Bekkers

I love nicknames. I love that to some people I'm Beks, to others I'm Tucker, to others I'm Rebekah (mom), to Czech kids who can't pronounce my name I'm VEE-bekah, and to most people from Prague I'm Bekkers. It's the most ridiculous of all of them, but I like it.

And what was so perfect about my trip was to see good friends again. I wish we lived closer!!

The week was packed with sightseeing and my friends showing off their cities. I got to meet parents and grandparents, see houses they grew up in, grade schools they attended, and first apartments they lived in.

Most of my time was spent in St Louis and let me tell you, that is a great city! It's a dark horse, you don't see it coming and BAM! it's cool. Just like Portland, it's the neighborhoods that make it a cool city... not so much the downtown. My favorite being Soulard where Will lived for 3 1/2 years. Host to the second largest Mardi Gras party in the country and so full of houses with charming French architecture and pubs, cafes, shops, restaurants... ahhh, it felt European.

And then on to Nashville for a couple days where I saw the BIGGEST houses ever and at one point standing on a street corner could see 4 churches! We're not in the northwest anymore, in a culture where church IS culture. My friend Lindsay's old elementary school is where Faith Hill and Martina McBride's kids go, and in high school, Reese Witherspoon was a few years older.

That's the other thing. We don't have famous people. I tried to list off a few: Everclear, the Shins, Gus Van Sant (anyone else?). They weren't impressed.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures...