Before I moved to Doha, I had never considered visiting South Africa but after so many colleagues told me how great a time they had on their trips, that's just what I did this past Christmas. And am I ever glad I did! Let me tell you about my adventures in Cape Town...
South Africa is known as "the world in one country" because there are so many different nationalities in the same country who all live together in harmony. An amazing example of what the world could be.
On the first evening in Cape Town, we laid pretty low and just checked out our neighborhood, Seapoint. We were fairly close to the waterfront and took advantage of that to stroll along and check things out. I fell instantly in love with the city and I hadn't even seen anything. There is a very relaxed, chilled out vibe that permeates everywhere. We strolled to one end of the boardwalk and had gelato and then strolled back to where we entered the boardwalk. We walked back to our neighborhood and had dinner on the little patio at La Boheme Wine Bar and Bistro. It was crowded but that only added to the great atmosphere. I had ostrich meatballs (first time) with pasta...mmmmm, delicious!
Our second day was consumed by an all-day bus tour starting in Cape Town and going down around the Cape Point, including a stop of the Cape of Good Hope and then back to Cape Town via Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
Our first stop of the day was in a small little fishing village for an hour long boat tour to see some seals. It took about 20 minutes to travel each way. You knew you were approaching the rocks that the seals like to sun themselves on because of the eye-wateringly, nose-clenchingly bad smell. I would not have thought that a colony of seals could smell so bad...I mean they swim all the time - that's just like bathing isn't it??
Upon our return to the dock, it was time to board the bus again and speed off to the Cape of Good Hope. The Cape of Good Hope is the most southwestern point in the world (though not the southernmost tip of Africa). It is mostly a rocky outcropping with a little grass, a car park, and a sign reading Cape of Good Hope in English and Afrikaans and the GPS coordinates to get there. I think it tends to be the sort of place you drive an hour or so to get to only to stay for a maximum of 30 minutes, though it would be a wonderful little spot for a picnic.
A little further up the road is where many folks stop to take a lunch break and hike up to a stately lighthouse on the hill. This is exactly what we did - we went to the little restaurant which was overlooking the sea and ate lunch with the other folks on our tour. We made friends with a couple of fellas who were traveling solo and chatted with them through a delicious seafood lunch that included mussels, whitefish, and some type of prawn like shellfish that I had never heard of and now can't remember the name of...Oops!
After lunch, the four of us decide to take a hike up to the lighthouse even though it was shrouded in thick fog and you couldn't see the top from the bottom. Baboons kept us company along the way and the view from the top was definitely worth the 15 minute hike to the top and the run back down so we didn't miss our bus.
Next it was off to the penguin colony at Boulder Beach in Hout Bay. I always thought penguins liked the ice and cold but these little guys were living it up in the sand dunes and the dune grasses, laying out and getting suntans. They were not terribly afraid of the humans either. There were plenty of us walking, standing, staring at the little tuxedoed birds, taking pictures and trying to call them over.
Our next and final stop online the road was at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens where we had about an hour and a half to stroll through the exotic gardens to see birds of paradise, pink peonies and so many other beautiful shrubs and flowers. Then they loaded all of us intrepid travelers back into the bus for the ride back to Cape Town and our many hotels, hostels, and b&b's.
Upon arriving at our guesthouse we were greeted with a message regarding our pickup for the next day...2:45AM!! Are they crazy?? Turns out it was a 3-hour drive down to Gaansbai so the early pick up was totally necessary.
Our dinner that evening was at a little Italian Bistro called Posticino. The staff was extremely friendly. The maitre'd greeted us with the usual two-cheek kiss and a little hug. He helped us make great food decisions and interacted with every customer to come through the door. The food was delicious as was the sangria and the short walk back to the guest house was a great way to round out the evening.
Back at the guesthouse we drank wine with some Germans who were also staying in the guesthouse. We chatted with them for for a while and then it was time to hit the sack for our early morning wake up.
The excitement started when we tried to get out of the guest house to the street to meet our tour. It turns out the German folks staying at the guesthouse, from the previous evening, had locked the door from the back garden into the hotel proper. Since we had a separate cottage in the back garden, this caused a huge problem.
It was quite a trick to try and get out...we even tried climbing through a window but that ended in a locked room and we were no further ahead. Eventually, we made enough noise that the lovely Germans woke up and let us out. I hope they weren't too upset!
By now you may be wondering what exciting thing we were planning down in Gaansbai that would make us get up for a 2:45am pick up. Well...it was cage diving with Great White Sharks. I thought we were crazy to plan this but it was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.
Upon arrival at the tour company, Shark Lady Adventures, they provided us with a lovely breakfast and showed us a safety video and talked to us about what we could expect while out on the boat. Then it was time to sign our lives away and board the boat.
After about 15 minutes skipping across the waves, we dropped anchor and started to call for the sharks. This is done by throwing a chum slurry into the water, waiting and then dragging tuna heads on a rope through the water to draw the sharks. It took a while but one finally came along to swim near the boat. It was at this point that the first group hopped in the cage in the freezing cold water (about 10C) to check out the sharks close up.
When it was finally my turn to get in the cage, I was quite surprised to find that I wasn't nervous at all. In fact, I was terribly excited. Once in the water, we waited for the sharks to swim on over. I was surprised to realize that they had no interest in us whatsoever. They didn't even know we were there observing them. Watching these amazing animals from under the water was incredible. There are just no words to describe it. You need to see if for yourself.
After a much needed afternoon nap, we headed over to V&A Waterfront to a South African restaurant called Karibu for dinner. We had a Braai platter for two which included steak, lamb, ostrich, kudu, impala, wildebeest, and boerwors. There was two dipping sauces that I wish I could duplicate. One was amarula cream sauce and the other was a sweet onion sauce. They truly enhanced the Braai flavour. If anyone out there has a recipe for either of these...please send it to me.
On our final day in Cape Town, we tried to pack in everything else. We spent 12 hours riding the hop on hop off bus, shopping in Green Market Square (a local market in the center of the city that sells handicrafts, jewelry, artwork and carved ostrich eggs), and shopping at V&A Waterfront some more.
Over all, Cape Town was amazing. I can't wait to go back!!
Oh...and those shellfish I couldn't remember the name of...they were langoustines!
Stay tuned to read about the next leg of the African journey - Kruger National Park
Monday, July 28, 2014
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Reflections...
What's Your Dream has always been about my adventures in checking things off of my bucket list. Three years ago, when I moved to Qatar to live, I started the list of 25 things below. Immediately I was able to check off 1 thing so I thought I was off to a pretty good start. And in 3 years I have checked off 8 items - all of them travel related. I have been to Greece, and Italy and so I saw the Acropolis, Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii; rode a camel and an elephant. And, of course, the one that started it all - live in a foreign country. Some of this has been documented, perhaps humorously, on past editions of this blog. The rest is a work in progress. As I look back at the original list, I know some of these will be easy to check off and others will take a lot of courage and hard work. But then I suppose that is the purpose of this project isn't it? To expand my horizons and to face my fears.
THE ORIGINAL LIST
THE ORIGINAL LIST
- live in a foreign country
- ride a camel
- ride an elephant
- go parasailing
- take a no commitment vacation (i.e. no special occasions or obligations to visit people)
- shoot a rifle
- shoot a handgun
- go skinnydipping (sorry Dad; Mom...you can't say anything about that one!)
- audition for a movie or play
- write a book
- get published
- get a wild and crazy haircut (something that isn't a shoulder length straight bob/pageboy)
- take singing lessons
- sing in front of an audience
- travel to Greece
- travel to Australia
- travel to Russia
- travel to Egypt
- travel to Italy
- back pack through Europe
- get my motorcycle license
- visit Stonehenge
- visit the Acropolis
- go to the top of the Eiffel Tower
- visit Mt Vesuvius & Pompeii
THE NEW ADDITIONS TO THE LIST
- travel to Holland (this was missed in the original list but was always in
- travel to China
- learn to surf
- learn to speak French fluently (halfway there I think)
- learn to speak other languages (other than French) conversationally
- learn to run (this may in turn lead to the addition of other running related goals or not)
I'm always open to suggestions, so if you have any...send them along.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Holland - CHECK!
Many of you may know this about me and some of you may not, but visiting Holland has been a lifelong dream for me. You see, my Grandmother was a war bride who married a Canadian soldier around the end of the second World War. I have always been terribly interested in and proud of my Dutch heritage, so it is surprising that it took me so long to get there.
I finally boarded the plane to Holland last October. I wasn't sure what to expect when I got there but I certainly wasn't disappointed by anything. My uncle greeted me with Oliebollen (my favorite Dutch treat) and a great big hug.
In the afternoon, we took a walk and visited a Korenmolen or corn mill. He explained to the staff there that I was visiting from Canada and had never seen the working insides of a windmill and could someone give me a quick tour. A very nice man with long blonde hair had the honour of showing me the inner workings and even took me outside near the windmill blades and explained how many years ago the windmill was not only used as a mill but also as a form of communication to announce births, deaths, sickness, invasion, and weddings, to nearby farms and towns, depending on the position of the blades.
After the windmill we went into the old center of Alkmaar to see the canals and some of the small businesses. My uncle also sweet talked a young glazier into showing me his work shop and explaining what he does when he's making stained glass window designs. I have to say that was pretty cool too.
On my second day, we took the train to Amsterdam. We took a canal cruise so that I got to see a lot of the sights I might otherwise not know about or get to see. It was very interesting and I made sure to take lots of photos.
When we disembarked the canal tour, we saw a film crew. My uncle, being very inquisitive, decided to talk to the production assistant to see what they were shooting. It turned out to be an episode of Covert Affairs staring Piper Perabo. When I looked at the actors on the set, I noticed that it was an episode with Oded Fehr. OMG!! (For those of you who do not know who he is - he played the Guardian Ardeth Bay in the Mummy and also the real gigolo in Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo) I was pretty stoked about this sighting as I haven't had too many celeb sightings in Doha or in Canada for that matter.
Another huge highlight of the day and my trip in general, was visiting the site where my grandparents met. It used to be a social establishment called Finse Bar but now it is an Italian restaurant. We were able to go inside and have a look around even though it was closed. I tried to imagine what it looked like all those years ago and envision how it happened as I don't think I was ever told the story of how they met. Only that he didn't speak Dutch and she didn't speak English...How they ended up married...is anyone's guess, but I am sure glad they did!
We continued to stroll around Amsterdam seeing the sites - coffeeshops, Red Light District, Rembrandthuis, and stopped for coffee in a cafe on the Rembrandtplatz. What a busy day that was!
I took a bus tour out of Amsterdam called "Holland in One Day". All of my relatives laughed at me when I told them about this. They said..."You can't see all of Holland in one day!". And that is true, because we only did a very small area but it included some highlights. We started on Damrak near the train station and sights were pointed out along the way out of the city, including a new area of the city that we very recently reclaimed from the sea. You have to travel across a bridge called the "Dolly Parton bridge" to get there. The shape of the bridge is like two of Dolly's more apparent assets...lol.
On we went to Rotterdam where drove through the city to see some of the sights, including the cube houses. Then we climbed the Euromast tower. Being afraid of heights, this type of thing tends to be out of my comfort zone, but I decided I must try to overcome this fear so I climbed all the way to the top. What an amazing view of the city. Next we continued onto Delft (pronounced Del-eft) , where we toured the De Delftse Pauw pottery factory to see how they make the beautiful blue and white pottery. It is a really cool process. They also now do coloured pottery as well as the blue and white. Then of course it is into the store to see if you want to buy some things. After that we were turned loose in the old city center to do our own sightseeing, shopping and lunch.
After Delft, it was back on the bus to see Den Haag and Madurodam. We drove past the International Court of Justice and stopped at the Peace Palace for some pictures. I find it so interesting to drive past and tour places that usually you only read about in the news or see on tv.
Madurodam, for those of you who don't know what this is, is a theme park of miniatures. All of the main sights of Holland recreated by George Maduro in 1:25 scale. You can see Schipol airport with people inside and planes changing position outside. Training running along the track. There are even some games for children to play along the way. After an hour here it was time to head back to Amsterdam.
My next excursion was the main reason for my visit Holland. Meeting the family! For many years, I have heard my grandmother talk about the relatives we had in Holland and who was the child of whom. But over the years I had only met a handful of them who had come to Canada to visit us. We spent the day visiting cousins and their spouses and children in Almere and Lelystad. At the end of the day we arrived at one cousin's house where almost all the others had gathered for a asian take away meal and a game of Shuffleboard (it has a Dutch name but I can't spell it and google translate isn't being any help). It was highly competitive for sure! I was very thankful for the gifts presented to me especially some old family photos that I didn't have and family history information dating back to the 1700's. It was truly a memorable visit for me.
The next day was spent touring a replica of a 17th century ship called the Batavia, which was owned by the Dutch East India Company (VOC). The Batavia suffered a shipwreck and mutiny on its maiden voyage. We had a 3 hour tour from bow to stern and lots of history about the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Batavia. We had an excellent guide named Mariah who told us all about the ship and it's voyage and subsequent mutiny. It was interesting to see the ship and imagine how the sailors survived in the space given - 'cause there certainly wasn't a lot of space for as many people.
After all that and it's still only Sunday.
Monday dawned overcast and misty...but not too cold. I headed into Amsterdam to visit the Anne Frank house and the Rijksmuseum. By the time I walked from Centraal Station to Anne Frank house, the rain had started in earnest.
The Anne Frank House was very crowded. The annex where Anne and 7 other people lived, was jammed with people looking at all of the pictures and artefacts and, like me, trying to imagine living in such a small place with several strangers and very few opportunities to go outside for almost 4 years.
After touring the Anne Frank House, it took me an hour to walk to the Rijksmuseum. Next time I will find a local transit map! I was definitely soaked through to the bone because of the rain. The Rijksmuseum is filled with beautiful paintings by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and many other famous Dutch masters. Aside from beautiful paintings there are dollhouses built to scale from the 18th century, other artwork and historic items. This is truly a must see in Amsterdam.
Unfortunately after spending a couple of hours in Rijksmuseum, I ran out of time to take the Heineken Brewery tour. Guess I will have to make that top of the list for next time.
My next adventure took my uncle and I to Volendam and Edam on a misty morning. Volendam is a quaint little seaside village known for its old fishing boats and traditional Dutch costumes that some of the residents wear. It seems to be a tradition among my Canadian family to have a photo done in traditional dress, so of course I did this while I was there.
After visiting a small hotel/cafe in Volendam we headed for the nearby town of Edam (like the cheese) and walked all over the town. We stopped in a cheese shop and I tasted some really sharp beemster cheese. YUM!
My last few days in Holland were pretty low key. I had 2 days where I just relaxed at home, two dinners out, one with my uncle, his friend and a lady who had lived in Canada for a few years and one with my cousin and his family. Both dinners were quite enjoyable with tasty food and good (English) conversation but I was especially happy to meet my cousin and his family as my grandmother spoke about him often and very fondly.
I look forward to my next visit to Holland - whenever that will be so that I can do all the things I didn't get to do and to spend more time getting to know my family. Proost!
I finally boarded the plane to Holland last October. I wasn't sure what to expect when I got there but I certainly wasn't disappointed by anything. My uncle greeted me with Oliebollen (my favorite Dutch treat) and a great big hug.
In the afternoon, we took a walk and visited a Korenmolen or corn mill. He explained to the staff there that I was visiting from Canada and had never seen the working insides of a windmill and could someone give me a quick tour. A very nice man with long blonde hair had the honour of showing me the inner workings and even took me outside near the windmill blades and explained how many years ago the windmill was not only used as a mill but also as a form of communication to announce births, deaths, sickness, invasion, and weddings, to nearby farms and towns, depending on the position of the blades.
After the windmill we went into the old center of Alkmaar to see the canals and some of the small businesses. My uncle also sweet talked a young glazier into showing me his work shop and explaining what he does when he's making stained glass window designs. I have to say that was pretty cool too.
On my second day, we took the train to Amsterdam. We took a canal cruise so that I got to see a lot of the sights I might otherwise not know about or get to see. It was very interesting and I made sure to take lots of photos.
When we disembarked the canal tour, we saw a film crew. My uncle, being very inquisitive, decided to talk to the production assistant to see what they were shooting. It turned out to be an episode of Covert Affairs staring Piper Perabo. When I looked at the actors on the set, I noticed that it was an episode with Oded Fehr. OMG!! (For those of you who do not know who he is - he played the Guardian Ardeth Bay in the Mummy and also the real gigolo in Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo) I was pretty stoked about this sighting as I haven't had too many celeb sightings in Doha or in Canada for that matter.
Another huge highlight of the day and my trip in general, was visiting the site where my grandparents met. It used to be a social establishment called Finse Bar but now it is an Italian restaurant. We were able to go inside and have a look around even though it was closed. I tried to imagine what it looked like all those years ago and envision how it happened as I don't think I was ever told the story of how they met. Only that he didn't speak Dutch and she didn't speak English...How they ended up married...is anyone's guess, but I am sure glad they did!
We continued to stroll around Amsterdam seeing the sites - coffeeshops, Red Light District, Rembrandthuis, and stopped for coffee in a cafe on the Rembrandtplatz. What a busy day that was!
I took a bus tour out of Amsterdam called "Holland in One Day". All of my relatives laughed at me when I told them about this. They said..."You can't see all of Holland in one day!". And that is true, because we only did a very small area but it included some highlights. We started on Damrak near the train station and sights were pointed out along the way out of the city, including a new area of the city that we very recently reclaimed from the sea. You have to travel across a bridge called the "Dolly Parton bridge" to get there. The shape of the bridge is like two of Dolly's more apparent assets...lol.
On we went to Rotterdam where drove through the city to see some of the sights, including the cube houses. Then we climbed the Euromast tower. Being afraid of heights, this type of thing tends to be out of my comfort zone, but I decided I must try to overcome this fear so I climbed all the way to the top. What an amazing view of the city. Next we continued onto Delft (pronounced Del-eft) , where we toured the De Delftse Pauw pottery factory to see how they make the beautiful blue and white pottery. It is a really cool process. They also now do coloured pottery as well as the blue and white. Then of course it is into the store to see if you want to buy some things. After that we were turned loose in the old city center to do our own sightseeing, shopping and lunch.
After Delft, it was back on the bus to see Den Haag and Madurodam. We drove past the International Court of Justice and stopped at the Peace Palace for some pictures. I find it so interesting to drive past and tour places that usually you only read about in the news or see on tv.
Madurodam, for those of you who don't know what this is, is a theme park of miniatures. All of the main sights of Holland recreated by George Maduro in 1:25 scale. You can see Schipol airport with people inside and planes changing position outside. Training running along the track. There are even some games for children to play along the way. After an hour here it was time to head back to Amsterdam.
My next excursion was the main reason for my visit Holland. Meeting the family! For many years, I have heard my grandmother talk about the relatives we had in Holland and who was the child of whom. But over the years I had only met a handful of them who had come to Canada to visit us. We spent the day visiting cousins and their spouses and children in Almere and Lelystad. At the end of the day we arrived at one cousin's house where almost all the others had gathered for a asian take away meal and a game of Shuffleboard (it has a Dutch name but I can't spell it and google translate isn't being any help). It was highly competitive for sure! I was very thankful for the gifts presented to me especially some old family photos that I didn't have and family history information dating back to the 1700's. It was truly a memorable visit for me.
The next day was spent touring a replica of a 17th century ship called the Batavia, which was owned by the Dutch East India Company (VOC). The Batavia suffered a shipwreck and mutiny on its maiden voyage. We had a 3 hour tour from bow to stern and lots of history about the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Batavia. We had an excellent guide named Mariah who told us all about the ship and it's voyage and subsequent mutiny. It was interesting to see the ship and imagine how the sailors survived in the space given - 'cause there certainly wasn't a lot of space for as many people.
After all that and it's still only Sunday.
Monday dawned overcast and misty...but not too cold. I headed into Amsterdam to visit the Anne Frank house and the Rijksmuseum. By the time I walked from Centraal Station to Anne Frank house, the rain had started in earnest.
The Anne Frank House was very crowded. The annex where Anne and 7 other people lived, was jammed with people looking at all of the pictures and artefacts and, like me, trying to imagine living in such a small place with several strangers and very few opportunities to go outside for almost 4 years.
After touring the Anne Frank House, it took me an hour to walk to the Rijksmuseum. Next time I will find a local transit map! I was definitely soaked through to the bone because of the rain. The Rijksmuseum is filled with beautiful paintings by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and many other famous Dutch masters. Aside from beautiful paintings there are dollhouses built to scale from the 18th century, other artwork and historic items. This is truly a must see in Amsterdam.
Unfortunately after spending a couple of hours in Rijksmuseum, I ran out of time to take the Heineken Brewery tour. Guess I will have to make that top of the list for next time.
My next adventure took my uncle and I to Volendam and Edam on a misty morning. Volendam is a quaint little seaside village known for its old fishing boats and traditional Dutch costumes that some of the residents wear. It seems to be a tradition among my Canadian family to have a photo done in traditional dress, so of course I did this while I was there.
After visiting a small hotel/cafe in Volendam we headed for the nearby town of Edam (like the cheese) and walked all over the town. We stopped in a cheese shop and I tasted some really sharp beemster cheese. YUM!
My last few days in Holland were pretty low key. I had 2 days where I just relaxed at home, two dinners out, one with my uncle, his friend and a lady who had lived in Canada for a few years and one with my cousin and his family. Both dinners were quite enjoyable with tasty food and good (English) conversation but I was especially happy to meet my cousin and his family as my grandmother spoke about him often and very fondly.
I look forward to my next visit to Holland - whenever that will be so that I can do all the things I didn't get to do and to spend more time getting to know my family. Proost!
Monday, December 24, 2012
What Happened in Vegas...
My sister has insisted that I ignore the old adage..."What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!" She says that since I write about all my other travel adventures, it's only fair that she should get equal billing. So here goes the story of ...
It all started with a email to my sister one day, offering her a free trip to Vegas for her birthday. To say she was a bit startled, surprised, or shocked when she read the email is an understatement. She thought it was a joke and kept looking for the punchline. Once she realized it was not a joke, she quickly agreed and planning ensued. Flights, hotels, concert and show tickets were quickly booked. Who knew I didn't know how to spell my own sister's name...(I'll get to that in a minute).
The first mistake I made when I booked the tickets was that I used her maiden name instead of her married name...I mean, she's only been married for 18 years...it could happen to anyone! Did I mention that I misspelled her first name on the ticket as well?? I've only known her for 37 years, so I can't be expected to know how to spell her name right??
Thankfully, we managed to get all the name issues sorted out and still get on the plane to Las Vegas at an ungodly hour in the morning.
The shuttle driver from the airport told us that as long as you were putting coins in the slots, you would get free drinks. Well I can tell you...THAT did NOT happen to us. We could not even find a waitress while we were in there. We were probably the only 2 people in all of Las Vegas who never got a free drink while playing slots!
Anyway, we got checked into our very swanky hotel, Mandalay Bay, and found ourselves in a strip view room on the 23rd floor. Pretty nice indeed!
We found our way to the concierge desk to pick up our tickets for the Cirque du Soleil show. Wouldn't you know it...another snafu! We booked tickets to see Zumanity but the agent booked them for the wrong day! Oh what would we do!! Well, all was not lost. Our amazing concierge, David, managed to get us into another Cirque show - Criss Angel BELIEVE.
So now with our evening arranged, we decided to get dressed and head for dinner. We found a great little Thai restaurant in our own hotel. It was delicious and Sister even found a great new dish that she loved but had never tried...Kung Pao Chicken...I'm sure it is now a staple in her Asian food ordering at home.
After our wonderful Thai dinner we strolled through the Shops at Mandalay and found a tremendous little shooter stall that had Jello shooters for $1. Can't beat that! I think we had 3 each...We continued on to the Luxor for the show. And what a show...Criss Angel did not disappoint...His illusions were great! I had never seen a magician/illusionist before so it was a special treat for me.
Day 2 was spent in a small van with 8 other people on a road trip to Hoover Dam, Seligman Arizona and, our final destination, the Grand Canyon. The Hoover Dam is amazing but also a little disappointing. The reason for the disappointment is that in all the movies you watch that features the Hoover Dam, you can drive across it. This is not the case any longer. It seems that it has been deemed a potential terrorist target so they built a 4 lane divided highway past it and stationed some guards to check your vehicle on the way into the Hoover Dam Visitor's area. Aside from that though, it is a stunning piece of architecture.
It was a long drive but well worth it when we finally got to the Grand Canyon. I don't think you can truly appreciate it unless you visit. Some truly amazing views. Since it's common knowledge that a picture is worth 1000 words I will let a picture do the talking on this one.
See what I mean??
We hiked along the part of the rim and oooh'd and ahhh'd over every sight and even sat on the edge although I will admit...I didn't walk out there! I schooched out on my butt...but that's not important! The hike ended at Hopi Point to watch the sunset...there are no words...only another picture will do!
I think most of us slept on the way home...thankfully though...our driver stayed awake, we think.
Saturday morning was spent lounging with breakfast and then an afternoon trip to the outlet mall for some sale shopping! YAY! Then on to a kick ass rock concert at night! We went to watch Kiss and Motley Crue in the concert venue at Madalay Bay. Two amazing bands that put on a great show! First up was Motley Crue. Vince Neil was looking a little older than I remember but he certainly could still belt out all the songs I remember. I think my favorite of the night (by the Crue) was Dr Feelgood...Tommy Lee had one of his amazing stage setups rigged up so that he could take his drums in a circle like a ferris wheel. He even took one lucky fan on the ride with him! I bet that guy will never forget it!
Then Gene, Paul, Eric and Tommy took the stage in their full comic book style character costumes and put on a rockin' good show. They played mostly new songs that I hadn't heard before and I was a little disappointed that they didn't play some of their more famous songs like I wanna rock and roll all night but they did end their encore with God Gave Rock And Roll To You...so it's all good!
Sunday was mostly a relaxing day. We went to the spa and had our nails done (fingers and toes). It was very relaxing as most spa experiences are. Then we went to the wave pool for about an hour so that we could say we spent time by the pool...guess what...We spent time by the pool. :) After that it was time to get ready for dinner. We had chosen a Russian restaurant in our own hotel called Red Square. I don't know if ya'll know this about me but when I travel I am a more adventurous eater than I would be at home. (don't look so shocked, Mom) I tend to try new foods and things that I have shunned for years at home.
Red Square has a giant statue of a headless Stalin. When we entered the restaurant, the entire atmosphere is red. There is amazing light fixtures all around including very large metal chandeliers in the more open areas. The decor is filled with red leather banquettes for cozy seating. There is a very large selection of martinis and other refreshments and even a vodka cellar you can tour if you purchase a bottle of vodka...the starting price for a bottle of vodka was $100! I really think now, that we should have done it!
The food menu had lots of interesting choices but we settle on the set menu which consisted of 5 courses. Because there were two selections for almost every course, we pretty much tried everything on the set menu, from borscht to calamari, meat dumplings in broth and caviar. We even washed it down with some really cool martinis like Lenin's Kryptonite which was, in fact, bright green in colour!
Aside from the amazing food, our waiter was fabulous and we met a crazy guy at the table next to us and his wife. They were dining with another couple but I think they should have just came and sat with us! They were kind to take our picture together and send over a birthday cake shooter ...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm delicious!
After that we took a walk to New York New York hotel to watch Zumanity, another Cirque du Soleil show. Their gaming floor is setup in the different neighborhoods of NYC so we ended up getting lost in Brooklyn trying to find the theatre for the show. All was well though and we didn't miss the opening. All I can say is Thank God we weren't on the aisle but snuggled nicely in the center of our section. They were pulling people up on stage to participate in the show. It is likely that I would have gone up and put on my own show but probably best that I didn't. For those of you reading this that are not familiar with what the Zumanity show is all about, it explores the world of sexuality in all it's forms - orientation, preferences, fetishes, etc. It is hosted by a drag queen who is hilarious. There is a couple who dispense advice on how to pick up and so much more. I don't think we stopped laughing through the entire show and for sure my cheeks were hurting until the next morning. I think this was one of the best nights we had in Las Vegas - good thing it was our last because I don't know what we would have had to do to top it!
After reading this you must be thinking...What! No gambling and no mention of walking the strip!! Those are two Las Vegas essentials! My answer to that is Who had time!? We did put a few coins in the slots but as everyone who has ever been to a casino knows...the house always wins! I like my money too much to through it all into a slot on the off chance I might make my fortune in coins. Maybe if we had gotten a free drink ...we would have stayed at the slots longer!
WHAT HAPPENED IN VEGAS!
It all started with a email to my sister one day, offering her a free trip to Vegas for her birthday. To say she was a bit startled, surprised, or shocked when she read the email is an understatement. She thought it was a joke and kept looking for the punchline. Once she realized it was not a joke, she quickly agreed and planning ensued. Flights, hotels, concert and show tickets were quickly booked. Who knew I didn't know how to spell my own sister's name...(I'll get to that in a minute).
The first mistake I made when I booked the tickets was that I used her maiden name instead of her married name...I mean, she's only been married for 18 years...it could happen to anyone! Did I mention that I misspelled her first name on the ticket as well?? I've only known her for 37 years, so I can't be expected to know how to spell her name right??
Thankfully, we managed to get all the name issues sorted out and still get on the plane to Las Vegas at an ungodly hour in the morning.
The shuttle driver from the airport told us that as long as you were putting coins in the slots, you would get free drinks. Well I can tell you...THAT did NOT happen to us. We could not even find a waitress while we were in there. We were probably the only 2 people in all of Las Vegas who never got a free drink while playing slots!
Anyway, we got checked into our very swanky hotel, Mandalay Bay, and found ourselves in a strip view room on the 23rd floor. Pretty nice indeed!
We found our way to the concierge desk to pick up our tickets for the Cirque du Soleil show. Wouldn't you know it...another snafu! We booked tickets to see Zumanity but the agent booked them for the wrong day! Oh what would we do!! Well, all was not lost. Our amazing concierge, David, managed to get us into another Cirque show - Criss Angel BELIEVE.
So now with our evening arranged, we decided to get dressed and head for dinner. We found a great little Thai restaurant in our own hotel. It was delicious and Sister even found a great new dish that she loved but had never tried...Kung Pao Chicken...I'm sure it is now a staple in her Asian food ordering at home.
After our wonderful Thai dinner we strolled through the Shops at Mandalay and found a tremendous little shooter stall that had Jello shooters for $1. Can't beat that! I think we had 3 each...We continued on to the Luxor for the show. And what a show...Criss Angel did not disappoint...His illusions were great! I had never seen a magician/illusionist before so it was a special treat for me.
Day 2 was spent in a small van with 8 other people on a road trip to Hoover Dam, Seligman Arizona and, our final destination, the Grand Canyon. The Hoover Dam is amazing but also a little disappointing. The reason for the disappointment is that in all the movies you watch that features the Hoover Dam, you can drive across it. This is not the case any longer. It seems that it has been deemed a potential terrorist target so they built a 4 lane divided highway past it and stationed some guards to check your vehicle on the way into the Hoover Dam Visitor's area. Aside from that though, it is a stunning piece of architecture.
It was a long drive but well worth it when we finally got to the Grand Canyon. I don't think you can truly appreciate it unless you visit. Some truly amazing views. Since it's common knowledge that a picture is worth 1000 words I will let a picture do the talking on this one.
See what I mean??
We hiked along the part of the rim and oooh'd and ahhh'd over every sight and even sat on the edge although I will admit...I didn't walk out there! I schooched out on my butt...but that's not important! The hike ended at Hopi Point to watch the sunset...there are no words...only another picture will do!
I think most of us slept on the way home...thankfully though...our driver stayed awake, we think.
Saturday morning was spent lounging with breakfast and then an afternoon trip to the outlet mall for some sale shopping! YAY! Then on to a kick ass rock concert at night! We went to watch Kiss and Motley Crue in the concert venue at Madalay Bay. Two amazing bands that put on a great show! First up was Motley Crue. Vince Neil was looking a little older than I remember but he certainly could still belt out all the songs I remember. I think my favorite of the night (by the Crue) was Dr Feelgood...Tommy Lee had one of his amazing stage setups rigged up so that he could take his drums in a circle like a ferris wheel. He even took one lucky fan on the ride with him! I bet that guy will never forget it!
Then Gene, Paul, Eric and Tommy took the stage in their full comic book style character costumes and put on a rockin' good show. They played mostly new songs that I hadn't heard before and I was a little disappointed that they didn't play some of their more famous songs like I wanna rock and roll all night but they did end their encore with God Gave Rock And Roll To You...so it's all good!
Sunday was mostly a relaxing day. We went to the spa and had our nails done (fingers and toes). It was very relaxing as most spa experiences are. Then we went to the wave pool for about an hour so that we could say we spent time by the pool...guess what...We spent time by the pool. :) After that it was time to get ready for dinner. We had chosen a Russian restaurant in our own hotel called Red Square. I don't know if ya'll know this about me but when I travel I am a more adventurous eater than I would be at home. (don't look so shocked, Mom) I tend to try new foods and things that I have shunned for years at home.
Red Square has a giant statue of a headless Stalin. When we entered the restaurant, the entire atmosphere is red. There is amazing light fixtures all around including very large metal chandeliers in the more open areas. The decor is filled with red leather banquettes for cozy seating. There is a very large selection of martinis and other refreshments and even a vodka cellar you can tour if you purchase a bottle of vodka...the starting price for a bottle of vodka was $100! I really think now, that we should have done it!
The food menu had lots of interesting choices but we settle on the set menu which consisted of 5 courses. Because there were two selections for almost every course, we pretty much tried everything on the set menu, from borscht to calamari, meat dumplings in broth and caviar. We even washed it down with some really cool martinis like Lenin's Kryptonite which was, in fact, bright green in colour!
Aside from the amazing food, our waiter was fabulous and we met a crazy guy at the table next to us and his wife. They were dining with another couple but I think they should have just came and sat with us! They were kind to take our picture together and send over a birthday cake shooter ...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm delicious!
After that we took a walk to New York New York hotel to watch Zumanity, another Cirque du Soleil show. Their gaming floor is setup in the different neighborhoods of NYC so we ended up getting lost in Brooklyn trying to find the theatre for the show. All was well though and we didn't miss the opening. All I can say is Thank God we weren't on the aisle but snuggled nicely in the center of our section. They were pulling people up on stage to participate in the show. It is likely that I would have gone up and put on my own show but probably best that I didn't. For those of you reading this that are not familiar with what the Zumanity show is all about, it explores the world of sexuality in all it's forms - orientation, preferences, fetishes, etc. It is hosted by a drag queen who is hilarious. There is a couple who dispense advice on how to pick up and so much more. I don't think we stopped laughing through the entire show and for sure my cheeks were hurting until the next morning. I think this was one of the best nights we had in Las Vegas - good thing it was our last because I don't know what we would have had to do to top it!
After reading this you must be thinking...What! No gambling and no mention of walking the strip!! Those are two Las Vegas essentials! My answer to that is Who had time!? We did put a few coins in the slots but as everyone who has ever been to a casino knows...the house always wins! I like my money too much to through it all into a slot on the off chance I might make my fortune in coins. Maybe if we had gotten a free drink ...we would have stayed at the slots longer!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Greece - CHECK!
Visiting Greece and seeing its wonderful landscape and ancient historical sites first became a lifelong dream for me during a grade 10 history class. The name of the class was Ancient Civilizations and I found it fascinating learning all about the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Sumarians, Mesopotamians and a whole host of other groups who helped shape the world we know today. It started with finding Lucy, an Australopithecus Afarensis (basically the remains or much of them of the 1st upright humanoid) and ended around the Feudal times - I was hooked. Now several of those ancient civilizations and their old cities and historical sites are now on my list of must sees.
Honeybunny and I decided to head to Greece for our first official vacation together and spent MANY hours online planning, checking prices and finding hotels. After much anticipation, we met each other at Athens Airport (aka Eleftherios Venezelos International Airport) near the end of March and with packs on our backs we headed into the city of Athens on the metro. It was about a 40 minute ride but we were dropped at Monostiraki Station which was only a couple of minutes walking to our hotel. We stayed at Athens Center Square hotel. It was a small hotel but very nice and affordable. The one drawback was the overwhelming odor of the fruit market outside of the hotel. The smell didn't get inside the hotel so it didn't ruin our visit in the least other than when we were entering and leaving.
We spent our two days there wandering through Plaka, looking in shops and stalls at the flea market and eating in small, outdoor cafes. The people were so friendly and we learned that in Plaka the price is never the price...there's always room to negotiate at the stalls.
We took time to visit the Acropolis as well and it was fantastic! The view of the city sparked a question I heard from my beau many times that day...What do all these people DO for a living??
I'm sure Honeybunny thought I was crazy but I became very overwhelmed while I was there. When I stood there and thought about how long those structures have been standing there and all of the great Greek minds who may have walked on the same ground that I was now treading on. Those thoughts and the realization that I was standing in a place that I had begun to believe I would never get to, was all just a bit much for me. For those of you who know me very well...you know that the tears don't need too much encouragement to come welling up and sliding down. Honeybunny, being the great guy he is recognized what was going on and started to tell a few little jokes to bring me back to normal. (I know...I'm a few sandwiches short of a picnic...)
At one of the restaurants we visited we were given a light dessert of Greek-style yoghurt with pieces of peach mixed in and honey drizzled over top. It was quite tasty and we'll have to find the right yoghurt at home if we hope to try to duplicate it. Another restaurant we visited was the Hard Rock Cafe. Since Honeybunny had never been there, I decided to indulge him in the experience. The meal was decent but like all HRC's a bit pricey. In memory of the occasion though we did break down and buy t-shirts.
On the way home from dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe on the second night, we fell victim to pickpocketers. Everyone we've spoken to seems to have had this happen to them in Athens and other large cities in Europe and I can easily see why we were targeted. We looked the part of tourists. Luckily nothing irreplaceable was taken like our passports or other types of ID - just a bit of money and a smartphone.
Day 3 saw us jetting off the the mountainous island of Crete and a very luxurious accommodation. We chose a beautiful, small hotel in a small Cretan village about an hour and a half from the airport. This allowed for lots of time to appreciate the rugged coastline and hills. Most of the way to the hotel, the road followed the north coast. We stopped for pictures and snacks and to listen to the goats...you could hear their bleating and their bells but you for sure couldn't see them.
En route, we detoured to the CretAquarium where we toured the exhibit and saw many strange fish and sea life common to the Mediterranean area. The ugliest thing we saw in my opinion was the slipper lobster. I took lots of video because I think you need to see how the fish move to appreciate them. There were sharks, turtles and many brightly coloured fish. It was interesting to look in a tank and to see what you could see. I had always thought aquariums were kind of dull (never having been to one before this trip) but now I have a new found appreciation.
On arrival at our villa in Argiroupoli, we were blown away. There was a full kitchen, a jacuzzi tub in the bedroom and a fireplace. It was definitely a very romantic place. The grounds surrounding the villa were not quite spring ready yet but we could tell it would be beautiful.
Since we had a full kitchen, we decided to venture out to the local market and gather some provisions for supper and take a quick look around. The market was quaint and had lots of things to choose from including fresh fruits and veggies, deli meats and cheeses, as well as frozen food, household items and liquor. We enjoyed a modest dinner of grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches and a drink in front of a roaring fire.
Every morning, the older Cretan couple who take care of the villas and their residents brought us a superb breakfast which consisted of eggs or omelets, grilled sandwiches, spanakopita, phyllo cheese triangles, a tray with meat and cheeses, fresh sliced bread, fresh fruit, and even chocolate filled crepes - YUM
We spent 1 day walking around the village and seeing what life is like there and taking more pictures of mountains and trees than we can count. The next day we drove through the mountains to the south coast and a town called Plakias. Along the way we saw lots of goats and were almost stampeded by a flock of sheepies (so cute). We walked along the boardwalk and admired the Mediterranean Sea. A great little lunch was served in a beachside restaurant. We enjoyed saganaki, french fries, cretan sausage and spaghetti bolognese in the company of the friendly proprietor and a kitty cat who, alternately, begged for attention from the side of our table and chased birds on the beach. That's the life of Riley for sure!
Honeybunny and I decided to head to Greece for our first official vacation together and spent MANY hours online planning, checking prices and finding hotels. After much anticipation, we met each other at Athens Airport (aka Eleftherios Venezelos International Airport) near the end of March and with packs on our backs we headed into the city of Athens on the metro. It was about a 40 minute ride but we were dropped at Monostiraki Station which was only a couple of minutes walking to our hotel. We stayed at Athens Center Square hotel. It was a small hotel but very nice and affordable. The one drawback was the overwhelming odor of the fruit market outside of the hotel. The smell didn't get inside the hotel so it didn't ruin our visit in the least other than when we were entering and leaving.
We spent our two days there wandering through Plaka, looking in shops and stalls at the flea market and eating in small, outdoor cafes. The people were so friendly and we learned that in Plaka the price is never the price...there's always room to negotiate at the stalls.
We took time to visit the Acropolis as well and it was fantastic! The view of the city sparked a question I heard from my beau many times that day...What do all these people DO for a living??
I'm sure Honeybunny thought I was crazy but I became very overwhelmed while I was there. When I stood there and thought about how long those structures have been standing there and all of the great Greek minds who may have walked on the same ground that I was now treading on. Those thoughts and the realization that I was standing in a place that I had begun to believe I would never get to, was all just a bit much for me. For those of you who know me very well...you know that the tears don't need too much encouragement to come welling up and sliding down. Honeybunny, being the great guy he is recognized what was going on and started to tell a few little jokes to bring me back to normal. (I know...I'm a few sandwiches short of a picnic...)
At one of the restaurants we visited we were given a light dessert of Greek-style yoghurt with pieces of peach mixed in and honey drizzled over top. It was quite tasty and we'll have to find the right yoghurt at home if we hope to try to duplicate it. Another restaurant we visited was the Hard Rock Cafe. Since Honeybunny had never been there, I decided to indulge him in the experience. The meal was decent but like all HRC's a bit pricey. In memory of the occasion though we did break down and buy t-shirts.
On the way home from dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe on the second night, we fell victim to pickpocketers. Everyone we've spoken to seems to have had this happen to them in Athens and other large cities in Europe and I can easily see why we were targeted. We looked the part of tourists. Luckily nothing irreplaceable was taken like our passports or other types of ID - just a bit of money and a smartphone.
Day 3 saw us jetting off the the mountainous island of Crete and a very luxurious accommodation. We chose a beautiful, small hotel in a small Cretan village about an hour and a half from the airport. This allowed for lots of time to appreciate the rugged coastline and hills. Most of the way to the hotel, the road followed the north coast. We stopped for pictures and snacks and to listen to the goats...you could hear their bleating and their bells but you for sure couldn't see them.
En route, we detoured to the CretAquarium where we toured the exhibit and saw many strange fish and sea life common to the Mediterranean area. The ugliest thing we saw in my opinion was the slipper lobster. I took lots of video because I think you need to see how the fish move to appreciate them. There were sharks, turtles and many brightly coloured fish. It was interesting to look in a tank and to see what you could see. I had always thought aquariums were kind of dull (never having been to one before this trip) but now I have a new found appreciation.
On arrival at our villa in Argiroupoli, we were blown away. There was a full kitchen, a jacuzzi tub in the bedroom and a fireplace. It was definitely a very romantic place. The grounds surrounding the villa were not quite spring ready yet but we could tell it would be beautiful.
Since we had a full kitchen, we decided to venture out to the local market and gather some provisions for supper and take a quick look around. The market was quaint and had lots of things to choose from including fresh fruits and veggies, deli meats and cheeses, as well as frozen food, household items and liquor. We enjoyed a modest dinner of grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches and a drink in front of a roaring fire.
Every morning, the older Cretan couple who take care of the villas and their residents brought us a superb breakfast which consisted of eggs or omelets, grilled sandwiches, spanakopita, phyllo cheese triangles, a tray with meat and cheeses, fresh sliced bread, fresh fruit, and even chocolate filled crepes - YUM
We spent 1 day walking around the village and seeing what life is like there and taking more pictures of mountains and trees than we can count. The next day we drove through the mountains to the south coast and a town called Plakias. Along the way we saw lots of goats and were almost stampeded by a flock of sheepies (so cute). We walked along the boardwalk and admired the Mediterranean Sea. A great little lunch was served in a beachside restaurant. We enjoyed saganaki, french fries, cretan sausage and spaghetti bolognese in the company of the friendly proprietor and a kitty cat who, alternately, begged for attention from the side of our table and chased birds on the beach. That's the life of Riley for sure!
We spent the next day in airports all day, first on Crete then in Athens and finally landing in Santorini around 4pm after which we made our way to our hotel in Imerovigli (about a 20 minute walk - UPHILL from Fira). Shine Hotel was set into the cliffs facing the caldera. What a spectacular view!! Since we arrived in the evening our first order of business was dinner. We asked our host for a recommendation and ended up in our favorite restaurant of the entire trip - Naoussa. It was a traditional family style Greek restaurant, simply furnished with delicious food. The staff were super friendly and genuinely interested in us, where we came from and what we've seen and plan to see. Afterward, the 20-minute walk back up the hill to the hotel seemed a bit harsh (it might have to do with the 3/4 litres of wine and lemoncello I had a dinner) but we made it...
Our first full day on Santorini dawned overcast, so we walked back down to Fira and walked around town taking lots of pictures and doing a little shopping. We spent some time in a great souvenir shop where the owner made his own backgammon boards and chess boards. He also had chess pieces that were various Greek Gods and Godesses. That day I wished I played backgammon or chess so I'd have a great reason to buy one. Honeybunny and I scoped out all the souvenirs we wanted to buy and went back later and spent our money on some souvenirs, mugs, and clothing.
Dinner that night was at a nice little Italian restaurant with terrific food. The veal marsala was delish, but while it was nice and the food was great, it just wasn't our restaurant...We missed Naoussa.
We ventured into a small Greek Orthodox church while we were in Oia as well. Everything inside was gold, we were in awe. Honeybunny said it was the first time he was ever impressed by viewing the inside of a church.
After touring Oia in the morning and having lunch, we took the bus back to Fira and roamed around some more. The view draws you to the edge of the cliff every time you are near by. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at a supermarket/bakery/convenience store that had homemade baklava. Of course we purchased some and tried it when we finally got back to the room.
Our first full day on Santorini dawned overcast, so we walked back down to Fira and walked around town taking lots of pictures and doing a little shopping. We spent some time in a great souvenir shop where the owner made his own backgammon boards and chess boards. He also had chess pieces that were various Greek Gods and Godesses. That day I wished I played backgammon or chess so I'd have a great reason to buy one. Honeybunny and I scoped out all the souvenirs we wanted to buy and went back later and spent our money on some souvenirs, mugs, and clothing.
Dinner that night was at a nice little Italian restaurant with terrific food. The veal marsala was delish, but while it was nice and the food was great, it just wasn't our restaurant...We missed Naoussa.
Day 2 in Santorini took us to Oia (pronounced ee-a) which is a must see for anyone who goes to Santorini. Oia is a quaint little village built into a cliff. I'm told the sunset is spectacular (unfortunately we didn't see it as we were there in the morning). Most of the village was preparing for the Easter holiday which tends to be the start of tourist season for most of Greece so the shops and restaurants were busy being painted and officially opened.
We ventured into a small Greek Orthodox church while we were in Oia as well. Everything inside was gold, we were in awe. Honeybunny said it was the first time he was ever impressed by viewing the inside of a church.
After touring Oia in the morning and having lunch, we took the bus back to Fira and roamed around some more. The view draws you to the edge of the cliff every time you are near by. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at a supermarket/bakery/convenience store that had homemade baklava. Of course we purchased some and tried it when we finally got back to the room.
Did I mention that our room had a 2 person hot tub on the balcony? We spent a little time relaxing in it during the afternoon before deciding to go back to Naoussa for dinner. We were welcomed with open arms...The hostess remembered us from the 1st night. She recommended great dishes, we met the chef (twice) and were even given some free items. I would definitely tell anyone I know to find this restaurant if they ever find themselves in Fira. We can't wait to go back and eat there again. I know it will be just like we're family they haven't seen in a while.
The next day, we headed back to Athens for our last night. We had booked into the Sofitel hotel, a 5 star luxury hotel, located at the airport in Athens. We did this so we didn't have to get up early or go very far to check in (about 50 meters to be exact). We had a wonderful surprise when we checked in...free upgrade! cha-ching!
We had dinner at the restaurant in the hotel but I didn't find that there was a large choice in options and it was expensive for what we received. We went to the departures terminal for dessert. We got a selection of mini desserts to share and took them back to the room while we relaxed for the evening.
The next day it was back to the airport fly home to our own cities. It was sad and I know I sure didn't want to see him go. As soon as we both got home, we started planning our next trip...Thailand at Christmas!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
What's My Dream?
This week I was sent an email by a family friend. It was entitled 45 Lessons Life Taught Me and written by a 90-year old woman named Regina Brett. While several of the entries struck a cord there was one entry in particular that stayed with me after I read it. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
I try not to have regrets or dwell in the past but when I look back at the last 10 years I realize that is exactly what I have been doing. I've wondered how I made the mistakes I have and what could I have done to avoid them. I think about what I could have done to make my life turn out the way I thought it was supposed to. I've asked myself why some relationships haven't worked out and why was I alone when I so desperately wanted to share my life with someone.
I know it may sound a bit depressing but I learned a lot about myself during that time. I never learned how to be myself in a relationship. I held on to old hurts and old loves. I've been jealous and insecure. I learned I have a hard time saying no to things I don't want to do when people I love ask me to do them. I dislike confrontation. Most of these are things that I want to change so when I read that entry, everything became clear. Let go of the past, the hurts, the sorrows but remember the lessons learned from them. Move on and live the life that makes me happy. Be secure, learn to say no when it matters, learn to deal with confrontation, and most of BE MYSELF.
At Christmas, I was given a book entitled 2 Do Before I Die by Michael Ogden and Chris Day. It is a compilation of stories from people about accomplishing lifelong goals whether they be visiting a place never seen before, learning a new skill, or doing something everyone else thinks is foolish. This is what prompted my own bucket list.
The first 20 things came pretty easily, most were to do with places I wanted to see in the world and a couple of experiences I wanted to have. I was even able to cross a couple of things off the list.
My list includes: live in a foreign country, take a vacation that doesn't involve visiting someone, write a novel, get published, learn to sing well, find the person I can't live without.
What does your list include? I'd love to know what you all dream about. Send me your dreams...
Til next time....read it, follow it, comment on it, forward it, LOVE IT...and come back for more!
I try not to have regrets or dwell in the past but when I look back at the last 10 years I realize that is exactly what I have been doing. I've wondered how I made the mistakes I have and what could I have done to avoid them. I think about what I could have done to make my life turn out the way I thought it was supposed to. I've asked myself why some relationships haven't worked out and why was I alone when I so desperately wanted to share my life with someone.
I know it may sound a bit depressing but I learned a lot about myself during that time. I never learned how to be myself in a relationship. I held on to old hurts and old loves. I've been jealous and insecure. I learned I have a hard time saying no to things I don't want to do when people I love ask me to do them. I dislike confrontation. Most of these are things that I want to change so when I read that entry, everything became clear. Let go of the past, the hurts, the sorrows but remember the lessons learned from them. Move on and live the life that makes me happy. Be secure, learn to say no when it matters, learn to deal with confrontation, and most of BE MYSELF.
At Christmas, I was given a book entitled 2 Do Before I Die by Michael Ogden and Chris Day. It is a compilation of stories from people about accomplishing lifelong goals whether they be visiting a place never seen before, learning a new skill, or doing something everyone else thinks is foolish. This is what prompted my own bucket list.
The first 20 things came pretty easily, most were to do with places I wanted to see in the world and a couple of experiences I wanted to have. I was even able to cross a couple of things off the list.
My list includes: live in a foreign country, take a vacation that doesn't involve visiting someone, write a novel, get published, learn to sing well, find the person I can't live without.
What does your list include? I'd love to know what you all dream about. Send me your dreams...
Til next time....read it, follow it, comment on it, forward it, LOVE IT...and come back for more!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Life's Moments
We've all heard the expression, "Life changes at the drop of a dime." And we all think we know what that means but the thing about expressions is that you never fully understand them until they apply to you. Until you have that moment that you go, "Hunh! So that's what that's all about."
For me that moment was a little over a year ago. That was when I realized I wasn't going to be around forever, I didn't have all the time in the world, and I had better get started living my life instead of waiting until I could afford that trip I wanted to take or until I met a great guy, or until I had the perfect story all written in my head before I ever set paper to pencil to write it.
I started to examine and question my life in December 2009. I know it might seem an odd time of year to start questioning life, but January 1st is a time of renewal and resolutions so to me it seemed as good a time as any.
Two things happened in December 2009, first my grandmother passed away after a very short illness and a week later my father had emergency surgery. (He's fine now.) Had these events happened separately, there probably wouldn't have been any effect.
My Grandmother was always someone I could talk to about anything, especially when I was a teenager and I thought my parents wouldn't understand. She was always cool no matter what I told her or asked her about. And she, of course, had some outrageous stories from her youth and questions of her own.
My parents are the people I still turn to for guidance, even after all these years. A car repair, money questions or problems, career advice, all things that were discussed around the table or over the phone. Then, of course, there is dad's unfailing way of giving his two cents worth (and a lecture to go with it) even when no one asked for it. These were the things I had come to rely on in my 35 years.
That cold December day, sitting in the waiting room, waiting for news of my dad's surgery, I had a lot of time for thinking about how short life really is. I realized I had been living in the past for far too long, dwelling on the failures in my life instead of enjoying the successes.
That was the day I decided life is too short to worry about what I can't change and to put off until the right time all the things I wanted to accomplish in life. That life lesson was a long time coming, but now that I have learned it, I am embracing life. I am compiling my list of goals, a bucket list if you will. That is what this blog is about. For me it is a motivation to find ways of accomplish the things I have always wanted to but was either too afraid, too busy or not financially sound enough to do.
The beginning of my list will be included in my next installment of this blog. My hope is that my friends, relatives and even strangers who stumble on this blog will be inspired to start their own bucket list and start crossing things off. Believe me there is an immense sense of happiness and fulfillment when you do finally cross something off!
Til next time....read it, follow it, comment on it, forward it, LOVE IT...and come back for more!
For me that moment was a little over a year ago. That was when I realized I wasn't going to be around forever, I didn't have all the time in the world, and I had better get started living my life instead of waiting until I could afford that trip I wanted to take or until I met a great guy, or until I had the perfect story all written in my head before I ever set paper to pencil to write it.
I started to examine and question my life in December 2009. I know it might seem an odd time of year to start questioning life, but January 1st is a time of renewal and resolutions so to me it seemed as good a time as any.
Two things happened in December 2009, first my grandmother passed away after a very short illness and a week later my father had emergency surgery. (He's fine now.) Had these events happened separately, there probably wouldn't have been any effect.
My Grandmother was always someone I could talk to about anything, especially when I was a teenager and I thought my parents wouldn't understand. She was always cool no matter what I told her or asked her about. And she, of course, had some outrageous stories from her youth and questions of her own.
My parents are the people I still turn to for guidance, even after all these years. A car repair, money questions or problems, career advice, all things that were discussed around the table or over the phone. Then, of course, there is dad's unfailing way of giving his two cents worth (and a lecture to go with it) even when no one asked for it. These were the things I had come to rely on in my 35 years.
That cold December day, sitting in the waiting room, waiting for news of my dad's surgery, I had a lot of time for thinking about how short life really is. I realized I had been living in the past for far too long, dwelling on the failures in my life instead of enjoying the successes.
That was the day I decided life is too short to worry about what I can't change and to put off until the right time all the things I wanted to accomplish in life. That life lesson was a long time coming, but now that I have learned it, I am embracing life. I am compiling my list of goals, a bucket list if you will. That is what this blog is about. For me it is a motivation to find ways of accomplish the things I have always wanted to but was either too afraid, too busy or not financially sound enough to do.
The beginning of my list will be included in my next installment of this blog. My hope is that my friends, relatives and even strangers who stumble on this blog will be inspired to start their own bucket list and start crossing things off. Believe me there is an immense sense of happiness and fulfillment when you do finally cross something off!
Til next time....read it, follow it, comment on it, forward it, LOVE IT...and come back for more!
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