August Travels

As Katy Perry put it so perfectly: "you could travel the world, but nothing comes close to the golden coast." I leave for my beloved California in 8 hours - my first time back since the holidays, which now that I think of it is probably my longest stint away from Cali since....1993.

Maybe I'm biased because it's home to me, but there's just no state better than California - even New York is a distant second. I can't wait to drive across the Bay Bridge and see my beautiful city lit up at night, I can't wait to eat my grandma's home cooking, I can't wait to go shopping at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods and Target and REI, I can't wait to try new restaurants with some of my oldest and dearest friends, I can't wait to stay up all night talking with my girlfriends, I can't wait to speak American English (none of the HK "missy, ok-lah?"), I can't wait to eat my favorite $4 burrito, I can't wait to breathe non-humid, non-polluted air that smells like air should (fresh, clean, with a hint of pine trees, ocean or rain). Oh, California.

Immediately after I get back from California, El Hombre and I are headed to Lisbon and Munich for a few days. I've never been to Portugal but am excited - my proclivity when considering vacations in Europe is to always go back to my beloved Spain, but I'm glad El Hombre made me break out of my habit to visit somewhere new. Portugal looks beautiful and I already feel like the time we have there will not be adequate to do the area justice.