Photo by Sean Kelly Aus

In the two years that I’ve lived here I have seen Travis Tritt, Taylor Swift and Naomi Judd to name a few.  Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman are often seen getting coffee or grabbing a snack.  The key to spotting a famous person is to be on the lookout, since they are usually in torn jeans, cowboy boots and a baseball cap.   Check out these spots for a close encounter but if you see somebody, please be respectful.

1. Whole Foods –Famous people have to eat.  Both locations (in Franklin and Green Hills) attract the stars.
2. Ryman Theater – Jack White of the White Stripes loves the Ryman and can often be seen there, along with other native favorites.
3. Hot Yoga – Located near Vanderbilt in the West End, this is one of the hippest places to be in Nashville and industry favorites are flocking to it, along with Vandy students and other locals.
4. Cantina Loredo in The Gulch is a magnet for old school singers and up and comers plus their modern take on Mexican is saucy and fresh.
5. Predators Hockey Games – Carrie Underwood is married to one of the players and often celebs are in the stands or singing between periods.  I saw a great Vince Gill mini concert there during the playoffs.

BONUS:  The Green Hills area is a mecca for sightings because of its central location.

Where have you seen a famous person in Nashville?

BEAT THE HEAT

The most important thing to do to ensure a wonderful CMAFEST experience is to understand the heat and humidity.  Nashville ranks among the top ten cities in the US when it comes to high morning humidity levels.

Drink lots of water:  CMAFEST offers free hydration stations for re-filling your water bottles.

Avoid Alcohol:  Beer and liquor dehydrate the body.  If you still want to enjoy a tall cold one, wait until the sun goes down.

Sunscreen, Hats and Shade:  Sunscreen will sweat off so re-apply often.  Happiness is enjoying the party, not feeling the burn.

THIN THE CROWDS

Over 250,000 country music fans will descend upon Nashville over the four day festival, most of them contained in the four block area downtown and LP Field.  There is no avoiding fellow fans but there are a couple of things to do to reduce stress.

Get there early:  Don’t wait until the last minute to try to get in to see the popular performers.

Parking:  Commuters should use the free shuttle that runs from LP Field to downtown. It is only for four day pass holders.  Also check with your hotel to see                      if they have   shuttles running to the festival.

PLAN YOUR DAY

Hundreds of artists are available each day performing, signing and participating in a variety of activities.  To assume not to miss your favorites, map out a path for each day and don’t forget to leave time to discover new talents.  CMAFest offers an app  provides up to date information and can be a valuable asset.

If you’d like to find out more behind the scenes Nashville info then put your email address in that little space to the right and I’ll keep you up to date.

Guest Blogger:  Photographer Janie Haynes

As I’ve grown older, I find my greatest joy comes from the simple things.   Being out on a trail with my dogs, especially on a sunny, brisk morning with winter coming to a close and the first colors of spring just peeking through the deadness, is one of my greatest joys.

For more of Janie’s photography, please visit  j.haynes photography.

Photo by Kenneth Rougeau

                           Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on     these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.
- Innocents Abroad

 To really appreciate his humor, insight and talents, a closer look at other travel related quotes is necessary.

                        I have found out there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.   -Tom Sawyer Abroad

                      …nothing so liberalizes a man and expands the kindly instincts that nature put in him as travel and contact with many kinds of people.  Letter to San Fransisco Alta California, 1867

                     Bermuda is the right country for a jaded man to “loaf” in. There are no harassments; the deep peace and quiet of the country sink into one’s body and bones and give his conscience a rest and chloroform the legion of invisible small devils that are always trying to whitewash his hair.    Some Rambling Notes of an Idle Excursion

                    I  wrote my last travel-book in hell; but I let on, the best I could, that it was an excursion through heaven. Some day I will read it, & if its lying cheerfulness fools me, then I shall believe it fooled the reader. How I did loath that journey around the world!–except the sea-part & India.
- Letter to William Dean Howells, in regards to FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR  April 2, 1899

                   Foreigners cannot enjoy our food, I suppose, any more than we can enjoy theirs. It is not strange; for tastes are made, not born. I might glorify my bill of fare until I was tired; but after all, the Scotchman would shake his head, and say, “Where’s your haggis?” and the Fijan would sigh and say, “Where’s your missionary?”
- A Tramp Abroad

                   A nation is only an individual multiplied.    – “The Turning-Point of My Life”
The Germans are exceedingly fond of Rhine wines; they are put up in tall, slender bottles, and are considered a pleasant beverage. One tells them from vinegar by the label.  – A Tramp Abroad

                   It is hard to make railroading pleasant in any country. It is too tedious. Stage-coaching is infinitely more delightful.  – The Innocents Abroad

                    …a man who keeps company with glaciers comes to feel tolerably insignificiant by and by. The Alps and the glaciers together are able to take every bit of conceit out of a man and reduce his self-importance to zero if he will only remain within the influence of their sublime presence long enough to give it a fair and reasonable chance to do its work.
- A Tramp Abroad

                    The English, the arrogant nation. The Americans the material nation, the Germans the patient nation, the Russians the unclassifiable nation, the French the volatile nation, the Scotch the thrifty nation, the Italians the hot-blooded kind-hearted nation, the Irish the nation of chaste women.
- Mark Twain’s Notebook

                  A southerner talks music.  – Life on the Mississippi
The time to begin writing an article is when you have finished it to your satisfaction. By that time you begin to clearly and logically perceive what it is that you really want to say. - Mark Twain’s Notebook, 1902-1903

                     There is no unhappiness like the misery of sighting land (and work) again after a cheerful, careless voyage.
- Letter to Will Bowen (prior to sailing on Quaker City)

                     The gentle reader will never, never know what a consummate ass he can become until he goes abroad.   - Innocents Abroad

What is your favorite Mark Twain quote?

Spring is just around the corner and you know what that means – time to plan a vacation or getaway weekend! For those of us with pets, this can be a difficult time. Should we take our four-legged friend with us on our travels or leave them in a familiar environment? Luckily, there are so many options available – here are some of my favorites:

Photo by asleeponasunbeam

If you are looking for a unique hotel experience, one of your best options is one of the very stylish and hip Kimpton Hotels.  After reading about their very unique pet-friendly properties, I thought, “Where have you been all of my life?” Not only are they located in cities across the country, but also offer dog walking services, pet beds, toys, treats and have a “Director of Pet Relations” at each hotel. How fun! For more information on all of their pet-friendly activities, check here.

If you are looking to treat your dog (or cat, etc.) to a luxury vacation, check out the Best Friends Pet Care pet resort at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. This place looks awesome! I recognize that my dog is totally pampered and so this place looks perfect for him. He doesn’t love being around other dogs that much (he’s 12) so one of the VIP suites would be ideal. I wouldn’t mind staying in one of those! If you are traveling to Orlando, FL, Best Friends Pet Care looks like a great option to keep your dog busy during the day while you are having fun at the parks!

There are many options for transporting your dog to your destination. My advice is to plan way in advance! If you are going to be traveling in a car, make sure that you restrain your dog. My dog and I were in a rear-end collision a while ago (actually the person hit us and then took off!) and luckily he was not hurt since he was properly restrained.  I’m sure that he hates it, but it is to protect the both of us.  FetchDog has a fantastic range of car seats and seatbelts.  Buy one and have peace of mind.

It can be extremely nerve-wracking to travel with your dog by air, since they almost always have to travel as cargo.  Why not try PetAirways?  PetAirways is a pet-only airline, where pets travel in the main cabin, not below as cargo.  Check out the cities that they fly to, as it may fit into your travel plans. However, they have recently experienced some financial trouble and may be reducing their routes.

This was just a sampling of some of the choices available to you when deciding to travel with your pet. To help you, I will post a list of additional resources on my blog that I use when planning pet travel.

Happy Travels!

Neely Raffellini

Photo by Ricky David

Ever since I was a child I’ve dreamed of writing and exploring the world.  As I grew older, the desire remained, but my ideas about the possibility of my dreams shrank.  By the time I was an adult, I believed that following my dreams was immature and impossible.  Instead, I told myself, the prudent thing to do was to follow the well worn path.  So I took a 9 to 5, married, bought a house and filled my house with stuff.

It was a nice life, it really was, and I was pretty happy.  So happy, in fact, that I would go months and months without remembering my dream.  But inevitably it always resurfaced, and in those moments I could feel the empty space that lived inside of me, the void of the unrecognized dream.

The more I paid attention to the empty space, the larger it grew, until I reached a point where I just couldn’t ignore it anymore.  I knew I had a choice: follow my dream and fill the void inside or spend the rest of my life wondering what if?

I realized that the only authentic decision I had was to chase my dream of writing and traveling the world.  I knew as soon as I made the decision that it was right.  But new problems surfaced.  What would my husband say about this crazy idea?  What about our jobs?  Our mortgage?  Our pets?  What about this life we’d built for ourselves?  How did it our current life fit with this new life that I knew I needed to live?

I’m making it sound easy, it wasn’t easy, but eventually every obstacle was surmounted.  My husband supported my idea.  We sold our house.  We’re quitting our jobs.  My in-laws are watching our dogs while we are away.  I started my blog and began submitting my writing to magazines.  Slowly the life I was living began to resemble the life of my dreams.

Kim and her husband are setting off to travel the world in May, 2012. She writes about her journey on her blog So Many Places (www.so-many-places.com).  You can also find her on facebook http://www.facebook.com/SoManyPlacesTravelBlog) and twitter (@RTWsomanyplaces).

Jenny Neill is the first guest blogger for Find Your Joy.  I am hoping to feature a guest blog every week.  Please let me know how you like this new feature.

Photo by Mike Russell

As a sommelier, I frequently get asked for advice about where to buy wine in Seattle. Some eateries carry a “retail add-on endorsement” that allows them to sell bottles for off-premise consumption. Most tourists fare better by looking for regional brands in specialty shops largely because they are better equipped to help you get your favorites home.

These three easy-to-find stores let you try, buy, and ship local brands to any destination legally able to receive wines in the United States. Each location also sells shippers (cartons designed for shipping 750 milliliter bottles). For those traveling by air, the price of checking a box is often cheaper than the cost of shipping it.

Pike and Western Wine Shop, located at the north end of Pike Place Market, has been promoting Washington state winemakers since 1975. Open seven days a week, this store hosts free tastings Friday afternoons. Accustomed to dealing with traveling customers, staff here will pack your purchase for you.

More than a quarter of the shelf space at Sixth Avenue Wine Seller, on the third floor of Pacific Place Shopping Center, showcases wines from the Pacific Northwest. Biweekly tastings on Thursdays cost $10 in the store, a fee that gets applied to the price of a bottle when you buy one. Free delivery is available to anyone living or staying in downtown Seattle, including hotels.

Getting to Wine World Warehouse by car, by bus, or by taxi from downtown Seattle takes approximately 20-30 minutes.  Laying claim to being “the largest wine store in the Northwest,” it features an evolving selection of 500 or more brands from Washington State alone. Winemakers visiting Seattle can add themselves to the daily event calendar making for a dynamic line-up of free tastings. Even if you don’t have time to visit, try looking for that favorite bottle on their ecommerce site.

Author Bio:

Jenny Neill is a freelance writer and sommelier based in Seattle. To see where her passion for food, wine, and travel take her next read her blog, Jenny Neill.

For more beautiful photos check out Mike Russell’s website.

photo by Dorisaurus

One of my travel blogger friends, Kim, and her husband, are less than four months (or as she says 16 Mondays) away from the beginning of their year long Round The World Trip.    They are going to have an amazing adventure and I’m so happy and proud of them that I am almost busting.

But it makes me wonder, why don’t I want to do something like that?  There are so many blogs about people making the commitment, saving their money, selling their houses, deposing of their belongings, quitting their jobs and embarking on a wonderful adventure.

What makes me different from them?

I love to travel.  I love to meet people, experience cultures, and break out of the every day routine of life.

Why don’t I want to take a year and travel the world?

Is it because I am single and, as much as I like doing things alone, the thought of being alone for a year is too much.  Sure that could be it.

Is it because of the medical issues that come up this year.  Yeah, that could be it.

Is it because I have three cats and a dog?  I would miss them.

Then it dawned on me.   I have no desire to take a round the world trip and be gone for a year, because my life has been one long round the world trip.

Born in Texas, I lived in Alaska, Turkey, Greece and Maryland by the time I was twelve.

As an adult working in the film industry I lived all over the world.  I may have been based in Los Angeles for sixteen years (the longest I have lived anywhere) but half of that time I was elsewhere filming.  I’ve lived for an extended time in Las Vegas, San Fransisco,  Morocco, Oahu, Portland (Oregon), Kauai, New Jersey and shorter excersions in South Carolina, Virginia, Washington and all over Northern and Southern California.

My life is a round the world trip.

I like the ring of that.

Currently,  I am finishing up nine months in Boston.  I am anxious to go home to Nashville, to live a life of routine, taking the dog for a walk, planting flowers, movies with friends.

And in a couple of months the travel itch will begin again.

You can check out Kim’s blog  So Many Places,  and keep an eye out for a upcoming  guest blog posting from her right here on Find Your Joy.

I struggle with this conundrum of balance, the perfect proportion of work and life.

The writer and Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, said  “ Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.”

Working in the film industry is very intense.  It often requires me to relocate for months at a time, which is a dream come true to a traveler but the price that I pay is immeasurable.

Photo by Chris Eades

For the last nine months I have lived in a brownstone in the Back Bay/South End area of Boston.   I’ve eaten oysters, gone to Red Sox games, taken a harbor cruise, eaten authentic Italian food in the North End and become a Patriots fan.   I’ve done touristy stuff like ride on a Duck Tour and lived like a local, shopping at my corner market and exploring this wonderful walking city.

And for those stolen moments of exploration I have worked non-stop, often seven days a week, fielding phone calls while driving through the Vermont countryside or sitting at my desk for fourteen stressful hours a day.  Dealing with the egos and the pressures of the responsibilities of millions of dollars weigh heavily on all those involved and creates a taxing environment.

On the home front, my 85 year old neighbor who had become one of my best friends in Nashville, lost her battle with cancer.  The summer heat burned my lawn, my car battery died, my house was dark on Halloween and my Christmas decorations collected another layer of dust.   My roommate taught my dog new tricks, my cousin Abbey started her freshman year at Vanderbilt and another neighbor’s puppy grew into a dog.

And I lost all my creative energy.  When I first got to Boston I vowed to keep writing, even it was just on weekends but I was soon swallowed up by the work pace and fell exhausted into bed at the end of each night.  I was so tired I forgot people’s names or events that happened the week before…my imaginative well was so dry there were dust devils whirling around in there.

I was out of balance.

Now that my film is in the final, relaxed wrap phase of production, I am left to emerge from my work cocoon, reconnect with friends, resurrect my blog, and  re-examine my life and priorities.

To quote Oprah, “what I know for sure”, is that when I am writing and when I have written I am profoundly happy.

I also know that I need to work to maintain my health insurance, fund my travels, and cushion my bank account for my time off.

How do I make this work?

Photo by Jake Mazur

Then I read “Work/Life Balance is a Myth; Here Is What You Can Do About It” by Craig Chapplow on the website Fast Company.

“And control, in my view, is what we’re really trying to get to with all the chatter about balance. We need better ways to manage work-life boundaries, understanding that we are subject to phases, often dictated by events out of our control, in which our work lives and personal lives ebb and flow in their demands. The more we assume actual leadership of our own lives, instead of waiting for someone else to do it for us, the better prepared we are to deal with this unending juggle.”

First I must release the notion that everything can be equal because it cannot.  I choose to take this movie and I benefited in many ways, paying off my credit cards, earning enough union hours to have medical insurance for a year, donating the full amount to my Roth IRA, making friends, living in a new city, visiting five states, experiencing a hurricane and a freak snow storm.

What I learned is that, for me, nine months is too long.  After working in this industry for almost 20 years, I want to be closer to home and I don’t want to spend more than three months away from home.   I need to store up blog posts, knowing that when I am working I am not as creative and I will have to carve out time to stay connected to the world that is important to me.

And that is how I will stay balanced, by staying in control, and taking responsibility for my life.
How will you stay balanced?

photo by inkstainedwriter

The World Domination Summit is over but my notes help me relive the feeling of unity and enthusiasm.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

“The Universe Wants You to Succeed “– Danielle Laporte

“Live  A Life of Boldness” – Leo Babuata

“Own Your Choices” – Leo Babuata

“Expand your Capacity to be Brave”- Danielle Laporte

“Making comparisons is a colossal waste of time “– Jodi Ettenberg

“We don’t age because time passes” – Jodi Ettenberg

“Take bold consistent action in the face of uncertainty” Unknown

“If its worth doing/creating, you won’t have all the information.” Unknown

(If I quoted you and you are the “unknown” please let me know so I can give you the credit you deserve.)

Danielle Laporte can be found at www.whitehottruth.com and @DanielleLaPorte on Twitter.

Leo Babauta’s website is www.ZenHabits.com and @ZenHabits on Twitter.

Jodi Ettenberg is www.LegalNomads.com and @LegalNomads on Twitter.

Many of us, however, plop ourselves in our airline or train seat and promptly turn the iPod on, earphones in, and get lost in our own worlds.    Sure we need our space when traveling, time to recuperate from our adventures or prepare for what is ahead or regain our balance.   But what will we miss if we immediately close ourselves off?

On my recent trip to Portland, Seattle and Vancouver I met a wonderful array of people (not counting the amazing folks I met at the The World Domination Summit and TBEX 11 Convention)).

The family from Alabama who were going on an Alaskan cruise.  The mom recommended a wonderful book, The Room.

The lesbian couple at Midway Airport headed to a writing conference in Portland.

The young woman from Southern Oregon headed to Sitka, Alaska to work in a fishery for the summer, nervous but excited about the unknown of her upcoming adventure.

The mid-age couple on the train from Kansas returning from a cruise, celebrating their 30-year wedding anniversary.    We shared a cab from the train station to the SeaTac airport hotels (saving me $20).

As a writer and a traveler I love to get to know people, who they are, where they are going, why they are traveling.  It adds another dimension my personal journey.

Next time you find yourself plugging into the digital world while on a trip, take a breath and talk to your neighbors first.   You may meet somebody amazing, like I did in Budapest (read about MY SINGLE SERVING FRIEND), find a  friend or learn something new.

All rights reserved by noemimmv

You may have notice a lack of posts over the last few weeks.  Not to offer a liturgy of excuses but a series of events have kept me from this blog, some of it good, some not so good.

While I was at TBEX in Vancouver I was offered a job in Boston on a Universal movie.    As many of you know, I haven’t worked on a film for a year, while I settled into my new house and life in Nashville.    Some job offers had made their way to be prior to this one but never felt right.  This one was different and even though the start date was sooner than I would have liked, I accepted.   Suddenly I had to wrap up my life in Nashville and prepare for eight months on location.

During the week and a half I had back home, I was diagnosed with diabetes.  While not the best news, it explained the extreme fatigue/exhaustion I had been feeling for the last year.

On the same day I lost the hard drive on my computer.  All posts I had pre-written are gone thru no fault but my own.   When you hear the advice to BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER, take it to heart.

I’ve been in Boston for a week now and work had been very busy.  As the travel coordinator I’m responsible for bringing everybody into town, putting them into their hotels and making sure they have transportation.

I finally feel that I have my feet underneath me again.  I am adjusting my lifestyle to accommodate the diabetes and between that and my medicine I am already feeling better.

Expect more than a few blogs on Boston and the northeast part of the United States.  I have never been in this part of the country before and I’m excited to explore and experience many different seasons.

P.S.  Due to the longevity of the project I am working on, I will have to postpone the first Find Your Joy trip to Belize until next summer.  Check back for more information.

photo by Armosa Studios

A is for Authenticity

Authenticity is the catch phrase of the year.  From travel experiences to writing and social media everybody is looking for an experience that speaks to them.

Every voice is unique and WDS celebrated that individuality.  To be true to yourself and your readers (or clients) you should embrace the aspects that make you different.

Jonathan Fields, the closing speaker at the summit, says in his blog post, When Authenticity Ain’t Enough that “Authenticity must align with mastery and need” for a business to be successful.  I agree with him but must say that authenticity is the base from which to build your blog, your business and your life.

If you speak from your heart somebody will listen.  It might just be your mom but you have to start somewhere.

A is also for Awesome

Neil Parshica spoke about the The 3 A’s of Awesome and reminded me that every day something amazing happens and  to take notice and celebrate those small moments.    Oprah has her gratitude diary, Neil has his blog, 1000 Awesome Things.

Right now I think it’s awesome that I have wifi on the Amtrak train between Seattle and Vancouver, BC.  Even, as Neil said, maybe the most awesome thing that happened to you that day is that the day ended, well, that is pretty awesome.

Embrace awesome and it will change your life.

B is for Balance

This was the most personal insight that I had at WDS.  I have been struggling with the identity of my website, the recommendations of extremes from my peers.  If I want to be a travel writer, my site should be professional grade pieces was the advice I heard most often.  Yet I felt this made my blog impersonal and my soul was not fullfilled.   I realized that I need to balance what I write.

Pamela Slim, who was the opening speaker for the summit, also had a breakout session on Creating a Content Map.  She identified the four needs of her readers and balances her tweets and blog posts to address those four areas.  This was an Aha Moment (again, a shout out to Oprah) for me.  It was as if Pam gave me permission to “mix it up”.  Ifyou would like to check out Pam’s two breakout sessions, the other one was Navigating the Entrepreneur Journey, read her secret WDS page.

Personal balance is also an issue for me.  Twenty years of working in the all encompassing film/TV industry has purged balance from my life.  Daily I struggle with the best way to accomplish what I need to do, what I want to do and what I actually get done.

ZenHabits.com author, Leo Babauta, spoke to my heart with his message of simplicity and taking small steps to achieve change.

C is for Creativity

Dreams are meant to be big and limitless.  That is the theme behind Andrea Shear and Jen Lemon’s Mondo Beyondo website, class and their Sunday presentation at WDS.  When you open yourself up to the possibilities you actually give them permission to enter.

Combine that with the acceptance, love and encouragement from every member of the Freshman Class of WDS and you have a canvas for creativity.   Chris Gillebeau, the mastermind behind WDS, writes about naysayers in his book, The Art Of Non-Conformity.  He created, in Portland, the antithesis of cynics.  A place of celebration, inflection, and a rare gathering of people who only want success for you.

As the week after WDS wraps up I find that I am still reflecting on what I learned, the amazing (awesome) people that I met and the unique energy that transpired there.  How do you describe walking into a group of 500 people and connecting with all of them?

I urge you to consider going next year.   Here is the early early notification, even though tickets won’t go on sale until the fall.  The Freshman Class of WDS got the opportunity to sign up for next year, even though a firm date hasn’t been picked, 285 of us committed.  Last year it sold out five months in advance.

I also suggest you read Chris Gillebeau’s book, The Art of Non-Conformity.

Spread the word.  We are about to dominate the world, starting with you.

Photo by Tony Duckles

It seems it should go hand in hand.  If you are a travel writer you should write while you travel.   Not back at the hotel after your day, but while you in the physical pursuit of moving from one place to another.

I’ve never tried it before (I love to use my travel time to read) but inspired by Chris Gillibeau, I decided to try it.  As it turns out, I’m on my way to Chris’ first conference, The World Domination Summit, in Portland Oregon.

And as I write this, I am at Midway Airport in Chicago on a layover to Portland.  Sitting in the food court, surrounded by other travelers.  When I first pulled out my laptop to work on my upcoming blogs I thought I would be distracted by all the people but I realized that they actually inspire me.  These are the people that I am writing to, right next to me, weary and tired and excited, pulling luggage, sunburned, going to or coming from a different location.   And the writing came easy.

Over the next eleven days, I will be in Portland, Seattle and Vancouver and I vow to write along the route.  On the MAX from the Portland Airport to my downtown hotel, on the plane to Portland and on the train between Seattle and Vancouver.

And to keep me to my promise, I will log at the bottom of my blogs, where I wrote them, so you can keep track of me.

Now its time to find my gate.  See you on the plane.

- Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

At the Giza Pyramids

Francine Estes Lucas’ dream was to see the world.

Lands and People, a seven-volume purple bound travel book series, published by The Groillier Society between 1929-30, captivated her imagination and as a child she could curl up under her covers with a flashlight, illuminating pyramids, glaciers and the people that populated them.   When her father donated the books to the local library, Francine promptly went in and got them back.

“I went to the library with tears running down my face and stole my books,” Mrs. Lucas told a reporter for The Commercial Appeal in 2003. “You can’t steal what’s already yours.”

As happens to many of us, her youthful dreams were set aside for life.  Marriage, college, work and finally a late in life baby and although she was happy, there was always something missing. At age 45, she began working for a local travel agency and finally, with her husband’s support (they did not share a love of traveling), she began to see the destinations of her dreams.

Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska

“Her favorite countries were Portugal and Greece” her daughter, Lisa Lucas said.  “She visited Hawai’i  at least 14 times.  I called her a show off for that.”

Thirty-nine years later, Francine’s adventure of a life, ended.  November 7, 2010 marked the end of a wonder filled 84-year-old life.

Going through her mother’s things, Lisa found a six-page handwritten list, Francine’s List,  of all the places she had visited beginning with Thailand and ending with a complete list of cruises (26 in all).  It is evidence of a life well lived.  A live well traveled.  May we all be so lucky.

Maine Lobster Boat

Old San Juan

Tucked in the back is a gathering of chairs waiting for poets.  Up front, tourists browse amid what the owners call “a living museum”, hand painted replicas of the historical buildings of old San Juan, originals paintings and soul searching poetry.  This is The Poet’s Passage.

Actually its the 2nd location, newly opened, right next to a Starbucks off of the Plaza de Armas.  The original, opened in 2008,is a couple of blocks from the Catedral de San Juan Bautista (built in 1521, it is one of San Juan’s oldest structures and houses the remains of Ponce de Leon.)

On my recent trip to Puerto Rico, I fell in love with both of their locations and purchased a beautiful print by Nico Thommosin and one of Lady Lee Andrews’ poems.

I wanted to share with you the poem:

Let Me Think of Life

Let me think of life

for a moment

while I breath.

Let me know inside

There’s a space

where I believe

A space with a reason

That can not be seen

without the truth

forseeing the evidence

Between the lines

Of time and youth

Let me rest within

And hear the sounds

of being whole

Let me bring my body

To the level of my soul.

Manifest my strength

Reaffirm the source

Define my own awareness

As skill takes on its course.

In the realm of the Divine

One sees what must be sought

and will control the mind

when pain invades the thought.

Lady Lee Andrews

Bringing home artwork from a trip is a great way to stay reconnected to the creative outlet of travel.  Every time I read this poem I will remember the joy of walking the cobblestoned streets of Old San Juan, marveling at the old Spanish colonial buildings, the smell of fried plantains wafting down the alley ways and the street cats sprawled in spots of sunshine.

Check out The Poet’s Passage to learn more about their art and poetry.

His dog tags swayed gently against his shirt as he gingerly made his way down the plane’s aisle.  Stopping at row 19, he nodded his head.  “I’m in the middle,” he tells my friend Jill.  She owns the aisle seat, 19D, for this American flight from Miami to Nashville.  I occupy the seat across from her, 19C.

Earlier, we were waiting to board our plane when a gray haired man stopped and shook the hand of the young man sitting across from us.  I caught a snippet of the conversation.  “I was in Afghanistan,” he said.  The man moved on and the soldier’s head dropped, concentrating on his smart phone.

In his early twenties, brown hair cut close, the only clue he is military are his dog tags and the sand colored camouflage backpack leaning against his chair.  His clothes are new, the tennis shoes sparkle white, shirt and jeans crisp.  Absently he rubbed his leg and I notice a dark blood stand above the his right knee.

“How long have you been back?” I asked him.

“Two weeks.” His eyes are wide.  He is overwhelmed by the brightness of this life, the crush of humanity, the white noise of peace.  “I was in Afghanistan” he said again.

“Its hard coming back, isn’t it?”  I asked because, although I have never fought in a war, I am a military brat who lived overseas for an extended time and suffered culture shock upon my return.

“I’m use to fifteen hour days on patrol, ” his hand moved down his leg again, “five hours of sleep, one meal a day.”  He massaged the area around his knee.  “I was there for sixteen months.”  He searches my face for understanding.  How can you chat with somebody about the weather or the Knicks game or what kind of cereal you want to eat when all that has been important for the last year and a half is to fight to to stay alive?

“It looks like you might be bleeding through your pants.”  Its obvious he was in pain.

“Ah, no.  It did that when they first patched me up.  Wouldn’t wash out.”  He motions from his upper thigh to below his knee.  “I got banged up.”

“Did you ask for a seat with extra leg room?  So you can stretch it out?”

“No.”

And now he is points to the middle seat by Jill.  While she convinced him to take her seat, I made my way back to the stewardess organizing the galley.

“Can I help you?”

“Yeah, there is a soldier in 19D with a leg injury.  He’s heading to Ft. Campbell.  I thought if you had an empty first class seat, it would be nice to upgrade him.”

“Is he in uniform?”

“No, but he has his dog tags.”

“The gate agents usually upgrade them if they are in uniform.”

“He isn’t the type to ask.”

“Thanks, we’ll see what we can do.”

Thank goodness times have changed.  My father was career Air Force and served in Viet Nam. Flying home to attend his stepfather’s funeral he was seated next to  cute college girl.  Enjoying conversation that didn’t revolve around war, he was enjoying her company.  At some point, my father, who was in uniform, mentioned he was coming from Viet Nam.  A short time later, the girl gathered her purse and excused herself to go the bathroom.  When she didn’t return he became concerned, called the stewardess over, and asked her to check the bathroom to make sure the girl was okay.

“She requested a seat change,” the stewardess replied.  “She didn’t want to sit next to a murderer.”

Just before our flight is about to take off, the first class steward approached the soldier across from me and offers him a seat in the forward cabin.  He retrieved his camouflage backpack from the overhead bin and limped slowly forward pondering his good luck.

Although I will continue to hate middle seats, if I ever get stuck in one again, I will think about that injured soldier who wouldn’t complain about a middle seat because he had been in worse.  Much worse.

See larger image The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World (Paperback) By (author) Chris Guillebeau List Price: $14.95 USD New From: $4.99 In Stock Used from: $4.73 In Stock Release date September 7, 2010.

The underlying message of Guillebeau’s book, based on his popular blog, is that “You don’t have to live your life the way other people expect you to.” Those who are open-minded, ready to challenge the status-quo, hard-working, and personally responsible can lead lives of rare authenticity through radical goal-setting, the author counsels, rewriting motivational standards in edgier prose: “The pathway to world domination, or whatever it is you want to do, begins with clearly understanding what you want to get out of life.” Although directed at readers of all ages, his message is likely to appeal most to those without dependents. Although he believes that “competence is your security,” many readers may feel a need for more of a safety net than that, such as a retirement plan. The ideas presented here are interesting, the advice grounded in logic and common sense, and, ironically, the outlook based in the same outside-the-box thinking that corporations are coming to adopt. The author challenges the status quo on college degrees, spending and saving, employment, collecting, and other issues, and coaches for success with a likeable, energetic voice. Peppered throughout with stories from his own life, Guillebeau’s intriguing guide will motivate readers to listen to their impulses and realize their goals. (Sept.) (c)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Travel sparks creativity.

Creativity inspires the soul.

The soul craves joy.

And that brings you here.

Through travel we will journey inward, seeking out the truths we hold close, opening our hearts and our eyes to discover or re-discover our imagination.

Along the way, we’ll learn how to bring the wonder of travel back home  to brighten our every day lives.

And we’ll tell some good stories, like Helping Others and The King of Caye Caulker.

We’ll go on adventures. The first one to Belize in December.

I promise to blog twice a week.  On Mondays and Wednesday.  With a few extras thrown in.  If you’d like them delivered directly into your mailbox  fill in your email address under subscribe.  If you like what you are reading,  follow Find Your Joy on Twitter and Facebook.   Don’t be shy, feel free to re-tweet or forward anything you read here.

I hope you’ll join me for the journey.

photo by Janie Haynes

A big shout out to Jeff Long at True Media for creating the website for me.  Check out more of Jeff’s good work at True Focus Media.

And to Jaine Haynes for providing the wonderful photo in my header and on my About page.  Want to see more of her amazing images, check out J. Haynes Photography.

One of the entrances to Old San Juan.

Taken from the fort.

Inside the fort.

Duh, a cannon at the fort.

Cathedral of San Juan Baptista, built in 1521

See larger image Mindful Movements: Ten Exercises for Well-Being (Spiral-bound) By (author) Thich Nhat Hanh List Price: $18.95 USD New From: $10.60 In Stock Used from: $9.04 In Stock

Initially designed as stretching breaks between long periods of sitting meditation, Thich Nhat Hanh’s Mindful Movements became so popular they’re now an integral part of his retreats. Based on yoga and tai chi movements, these simple, effective exercises reduce mental, physical, and emotional stress. The book Mindful Movements introduces the program to the general public. The ten routines are designed to be easily accessible and can be performed by people of all ages and all body types, whether they’re familiar with mindful practices or not. They can be done before or after sitting meditation, at home, at work, or any time the reader has a few minutes to refresh both mind and body. For those new to meditation, the exercises are an easy way to get acquainted with mindfulness as a complete, multifaceted practice. For current practitioners, the movements add a welcome physical element to a sitting meditation practice.

See larger image No More Dreaded Mondays: Ignite Your Passion - and Other Revolutionary Ways to Discover Your True Calling at Work (Paperback) By (author) Dan Miller List Price: $14.99 USD New From: $5.20 In Stock Used from: $3.60 In Stock Release date December 29, 2009.

What’s keeping you at your current job? If you said a steady paycheck and the promise of a secure retirement, then you’re in for a big disappointment. As beloved talk-show host and bestselling author Dan Miller reveals in NO MORE DREADED MONDAYS, the only way to find true security is by following your calling and then finding or creating work that matches your passion.

2012  TBD

Be a part of FIND YOUR JOY’s first Adventure Workshop in the Jungles of Belize.

Specially constructed to weave the three FYJ steps (FREE YOUR MIND, FREE YOUR SPIRIT, FREE YOUR BODY) into each day, the workshop will release your creative energy and open up the possibilities.

The Belize Jungle Dome will host our small group. Located on the banks of the Belize River in the Cayo District, this unique Bed and Breakfast will serve as our home base for adventure and inspiration.

Explore your inner and outer child through gentle yoga (for all levels), explore the remote Che Chem Ha Cave, zip line over trees full of howler monkeys and parrots, paint with coffee, feed jaguars at the Belize Zoo, connect with ancient Mayans at the ruins of Xunantunich, discover mandelas, kayak at Barton’s Creek, engage in Mindful Movement, and bike through the Belizean countryside.

ITINERARY

(itinerary is subject to availability of activities based on weather)

Day One: Arrive Belize City, Belize

After clearing customs you will be met by a Jungle Dome representative who will drive you along the lush Western Highway, one of only three paved highways in Belize. Jungle Dome, two hours west of the airport, is located near Belmopan, the smallest capital in the world.

On the way, you will stop for a behind the scenes tour of the independently owned Belize Zoo. Get up close and personal with the native tapirs, jaguars, spider monkeys, Macaws and even a Harpy Eagle. The zoo is home to over 125 animals, all abandoned, orphaned, rescued or sent from other zoos.

Once you get to the Jungle Dome, settle into your room, and join us for a complimentary welcome drink at the bar before our first dinner together.

Day Two: Barton’s Creek

After breakfast we begin our first FREE YOUR MIND (FYM) exercise with Deep Breathing on the banks of the Belize River. We will connect with our inner peace while the river quietly passes by us.

The rest of the morning will be spent on Mandela Art. Defined as “circle completion” in Sanskrit, Mandelas have long held a place in ancient civilizations. The Mayan calendar could even be counted as a Mandela. We will concentrate on coloring pre-made designs in an attempt to FREE YOUR SPIRIT (FYS) from the confines of your daily life. Not an artist, don’t despair; this exercise is suitable for all levels of talent.

After lunch, we will board the Jungle Dome vans and head for canoeing and caving at Barton’s Creek.

Deep into Amish territory, this tour offers something for everybody and will allow us to FREE OUR BODY (FYB) by forcing us to engage in new activities.

Our guide will take us, via canoes and high-powered lights, deep into the Xibalba (Mayan Underworld) and then return us to the light. A tire swing awaits those brave enough to drop into the clear water of Barton’s Creek after caving.

Dinner back at the lodge and time to reflect on your first full day.

Day Three: Zip Lining

Before a breakfast of fresh orange juice, scrambled eggs and pancakes, we will have a gentle yoga class.

Our friends at the Jungle Dome will again transport us, this time to the Aerial Jungle Canopy Tour & Belize Zip Line. Time to conquer that fear of heights! Soar above the treetops and see the jungle from a birds-eye view.

After lunch and our return to home base, we will experiment with drawing with the right side of our brain in an exercise to enhance our creativity.

Family style dinner again tonight, following by board games and quiet time.

Day Four: Che Chem Ha Cave

Today, after another amazing breakfast, we will do Mindful Movement. A combination of meditation, breathing and movement by Thich Nhat Hanh, this activity will help us open up the creative channels held captive by our minds.

Our adventure today is hiking to Che Chem Ha Cave, near the Guatemala border. A taxing 45 minute hike up to the cave will allow you entry to a spectacular cave visited by fewer than 500 people a year. Altars, 1000-year-old pottery, smoke scarred walls and much more await those brave enough to enter.

We will share lunch with the Morales family after exploring. The Morales discovered the cave in 1989 and have been awarded guardianship of it by the government.

This afternoon we will forge our way across the Mopan River on an old pull ferry. Iguanas are known to hang from the trees and watch the crossing like guards. The reward on the other side is Xuantunich Mayan Ruins. A bustling city near the end of the Classic Period (300-900A.D), Xuantunich has the second tallest pyramid in Belize. We will combine our visit to the ruins with today’s FREE YOUR SPIRIT activity (TBD- depending on the Belize Gov’t approval).

On our return home we will stop by the shops set up along the highway and have an opportunity for some shopping.

Day Five: Biking to Belmopan

Our final day begins with meditation for the last time on the banks for the river. It’s hard to believe our time is already over.

Leaving the Belize Jungle Dome on mountain bike, we will ride along dirt roads surrounded by the beauty of the lush jungle until we come to a hammock bridge high above the Belize River. Crossing this bridge will bring us to the road leading into Belmopan, the smallest capital city in the world. Here we will stop at the Art Box gift shop where you can shop for authentic Belizean souvenirs, which purchases will be held there for us to pick up for you later. Then it is off to the center of the city to the market where we will have an authentic Belizean lunch. After lunch we will continue our journey back to the Belize Jungle Dome where you can enjoy a refreshing dip in the pool.

The afternoon we will learn to paint with coffee (again, no artistic talent required) and take time to reflect on our most memorable moments.

Our last dinner together will again be family style, which is fitting, as we are now a family of creative beings having experienced the wonders of Belize.

Day Six: Travel Home

The Jungle Dome will transport us back to the airport for our flights back home.

EXTENSION OPTIONS

Day Six-ATM Tour or Caracol Ruins

Caracol Mayan Temples

Covering 30 miles of thick Jungle and only discovered in 1938. At its peak in 700AD this site has numerous pyramids, 5 Plazas, 2 ball courts and an ancient astronomic observatory

Currently in the state of excavation and restoration Caracolis the largest known Maya center in Belize. The largest pyramid in Caracol, “Canaa” (Sky Place), rises 143 feet high, making it is the tallest man-made structure in all of Belize. Since Caracol is located in the Chiquibul Rain Forest, there is a plethora of flora and fauna to enhance the true beauty of this magnificent Maya center Caracol Day Trip

The ruins of Caracol are located in the Vaca Plateau of the Cayo District. Caracol Camp, adjacent to the ruins, is located at approximately Mile 46 of the Chiquibul Road which connects the Western Highway with the western slopes of the Maya Mountains. This is a full Day Trip with a Registered Tour Guide.

Belize Day Trip to Actun Tunichil Muknal

Actun Tunichil Muknal “Cave of the Stone Sepulcher” is one of the most impressive caves in the Maya Lowland. The cave system consists of a series of chambers, ending in a 300 by 50 meter Cathedral where sacrificial ceremonies once took place. Here you will be exposed to the individuals sacrificed to the gods of the underworld.

Actun Tunichil Muknal – About the Day Trip

After an exciting drive, you will trek for 45 minutes through dense Jungle in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve and wade across three streams, where you will learn about the plants and animals of the Jungle. At the entrance of the Cave you will be outfitted in the necessary equipment preparing you for the Caving Adventure ahead. Some swimming will be required and also climbing and Caving activity. This is a first class Caving and Archaeological experience. Time in the Cave is 3 hours before returning back to base camp.

Day Seven- Travel Home

The Jungle Dome will transport us back to the airport for our flights back home.

BEACH EXTENSION

Two Days at Caye Caulker

The official website (click here) for Caye Caulker describes the island “enjoy the beach sand and Caribbean Sea, explore the underwater wonders, try our tasty seafood specials, or experience our laid-back island life. With a population of approximately 1,200 people, the island appeals to visitors looking for a comfortable place to sleep, a white sandy beach, clear aquamarine waters, a variety of bird life, and friendly people. Spend the day snorkeling, fishing, diving, or laying peacefully in your own hammock. In contrast to many other bustling destinations, Caye Caulker has managed to maintain its cozy island appeal. We invite you to come visit us!”

This two-day extension includes:

+2 Nights accommodation at the Iguana Reef or Seaside Cabanas (depending on availability)

+airfare to and from the island

+a snorkeling tour that includes the barrier reef and shark/stingray alley.

Download the registration form here

Please make payable and send check to:

Find Your Joy
c/o Jennifer Blair
810 Stockell St.
Nashville, TN 37207

For questions, please contact Jennifer at:
traveljoy (at) find-your-joy (dot) com

I visited Egypt in December 2011 and owe Jen Blair a huge debt of gratitude.

Sue Smith

Thank you so much,

Jillian

It’s a new and exciting time as my passion for travel
intersects with creating a new path for my life. 

Even when we think we are open to a new world, it is hard to
step out of our comfort zone.  I
took a big leap by leaving my warm cozy home at Screen Gems and settling in
Nashville this year.   By
doing that I committed to building a new space for both my inner and outer
self.  

I did really well with the outer self.  I love the house.  I love Nashville.  I love my neighborhood.  I loved that part of my new life.

But I felt as if I faltered with the inner journey.  I didn’t write much.  I didn’t take any inward journeys.  I had some ideas and I mentally batted
them around like beach balls.

Eventually they deflated.

Sometimes we have to be smacked right upside the head to
understand the direction we should be pointed.  I got smacked! 
By Teresa at Sail Air Travel.

After my gig as a travel coordinator for “Water For
Elephants”, I had lunch with Teresa.

We, of course, talked about travel and I explained to her my
plan (that is a loose term) to create specialty groups.   She knew then that we could form
a great partnership.

In the last few weeks I have been learning the reservation
system and trying to gleam all the knowledge I can from my fellow travel agents
at Sail Air.  They are a warm,
wonderful, giving group and I feel blessed to be allowed to work with
them. 

I consider myself a veteran traveler but I had a lot to
learn.  Secrets about traveling.

All of which I will share with you.

Keep an eye on this blog.  There are a lot of exciting things happening in my world and
I want you all to be a part of it. 

Yes, I am still working in production (working on a Taylor
Swift Special right now). My travel life is still being formed but I am
available and able to help you make all your travel arrangements!  Please email me at
jblair@sailairtravel.com

(Photo supplied by The Sheraton Read House)

The Sheraton Read House , located in the heart of downtown
Chattanooga, has a lively history, beautifully restored and maintained
architectural detail and a staff that will attend to your every need.

(photo by Jennifer Blair)

Built in 1926, this ten-story Georgian style Hotel underwent
a $12Million restoration in 2004, updating its amenities while maintaining its
historical charm. However, this was not the first hotel to occupy this corner of land.

(Photo supplied by Sheraton Read House)

The first, The Crutchfield House, opened in 1846 and was used as a hospital by the Union Army during occupation
in 1863. It survived the war but burned to the ground in 1867. Another hotel was built a few years later, to be
torn down in 1926 to make way for the new improved Read House.

Visited by a variety of important people, such as Winston
Churchill, Ronald Regan and recently Robert Pattison (of “Twilight” fame), the most infamous was Al Capone.
Chattanooga’s location made an ideal overnight stop for the Feds transporting Mr. Capone from Florida back to Chicago. Security bars were placed on the window in Room 311, where they remained until the renovation in 2004.

As with any hotel with history, rumors of ghosts and
haunting abound. (The rumors center around Room 311.) The staff will deny any knowledge, as the hotel doesn’t want to advertise these things, but stay long enough and you’ll experience your own. I certainly did.
You can read more about the ghosts of the Read House in American Roads Travel Magazine.

(Photo by Jennifer Blair)

Placed on the National Register of Historical Places in the
1970’s, the Sheraton Read House is the perfect spot to center your Chattanooga
visit. The free electric shuttle stops just a few steps away and will whisk you down Broadway to the
riverfront or the world famous (and most highly rated) Tennessee Aquarium.

After a day of exploring, settle back in at the Sheraton
Read House where the kids can swim in the pool, while the adults relax in the hot tub. Porter Steakhouse is on
the premises, along with a Starbucks to accommodate your early morning and latenight cravings.

(Photo supplied by Sheraton Read House)

(photo supplied by Sheraton Read House)

Solidarity with the Galapagos

Enjoy.

For The Thrill of It: From Book to Screen

by Lorenzo Caraterra

Eight Ways to Writing – and Finishing – Your Novel

by William Bernhardt

Who’s Telling the Story and What They Are Saying

by Steve Berry

And The Winner for Best Supporting Actor is…

by Andrew Gross

Keeping a Book Diary: Simple Secrets That Can Keep Your
Book on Track

by David Hewson

Crafting Big Scenes for the Blockbuster Novel

by Al Zuckerman

Creating Authentic, Tough, Smart Female Protagonist

by Alex Kava, JT Ellison (a writer from Nashville) and Erica
Spindler

From Soups to Nuts: Crafting a Thriller From First Notion
to Completion

by Michael Palmer

What Makes a Hero?

by Donald Maass

One of the most inspiring things about conferences like
Thrillerfest/Craftfest is meeting fellow aspiring writers and/or those that are
book lovers like myself.  Writing
is a lonely business and its nice to sit in a meeting room surrounded by people
who suffer through the agony of writing like I do.  Yes. 
Agony.  That seems to be one
of the universal “themes” that I took away from both the workshop leaders and
fellow attendees ; as much as we love writing, it is painful.  The other repeating issue is self
doubt.  It appears that all
writers, even those that are successful, are full of the insecurity, an
insecurity that our interior editor welcomes and builds upon.  Fellowship with other writers helps
defray that very loud interior editor.

So here is where’d I like to give a shout out to my new
friends from Thrillerfest:

Gaby O. Lapus, a lawyer and book reviewer.  Check out her blog at:  www.startingfreshnyc.com

Beth T. Irwin, former military lawyer and writer.  Her blog is:  www.btibooks.blogspot.com

Jean Osborn, writer

Steven D. Covey, writer and realtor.  His blog is:

RamblingsOnTheFutureOfHumanity.blogspot.com

I'd like to leave you with an antidote that was told during one of my seminars regarding Harper Lee and the writing of To Kill A Mockingbird (which just celebrated its 50th anniversary, check out Gaby's blog about it here: starting fresh ny).  Apparently Harper Lee was about halfway through writing To Kill A Mockingbird when she became convinced it sucked.  She opened her window and threw the manuscript out into the snow.  Soon afterward she had a conversation with her agent.  Nobody knows what was said but when she hung up, she went outside, gathered the sheets of paper and went on to finish one of the best American novels ever written.

Seems I am in good company…..

I am in New York City for Thrillerfest V.  Thrillerfest, organized by the International Thrill Writers (ITW), is a triple treat.

Craftfest, July 7-8

Allows up close and personal learning experiences from the masters in the genre.  In small workshop settings, aspiring writers attain insight into the craft of writing from New York Times Best Sellers such as, Gayle Lynds, David Morrell, Steve Berry, Andrew Gross, R. L. Stine and many, many more.

Agentfest, July 8

Only open to those who attend Craftfest, this event is by far the best bang for your buck.  Over 40 agents, set up in a speed dating type forum, allow any and all to pitch to them.  Most event goers meet between 10-20 agents and hopefully leave with a few requests for submissions.

Thrillerfest, July 9-10

Ken Follett, Clive Cussler, Sandra Brown, Gayle Lynds, and Harlan Coben are just a few of the authors that populate the two day Thrillerfest.  Each panel is bursting with writing talent who are happy to share words of wisdom, debate character vs. plot and who encourage and welcome fans and fellow writers alike.

For fans this is an unparalleled opportunity to get books autographed and to meet their favorite writers.  For fellow scribes its a chance to rub elbows with those you admire.

The trifecta of thrill writing want-to-bes….Thrillerfest is worth every penny! 

I will be writing more in detail about my personal experiences in the next few posts!

As darkness fell, my neighbor Mary Ann (I call her Ms. Mott
but she wants me to call her Mary Ann—I have a feeling we will be “discussing”
this issue for many years) and I plop on our neighbor’s steps across from our
homes and enjoy the dueling fireworks at both ends of the street.  As soon as one group would send up a
bevy of sparkling lights, the other end would reload and try to outdo them.  I liken it to being in a gang war but with
sparklers and fireworks and of course, no violence. 

The big fireworks in Nashville are launched from LP field,
which is about a mile from my house, and can be viewed directly down the middle
of my street.  All of our neighbors
were in their lawn chairs or lying on their cars or up on their roofs because
we had the best view in town…with no traffic!  The couple that lives across the street had their grandkids
with them and their granddaughter, Mow Mow (spelling?) crawled up in my
lap.  Her favorite color is pink so
every time there were pink fireworks I would whisper in her ear that I arranged
those special for her.  I could
slowly feel her relaxing into my lap, her head nodding off, and before long,
even the excitement of Fourth of July couldn’t keep the three year old
awake.  After all, it was almost
10P. 

As I clasp my hands around her round little tummy so she
wouldn’t slid off my lap, I thought, this is why I moved here.  To share these moments with my
community, to have my neighbors gathered around me, celebrating special events,
to reconnect to people, heck to my own life.  Yep.  This is
why.

Things are in full bloom here at the new Blair Casa.  Remember this mystery plant?

Well, here it is in full bloom.  My friend Janie keeps telling me what it is and I promptly
forget.  I do love it though.

I bought a beautiful hanging basket for my front porch
during my first visit to the Farmer’s Market.  A momma sparrow promptly set up a nest and laid eggs.  I have enjoyed watching the eggs, then
the ugly hatchlings, then the soft, downy young’uns grow and then one day, I
watched as they all flew away. 

That is it for now. I know it’s not much but it’s a start!

My recent drive took me and the cats across seven
states;  California, Arizona, New
Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee (well, halfway across
Tennessee).

The landscape varied from high desert, plains, red rocks,
mountains, cattle ranches, farms and dense green forest.

Here are a few awards I gave out:

Most Boring State to Drive Thru:  Texas

Fastest Drivers: 
Tennessee

Most Crowded Interstate:  Tie for Little Rock to Memphis and Memphis to Nashville

Most Improved Interstate:  New Mexico

Worse roads: 
Oklahoma

Most Cops: 
Arkansas

Most Route 66 Advertising:  Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico (in that order)

Most Roadkill: 
Oklahoma

Hottest Spot: 
Needles, California (100 degrees)

State that was prettier than I thought it would be:  Oklahoma

Cheapest gas: 
Texas

Most road construction:  New Mexico

Smelliest Stockyard: 
Just west of Oklahoma City

Most Cows (not in a stockyard):  Texas

Most Goats: 
Oklahoma

Most Indian Nations:   Tie between New Mexico and Oklahoma

Best View:  Red
Rock on the Arizona/New Mexico border

The first day of my journey is Los Angeles to
Flagstaff.  I enjoy the drive
through the lava fields at edge the California/Arizona border.  I can envision this area as the shallow
sea it once was and often wonder if the volcanoes erupted under the water or
above.  I often think of Hawaii as
I drive through this area.  

Closer to Flagstaff the road climbs to an elevation of over
5,000 and the desert gives way to rock clusters, shrubby trees and patches of
flat, green land.   I call
this section of my drive The Ponderosa. 
This is where I imagine where Hoss and Little Joe rode.

I have always had a crush on Flagstaff but have never had
the opportunity to stay here.

Most trips I push on to Albuquerque, but today, with two
travel weary cats in the back seat, I am stopping early.

Taking advantage of the late spring sun, I drive through the historic Route 66
downtown Flagstaff and my crush turns into a full blown infatuation.  I wish I had time to wander into the
old antique shops and the newly painted “Granny’s Diner”.    But the cats have been in
their cages without food or litter box breaks for eight hours so I push forward
and find my hotel, Marriott Springhill Suites. 

The Springhill was a wonderful surprise.  Newly redecorated and renovated, it is
located right off the freeway, five minutes from downtown but also with plenty
of restaurants and shops within walking distance.

And they served me breakfast the next morning.  Well, they served everybody who stayed
there breakfast but really, its all about me.

My second road trip day takes me from Flagstaff, Arizona,
all the way across New Mexico and into Texas, ending at Amarillo.

After the tall pine trees of Flagstaff fall away, the
scenery becomes boring until right before the New Mexico border.  That is when the magnificent red rocks
that makes this area famous, push up from the brown dirt.  They always take my breath away.

New Mexico is using their “Putting America To Work” money
wisely and updating their infrastructure, especially along Interstate 40.  This includes a new Visitor Information
Center, which replaces what I awarded as the worse rest stop in the United States.  It is a welcome change!  In addition I went through at least ten
“road work” areas where improvements were happening.  They have also beautified overpasses and state boarder
signs.  I give them a gold star for
all the work they have done since I worked on “The Longest Yard” in Santa Fe.

My dad and I have talked of driving old Route 66 and as I
travel along the same path now, I can’t help but want to stop and explore all
the cute little towns, especially Winslow, AZ.  Everybody wants to stand on the corner and sing the song…..

What amazes me is how many famous or world famous
restaurants, hotels or travel centers there are along Interstate 40.  Really?  World Famous Travel Centers?  Cause when a truck driver goes on vacation to India and
meets an Indian guy he says, “hey dude, you gotta check out the travel center
in Cerritos New Mexico. The showers are stellar.”    I want to investigate to find out what makes it
so world famous, but alas, this is not a pleasure (or truth seeking) trip and
Molly gives me a complaining meow as if she can read my thoughts.  Time to put the petal to the metal and
get my kitties to their new overnight home.

Oh, but that reminds me.  I discovered the joys of cruise control today.  Back in the day when my dad taught me
to drive, well we didn’t have cruise control.  And I am pretty sure my last car (or any car previous)
wasn’t fancy enough to have it but my adorable silver 2005 Audi A4 Wagon has it
and, since my gal (the car, not me) loves the open road and loves to go fast, cruise
control was really our only option. 

(The Audi at rest, home in Nashville)

By the way, there is nothing as boring as driving through
the panhandle of Texas.  Except
maybe driving between Palm Springs and Yuma, Arizona.

Our last full day of driving, between Amarillo and Little
Rock, AR is uneventful, if you don’t count the drama at the Residence Inn in
Amarillo.

The cats have figured out my evil plan of feeding them their
drugs in the morning food, so I had to force part of pill down Molly’s
throat.  Talk about pissed.  And if you’ve ever wondered how long it
takes for a cat’s claws to grow back and be sharp, it’s about a week!  I had the complimentary breakfast,
while giving the cats time to calm down. 
But they weren’t going to make it that easy on me.  They managed to find the one space in
the room where I couldn’t retrieve them, between the king sized bed and the
wall.  After an embarrassed call to
the front desk, a tall young man from maintenance came in to help me dismantle
the bed.  Molly was easy to scoop
up but Bailey freaked out and ran himself around the room until he was
exhausted.    Needless to
say neither one of them spoke to me for the entire nine hour ride today.  Not until we were safely in our new
Residence Inn hotel room in Little Rock and they decided they were hungry.   Then all was forgiven.

(Bailey not speaking to me in the car)

On the road today, I wonder what that attraction, Devil’s
Rope might be, but will have to wait for another road trip to find out.   I also notice that in Oklahoma,
competing towns have Route 66 Museums. 
One is advertised as the “Official Route 66 Museum” and then ten miles
down the road is “Oklahoma’s Official Route 66 Museum”. 

Our final push, Little Rock to Nashville, was only six hour
long.  It feels good to be
home.  I had perfect weather for my
entire trip, sailing through Okalahoma City between thunderstorms, hail and
more tornados. 

New Carpets.  Earth toned walls.

Master bedroom with custom organized closet.(king size bed can stay if you like)

Second bedroom can be used as an office.  (desk can stay if you'd like)

One full bath, one 3/4 bath. 

Renovated kitchen will include fridge.

Located on a quiet residential street, the nine unit building is all owner occupied.  Condo avail is 2nd floor in the back corner with views of the mountains and trees.  Very peaceful.

After three long weeks of packing my condo, shedding
“stuff”, going to doctors and seeing all my friends, the time has come to drive
off into the sunset.  Except that I
am going East to Nashville, so I guess that would really be driving off into
the sunrise.  Ah, semantics….

 In my last few days in Los Angeles, I went to U-Haul on
Sepulveda to buy some special sized boxes.   I recalled the day, almost exactly sixteen years
earlier, that I dropped off the small U-Haul I towed from Memphis behind my
blue Toyota Corolla.   
The circle is complete.

 Except of course that I have WAY more stuff!

 My friends keep asking me if I have any second
thoughts?  Doubts?  Remorse?  I have none.  In
fact, now that I reflect on it, I can’t believe I lived here sixteen
years.  That is the longest that I
have ever lived ANYWHERE!   

 I have felt for some time now, that my life was passing me
by.  I think by making this move I
am again participating in my own life. 
It is time.

 Nate came to see me off on Saturday.  As I drove off, he stood in the middle
of the road so I would see him waving good-bye in my rear view mirror.  His wave and the sadness on his face
spoke for all my friends.  “Good
luck but I hope you will miss me as much as I will miss you.”

Don’t worry, my friends.  I will.

It didn’t help that our plane was delayed in The Galapagos
and the unairconditioned airport was crowded and sweltering. 

Our travel began at 8:30A, or rather 8:45A because our
cabbie was late.  It takes almost
an hour to get to the ferry, then across the channel to San Cristobal, and
another 15 minutes to the airport. 
We arrive around 10A in plenty of time for our 11A flight. 

That flight didn’t end up leaving until after 12P. 

After a quick stop in Guayaquil, we landed in Quito around
4P where we were greeted by not only Fernando but also 60 degree temperatures
and pouring rain.  Really the first
significant rain (except for some overnight showers on the islands) that we
have seen.

Apparently the mainland had been experiencing torrential
downpours and Fernando told us that the day after we left Banos, the road we traveled
on was washed away.  Wow!  Good timing on our part!

Luck continues to be on our side.  Fernando takes us to the equator and when we pull up the
rain stops. 

(Paul straddling the equator)

Apparently there are many “official” equator spots.  There is the big touristy one that costs
$10.  Then, there is a smaller one
that also has local Indian artifacts that was opened after GPS determined that
the equator was 300 ft away from the touristy spot.  We chose the second option and were greeted with no crowds
and one on one time with our guide.

(Jen with a foot in each hemisphere)

Our guide led us through a variety of tests and
demonstrations, including the famous water going clockwise or counterclockwise
or directly down, depending on where we were standing.  We also balanced an egg on the head of
a nail and did a strength test that’s showed us exactly how weak we were when
standing directly on the equator.

(Paul balancing an egg on the head of a nail.  We both got official certificates for doing it.)

From there we saw original Indian dwellings, shrunken heads
and caged guinea pigs.

All for a mere $3. 
Paul and I both agree it was the best $3 we spent in Ecuador (but
remember most things costs $1 so we didn’t have much to compare it to…)   One of the more amazing things we
found out was that the Indians knew this was a special area and built temples
here.  How did they know?

(Jen and Fernando at the original equator marker)

After a quick stop at the original equator marker, built in
the 1930s in a small village town’s square, we headed back to old town Quito
for dinner.  I wasn’t able to eat
much but both Paul and Fernando enjoyed their meal.

Then, our time in Ecuador and Fernando was truly over.  He dropped us off at the airport and I
do think I saw tears in his eyes. 
Maybe that was because I ended up giving him the honey that we searched
for early in our trip.  We just couldn’t
figure out a way to get it back to the States!

(Paul sad to leave)

Another great adventure!  Where will we go next?  (African Safari?)

Isabella

Today I learned that la sopa is soup.

I am sick.  At
least, when I have the strength to raise my head from my bed, I can see the
swaying palm trees, beach and waves. 
Then I fall back into my slumber, my body trying to shut down so it can
heal itself.

Paul and the group set out to see Volcan Sierra Negra
today.  They hike/ride horses for
about 5 ½ hours but see amazing caldera of the Sierra Negra.  Sounds like I picked a good day to stay
in bed.

Paco and Vanya leave today at 11A.  They stop to give me a hug and say good-bye.

I have toast for breakfast and don’t eat again (or at least
keep anything down) for 24 hours. 
I’m sure I have lost weight, which makes this the best vacation
ever!  But I can’t seem to stay
awake for more than twenty minutes at a time.  I estimate that I slept for at least 20 out of the last 24
hours.  But at 3:30A I wake up and
am well. 

Day 9

Isabella/Santa Cruz

Today I learned that huevos are eggs.  (Okay, I
already knew that one.)

It’s a miracle but I am feeling much better and am able to
eat a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast and tea. 

Our trip is winding down and this morning’s tour is low
key.  The Spanish girls left at
6:30A this morning, as did Javier. 
So it is only me, Paul and MariaElaina and our driver.  There are no paved roads on this
island, but the black lava sand is a great compound for a road and there are
not as many pits as there would be normally.  It rained overnight and it is very humid this morning, but
the cool sea breeze comes through as we drive along side a beautiful (and
empty) expansive white sand beach. 
Our path then leads us inland, where the trees and foliage form a tunnel
around us, as if they begrudge our invasion. 

This road also becomes an obstacle course of avoiding
tortoises.  These young tortoises
(around ten years old) have been releases by the local reserve and won’t start
their journey to their nesting grounds for another ten years.  They are all numbered and again are not
fearful of people or cars.  This
island has at least five sub-species of tortoises as lava fields separated each
kind.

Muro de Las Lagrimas (Wall of Tears) is our goal today but
that is just so we can have a destination.  The gentle path around the Wall of Tears (a wall built by a
penal colony) is the true wonder. 
The birds are abundant here and because they have no fear of humans,
they buzz around you (I thought one was going to perch on Paul’s head), landing
in nearby trees, watching you with wonderment.  They are so close that you can see the different types of
finches, defined mostly by their beaks and can easily pick out males and
females.

On our way back to town we stop by the tortoise reserve and
see some of the 800 tortoises that they are currently raising.  They have the mating pens, then many
smaller corrals for the babies. 
The babies, like all youngsters, seem full of energy, walking around
their pens as fast as their little stubby tortoise feet will carry them. 

After a quick drive around a lagoon, where we see our one
and only Galapagos flamingo,

it time for a very very very bumpy boat ride back
to Santa Cruz.  Lets just say I am
very glad I didn’t have go on that boat yesterday.  It would have been UGLY!

Back at our original room at the Adventura Lodge, we are
happy to see that the sea lion still is in residence in the lounge chairs and
the young marine iguanas are sunning themselves on our deck.

We meet up with Maria Elaina once last time for a tour of
the Charles Darwin Center.

Unfortunately it was 99 degrees and super humid so I didn’t
do well on this walking tour, which was mostly see more tortoises.  It took me longer to recover than the
actual tour.

Paul and I walked into town when the temperature dropped to
do a little shopping and sat out at the dock, watching the pelicans fish for
dinner.  A young pelican hopped up
on the railing next to us, not paying us any mind, his eye on his dinner
below….the fishing birds are a joy to watch.

It’s hard to believe that our trip is almost over.  Tomorrow we begin our long journey home
and start planning our next one.

Today I learned that sandia means watermelon and palido
means pale (that it what Paul and I were before we came on this trip, now we
are rojo, which means red).

A crowing rooster is our alarm clock this morning (remember
we have no power until 9A). After
breakfast with Ms. Cruz again, we load up into the open aired bus and head to
the highlands of Floreana.

As
promised, the humidity lifts quickly as we climb in altitude along a bumpy,
dusty road. We are surprised when
we hear a horn honking and are quickly passed by a pickup truck with a small
load of tourists in the back. This
was a Floreana traffic jam!

Our visit today is to one of the only sources of fresh water
on this island or on any of the islands (which is one reason they weren’t
inhabited earlier) but to our surprise, on our hike, we walk thru a tortoise
reserve. They are feeding the
tortoises so they are all congregated on flat concrete pads, munching, ignoring
us. We are captivated by their
slow grace, aged wisdom and extinction plight.

Javier and Maria Elena finally tear us away from these
ancient giants and we find ourselves at the spring, the spring that drew early
settlers here on Floreana.
Floreana was first visited by pirates and whalers (who also ate the huge
tortoises) but its first permanent inhabitant was an Irish man who landed in
1908. The Whittmer, a German
Family, who carved rooms out of the lava tunnels to form their house, followed
him. Descendents of the Whittmers
sill live on the island and Rolf, their son was the first person born here (he
is still alive).

The vista from Cerro Pajas (Bird Hill) is breathtaking, the
island lay out beneath us, reaching out to the ocean beyond.

Mid morning finds us back on our ferry headed to Isabella
Island.

We swing by Isa Tortuga,
where we see flocks of blue-footed boobies and frigates nesting on the steep
uninhabited island’s lava cliffs.

Our afternoon is one that will not be soon forgotten. After checking into the Isabella Lodge,
we take a ponga boat out into the bay and cruise slowly by sea lions, pelicans,

penguins and boobies.

A walk thru a giant lava field is next where we watch a
young sea lion chase fish as they hopscotch across the water top trying to
avoid death.

Dozens of young
marine iguanas sun themselves here, clinging to the lava rocks, as bright
orange crabs scurry around them.

We spot a sea turtle pop its head up in a crystal clear lagoon and then,
further up the path, in another cove a baby sea lion darts around the shoreline
as curious about us as we are about him.
Marie Elana says that this area is baby sea lion childcare, the mothers
force the babies to stay in these shallow coves where they can play and catch
little fish, while the mother’s go out for big fish. The sharks, the only natural predator for the baby seals,
won’t come into this shallow of water.

After our short hike we dive into the water for another
snorkeling tour but soon find that the waves have become too big (even though
Paul did enjoy some body surfing) and the current became very strong. Pulling anchor, we headed into the edge
of the harbor where we snorkeled in some lava tunnels. So narrow, we had to go one at a time,
it was fascinating. Schools of
little shrimp floated at the top of the water, filling the view in my
mask. Orange crabs clung to the
walls, and they are beautiful up close, a variety of different colors fusing
together that aren’t noticeable except at close range. Back out in the bay we spot
a manna ray before heading back in for the evening.

The lodge on Isabella reminds Paul and I of Caye Caulker,
with a staircase leading to an upstairs deck. Our room faces a deck and palm trees, the waves cascading
onto shores just a few feet away.

This is a beautiful setting and that helps because on Day 8
I was in bed all day.

Santa Cruz

Today I learned that tortuga means turtle. 

Two young women from Spain join our little group this
morning (from this point on they will be referred to as the Spanish Girls).   We head to the
highlands of Santa Cruz.  On the
way, we stop at the ranger station because
MariaElana must register us for each tour we take into the park.  Only 3% of the Galapagos is usable for
humans, the other 97% is reserved and carefully maintained.

Los Gemelos (The Twins) are two huge collapsed lava chambers
on either side of the road leading to the tortoise reserve where we are
headed.  They are giant craters and
I can only imagine what it must have been like for somebody making their way
through the forest to suddenly find themselves on the precipice, looking down
about 100 feet to a certain death. 

Next on our agenda is a huge lava tunnel, rising 20 feet in
height and running almost 1350 feet long. 

Luck is not with us at the muddy Primicias Ranch.  We don our borrowed boots and traipse
around in the muck, sweat dripping, looking for the giant land tortoise. 

Did you know that a tortoise is a land
animal and a turtle is an aquatic animal? 
I just learned that today. 
So we find one tortoise, who isn’t too pleased that we are bugging it,
but our guide was smart enough to loop us through the woods long enough that
some people thought it was a second tortoise by the time we passed it again
because it had moved far enough way from the place we initially saw it!

Back at Aventura Lodge, Sophia and Alex join us for
lunch.   It is a bittersweet
lunch because they won’t be joining us for the rest of our trip.  We exchange emails and Alex promises to
send us the article when it comes out in July and Sophia will send us pictures. 

I really feel a connection to Sophia.  She hugs me tight when she leaves and
says, “We really must stay in touch.” 
I love the camaraderie that travel brings, strangers in a strange land
bonding, sometimes creating long lasting friendships.  I think that it comes from living in the moment and sharing
the same experience. 

Floreana

After lunch we take our private ferry over to Floreana
Island, about a two-hour ride.

Floreana was one of the first inhabited islands in Galapagos
and still boasts a population of 120. 
Our Red Mangrove Rep, Javier, was born here.  There are no paved roads here and very few vehicles but an
open air bus is waiting to transport us to Luz del Dia (Light of Day Cove) and
a black sand beach. 

Today I also learned that “playa negra” (black beach) means
run like crazy into the water because the black sand is very hot. 

The snorkeling was amazing today.  Large schools of silver/blue fish twinkle in the shafts of
sunlight coming through the water, dancing around me.  They don’t seem to mind my presence.  A giant sea turtle (remember, not a
tortoise because its in the water) glides gracefully below me.  I am living in a nature show on the
National Geographic channel.  All
the creatures I see mesmerize me; puffer fish, a spotted sting ray,  the only sound my own breathing.  I see a motion out of the corner of my
eye and come face to face with a sea lion.  As quick as he is there, he is gone.  

Our lodging for the tonight, the only on the island except
for a few local “rooms”, is a rustic stretch of ten cabins lined up along the
beach.  Small but accommodating, we
had been warned that there was no air conditioning, TV, internet and limited
electricity.  From midnight to nine
a.m. there is NO electricity.  I
can handle an evening of limited amenities but what I don’t like are the
mosquitoes who show up…somebody must have told them fresh white tourist meat
had arrived!  Javier gives us a
tube of misquit, an herbal bug spread and we slather it on, dressing in long
pants for dinner.

Seven o’clock finds us gathered on the wooden deck, the sun
setting over the ocean, waves crashing on the black lava rocks in front of
us.  Venus has just begun to shine
in the night sky as Javier opens up a bottle of white wine and pours the eight
of us each a glass.   Maria
Elana toasts us, thanking us for visiting the islands.  It is sweet and heart felt.

Dinner is in town (5 minutes away) at a restaurant run by
Lalia Cruz.  Her family was one of
the first inhabitants, her father moved here in 1925.    We decide to walk back to the cabins after
dinner, flashlights our only guide. 
Earlier in the day we saw dozens of spiders, each one larger than a
quarter, sometimes three to a tree. 
They love the mosquitoes that I hate so much.  I make Javier and Paul walk in front of me because I don’t
want to walk through their webs.

We see a shooting star as we leave dinner and Maria Eleana
decides to show us the night sky when we arrive at our rooms.  We douse all the lights and meet on the
deck again.  She points out Orion’s
Belt, Cannabis Major and Minor, and of course the big dipper and North
Star.  We also see the Southern
Cross, which is only visible from one place in the United States, Key
West.  It points to the Southern
tip of the earth, just as the big dipper points to the North.  It is also clear enough to see the
Milky Way.  The night sky is
amazing and it makes me sad that we have lit up our world so much we can’t
appreciate it more.

The night had cooled by then and Paul and I managed to not
let any mosquitoes into our cabin, so we settled in for a very restful
evening.

Today I learned that bano means bathroom.

 Who knew getting to the Galapagos Islands could be so
difficult.  Arriving at the
airport, Paul and I have to pay $10 for a visitor’s card and have all our
luggage inspected specifically for the islands.  Our flight, which stops quickly in Guiyaquil, takes about
two hours and before we land on San Cristobal (the only island with an
airport), all the overhead compartments are opened and fumigated.

As we bank across the islands it is easy to spot the small
cruise ships in the crystal waters. 
San Cristobal, at least where the airport is, is flat with small scrub
brush and cacti.  It reminds me of
when we landed in La Paz, Mexico. 
The air is humid and we finally feel as if we are in a tropical
environment.

After paying our $100 cash fee for entrance into the Galapagos National Park and having our luggage sniffed by the drug dogs, we are
loaded onto a big transit bus. 
With us are our Naturalist, MarieElana and our Red Mangrove rep, Javier.   A ten minute crowded bus ride
through the desert gets us to two ferries.  Our luggage is tossed on top and we quickly traverse the
small channel to Santa Cruz Island. 
There we transfer to a cab and head off to Red Mangrove Galapagos Lodge , about a 45
minute ride.  Santa Cruz Island
begins with the same type of landscape as San Cristobal but soon changes to trees
and lush greenery. 

Our hotel is located in the small community of Puerto Ayora
on the island and is quaint with red buildings under towering mangrove
trees.

We find our room, named
Naranja (“Orange”) and find ourselves looking over the dock, watching pelicans
dive for fish in our small harbor.   (view from our room at right)

Lunch quickly follows, where we are joined by sunning iguanas, an egret
in the drained jacuzzi and a sea lion that has staked a claim to one of the
lounge chairs.

As soon as lunch is over we are assigned our snorkels and
masks for the remainder of our trip and change for our very first snorkeling
tour in the famous Galapagos Islands!

 Four additional people join us for the tour, Paco and his
lovely wife, Vanya, Alex (a woman) and Sophia.   Alex and Sophia are from Buena Aires and are on
assignment for the airline magazine, LAN, 
Alex writing and Sophia taking pictures.  Paco and Vanya are from Valencia, Spain but Vanya is
originally from the Patagonia area of Chili.  Within fifteen minutes we are in the water, after being
checked out by a curious sea lion, we snorkeled along the shore of a small
island and see dozens of fish.  A
school of blue damsels, basking in a spot of warmer water, were happy to swim
around me, within touching distance. 
I thought they’d come up and taste my mask but none were that brave.

(Javier in the boat on the way to snorkling)

If you ever go snorkeling or diving with me you should know
that I have a really hard time jumping into the water (Julie, remember our
snorkel trip in Kauai?).  Once in,
it is even harder to get me out. 
Meaning of course that I love it and I love to snorkel and dive.  It’s just that jumping into the depths
of the unknown that I find so hard.  
Well, in this case it was also physically hard for me to get out of the
water and into the boat.  I’d like
to blame the ladder and/or the rolling water but more than likely it was my out
of shape body.  I handed my
flippers and mask to Javier and tried to get both feet on the bottom rung of
the ladder.   I am pretty sure
my body wasn’t meant to be in that position, but I finally managed to do
it.  Meanwhile the boat is rocking
and the top of the ladder is not directly up but overhead.  Javier reaches down to help me, all 140
pounds of him, and as I am trying to lift myself, I almost topple him headfirst
into the water.  Well, now I am
laughing too hard to do myself much good. 
One of the boat assistants come over and between the three of us I managed
to clamper over the edge of the boat, depositing myself in a heap on the boat
floor, a little bruised and bloody, but safe and sound.

At Tortuga 
(Turtle) Bay, we waded ashore and stalked some aquatic iguanas, which
are only found in Galapagos. 
Following their tail trail in the sand we quickly find some, perched in
the sun, taking an afternoon siesta.

 The quantity of wildlife is amazing.  We see the famous Darwin Finch (the
bird that lead to Darwin’s theory of Evolution, of which there are fourteen
varieties), lava lizards and a lava gull (the lava gull is all a dark gray and
smaller than the gulls we are used to in the United States), just to name the
animals I can remember! 

By the time we get back to the hotel to shower and change
for dinner, a storm has set it and we can hear the wind and rain beating along
the side of our room.

Tomorrow we head out to see the giant turtles and then onto another island.

Today I learned that caliente means hot.

 Paul and I split up today.  While he went  canyonering, I decided to add some spa
appointments and catch up with my writing.  Since there isn’t much to report today, I will tell you
about our stay at Luna Runtun Adventure Spa and Resort.

Luna Runtun's name can be interpreted several different ways. Luna means moon but the is also the last name of the owners.  Runtun, in Incan, means fortress.  Therefore, Luna Runtun can mean Moon Fortress or Fortress of the Luna Family.  Built fifteen years ago on the side of the still active Tungurahua Volcano, it has survived several eruptions and many scares.

Spread out over 300 acres, Luna Runtun has hilltop hot tubs,
warming pools and swimming pools. 
The rooms and suites are sprinkled in small buildings throughout the
property.  On our last night there
we felt as if there were no other guests, the wind teasing the trees was our
only companion.  Even when the hotel
was sold out for Easter weekend, we would be more likely to see employee than a
guest.

The hot tub and warming pools are located up the hill (hill
doesn’t really describe, vertical climb is better), along with the Café del
Cielo.  Café del Cielo is a
specialty café serving sandwiches, a wide variety of coffees and crepes.  Today I had a nice ham and cheese
sandwich, followed by a banana crepe, while Paul had a strawberry crepe (he ate
lunch while canyonering). 
Everything we had there was exceptional and fresh.

All the other meals at Luna Runtun are served in the
restaurant, located on another steep hill and were good as well, but were even
tastier when not served buffet style. 
I had two traditional soups, Cauliflower Soup and Potato Soup (with
cheese and avocado).  One breakfast
item that soon became a favorite was a cake type pastry with cinnamon cooked in
banana leaves.

 
The Volcano Spa is located on yet another incline but sports
amazing views of the valley.  It
feels quite decadent to have a foot massage while overlooking the mountain
vistas.  Between the two of us, I
believe we sampled almost all of their spa treatments.  We both partook of a couple one hour
body massages, foot massages, honey exfoliation (which tastes wonderful, but
more on honey later), facials and manicures.  In addition I had a rose petal bath and a hair
treatment.  The spa girls are all
very sweet and skilled at each of the treatments.

Day 4 

Today I learned that la miel means honey.

After a few final spa treatments, Paul and I climb back into
Fernando’s van for the trip back to Quito.

Juan Fernando Rueda is quite a character.  Tall and lean, he seems to tower over
most of the locals.  But with his
sparkling greens eyes, gentle manner and impish smile he wins everybody over
quickly.  Dubbed the “flying cat”
by his friends in the Galapagos, he and his family recently moved back to Quito
from Galapagos so his daughter, who is seven, could have better schooling.  A native of Ecuador, his background is
as a chef and he worked in the Caribbean for over seven years before going to
the Galapagos to teach the kitchen staff on the small cruise ships how to
prepare food.

 Fernando has a silly sense of humor, often making fun of
himself, and a strong sense of responsibility for his guests (whom he always
refers to as the passengers).  His
English is self-taught and while amusing, does cause some confusion.  For quite a while Paul and I thought
the Virgin of Quito was the Vision of Quito and on our way to Banos he kept
talking about mini pigs, but what he was saying was guinea pigs (a delicacy, by
the way, seen spread out on spits in the street shops).

 Today could be called Jennifer’s Quest for Honey.  I have fallen in love with the honey we
had at Luna Runtun and have decided I must have some to take home.  We ask about honey in Banos and are
told it can be found in the next town, which is on the way to Pisaquincha, the leather
market.  One there, Fernando asks
again about honey and is told that nobody is selling it today but if we go to
this lady’s house we can buy it from her. 
This leads us on a quest and finally, after four houses I have two huge
pots of honey.  Now, if only I can
figure out how to get them home!

We make a quick pit stop in Pisaquincha for some leather
goods (yes, I bought some birthday and Christmas presents but I’m not saying
for who!) and then went to Hacienda La Cienega Built 380 years ago, this Hacienda, which is now a hotel,
was home to many founding members of Ecuador, writers of the constitution among
others.  It has been well
maintained and gives an excellent glimpse into how life was back in the 1700’s.

Paul and I have a quiet night (well quiet if you count all
the car alarms, barking dogs and planes overhead) at Laguna Suites in Quito, since we
have an early wake-up call for our flight to the Galapagos tomorrow.

I can’t believe I’m in Ecuador.  In South America. 
And the view outside my window deepens the disbelief.  Early morning, our huge picture window
is a wall of clouds, thick fog and mist that completely covers the small town
of Banos below. 

We don’t have a TV
in our room, but find that watching the clouds is mesmerizing and we both stand
in front of the window, as in a trance, or sit in the lounge chair, window
open, watching the clouds form, then pass.   The noise from the Banos echoes up the mountain, music
and car alarms yet doesn’t destroy the tranquility the mountains impose.

 Luna Runtun Adventure Spa is nestled on 300 acres in the Sangay National
Forest in the Andes Mountains.  A
small resort, spread out on the mountainside, it has a total of 27 rooms and
can accommodate approximately 70 people. 
With a spa, hot spring hot tubs and two restaurants, there is almost no
reason to leave. 

 Of course, Paul and I find a good reason to venture off
property.  A tour of the local
waterfalls!  Our guide for the day
is Darwin (his parents must have a great sense of humor), and along with our driver,
Jose, and fellow guests, Debbie and Carl Jensen (from Denmark but living in Ecuador), we are off to
explore.

Darwin is a native of Ecuador but has just returned after,
not only living in the United States for fifteen years, but also serving as a
paramedic with the Air Force. 
Debbie and Carl currently live in Guayaquil, a port city, where Carl works for Maersk.  They have been lucky to have lived all
over the world including Dubai and Singapore.

As Darwin says, in this part of his country there are only
two ways to go…up or down.Farmers cultivate small patches of mountain where ever
possible, in fact there is even a small garden adjacent to Luna Runtun, with
cabbage and corn among other things.

 We head down then east out of Banos on the road to Puyo and
the Valley of the Waterfalls.  This
used to be considered the most dangerous road in Ecuador since it was one lane
etched into the cliffside, a deep drop to the river below for the unlucky few
who tried to pass.  Within the past
few years a series of tunnels were added and the road was paved.  A trip that took 7 hours, now takes only
two and a half and it has opened a new area of Ecuador to explore.  The old road can still be taken for the
canyon and waterfall views and for a chance to use the Ecuadorian car wash (a
waterfall that falls directly on the road). 

(Ecuadorian Car Wash, photo by Paul)

The Machay bridges (old and new) are one of our first
stops.  Pendulum swings have been
set up and we watch a few brave souls take the plunge.  For only a $10 fee (Ecuador’s currency
is the dollar), Paul decides to join them.   Within seconds he is harnessed in and on the edge of the old
bridge. 

One, Two, Three and he’s
gone, down and across under the far bridge, almost to the river’s edge and then
back. 

A guy below throws him a
rope and pulls him over to the rocks, where Paul finds a path back to the top
of the bridge.  It was exhilarating
to watch (don’t worry Mom, I have NO DESIRE to do anything like that) and I
couldn’t help but think this would be a great place for The Amazing Race!

 A few minutes further down the road we stop to take a
gondola across the river to twin waterfalls.  Last month there was a flash flood that destroyed fourteen
houses, killed four and created duel waterfalls where only one use to
exist. 

The ride, which costs $1,
is exhilarating and the operator likes to tease the riders buy stopping over
the waterfall and causing the car to rock back and forth.  Even though most of the riders are tourist,
the gondolas also carry locals and goods across for their communities.

El Pailon del Diablo is our final destination.  The Devil’s Cauldron is one of the
largest waterfalls in this area, located in the Ecuador National Park.  An almost two mile hike down to the
waterfall base is fun and crowded with local tourists.
The waterfall is located
on private property, so for a $1 admission (it seems like everything is $1) we
hike back up to the top to the observation area.  From there, a small tunnel leads to behind the
waterfall. 
Paul and I get down on
our hands and knees and make our way through—it reminded me of our ATM cave
adventure in Belize last year—Paul makes it all the way to the top but I have
to stop a bit short.  The power of
the waterfall is energizing and the people that make it this far up are giddy
with excitement.

Paul emerges,
drenched but with a big smile on his face and we slide and slither our way
back, where our new Danish friends are waiting for us.

The two mile hike back up was a killer.  It reminded me that after Belize last
year I swore I would be in better shape for my next vacation.  But here I am, two movies and sixteen
months later, a little heavier and in WORSE shape.  So, I again vow that I will be in better shape for our next
adventure (we are thinking African Safari).  Many of the locals on their way down, laugh at me good
naturedly, the pale chubby American huffing and puffing her way up the trail.
sweat dripping off of her, face completely flush.  Darwin and Paul are sweet and good natured about my many
rest stops.  Darwin has done this
hike six times already this week and says he can make it to the top in eight
minutes—SHOW OFF!

One thing that I loved about everything we did today was it
felt like these were things that Ecuadrian do for fun.  It was a great way to meet and interact
with the local culture, from natives in their black skirts, pure white shirts,
bowler hats and brightly colored scarves to petite men with parched skin and
families, black haired children, all with friendly smiles on their faces.

Our morning excursion over, we headed back to Luna Runtun
where Paul and I had an afternoon of spa treatments planned.  (more about Luna Runtun and the spa in a later post)

Another happy day.

Paul and I arrive under the cloak of darkness, weary after
the five hours flight, the second leg of travel for both Paul and me.  The airport is packed with locals,
waiting for their loved ones.  It
seems tradition for the entire family to pick up visitors or returning
friends. 

 Our hotel is located only ten minutes away from the airport
and our driver gets us there quickly. 
The Laguna Suites is a boutique hotel with only 23 rooms.  It is well kept but soon we find that
it is in the flight path for one of the runways.  In a year, when the new airport opens up, this will no
longer be an issue.

Juan Fernando Reuda is our guide for today, Good
Friday.  Old Town, its
collection of churches our destination.  La Basilica is our first stop, with its gargoyles of
turtles, iguanas, armadillos and other local animals. 

Begun in 1892 the church is still under construction.

Walking on a catwalk above the vaulted
cathedral ceilings,

we climb into the bell tower for our first city view of
Quito.

It is spell bounding,
multicolored houses, like jewels embedded up the mountainsides, white fluffy
clouds hiding the peaks.  Today is
perfect and bright, not the rain that the weather websites had forecast for us.

Conquered by the Spanish in 1544, Ecuador (and neighboring
countries) was lead by a peaceful colonial rule until 1720.  The United States’ independence spurred
the South American areas held by Spain to seek their own liberation and Antonio
Jose de Sucre, under the direction of Simon Bolivar (from Venezuela), led the
fight beginning 1n 1821 for Ecuador. 
By 1824, the Spanish were defeated and by 1830, Ecuador succeeded from
the Gran Colombia Federation and with 700,000 people birthed a nation.

(Jennifer and Fernando in front of one of the many churches, photo by Paul)

On the southwest side of the Plaza de la Independencia, we
visited the Cathedral.  Sucre,
along with the first and second presidents of Ecuador are entombed here.  The Presidential Palace, Archbishop’s
Palace and City Hall complete this square, also known as the heart of colonial
Quito.

 (Presidential Palace, photo by Paul)

The city is buzzing with people today, most having arrived
to see the processional that will mark Jesus’ path to the cross and death.  We visit a few more churches, each
spectacular in their own way before heading to the Plaza San Francisco.  Built on the site of an old Inca
temple, using the same footprint and stones, this is the starting point for the
processional.    We watch
as men dressed in blue and purple robes with hoods, shirtless men carrying
crosses and others flogging themselves make their way slowly through the
streets.  Bands separate the
communities that are represented. 
Taking five hours, walking on bare feet on the hot asphalt, this is a
way for repentance for the transgressions and sins committed.

(photo by Paul Pawlicki)

We, however, don’t have five hours and find that our car is
blocked off from us.  We are
trapped within the boundaries of the processional.  There is only one way out.  We have to cut through wall of people lining the streets and
navigate around the men dragging chains and cross to the other wall of people on
the opposite side.  Trying not to
be disrespectful, we push our way through and then get trapped, standing in
front of people who lined up hours ago to witness.  One local gave us a look that reminded me of the angry Incas
depicted in the movie Apocalypto. 

 Safely away from the emotional crowd (overall the
Ecuadorians are very sweet, friendly people), we drive up to El Panecillo, the
Virgin of Quito.  Built in the
1970’s, this site was important to both the Incas and the Spanish because of
its position high in the middle of the city.  From this vantage point you can see all directions of Quito,
as it spills up the mountains and into the valleys beyond.

(photo by Paul Palwicki)

We stop at a café overlooking the city for a traditional
Good Friday lunch of  Faneska, a
dish made up of twenty five ingredients; fish, beans, cheese, peppers,
egg, plantains, grains are among a few. 
The soup, along with a big glass of fresh blackberry juice hit the spot!

 

Fernando dropped us off at our hotel to pack, while he made
an airport run to pick up a family returning from the Galapagos.  They were also headed to Luna Runtun in
Banos, so we would share a ride there in the afternoon.

 Our trip to Banos is a three-hour drive, mostly along the
famous Pan-American Highway (that starts in Alaska and ends in Chile) and will
take us to the Cotopaxi provence of Ecuador, also known as the Avenue of the
Volcanoes.   We find that each
little town we drive through has its own specialty, one is home of the cowboys
(also known as chagras), one makes steel, one sells cheap jeans, one’s claim to
fame is ice cream (we stopped and tasted and it was good).  The volcanoes are imposing, puffs of
steam coming from within, they stand only 200 meters below the tallest mountain
in the Himalayas.  Cotopaxi is one of the tallest active valances in the world,
Sangay THE most active, and Guagua Pichincha, Tungurahua, Reventador and Sangay all
have erupted within the last ten years.

 We arrive in Banos, again under the cover of darkness.  The small town is still alive with
activity from the day’s festivities. 
Banos' specialties, if you were wondering, are the hot springs and for the
local Ecuadorian tourists, the Church of Our Lady of the Holy Water.

 Our resort, Luna Runtun , sits almost 1800 feet above Banos,
perched on the Tungurahua Volcano, it overlooks the city.   Paul and I head for bed after a
quick dinner and a dip in the hot spring fed hot tub, exhausted from a wonderful first day.

(night view from our huge picture window)

As if buying a house that is three times as big as my current condo isn't enough, now there is a huge expanse of fenced in green stuff that demands my attention.

My first visit to Home Depot after moving  was very stressful.  I was assaulted by the hose aisle the moment I entered.  Who knew there were so many types of hoses.  Do I need  a hose?  I'm pretty sure I do.  Do I need one for the back?  One for the front?  One for the side?  Do I need something to hide the hose, one of those pretty pretend pots or a beautiful hose holder that attaches to house?  And nozzles?  Surely if I need a hose I need a nozzle.  Who knew there were so many types of nozzles?  I was beginning to feel nauseous.  Okay, Jennifer, focus.  I tried to read about the different hoses, all the different lengths and something called a soaker hose for your flower beds (which I think is a brilliant invention) but the words kept blurring and I started to hyperventilate.  I took a deep breath. Then another.  Screw it.  It suppose to rain tomorrow so I don't need to buy a hose today. 

Then I was assaulted by the rake aisle.  Who knew there were so many types of rakes.

Well, you get the picture of how my visit to Home Depot progressed.  I was exhausted by the time I left. (Yes, I did manage to pick out a rake.)

I have decided to wait and see what springs up in my yard, before I do anything major.  I know that the lady that used to live here didn't like blooming "things" but I have random daffodils and other flowers popping up, thanks to the squirrels.  And I have a beautiful Bradford Pear tree (really a Callery Pear tree) that is in its full white blossom glory right now.  I wish it would give me real pears but, alas, it won't.

This time next year, I will take full command of my yard.  Until then, I will surrender to the surprises.

 (Anybody know what this is?  I have NO CLUE!)

As you know from my previous post, Meredith Meade and I drove down to Memphis from Nashville a couple of weekends ago to play tourist.  It was her first visit and the first day at Graceland she was enamored.  Would it last?

(photo by Meredith Meade)

We checked into the Holiday Inn Select Downtown, across from The Peabody.  It seemed only fitting to stay in the hotel chain that was not only founded in Memphis but created the hotel chain phenomena.

Saturday morning we walked down Main Street to the oldest Cafe in Memphis, The Arcade.  The cold weather wasn’t stopping people from coming out to eat, so we had a small wait before being seated.  When I lived in Memphis, we never ventured down this far Main, so I really enjoyed seeing this part of town and seeing the revitalization going on.  The food was…well, ok…except for the sweet potato pancakes.  They alone were worth the wait!

Next up (and less than a block away) was The Civil Rights Museum, located at the site of the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King was assassinated.

The museum is jam packed full of information about the civil rights movement in the United States, dating back to the Underground Railroad.  While its informative and moving, I felt that the layout didn’t maximize the materials and could see that the children going through the museum soon lost interest.

After a quick tea and snack at The Peabody Hotel to rejuvenate ourselves, we headed over to the Rock and Soul Museum for an education in the progression of music history in Memphis.  Tucked next to the Fed Ex Forum, at the foot of Beale Street, this museum was light, fun and enjoyable.

Heading back to our hotel we were sidetracked by the Wet Willies‘ drinks and stopped to rest our weary feet.

Dinner on Saturday night was two-fold.  Craving BBQ Nachos we put our name in at the world famous Rendezvous Restaurant and were told it was an almost two hour wait (it was Saturday night after all).  We promptly walked over to Automatic Slims Tonga Club for a cocktail and appetizers.  We ordered calamari and since it was happy hour ($5 martinis) I ordered a Flirtini.  A flirtini is a mix of vodka, champagne and chambord and is wonderful. I recommend it!

We got back to the Rendezvous just as they were calling our name, promptly sat down and ate the most delicious BBQ Nachos I have ever tasted (I am still dreaming about them).  Now keep in mind, I am not a Rendezvous Fan and when visitors come to Memphis and want to eat there I usually tell them to steer clear…well, no longer.  It was worth the wait!  YUMMY!

My dad has made his way from Olive Branch, MS by this time and we headed down to Beale Street for some good Memphis Blues.  We started the night at The Rum Boogie Cafe, secured a table by the door, and sat back to enjoy!  A few hours later we made our way down to BB King’s Restaurant and Blues Club , where we finished our evening.  My dad could have stayed out all night but Meredith and I were exhausted after our busy day.

Sunday morning found us at Sun Studio, where Rock and Roll was born.   Of all the museums we visited, Meredith and I liked this one the best, due in part of our wonderful tour guide.  I can’t believe that in all the years I lived in Memphis I never visited this museum.  I even worked less than two blocks away from it while I was in college.  Make sure you don’t miss it.

(The actual vocal mike used by Elvis and many, many others.)

After meeting up with my best friend Valerie for lunch at Memphis Pizza Cafe, Meredith and I hit the road back to Nashville, exhausted but feeling like we got to know Memphis a little bit better!

I taped him on his shoulder.  “Sir, is that all you are buying?”

It took him a second to realize I was speaking to him.  “Yeah”. The smell of beer wafted over me.

“Can I buy that for you?”

His weary eyes met mine.  “Why would you want to do that?”

I shrugged.  What could I say.  I’d been having a crappy day and I wanted to feel better about myself?  That I was feeling guilty about the excess in my life?  Or simply, because I could.  There was truth in each of them.

“This is all the money I have in the world.”  He said, still not believing his good luck.  “I am walking to Antioch.”

He moved the divider on the conveyor belt, combining our purchases, watching me out of the corner of his eye, waiting to see if I was going to change my mind.

The cashier put his cans in a bag and handed it to him.

“Have a good day.” I said, turning to the rest of my groceries.

“Ma’am, I am going to carry your groceries to your car.  Its the least I could do.”   He stood by silently, head slighting hanging while I paid for my purchases.

Dutifully I allowed him the dignity of walking me to my car.

“I don’t know why you did that.” He said again.  “You must have felt sorry for me.”

“Sometimes its good to do something nice for a stranger.”  That was all I could think of to answer him.

“I am going to have all my teeth pulled,” he said, faking a grin to show me the few teeth he had left.

After putting my groceries in the back of my car, I bid him good-bye again and told him to have a nice day.  He stood hesitantly behind the car, not quite willing to let go of his good luck.

“How far is downtown?” He asked.

“Not too far.”

It was obvious he has a question to ask me.  “But I can’t give you a ride.”

“No, I wouldn’t ask that” was his quick reply.  “I smoke and I was wondering, ” he knew he was pushing his luck “if, well a dollar or two…..”

I reached into my pocket for the change I had gotten inside and dropped it into his grubby hands.

“I hope this helps.”

His eyes quickly counted it.  Not as much as he had hoped for but still, it was something.

“Thanks  again.”  And he was on his way.

I watched him make his way through the parking lot and across the street to the store there.  He approached a man getting out of his car, still on a quest for his cigarettes.   I couldn’t help but imagine the dialog in the man’s head, written of course by John Steinbeck. Lenny knew his luck was changing.

I cried all the way home.

Meredith with the King of Rock and Roll

The first thing I notice is that the city has given up on
street signs for Elvis Presley Blvd.  I imagine with budget cuts they figured that it was just too
plain expensive to keep replacing the signs stolen by chubby women from
Norway.  Not that I blame them, the city that is…..

The front parlor of Graceland

The Pool Room

Graceland has expanded from the simple house tour, which is
a wonderful mix of nostalgia, interior design disaster and an awe inspiring
glitter of gold records  to a conglomerate of additional mini exhibits/museums
which include Elvis’ cars (yes, that is the Pink Cadillac that he gave to Gladys, his mother),
Elvis’ Hollywood Career, Elvis’ concert of 1968 (which is really just a small display in yet
another gift shop), Elvis’ wardrobe (I found this exhibit was one of my favorites), and
finally a tour of Elvis’ plane, the Lisa Marie.   I found them all to be well done, well maintained and informative. 

The sad part about the whole experience is that the gift
shops outnumbered the exhibits.  Just when I thought they couldn’t possibly think of another
thing to put Elvis’ face I’d go into another shop and find an entirely new
display of items.  I guess the
theory is that if you make it, people will buy it.

The thing that I took from Graceland was the Elvis was one
of kind; from his clothes, his hair, his generous nature, his raw talent and
his incredible music.  He was proud
to be a Memphian and I am proud to call him a hometown boy!

Jen signing the wall outside Elvis Graceland!

Well Palin had a wonderful write-up in the LA Times over the weekend.  You will recognize his children, Sabine and Georges with a few years added and see a sample of his murals and art work.

Paulin Paris LA Times Article

There are the obvious reasons: I am closer to family  (especially my parents), an affordable house, and a better quality of life.

These reasons hint at the true nature of such a move.  The bottom line is that I am no longer happy in Los Angeles and am very lonely there.  My dear California friends, please don't take offense to this, it does not reflect on the depth of our friendships or how important you are to me.  My soul is lonely and craving something that I couldn't find in sunny Southern California.  I am not talking of such things tangible but those things that affect my core being.  A sense of community, a connection to the lives around me, to the world that surrrounds me, space to embrace the creative energy that bounces around inside. I have been craving a change for a long time but have to admit that I was quite comfortable where I was, with work, my condo, my life in general.  But as a very wise friend once said to me, "do you want to be comfortable or happy?"

Sometimes happiness is found by stepping out of your comfort zone, embracing the uneasiness of uncertainty, reaching out and touching something new, opening yourself back up to the possibilities. 

Nashville was never on my radar but when Screen Gems decided to film "Love Don't Let Me Down" here I decided it was a place I really wanted to explore.  I knew almost immediately that I needed to move here.  It holds for me the familiarity of my hometown of Memphis, the loving nature of the Southern people, a strong entertainment community and an openness of acceptance that accommodates creative types and a sprinkling of family and friends already living here.  Once the decision was made, everything else fell into place very quickly and easily which confirms that it is the right choice, maybe even the only choice I had.

So a new chapter in my life begins. 

–Helena Norberg-Hodge

I love Nashville and have decided to move here.  But you will hear
more about that later.  Meanwhile, here are a few pictures to keep you
entertained.

My boss, Meredith Zamsky and me at the famous Loveless Cafe, one of the top breakfast stops in the United States.

 We spend a little more time drinking while on location but mostly I am a homebody! 

Below is me on the "stage" that we built in a warehouse.

Lastly, a sign in THE STAGE bar on Broadway in Nashville, where we filmed for several days.

I promise more soon.

Four hours from Los Angeles, the barren landscape of tall prehistoric volcanoes, is punctured by the Trona Pinnacles.  Located between Ridgecrest, CA and Trona, the small brown National Park sign indicates a dirt road leading towards the rocks.  Formed underwater along a fault line that is connected to Searles Dry Lake Bed, these calcium carbonate juts of rock dominate the flat surface. 

The film crew perches atop one of the pinnacles to capture the actors and the amazing vista beyond them. 

Trona Salt Flats

The Mojave Desert is only fifty miles away but the heat has found the crew.  The sun bakes us, is soaked up by the salt infested ground and bounces up.  We are surrounded by it.  The crew moves slowly through the day and Production Assistants walk around offering water and shade.  Their job is to watch everybody to make sure no heat exhaustion or heat stroke hits us.

This parched landscape is perfect for the setting of "Outpost 10".  A small house set on war radiated land, the owners scratching a living and waiting for the soil to return to usefulness after years of war between humans and vampires.  This is the beginning and ending of our film. 

Every day it reaches 120 degrees.

Fishhead Rocks

Our final location in the Trona/Ridgecrest area. 

Also known as Poison Canyon for a stream that contains naturally occurring lethal amounts of arsenic and other chemicals.  The canyon was originally used as the route the mule teams used from the Borax Plant in Trona to San Pedro, California.

Tucked in a back corner, we wedged a reduced film crew in to film our actors walking along a narrow path, surrounded by wrinkled walls.  Filmed at dusk, in the fading light, it was easy to feel transformed to a different time and place here.

(That is me, 2nd from the left)

Ridgecrest

The closest major town to our location, Ridgecrest's (formerly known as Crumville) existence is purely to sustain the China Lake Navel Weapons Base.  The base dominates the surrounding terrain, rolling along for acres.  Driving along the highway towards our location, I catch glimpses of imagined steel bunker doors embedded in the distant mountainsides and wonder what arsenal is held there.

Our hotel, The Carriage Inn, is charming.  The majority of the crew stayed here and gather by the pool at night to cool off and share a beer or two.  The rooms are small but the air conditioners work and that
is the most important thing this close to the desert.  The rest of the crew stayed in the new Springhill by Marriott .  They didn't have ambiance we did but they did have big flat screen tvs!

Check out this article to discover what I have been up to…..

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/valley-14829-lucerne-filmed.html

I promise more soon.

The wedding was beautiful and the black tie reception was by far the best one I have ever been to….and I have been to many a celebration.

Tom and Colleen are off to Fiji now for a two week honeymoon.  I wish them all the love and happiness that the world can offer.  They deserve it.

(Valerie Hight, MBA, Sports Management at AT&T Park, June 2009)

An empty stadium is a strange animal.  It is quiet and still, yet it quivers with energy.  As if the intensity from game days is instilled in the seats and the greens, in the very air that surrounds the ballpark.

AT&T Park is a beautiful park, located in the heart of San Fransicso.   We had no problem taking a bus from our hotel to the park, and catching the light rail afterwards to head down to Fisherman's Wharf.
Elegantly designed, it still feels new and clean.   

Our tour was in the morning and as you can see from the photos, a beautiful clear morning.  Later that night we returned for a ball game, Giants Vs. Rangers (Giants won) and Valerie got to see one of her favorite pitchers play, Randy Johnson.   We ate garlic fries, made famous here and drank beer.
And of course we shopped at the Giants Store.

I would highly recommend this tour.  In addition, there is a tour specifically for the art work at the ball park.  That is something I look forward to on another trip.  As for me, I will be adding ball park tours to my list of things to do when I am traveling.   I wish I had seen Shae Stadium before it was destroyed.

Public Tours

Available EVERY DAY at 10:30 am and 12:30 pm rain or shine, except when day games are scheduled at AT&T Park.

• All tour stops are subject to change depending upon team schedule and area availability.
• Due to possible post-season activity, there may be changes to the October schedule.
• Tours depart from the Giants Dugout Store at AT&T Park and last approximately one hour and fifteen minutes.
• For up to date tour information please call 415.972.2400

http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/ballpark/tours.jsp

TICKET PRICES:
Adults: $12.50
Seniors: (55 and over): $10.50
Children: (12 and under): $7.50
Children under 2: Free

I volunteered my time so I could have access to various workshops and would have a chance to mingle and meet people.  The word horror brings up connotations of mythical creatures from the dark recesses of one's mind and I thought perhaps this group of writers would embody the very things they created but nothing could be further from the truth.  I found them to be generous, kind and friendly.

Along with making some new friends and learning about the publishing world, I was able to pitch my novel  to Don D'Auria, Executive Editor of Leisure Books.   I was pleased when he told me he was interested in the idea and wanted me to keep in touch with him during the writing process.  I guess I am on the right track with it.  Now I'd better get to writing it, huh?

One of the highlights of the weekend was getting up close and personal with John Farris.  Mr. Farris is probably most famous for his novel, THE FURY.  He is a diminutive man, soft spoken, well dressed in kakahis and a polo,  always with a gentle smile. 

Jen and John Farris.

It was a very successful weekend and I look forward to seeing my new friends at future writing conferences.  The next one is Killercon in Las Vegas, NV at the beginning of September. 

The morning began hot but the weather station reported a storm front moving in later in the afternoon.
My dad and I drove over to Flippin, AR to pick up my Uncle and my dad's boat (it is parked in front of Uncle's house).  We hitched the boat up, dug for worms, fed the goat, pulled up radishes,killed ants, got our fishing license at Wal-Mart (no trip to rural America is complete until you visit the Wal-Mart) and then finally got on our way.   

Living in the concrete jungle of Los Angeles, I forget the splendors and "dangers" of the country.  When we first arrived at my Uncle's house, his front yard was full of tiny green grasshoppers, no bigger than my pinkie fingernail.  I squealed in delight as they bounced around my feet, immediately transported back to joys of my youth.  The smell of fresh mowed grass, tiny bugs jumping in the twilight, the fireflies flashing, the giggles of my cousins.  I backed away from the grasshoppers, stepping into a patch of weeds.  My father, ever a vigilant dad, immediately warned me away, worried I would pick up chiggers.  For those of you who are lucky enough to NOT know what chiggers are, they are tiny bugs that burrow into your skin, causing immense itching. 

We have a rule on the boat whenever I am fishing.  If the fish doesn't swallow the hook, we set them free.  I feel the same exhilaration letting the captured fish slid from my fingers back into the water as I do when I reel them in.   

The White River is a cold water river, which is the perfect antidote for a warm summer day.  When the intensity of the sun gets to be too much, you dip a toe or a hand into the water, splashing your face. 

Fishing for over four hours we caught Rainbow Trout and German Brown Trout.  The German Brown Trout is one of the most exquisite fish I have ever seen.   Yellow accents on its belly and fins contrast beautifully with its brown spots.  Its shimmers and shines in the sunlight.

The Norton Simon Museum is the perfect museum.  Perfect in size.  Perfect in crowd attendance.  Perfect in layout.  Perfect in collections.  Okay, maybe a bit too much Degas, but can that really be a complaint?


The exhibits are all taken from Norton Simon's personal collection.  His fascination with Indian and Asian culture can be viewed in the basement, the  numerous Degas scattered in the entry court and 19th Century Wing, exquisite Dutch paintings in yet another wing. 

 
 

Outside is a harmonious sculpture garden with winding pathways, lilly covered ponds and gently flowing water fountains.  An elegant but casual cafe hides in the corner and helps you imagine a tranquil afternoon of good food, imaginative art and wonderful friends.

If you live in Los Angeles, you owe yourself a visit to the Norton Simon Museum.  If you don't live here, make sure to include it on your things to do when you visit.

The details:

Norton Simon Museum of Art
411 W. Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 91105-1825
626.449.6840

$8 for adults, $4 for seniors, children and students Free

Surprisingly, during a recent visit to the Medieval Times in Anaheim, California, the food was good.
Tomato basil soup, roasted chicken, BBQ rib (notice that is NOT plural.  Singular rib), potato and apple dumpling type desert.  Eaten with your fingers, slurped from your soup bowl the fare was tasty and hot.

Our Knight, the Blue Knight, was a tall dark handsome young fellow with locks of flowing curly black hair. He fared well in the games but eventually fell to the evil Green Knight. 

The visit to Medieval Times was a birthday celebration and our romantic Blue Knight gave the lovely birthday girl a red carnation. A fun time was had by all.

Medieval Times
7662 Beach Blvd
Buena Park, California 90620

ADULT – $53.95 (+tax)
CHILDREN 12 & UNDER – $36.95 (+tax)

check the website for show times and reservations

In next fourteen weeks I will learn the secrets to novel writing, complete an outline and write my first three chapters.

Many of you joined this blog when it was purely a travel writing blog.  It has slowly morphed into something more.  I hope to chronicle my journey with writing a novel, the hardships and the triumphs.

I hope that you will join me!

P.S.  I will still write about trips, travel and misc. life adventures!

They have converged here in Los Angeles to discuss the health issues and child
welfare that effects all their nations.

Their visit to our set was quiet, respectful and cordial until Danny Glove and Chris Rock came to meet them.  The women were dignified in their excitement but couldn't help pulling out their cell phones to snap photos.

It was awe inspiring to be among this group of ladies who have bonded together to address the issues that threaten all of them.  We should look to them to inspire us with our own world views. 

We are all one.

Girl fight between Ali Later and Beyonce Knowles.  Worth the price of admission!

We filmed this movie last spring.  Support me and Screen Gems by going to see it.

My friend Julie and I were invited to join the party this month.

Held at the Santa Barbara Bird Sanctuary , bird lovers from across two counties flock to this converted house to bond with friends, snack on fresh NY bagels, fruit and fresh squeezed juices.  Human and birds alike enjoy the treats.  Keep an eye on your plate because a friendly parrot may help themselves.

Julie and I were befriended by Matisse, a beautiful Cockatoo, who is looking for a good home.  He is known as a Casanova, loves a good head rub and if he really takes a shine to you, will regurgitate his breakfast to woe you.  As romantic as that sounds, trust me when I say its not.

Take time to wander through Sanctuary, talk to all the wonderful birds there and enjoy the beautiful setting.

Here are the specifics:

11A-1P
First Sunday of Every Month
$10
RSVP  805-969-1944

2420 Lillie Ave.
Summerland, CA

Birds attending must have a well bird certificate from an avian vet.

Sunday morning came too early.

Time to pack and ignore how much we had lost at the slot machines.  Neither Heather or I are big gamblers, although I have to admit a fondness for quarter Wheel of Fortune machines.

My friend Gregg (Gregg and I worked at NBC Sports together, more years ago than we care to admit),
picked us up and took us to a local restaurant for breakfast.  Hash House a go go, advertised as twisted farm food, offered us giant portions of tasty eggs, hash, bisquits and gravy.  YUM!

We then drove up to Red Rock Canyon, located a few miles west of the city.  We enjoyed the beautiful red rock formations and the vast emptiness.   As cool as the strip is in Las Vegas, the grandeur of towering mountains, valleys of scrub brush and the braying of wild donkeys gives me more of a rush.  A sense of place and time and of what is important.

Heather and I had a great time as always.  Another well spent cousin weekend with an added bonus of getting a quick visit in with Gregg.

I have many other friends in Vegas that I wasn’t able to see on this visit.  But I promise to come again soon!  But before it gets too hot!

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief.  I come into the presence of still water.
And I fell above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light.  For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Wendell Berry

If you haven't seen the original I urge you to rent it.  Very funny stuff!

If you have come to these pages for laughter,
may you find it.
If you have here to be offended, may your ire rise
and your blood boil.
If you seen an adventure, may this story sing you
away to blissful escape.
If you need to test or confirm your beliefs, may
you reach comfortable conclusions.
All books reveal perfection, by what they are or
what they are not.
May you find that which you seek, in these pages
or outside them.
May you find perfection, and know it
by name.

I was in for a treat. A Hibiscus Island paradise, described on their website as:

Our signature treatment starts with a papaya pineapple body scrub to
enliven your skin and your senses, followed by warm herbal coconut milk
poured over your body. A relaxing massage leaves you with the healthy
glow of a tropical island paradise.

OHMYGOSH!  I had no idea what I had in store for me.  A very cute, studly masseuse named Danny was assigned to me and he lathered me with the scrub, then swung a six nozzle shower over my body.  Warm water drizzled down my sides.  It was heavenly. 

But my amazing treatment wasn't over.  Afterwards, Danny led me to a massage room where he rubbed coconut lotion into my freshly scrubbed skin, followed by warm coconut oil.  I was a blob of goo by the time Maria came to get me for my facial.  I don't remember much of the facial as I weaved in and out of sleep but I came out glowing!  

The day would have been complete but we had much more excitement in store. 

Dinner at Chef Todd English's Olive Restaurant in the Bellagio was delicious.  We started with a Fig & Prosciutto Flatbread (Sweet & Sour Fig Jam, Gorgonzola, Prosciutto di Parma).  Crisp flatbread baked in a brick oven, the sweetness of the fig mixed with the slight bitterness of the Gorgonzola and accented by the salt in the prosciutto combined to  create a wonderful taste combination.  And this compliment from a girl who doesn't like her foods to touch!     For our main courses, I chose the Butternut Squash Tortellini in a warm brown butter sauce and sage.  Heather had the chestnut ravioli with spinach.  The pastas were homemade and delicate, the sauces fresh and the butternut and chestnut fillings were perfection.   

Since we were celebrating Heather's birthday, the staff brought a small truffle sampler for desert.
We were stuffed by this time but one can always find room for chocolate!

The highlight of the evening, however, was Cirque du Soleil's O, also located at the Bellagio.  Cirque du Soleil is a cornucopia of trapeze acts, surrealist theater and magnificent feats of strength and dance that assault you visually.  O captures these and adds the water (and fire) element of high dives,  synchronized swimming, daredevil antics and, what is a circus without clowns.  This was my favorite of all the Cirque du Solieil acts I have seen and should be on everybody's bucket list.

This year we chose Las Vegas.   Mostly because we heard it was suffering, due to the recession, and we could get really good deals there.  And while the hotel was very reasonable, we saw no more proof of a hard hit town.  The streets were crowded, the shows sold out and the restaurants full. 

Friday night we attacked the Spice Market Buffet at Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino.   Steamed crab, taco bar, sushi, Indian food, dim sum, shrimp, soups and fresh desert crepes kept us busy and filled our tummys. 

Heather had never been to Vegas before, so later we wandered over to the Bellagio to check out the fancy lobby and gardens.

It was an early night for us, as we settled into our Heavenly Beds at The Westin Hotel and Casino.

Besides we wanted to be up in time for our yearly tradition of breakfast in bed!

 

Thanks to all of you that viewed my video and voted for me.

I have taken the subway into Hollywood a few times and really enjoyed it.  It is usually crowded but not overly so, the stations are clean and it eliminates the headache (and expense) of parking. 

A couple of weeks ago, my friend, Andi,  and I took the subway all the way into downtown, to the LA Times Travel and Adventure Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center.   We took the red line from Universal City to the 7th Street Metro Center stop, where we had to pick up the blue line. 

I was sorely disappointed.  There were no clear signs indicating directions between the lines, no posting of major stops.  We found ourselves milling about with other riders, wondering if we were going the right way.  We eventually found our destination but not without frustration and irritation.

Frankly, it was easier navigating the Budapest Underground than my hometown of Los Angeles.

Overwhelming fun.  Walking the aisles, talking with the travel experts about personalized African safaris, chartered yachts to the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica Adventures and so much more.  I was ready to run away and travel the world.

If you are in the Los Angeles area and missed the show this year, make sure to go next year.  And if you live elsewhere, make sure to check out your local travel show.  It may inspire you to take that dream trip! Or give you ideas for a new destination.

Here is the link to view the video and vote on it:

BEST JOB IN THE WORLD

They received over 34,000 applications.  On March 2 they will announce a shortlist of 50.

I will keep you posted on the listings.

The next project is a remake of a British movie called, "Death At A Funeral".  If you haven't seen it I highly recommend that you rent it.  Our remake will star Chris Rock and Danny Glover and I am thinking will be even funnier than the original.

We begin filming March 30 for a little over seven weeks.  I am already planning my next trip, sometime in June/July.

In the back of my head I was considering buying the new Stephen King book of short stories, Just After Sunset and I had put another book (that has been highly recommended by several people) on hold, Lamb by Christopher Moore. 

Then I got sucked into the buy one get one for half off rack.  It would have been okay except there were several books that I have been wanting for a long time.  I couldn't resist.  I bought four more books: Sex Lives of Cannibals (J. Maarteen Troost), The Universe in a Single Atom (Dalai Lama), A Year in the World (Frances Mayes–she wrote Under The Tuscan Sun) and Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen).

Over $100 later (and I had a coupon), I walk out of Borders with not four, not six but eight new books.
And I haven't even fessed up to the two Cardmaking/Scrapbooking magazines and a horror magazine called Cemetery Dance.

When do I think I will have the time to read all these?  I don't know.  But it makes me very happy to know that they will be sitting on my bookshelf (along with dozens of other books) waiting for me when I am ready.

I thought the show was a tremendous success.  Although a cold winter rain pounded down, a good number of people braved the weather to attend.  The venue did a wonderful job showcasing Shari’s work.  Everybody I met was astounded by her talent.  (I of course was not since I have been a fan from the start.)

To top the evening off, Shari drew three names for door prizes.  I was thrilled to be one of the those names and I got to take home a print of one of Shari’s paintings.  I chose Wishes of Grandeur. Below is the original:

Journeys of the Heart was the perfect name for this exhibition.  It encompasses the struggles that Shari went through to find her heart’s work, painting.  And the peace and love that lives there now that she has found it.  I can only hope that each one of us has the courage to find our own heart’s work and to not be afraid to pursue it.

Congratulations Shari.  I can’t wait to see what you create next.

Be sure to check out Shari’s blog, Painting By Heart.

The reality is I woke up around 8:30A, stumbled out of bed, listening to the rare sound of Southern California raindrops on my balcony (all week long), and curled up on my couch under my nice soft red throw with the tv on.

But its not all bad news.   I did meditate, and when it was sunny I walked and I did do some writing.
I have over 1500 words on my short story.  I think I am about halfway done with it.   I finished reading
the latest Alex Cross Mystery by James Patterson and started reading The Associate by John Grisham.
And I did read four chapters in Buddhism Without Belief.  I also read 11 chapters in the required reading for my Voice and Viewpoint Class.

I will keep plugging away at it, hoping to establish some new routines that embrace my creativity.

Keep wishing me luck.

Its a six week class on voice and viewpoint.  All the other classes I have taken are general writing classes but I felt I needed to strengthen the depth of my writing and, quite frankly, viewpoint confuses me. 

Another thing I like about online classes are the variety of people in class.  There are only four of us in this class.  Abeer, who is from Saudi Arabia but living in Cairo (I think Abeer is a girl), Rhonette who lives in Trinidad and Topago and Shawna who is here in Southern California. 

Maybe I'll post a class assignment in the next few weeks.

I talk and think about writing more than I actually write.  Why is that?  Why have I mentally made writing a priority, yet don’t do it.  I think the reason is two-fold.  

My friend Nate says that most writers don’t like the actual writing process but like having written.  I find this to be true for me, most of the time.  Sitting down, putting pencil to paper (or rather fingers to keypad) and manifesting my thoughts and story visions into words is very difficult, almost painful.  At least in the beginning, but then the words start to flow and it almost becomes meditative.  Yet, I find myself easily distracted.  Taking breaks to check my email, play with the cats, do a minor chore.  As if I can’t let totally let myself go to that place.

Which brings me to the second reason.  As much as I say writing is painful I love it.  I want to do it.  It brings me great pleasure.  That in itself drops it down the priority list of “things to do”.   It seems that I have taught myself not to allow the things I love to be top of the priority list.  Instead I have to accomplish the chores, projects, household maintenance, before doing the things I love, crave, cherish.  While I am trying to write (or read, because this second part pertains to reading too) my mind wanders to the unloaded dishwasher, the pile of mail, the dirty litter box (okay, that one should take priority as it sits in my office and the smell alone will distract me), the bedroom wall I’d like to repaint, the clutter on my balcony.  The list is endless.  They don’t make the stories in my head go away, they just shout louder, drowning them out.

I’ve gotten a lot of responses to my blog about Stephen King’s book, On Writing.  But I feel that I haven’t lived up to the promise I made myself when I wrote that blog.  So, I am trying again.  Starting of Ground Hogs Day (Feb 2) for one week I will do the following:

7A  Wake up
Meditate for ten minutes and read one chapter in Buddhism without Belief
Write for a minimum of an hour
Take a 20 minute walk around my neighborhood
Read my fiction book anytime I want
Disregard my to do list
Limit my TV time

Lets call is an experiment.  I will report back to you on Monday, February 9.

Wish me luck.

My cousin Heather and I try to meet somewhere in early spring every year.  She needs a break from the cold winter of Minnesota and home schooling her three wonderful children and I need an excuse to travel and see her.

This year we have decided on Las Vegas for its warmth, shows, spas and fine dining.  Neither one of us are gamblers.    From March 6-8 we will be staying at the The Westin Casuarina Resort, Casino and Spa
a block from the strip.  Stay tuned for our adventures.

This is a tricky question. 

Paul and I never felt threatened during our stay in Belize.  We were cautious against petty theft in our hotel rooms and while we were out but we felt very very safe everywhere we went. 

Some of the adventures we participated in had elements of danger.   The threat of being stung by the sting rays, falling during the ATM tour and getting held up at gun point on the way to Caracol.    

A man recently fell at ATM and dislocated his shoulder.  He had to lifted up to the trail, make his way back the two miles (and four river crossings), down the bumpy gravel road to the Western Highway and then go to the hospital in St. Ignacio.  Orlando, our guide, said the man was screaming in pain the whole time.

And a woman drowned cave tubing the week before we were there.  The river was higher and the tour operators advised people NOT to go cave tubing.  One of the cruise ships didn’t want to cancel the tour so they went ahead, with too few guides for the hundreds of people. 

Kim, at the Almond Beach Resort said Belize is the most dangerous country in the Caribbean.  I did not feel that.  However, while we were there the assistant manager, Luis, lost a close cousin in a shooting in St. Ignacio.  In a strange twist of fate, Paul and I met Luis sister, Kara (and her daughter), on the flight to Belize.  Kara told me about her brother working at Jaguar Reef and about her cousins and their store.  Four men came in and threatened Kara’s uncle.  Her cousin stepped in to protect him and was shot, point blank through the heart.  All four men were caught.

It is not without its hazards, mostly due to its remoteness.   So you find yourself being a little more cautious, slowing down, which in the long run is a good thing.  You enjoy the scenery more, pay more attention to the details.  The potential for harm (or death) makes the joys of life sweeter.

A few of my friends have made comments about the “type of vacation” it seems I like, full of adventure and danger.  I am not an adrenal junkie.  I do not seek out danger.   I did not know what difficulties were ahead of me when I entered the cave.  If you remember my previous blog about it, I was concerned with the hike.  The cave was not an issue.

I even chided Karen when I returned to the Jungle Dome.  “Why didn’t you tell me about the cave being so hard?”
“You asked about the hike, which isn’t hard.  I knew you could do the cave but I knew if I told you, you wouldn’t do it.”

Snappy says he got the same type of answers when he asked about the ATM Tour.  And he admitted that if somebody had told him what the cave entailed he wouldn’t have done it either.

We are both very happy that nobody told us.  We would not have wanted to miss that experience and challenge.  It was a once in a lifetime adventure.  When you are in those moments, you just do what it takes.  You swim into the mouth of the unknown, you climb a slippery rock formation, you plunge down a water shoot and you are better person to have done it.

While on Caye Cauker, I came across the Cooper's Art Gallery , home to Debbie Cooper's works of art.  They are colorful Caribbean prints depicting local women, birds and plants.  I fell in love.  And, much to my delight, her husband had just put out a small original for sale.  I thought about it overnight and then bought it.  It had been in the gallery less than 24 hours. 

Its my little piece of Belize sunshine!

On Writing is a memoir of a man becoming a writer.  All the events in his life that guided him, shaped him into becoming the scribe he is today.  His childhood, his addiction to drugs, being an English teacher.  All the layers that create him.   He peels them away to reveal what some would say are his secrets.  The truth is, there are no true secrets.  There are a few rules (most of which can and should be broken from time to time), and some helpful habits but the bottom line is; if you want to write. then do it.  The only way to become a writer is to write, and the only way to become a better writer is to write more.

This book is the single most inspiring book on writing I have read.  Stephen’s love of his craft, words, ideas, stories, bleeds through the pages and stains my hands.  Instead of wanting to wash them off, I am anxious to type, leaving little red smudges on the keyboard.

Write what you know.  Write what you love.  Write what is in your heart and soul.  Write for the love of writing, not for fame or money.   Write to have written, to form a connection with your reader.  Just write.

So I am letting you, my few readers, know that I am going to write.  This past year has been a concentration on travel writing, which I will still pursue.  But my fiction stories have been tickling my imagination for some time now.   You may see some changes to the blog…it may not always be about travel.  The important thing, according to Stephen (and honestly any writing teacher I have had) is to write. 

There are two other things I want to mention about this book.  Stephen includes a first draft of the opening of 1408.  It was, by far, one of the most educational things in the book.  To see the process and to know that what comes out first isn’t perfect and then to see his rewrite.  Thank you Stephen.

In addition, he included a list of books he read over a three or four year period.  I was astonished not only by the quantity (he states in On Writing that a writer must be an avid reader as well) but the variety.  I have found, in the last year, that the more I write, the more I want to read.  And the way I read has changed.  I notice the sentence structures and descriptions.  The excellent writing in The Memory Keepers Daughter blew me away.  And I have noticed that sometime the writing is marginal but the story and the characters are memorable.   

Meanwhile, I am looking forward to reading Stephen’s new book of short stories and rereading On Writing.

What makes this piece so compelling is the way in which the author educates the reader of the functions of the aircrafts, aircraft controllers, pilots and the way in which our own pinpoint technology may have contributed to this diaster.   

If you fly, you should read this article.

This is the second crash in less than a month for American planes.  You may recall the Continental Airline crash on the runway in Denver on December 22, 2008.  In route to Houston, the plane veered sharply during takeoff, ran off the runway and burst into flames.  Miraculously, all 115 passengers and crewmembers survived.  Only 40 injuries were reported, two of them critically.  Within twenty-four hours both of those people were upgraded. 

I read recently that despite our beliefs, 58% of people survive plane accidents.  The passengers more likely to survive are seated on the aisle and actually paid attention to the safety instructions given by the flight attendants.    And, as we all know, flying is safer than driving in our cars.

May we all have safe travels and know where the emergency exits are located.

Even though work took a front seat this year, I was still able to get in a lot of small trips, work on my blog, and publish some articles.

La Paz, Mexico
January
I began my new year in this quaint Mexican town in the Baja with Jill and Paul.  A three hour drive from Cabo San Lucas, La Paz hosted mostly Mexican tourists.   The picture at the top of my blog is from La Paz.

The Grand Canyon
February
Andi and I decided to take a winter driving trip to the Grand Canyon.  We had perfect weather while we were there and seeing the canyon rimmed with snow was spectacular.

Scottsdale/Sedona
March
My cousin Heather flew in from wintry Minnesota for a rest and relaxation weekend away from the snow and her family.  We stayed at the luxurious Phoenician Hotel and Resort and enjoyed their spa.  We also drove up to Sedona for the day to enjoy the red rocks and see if there was a magical vortex!

San Francisco
July
I flew to San Francisco to attend a travel writer’s workshop.  I really enjoyed spending time exploring the city and was thrilled to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Vancouver, BC
September
Visiting my friends Andi and Paul in Vancouver was a heck of a good time.  We ate at the world famous Vij’s restaurant, visited the Capilano Suspension Bridge and shopped at the Asian Night Market.

New York City
Thanksgiving
Sharing the Macy’s Day Parade experience with my dad was worth every penny of the plane ticket.  Getting to stay in a five story walkup apartment and visiting with old friends made the trip priceless.   Experiencing the Rockette’s Christmas Spectacular, the top of the Empire State Building, Central Park and the Staten Island Ferry just completed the magic of the city.

Belize
New Year’s
Waking up on the first day of 2009 in a country that teaches me life lessons every time I visit will inspire me for the entire year.

I hope that each of you enjoyed the adventures that you had in 2008.  I wish you love, laughter and happiness in 2009.

I don’t think Belize is done with me yet.    The next visit will focus on southern Belize, down near Porta Gorda.   I want to spend time at the Cotten Tree Lodge and explore that part of Belize.  

In addition, I’d like to visit  Honduras. Luis II says the Mayan ruins of Copan are worth the trip.   In addition, I heard nothing but wonderful things about Flores in Guatemala.  

This is the itinerary I envision:

Fly:       LA/Houston/Belize City
Fly:       Belize City/Porta Gorda
Boat:     Cotton Tree Lodge (7 days)
Boat:     Porta Gorda to Honduras
Drive:    Copan (1-2 days)
Bus:      Copan to Flores (they say the bus ride is beautiful!)
            Flores (3-5 days)
Fly:      Flores/Belize City (on Tropic Air)
Car:     Jungle Dome (as long as Karen is at the Jungle Dome I will go visit)
Fly:      Belize City/Houston/LA

Next year for New Year’s, Paul and I are thinking about the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador.  So, I think I will return to Belize in two years.

After being driven for the last two weeks, getting behind the wheel of a car seems unusual.  Like I’m in a dream and I known I’ve done this before but this isn’t where I belong.   Maybe it’s the pavement.  The roads are paved, the parking lots, sidewalks,
parks, shops–all paved.  The natural world, although just outside my window, feels so very far away.  Like the asphalt is sucking out all the life from the trees and the flowers.
I miss the dragonflies, hummingbirds, butterflies, even the ants.    The spider problem I claim to have in my condo seems laughable now. 

And as I drive, I look at all the stuff.   Balconies piled high with boxes stuffed with things forgotten by their owners.  Stores selling more stuff we don’t need or want.  Items that won’t bring us joy just separate us from our money.  I look around my condo, at the closet full of clothes, many of them I don’t wear.  The office closet that is so junked up I only open it when absolutely necessary and then snatch and grab before it all falls out.  The accumulation of magazines and books.   I own more right now than many families in Belize will own in a lifetime.  Does that make me better, happier, more of a success? No.  It just means I have more stuff.

My skin is dry again.  My nose bleeds when I blow, my hands feel as if they are on the verge of cracking.  While I don’t miss the humidity, I do miss the moisture in my skin.

The itching bug bites are slowly diminishing, scabs forming and falling off.  They are being replaced by accidental scratches by Bailey, my kitten. 

Slowly, Belize is falling away.

There are only three highways in Belize.  The Northern Highway, which stretches from the Mexico border to Belize City, The Western Highway unites Belize City to St. Ignacio (and the Guatemalan Border) and the Hummingbird Highway.  The Hummingbird Highway stretches from Belmopan to Dangriga, where it morphs into the Southern Highway and runs all the way to Porta Gorda.   

Paul and I began our journey back to Los Angeles in Hopkins, about 20-30 miles south of Dangriga.  The road in Hopkins used to be paved but floods have washed away the majority of the pavement and left huge potholes in its wake.  It takes us almost twenty minutes to drive the six miles to the Southern Highway.   Another twenty minutes along the two lane highway (all the highways are two lanes) finds us in Dangriga. 

Oswald, our driver from the Almond Beach/Jaguar Reef, turns off the paved highway into a neighborhood of shacks and dirt roads.   The airport is hidden on the edge of the town. With no clear street signs, you have to know where you are going in order to find it.

The poverty of this neighborhood was heart wrenching.   Stilt raised wooden homes with thin worn white cotton curtains blowing in the breeze.   Holes where the planks have rotted away, offering little protection from the whims of nature.   Some houses so small, they appeared to have only one room, the cooking area and tables gathered close by outside.   Women, listless in the heat, sat heavily on cheap plastic chairs on slanting porches.   Chin in hand, they watch wordless, as we drive by, their eyes following our vehicle.

Our twelve seat Mayan Airplane was full so Paul gets the prized “co-pilot” spot up front.  The runway, barely paved was mostly rock in some places, but we rise with little effort.  The flight is seventeen minutes long and takes us over the reef, following the coastline.  After Dangriga falls from sight, there is nothing but water and marshlands.  Not a person in sight.   It’s a reminder that this little nation has only 300,000 residents (not counting the influx of 4,000-6,000 visitors when the cruise ships are docked at Belize City).   It is just one of the many reasons to love this country.

The rest of our trip home is uneventful.   We are upgraded to First Class from Belize City to Houston but our flight from Houston to Los Angeles is packed.  Fourteen hours after leaving the resort in Hopkins, I am back in my condo in Los Angeles, curled up on my couch with my kitties.

The final days of Belize are just that, bittersweet.   Paul and I spend our days alternately between the Butterfly Spa and the sunny beach.   The moon, just missing a tiny sliver, beckons us to stay here in Belize our last night.  

But the strings that tie us to home have already begun to tighten and we spend more time on the Internet, thinking about work and family.    This has been an amazing trip but it must end.

Our last day at Almond Beach/Jaguar Reef I spend working. 
Vicky Cross, the Butterfly Spa manager, has staged the spa with flowers and candles.  I arrive for my last treatment, reflexology, thirty minutes early to take photos.   Vicky is new here to Belize, having just arrived from Minnesota in March.  Her husband oversees maintenance here and they have a little apartment on the property.  After a tough adjustment period, they are settling in and loving Belize more and more each day.

Shortly after my spa visit, I meet up with Kim Leland.  Kim arranges all the weddings and special events here at the resort.  Originally from Hopkins, Kim has the same infectious smile and laugh that is shared by all the local Hopkins women that work here. Ms. Pat, one of the owners, joins us briefly as Kim and I walk through the Vista Suite. This suite would be a very fun bachelorette or girls vacation room.  Three bedrooms plus a media room, library, dinning room and full kitchen, it sleeps ten.  Small wedding receptions are held here as well.  For an extra $200 a night, a personal chef can be brought in to cook.  I’m sold!   This is also where the owners stay when they are in town so it holds many extra amenities, such as its own washer and dryer and Jacuzzi tubs. For the next half hour Kim shows me the variety of rooms that they have.  All the rooms have unique features.  There is something for everybody here at this resort.  Honeymoon rooms with no TVs and private outdoor showers, budget rooms that look out on the garden or pool, family suites that offer tiny kitchenettes.

It’s a nice way to spend my last few hours here at the resort before we begin our long trip back to Los Angeles.

I am fresh from a shower.  Today has been a day of pampering.  A Cucumber Facial and a Manicure/Pedicure.  I even splurged and had small white flowers painted on the red nail polish on my big toes.   The pedicure was the best I have ever had in my life.  It had the standard nail clipping, filing, painting and soaking.  In addition they sand and polish the bottom of my feet, applying a stimulating scrub and then wrap my feet in hot towels.  That is followed by lotion and massage.  (sigh)

Yes, you are right.  I am no longer at the Jungle Dome.  Yesterday Paul and I said goodbye to our new group of fellow travelers at the Dome (a couple from New Zealand, that live in London; a couple from Tacoma, and two couples from Alberta, Canada).  They are all at the beginning of their adventures and I am jealous of all the new experiences they are about to enjoy.

Roy, from the Almond Beach/Jaguar Reef Resort, picked us up at 11A to begin the two hour journey to Hopkins.  Hopkins is just south of Dangriga, which is located in the southern part of the country (everybody calls this area southern Belize but if you look at the map its central Belize—go figure).  The ride, mostly along the Hummingbird Highway, is beautiful and reminiscent of Kauai.  They even have a Sleeping Giant mountain.  The Hummingbird Highway is relatively new, only paved in the last 12 years.  Roy used to travel this road from Belize City to see his grandmother in Hopkins when he was younger.  He said it took six hours and if the rivers were too high to cross you had to try again later. 

Our room at the resort is a beachfront cabana, big and spacious.  It has a king sized bed and two Murphy beds, plus a little sitting area (couch and two chairs).  The veranda is huge with a four top table and two lounges.  Stairs lead from the porch to my beloved hammock and the ocean just ten feet away.


What a peaceful way to end our vacation.  (The dog mentioned at the beginning of my post just came up on the veranda for some love, laying his head on my lap and looking dolefully at me with his big brown eyes.)