An ode to socks

I've seen all kinds of travel-related articles on different types of clothing: dresses, hats, pants, shirts, coats, shoes, scarves, and a myriad of other accessories, but it's not often that people talk about socks.  I love socks.  They are my favorite article of clothing.  They are also the necessity I most often forget to pack, which is unfortunate because they are crucial.  There are few things more uncomfortable than walking around with cold feet, for example.  And there are few things more annoying than getting blisters on your feet from your adventures.  Packing the right types and the right numbers of socks is a must for a happy holiday.

Socks for flights:
I love fuzzy socks for all occasions: the fuzzier, the better.  I could wear them everyday, but they are especially wonderful for long flights.  My feet get cold easily, but I don't like wearing shoes the entire time that I'm on the airplane, so a pair of fuzzy socks is a good compromise.

Colorful fuzzy socks are great!

I'm also one of those intractably unfashionable people who occasionally wears socks with sandals.  I nearly always keep a pair of sandals in my backpack, and once I get on the plane, I take off the shoes or hiking boots I'm wearing and put on my sandals instead.  Wearing heavy shoes for hours on an airplane is quite uncomfortable, but there is no way I'm setting foot in an airplane bathroom without some sort of protection on my feet.

A Warm Weather Tour of Downtown Chicago

Winter has been a bit colder and longer this year than previous years.  Most of the time, I'd rather be sitting at home under a blanket, sipping a cup of tea, than walking around outside.  When the weather warms up though, Chicago is an incredibly fun city to explore.  Being right on the shore of Lake Michigan, the city is very picturesque for a big city, and there are lots of things to do downtown.

Chicago Theater on State Street

Travel theme: Ancient

I thought I'd try my hand at putting together a post for the weekly travel theme from Where's My Backpack.  The travel theme for this week is ancient.

Central America is full of Mayan ruins, and some of the most extensive ruins are in Tikal, Guatemala.  The majority of the ruins at Tikal are still covered in dense vegetation, but some, like this temple in the Gran Plaza have been unearthed and can be visited. 

Tikal, Guatemala