QOTD

 QOTD #28:  Life's surprises are the best kind.

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by PAM

"Everyday is a new day.  It is better to be lucky.  But I would rather be exact.  Then when luck comes you are ready."

 - Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea

To spend the week-long Thanksgiving break at my sister's and brother-in-law's place in Boise, ID was a given.  They are my only family in this country, and we haven't seen each other since my last visit back in 2019.  Although that was only two years ago, so many things happened in between, most of which are pandemic-related, two of which involved death and a near-death experiences, were traumatic for all of us and they  

At Boise at my sister's, I had no idea what
awesomeness was waiting for us at
Sun Valley & Ketchum.

changed our lives forever. So, naturally, it is a good idea to catch-up.  The Thanksgiving break gave us that opportunity.

Surprisingly, the visit was not as emotional as I anticipated, especially that our father's first death anniversary was only about two weeks away during the time of my visit.  And, I haven't fully recovered from the trauma of being a COVID-19 survivor.  I guess the chance to see each other face-to-face after all the things that we endured over the last two years outweighed the need to assess whether we already have or yet to heal.  It seemed that the happiness to see each other, especially my sister and I, did most of the healing, and in an instant, too.  The rest of the trauma became just negligible.  Indeed, this is a pleasant surprise!

In their attempt to celebrate Thanksgiving together and to take a little vacation, my sister and brother-in-law planned a trip to the lovely, lovely city called Sun Valley, ID.  It is a place famous for its association with the legendary American novelist and Nobel Laureate, Ernest Hemingway.  It is well-known that he first stayed in the famous Sun Valley Lodge in 1939 while writing his novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls.  I do like Hemingway.  He was one of the authors whose works we studied back in the early 1980s in my Junior High School years in the Philippines.  We specifically studied his Pulitzer-winning work, The Old Man and the Sea.  During that time, 

The Hemingway Memorial in Sun
Valley, just a preview of the
awesomeness that Sun Valley
& Ketchum are!

his grand daughters, (the late) Margaux Hemingway and Mariel Hemingway, were quite well-known young actresses, which added to the interest in studying his works.  I have to say, however, that I do not recall his association with Sun Valley, ID.  

Aside from Sun Valley, we also visited Ketchum, ID, which was the last home of Ernest Hemingway, and where his remains are buried.  In fact, we stayed in Hotel Ketchum - a beautiful tourist accommodation place right in the middle of the city but with the lovely snowcapped mountains around it seeming to envelope it.  We traveled back and forth between Ketchum and Sun Valley, mostly just walking.  I do think that the two cities are almost one and the same - in beauty and overall character.  It was so easy to walk between their centers, and just admire the breathtaking sceneries in between.  I loved it that the two cities are so understated, and almost 'hidden' from tourists. Except for the few mansions at the hills, overlooking the Sun Valley golf course below, the environment seemed unadulterated and carefully preserved in both cities.  They are lively cities, too, with enough good places to eat.  Shopping was also interesting with all the unique finds in those boutiques and regular stores that seemed to jump out of a Hallmark TV movie.  People are accommodating and friendly, but not overly so.  Both cities are quiet places without looking deserted.  At some point, my sister and I sat on a bench to admire the hills and the creek below, which sparkled from the rays of the sun... we did not realize that we were sitting there for more than an hour already despite the cold.  It is too beautiful and serene!  It is so refreshing compared with the big, noisy and tiresome cities of the United States!

While I did not expect Sun Valley and Ketchum to be so gloriously beautiful, I get it why the award-

The Hotel Ketchum - a great and practical
alternative to the legendary Sun Valley Lodge. 

winning novelist Hemingway whose personality was the very meaning of 'larger than life' especially in his younger days would choose to settle there after galivanting in the glittery cities of France, Spain and Cuba, and the big cities of the United States.  The drive from Boise to Ketchum and Sun Valley alone was incredible, filled with dramatic sceneries overwhelming the senses one after another without even trying. The long range of snow-capped mountains and the expanse of valleys below, bathed in the rays of the veiled sun in the approaching winter, were totally a thing to behold.  Getting 'up close and personal', and actually climbing a part of those mountains, is a totally unforgettable experience!  What a pleasant surprise, indeed, I thank my lucky stars!

To be continued in more details in the next post....

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Photo credit:  All the photos used in this post are mine.