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mari-writes · 3 years

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🧺🌳☀️

“Bokuto-san, please tell me where we’re going. I’m getting nervous.”

Akaashi winces as the car they are in bounces over uneven ground. Are they potholes? He can only guess, since his eyes are covered by a thick bandana.

“Calm down Aaashi! It’s fine!”

“I’m literally being driven blindfolded in a car with no idea of our destination.”

Bokuto laughs. “But it’s me, your boyfriend behind the wheel!”

“That is hardly a consolation.” Akaashi reaches to open a window. Fresh air rushes into the car; he smells earth and pine. Are they in a forest?

The car lurches to the right and Akaashi grips the roof handle for dear life.

After five more harrowing minutes, the car finally slows, gradually coming to a stop. Akaashi releases the breath he’d been holding.

“We’re here!” Bokuto pats his thigh. “Just give me one minute to set up. Hang tight.”

“What-no-hey!” Akaashi stutters, but the man has already hopped out and is now rummaging through the trunk. Akaashi huffs, crossing his arms over his chest and sinking into his seat.

Two hours ago Bokuto had announced they were going on a surprise day trip. He’d barely given Akaashi time to prepare, only saying he should dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes, and insisted he’d take care of the rest.

Deep down Akaashi knows everything will be fine. He just really hates surprises. He hates not knowing what is happening. He hates feeling out of control.

But he hasn’t seen Bokuto in so long—their schedules kept them apart for weeks—so he’s willing to be a bit uncomfortable.

“Okay, babe, it’s ready!” Bokuto is back, opening the door and taking Akaashi lightly by the arm. Akaashi, still blindfolded, stumbles slightly as he gets out. He falls forward into his boyfriend’s sturdy chest.

“Mmm,” he mutters into Bokuto’s shirt. “This better be good, Bokuto-san.”

Again, Bokuto laughs as he guides Akaashi away from the car. Akaashi feels his shoes hit soft dirt and then grass, leaves crunching. Sun rays hit his face. A mockingbird chirps in the distance.

Finally Bokuto stops. Calloused hands gently remove Akaashi’s bandana; his fingers get caught in Akaashi’s curls briefly. “Surprise, Keiji.”

Akaashi blinks, his eyes adjusting after being closed for so long. Then his gaze lands on the scene before him and he gasps.

A large blanket is laid out over a small patch of grass, under a grove of ancient-looking trees. On the blanket sits a large whicker basket, open and displaying containers of varying sizes, including a small cooler pack and an insulated thermos.

Small patterned plates with chopsticks sit nearby, as well as a pair of tin mugs. At the end of the blanket is a smaller basket with matching cloth napkins. “B-Bokuto-san,” he breathes. “It’s a picnic.”

HIs boyfriend giggles nervously, scratching the back of his neck. “Umm, yeah. It is.” He reaches out and Akaashi lets him pull him down onto the blanket.

Akaashi feels his mouth twitching upwards. He nods. “You did this all yourself?”

Bokuto grins. “Yeah! I bought the basket from that little shop in Osaka—remember we saw it, when you visited last month?”

“I knew it looked familiar.” Akaashi touched the basket gently. He turns to his boyfriend, pecking him on the cheek. “Thank you, Bokuto-san. This is lovely. I’m sorry I was rude earlier.”

Bokuto shrugs and reaches for the thermos. “That’s okay. I guess I went overboard with the ‘surprise’ thing, eh?” He pours and then hands Akaashi a cup of tea.

“The blindfold was a bit much.” Akaashi raises one eyebrow as he takes a sip, and Bokuto winces.

“Sorry,” he murmurs.

Akaashi sighs. They are still figuring things out about each other, even two years into their relationship. Bokuto had known he liked picnics—and now he also knows that Akaashi doesn’t like kidnapping-style surprises.

For the next hour they devour their lunch: homemade bentos crafted by Bokuto himself, with extra sides of fruit and sugar snap peas. Conversation flows easily, and silences are punctured only by the sound of the forest around them.

Eventually Bokuto reaches to the bottom of the basket for a small container. “Dessert!” He beams, opening the box to reveal an assortment of tea cookies doused in powdered sugar. Gingerly he takes one and holds it out.

Instinctively Akaashi grabs his wrist, leaning forward to eat the delicacy from Bokuto’s fingers. He smirks as his boyfriend’s ears go red. “Not fair,” Bokuto whines, and Akaashi only has a moment to giggle before his boyfriend is tackling him back onto the grass, kissing his face all over, licking the sugar from his lips.

They stay out until the sun starts to dip below the treetops. The colors and sounds around them start to shift, signaling the end of the day. They pack up, slowly as if in a daze. Akaashi has not felt this light and content in ages.

Akaashi volunteers to drive them home. At one point, he looks over to see that Bokuto has fallen asleep, head lolling against the headrest. He’d obviously been working hard the whole morning to prepare the picnic. Akaashi smiles.

“Thank you,” he whispers even though he knows Bokuto can’t hear. “You’re amazing, Koutarou.”

I went on a picnic with family today and it inspired me to write this. Hope you enjoyed! :)

#bokuaka #bokuto koutarou #akaashi keiji #haikyuu!!#haikyuu #my writing #drabble #ficlet #fanfiction #fanfic

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roundtheworldrambles · 4 years

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Penang, Malaysia

Day 147 – Kuala Lumpur to Penang

Early in the morning, I jumped on a modern commuter train heading south to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan, the main station for long-distance buses in Kuala Lumpur. Looking out the window of my air-conditioned car, I couldn’t help but notice a substantial amount of trash along the edges of the track as we moved south. Arriving at my transfer point to the bus station, I was also stunned by the number of people begging for money outside the terminal– well over 50. Both of these observations contrasted strongly to the polished, modern side of KL that I had seen in the previous days.

The multi-storey bus terminal was chaotic, with passengers criss-crossing in every direction as I arrived. Designed to serve over 50,000 travellers a day, the station was fortunately well signed in both Malay and English. As I navigated through the throngs of people, I eventually located my check-in counter, picked up my ticket, and began hunting for my departure bay. I must have checked my ticket 50 times, as there were countless buses rolling in and out of the departure bays – and I was almost certain I would miss my bus in the hubbub of fellow travellers!

I finally boarded my bus around 9:45am, heading north to Penang, a small island in Northwestern Malaysia. I was looking forward to my stay in Georgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its eclectic architecture, impressive street art, and delicious street food! A 5–hour journey by bus, our route traversed through small towns and green, tropical hills, making occasional stops for washroom breaks (there were none on the bus, much to my dismay) and snacks. The interior of the bus was full of wide, blue velvet chairs, which could fully recline. As I was reading along the route, three young Malay boys ran up and down the aisles, stopping briefly at my chair to check me out, before giggling and running away again. By the time we had arrived in Penang, they had gotten quite comfortable with me, and hung around my chair. I would say a few words in English, which they would delightedly repeat back to me, all while chattering between themselves in Malay.

As our bus arrived at Butterworth, the mainland town adjacent to the island of Penang, I grabbed by pack from under the bus and wove through the crowds, taxi drivers and hawkers to board a city bus to the Jetty. From there, I completed the last leg of my trip with a short ferry ride across the bay to Georgetown, my final destination. Brightly coloured long-tailed boats skimmed across the water next to us, bobbing up and down in the ferry’s wake. We passed a large, moored ocean liner, with barbed wire and life-sized human dummies, intended to ward off pirates.

Streets of Georgetown

As I disembarked in Georgetown, I could immediately see that the city was steeped in history, with influences from all over the world. Georgetown was the first British Settlement in South East Asia, and has continued to act as a trading port since the late 1700s. In the early 19th century, the island of Penang was at the epicenture of spice production and trade – with spice farms on the island producing nutmeg, clove and pepper. During World War 2, the Japanese Army also occupied the island of Penang for 4 years.

Today, the Georgetown represents an intermingling of ethnicity and religion, with Chinese, Peranakan, Malay, Indian, Eurasian, Siamese, and indigenous cultures being primarily represented. In the past, the city was also home to Persian, Filipino, Japanese, Sumatran, Arab, Burmese and Jewish communities – a true global city! Because of all of these influences, modern-day Georgetown is packed with unique, eclectic architecture and pre-war buildings. All four major languages of Malaysia are also spoken in Georgetown: Malay, English, Chinese and Tamil.

Walking through historic Georgetown, I arrived at my guesthouse for the next 3 nights. A converted three-storey heritage shophouse in old Georgetown, The Frame Guesthouse was previously the workshop of a colonial frame maker. The hostel has been upgraded to a modern, clean space, with big open communal areas shared with other travellers.

I quickly met one of my roommates, Tonje, a traveller from Norway, and later met up again with Caroline and Jannes from Kuala Lumpur. As evening fell, we hailed a Grab, heading out to Lok Sok Si Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in all of Malaysia, and an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists living across Southeast Asia. Located at the base of Air Itam mountain, this temple also features predominantly in Chinese New Years celebrations. Since we had the good fortune of visiting Penang around the time of this festival, Lok Sok Si temple was open late, lit with thousands of lights and colourful red lanterns. Although we arrived just as the temple was closing, we were still able to take in the sea of light surround the temple, with the city lights of Georgetown twinkling in the distance.

Nasi Lemak

Heading back into town, we meandered through street food stalls along Chulia street, deciding what we wanted to eat for dinner. Woks sizzled in every direction, with sounds of chopping, stirring and pounding filling the air. The smell of unknown spices and savoury dishes followed us as we walked along. Overwhelmed by the choice, we opted to try numerous dishes, including Nasi Lemak, Char Kway Teow, Beef Rendang, Hokkien Mee, Oh Chien (fried oyster) and Rojak (spicy fruit salad). After only a few bites, it was immediately obvious to me why Georgetown had such a widespread reputation for gastronomy and street food. Needless to say, it was a very tasty way to end my first day in Penang.

Street Food Stalls in Penang

Day 148 – Penang

In the morning, I met up with Caroline and Tonje for breakfast at Mugshot, a nearby (thankfully air-conditioned!) café on Chulia street, and spent a few hours doing planning and bookings for the rest of my trip in Southeast Asia. Mid day, Tonje and I headed out to wander the streets of Georgetown. It was a hot, humid afternoon – as the island is located in a tropical rainforest climate.

Architecture of Penang

In addition to Georgetown’s stunning architecture, the city is also famous for it’s street art. Dozens of wrought iron caricatures have been put up around Georgetown, depicting local culture, ethnic groups, city history and lifestyle. The street art scene has blossomed throughout the city over the past decade, and it was fun to keep our eyes peeled for street art in the most unexpected places – sometimes down side alleys, or above street level.

We walked through the streets of Little India, checking out sari stores and Hindu Temples, the deities inside adorned with fresh floral garlands, called mala. Along the roadside, massive bunches of bananas hung from the ceilings of shophouses. Tonje and I stopped into Restoran Kapitan for a late lunch, tucking into delicious Indian dishes, including claypot chicken biryani, chapati and squid.

Durian Ice Cream

Continuing onward to Armenian Street, we walked along the narrow street, home to the famous “Children on a Bicycle” mural and other street art. Colonial shophouses along the street were selling everything from fresh fruit to souvenirs and other trinkets. Chinese clan houses, local art galleries and small museums were also scattered along the street. Tonje and decided to try durian, sometimes considered to be the “stinkiest fruit in the world”, which in Malaysia, Singapore and other parts of Asia is a well-loved delicacy. That said, we “cheated” a little in this regard, as instead of trying the fresh fruit, we opted instead to try durian ice-cream!

“Children on a Bicycle” Mural

Heading east towards the harbor, we stopped at the Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi (kongsi translates to “clan house”), built over 600 years ago by the 5 big Chinese clans of the Hokkien community in ancient Penang. A large, ornate building, this kongsi is a place where Chinese families with the same surname gather to pray to their ancestors. The lavish architecture of the Kongsi was truly stunning, embellished with intricately carved wood and stone, and beams painted in brilliant shades of red, gold, blue and green. The Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi is a complex series of structures, including a temple, and association building, a theatre, and nearby 19th century rowhouses for clan members. Historically, these “clan houses” were almost mini-cities unto themselves, with clan members running their own education, finance and social programs with a self-governing structure.

Streets of Penang

Tonje and I stopped for dinner at the Jetty food hall, tucking in for another terrific meal of char koey teow, poh piah (a large variation of a spring roll) and bowls of steaming laksa. As the evening began to fall, we headed down to the clan jetties on the ocean. There are 6 remaining jetties down by the water that were historically home to various Chinese clans. Clusters of century-old homes have been built on stilts above the ocean, with each jetty named after a Chinese clan. Historically, these jetties were used for loading and unloading cargo ships, where there was sometimes a rivalry between different jetty clans for control of the seatrade and economic resources of Penang.

As we walked through the Chew Jetty, along a boardwalk of creeky planks, and wound between the historical stilted homes, it felt like a bit of a time warp. Many Chinese families still live here, and occasionally we could catch a glimpse into the entryways of homes, many with large shrines to worship their ancestors, the air hazy with swirling clouds of incense. While the jetties now have electricity and running water, many of these community members live in homes that have hardly changed in over 100 years. On the main floor of some of these stilted houses, clan members have turned these spaces into small restaurants and shops.

We reached the end of the jetty, and sat down, taking in the twinkling lights of Butterworth across the bay, listening as music from nearby buskers drifted through the air. Fishing boats and long-tailed boats zipped along the water, returning to town as evening began to fall.

Taoist Temple at Chew Jetty

As the sky darkened, thousands of red lanterns began to shimmer overhead as we headed back into town, passing several Taoist temples at the entrance to Chew Jetty, dedicated to the God of Heaven and the Taoist Sea Deity, Haisen. This day in Penang was near perfect – packed with incredible company, unique architecture, cultural experiences, street art, and (importantly!) fantastic food.

Day 149 – Penang

In the morning, Tonje and I threw on running shoes and workout clothes, grabbed breakfast at Mugshot, and jumped on a bus, taking us up into the lush, dense jungle surrounding Penang Hill. As we passed through a neighbourhood shopping street near the base of Air Itam, our bus inched through heavy pedestrian traffic, with locals bustling between stores and stalls, doing last-minute holiday shopping before the official Chinese New Year’s celebration the following day – February 16, 2018.

We arrived at the base of Penang Hill, and bought our one-way ticket for the funicular, taking us up the slopes to the top of the hill. It was an overcast day, with humidity heavy in the air, and as we ascended, we could see little more than a hazy view over the distant towns of Georgetown and Butterworth. Tonje and I wandered around the top of Penang Hill, where there were numerous lookout points and walkways through the area’s spectacular rainforest. A small mosque, a Hindu temple, and several residential homes and guesthouses are scattered nearby.

Funicular up Penang Hill

Hundreds of birds chattered overhead as we meandered around the hilltop, with dusky-leaf monkeys and macaques scampering through nearby trees. We had decided to hike down from Penang Hill to the Botanical Gardens, which took us deeper into the jungle as we descended on a steep jeep track. Leaving the tourism hub behind, we saw more and more flora and fauna as we went along – including countless monkeys, and the occasional snake slithering out of our way. It took us about an hour and a half to descend the 5 km zig-zagging track – a true knee-knacker! I was thrilled to finally arrived back on flat ground at the botanical gardens. With some difficulty, we figured out the bus route back into town, and arrived back in Georgetown in the late afternoon. I had a shower and a brief nap, before doing some more life-admin and Vietnam visa applications.

At dinner time, all of the street markets and food stalls were closed for Chinese New Years, so Tonje, Egle and I went out for tacos on Love Lane. True to its name, this lane was apparently once the location of many brothels, and was where Peranakan and Chinese businessmen would reportedly keep their mistresses.

Our Mexican dinner, though from a cuisine on the other side of the word, was still delicious – further solidifying my opinion that Penang can do no wrong when it comes to food! As we enjoyed Tiger beers and tacos, a steady procession of buskers, fire performers and street artists moved along the narrow laneway. Live music floated towards us from every direction. I clearly remember how present and alive I felt in that moment, feeling deeply linked to cosmopolitan group of people surrounding me – locals and travellers alike - even though they were strangers to me. In that moment, people from countless backgrounds, countries, ethnicities, and religions were gathered in the same place, all collectively enjoying good food and entertainment.

After almost 6 months of travel at that point, every day I felt more strongly that, as global citizens, we have far more in common than the differences that separate us.

#malaysia

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travelingtheusa · 6 years

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NORTH DAKOTA

28 Aug 2018 (Tue) – We made sandwiches, packed a cooler, and took off for Theodore Roosevelt National Park today. Unfortunately, the weather was drizzly and overcast all day. That limited visibility of the surrounding area. Since this is our last day in the area, we just had to deal with it.

We drove along the loop road, stopping at pullouts to see what we could see. We hiked two trails then sat at an overlook and enjoyed lunch while the rain picked up a bit. During our drive we spotted pronghorn, three different herds of bison, several prairie dog towns, Nokotas (wild horses), and an elk. When we emerged from the park, we fueled the truck and returned to the campground.

27 Aug 2018 (Mon) – It was cool, rainy, and overcast all day. We decided to keep our activities indoors. First stop was at Theodore’s Dining Room in the local hotel. It was a breakfast buffet with very good food. There were four kinds of eggs (one had crab), bacon, sausage, hash browns, waffles, and granola with fruit. It was a little expensive but very enjoyable.

After breakfast, we walked around town a little then toured the Cowboy Hall of Fame. There were all kinds of stories of horses, cowboys, ranches, and competitions. Videos recounted stories of experiences by early settlers and their descendants. After the museum, we walked along the main street. Harold Schafer came to this town in the early-1960s and restored much of the town of Medora. He renovated/rebuilt many of the buildings in town and bought the existing amphitheater. He updated the seating and property, and brought a new, flashier show to the outdoor stage. Medora sits at the entrance to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Harold envisioned a popular tourist town that people would want to visit and stay at.

Medora’s claim to fame is that Theodore Roosevelt came here back in the late-1800s. He fell in love with the place and bought two cattle ranches. They say he claimed that the time he spent in the Badlands of North Dakota prepared him for his role as president. His nickname was Old Four Eyes. He was disturbed about overhunting of wildlife on the range and the rapidly disappearing buffalo. Roosevelt wanted future generations to be able to enjoy the Wild West that he knew and loved. As President of the U.S., he was first to set aside national parkland. During his presidency, he preserved millions of acres of land, thereby ensuring that future generations would be able to enjoy the wonders of nature and the wildlife that inhabits it.

We drove to the Marquis de Homes, the home of the founder of Medora. He and his wife traveled from France. The Marquis was enamored by the stories of the Wild West and he wanted to be a cattle rancher. He came here, established a cattle ranch and meat packing plant, and named the town after his wife. His idea was to raise and slaughter cattle at one place, then ship the meat back east. It turned out to be more profitable than driving cattle hundreds of miles.

We drove into Theodore Roosevelt National Park to the visitor’s center. We wanted to get some information about hiking trails and the scenic drive. Hopefully, the weather will be more pleasant tomorrow and we can explore the park.

Last stop was at a local convenience store (the nearest grocery store is 35 miles away) to pick up some groceries. They didn’t have much so we only picked up water and lunch meat.

26 Aug 2018 (Sun) – We packed up and left Bismarck at 10:30 a.m. It was a short hour and a half to our next campground. About three fourths of the way here, we stopped at a visitor’s center called Painted Canyon. What an amazing change of scenery! Behind the center was a landscape of ravines and hills with remarkable colors. We were driving along looking at flat farm land with wheat fields and sunflower crops. This was quite a change in geography. Usually these things change slowly but this was a rapid change. After we left the center, the landscape quickly morphed into colorful hills and canyons.

We pulled into Medora Campground around noon. It is a large campground with red dirt roads and campsites. There are some trees to provide shade. The sites are close and the neighbor’s sewer hookup is right outside our door. They could have laid the campground out better.

As soon as we were set up, we did the laundry. The laundry room was a pretty good size with six washers and four dryers. No one else was in there so we were able to use three washers.

At 5:00 p.m. we drove to the Pitchfork Steak Fondue across the road. We had called and made reservations the day before yesterday. When we walked into the dining area, we saw dozens of picnic tables. They could probably seat 2,000 people. There were pitchforks with steaks already impaled and waiting to be cooked. There was also a large buffet area for the sides that were being served with the steaks. We got wine at a small stand, claimed our table, and waited for the meal to start. There was a small 4-person band playing country music in the center of the pavilion. When the word went out that it was time to eat, everyone lined up. We got a stamp on our hand but never had to use it so I’m not sure why we got it. The buffet included a baked potato, baked beans, Texas toast, cole slaw, broccoli & cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, and ranch dressing. After loading up on sides, we walked over to the cook area and got our steak. There were probably a quarter of the people they would usually have on a holiday weekend. Lots of tables were empty or had only one or two couples at them.

At 6:30 p.m. everyone moved over to the outdoor amphitheater. It was a huge seating area cut right into the side of the mountain. The stage had tracks that allowed the scenery to slide sideways and the band stand to slide forward. The show was every bit as good as Opryland. It was very professional and the singers and dancers were very talented. There were two co-hosts – Cowboy Chet Wollan and Bill Sorensen. Wollan sang and danced right along with the accompanying performers. The comic, Kermit Apio (from Hawaii), was hysterical. I never laughed so hard at a comedian before. The weather was a little cool. As the sun set, the temperature dropped and many people had blankets they had brought. We wore jackets but would have appreciated a blanket ourselves. The show ran from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m.

25 Aug 2018 (Sat) – We went to Fort Abraham Lincoln today. The Custer House was a recreation of the house General Custer and his wife lived in but all the furnishings and clothing belonged either to them or from that time period (1870s). The CCC built several buildings on the former compound grounds. There was a large granary, a barracks with mess hall, a stable, and a commissary that had a snack bar, library, gift shop, and restrooms. We had a hot dog for lunch. I’m not really sure what it was we ate. The dogs they gave us were red. They put some kind of dye in them. I was afraid they were soy dogs. We just ate them. We then drove to the visitors center where they had a replica of the Slant Indian Village. There were six earth lodges. They were full size mounds made from logs, branches, and dirt. They were circular in design and had a fire pit in the center of the lodge with an opening in the roof.

It rained again last night but there was (thankfully) no thunder and lightning. I don’t know why it seems to only rain at night here.

24 Aug 2018 (Fri) – The most ferocious thunderstorm rolled through during the night. The first boom literally lifted me out of the bed. I have never experienced a storm like that one. There was no wind and very little rain but there was lots of lightning. So much that it was like daylight. The thunder was explosive and had a concussive effect. The thunder rumbled for close to a minute. The storm was both exhilarating and frightening.

We went to breakfast at Ramkota Hotel in their Seasons Café. The food was very good and the ambiance was very attractive. They definitely like dark wood. We then went to the Dakota Heritage Center right next to the capitol building. It had a lot of interesting displays, artifacts, and exhibits but it was laid out in a very confusing way. We left the center and drove to Longhorn Steakhouse for lunch. Then we stopped in at Captain Jack’s to pick up some wine and at Target to get groceries. We ran out of rice for Bonnie and were giving her dry dog food with her boiled chicken. Unfortunately, she got diarrhea so we need to put her back on the rice. She has developed a really sensitive stomach.

After dinner, we worked on the mapping the route for our Utah caravan next year.

23 Aug 2018 (Thu) – We left Garrison around 10:30 a.m. There were a few sprinkles on the way but the weather was basically clear. In an hour and a half, we arrived at General Sibley Park & Campground in Bismarck. This is a great campground! The campsites are very roomy but only have electric hookup. We had to stop on the way in to fill our tank with fresh water. There are many trees in the campground but all the underbrush has been cut away and the grass mowed so everything looks open.

After set up, we drove into the city and took a tour of the capitol building. It has a two story building with an 18-story tower added on. We met the tour guide in the lobby and joined two other couples for a tour of the building. She took us first to the original part. It was like walking into the land of Oz. The hallway ceiling was 40’ and set in an art deco style. We looked into the Senate and the House chambers. They only meet every other year so they vote in a two-year budget. How do they legislate an entire state if they only meet bi-annually?

Next was a ride up to the 17th floor to the overview. We walked out on the deck and admired the view of the surrounding area. It seemed like you could see forever.

After the tour of the capitol, we took a tour of the former Governor’s Mansion. Then we went to lunch at the Blarney Stone Pub. I had Shepherd’s Pie and Paul had a pasta dish. Everything was very good. We then found a post office to mail off some post cards then returned to the campground.

22 Aug 2018 (Wed) – We drove around the area today. First stop was at the Custer Coal Mine. It was not owned by General George Custer. The placards at the area didn’t really explain why it got the name it did. It was a strip mining operation that mined coal. There was a small pond to look at.

We then drove to Fort Stevenson. One building was on site with display items telling the history of the fort. The actual fort is two miles northwest of the site under water. Nothing of the original fort remains. This was the last place General George Custer stayed before he rode off to the Battle of Little Bighorn.

After the fort, we drove around the state campground. They have over 100 campsites and only three campers. Apparently this is now their slow season. The campgrounds only fill up on the weekends. We guessed that is because North Dakota is so far north that many families cannot camp here and make it back home in time for school. As a matter of fact, the North Dakota state college classes started this week. Guess it’s the same across the country. K-12 usually starts the day after Labor Day.

Next, we drove into the town of Garrison. It was small but cute. After lunch at Ye Olde Malt Shoppe, we strolled up and down the main street. Lots of businesses called themselves Ye Olde ____. There was also a bottle shop. In this state, there are no liquor stores. They are called bottle shops. These shops are usually attached to a bar where liquor is served.

Last stop was at Krause’s Market. It was a small supermarket but we were able to pick up just about everything we needed. We came home and grilled corn on the cob. It was just like back home. The corn was delicious. Unfortunately, the flies are horrible. At they aren’t mosquitoes. After spending most of the meal swatting the flies away, we put a corn cob at the end of the table. The flies happily swarmed on it and mostly left us alone for the rest of the meal.

This has been such a lovely campground. The weather has been perfect. The haze from the fires out west were washed out by the last storm and we now have partly cloudy to clear skies. It’s been in the high 40s in the morning and in the high 70s to low 80s during the day. We can sit on the lake shore and watch the birds swimming in the water and the little chipmunk-like animals scramble among the rocks lining the shoreline.

21 Aug 2018 (Tue) – We packed up and left Minot AFB at 10:45 a.m. The weather was good and we arrived at our next stop in East Totten Trail Campground at 12:15 p.m. It is an Army Corps of Engineers site on Lake Audubon. This is one of the nicest campsites we have been in for a long time. We back up right on to the lake shore. The sites are spacious with plenty of room for the picnic table and barbecue.

On the other side of the causeway is Lake Sakakawea (we pronounce it Sacajawea everywhere else). This is the third largest reservoir in the United States. Garrison Dam is the fifth largest earthen dam in the world. The lake is 178 miles long and 14 miles wide. The dam itself is two and half miles long and 210 feet high. We drove around the area looking at the dam and spillway. There is also the Audubon National Wildlife Refuge on the lake.

Next stop was at the Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery. Unfortunately, we stopped there 15 minutes before the tank buildings were closing. We rushed through them to look at the fish. There were burbot, trout, paddlefish, and two kinds of sturgeon. The pallid sturgeon is on the brink of extinction. The only thing that has saved it is its longevity. When the dams were built on the Missouri River, it disrupted the spawning habits of the fish. It took 20 years to realize that the pallid sturgeon were dying off and another ten years to react and get a program in place. The fish live 80 to 100 years. They have to capture fish and take blood samples to find out their gender. The hatchery takes sperm from males and freezes it. When they get females, they get them to lay their eggs (spawn) and then use the sperm to fertilize the eggs. It sounds like such a complicated process. Only about 35% of the little fish released into the river survive.

After looking in the tanks, we went back into the visitor’s center and spoke with the docents in the building. It turned out that they are volunteering to help out at the hatchery for the season as part of a workkamping program (many people do workkamping). The husband and wife were both retired servicemembers. We spoke about travelling around the U.S. and serving in the military.

When we left the hatchery, we drove into the nearby town of Coleharbor. It was very small and had no grocery store, no post office, no restaurants, no nothing. We then drove to the other side of the lake to the town of Riverside. It was basically the same thing – a small town with nothing. At the entrance to the campground, there is a service station and an eatery. We had dinner at the Totten Trail Bar & Grill.

Later, after we got back to the campground and spent an hour on the phone trying to get the Dish satellite working, we visited with the couple next to us. They started full timing a year ago. We exchanged stories of places to see and things to do.

20 Aug 2018 (Mon) – We drove to the Scandinavian Heritage Park this morning. It claims to be the only park in the world that represents all five Scandinavian/Nordic countries. There is a visitor’s center at the front of the park and a plaza with the flags of all five nations. All of them have the same design with different colors – a solid color background with a cross. Denmark is a white cross on a red field. Finland is a light blue cross on a white field. Iceland has a red flag bordered in white on a dark blue field. Norway’s flag is a blue cross bordered in white on a red background. And Sweden is a golden yellow cross on a light blue field. We wondered if all these countries were once a single nation before dividing into separate entities. Why do they all have the same design?

At any rate, there were several different items around the park depicting items from the Scandinavian countries: statues of Hans Christian Anderson, Sondre Norheim (the father of modern skiing), and Casper Oimoen (an Olympic skier); a 30-foot tall Dala horse (a Swedish symbol); replicas of the Gol Stave Church from Norway and a Stabbur (storehouse from Norway). There was a Sigdal House that was dismantled in Norway and shipped to Minot where it was reassembled. There were various artifacts in different buildings showcasing beautiful handiwork – knitting, woodwork, trolls, etc. We strolled around the park enjoying the exhibits for two hours.

We then went to lunch. Unfortunately, there were no restaurants serving Scandinavian food. That seemed weird. In fact, most restaurants in the area were national food chain stores – Olive Garden, Appleby’s, etc. We went to a place called the Starving Rooster, a bar café. I had a Caesar salad and Paul had some kind of pasta dish. It was ok but not what we wanted.

After lunch, we drove to the Dakota Territory Air Museum. There were a few military aircraft and lots of civilian planes on display. Other artifacts were on display as well. One interesting fact we learned was that two days before D-Day, a directive came down from HQs instructing that all aircraft be painted with three white stripes and two black stripes on the wings (top and bottom) and on the fuselage. They expected the skies to be crowded with aircraft and wanted the pilots to be able to easily identify the friendly planes. Very ingenious.

When we returned to the campground, Paul washed the truck and trailer.

19 Aug 2018 (Sun) – A vicious thunderstorm rolled through last night. It lasted for more than an hour. At times, there was so much heat lightning that it seemed like daytime - split occasionally by bolts of lightning.

We packed up and left Grand Forks at 9:45 a.m. The rain cleared out some of the haze and the skies were partly cloudy during our ride to Minot. We stopped in Rugby to get pictures at the geographical center of North America. The marker was next to a Mexican Restaurant so we bought lunch while there. They must make out like bandits because of the monument.

It was more than four hours to the Air Force Base. When we arrived, the Outdoor Rec office was closed. We pulled into an open campsite. There are six back-in sites in a parking lot with electric and water hookups. A dump station is down the road. There is a large playground in back of the parking area. Several prairie dogs holes dot that area.

18 Aug 2018 (Sat) – We’ve been getting alerts about poor air quality. Fires in California, Idaho, Montana, and Canada are sending smoke and dirt particulates into the air. The sky has been hazy even though the weather service has been predicting sunny days.

We packed up and left Monticello at 9:50 a.m. Traffic was easy and we arrived in about two hours at Grand Forks AFB FamCamp. The campground reminds me of Fort Drum’s campground. It’s kind of remote and at the end of the base. There are only a few campers here. They have 61 campsites – 21 are full hookup and the rest are for tents (or boondocking). We have electric and water. We didn’t bother connecting the sewer since we are only here for one night. Paul chose a site right next to the bathhouse so we’re trying to use their toilet instead of ours.

Once set up, we drove about 25 minutes into the city of Grand Forks. It is a pretty old town with lots of historical buildings. We ate at the Rhombus Guys Brewing Company. The service was horrendous. There was a bridal shower going on but the place never called in extra help. It was almost an hour and a half before we got our food. People who came in after us got their food before us and we got our food before people who were seated before us. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason as to how the kitchen was preparing the food. They were quick to jump in and serve another beer when Paul finished the first but other than that, the waitress barely came by the table. It was like she was avoiding us. Probably embarrassed about the long delay.

After lunch, we walked along the main street and riverwalk. A memorial tower had been erected in the park to commemorate five floods that have devastated the town. There were various high water marks on the tower, the highest point occurring in 1997. As a result, they built a dike system to hold back rising waters.

On the way back, we stopped at a department store called Home of Economy (weird name, right?). There were no coffee makers with thermal carafe so we drove to WalMart. There, we found a Black & Decker coffee maker just as we wanted. We bought it and returned to the campground then did our laundry on site.

17 Aug 2018 (Fri) – We drove a half hour into Fargo to go to the Fargo Air Museum. It was small and contained within two hangars. There were about a dozen planes. A lot of the exhibits were devoted to aerobatic planes with a few military aircraft on display. Many uniforms and military paraphernalia were also on display. A B25 used by four governors was available for visitors to walk into and look around.

We left the museum and drove to the Border Town Bar & Grill for lunch. We enjoyed a taco lavosh. It was like a pizza but made with a cracker crust. It was good. The waitress had a chip on her shoulder and our service suffered for it. She was one of two girls serving tables and we guessed someone didn’t show up for work or she might have been directed to do something she didn’t like. Either way, she was certainly letting the patrons know she was not happy.

After lunch, we stopped at an RV dealer to look at some ice fishing trailers. We have seen many up north here and wanted to see what they looked like inside. They’re kind of cool. There are bunks and kitchens and bathrooms and sealed holes in the floor. One just had a toilet seat with a space underneath where you would put a bucket. Another had a regular toilet system with a dump valve. Some had heat, water, a microwave, and a refrigerator. All the holes in the floor each had a light directed at the hole. I guess so you could see into the hole when you fish. People have been using these “ice houses” as regular campers. We have spotted several in campgrounds.

Next, we drove to Bonanzaville. It is a collection of historical buildings and artifacts dating back to settler days. It is called Bonanzaville because North Dakota used to be known for its Bonanza farms. There were small farms that were basically self-subsisting and then there were large farms that produced more than they needed. Those were called Bonanza farms. We strolled along the streets wandering in and out of the old buildings, admiring the exhibits on display. It was pretty large and took us a couple of hours to go through everything. A Telephone Museum showed the progression of telecommunications. Some kids were having fun playing with the phones. There were a couple of phones set up to call each other. You could dial a phone across the room, listen to the clicks and whirs of a switching station, hear the telephone ring, then talk to the person who picked up the phone at the other end. There was also an air museum, a car museum, and a kind of catchall museum with unusual items on display (a glove stretcher, a wooden fishhook from Alaska, pipes from Norwegian settlers, a square knife strop, a dress lifter for ladies crossing muddy streets, etc.). It was an interesting afternoon.

16 Aug 2018 (Thu) – We pulled up stakes and left Monticello, MN, at 9:20 a.m. It was 220 miles to Casselton, ND, about 20 miles west of Fargo. The hotel is a Days Inn but the adjacent campground is called Governors Drive RV Park. The sites are close and paved with gravel. We have a pull through with full hookups. There are about 40 campsites in the campground.

We stopped at a rest area around noon to make lunch. When we were finished with our sandwiches, we continued on to our destination. The weather was perfect and the traffic was mostly not a problem (we had a brief hold up for some construction on I-94). We checked in at the desk in the hotel and then got set up. Then we drove to Fargo to pick up some groceries. We also stopped in at the Information Center and got a map and other brochures about the state. There was a wood chipper with a fake leg in it for visitors to take pictures with. This is intended for those persons who watched the movie, Fargo. In the movie, a crook puts his unfortunate partner in the wood chipper. The sheriff comes along just as he’s pushing the last leg into the machine. The funny thing about it all is that the movie was not filmed in Fargo at all. It was filmed in a town up on the Canadian border and in Minnesota. The clerk recommended Kroll’s Diner for lunch. We went to the diner. It was a 50’s style diner with a counter on one side and booths on the other side. We had a cheese button (similar to a pierogi but four times the size and deep fried) and something unpronounceable. It was like a thin slice of meatloaf inside a pastry that was deep fried. After lunch, we picked up groceries at WalMart then returned to Casselton.

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jorystory · 3 years

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West Coast Trip 2021 Journal Part 1 - Vancouver

Day 1

We walked around downtown, corner-to-corner, in about 4-5 hours. Prepare for a leg workout and wear good footwear.

Japadog on Robson. I got the “love meat-cheese” dog, hearty late night street foody, but nothing special. They open until 3AM. The store is small, be prepared to line up outside on the street. 7/10. Not worth the visit unless you’re craving something dirty and have stomach space.

Robson street is a nice bustling street with a lot of stores, worth checking out if on your first visit.

As part of the downtown walk, we passed through English Bay Beach, Sunset Beach and parts of the Sea Wall. It’s a nice walk. Not a lot of shade, bring sunscreen.

Canada Place is a bit boring, just walking and seeing, but not much to do.

We made it to Gastown for dinner. Gastown is a charming area to walk around with lots of restaurants, but the area smells like pee, you’ll start seeing more homeless people in this area. For dinner, we went to Gringo, located in a sketchy alley. It’s a tiny bar-style joint with Mexican fare. Of the tacos we tried, the brisket was superb. It was super juicy, flavorful, and wrapped with corn-style tortilla. The rest of the tacos were meh, nothing special. I would recommend just getting the brisket ones. We got their lemonade, which was refreshing and a nice sour, not too sugary. Super friendly staff that makes you comfortable. At $3-4 for a taco ($4ish for the brisket), it is definitely worth it, compared to other places. 7.5/10.

We walked back to downtown to meet up with friends and get dessert. We tried the gelato at Bella Gelateria. It was disappointing, too hyped and pricey at around $9 for 2 scoops in a cup. 5/10. Don’t bother. The gelato at Stella Luna in Ottawa is better.

For accommodations, we stayed at Days Inn Wyndham in DT. It’s bait and switch advertising, the room in reality looks nothing like in the pictures online. The price was cheap for downtown though, but the room is tiny with an even tinier bathroom.

Day 2

Morning coffee at 49th Parallel Lucky’s Donut in DT on Thurlow. Lot of room outside to sit with 90 min of morning WIFI. I got my favorite donut, a cruller, which has a really good sweetness and airiness to it. It was also big size-wise. The black Americano I got was also good; not too acidic/bitter. 7.5/10. I would go again if I had time in the morning to chill.

Walked to Chinatown. LOTS of homeless people here and it smells pretty bad. There’s not much to visit here other than the famous garden and New Town Bakery. See it on your first visit, but that’s it.

Japantown, which is next to Chinatown, don’t bother going. There’s nothing to see and even more homeless/crazies/druggie as you get closer to Main and East Hastings.

I tried the Bulgogi Burrito at Tako, near Chinatown. It’s Mexican-Korean fusion. It was on the smaller size for around $12-13 for a burrito, but it was flavorful and had a nice mild heat. It’s no Kogi in LA, but it’s okay. 7/10. Not worth visiting if you’re limited in time and stomach space.

I also tried the tacos at Tacofino, located in the same sketchy alley as Gringo in Gastown. Their tortillas they used for the tacos are paper-like; they don’t use standard corn tortilla. It was overhyped, busy, underwhelming and overpriced at $7 a taco. The fish taco was bland and dry and relies on the sauce to bring out any flavor. The meat of the crispy chicken is good with some mild heat, but it ends there. The taco is also on the drier side. Nothing special, Disappointing. 4/10.

We bused to Wreck Beach, on the far western end, near UBC. It’s a popular destination on sunny days, known for optional clothing. It was cloudy and empty when we went, but was still nice to sit and chill. There’s quite a bit of stairs to go down to the beach; was not expecting that for our tired legs.

Take out dinner at Sal y Limon Mexican. They used corn-style tortilla tacos, had good flavors, but something about all the meats we got were off (lamb > al pastor > pulled pork > chorizo). The churro was good. We also got a carnitas (pulled pork belly) huarache, which was flavorful, but the shell was not very deep fried, with too much sauce soaking it and making it soggy. For authentic Mexican, it was underwhelming. 6.5/10. Not worth your time or stomach space.

The Hive @ Strathcona is a small bouldering gym with a sufficient amount of climbs. The staff were friendly. They have a Friday night cheap night ($18), which was good since their regular admissions are on the pricier side ($25). The grading system wasn’t that intuitive. More importantly, it was super hot/humid with no AC and only a couple of fans running.

Day 3

We went for early morning bakeries at the popular local spot, New Town Bakery in Chinatown, before our day trip out to Squamish. We got: 2x egg tarts, 1x bbq pork, 2x pork steam buns, 1x coconut bun, 1x butter cream cone, 1x curried beef bun, 1x meat spring roll, 1x pineapple-coconut bun. All the items were quality, and exceeded expectations. 10 items among 2 people was a lot of food though. Prices are good, smells like heaven. 9/10 Worth visiting.

Originally, we wanted to do the Chief hike at Squamish, but as of this year, you need to buy passes, which they were sold out. Instead, we went to Shannon Falls. The main attraction at the lower falls is whatever and mostly packed with families and kids. We found an moderate/hard trail to Shannon Falls Pools that not many people hike and takes you higher and up close to the falls. Dangerous place to slip. There were some rope sections where you have to pull yourself up that were sketchy; definitely not family-friendly. Also, easy to get lost at the beginning if you don’t take the correct fork. Use the Trailforks app to not get lost. Once we were up close to the falls, we were treated to great views and a perfect spot to relax all to ourselves.

A late-afternoon visit to the popular Earnest Ice Cream on Saturday was perfect. No crazy lines like you would see at peak hours and after dinner hours. We tried the Cookies & Cream, London Fog, Whiskey Hazelnut and Milk Chocolate. The first three were highly rated ones on Google, and they were true. I loved the first two the best. The price for double scoops was around $6, but you get a lot. Compared to other places, this was really good value for size and excellent ice cream. 9.5/10. I highly recommend this place and would go again.

For dinner we went to Ajisai Sushi Bar in Kerrisdale. They were only offering takeout during the pandemic and you had to call to order. Expect 2 hours order times during peak dinner times; this place is BUSY, their phones are constantly ringing. We ordered around 5pm and got our food around 7pm. You can see the chefs working non-stop from the store front window. We got the Spicy Roll (Salmon/Tuna/Scallop) combo that includes 24 pieces for around $13. Great price for the quality. We also got the Assorted Sushi combo which includes around 9/10 items, mostly nigiri and some special rolls for around $19. The sushi was QUALITY and FRESH. The salmon and tuna were melt-in-your-mouth quality. For around $40 for 2, this wasn’t too expensive relative to other meals and surprisingly filling. If you love sushi, this is perfect mid-tier sushi (higher than budget sushi places, but lower than expensive top-tier places like Miku/Minami). 9.5/10. Worth visiting and would get again.

To digest, we drove around and ending up relaxing at Burnaby Central Park. Nothing touristy, just a local park in Burnaby to say that we’ve been to Burnaby. At night, we just drove across Lion’s Gate bridge back in DT Van to check out the bridge lights and night views. Driving in busy Saturday-night traffic is tough, you need some confidence, aggressiveness, and focus (there’s a lot of bright lights) especially when you have day-trip fatigue.

Day 4

We tried the red velvet cake and ice americano at Breka Bakery on Denman St in DT Vancouver. The cake was moist, light, airy; and the cream not too sweet, which was perfect. The chocolate pieces in the cake were a nice touch. The ice americano was good, a hint of bitterness, but refreshing. It’s a 24h café with a couple locations. 8/10. Worth visiting.

Today was bike day around Vancouver. This was probably the best way to get around since public transportation is slow (not much better than Ottawa’s), walking is tiring and ride share for 2 isn’t that cheap. Spokes bike rental, $40-50ish for the day, provided solid Trek hybrid bikes, helmet, lock and phone holder. The staff were friendly and helpful. It seems expensive compared to the city Mobi bikes, but its definitely more fun and flexible in my opinion. It will be around the same price as an attraction somewhere (like Capilano bridge), but you get all day fun. Worth.

Riding leisurely around Stanley Park, took about 1-2 hours. Great views. Worth visiting.

We biked to Granville market and walked around lunch time. It’s a cute and charming market. This place is busy, lots of fresh fruits and the local strawberries were perfect, not too sweet and good tartness, but expensive at 2.5lb for $13.

Lee’s donuts - high quality donuts, jelly, chocolate, honey dip, Dutch. Good size. Pretty good compared to what we have in Ottawa. Long lineups. 7.5/10. Worth visiting.

Biked to Kitsilano beach - extremely busy large and bumping beach. Definitely a popular spot in Vancouver. Worth visiting.

Biked to Jericho beach - smaller beach, more old people and families with younger kids. Good for swimming.

Rain or Shine Ice Cream Kitsilano - large portions like Earnest, get the waffle cone (it’s good), malt chocolate honeycomb flavor was A+++, slightly more expensive (~$1) than Earnest (at $7 for a cone) but just as good. Busy, expect long lineups. 10/10. Worth visiting. We came twice ;)

Kook Korean BBQ - We got the Combo A for 2 for around $60-70, lots of side dishes, 4 types of meats, which were marinated well, soondobu soup was spot on, meets expectations. Busy - reservations of 2h wait times. 8/10. Worth visiting if you’re craving Korean BBQ.

Day 5

Walked around Yaletown, pretty bougie, not much to see.

Lunch at Phnom Penh, Viet/Cambodian, popular local place. Must tries: butter beef, beef lok lak, crispy chicken wings, usually lines, around $15-20 per dish. We got the three dishes for 2 people, we were full. 9/10. Worth visiting.

I went to climb again but at the Hive North Shore location, far from downtown (~50 min by multiple buses). The gym is clean, spacious, has AC, a nice store, and high climbing walls (feels pretty sketchy up high, higher than Altitude Kanata’s), so they make you do an orientation and practice falls. I booked for 2pm on a Monday, not much people, which was nice. I prefer this location over the central Vancouver one.

Afternoon snack at La Casa Gelato, they have too many flavors (238 to be exact) in my opinion. It was empty when I went, I tried their popular flavor, the durian, but I wasn’t a fan, more sugary sweet than anything. I think it’s overrated. And for around $6 for one scoop cup, its not that cheap. Decent size though but not too big. Seems very gimmicky to me. The building exterior is entirely bright pink, good for Instagram I guess. 5/10. Not worth.

We had dinner at Ramen DANBO in Kitsilano (DT location was closed for renos) For around $10-14 for a bowl of noodles only, the tonkotsu broth, which was rich and flavorful. The thin noodles were perfect, two pieces chashu included were meaty/fatty/juice. The Negi-goma broth (sesame oil, specialty-roasted sesame seeds and fresh scallions, tonkotsu) which adds a nice sesame-oil flavor to the broth was excellent as well. I choose standard options for noodle firmness, broth thickness, broth richness (lard), karadare (umami spicy sauce), can get really spicy depending on what you choose. 9/10. Worth.

Day 6

We had an early morning flight to Calgary, so we stopped by Breka Bakery again at 4AM. This time at the more popular location on Bute St. in DT Van. We got croissant sandwiches and loaf cake slices. They weren’t that good, but not surprising since they weren’t fresh at 4 in the morning.

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healthnotion · 5 years

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Your New Grab ‘n Go Breakfast: Overnight Oats

In your efforts to streamline your mornings, one of the first and best places to optimize efficiency is with breakfast. You want something nutritious and filling (and tasty!) — a combination which can be hard to cook and consume in a speedy manner. In the past we’ve covered make-ahead breakfast burritos and sandwiches, which can be frozen and heated up in a microwave. Today, we’re going to add to those options with overnight oats. These are, remarkably, even faster in the mornings. Just grab a jar out of the fridge, pop the top, and chow. You can even take it on the go if needed for a quick and easy breakfast at your desk.

The gist of overnight oats is rather simple: combine oats with a liquid and let it sit and soften overnight for a no-cook version of oatmeal. It can be enjoyed cold, especially in the warmer months, or can be heated up for a minute or two in the microwave if that’s your preference. The fact that it’s not needed though is a major boon.

The liquid is generally some sort of milk — the kind you use being up to you. On top of that, any variety of sweeteners, additions, and toppings can be added; from fruits to nuts to spices, the options really are limitless. You can be as simple or as gourmet as you like, and you can make some truly delicious creations.

The oats are good for about 5 days in the fridge before the texture gets a little funky, which means you can make a handful ahead of time, even prepping an entire work/school week’s worth on Sunday evening if you’re feeling particularly ambitious. It’s also something that could be whipped up in the morning for an easy lunch; the oats only really need 2-3 hours to be ready for eating.

One final note before jumping into the how-to: these are best prepped in a mason jar. Any tupperware would work, of course, but mason jars are preferable for a few reasons: 1) the super tight seal prevents any liquid leakage (not all tupperware does that), 2) it’s glass, which is just better than plastic anyway, and is especially good for re-usability and microwaving, 3) mason jars are an excellent shape for eating out of with a spoon; hold the jar in one hand, the spoon in the other, and eat darn near anywhere, and finally, 4) most mason jars have cup/ounce markings on the sides, making for super easy measuring without getting a bunch of stuff out of the cupboards.

While a lot of folks make these in 8 oz jars, I’ve found pint jars to be a better size for piling on toppings and for stirring without spilling over the edge. (They usually have 12 oz marked out on the sides and are 16 oz filled to the top.)

Base Ingredients

Oats. These should be standard rolled oats (like the big Quaker tub). Steel-cut may not be softened enough overnight, and instant will be too much so.

Milk. Theoretically you could just use water, but that’s not very tasty. Any number of milks will do depending on your preferences, be it regular (including lactose-free versions), almond, coconut, oat, etc.

Chia seeds. While not necessary, many recipes for overnight oats include them. There are a couple reasons for that: 1) while not very calorie-heavy, they’re little nutrition-packed bombs containing fiber, protein, and good fats, and 2) when immersed in liquid they add a nice pudding-like texture to your concoction.

Sweetener. Again, not strictly necessary, but adds some extra interest and flavor. 1-2 Tbsp per serving is common in the form of honey, syrup, brown sugar, etc.

Greek yogurt. Adds some tangy protein and extra flavor too; if you use flavored Greek yogurt, you can use that as your sweetener.

Base Recipe

Most overnight oats recipes utilize a 1:1 ratio of oats to liquid. All recipes can of course be scaled up and made in a big batch to then be portioned out into individual jars. Below is the base recipe I like to use, though even the variations on this are many, as we’ll see below:

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup milk

1 Tbsp chia seeds

1 Tbsp sweetener of choice

1/4 cup Greek yogurt (if flavored, you probably don’t need sweetener)

1 Tbsp protein powder (if you want to really amp up the protein factor)

Simply mix all the ingredients in the jar until there aren’t any big clumps and put it in the fridge. You can either add some things to this base mix, or just top your oats the next morning. See below for more on that . . .

Additional Fillings/Toppings

You can literally put almost anything you can dream up into your overnight oats. Things that are already sort of mushy or where texture isn’t a factor — fruit, nut butters, spices (cinnamon, nutmeg), etc. — can be put into the mixture the night before (but don’t have to be). Things that you want to retain the texture and shape of — nuts, chocolate chips, bacon crumbles, etc. — can be added and stirred in right before eating.

Below is but a sampling of ideas for fillings/toppings, followed by some specific recipes that have been proven to be delicious so that you don’t have to experiment too much before finding something you love:

Any fresh fruit

Any dried fruit (including raisins, dates, etc.)

Any nut (often crushed/chopped, but not always)

Any nut butter (or Nutella!)

Bacon (cooked and crumbled)

Jam/jelly

Coconut

Chocolate chips (or cinnamon chips, butterscotch chips, etc.)

Spices (cinnamon, ground ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, etc.)

Cream cheese

Cocoa powder

Pumpkin puree

Vanilla extract

Anything else!

A Few Recipes

As a general note, you’ll notice that amounts and base ingredients vary a lot from recipe to recipe. Everyone has different preferences, so just make the recipe as is first, then experiment from there.

Brownie Batter

Recipe from Fit Foodie Finds

Makes 2 servings

1 cup rolled oats

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon chia seeds

pinch of salt

1/4 cup greek yogurt

1 cup almond milk, unsweetened

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

First, mix dry ingredients in a bowl (through salt). Then add wet ingredients and mix again.

Place in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve cold.

Top with greek yogurt and fresh strawberries, if desired.

Maple Nut Bacon

Recipe from Just Eat Life

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/4 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

3 tablespoons walnuts, chopped

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Combine oats, milk, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and cinnamon in a glass jar and leave in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, combine bacon crumbles, walnuts, and the rest of the maple syrup and top the cinnamon oats.

Peanut Butter & Jelly

Recipe from Ready Set Eat

Makes 2 servings

3/4 cup oats

3/4 cup almond milk

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1/2 cup chopped fresh strawberries

1 tablespoon strawberry jam

Stir together oats, almond milk, peanut butter, and chia seeds in a bowl. In another small bowl, stir together jam and strawberries.

Fill 2 jars with half of the oat mixture. Top each evenly with strawberry mixture and remaining oat mixture. Cover and refrigerate. Top each with a small spoonful of peanut butter and strawberry jam just before serving, if desired.

Banana Nutella

Recipe from The Hungry Hutch

3/4 cup oats

3/4 cup almond milk

1 tablespoon flaxseed (or chia seed)

1/2 banana (sliced)

1 large spoonful Nutella

Stir to combine, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Top with more banana and Nutella if you’re feeling crazy.

Protein-Packed Peach Cobbler

Recipe from The Seasoned Mom

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup plain Greek-style yogurt

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or other milk of choice

1 tablespoon sweetener (honey, stevia, sugar, or other sweetener of your choice)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons vanilla protein powder

1 small peach diced

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

2 tablespoons crushed graham crackers

1 tablespoon chopped toasted pecans

In a small bowl, stir together first 7 ingredients (oats through protein powder).

In a separate bowl, toss together peaches, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Place half of the oat mixture in a small bowl or a large mason jar. Add half of the peach mixture. Add the remaining oat mixture and cover.

Refrigerate overnight (or for a few hours) so that the oats soften and absorb the liquid.

Just before serving, top with remaining peach mixture, graham cracker crumbs, and pecans.

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ibreathedisney · 7 years

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Sunday 26th June – Ellis Day Two

Today was the second day of 8.00 – 17.00 Ellis Lifeguard Training at Mickeys Retreat. As I mentioned in the previous weekly blog, I am going to be writing a dedicated post regarding Ellis Lifeguard Training as there is quite a lot to cover and not a great deal of info online.

Once we got back to Patterson Court we had dinner and then met at the pool to practice for our test the next day!

Monday 27th June – Ellis Day Three (Test Out Day)

Today was our Ellis test out day and another 8:00 – 17:00. However, you might get to leave early if they get through everyone quickly! I was really apprehensive about the test out day and was worried I was going to forget everything. In hindsight, you really don’t need to be – Ellis prep you so well in such a sort space of time. Safe to say I passed and was officially a Disney Lifeguard!! As I’ve already mentioned, I am going to be writing a more detailed post on the whole Ellis Lifeguard Training process.

Tuesday 28th June – Day off (Outlets, Publix, Welcome Party)

After three long and tiring days of Ellis Lifeguard Training, I was glad to have a day off. Becky, Eleanor and I went to the outlets for a little mooch around. We also needed to get some appropriate footwear (i.e. ugly crocs). I also needed some black sunglasses and a black waterproof watch for work. (FYI – you can buy a black waterproof watch for $14 at the outlets!) We also went to Publix for the first time and spent way too long chosing what American foods we wanted! I then realised how expensive fresh fruit and vegetables are – poptarts are cheaper than a bag of grapes! My weekly shop was around £20 in the UK – over $50 in Publix really? You can walk to Publix from Patterson Court in about 10-15 minutes, but there is also a transtar bus if your shopping is too heavy.

That afternoon Becky and I also headed over to costuming to collect out lifeguard gear. They were really short on the sizes I needed so I ended up grabbing whatever I could. You can take up to five of each item (i.e. five swimming costumes, five pairs of shorts etc). If you find a size that fits, then keep it!

Once we got back to Patterson Court we decided to have a lil fashion show trying on all our stuff with our ‘fanny packs’. Lifeguard, ready!

That evening, Becky, Suzie, Eleanor, Emily and I went to the Disney Housing Welcome Party at Chatham Square. There was lots of music, character meet and greets, a photo booth and free Pizza – they even had gluten-free slices for me!

Wednesday 29th June – Welcome to Operations a.k.a The Worst Day Ever

Today, we headed back to Disney University for our Welcome to Operations class. The day was from 7:30 – 16.00, so it was a very early start for us all. Let me tell you now, this is one of the most boring days off your entire life. The class is a mixture of CP’s and non CP’s. They teach you a bit more about the company and then some incredibly basic things like how to tell the time using the 24 hour clock (I thought everyone knew this). We also learnt about Disney’s Safe D Begins With Me policy. The ‘Safety In Motion’ portion is probably one of the most patronising and boring portions of this class. Good luck, and try not to fall asleep (honestly, it happened to people).

After we stopped for lunch, we had more recreation specific induction. It involved a presentation and some questions from Disney trainers. We then had to complete some readings online followed by multiple choice questions. It’s all rather straight forward and largely common sense. They also set you up on the hub and get you linked to the cast member wi-fi across Walt Disney World – this is much better than the guest wifi, so use it!

Once Welcome to Operations was finally over, we headed to costuming to collect our free lifeguard shoes. Lifeguards get the choice of receiving a free pair of either white trainers (sneakers) or crocs. I would highly recommend choosing the white trainers over the crocs. The crocs that Disney provide have no holes in and are terrible for getting lots of water trapped in them. I also knew of people who burnt their feet through the crocs because they got so hot! It’s best to collect the free shoes and buy you’re own crocs/tevas – the Croc store at the premium outlets always have some kind of offer available. Generally speaking, resort guards tend to wear trainers, whereas water park guards (who tend to be in the water a lot more) will wear crocs or tevas.

Thursday 30th June: Typhoon Orientation

I met Chris (another UK CEP at Typhoon Lagoon) at Chatham Bus Stop and we headed over to Typhoon Lagoon for our ‘Forecast Typhoon’ class. You are required to wear clothes similar to Traditions attire. My advice is to make sure you have something that is both smart, in Disney look and comfortable in crazy florida heat.

The class ran from 8:00 – 12:00 but because of the bus timetable, we ended up arriving really early. (Transtar is the devil). It was quite strange entering the backstage area of Typhoon Lagoon as I hadn’t even visited the park in the day! We went into one of the training rooms and had a presentation on the story behind Typhoon Lagoon.

The legend goes:

“A furious storm once roared cross the sea Catching ships in its path, helpless to flee Instead of a certain and watery doom The wind swept them here to Typhoon Lagoon.”

All of the theming in Typhoon is based on this ferocious storm; that’s why Miss Tilly is impailed on the mountain (the highest centre point in the park). The stories goes that the mountain still tries to dislodge the boat with an enormous geyser of water every half and hour!

The orientation involved some quizzes such as looking at a map of the park and answering where was the nearest QSFB location, the nearest first aid, the nearest restrooms etc. After a quick break it was time to head out ‘on stage’ and to see the park for the first time.

Typhoon Lagoon is beautiful. I couldn’t think of a more well themed water park and (although I am bias) I definitely prefer it over the theming at Blizzard Beach. Walking around Typhoon Lagoon did feel like a bit of a maze. I thought ‘how am I ever going to remember my way round or be able to get from the backstage area to one of my furthest stands in time!’ It also made me realise how busy the parks and the aquatic areas were going to be. I was excited, but also quite nervous.

After work, I headed to Magic Kingdom to meet the girls. Suzie’s roommate, who works in Fantasyland, had given her loads of fast passes for Magic Kindgom rides so we were able to beat the queues!

I went on Buzz Lightyear for the first time on my programme and lost miserably – I’m used to the Disneyland Paris Version, ok?

We also watched the Main Street Electrical Parade and despite the annoying music, I love it! It’s a love hate thing for sure.

We also watched Wishes from across the lake in Frontierland. I’d definitely recommend trying to see Wishes from different locations in Magic Kingdom!

Sadly, Eleanor and Suzie left early as they had work the following morning. However, I had the next day off and Becky had a PM shift so we decided to stay to watch the Kiss Goodnight. Of course this meant that we had to take some photos in front of the castle and I got my first Mickey Rice Krispie Treat of my programme. (The first of many, may I add).

Friday: Day off!

I had a day off, but everyone else seemed to be either at work or at training. I decided to head back to Typhoon Lagoon for opening and experience the park as a guest. I felt that if I was going to be working there for the summer, I may as well get acquainted with all of the attractions myself. I would really recommend going to either of the water parks for opening as you get on the attractions very quickly – I had managed to do just about everything by lunchtime!

I headed back to housing and decided to go lay by the pool in Patterson Court for some more sunbathing and swimming – I could get used to this life!

I decided to meet Eleanor after she had finished work. She was lifeguarding at Wilderness Lodge which is a Magic Kingdom area resort. I caught the bus over to the Contemporary and met her in Magic Kingdom. We didn’t get into the park until pretty late in the day. There was also a massive rainstorm and we got absolutely drenched walking from the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom main entrance. As soon as we arrived, we ended up spending $8 on the most touristy Disney ponchos.

The good thing about the storm was that Magic Kingdom had emptied out considerably. The bad thing about the storm was that a lot of the rides were closed. At one point, the lightening was right on top of us and struck right next to the castle. Everyone (including us) let out a little scream!

We decided to ride The Little Mermaid ride, It’s A Small World and Enchanted Tales with Belle. Enchanted Tales with Belle is one of my favourite attractions for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Beauty and the Beast is my favourite Disney film and Belle is my favourite Disney character. Secondly, Belle’s house is so well themed – I loved all the little details inside. Thirdly, I absolutely adore seeing the kids reactions to Belle when she comes to welcome us in her library. The parents reactions to their children reactions made Eleanor and I get all teary. There was one little girl dressed just like Belle and she was in complete awe of Belle when she entered the room; the little girls mum was beaming with happiness! That is what Disney is all about. I love seeing magical moments like this because it reminds me of my own family and all of our amazing memories in Disney.

Overall, our rain filled evening was one of my favourite evenings in the parks!

Saturday 2nd July – My first day of OTJ Training

Today I had training at Typhoon from 8:00 – 16.30. It was also my first day in costume – exciting! I was up at 6.30am ready to catch the 7am bus to the Typhoon Lagoon cast entrance. I didn’t officially start until 8am and the bus only takes 15 minutes from Chatham Square to Typhoon. However, the buses aren’t that reliable so it is best to get to work early. You are also given a 15 minute grace period to clock in and they encourage you to clock in at the earliest convince. However, don’t clock in before your 15 minute grade period as you’ll end up with a Disney point. Three points and boom, reprimand. Three reprimands and boom, please leave the country within 48 hours.

I am going to compile all of my On the Job Training in one post as there is quite a lot to cover and I never found a great deal of information on the process before I started.

That’s it for another week working for the mouse. Stay tuned for the weeks that follow!

What did I get up to last week?

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Instagram: @anniebelleymcd

Twitter: @_TheDisneyBelle

YouTube: AnnieBelle – TheDisneyBelle

Finally posting my weekly diaries from my time as a Cast Member at #WDW! #CEP #DCP🌟 Sunday 26th June - Ellis Day Two Today was the second day of 8.00 - 17.00 Ellis Lifeguard Training at Mickeys Retreat.

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adasexton1993 · 4 years

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