Pacific Northwest: Rare Clear Skies, Rarer Reunions
2026 has been a year full of milestones. After my husband defended his PhD and I submitted my PhD thesis, we both decided to take a little break. Before we left the U.S., I wanted to go meet my best friend who lives in Seattle. So, over the Memorial Day weekend, we snuck away to meet some friendly faces.
More than the getaway itself, I was looking forward to the reunion. Having grown up together and gotten married just a week apart, my friend and I have led very parallel lives, and I couldn’t wait to see hers up close. Little did I know that, apart from the catch-ups and gossip sessions, she had a very special itinerary planned for my first trip to the Pacific Northwest.
We first went to Whidbey Island, a little island north of Seattle. If you know me well, you know how much I love small-town charm. Being my best friend, she knew it too, and she loves such towns just as much. So, after waiting for hours to get onto a ferry, we started our day on the island with a delicious brunch and a walk through the little town. We checked out some local stores and relished some ice cream while trying to decide which mountain was Mt. Baker. We finally hiked up to a beautiful viewpoint from where we could see both Mt. Rainier and the Pacific Ocean. On the way back, we came so close to the Canadian border that my phone welcomed me to Canada. By the time we made it back to Seattle, we were sun-kissed, tired, and still gossiping with each other.
The next day, we headed to Mt. Rainier National Park. Thanks to the Memorial Day weekend, we had to wait in a queue for hours just to get into the park. But we came prepared - with a car packed full of Taco Bell :) Looking back, some of my fondest memories from this trip are from the gossip sessions during that long wait in the car. Who knew a traffic jam could be so much fun?
Once we finally made it inside, the park was crowded, but not too bad. The drive up had some excellent viewpoints, and Mt. Rainier was every bit as beautiful as I had imagined. We were incredibly lucky to get to see it on one of the clearest days in the Pacific Northwest, with the snowy peak in full view. In a region famous for its grey skies, a clear view of the mountain felt like a gift.
A lot of the hiking trails were closed due to snow, and yet we managed to get around and see some very special viewpoints. Having seen and lived in snow before, I didn’t find it as special as my husband did, but all of us had an awesome time with snowball fights. One thing was peculiar though: the sun was so warm that the temperatures were comfortable enough to not need woolen clothes all day. That made it a very special experience for me in more ways than one: not only did I get hit with snowballs on my bare skin, but I also slipped on the ice 5 times (yes, I counted)!
On our way, we also stopped at Narada Falls, one of the most popular waterfalls in the park. Fed by all the melting snow, the falls were roaring as they tumbled down the rocks. After a day of warm sunshine, it was a lovely sight to take in.
But the most unique experience came a little while later, when we went to Reflection Lakes. As the name suggests, we were excited to see the reflection of Mt. Rainier in the lake, but our friends told us that this is only possible when there’s no breeze. Alas, there was some breeze. But we ended up seeing something even more special: lenticular clouds! These lens-shaped clouds form when strong winds flow over a tall mountain and the moist air condenses into layers right above it. Of course, I knew none of this back then. I only found out later, after some very determined Googling, so let’s just pretend I sounded this smart while standing by the lake. We stood by the lake for a long time, watching the clouds slowly change shape, and I decided that a little breeze was a small price to pay for such a sight.
Lenticular Clouds over Reflection Lakes
What started as a quick getaway turned into one of my most special memories of our time in the U.S. Between Taco Bell in traffic jams, snowball fights and gossip sessions, the Pacific Northwest gave us exactly what we needed: nature, laughter and a heartfelt reunion.