Constructing Place

These are the first ones to be processed from my project that I worked one during the study abroad. They deal with the construction of place and memory and are taken with a Holga camera on color film. Enjoy!

The last few days of the trip

...Friday

Yellowstone had forecasted snow this week, but thankfully we were able to secure a hotel room instead of camping like we had planed.

I'd never been to Yellowstone before! I can see why people like it. Friday, we saw a magnificent yellow canyon and went to Artist's point. Also, there are TONS of elk and bison wandering around, even in place where there are a lot of people. They were cool, but made me nervous, especially when people would get really close to them. The bison would just walk down the roads and cause huge traffic jams!

Saturday

The geyser's at Yellowstone are the most spectacular colors.

Old Faithful.

Sunday

Bittersweet drive home past the Idaho Falls temple.

Thursday!
Missoula! This is a college town, for sure. Driving out in eastern Washington is a trip because it’s so different. At one point, it was just so completely flat and open I felt as if I could touch the sky (does that make sense?). Overall, it was a gorgeous pastoral landscape. Missoula itself is a fun college/hippie town. There was a little food and music festival we went to.
Wednesday
Driving through Washington. Our pit stop In Winnachee tonight. It feels soooooooooo good to recoup. I took a shower and got laundry done. Score! And spent all my Canadian money on chocolate bars at a gas station near the border.
And border patrol didn’t find my orange. Score!
Tuesday
The Granville Island farmer’s market is great! A bit like Pike’s Place, but I think a bit more friendly and family-oriented. It was in a building overlooking the pier, with live music and lovely people. Afterwards, it was the Museum, a beautiful Parthenon-like building.
There was a large exhibition of a video artist named Fiona Tan, which was really inspiring. I’d never heard of her before, but I really identified with her work, especially one she did that related to memory and emptiness, called Rise and Fall.
Downtown Vancouver is a pretty vibrant place, and less edgy than say Seattle and San Fran. The downtown business district has some great architecture. There’s some Japanese-style hot dog stands that were amazing, too. Want a hot dog with Japanese Mayo, teriyaki sauce and seaweed? Japadog is what’s for you.
Monday
Vancouver. We took the ferry once more over from Vancouver Island. It was not as magnificently foggy as before, but still beautiful.
Driving up to and getting settled in the hostel there for the first was a bit unnerving, to say the least. And I thought that Bruno’s Motel in Gerlach, with its dinky rooms and strong smokey stench could not be topped. This place had character. Located right next to a bike bar that had an ambulance there very night we were, the unwashed sheets and our room, in which an unknown person’s belongings and food were left there for who knows how long indicated to me that perhaps the sink that spurted rown water and the one bathroom on a floor of more than 30 dorm rooms was not the least of it. Now, I’m not exaggerating, but I think I am making it sound dramatic. In reality, I’m over it.
Vancouver, in the day and from the south side, didn’t look too hot. Kinds deserted, actually. But, after taking a walk down the park that goes along the whole waterfront to Granville Island, where the Emily Carr art school and market, and seeing the sun set behind the many skyscrapers while standing in the Olympic Park, my mind is starting to change.
Sunday
Last day in Ucluelet. After a spirit filled testimony meeting in the living room of the hostel, we had a great day relaxing, culminating in a slideshow presentation with the hostel owner and staff as our guests, along with a sushi party! We used some of the salmon that joe caught the day before, and a local sushi chef taught us how to make it! He was so great and generous, donating a bunch of stuff for us to try, even doing tempura sushi. We’ve had so much fun here.
One of the staff I got to have a good conversation with. Rob from the Netherlands, a guy who just goes where the kind takes him.

Saturday
Early morning photography on Big Beach in Ucluelet (just a short walk). It was a great experience.
I painted a watercolor for the first time on this trip. It was one of the older boats along the dock. I was actually quite pleased with it, I should really do more watercoloring.
There’s an aquarium here that is small, but apparently stellar. I unfortunately couldn’t make it there to check it out, but all the stuff they have there is catch and release, all stuff that’s local, and much of it you can reach in an touch. There is really great marine life here. Just walking on to the docks I saw 3 gigantic starfish and a crab just chillin in the shallow water.
There was a surfing competition in Tofino, which was fun from a photojournalistic experience. It made me feel like I was in southern California, actually. We were blessed with some of the most beautiful weather while we’ve been here, from Friday to Sunday. Some of us took surfing lessons, though I didn’t join. Uclulet is such a great surfing town, the people here are very friendly and genuine. They really want to be your friend and tell you about everything that’s going on around. I would love to come back to that town and spend more time there.
That night we had a bonfire and and nutella smores at Big Beach, a place with tons of driftwood and completely open for fires. It was an awesome good time, with music and talking. I learned that Jay Jay did the WWOOF thing in France.
Friday
We had another salmon party..:)))))). Jenna and I spent some time in big beach in the afternoon after cruising the town in the morning
Thursday
Went to a Rain Forest that went right up to the beach. It was like being in the Redwoods again! Aka incredible! And Tofino, which was on a bay with mountains and lots of boats. Yeah yeah yeah.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010
The drive to Uclulet, BC, was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was beyond description. Majestic mountains blanketed in thick, thick fog, all the while being misted with gentle rain, creating waterfalls and rivers flowing strait down the mountain, completely traceable with the eye. The mountains were steep, making the tall, tall trees seem like a thousand foot tall wall. Rivers, bridges, a watery opening to the Pacific Ocean. A bald eagle flew right alongside our van.
Our new residence, which we will be using for 4 days, is a few hostel buildings that we have all to ourselves. Uclulet is this beautiful, little town with some great shops and really friendly people. The people we’ve met have already invited us to the local happenings. I’m really excited to photograph here.

Monday, May 31,2010
Happy Memorial Day! First time in another country today. I was exhausted this morning, but I’m glad I stayed awake for the ferry ride. We boarded with our vans on this huge ferry into the San Juan islands, which was like traveling back in time to New England, with the forests and lonely isles enveloped in fog, everything grey.
We are now in Victoria, which is turning out to be pretty cool. The architecture is very European and there are some really great shops here. I’m trying to be prudent, though!
We finished the evening with 3 hours of swimming in this HUGE pool complex that was apparently used for the summer Olympics once. It had this massive water slide, and of course the 10 meter diving platform, which some of us couldn’t resist.
We are in another hostel, which isn’t too bad! I kind of like it. The one in seattle was better, though.


Sunday, May 30, 2010
Awesome: Pikes Place Market at 7 am, before the huge crowds.
Awesomely more awesome: Seattle folklife festival . Me and some peeps got it down to some ethnic beats into the night.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
On our way to Seattle, we stopped in Astoria, Or. Which is this cute town with lots of Antique shops and Victorian-style buildings. We stopped at the Goonies house, and had some random adventures there.
Drove to Seattle, and got there at 5. We had a brief look at the market. We are staying at the Green Tortoise hostel, which is literally on Pike and 1st, super close to Pike Place Market. After we all got settled in (it’s a pretty decent hostel) we all went to the waterfront to eat some Alder’s Smoked Salmon, which was way decent, but not as mind-blowing as I’d hoped. From there, we walked up and down the streets, went to H&M and bought some stuff, and kind of wandered around aimlessly, which was WAY frustrating to me, as I really wanted to go to the folk festival and a reggae show (and possible Talib Kweli) but, sadly, I had to stay with the group. But we did end up playing Truth or Dare Jenga at this one Café.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Woke up early and had a wonderful morning, then went down to the local café to take pictures, which was followed by some art making, then another trip in the afternoon to this cool dining and cooking school thing. Then that night we had a critique that was very motivating. I realized I got a lot of more work to do!
Thursday
Bikes! And Glass Blowers!