2011 Feminista Travel Log: Everywhere else

My first travel log covered my four trips to Washington, DC. Here, I'll cover the other places that welcomed me and my family.

Seattle: This was the worst of my trips as I traveled to Seattle to be with my Tia and cousins after my Tio died. I obviously did not do much sight seeing. But just being back in the Northwest was comforting. I love the SeaTac airport, especially the salmon that are imprinted on the floor of the terminals, not to mention the way the water fountains gurgle like a river. *big sigh* I can't wait to get back there.

Butler University: I drove down to Butler University to kick off their activities for Women's History Month. I had a lot of fun talking to their students. I didn't go to a fancy-looking school, so it's always nifty to visit one. The students who go to Butler are blessed with a beautiful campus. I hope they all enjoy it.

Denver: I went to Denver for a work conference. We stayed at the Lowes, which is swanky looking, but is pet-friendly. A detail that was not communicated and was a surprise to a few of my fellow conference goers. But it was a great place to stay, good food and great service. We ate dinner one night in the artsy part of town. The restaurant was ok, but the area was super cute.

Starved Rock: We decided to drive down to Starved Rock for our summer vacation. It's only 100 miles away from our home, but it felt like a different world. When you live in the Midwest you forget that we have pockets of non-flat land. We spent 3 days hiking the many trails and didn't see everything. It was so much fun! We were a bit disappointed in the lack of "wildlife." We see more deer at the North Park Village Nature Center and driving on the Jane Addams. Although we did get a good scare from a raccoon who popped out of a garbage can! We stayed in the lodge and did not camp. The room and pool were great, but the restaurant food got a bit old after a few days. BUT the fried chicken was amazing! They give you a lot, so just order one plate and share with a friend. Overall, it's a great getaway for us city folk. My cell phone didn't get a great signal, so there was also a vacation from technology...even if I did log into the free wifi in the evening.

Atlanta: The National Women's Studies Association Conference was in Atlanta this year. I was on a panel with fellow Girl w/Pen'ers discussing how we combine our academic work with blogging for a popular audience (instead of for other academics in academic terms). I roomed with Feminist Teacher, so I started out the conference with a big squeal. Ileana and I totally hit it off after being friendly on Twitter for a few years. I am so happy to add her to my circle of hermanas. I also met Merle Hoffman and interviewed her. That interview should be up on this blog soon! I even was able to find Denise Schultz to say hi to her before her panel.

Luckily before I left for Atlanta, someone made a remark about visiting the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. memorial. And even more luck had the conference hotel just minutes from the memorial/center. It was so worth the walk and missing out on a few hours of the conference. Words truly fail to express what it felt and meant to visit the resting place of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King.

Kalamazoo: We went for a visit to see our godson and his family, but we decided to take in downtown Kalamazoo. And wow! Not sure I would say take a vacation to Kalamazoo, but it's definitely worth a stop during a road trip. The museum downtown is free and while might small by Chicago standards, it was the perfect size when you have 4 kids with you. And yes, on the way out of town, we did hit Sweetwater Donuts and brought home a dozen. There is no reason to visit Kalamazoo and not grab at least one donut at Sweetwater. On a diet? Share with a friend!