Costa Rican Reunion in Ann Arbor

What can I tell you about my lightening fast trip to Ann Arbor...it was awesome! Not just because I got to get out of dodge for a few days and step away from reality but because it was great to spend time with people I met on my Costa Rican adventure.  It was awesome to see so many of us reunite and have a really good time together. I'm very grateful for having met all of these amazing people on my trip.  **Libby thank you for being so gracious and hosting us all. And mostly for putting up with me! :) (Iceland here we come!)

Here's a rundown of my whirlwind trip:
 1. Day one- airports stink! United has never been my friend and continues to not be. I got stuck in Chicago when my flight got canceled to Detroit. This caused me to be in the airport all day. I could have drove to Ann Arbor and back in the amount of time I spent getting there that first day. But once I got there, Libby and I went out to dinner with some of her friends and played buckets at a Brewery which was a fun time.

2. Day two- Up and out early to the amazing Ann Arbor Arts Festival. We spent all day walking around (eating freebies that were handed out), stopping only to return to the house to pick up the Canadians that got in and then we headed back to the festival all night meeting up with my other Ann Arbor friend.  I knew my one big splurge would be at the arts festival. I finally found my purchase...which was at a booth were a gentleman repurposed things like license plates, vintage tea tays, coins, etc... into jewelry, keychains and so on.  I picked up an awesome brass ring made from a World War II artillery shell stamped 1944.  It's awesome except for the next day I woke up with a green finger! Putting clear nail polish on the inside of the ring seemed to fix that problem though.

Libby and I goofing off at the Arts Festival.

Street performers

My recycled World War II artillery shell ring.

3. Day three- Yep, I ended up splurging again and going with my Ann Arbor friends to get a pedicure while the Canadians were living it up at Walmart (inside joke here).  The woman did a great job attempting to fix up my feet. My big toes are looking better every week (well kind of sort of...compared to what they did look like a couple of months ago).  We then headed back to start prepping the food since the Chicago and Grand Rapids couple were coming in today.  The rest of the day was spent eating and socializing. This was the true reunion part. We ate rice, beans, and chicken! Kate made 4 amazing homemade desserts for us and Susan brought in all kinds of goodies from Canada that we don't have here (including smuggling in Kindereggs). We had a blast hanging out, catching up and cracking inside jokes about our Costa Rica trip. This is the part about traveling that I love. You are forever connected to these people and only they know what you mean when you crack those jokes. :)

Pedicures

The Costa Rica Crew!

The infamous Kinderegg- how perfect was it that I happened to get a little painter dude.

4. Day four- We said goodbye to the Grand Rapids couple the previous evening and to the Canadians that day.  We met up with the Chicago couple and my other Ann Arbor friend and we all headed to Detroit for the day.  First, because everyone was easy going they indulged me by going to the Hard Core Pawn Shop (from the tv show). My dad really wanted me to check the place out. We even went inside and I ended up seeing the main owner and his son. The owner took his pic with me and they both signed a muscle t-shirt I got for my dad.  We then drove around Detroit and did some sightseeing, went out to lunch, to a casino (I indulged the others by doing this- not my thing), and then we took the "people mover" (the L) to the baseball stadium where we saw the Tigers versus Indian major league game.  I had never been to a major league game so I thought this was pretty cool. Though I admit the people walking up and down the steps and vendors selling food on the steps got annoying really quickly.

The Hard Core Pawn Shop

Downtown Detroit and the L

Had no idea Canada was that close.

My first major league baseball game.

5. Day five- I got up early, packed and then headed to the airport and said goodbye to my friend Libby. I spent the day traveling (at least there was no major delays this time around) and got home exhausted. Took a couple of days to recuperate but I wouldn't have had it any other way. :)