My Ambetter coverage started at the beginning of 2023. The problems started

Interstate 90 connects Seattle, Washington on the west coast to Boston, Massachusetts on the east coast. I have not traveled the entire distance but have gone from Seattle to Wisconsin and am planning on continuing to Michigan (about 2/3 of the way). The first part of the journey begins on I-90 in Seattle or you can take Hwy-2 and join I-90 in Spokane.

Going to Idaho, Spokane, Montana, Yellowstone and other places requires driving east through Washington State. Two major highways go east, namely, Hwy-2 and I-90. We normally take Hwy-2 because it starts much closer to our house and it is a more rural and scenic drive. From the Everett/Marysville area just get on Hwy-2 and head east. You will pass through Monroe, Startup, Index, and various other cities and towns. One fun stop along the way is Skykomish where volunteers run miniature trains that you can ride. Rides are free and they have a small train depot building with some railroad artifacts and souvenirs. The trains and depot are funded by…

When I worked at Cabela’s I remember speaking with a 777 pilot about places to see in Washington. He was based out of the middle east and frequently flew over Washington. I him that it would take several hours to describe all of places to see in Washington. This state has coastline, mountains, desert, forests, waterfalls, cities, and on and on. IlwacoIlwaco Lighthouses & Cape DisappointmentLong BeachSpokane

I like flying kites, especially two-line stunt kites. I saw many photos of the Long Beach International Kite Festival and really wanted to attend. I made reservations in 2019 for the 2020 festival. The official festival was cancelled due to COVID but we decided to go anyway. Even through the official festival was canceled there were still lots of kites and flyers. We returned in 2021, 2022, and 2023 and the kite festival has become a favorite annual event. The Kite Festival attracts fliers from near, far, and very far. Colorful and interesting kites of every kind fill the sky. There are single line kites, dual and quad line stunt…

Stockholm, Sweden’s capitol, is also its largest city. Stockholm is also a very cool city to visit. Like many cities in Europe, Stockholm is an eclectic mix of old and new with lots of places to see. While Stockholm is a very large and populous city, it did not feel overwhelming like Amsterdam. In other cities we had to be on high alert at all times for bicycles and scooters. Stockholm seemed more pedestrian friendly and they even had a large street (Drotteninggatan) reserved for foot traffic. Our hotel, The Haymarket, was at a city square near the Concert Hall. Everyday vendors selling flowers, fresh produce, and other items setup…

ÖrnsköldsvikStockholm

On our first European trip we spent three nights in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a very large and extremely busy city that offers a bit of everything. Canals and waterways are nearly everywhere in the city. A set of concentric canals radiate outward from Central Station and perpendicular canals connect them to one another and to the main waterways. Amsterdam has something for everyone with historical and classic buildings as well as ultra-modern architecture. The city contains history, museums, shopping, bicycles, food, churches, bicycles, education, flowers and plants, parks, bicycles (LOTS of bicycles), and so much more. We were there for three nights and only got to see a miniscule amount…

Ilwaco, Washington is a small fishing town just a few miles south of Long Beach. Park near the harbor and spend some time enjoying the shops and galleries that face the water. If you arrive in the morning when the water is still you may get some good reflection photos of the harbor. We visit Ilwaco in August while staying in Long Beach for the annual Kite Festival. During that week, Ilwaco has a street fair which we thoroughly enjoy. It is a smaller street fair with many local artists and artisans. I really enjoy seeing items created individually by local people. One of my favorite stores in Ilwaco is…

The old and new meet, quite literally, at Forum Groningen and Martinitoren Church. These two buildings could not be more different and they lie only a few steps from one another. To me, they represent the traditional and the modern that defines the city of Groningen. Forum Groningen is an ulta-modern building that contains a library, media area, study areas, a rooftop café, tourist information, and gift shop. The building has 10 levels but looks to be about 40 stories tall. The rooftop offers spectacular views of the area. The building looks like someone took a 40-story rock square and then sliced the sides and different angles with a giant…