2017 Year in Review

2016 may have been my first complete year without graduate school but 2017 was my first complete year without graduate school and the proper time to plan trips. The result was several incredible journeys with friends and family and my most country-countingest year ever: 21!*

Before I re-hash some favorites, I’ve just come back from a trip with Dad to Honduras and Guatemala. We cruised Mayan ruins, saw Star Wars in Spanish, and visited a fort.** The trip trifecta, if you will. 

I also neglected to post about a lovely Thanksgiving week at Cumberland Island off the coast of Georgia.*** The island was beautiful and it was incredible to be so close to home and feel so remote. We rode bikes, toured old homes, and were thankful for each other’s company. The Thanksgiving trifecta, if you still will.

Looking back at the many trips of 2017, I have a lot of favorite things beyond the amazing places I visited. In perhaps chronological order:

• In Lebanon I ate a magical dessert that was delicious and also was a giant chocolate ball that dissolved when a sauce was poured on it and revealed the gourmet equivalent of a Nestle’s Crunch bar inside. I would be lying if I said I didn’t think of it often.

• To fly to and from French Guiana/Suriname/Guyana, AT and I had a completely bonkers flight plan that included four different Caribbean countries. We got stuck in one and flew a completely empty plane out of it.****

• Teachers Summer was a reality in London with frolleagues in one of my all time favorite cities. 

• What “favorite things” list would be complete without a tribute to the queen of all things that are favorites?

• The accidental theme of riding bicycles places with fellow sporty people.*****

• Hamilton. 

• Friendships? More like friendTRIPS!

• 2018 needs more beaches, but St. Lucia came through after hurricanes canceled a few other plans. 

• And of course, these goofs. 

I can’t wait to see where 2018 will take me. I hope everyone has a wonderful start to the new year!

Love,

KT

*As always, country counting is designated by the Traveler’s Century Club. I continue to remind you that I did not make the list but I must now disclose that I am a local chapter advisor.******

**We now consider ourselves to be fort experts (Fortperts? Expforts?) and I can tell you this one was highly enjoyable due to: 1) no insane climb to get there, 2) abundant greenery and flowers, 3) no lectures about how people were tortured. The fort trifecta, if you must. 

***This was not a failure on the trip’s fault and was 100% a failure on December’s fault. December is a very busy time to be a musician, a teacher, or a music teacher, let alone all three. 

****Also I forgot to pack underwear so now whenever I pack for a trip someone in the family asks if I packed underwear this time and laughs. You’re welcome, family. 

*****Not pictured is bikes in Indianapolis with Robert. Probably because we were on actual roads and neither of us would have been coordinated enough to take a picture, ride a bike, and avoid crashing into traffic. 

******A completely separate story that I am happy to share in person about how improperly timed meals can lead you to make questionable life choices. 

A Tale of Two Cities

We have continued our way west through the Guyanas and spent a few days in Paramaribo, Suriname, and Georgetown, Guyana. Both countries are now independent but were originally settled by Europeans- Suriname by the Dutch and Guyana by the British. Culturally, both countries identify with the Caribbean though they are part of South America. The people reflect the Amerindians that first lived there, the Europeans that came to settle, the slaves that were brought from Africa, and the Asians that were brought as indentured servants. There is a lot of world in these two countries. 

Though the geography of Suriname and Guyana is similar, the two capital cities reflect the way they were colonized. Paramaribo is a UNESCO world heritage site for its original Dutch buildings that still remain. 

The inner city is centered around Fort Zeelandia* that now houses a museum about the history of Suriname.** 

The city prides itself on being a melting pot of cultures and religions. Here is the St. Peter and Paul cathedral down the street from a mosque. Not pictured is the neighboring synagogue. 

We had dinner that evening at the most beautiful Thai restaurant outside of Thailand!

 

Following Paramaribo we were on to Georgetown, a plane hop away.*** Georgetown's British settlers preferred plantation-style architecture. Thanks to stronger building materials****, the original buildings are more intact here than in Paramaribo. Many are still in use as government homes and offices. 

The church to visit here is St. George's Cathedral. It is one of the tallest wooden structures in the world and dates back to 1894. 

We also learned that Guyana is known as the "Land of Giants" because things are bigger here.***** This was certainly true with their lily pads and sloth fossils. 

Any remaining time we had was spent looking at flowers and looking at each other looking at flowers. Like ya do. 

Tomorrow: A waterfall!!

-KT

*Another day, another fort. 

**We think. It was all in Dutch. 

***Time travel was real on a 45-minute flight and an hour time change. We landed 15 minutes before we left!

****And probably British fastidiousness

*****Fortunately, Texas still holds the claim on things being bigger AND better. Just ask yours truly.