IT IS EXCITING ENOUGH to find people who loves nature as you do, it is even more better to go enjoy the outdoors with them. Albany is situated near the Hudson river, with the Catskill Mountains and the Adirondacks just nearby. Justin’s apartment itself is a beautiful and clean place, there is a big yard with green grasses that seemed nice enough for us to lie down and smell the fresh grassy scents.

Lisa and Justin took me and Yaohua to Lake George, an hour drive northwards from Albany. Lake George is a beautiful body of water at the base of the majestic Adirondacks Mountains. The best way to see the lake, is to go on a cruise, and that is what we did. Before boarding the two and a half hour Mohican cruise, Lisa made sure we all had our sunblock on. She also made sure we don’t go with our stomachs empty and thus brought with us ‘pail’fuls of food; curry, noodles, fruits (lots of them) and corn. We had our little picnic on board, which was really cool.

The cruise brought us right to the middle of the lake, overlooking the beautiful summer homes and boathouses on shore. We discussed about buying ourselves a small island right smack in the middle of the lake so that we can camp here with no outside interference. Justin said the lake freezes during winter and so it should be quite convenient for us to just walk to the shore for supplies during the cold. The water was calm and there was a light breeze in the air. I guess that is why little babies enjoyed their naps so well on the cruise.

Coming back on shore, we strolled around the village of Lake George, which is mostly touristy shops selling souvenirs. There is a historical fort which we went to see but I am not familiar with the history and so had no particular interest in it. Yaohua went down to the beach (an artificial one) and made sure the whole world knows that he was once here. (I truly doubt that his name will survive the waves). Lake George is a place for you to just sit down on the dock, chat with your friends while you watch the sunset. It is a really relaxing experience and I thank Lisa and Justin for bringing us there.

Back in Albany, we bought ourselves pizzas from the Chicago grill so we can eat at home while we watch the Olympics. The thick crusted farmer’s market pizza was really my favorite, and the eggplant flatbread was quite delicious too. Another interesting dish is the skinless pizza with cheddar and mashed potato on top, it was quite nice, I just don’t like the sour cream that much. Lisa gave us organic root beer with no preservatives and colorings (finally sinful drinks with a healthy label). Healthy or not, I’m totally satisfied with our trip to the lakes.

*** CAM of the day ***

Acne
Having problems with pimples on your face? I had my fair share of breakouts too, especially in my teenage years. Other than taking a well-balanced diet and drinking lots of fluids, people with acne can try increasing their intake of beta carotenoids and Vitamin C. Flaxseed oil is also known for its skin healing properties, the essential fatty acids in it encourages thinning of the oily sebum that clogs pores. So next time you have a breakout, you can try some flaxseed oil in your food.