardens

Roper Mountain Science Center Butterfly Garden

South Dakota

Sertoma Butterfly House & Marine Cove

Tennessee

Butterflies: In Living Color at the Memphis Zoo

Tennessee Aquarium

Texas

Cockrell Butterfly Center

Heard Museum and wildlife sanctuary

NABA National Butterfly Center

River Bend Nature Center

San Antonio Zoo

Texas Discovery Gardens

South Texas Botanical Gardens

Virginia

Bristow Butterfly Garden

Butterfly Station and Garden

Flying Flowers at Beagle Ridge

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Washington

Tropical Butterfly House at Pacific Science Center

Woodland Park Zoo

Wisconsin

Beaver Creek Reserve

Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin

Happy Tonics, Inc.

Art Gallery Opening

Published on June 7, 2024June 15, 2024 by BudgetBlissLeave a comment

It was a beautiful day in late June, one of those rare, comfortable mid-summer days. The ones where the humidity is low and a cool light breeze blows through the air. After driving about twenty minutes to Intercourse, Pennsylvania through rolling farmlands, I arrived to what might at first seem a rather curious sight. Nestled among the shops peddling Amish made goods, quilts and antiques, an art gallery was hosting its grand opening. Curious indeed – but only to those not in the know about Lancaster’s not so secret art scene. I eagerly stepped into the gallery certain of what I would find.

A few minutest later, the sound of a violin and cello serenaded me as I sipped on a chilled glass of rose and took in the latest collection of art by Freiman Stoltzfus – personal friend and brilliant artist. A small crowd meandered inside speaking in hushed tones to one another excitedly. I caught snippets of conversation as I pursued almost as intrigued by those around me as the art itself. Who doesn’t love people watching? By all accounts, they were as enamored by the art as I was, but of course, his work was resplendent, as always.

Naturally, I wanted to gush at him for a job well done one his second gallery, but one does not take up too much of an artist’s time on an evening like this. A gallery opening is not the time for catching up and conversing with the artist, but a time for him to mix and mingle with the crowd to sell his art. Manners dictated that I give him a polite hello, a brief congratulations and then space to do his job. An intimate dinner at a later time would be more than sufficient to catch up.

Others mingled nearby, appreciating his use of color in combination with that subtle geometry of nature so prevalent in his works. Somehow his pieces manage to convey movement as well as sound, one can almost hear the pieces of Bach and Vivaldi when looking at them. His juxtaposition of nature and architecture transforms groves of trees into churches and flowers into stained glass windows. Many of his pieces harken back to his Amish roots and feature quilt patterns, pastures, fields and orchards.

I am always dazzled by the re-imagine of the themes that frequent his work. While he may often feature flowers or music, each time a different rendering or another motif has been added to the repertoire. As of this writing, his most recent motif has been Japanese, as he spent about a month visiting a friend in Japan. It is most reminiscent of Van Gogh’s own post-Japan phase. Who can blame either artist for being so enchanted by a country who created an entire profession dedicated to being a living work of art, the geisha?

When one pictures a gallery opening, perhaps you see in your mind’s eye wealthy men and women milling around in a stark white room, sipping wine as they pretentiously critique the art that adorns the walls. Their oblique vocabulary and near incomprehensible assessment of the pieces in question may lead you to believe that such a place would not be for you. I assure you dear reader that art is indeed for everyone. After all, even the Neanderthals made art! The need and desire to create is embedded in our DNA! I am not recommending we jet off to New York City to attend some opening where an artist has squiggled across the page as some sort of obtuse commentary on the state of the world or art or some other thing.

Don’t get me wrong, while I am not an aficionado of the art world and certainly not contemporary or modern or postmodern or whatever we’re calling current art these days, I can appreciate art as a commentary piece. I just object to having to read an entire essay in order to understand a work – at that point, you probably could have skipped the art and gone to the essay, but to each their own! Although, one could make an argument that the piece itself conveys emotions that an essay cannot. I shall halt in my musing less this become its own essay on modern art and its merits. I shall leave you to your own musings, gentle reader.

This post is for those of us who want to appreciate a more accessible, down to earth art. Few people are going to look at a Renaissance, Neo-classical or Pre-Raphaelite painting and scratch their heads going “I don’t get it”. They at least can identify the subject matter even if they might not fully understand what the artist was trying to convey, the culture surrounding its creation and the values of that culture to influence the work. These however are a good 200 – 400 years old in terms of styles and one may be forgiven thinking the only art being produced these days are bananas taped to walls. However, there are many artists who paint in the older styles with a modern flare. Not every artist is a pretentious snob deriding the masses for simply not “getting” their art and walling art off as some sort of exclusive club. Most, if not all, really are producing art for everyone. They want their pieces to be appreciated by the most unsophisticated child to the greatest art critics of our time. They range from the bright playful colors of Brito, to the surrealist fantasies of Nam Das, to the impressionist Slava Ilyayev and beyond.

There are many places in the various towns and cities across America where these artists gather either to sell together as a collaborative effort or in their own small galleries. Some blend art and craft together in an almost seamless line where you can’t quite decide where craft becomes art. I suppose the easiest is that crafts tend to have a practical purpose whereas art simply exists for beauty’s sake. I recommend going and checking out the local artists. I especially love speaking with them, learning about their passion, hearing why they tend to pick certain subjects or colors. Go and check them out, see which artist speaks to you and then lend them your support!

Whether you attend a gallery opening or not, do take time to look at art. You will find your spirit enriched by the experience. Art connects us, communicates with us in a way words cannot, what we see reflected in art is also a reflection of ourselves. Art is creation and destruction. Art reaches across boundaries. Art can propel movements and shake empires. Art can also be a simple thing like a deep breath after a long day of work or a cool glass of water on a hot day. But whatever art is, it is for everyone.

One his his many cartography inspired pieces

How can you go to an art gallery or exhibition opening?

It’s simple! Find your local art community and watch out for events. You may find your local university frequently displays artists or even one night events at your library. You may be surprised at the talent you see displayed or that your local artist is actually world renowned! Some may be a bit more humble on both counts, but that wasn’t really the point.

Completed: July 2021

Miles from home: 15 miles

Cost: Free to go (most openings are)

Art Cost: You most likely will not be able to purchase the art at an opening because let’s face it, we’re budget bucket listers and having 3 grand to drop on even a modest painting is not something we can do. However, many artists have alternatives such as giclées and prints. Freiman usually has a small collection of 6×6 paintings for $125 to help make his art accessible to those who want original art without the large price tag.

Mindful Planning and Managing Expectations

Published on June 4, 2024June 22, 2024 by BudgetBlissLeave a comment

How many times have we spent weeks building in anticipation of an event, imagining it so vividly we could almost think ourselves already there only to have the reality fall far short of the expectation upon the moment of arrival? I am convinced that’s why the holiday season is so stressful and the epicenter of many an emotional breakdown. The “magic” of the season and the pressure for it to live up to that impossible ideal is enough to lead anyone down the dark path of overindulgence to cope.

The same disappointment in the reality of an event has happened to many a bucket list seeker. In another post, I discuss the dangers of over-tourism and the case for staying home. One of my main points in that post was that over-tourism prevents us from being able to fully experience our desired activity as we confront crowds and limited time to see or do the activity we set out to enjoy. Which is why there have been many times when I have found I enjoyed the activities closer to home than the ones farther afield. This is where the practice of being mindful and honest with ourselves comes into play.

We should understand what we’re really desiring to gain out of a given activity prior to doing it and manage our expectations. It also allows us to zero in on the thing that is important to us. If going to a lantern festival and seeing the lanterns rise to the sky is the entire reason for going, then ensure that you have positioned yourself in a spot to watch the lanterns rise. Perhaps be willing to forgo releasing a lantern of your own. You won’t want to ruin the experience by standing in line waiting endlessly to release your lantern and miss the wonder of the moment of them all rising or be willing to be among the last participants to release it as you spend your time waiting simply watching rather than standing in line. This means you will no doubt be caught in the traffic afterwards, stressed as you try to navigate your way through throngs of people back to your car and spend a good bit of time winding your way slowly back to the main road. There are prices to be paid for the things we wish to do in addition to mere money spent.

My sister and I much more enjoy the experience of watching the lanterns rise than releasing them and would rather drive out to a spot nearby to watch them all rise and float to the sky away from the crowd than attend such an event. Not that we did not enjoy the act of releasing them, only that it was more fun to watch which means when we are considering attending various events we may choose to simply be spectators rather than participants. This is often a much cheaper and less time constrained option which suits the budget part of this bucket list quite well!

Understanding the constraints on a given activity is helpful in planning for it so that it can be fun rather than stressful and something to be remembered fondly rather than a moment ruined. Understanding what you really want out of something can help you manage those constraints and focus on protecting what you want to protect. Going kayaking on the Susquehanna River is a bucket list item for me in order to see the petroglyphs that are on a small rocky island in the middle of the river. Kayaking is also something that I want to do, but my focus is the petroglyphs. Any other activity that I may engage in around a small trip to the Harrisburg area is secondary to the petroglyphs. If the day comes and I’ve made plans to eat at a restaurant prior to the kayaking and traffic impedes my ability to get there in time, well then I shall simply go to a grocery store and grab something to go instead of going to the restaurant. Yes, my experience would be much improved by enjoying a delightful meal prior to going, but the trip wasn’t about the meal, it was about the petroglyphs. This may seem like something obvious but you would be surprised how easy it is to get caught up in things that don’t matter.

It is also important to be mindful during the experience itself. The first step of course is to put the damn phone down and actually engage with the thing you are trying to engage with. I love photography as much as the next person, perhaps more so since I was motivated enough to take a photography course in college. However, if you spent your entire time lining up shots and taking pictures your only memories will be of holding your phone and taking pictures. The magic of the moment is robbed. Sure you have some snazzy things to put on your social media but as I have noted before the dopamine rush from those likes are fleeting and only cheapen the whole experience. Remember this isn’t about checking off boxes on a to do list, this is about living joyfully in the moment!

I have very few pictures of ice skating with my sister for the first time. I have maybe five, but those are enough to help trigger the many memories I stored up that day. I remember the slow learning of how to move on the ice, clinging to the side for dear life, my stomach in knots every time I slipped and then the thrill of finally letting go of the sides and skating on my own, the triumph of the moment. I remember how it was a very small crowd of people on the ice that morning being the end of the season and how all of us didn’t know how to skate; how we cheered each other on even though we were perfect strangers, how we celebrated each other’s victories and how proud we all were of one another. If we had all been worried about our social media pages, we wouldn’t have made that real human connection. By building some walls around the activity with regards to the barriers that come between you and actually enjoying what you’re doing.

It is equally important to make sure things are clearly communicated among those who are going with you. If say you are making a day trip to D.C. and for you the priority is seeing the copy of the Magna Carta under dom of congress and your friend’s priority is seeing the neanderthal skeleton by all means don’t waste most of your day flitting about the National Air and Space Museum. It is important for both of you to clearly communicate your priorities and goals so that there are no hard feelings. If things like weather or traffic or national emergencies prevent you from doing all of your plans, you both know which things to cut out. The same can be said of any time constraints. It is not enough to say “would you like to go to this general area and here all the things we can do” and agree to the itinerary, as it is likely to need to be adjusted or changed. It also prevents those awkward moments where the party must split in order for both people or persons to get what they want.

If you agree ahead of time (and with the power of cellphones to easily stay in touch) that should time prevent you from sticking together you are agreed to split. However, that is also the time for a person to object and say “it is actually quite important to me that you experience this with me so that we can have a shared experience to reflect on later”. Time spent together is after all a love language for many people. Be mindful not to judge the other person for their strong desire or what is truly important to them.

Again, reflecting ahead of time and communication is key. It’s all about having clear boundaries and realistic expectations. You may find that these ideas are so effective with your bucket list, you start applying them to the holiday season as well and discover the magic is still there!

Being a Tourist in Your Own Backyard

Published on May 29, 2024June 22, 2024 by BudgetBlissLeave a comment

It may seem at first a bit strange to consider being a tourist in your own town. It is, after all statistically speaking, boring as most of those reading are not luckily enough to live in those more exciting areas and I am certain that even the epicenters of culture become mundane and dull. The denizens of Paris are most likely quite sick to death of the art in the Louvre, the towering cathedrals and intimate cafes. Perhaps, they dream of the snow capped Rockies and Yellowstone National Park or perhaps, tropical beaches of the caribbean. It is after all human nature to long for the very things we don’t have and abjure the things we do.

You might wonder what you could possibly do that you have not already done or seen what you have not already seen. I am here to encourage you to look again and to pay attention. As I have mentioned in another post, I had the privilege of seeing several bucket list items: a Russian Ballet, King Tut and the treasures of the Tsars. Those things were only made possible because I or someone I knew was paying attention to what was going on in the local area. This means you must first become aware of the museums and theaters in your area and check their websites regularly for visiting exhibitions and shows.

Luckily, we live in the age of the internet and knowledge is but a few searches and clicks away. I like to start out by looking at my area’s tourism page and their events calendar. I have been surprised by what actually is around my area that I had no idea existed like the “catacombs” of the local brewery with their ghost hunting or the annual hot air balloon festival. I looked at the website “Only In Your State” and discovered all sorts of interesting places only a few hours away like dog sledding in the winter or lavender fields in the spring. It looks like I don’t need to travel to Alaska or France after all! There’s even indoor sky-diving just 45 minutes from me! I also semi-religiously check Facebook events calendar which is how I discovered that 3 hours away there is a winery where I could stomp grapes, cancel my flight to Italy! Facebook was also how I found out about the pop-up Ice Skating Ring at my local mall. Other touristy sites might be good to check out like Trip Advisor, although I find it’s not as good for finding things I don’t already know about. AtlasObscura is another site similar to Only in Your State that has led me to some interesting ideas.

A display of Greek artifacts in Reading, PA

The main thing is not to rest on your laurels as it were but be on the lookout for different experiences. Eventually, you will learn what hidden gems your area is hiding. Take the unassuming Reading Museum in Reading, PA. You would never guess that such a small city would be home to a truly remarkable museum. It hosts an Egyptian mummy, a full knight’s armor, items from the Greek and Roman empires and its visiting exhibitions are usually quite good as well. My favorite thus far was Da Vinci’s inventions, where innovative individuals utilized his sketches and ideas to bring his many inventions to life. So often we see his art and hear of his inventions, but this exhibit focused on the more practical and scientific Da Vinci. Less than an hour away from me is a forge where you can make your own throwing ax and they have targets available to test them out afterwards. Hershey has a falconer where you can spend an afternoon learning about the sport of falconry and interacting with a bird yourself. I have attended a Gallery Opening. I have enjoyed a full moon with wolves and so many more things nearby. None of these things I would have found scrolling through some travel influencer’s instagram and all of them were far closer to home than I might have possibly imagined when I first started out.

I do recognize that I am lucky to live so close to many cities and hubs of activities, Pennsylvania is after all the keystone state for a reason. Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and New York are all within quite reasonable driving distance from me and can be easily connected to via the train which runs from a city not 20 minutes away from my home. It was nothing to do a day trip down to the Cherry Blossom festival in D.C. back in college to see the showcase of Japanese culture or a trip to see a Broadway show in New York in high school. However, I am confident that there are things in your area which are worthy of your time to go discover. After all, despite being rather in the middle of nowhere Boulder, Colorado turned out to be a bit of a tea mecca when I visited, being home to both Celestial Teas and an authentic Russian Tea House! It also plays host to the National Center for Atmospheric Research and a cat cafe. Tea, science and cats, what more could you ask for?!

Some of you may need to go further afield for some of those experiences which may have you scratching your head thinking this advice is contradictory to this blog. It is not intended to be a contradiction, more a recognition that not everyone has the same opportunities and access to extraordinary things near them. Most of the population of the United States is concentrated on the coasts and so there is a high likelihood that you dear reader, live near many hubs of culture. However, some really are living in places where the nearest neighbor is a 30 min drive past miles of cornfields. No amount of internet searches and creative thinking is going to offer them the same opportunities as those of us living on the coasts. This is not to be defeatist for those people who through no fault of their own are forced to go further afield than some of us.

The spirit of this blog is that we can find extraordinary things in our own regular vicinity to live a full life right where we are (generally). Some of us may need to draw wider borders than others of us and that is fine. I don’t often do day trips to New York or D.C. maybe once every five or so years as I have plenty to enjoy nearby. For me to make frequent trips to those places would not be in the spirit of what I am trying to achieve because I can usually find things closer to home. Others may be forced to do more frequent day trips just to see anything at all. Let us not be legalistic but rather embrace the spirit of this blog where we recognize that we can find joy where we are rather than needing to rush off to the far flung corners of the world.

Falconry: Ancient Arts

Published on May 18, 2024June 22, 2024 by BudgetBlissLeave a comment

The year was 2020. The season was summer and Covid had only just begun to rock our world. Flights had been canceled. Cruise ships were docked. Some countries were completely shut down. Some states were open, others were shuttered. Travel and its exotic experiences seemed out of reach. The bucket list seekers, the vacation planners all had to place their desires back on the shelf for the foreseeable future. They would have to content themselves with the mundane of their local parks and restaurants, expanding their horizons only in their dreams. At least for travel minded, not so for the opportunist like myself who is careful to find hidden treasures lurking just around the corner. Naturally, shutdowns and limits on travel, could not deter myself and my sister for long from our sister dates. So in early July, after being in semi-lockdown since late March, we departed from our home on a special adventure.

Hershey Pennsylvania is famous for its chocolates, candies and amusement park. What many do not know is that the founder of Hershey Chocolate did not only make candies. He had a hotel and a garden as well. It was not always so, but today the hotel is home to a particularly unique experience, falconry.

Falconry is an ancient art going back thousands of years. Falconers would take and train birds of prey for the purposes of hunting, often forming close bonds with the bird for a number of years. It takes months of dedication and attention to develop the necessary training and trust to have this wild animal be willing to hunt on the falconer’s behalf and consistently return to the glove. Most falconers have had the experience of “losing” a bird where the bird makes the decision to fly free rather than come back. It should be noted that these birds are not domesticated nor are they really all that tame. They are still wild animals and not pets. Most falcons will not respond well to an untrained falconer, which is why the falconry experience is so unique. There is one hawk species which makes such an experience possible, the Harris Hawk.

Harris Hawks are known for their odd sociability for birds of prey. In other words, they are quite willing to interact with a large number of handlers and are not quite as selective. It is this breed of hawk that Mr. Jack Hubley utilizes in his demonstrations. The demonstrations are made up of small groups to ensure an intimate experience between yourself and the bird. First, you are given the overall history of falconry and a little background on the different birds in his possession. Having been avid watchers of many falconry demonstrations before (as they are frequent at the PA Renn Faire), my sister and I were quite familiar with most of the information and surprised him with our ready answers to the questions he posed.

Holding a Harris Hawk at Hershey Hotel’s Falconry Experience

With great eagerness, the time had arrived to actually interact with the hawks themselves. The first task was to ensure safety. Hawks as you may already know have sharp talons designed for ripping and tearing into soft flesh, much like your arm’s. For your own comfort and that of the bird’s (who would want to hang onto a yelping, flailing human?)wearing a glove is highly recommended. We were given some basic instructions and allowed to hold the Harris Hawk on our hands. We did so by raising our gloved hands signaling it to land on us. It was exhilarating.

The bird was surprisingly light on my hand. Even through the gloves I could feel the strength of its grip. It stared at me with its golden eyes clearly investigating this new human. It was clearly a marvelous creature with a keen intellect and clever mind. I will never quite forget the wonder at having called it to my fist. I can only imagine what a true falconer feels when they finally bond enough with the other birds to have them consistently choose to return, but I shall have to content myself with this taste. After each participant had the opportunity to call the bird, we took turns putting it through different flight exercises such as having it fly through a tunnel of people or through hooped arms.

Despite the oppressive heat of the summer afternoon, it was truly an amazing experience that I would recommend to anyone. It is one thing to view these magnificent creatures behind glass or wire at the zoo or to watch a falconer showcase their skills with a bird, it is quite another to be able to try it out yourself. One of the best parts what that it included photography, so I was able to focus completely on the activity. I am eager to take the next step with my sister, A Hawk Walk, where we walk the grounds of Hershey in an intimate affair of just us, the falconer and of course the Harris Hawk.

How can you experience falconry?

The sport of falconry is alive and well throughout the country as there is only one state where it’s not legal, Hawaii – I feel for obvious reasons. There are many places that you can look to find similar excursions such as Wing Blade Falconry in Nashville, TN, Troutbeck Hotel in New York, Rancho Bernardo Inn in California, Sky Island Falconry in Tucson, AZ just to name a few!

Unfortunately, in my brief research it does seem that in the time between this writing and when I went, the price has increased significantly and most places are charging close to $100 per person. Things are only getting more expensive, but by staying in our own backyards we can minimize the costs of travel, hotels, and food so free up our money for the things we really want to do.

Completed: July 3, 2020

Miles from home: 30 miles

Cost: As of this writing (2024) these experiences will cost about $100.

See a Live Play: Shakespeare in the Park

Published on May 11, 2024July 23, 2024 by BudgetBlissLeave a comment

Perhaps, I owe many of these adventures to my mother because while she did not teach me these principles directly she set the example. Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money. I wore my sister’s clothing once she grew out of it, shopped at thrift stores and grocery outlets, ate leftovers, and used the library as a primary source of entertainment. We rarely went on trips longer than a day, but my mother worked hard to ensure my childhood was still enriched. She scoured the newspapers and kept her ear to the ground for low cost or free events. It was at a time when the internet didn’t really exist and being on the lower end of the economic scale, we were late adopters of most technology. I remember going to things like a bank opening and riding a pony, visiting museums when it was free admission for kids and going to concerts at our church or library. One of these events was the annual Shakespeare in the park play and it remains to this day one of my favorite childhood memories.

Every summer, we’d pack up a picnic dinner, chairs, blankets and head to the park. We’d stake our place among the quickly growing crowd. After eating sandwiches and drinking the rare soda, my brother, sister and I were allowed to go play on the playground with the other children until the play began. We would let our imagination run wild on the playground imagining dragons or fairies around every corner. We would make quick friends of the other children that were there to join in our games even though the friendship lasted less than an hour. Despite our fun, our parents never had to entice us away from the playground because we were so eager to watch the real magic begin. There was nothing so enchanting as a play by the bard himself.

The plays were put on by the Theater of the Seventh Sister, named after the seventh star of the pleiades constellation. It was a group that put on performances from the late 80’s through late 2010’s. These were by no means broadway spectacles but it didn’t matter with the generous support of the community, these phenomenal actors and actresses brought Shakespeare’s comedies to life each year as part of a larger arts in the park summer series. I remember sitting on a blanket at just eight years old completely spellbound as they spoke in the poetry of the plays, absorbing the rhythm of iambic pentameter. The heat of the summer melted away and I was transported to another place and time. The experience solidified both my adoration of Shakespeare and my love of live theater.

I will not hold up theater over film or television as some sort of superior artform nor will I say that the opposite is true. Both have their place, but film and television is far more common and unfortunately far more accessible. Many people have not had the opportunity or privilege of watching a live performance. It is very different to see a story spring forth with moving sets and props. The way they speak to communicate emotions is not the same way as in a film, their movements and expressions are more exaggerated.

The Globe by Richard Croft is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

It is fun to see how the same words can be reinterpreted by an actor, with different emphases or cadences. Where one might let their voice break of heartbreak, another may get more forceful with anger, both valid interpretations. I often find myself responding more on an emotional level to a live performance than to a recorded one on a screen. Perhaps because there is a more direct connection with a live person, when one could reach out and touch them, it feels somehow more real even if the sets are clearly more fake. That is the strange paradox of a live performance, when so much is stripped away by the very nature of a play, what is left can seem more real than a movie filmed with a full set. I do not remember all the films I have seen. I do not usually have strong emotional reactions to movies. I certainly don’t remember most of the episodes of the hundreds of shows I’ve consumed, but I do remember the plays. I remember how they made me feel. I remember how the actors moved, the inflection in their voices. I remember magic. To this day, A Midsummer’s Night Dream, The Tempest, A Comedy of Heirs and The Taming of the Shrew remain etched in my mind. I can still hear the echoing voices projected from the amphitheater.

How you can complete this item:

If you have not seen a live play, I do recommend you go to one. It doesn’t have to be Shakespeare. While he is considered by many to be one of the greatest playwrights that ever lived, he is not for everyone, much in the same way not everyone enjoys Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musicals or think Taylor Swift is the greatest song writer that ever graced the stage (I would be one of those people). Find what would interest you, there are plenty of plays to interest anyone. Be like my mother, scour the newspapers (or facebook events page) to see what live shows may be in your area. Many cities support the arts and try to help the public access them by putting on shows in places like parks or larger theaters. Pack a picnic, let the kids play on the playground until the show begins and then lean back in your chair and lose yourself for an hour or two in something truly phenomenal.

Completed: Childhood

Miles from home: 12

Cost: Free

Combating Over-tourism: Stay Home

Published on May 8, 2024May 26, 2024 by BudgetBlissLeave a comment

There is a growing problem in the world that has exploded post pandemic: overtourism. It was a problem prior to the pandemic, but it has increased exponentially after several years of people being cooped up and prevented from traveling with little signs of stopping. This has resulted in iconic places being overrun by tourists turning once beloved authentic experiences into Disney World attractions with about as much spirit and an equal amount of crowds.

How can one even enjoy these places with the crowds and the jostling for position? How can you say that you were actually in a place if all you did was stand in line, snap a picture of yourself there and move on to the next “iconic” spot in the area? At least at Disney World the line culminates in a 60 second ride rather than a 10 second picture, as you will feel equally soulless afterward. To be fair, the enjoyment you will get from that experience will most likely be from the many likes and shares that you get; an equally fleeting reward as a ride but less honest, at least the ride isn’t pretending to be something it isn’t.

The crowd at the fountain was shockingly huge even late at night. As you can see, there was no way to get a shot without people in the background.

The local population suffers for our own over indulgence. Short term rentals push residents out of their homes and local food markets cater to tourists looking for a grab and go snack rather than produce for a home cooked meal. Local festivals, once a point of pride for residents, become activities they no longer recognize nor enjoy as their voices and concerns are drowned out by the ring of outside cash.

Worse, in participating in this overtourism, you are contributing to the ruination of the very thing you espouse desiring to preserve. We travel for the cultural experience to interact with people and places that are different from us to enrich our lives and to support the existence of that precious human expression in an increasingly homogeneous, industrialized and globalized world. It would be better to watch a documentary and never step foot in Venice than to contribute to its ever increasing decline. Given the declining likelihood of encountering locals its not like you’ll be missing out on interacting directly with the local populace.

By staying closer to home, I am ensuring that I am not contributing to the problem of over-tourism elsewhere. It also means that I can enjoy similar bucket list experiences, but with less crowds. I do live in a tourist area and we are seeing an increase of tourism and in some cases, over-tourism. Luckily, most of the tourists are focused on Amish and farm experiences, leaving the things I want to do alone. Sometimes going to a specific place that is known for a certain thing is the worst thing you can do for your bucket list experience because of over-tourism. You will be dealing with crowds and shortened snippets of the very thing you came to do.

When I was in the Cayman Islands we went to the turtle center where we had the opportunity to wade with the turtles after the tour and before being set free to explore the center on our own. Because it was a tour group of about forty people we were only given a few minutes to wade with the turtles and interact with them. This resulted in people trying to frantically take pictures in the short time they were given and of course the shots were full of people. It meant we weren’t actually focused on the activity that we were there to do, interact with and enjoy the turtles. I went back to the wading pools about 40 minutes later in between tour groups when there was almost no one present. I was able to get into a pool with the turtles by myself, my sister snapped a few pictures of me in the pool while I was able to completely focus on the turtles. I barely remember the first time I went in because the clock was ticking and there were too many people jostling and getting in the way. Yes, we all got a turn and it was in the interest of allowing everyone the opportunity to enjoy these beautiful creatures. However, it wasn’t the experience I dreamed about having when I first booked my tour. It was only when I was able to get away from the crowd and be mindful about what I was doing that I was able to have the moment I wanted.

Once the crowd cleared, I was able to spend an intimate moment with the turtles

I also tell people to skip the Mona Lisa, as it is so small, protected behind thick glass in a dimly lit area, surrounded by a throng of people all vying for a picture held back by a rope, you may as well look at it online for all the good seeing it in person will do you. Besides, it’s only special because some nutter waxed poetic about it in some book before pictures in art books were more common and then it was stolen for a bit causing a sensation around the whole thing when it was finally returned. The nonsense surrounding it never really died down. Go look at DaVinci’s lesser known works if you are so inclined to see a Da Vinci in person, and if you don’t know much about his technique and art in general enough to appreciate it, then by all means don’t bother with him at all and spend your time looking at art you actually like! There are plenty of other artists from that age who were talented and innovative. There are some artists who may arguably be better – art enthusiasts please don’t die of shock reading this. And if it’s not your thing, certainly don’t waste precious time on any of the Italian Renaissance painters, there’s a great wide world of art out there just waiting to be discovered! Perhaps later after you’ve developed a great appreciation you may wish to return to Da Vinci, but then it will be something you actually want to do. Although, no matter how much I learn about sports that I do enjoy (archery, horseback riding, falconry), I have yet to develop an interest in the more common ones (soccer, football, baseball), art may be the same for you. And, that’s okay! It isn’t an indictment on your character, intelligence or worth as a person! Some people have a more narrow interest in certain areas.

The point being if you go to a place that is overrun with tourists you won’t be able to enjoy the very thing you set out to enjoy in the first place and you are far better not bothering with all the packing, planning, flying, walking and standing about in a line. You may as well find something similar closer to home that you can actually enjoy. Not that you can’t learn to be mindful in a crowd of people and enjoy something despite all the barriers but it’s going to be damned hard when you’re given all of 30 seconds to snap a picture and ogle the view.

Don’t let the picture full you, I didn’t hop on a plane to visit this Japanese Garden, I drove less than two hours!

You may actually be quite surprised at the things that are nearby that you thought you had to cross oceans to find. Living in Pennsylvania I discovered that I could attend a tea ceremony demonstration in the Japanese Gardens just outside of Philadelphia. It is home to a lovingly built Japanese house built exactly as you might find in Japan. There, a small group of Japanese-Americans are willing to share their culture and traditions with visitors. I was able to see some of my top things without any jet lag or expensive plane tickets. I have seen a performance by the Moscow Ballet Company when they graced the stage at Hershey Theater. I have released lanterns to the sky as they might in Asia. I have seen King Tut’s treasures when they were on display in Philadelphia and the treasures of the Russian Tsars. I recently discovered there’s a place in Northern PA that has dog sledding!

Some of those things were chance items that were here for a brief time before moving on and I was able to take the opportunity to see them. However, I was on the lookout for such opportunities because I was being a tourist in my own backyard instead of ever dreaming of places elsewhere. You never know what you might find if you stop looking up at the sky, daydreaming and started looking at what’s happening on the ground where you’re at.