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We finally crossed the border the first time since we had moved to Canada! While the US border is only an hour from where we live in Vancouver, due to COVID-19, we had no chance to travel there until very recently.

However, now that the US-Canada border is open, there is a lot to do south of the 49th parallel. This blog post covers our trip to Seattle!

If you have two days, or a long weekend, Seattle is the perfect place to go with lots of activities for kids, and adults alike.

Places to Stay

First off, finding a good place to stay is essential. We have tried some of the motels in the US, but given their price and quality, they are just not worth it. Instead of paying 90$ /night for a very shitty place, one might as well "splurge" a bit extra and get a much better place for $150/night. We stayed in Bellevue at the Marriot Convoy which was an extremely delightful place and a very safe location. It wasnt too close to a highway but close enough to get downtown in 20 or so minutes. Most of the hotels downtown were also sold out, but we had decided that Bellevue would be a good location to stay. 

Woodland Park Zoo

I love zoos, mainly because it is just so exciting to see animals. And one of the best zoos I have been to is the Seattle zoo, known as the Woodland Park Zoo. There is another entire post on it, because I liked it so much. The zoo is a recipient of over 65 awards across multiple categories!

Pikes Place and Downtown

One way or the other, you will want to see the downtown, and no better way to start the day then at Place Market. Mind you, we weren't the biggest fans for the market (the fishy place) but it does have some great eats. We also noticed that everyone seems to buy flowers from here. We found out later that later in the day, evening time, the flowers are heavily discounted so definitely good to grab your blossoms for date night. 

Besides Pike's Place, there are a bunch of other things to check out while you are in downtown. First off, its just fun walking around and seeing the stores. There are also a few museums downtown that you can hit up. One is the Seattle Art Museum, which is just up the hill from Pike Place Market. We recognized the building from the Hammering Man statue just outside it. And guess what? We had seen the Hammering Man in Seoul as well, close to where we lived. The Hammering Man is a series of monumental kinetic sculptures by Jonathan Borofsky that symbolize workers throughout the world. In the US, there are around 7 of these statues, in Europe, there are 4 and finally, there is only 1 in Asia and that was in Seoul.

Seattle Center

This area touristy and fun with a few attractions such as the Space Needle, the Pacific Science Center and the Chihuly Garden and Glass. Each of them is ticketed. We skipped the Space Needle and ended up going the Pacific Science Center and the Chihuly Garden and Glass, both which were very enjoyable. I personally liked the science center more but that's because we are all nerds and also because kids have more activities there.

The Pacific Science Center had a section on dinosaurs, a butterfly garden and toddler play area, so there's enough to do for 2-3 hours for the kids.

Chihuly Garden and Glass is filled with really beautiful glass work but you won't need to spend more than 45 minutes here, if that. If you are short on time (and money), skip this

Ballard 

The Ballard area is really neat, with lots of lovely cafes! From here you can also walk all the way to the Ballard locks. These aren't the prettiest things to look at but worth looking at if you are into engineering. The locks are essentially gates that keep the salt water of the Puget Sound separate from the fresh water of the lakes on the channels that connect them and also adjust for a height difference—meaning you can watch as ships and boats load into the locks and be raised or lowered. You can also check out a salmon ladder under the locks! The locks are next to a nice park/ botanical garden that you can check out.

Fremont

Like Ballard, another amazing neighbourhood to check out is Fremont, with its ample amounts of unique things to see and places to eat. It’s the perfect place to see a less touristy side of Seattle, as well as a good mix of what makes this city a fun place to be. You can easily park and walk between all of the sights in Fremont.

Seattle Waterfront 

Seattle waterfront is also quite a bit of fun. There is music, a ferris wheel, a number of eating establishments and all around fun. 

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Boston is undoubtedly one of the most charming places I've visited in the US, though I did find it a tad bit too waspy for my taste. In some ways, I found the South to be a little warmer than Boston, literally and figuratively, but since I spent four years in this city (well, just across the river), it has a close place in my heart.

Two days should be enough in Boston, to get a feel for the city, or at least the history.  The first thing you do in Boston is to walk along the Freedom Trail. This is a self-guided pathway that takes you around the city and its major monuments. You can take a guided tour, a self-guided one, or even a trolley tour. Its not so long (2.4 km) so I would suggest walking it.

The official start of the trail is right in front of the visitor center on Boston Common – if you’re there too early for tours to be starting it may be easy to miss but it’s the green kiosk located on Tremont Street. I started at Boston Common at 10:00 am, and by the time we reached the end of the trail in Charlestown we had just barely missed the museum at the Bunker Hill Monument (and the interior of the monument itself) since they closed at 5:00 pm. If you start at 9:00 am, you'd have seen the museum too.

The Common is the oldest public park in the country. There is lots to see on the Common aside from what the trail covers, so if you have the time it’s worth walking through (you can ice skate on the Frog Pond in the winter and walk over to the Public Garden and ride the Swan Boats in the summer).

From the Common, the trail will bring you up towards the Massachusetts State House.  The State House is open for (free) tours during the week, so if you happen to be in town Monday-Friday catching a tour isn’t a bad idea. It is the building with the gold dome, and is also a great marker for directions.

The next stop on the trail is the Park Street Church, which was built in 1809 when it was used to store the town’s grain. It is still a functioning church so the visiting hours vary based on the time of year and when church services are going on.

From there, the trail will take you to the Granary Burying Ground, home to the graves of famous people like Paul Revere, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and the victims of the Boston Massacre. You’ll see a marker for “Franklin”. Those are for Benjamin Franklin’s parents– Benjamin Franklin is buried in Philadelphia.

Kings Chapel comes next, and was used by Boston’s (small) Anglican community in the 18th century. You can take a tour of Kings Chapel (for free) daily unless there is a service or other special event going on as this one is also still a functioning church. Right next door to it is the Kings Chapel Burying Ground which is also home to some famous graves like John Winthrop (Massachusetts’ first governor), and Mary Chilton (the first woman to disembark the Mayflower).

The next stop on the trail is the Ben Franklin Statue and the Boston Latin School. These stops are only markers, and you don't actually see a physical building of the school. You can see the statue though.

Continuing down School Street you’ll come to the site of the Old Corner Bookstore, which is Boston’s oldest commercial building (est. 1718). During its time as a bookstore, it was a common gathering place for writers like Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Its current tenant is Chipotle. You can use the augmented reality app to get a glimpse of the building’s past.

Across the Street is the Old South Meeting House (est. 1729) which is known for being the site of the debates that led to the Boston Tea Party. Inside you can view the meeting house itself along with an exhibit that covers its history.  When you visit the Old South Meeting House and the other museums in the vicinity be sure to take your time looking at everything. Each of these sites are historic buildings in addition to museums with exhibits, and you’ll really get more out of your visit by spending some time reading everything inside (or by taking the tour at the Old State House).

After leaving the Old South Meeting House continue along the Freedom Trail down Washington Street and you’ll come to the Old State House. Much like the current state house today, the Old State House was where the colonial government was housed. As you continue along the trail leaving the Old State House you’ll see a circle marker on the ground which signifies that the Boston Massacre took place right here.

A number of restaurants come up at and around Faneuil Hall, which is the next stop on the trail. If you want to save time and have something quick you can walk through Quincy Market where you’ll find all different kinds of quick service food. If you keep kosher or halal, vegan or vegetarian, the clam chowder has some bacon FYI. Most of the meetings of the Boston Tea Party were actually held at Faneuil Hall before they were moved to the Old South Meeting House to better accommodate the crowds. Inside Fanueil Hall, you’ll find exhibits and information and you will get to hear many giving historical talks here throughout the day.

If you want sit-down lunch, pass Faneuil Hall until you come to Union Street. Here you’ll find restaurants, pu, s and taverns some of which are actually related to the history you’re learning about on the Freedom Trail.

From Union Street, the Freedom Trail turns into Boston’s North End. If you have time to stop for coffee or a cannoli this is the place to do it! The next stop on the trail which is located in the North End is the Paul Revere House. If you purchase the Patriot Pass at the Old South Meeting House you’ll be all set with admission by the time you reach the Paul Revere House, if not admission is $5 for adults.

Once inside the house, you’ll be able to take a self guided tour of the home and exhibits. As this is self guided like the Old South Meeting House, definitely make sure to take your time reading all of the exhibits. If you rush through with a quick glance at the house you won’t take away as much from the experience.

Next is the Old North Church, which you may be familiar with as the church where the lanterns were hung to signal how the British soldiers would be arriving and going towards Lexington and Concord.

Copp’s Hill Burying Ground is the next stop, and the last stop on the trail before you head over the bridge to Charlestown. This cemetery is overlooked in my opinion compared to the other Freedom Trail cemeteries, and with only a handful of names most tourists will recognize. I don't know any.

With that, the trail ends, and you can then walk from the North End to Charlestown. Might not be difficult but after a whole day of tourin, well, that is a whole different story.

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Many may find this odd, but I spent a summer and a winter in the deep South of the US. One of the places where I stayed was Vicksburg, MS. This trip was done when I was still in college, and working on a project on the Mississippi River.

My journey began on the I-20, not the document that grants you entry into the United States, but the highway along the Mississippi River leading to Vicksburg. Vicksburg is probably one of the most historic of the cities, along with the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and just 200 miles north of New Orleans. It is also home to the Southern Cultural Heritage Center, Vicksburg Military Park, and the newly built Lower Mississippi River Museum.

What I didn’t know was that this quaint town has an even deeper history and was part of the Natchez Native Americans' territory. This city used to be a part of the Natchez Native Americans' territory. The first Europeans who settled the area were French colonists, who built Fort-Saint-Pierre in 1719 on the high bluffs overlooking the Yazoo River at present-day Redwood. Then, in 1790 the Spanish founded a military outpost on the site, which they called Fort Nogales. When the Americans took possession in 1798, they changed the name to Walnut Hills. Thereafter, the area grew to become Vicksburg, named after Newitt Vick, a Methodist minister.

Vicksburg is particularly well-known for the Seige of Vicksburg and was the sight of the American Civil War. The city, which sits at the southernmost tip of the Mississippi Delta, began to grow cotton in the plantations and became a commercial hub. A large number of Delta plantation owners became very affluent from this. When the civil war broke out, the Union Army, led by Grant, put the Confederates at Vicksburg to siege. It was a 47-day siege lasting from May 18 – July 4, 1863.  The people of Vicksburg dug caves into the hillsides to survive the bombardment. The legacy of the siege lives through much of Vicksburg's art, museum exhibits, and traditions. Their memorial still stands.

While this is a sad history, there is a lot to learn from this place, so best to go with an open mind!
Luckily, for me, I went there with a blank slate, not knowing American history too well, and between Boston and Vicksburg, I covered American History 101, from the American Revolution to the Civil War.

My first week in Vicksburg, I spent most of my mornings walking through the famous Vicksburg National Military Park. It is a great place to bike and run, and is ideally situated at the ledge overlooking the great Mississippi River.


The park includes a number of historic monuments and markers with almost a re-enactment of the civil war, as well as a restored gunboat USS Cairo, which sank on December 12, 1862. on the Yazoo River.



On a lighter note, Vicksburg was instrumental in the growth of American Blues music-- which is native to Mississippi. Blues evolved primarily in the Mississippi Delta region from the musical traditions of African-American slaves before the American Civil War. Vicksburg served as a central hub for musicians to perform for merchants and travelers in the music halls and "juke joints" near the river port at Vicksburg.

There are also some great places to try out food. One well-known place is Walnut Hills, which is known for southern style food. Then, there is Rusty's Riverfront grill, which has great sandwiches. There's also a Mexican place called El Sombrero, where all my colleagues loved going to, and then, there's Anchuca, which is a place you can stay and they also have food. where the chef will provide you a recipe book! Of course, chances are you'll always get invited to dinner somewhere cause people are ridiculously hospitable.

That's why, the best thing that Vicksburg has to offer more than the history is the Southern hospitality. The people of Vicksburg are very, and I mean very, welcoming. They invite you to dinner, cook for you, smile and say hi for no apparent reason. On top of that, they like to get to know you. For the average person, the pace of life may appear to be a little too slow, but for someone trying to do writing and research, it is the ideal place. Not to mention, people are pretty smart here, since Vicksburg has the highest concentration of per capita engineers in the entire nation!
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About me

Hi everyone! I'm Laila. Welcome to my blog! Here, you'll find stories of me and my family as we explore the world. It's not easy traveling when you often need visas, or you have kids, but we have made travel work for us! Join us, as we make some curious discoveries of history, food and culture while treading on new paths.

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