I’m always ready to travel when the opportunity presents itself. It doesn’t even have to be to a far away place. Something as simple as going to a town just down the road that I’ve never been to can usually satisfy this jonesing for adventure and restless wander lust. For me, it’s the people I find in these quaint, sleepy towns who shape my impressions. Never has that been truer than in Washington State. No, I do not have a Sasquatch sighting to report, although peacock calls in the dark of night gave me pause. Apparently, they roam freely all over Whidbey Island.

The people there are so different from what I’m used to. They don’t mince words. If they are pissed, they will let you know right away. They will chase you down to give you a good old fashioned smack down. Honest, I witnessed this happen a couple of times. On the flip side, they are not afraid to open up about themselves. In Coupeville, where the movie Practical Magic was filmed, I perused charming shops and learned intimate details about the lives of a couple of the shopkeepers. Talk about personality. I really loved this town and the people I met there. The fortuitous timing of my visit included the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in Mount Vernon, so many tulips that none of my photographs did them justice. Want to find a business that is a yarn store by day and that has a speakeasy in a back room by night, then Langley Washington will be right up your alley. The vibe on Whidbey is different, hard to define, and as quirky as I am with gorgeous views of the Puget Sound and forests dense with Douglas firs that were a striking contrast to the colors of Tennessee.

Seattle was a lot of fun too, from the historic Pike Place Market, wonderful museums, the huge Ferris wheel giving an eagle’s view of the city, to a haunted pub crawl. Be prepared to Uber to some areas. With all of its hills, it is not an easily walkable city. And if you have heard about an out-of- control homeless population in Seattle, it is not exaggerated. While we were walking off our dinner of fish and chips, a patrol car pulled onto the sidewalk to move them away, shouting from a loudspeaker, “You’re scaring people. Clear out!” I never felt unsafe in Seattle, but being the empath that I am, I did find it a bit depressing to see so many people down on their luck and suffering. Also, Seattle is VERY expensive! But hey, they do have a famous bridge troll.

Washington was definitely one of my favorite trips thus far. I would highly recommend it, especially if you’ve never visited the Pacific Northwest. And it is so close to Canada, it is an easy trip from there. At one point during my stay on Whidbey Island, my cellphone became confused about where I was and welcomed me to Canada. Whatever it is that you are doing with your summer, wherever you go while you are out living your best life, have fun and stay safe.

Happy summer!