Layne

I’m a fool for large bodies of water. Especially those at more northerly latitudes. I’m in love with the Pacific Ocean (the Pacific NorthWest of the USofA to be precise), and I’m sweet on Lake Michigan. But I feel like I’ve missed out on the Atlantic.

For me, Portland, ME personifies the part of the Atlantic that I could fall in love with. Not the vain/showy parts of the Atlantic that Florida and the Canary Islands represent. Not the soft and friendly parts of the Atlantic like North Carolina and Portugal. But the reserved, shy part of the Atlantic. The part that just does it’s own thing – “Oh, don’t worry about me, I’m just catching lobsters” – you know what I’m saying?

Also, I feel like Portland, Maine shares a kinship with Portland, Oregon, where I lived for 4 years. In fact [you may not believe this ;) ] Portland, OR is named after Portland, ME.

So, someday I will get to Portland, ME. In my dreams, my arrival to Portland, ME will signal the end of a bike trip that started in Portland, OR two months earlier.

I’ve been to a bar mitzvah and a funeral in Winnipeg. I’m thankful that Winnipeg has nurtured so many people that I love.

It’s extremely beautiful here. And it’s a friendly town, a little bit trendy, but still a cool place.

Come here for all the activities – I did zip-lining, rafting, and climbed Villarica. Climbing Villarica was one of the most personally fulfilling things I’ve done. It wasn’t fun, it was hell (I was out of shape) but it was totally worth it, just for the view and sense of accomplishment… and sliding down a volcano on your butt when you’re done. :)

Met a lot of cool Chileans here, helped us book our trips, but also hung out with us even when we were done with our trips.

Also, be aware that many many of the people you will run into here (in town) are tourists, but there are generally very cool. Not that there’s anything wrong with tourists… I was one at the time.

But I don’t remember much of it.

Anyway, it’s got it’s heart in the right place – lots of nice parks… well, that’s about all I can recommend of Maple Grove, aside from some nice people I knew.

From what I understand, the whole city was paved over recently.

I’ve actually been to Duluth many times… mostly for Bulldogs/Gophers hockey games (my parents met at UMD, and my aunt and uncle are huge Gophers fans).

Anyhoo, for some reason (probably because I wouldn’t exist without Duluth) I attach some magical aura to this city. It just seems to have a very different character than a lot of Minnesota cities.

I wanna go back and explore.

I totally had a Champagne Jam here!

Guess you kind of gotta go once in your life, right?

Plus I think I have friends there now.

Plus, I’m a city guy now. I live in Chicago, and it’s big city, but some parts of it you just don’t feel like you are in the 3rd biggest city in the US.

I have this vision that in NYC, you can’t really escape the urbanity – so, I kind of want to be immersed in that for a while – to be in the most citiest city of all cities.

I guess I don’t really have any specific goals for visiting NYC. Which is okay.

saw the Emily Carr exhibit. Really well done – a really complete representation of her work, and the focus of the exhibit was more biographical than “stylistic” so you got to see what events in her life corresponded to which paintings. Beautiful and original.

Just before Christmas (2006). Went with my mom. Had a blast! Would love to spend some serious time here… perhaps on my own so I can explore without an itinerary.

• Granville Island – Vancouver has some amazing artists and craftspeople

• UBC (Anthropology Museum) – One of the coolest museums – because it actually has focus, doesn’t try to overwhelm you with every single artifact known to man.

• Van Dusen Botanical Garden (for the lights) – holy crap! probably the highlight of my trip… like walking into fireworks, or magic fairy dust ;)

• Art Museum for the Emily Carr exhibit. Bummer this exhibit is closing – it was a really beautiful, complete exhibit of the work of a fascinating and talented artist.

I live in this mofo. I have to embrace it.