Fond Memories

by MEGS S. LUNN

Varied Bliss

When every day brings something new, you feel you couldn’t ask for more. Travel satisfaction is what I called my trip recently a varied bliss. I met wonderful people on my way to my destination, people who travels for business, pleasure and or migration. I experience diverse cultures of lifestyle and foods, customer service are awesome, interactions are challenging and rewarding. My different family hosts almost every day was able to show me the same Filipino hospitality we never could have imagined. In return, through my talks and presentation, I was able to show them the positive impact of how we care and work with a small amount of resources, to be able to get things done, for the love of service.

Upon entry through Los Angeles International Airport, my cousins whom I haven’t seen for 15 or 20 years was able to gave me a grand welcome to USA. Right away, we drove to downtown LA, Hollywood, Pasadena, and around different cities of California. It was a surprised when they suddenly offered to drive 4-hours to Las Vegas. Here’s a first timer in the USA and was right away introduced to what they called a "Sin City." What makes it exciting is that we were able to cross countries for two days from New York, to London, Paris and Egypt….but, only in Vegas. Using the tram to do it was not bad. Went to see the hotels (MGM, The Hotel) where our International Boxer – Cong. Manny Pacquiao played and stayed. Likewise, we visited Mandalay Bay where he recently threw a party for his victory. I got lucky to meet Mark – the manager of Mandalay Bay and gave me boxes of playing cards to take home. Well, we have to appreciate something you are not expected to get, huh!

Well, wherever you go in the US, the most impressive is their wider roads, disciplined motorists/drivers and efficient traffic lights. What about their food? They have huge servings that before I could eat, I have to think first of others who has nothing to eat. Pathetic that it may sound, but their servings are so huge that you could serve two to three people by it. Buffet are so cheap that you could eat "seafood" – you eat whatever you see or at most times, your eyes get bigger than your stomach, you end up feasting on them and when you get full, you realized, you have served yourself abundantly that you couldn’t finally finish it, and that is a shame.

On the other hand, Filipinos are well known with good family values. My Uncle Pol always starts our trip with a prayer and makes sure that we also have time to worship before we retire for the night. He will lead into prayer for whatever we do and wherever we go. That was so kind of him, therefore, I already know that my trip to USA will be the best as it could be, safe and sound, for it was prayed for.

My trip’s mission for twelve days is to Denver, Colorado. For the first five days, every after talk with different Rotary clubs in the cities of Denver, Wheatridge, Arvada and Lakewood, in between, I get the opportunities to see the whole Colorado. It’s a place committed to preserving the pristine setting and mountain lifestyle. Driving through every city, you will see the mountains on the West that offers thrills for every level and all ages. From abundant wide open green and blue groomed trails, to the beautiful Aspen at Vail Mountain with bright gold color, the different historic towns and cities we visited have vibrant landscape of different colored-flowers, it’s town remains to preserving its heritage and every time you stopped by, it radiates an unparalleled welcoming spirit that celebrates a simpler life and time. At almost 12 thousand feet high, here I was assaulted by the wind for it was the coldest part of Colorado I have ever went – 40 degrees at the Continental Divide. It was so fascinating, indeed.

It is of varied bliss because I also had the chance to ride on a 4-seater plane to see the whole city of Colorado from 5,000ft high above. The two-hour ride was undeniably an amazing bliss. The stunning scenery from above gave me the whole perspective of what Colorado is all about. It is a place with an awe-inspiring Rocky Mountains, Table Top Mountains, Evergreen and Aspen Trees, with a blended historical building and warm, responsible people.

The Gala Nite Fundraising at Denver Marriott West was my final tour of duty to speak. We did the very exciting live auction of which it was my first time to feel ecstatic on such rare occasion. It was fun to meet up the whole board member of Uplift Internationale who does Operation Taghoy medical mission for the children with cleft lip and palate in the Philippines. The Humanitarian Award they accorded me was unexpected, of all places, we were recognized in a strange country. It was no strange feeling after, as I have felt the warmth and love of my fellow volunteers that I have even offered to call them sister, brother, dad and mom. Suddenly, I found my second home with heartwarming individuals in Colorado.

After the fun of walking, driving, flying and speaking around Colorado, I have to add in my list the vacation after a vacation. Wyoming was my most awaited next destination. Driving through the Magic City of the Plains is an inner journey for me. Great plains abound Wyoming. Driving was so quiet and it gave me an enormous time to reflect and meditate. A moment of silence is sometimes what we need. Unknowingly to my companion, he gave me that privileged to be able to have time to appreciate what we are seeing left and right. It was like you are in the middle of nowhere, of vast plains and blue skies that leads you to somewhere, and to something exciting.

Our destination was Cheyenne. This is a home to "The Daddy of ‘em All", "Cheyenne Frontier Days" for 114 years now, where they show a thousands of film for two weeks, which includes food, western art shows, Native American arts and culture, night concerts and, of course, the famous award winning rodeo itself. It is interesting to know that in Wyoming, there is one house for every five-acre.

Though a place not for you to retire, it is indeed so magical to just walk around to see some old Victorian houses, gardens and lakes. It is one of the wealthiest States, for gas and oil abounds this State. You get to appreciate their history as they are also called the Front Range Urban Corridor. We also drove to Wedauwoo (ve-da-vu) Mountains where you see the different stone formation, cotton wood and aspen trees, too, what an enormous sight that I just couldn’t comprehend. I love the long drive to the Rocky Mountains National Park, passed many cities, see typical outwest pinetrees, water, canyon and lodging, before you could finally reach the highest continuous road in the United States of America. We were almost at the edge of Colorado Mountains, what an awesome view of beautiful creations. I love the thought of being able to be with someone special seeing and appreciating those creations.

The sunshine, blue skies and some white snow I get to see in Colorado was so over-whelming especially that they blend to every pictures I took. Nothing beats Colorado. Though I missed the humidity back home, you feel like it’s always a cold breezy, fresh morning all the time. My experience in Colorado has been significantly more profound, for I found more than beauty and fun. Mr. Tom Brock, an editor of one magazine in town said, "It is a place of endless possibility."

It makes sense. If given the chance to live there with so much energy and honesty, good things may happen. For now, there is no place like home. /MP