This past weekend was a blast. I’ve been pen pals with a girl for 17 years. When we were 12 we submitted a pen pal request that was in one of the issues of Teen Magazine. We were given each others address and began writing [I still have some of the letters in a box back home]. Once email came around, we stopped writing letters and emailed. We talked on the phone a few times and continued with emails, AOL IM and then Facebook. After 17 years of communicating, we finally met. I flew down to Lexington, KY for her wedding. We were so excited, but I was a little nervous showing up for a wedding having never met the bride nor anyone else who would be there. However, the minute I landed and met her sister at the airport, I felt like I belonged.
Now anyone who has read previous blog entries (especially when I travel) knows I have the worse luck when it comes to delays. Friday morning I head out to BOS for my 11am flight. We board and are told we will be delayed due to some mechanical problem that arose before that plane landed in Boston. Paperwork had to be done before we could take off, which meant, we were an hour leaving and I having a very short connection time in Charlotte (CLT) would more than likely miss my connection. Now, I have never been to CLT and realized that my gate to my connecting flight was 3 terminals away. We landed as my flight to Lexington (LEX) was supposed to take off. I took a chance hoping that I would still catch my flight, but even though I sprinted and the flight left 10 minutes late, I was still 5 minutes too late to catch my connecting flight. Now, since I was flying into LEX, I had no idea when another flight there would leave. Luckily there was a flight an hour later, and instead of my pen pal picking me up like we had planned, her sister did b/c the bride-to-be had to get her hair and makeup done for the rehearsal.
Flying into LEX on a small, 50 seat aircraft (same type of aircraft I nearly fell from the sky a couple years ago flying into Rochester, NY) wasn’t nearly as bad as I had expected. I flew in over all the horse farms and it was much greener and hillier than I imagined. I was given a mini tour and was given a short history lesson of the city. I was greeted at the hotel by my pen pal and met her family just in time to go to the church for the rehearsal. I was the guest of honor and everyone was excited to meet me.
I of course was eyeing one of the groomsman, and was hoping we’d have a chance to hang out, but we only had a few brief encounters the entire weekend. Everyone was so friendly I felt like I had grown up knowing everyone. I stayed the night with the bride and we chatted, catching up on things. Then the big day! It was a nice Catholic wedding; the church was gorgeous and made me rethink having a Vegas wedding if I ever do get married. I sat with the bride’s family at the reception and mingled a little with some of the bride and groom’s friends. It was really hot and I got up there dancing the cha-cha slide and to some hip-hop /R&B songs. We had an after party at the resort’s bar where I tried Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale which is one of my top favorite beers. It tasted like vanilla and went down smooth.
The weekend flew by, almost as if it were just a dream. I had a great time down there and I would love to go back and visit. Nothing compares to the Southern hospitality. Much love for those in KY!
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