Asheville, NC

Asheville was mostly rainy and cold. 

 

 I made the best of it by splitting my time in bookstores, getting Thai food, and staying cozy in the hostel. 

The best Thai food I've ever had: Spicy Black Bean Noodles with tofu.

Cheeky fortunes.

Home, sweet hostel.

And also, Asheville was a little disappointing.  From all that I had read and heard it seemed like Asheville was like an Ann Arbor in the mountains.  I had high hopes that it would be place I wanted to live, and I just got this vibe of "offness".  Something I couldn't put my finger on.  But I've learned over time to trust those feelings, those unknown things that we sense. I did enjoy it's quirkiness:

 

Climbing wall on a parking garage.

Cat statues on the streets.  

Some of the streets:

And being in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I was crazy to not hike any part of the Appalachian Trail.

The Blue Ridge Mountains :)

This tree that said "Grounded" really spoke to me.

Spent a few nights drinking good craft beer in Beer Town USA listening to some great live bluegrass.  Made a few friends including a man named Will who was a software consultant from NY on "sabbatical" spending his days dancing and doing yoga.  Most of the people seemed to have the same agenda, free- spiritness.

Thanks for the wonderful visit, Asheville.