i took a little detour south and west to visit idaho falls. a gorgeous town just to the west of the tetons. my mom was born not too far from here in pocatello, so you could say this is the land of my people! the damming of the snake river resulted in a waterfall right in the middle of what is now the downtown area. the city has built a greenway around it offering exquisite vantages. even mahjong is impressed by how scenic this city looks in the morning!
a view of the idaho falls LDS temple situated just above the water.
sadly a moose is one of the wildlife creatures of this area i didn't get to see in person. so i had to settle for a statue!
i could've spent all day here enjoying the summer weather and the sounds of the rushing water. i forgot what it was like to be in an area with low humidity. but there was more road to be driven, and more sights to see!
a few hours north and i was in the resort area of coeur d'alene. coeur d'alene lake sits towards the northern end of the idaho pan handle, and draws visitors to it's crisp waters and pine tree heavy mountains.
the downtown area has a variety of public beaches available for watercrafts and swimmers to enjoy.
there's a scenic byway that follows along the shores that offers a higher view.
at every turn there are gorgeous valleys with rivers and ponds.
the quaint downtown area offered many clever restaurants i was eager to patronize. a quick stop for a cocktails and a snack where i had to enjoy what idaho is most famous for, potatoes! in this case, potato chips. handmade kettle chips with a creamy onion dip. a wonderful rest before i explored the shops of the main street.
my dinner that night was at a recommended italian bistro called "uva". i was torn between pasta and chicken marsala when i noticed one of the specials that night was a ravioli served in marsala sauce. win! the ravioli was stuffed with tender braised short rib beef. it was the perfect combination of flavors, and exactly what i needed! it's a few blocks off the main downtown avenue, but i highly recommend.
this area is very big on ice cream. every other store front downtown is an artisanal ice cream vendor. it was surprisingly hot, so i can understand why this would be so popular. the hard part was narrowing down which establishment to try. i opted for "abi's", since i have a niece abby. and even though the spelling was different, i figured the name was as good a reason as any!
i chose....wisely. one of the flavors they were featuring was an orange cardamom ice cream. two of my absolute favorite flavors together! it was a light and refreshing combination that was easily one of the best ice cream experiences i have ever had. ever. seriously. that includes the lemon gelato i had in tuscany. and the snickers ice cream in amish country. i'm hoping my travels bring me back here, just so i can have another scoop!
walking through the streets there are many statues and pieces of artwork featured. i fell completely in love with this nearly two story nod to dandelions. they seem so whimsical!
and this gem. i love harlequin diamonds. i love moose. but a harlequin moose?!?!?! magical.
another recommendation i was given was to try coeur d'alene cellars, the local winery. they offer a wide variety of both whites and reds to sample. i opted for a flight of their most popular reds (the tasting is free if you purchase a bottle).
and the best part? they're dog friendly! and not just "your dog is welcome, but has to suffer outside in the heat" but " please! bring your dog right on in and we'll set her up with her own water and snacks!". she was partial to the cabernet sauvignon, so we picked up a bottle to bring to tony.
and thus this chapter of our adventures end. we've arrived in kent, washington! happily reunited with tony and ready to begin a life in the pacific northwest.
these last few days have been amazing. i am truly blessed to have had this experience. to be able to see the grandeur of my country. to appreciate the wonder of the mountains and lakes and plains. to have my leggy co-pilot keep me company! i look forward to our next journey, wherever that may be!
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