I have to say I had some pretty high expectations for Connecticut, though, and in some places they were met but in others not so much. I mean, to start I have always loved Gilmore Girls and love the idea of a "Stars Hollow" existing somewhere - I realize this is a made for TV kind of place, but I was hoping the colonialism would really seep through aspects of the culture here. In some ways it does - I mean I can walk down the street and see a house that was built in 1699, and that is amazing, but there's a lot more industrial influences as well. I mean you pass amazing houses like the below, and then a block away is an apartment that looks like project housing? Downtown is small and semi-sweet, but I just would have thought it would be sweeter somehow?
It was a long journey to get there (fly to Newark, layover, and then a 2 hour train ride) and the train ride allowed me to see some of the “country” along the way. Well scratch country – it was actually pretty industrial looking the whole way there which I didn’t expect, but ok. Connecticut is one of the few states left that I had not been to and even though I realize the picture in my head wasn’t going to be completely accurate, I still couldn't help the image of what towns in Connecticut should look like. I mean for goodness sakes – it’s expensive and people from the city commute back and forth JUST to live there, so surely it would have to knock your socks off to go through that kind of trouble?
Overall the trip was great, and I have resolved myself to keep my eyes open for the Stars Hollow equivalent as in the areas that are less populated I can see the beauty so easily in the landscape and the hills - for instance the corporate campus I was on is just a few miles from my hotel and has a *fantastic* view of the mountains and forests in the distance, so I know if I had the time I could find those gems of places... Their gardens are admirable for sure... plants that don't have a fighting chance in Texas grow that are so beautiful! I was planning on going to the arboretem on Friday but of course it's been pouring rain since 3 p.m. so my plans for this evening were sunk, but oh well! I did have a GREAT time exploring everything within walking distance to my hotel over the week, though... caught a movie (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 - loved it), and watched the Olympics every night - sometimes until far too late but gotta love them! So it was good, though was excited to get home!
And my triathlon was on the Sunday! It was a bummer that I had to be flying and traveling up until late on Saturday and I wasn't able to stick as closely to my training schedule (improvising with elliptical and the small free weights at my hotel gym) but was hoping it would be ok. Hilarious story - I specifically chose this hotel because it had a pool, so brought my swimsuit ready to train - I go down to the fitness center/pool area just to see exactly what I had to work with, and LITERALLY the pool is like 15 feet by 10 feet - might as well be a baby pool because I think I could maybe fit 2.5 strokes in before my head hit (or toes in the 4 foot water). So that was out - bogus!
Anyway, I’ll be going to NYC later this year for my uncle’s wedding, so hopefully will have more fun around the area (and this time with Curt and the fam!) and get a chance to go out more as we’ll have a car!
Below are some pictures from my trip!
A beautiful Victorian home on the way to downtown from my hotel.
A beautiful home and garden close to downtown (the pic doesn't do it justice).
Some cute giraffe sculptures positioned to be "eating" from a "snowball" bush on the side of an amazing English style house. Not sure of the real name of a Snowball bush but LOVE the look of it and thought it was just so cute with the giraffes!
The beautiful stained glass of the Fish Church - a local site to behold. Talk about amazing... I was in the church alone and it was pitch black save the dim light coming from a rainy outside - was really amazing.
Love,
Tasha xx
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