Mine House Inn Amador City

I just started this blog for my travels that will be happening the beginning of the year and will last 6 months to a year. i am leaving Jan. 11th from San Francisco, California and heading to Costa Rica to backpack through Central and South America. i ...

I've been back a month today and I've been going over my pictures. I've tried to group them by interest. There's some great street art and signage in Europe as well as architecture and just plain European charm. I hope you enjoy.

This afternoon I started to pack, and - as usual - I have wayyyyy too much stuff that I want to fit in one suitcase. Where am I going to put all my souvenirs and presents on the trip home?! ;] I'm currently envious of how my dad can bring a few pairs of shorts and some t shirts and call it "packed". I guess wanting to be prepared for anything is both a blessing and a curse.

I'm a little anxious about the flight overseas. I ...

... money on rooms that hardly qualify as a luxury experience. So I slowly work my way backwards down highway 4, weeding out the no vacancies and the creepies, and I find myself in Copperopolis, CA. I love to say it. COP-PER-OOOO-POLISSSS! It is fun.

It has one whole lodging establishment within a gated golf community. I look at pictures. Looks clean. Looks lodgy. Seems resortish based on the ...

I just went to my first concert at Ironstone Winery in the historic gold rush town of Murphys, CA this past weekend to see Jason Mraz. What a beautiful venue! It was a warm summer night, everyone had smiles on their faces, the beer and wine was flowing, and the atmosphere couldn't have been more inviting. It's a medium-sized amphitheater with the usual section of assigned seating in front, but I always prefer the lawn area for outdoor concerts ...

Well, after a somewhat hectic summer of graduating, working part time at a winery, and generally being depressed about America's economy, I applied for a teaching job in South Korea. Within days I was hired and figuring out how to get a Korean visa, book a flight, and . . . teach?

Everything had to come together pretty quick, and to be completely honest - the tasks ...

... Our good friend Gary suggested taking a more inland route through the Los Angeles basin and man was he right. We missed a major backup on I-5 from a wreck and saw nothing but clear road. We got to Bob and Janet's beautiful home early even and had a leisurely dinner with them before catching some ZZZZ's. We rode 570 miles on our first day.

... we enjoyed. The breakfast was very light, requiring us to dine shortly after leaving. The Hotel sported beautiful antiques along side plastic relics. An odd juxtaposition that we hope the new owners will change, especially in the public hallways and lobby. Parking was free and we were centrally located in downtown and could walk everywhere.
We explored town looking for a good lunch stop before heading out ...

Wir goennten uns einen Ruhetag in Grass Valley. Waren aber nicht tatenlos: Besuch von Nevada City. Eine Kindergartenparade stimmte auf den bevorstehenden Nationalfeiertag ein. Am Abend fuhren wir nach Colfax um das grosse Feuerwerk zu bewundern. Na, so gross war es auch wieder nicht...Eine Riesenchilbi gab es trotzdem, aehnlich dem Lyssbachmaerit, aber ...

... The clerk was really Ok, kept fumbling around like I was going to hurt him or something..The dog didnt like the lobby, and so we went back to the car, where she has the backseat to herself... Finally found a room at 9:30 and went across the street to a restaurant, where they allowed us to have her with us onthe patio, along with the cigarette and cigar smokers ..ate a small meal and drank a large beer(shared with dog, who enjoys a good pilsner) and then off to bed.