Santa Barbara day one

so here i am. while i was flying to San Fransisco i realised how i slowly drift further and further away from Belgium..... Iceland-Canada-California-.... like a bird hopping from branch to branch, suddenly discovering the great height it's on. the thing is: if i'd keep on travelling the same direction, the same way.... it would bring me right back home! .... amazing. exploration and expansion into home.
i was happy to see the wrinkles in the skin of the earth again.... - once closer to the surface i recognised them as mountains. in a way this place has familiarities with my home in Iceland: mountains and sea - apart from this: no warm winds, no palm trees and beach vibes in the north. (well yes, beach vibes even in december in Iceland, for the brave ones.... i consider myself brave :-).)

conquering the Fortress America wasn't the easiest thing. i was thinking how remarquable it is that the 'New World' once, even not so long ago, welcomed so many different people from all over the world (or almost).... it's culture is even the fruit of it.... to turn nowadays in a place where the border people treat foreigners with suspicion and distrust. weird. both my words and my luggage got turned inside out. again and again. but i made it. i fought the battle.

so let's exchange my winter outfit for a summer one. i have been looking forward to the blossoming of spring, but i seem to have missed that part; i skipped a season in a matter of hours. flying from Toronto where the trees are still bare..... here they have a deep summer green as dresses! i realise my connection with spring, my birth season: its blossoming and flowers matches the fresh colours i love to wear and have around me.

ok, for now,
cheers,
S.