Come see the world with me!

Cancun and Chichen Itza

2010-10-24T20:45:00.002-04:00

Exact opposites – Ixtapan de la Sal and Cancun! The first has a history that goes back for many centuries while the other city was created in 1974! In Ixtapan de la Sal hotels and guest accommodations nestle into the environment. In Cancun hotels vie to outdo each other in grandeur, ostentatiousness, and exclusivity. Downtown Cancun, where many of the people who work in the hotels live, is way outside the popular hotel zone. There you’ll find City Hall – a tribute to Benito Juarez (first Zapotec Indian to serve as President, 1858-1872), and the famous park memorializing the quest for land and freedom.

View of the beach from the Fiesta Americana Hotel

Benito Juarez Building - City Hall, Cancun

A wide, well-kept bike/walking trail connects several hotels in the hotel zone and extends toward downtown Cancun. Getting around is very easy on the well-marked, very inexpensive public buses. A one-way fare is 8.5 pesos compared to the minimum fare of 80.00 pesos for a taxi. Sometimes there are entertainers on the bus – seeking a tip. By the way, did you know that the most frequently heard words in Cancun are “the tip is not included?”

Entertainment on the R1 bus

Exploring downtown Ixtapan de la Sal

2010-10-21T16:42:00.001-04:00

Hotel Ixtapan Spa and Golf Resort

Travel is for value as well as for the experience. Well, in this one spot there is value, a unique experience, and more. In fact, the "more" comes from the many returnees to this spa. Some have been coming for more than 20 years; some come twice per year! They all say the same thing, no other spa offers the range of amenities and services for such an affordable price. For two consecutive years, the readers of Spa Finders have voted it as one of the most affordable spas.

Ixtapan is waking up!

Each day begins at 7 a.m. with a 2 mile walk around the 18-hole golf course, for those who are ambitous enough, of course. When you come downstairs at 6:30 a.m. the restaurant staff (there are those who serve the "SPA-DIETERS" and those who serve the other eaters) will have fruit - usually bananas -, tea, and coffee available. Juan, coordinator of the sports program, takes us through a series of warm up stretches and we're off to greet the sunrise.

Sunrise greets the walkers

Cathedral Santiera, Ixtapan de la Sal

A short walk from the Hotel Ixtapan Spa and Golf Resort, past the famous Parque Acuatico Ixtapan (Water Park) using water from the naturally spouting, volcanically-heated, thermal springs gets you into the town of Ixtapan de la Sal where many streets are named after the dates of memorial events in Mexican history. The center of town is marked by the Cathedral Santiera, City Hall, and an open air building where local musicians and dances perform regularly.

City Hall, Ixtapan de la Sal

Dance Pavilion, Downtown Ixtapa

There is a vibrant market place, stores, and street vendors.

Making pastry by hand

Food at the hotel is scrumptious, portion sized, and super healthy. Exerything is organic and most are locally grown. Desserts are usually fruit sorbets made in the spa kitchen. However, nothing or no-one says you can't venture out to sample local fare. The town offers many bakeries that often prepare pastries on the premises - all by hand.

Ixtapan is also a farming community know for fresh fruit and vegetables as well as flowers - you'll see the greenhouses as you enter the town. Here are a sampling of the fresh fruit and vegetables on display in the market.

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is memorialized on tote bags

Hotel Ixtapan - Spa & Golf Resort

2010-10-19T22:29:00.000-04:00

Major USA TV networks and CNN recently have been sending out warning messages about safe travel into Mexico. It is unlikely that any one of those anchors or news writers have taken the 90 minute drive from the Mexico City or the 30 minutes from Toluca to the Hotel Ixtapan - Spa and Golf Resort. Tucked away in the southern region in the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains is the hotel and spa, in existence since the early 1950's and boasts many repeat visits from the guests.

Lounge Area - Holistic Spa, Hotel Ixtapan

My first day - amazing! In the words of a guest who has been coming twice per year since the early 1990's "It is a boot camp for women, with manicures, pedicures, and hair treatments added!" And so it is. There is a walk at 7 a.m.; water aerobics at 10 a.m; pilates at 11 a.m.; . . . . well, you got the picture. The amazing thing is that several spa services, that would be additional at other places are included. So, today, after water aerobics I had a deep tissue massage. After the hike (where I made friends with a relaxing cow) and before dinner I had a loofah and fango (the loofah scrubs the body while the fango - mud from the nearby mineral springs - moistures and rejuvenates the body)! Food is deliciously prepared to facilitate weight loss. There is no sense of being hungry or denying pleasures as I had a kiwi sherbert as dessert at lunch and a papaya sherbert after dinner.

The facility is extremely family friendly with a huge water park next door. I will explore it tomorrow.

I'm thinking she wants to know who is trespassing in her territory

Water park that uses the healing mineral waters

Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant

2010-08-07T22:48:00.003-04:00

Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant have authored 7 books together. Uptown, published earlier this year, is the newest and served as the springboard for today's discussion. In addition to gaining insight into the characters and learning how and why they were created, the discussion offered a rare behind the scenes look at the publishing business. Did you know:

booksellers can tell a book focuses on African American issues, or is written by an African American author by its ISBN.
publishers pay premium fees to have select titles prominently displayed at the front of the store and/or on special display shelves throughout the store
the sales of a book in the first month of release mirrors the first-weekend of a movie's release. The amount of sales determines the amount of shelf-life received.

The morning ended with the exciting news that Tryin' to sleep in the bed you made has been option for a movie. The screenplay is being completed. Check in on facebook "deberryandgrant" for more information.

What could have been siesta time was shared with the Boston family -
L-R: Errol, Charmaine, Mel, Claudia (sister to Errol), Jennifer, Samantha (sister to Debra), Debra (wife to Errol), and Mrs. McCreary (mother of Mel and Rob - not in the picture). So much laughter. Errol, Debra, and Mel are the storytellers. Now I know what I am missing in Philly!

The evening into the night was spent at Legal Seafood. Yummy!

Martha's Vineyard

2010-08-07T07:29:00.007-04:00

The adventure to Martha's Vineyard began at 9:45 a.m. as we all climbed on the bus for the 90 minute ride to the ferry and then the 45 crossing of the Nantucket Sound. This 100 square mile island has a population of 100,000 residents during the tourist season but only 15,000 residents once the season is over.

Ellen is all ready to board the ferry. During the season (end of May through mid-September) there are about 30 ferry crossings each day between Woods Hole (on the mainland) and Vineyard Haven or Oaks Bluff (on the island). When the season is over, there are usually only 7 crossings daily. Did you know that the permanent residents of Martha's Vineyard call the mainland "America"? There are some perks for living on the island - for example, non-residents are charged $150.00 to bring a car over on the ferry while residents pay only $88.00. The trade-off is that cost of living on the island is about 30% higher than living on the mainland. One gallon of gas was $3.76!

So Ruth, our leader who consistently reshapes the meaning of "being literate" and brings exciting authors into our world, helps the purser track the number of "Literary Sisters" boarding the ferry. There are 44 of us on this expedition! These retreats are becoming reunions as we reminisce about how many, and which ones we've been on.

Charmaine and I are blood sisters AND Literary Sisters. We are on our third retreat together - San Franciso, Santa Fe, and now Boston. I've also gone to Virginia Beach and Washington, D.C. retreats with my Literary Sister, Caroline, who couldn't make it this time.

In Oak Bluffs, the historic African-America resort on Martha's Vineyard, we get on the tour bus. As always, Ruth has arranged a special experience for us.

Food! Great food! Atria offered mint iced tea, lobster mac and cheese, and super fresh seasonal fruit. Definitely satisfying. The meal is immortalized as the owners graciously created special menus with the group name and date. Less than 30% of the food consumed on the island is local grown. Once upon a time there was a winery - because wild grapes are indigenous to the island (hence the name vineyards - but the death of the owner and the reselling of the property brought an end to that amenity.

Several African-Americans own vacation property and are permanent residents on Martha's Vineyard. Many well-known authors, including Dorothy West lived and vacationed there. Ms. West wrote all four books there and server as a reporter for the local newspaper. There is the long standing African American community of Highlands. There are the Shearer Cottages developed since 1913 to provide vacation homes to the African American community. President Obama and his family have joined the legacy and will be returning for the second time on August 19, 2010.

Whaling, the foundation of the economy in its early history, had many African American crew members and captains including John Masters, who is buried there.

Among the famous and powerful African-Americans who owned propery on Martha's Vineyard was Adam Clayton Powell. Here the house, now a historic landmark, has been dubbed "The Bunny House" because he and his wife called each other bunny.

Six towns, but 10 police stations! Safety is guaranteed! Gloria, whose son is among Detroit's finest, poses for a picture.

Before getting back on the ferry for the ride back home, some of the young at heart took a ride, for $1.50, on the oldest operating carousel in America.

Blue Ginger Restaurant

2010-08-06T00:11:00.005-04:00

Food Networks Master Chef Ming Tsai is one of my favorite people. When I learned the Literary Sisters Retreat was scheduled for Boston, MA the first thing I did was to check out the details on Blue Ginger, his restaurant in Wellesley, MA. My sister Charmaine along with friends Gloria and Ellen met at the airport, picked up a car and headed out. Thanks to the GPS we were there about 30 minutes before the lunchtime service ended. We each had the signature dish - Sake-Miso Marinated Alaskan Butterfish. Appetizers of calamari with a terriyaki mint sauce and shiitake-leek spring rolls with a three chile dipping sauce was the start of this "more than I could ever imagine" experience that ended with desserts - key lime icecream sandwich, vanilla creme brulee, and bittersweet chocolate pot. We bought his cookbooks - how well do you think we'll be able to replicate those dishes?

Back home - one week already

2010-06-12T18:32:00.001-04:00

There was no mistaking that the Air Jamaica plane was coming to carry me, not home, but from home to the USA.

The last few days were filled with family connections. Here I am with my favorite cousin, from childhood, Karl Fletcher, we haven't see each other in ages, only hearing from intermediaries what "stuff" each other was getting into.

I met his wife Mabel for the first time - and . . .

enjoyed their beautiful garden with flowers and dwarf fruit trees.

Ripe grapefruits on the tree

June plum tree laden with fruit

One night was spent with Karl's brother Winston, and his wife, Maxine. Also found out that they are very good friends with the sister and brother of a good friend of mine. Talk about a small world!

Finally, I spent some time with my Dad's cousin Arthur Williams, Snr.,

before people watching at Buccaneer's Beach in MoBay -

deciding whether I should take a walk,

or, catch a crab.

Connecting the dots . . .

2010-06-04T20:13:00.001-04:00

A visit to Kingston, for me, is never complete unless I walk the grounds of my high school - assessing the changes and reminiscing. Of course with the unrest in Western Kingston (cross town from Excelsior High School) forced the cancellation of that "memorial" trek. So what did I do instead? Check out my elementary school. Yes, I could have been one of those little girls - dark blue tunic with the light blue blouse! There is now a new sign!

I was able to connect with a dear friend from high school who now practices medicine in Mandeville.

Juliet Wynter-Daley

One of my favorite memories as a teenager is taking the train, with my cousin Heather, and being met by our Uncle Preston. The passenger train system has been defunct for quite some time, but I was just as happy to wait as a one-car freight train carrying bauxite ore rumpled by.

In the tropics the sun rises and sets at about the same time each day. And for those without a rooster to give that wake-up call, the sweet songs of the nightingale are super welcomed! Here is the bird whose sweet song gets my Uncle Sydney and Aunt Dorothy up each morning.

And what do you do between sun-up and breakfast - for my Mom, Uncle Sydney and Aunt Dorothy its a morning walk!

Uncle Sydney, Aunt Dorothy and Mom taking the morning walk

Seeing the Post Office where my Mom was employed at age 18 years evoked many memories.

Here is Mrs. Foster, daughter Pat, and my Mom. Pat has a restaurant - Lingah by the Sea - on the beach of the Mariner's Negril Beach Club. Check it out the next time you are in Negril - they are ranked # 2 in Negril. http://www.lingahbythesea.com/

Pat Foster, Beryl Foster, and Sybil Beaumont

Sunsets are spectacular at Lingah By The Sea

Goodbye, Taino Cove - Hello, Jackie's on the Reef

2010-06-02T10:09:00.004-04:00

After four fun-filled days Betty, Ellen, Gloria, and Millicent headed back home. Friends, newly made, here at Taino Cove, Halimah and her parents Samirah and Curtis, were also enjoying the last day of vacation.

Betty - all this luggage for 4 days? Or, was the shopping that great?

Halimah and Samirah

Gloria

Pam, Sharon, Winnie and I decided to accept Jackie's invitation to visit Jackie's on the Reef before returning home. I had becone quite adept at dodging potholes created by the heavy rainfall, so never expected an encounter with the law - for, of all things, speeding! It must have been the relief or not having to figure out when to overtake a lumbering truck, or having made the decision that the time was right - building up the nerve to do so without having to swerve in from vehicle coming in the opposite direction (and possibly doing the same thing)! It must have been the excitement of seeing that smooth roadway heading to Negril. Anyway, whatever the reason, I was clocked going 84 kilometers per hour in a 50 kilometers per hour zone. Well, here is my "gift" of $5,000JMD to the government of Jamaica. (And, no, I did not even DARE ask to take his picture, rifle across his chest and all!). The rest of the day was fun!

Almonds ripening on the tree

Orchids

Jackie, born in New Orleans, lived in Brooklyn, NY for many years before pursuing her dream to create a holistic refuge in Negril. Opened in 1987 she has rebuilt twice after hurricanes damaged the property. Jackie's on the Reef is not on the beach stretch - but the bluff is awesome, We enjoyed body scrubs, massages, and lunch. A lot of time was spent in the hammock - reading, watching the sea do its thing, listening the songs in the wind, and dozing off.

Entrance to Jackie's on the Reef

Pam on the verandah at Jackie's on the Reef

Walkway to the seawater pool

The day ended with dinner at the Pushcart Restaurant!

Pam, Winnie and Sharon - Pushcart Restaurant, Negril

Guest cottages at Pushcart Hotel, Negril - Those clouds are saying "rain is coming, heavy showers are at hand!"

Life after Calabash International Literary Festival

2010-06-01T01:01:00.001-04:00

And so it is over! Folks are heading back to their homes. Carolyn was the first member of our group to say "adios!"

Of course the memories are fresh and punctuates the conversations. Can you imagine chatting one on one with Mutabaruka?

Can you imagine how exuberant, yet tired, both Colin Channer and Kwame Dawes must be feeling as the 10th Literary Festival drew to a close?

Who would have thought of a Calabash Literary Festival Orchestra would be formed - paying homage to two of the icons in the Jamaican musical arena: Sonny Bradshaw and Bob Marley?

All the songs performed used the lyrics of the songs from Bob's final studio album, Uprising, but arranged to evoke the jazz rythms of the Sonny Bradshaw's Seven big band. The special treat was the horn section - all graduates of the Jamaica Institute of Music, all beneficiaries of Melba Liston program endowed by Bob Marley. Did you know that Melba Liston taught at the Jamaica Instiitute of Music from 1973-1979?

The super special treat was hearing Myrna Hague Bradshow, Sonny's widow, and renowed jazz vocalist render Redemption song (watch for the video).

So what do we do the day after the festival ends?

Shop . . . .

Eat . . .

Water aerobics . . .

Enjoy the sunset . . .

Calabash Literary Festival

2010-05-30T11:25:00.000-04:00

The combination of torrential rains that restricted travel in some areas, rescheduling of plans due to the events in Western Kingston, and my misunderstanding of how the mobile USB broadband services (data sticks, as we would say in the USA) work interrupted regular updates. So, here is what has been happening over the past two days.

First and foremost my Dad's headstone has been delivered and will be installed soon.

Headstone - Leslie Rupert Beaumont, Snr.

And then it was time to meet up with the friends coming in for Calabash. Long travel times for all, it was all smiles (of course some had libations) as we greeted each other.

Betty and Carolyn - tired, but fortified with a Red Stripe

Picturesque sunsets from Winnie's rooftop garden evoked the "Aah, it is great to be here!"

A Treasure Beach sunset - from Winnie's rooftop garden

And then it off to the festival to enjoy some readings and see Smile Orange, one of the early blockbuster films written by the late Trevor Rhone.

Saturday morning began with a walk on the beach

Betty and Carolyn on the beach

and greeting other Calabash attendees

Sonya and Jennifer

while savoring the traditional Jamaican breakfast of fresh fruit, ackee and saltfish, callaloo, boiled green bananas, sweet potato and yam!

Ellen and Jackie - breakfast on the patio

It was a special treat to chat with Jackie, owner of Jackie's on the Reef Yoga Spa and Retreat in Negril.

Simbi, Winnie (Taino Cove), and Jackie (Jackie's on the Reef Yoga Retreat and Spa)

The day offered Wole Soyinka,

Wole Soyinka and Kwame Dawes

a trip by boat to Pelican Bay,

At the Pelican Bar - Elllen, Gloria, Betty, and Carolyn

Yes, indeed - there are Pelicans at the Pelican Bar

Jennifer and Bob - Pelican Bar

Carolyn with Captain Ted in the background

A walk down memory lane

2010-05-27T15:55:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the scheduled date for the installation of the headstone on my father's sepulchre. Of course it was not delivered because of the unrest in Kingston. So much is attributed to the unrest! Listening to talk radio is such an educational experience because the stories, the interpretations, and the recommendations for resolutions are coming directly from the people being affected. Rumors abound, and, without any prospect for verification, I will not repeat any. What I do know is that the rest of the island, in fact, the rest of Kingston is going about the daily routines of living! So, I'm staying in the flow.

Being in the flow is awesome! With an unscheduled day, I visited with my uncle - my father's older, and only brother (they had three older sisters). Uncle Sydney is 92 years old, married to the same woman since December 27, 1950, and has had multiple careers. (I will share the video I made soon). A scientist by training, he has been the president of a college (1962-64), Member of Parliament representing Central Manchester for the Jamaica Labor Party (1979-1989), founder and principal of a private school - Beaumont's Comprehensive College since 1964. We had such a fun time talking! No matter what career path he was pursuing, he wasl always a farmer - strawberries, honeybees, fruits (including star fruit, peaches, and sapote. Now, in retirement, has written three books, and is planning to work on his autobiography. Below are lychees, ripening on the tree in his front yard.

Jamaica - First Day

2010-05-26T01:10:00.003-04:00

The emotions were flip-flopping as I set out at 4:30 a.m. for the 6 a.m. flight from Philadelphia to Montego Bay, Jamaica. What would I learn to be "the truth" about the escalating violence in Western Kingston? Would I enjoy this sojourn if things weren't right everywhere on this beautiful island? The reality was that my friends and family in the Kingston area expressed their concerns and concurred that it would not be a good idea for us to attempt getting together this time. They were staying in. Those who could were working from home. Others were receiving messages from employers about the need to be safe (rather that insisting that they put themselves and/or others in danger), and others were being offered special transportation options.

Hortense Gordon and Sybil Beaumont

That said, I went about enjoying the drive from Montego Bay in the parish of St. James to my childhood home, Toll Gate in the parish of Clarendon to check in on my Mom, who arrived two weeks ago and was visiting with her best friend, and one of my elementary school teachers.

Next I checked in with my cousin Dell - conducting the inventory of family members through stories, and while enjoying mangoes and naseberries.

Launching of Prompted: Stories, Poems, Essays from Greater Philadelphia Wordshop Studio

2010-05-23T16:03:00.001-04:00

My article "A Biography Through Travel" is published in an anthology Prompted: Stories, Poems, Essays from Greater Philadelphia Wordshop Studio, edited by Alison Hicks, Elizabeth Mosier, and Therese Halscheid. I, along with several other contributors, read my piece. I was ecstactic that my cousin Alvin and his wife Theresa drove down from NYC (even though they were lost for 2 hours!), that my friend Valarie drove up from Virginia Beach, and my Philly based friends Eileen, Ernestine, Geri, and Keisha were there to share in my joy!

Jennifer and Keisha

Jennifer and Valarie

Jennifer and Eileen

Theresa and Alvin

Remember to get your copy at http://www.philadelphiastories.org/store

Literary Sisters Retreat, Washington, DC - September 24-27, 2009

2009-10-03T22:09:00.067-04:00

Can you live an entire year without a Literary Sisters Retreat? Whatever your withdrawal behavior, know that you will not be enjoying the bonding, the laughter, the literary salons, the authentic voices of the authors until July 2011.

So, here are some of the highlights from the weekend in DC! In fact, it started off with dinner, in a private room, at B. Smith's and the delightful surprise of a guest appearance by B. Smith herself with her husband.

Driven by Chuck, and guided by Larry, we explored the city in a new way, picking up historical tidbits, visiting museums, and being exposed to fascinating treasures available for free.

Carolyn is talking with a "co-worker"of Concepcion, a woman who has been living in this structure, directly across from the home of the Obamas, since 1982 protesting wars, the proliferation of nuclear weapons, poverty, and other social ills. The structure has to be continuously occupied or else it will be removed by members of the Secret Service. Concepcion was off for a bike ride, shower, and food, so her colleague allowed us to visit with him. Interestingly, the structure gets moved for the inaugurations and other special events then repositioned after.

Here's the group on the West Lawn of The Capitol Building - where the protests take place, where the Christmas Tree is lit. Not shown in this picture is Lady Freedom sitting 19 feet and 6 inches high, on the very top of the building. No other statues in DC are taller than she is. Rita Dove, poet laureate, wrote a poem about her - Lady Freedom Among Us.

In 1999, a four acre plot on the north east corner of the Tidal Basin (between the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Monument), was designated as the site for the MLK National Monument. You will be able to see it from the spot at the Lincoln Memorial where he stood to deliver the I Have A Dream speech.

From the Lincoln Memorial one can look directly across the reflection pool at the Washington Monument.

The Korean War Memorial features 19 military personnel, going to battle, from each branch of the military as well as a granite wall with 2,400 images of actual people who served, died, or went missing in action.

A special stop was the National Museum of African Art - one of the newer members of the Smithsonian family of museums.

So, although Mr. Smithson never made it to the USA during his lifetime, he developed such a love of the country that he donated so much money that the Smithsonian Institution was created. In gratitude and deep appreciation his remains were moved to the "Castle" - the first Smithsonian building.

The history of enslaved Africans in America was included in the Museum of American History. Unfortunately there was no mention of the Native Americans, the first peoples.

Of course the reason for being there were the literary salons and learning from the authors.

Linda Johnson leading salon about the works of Toni Morrison. There were also salons about inter-racial love, sister sleuths, and secrets that keep us tied to our past.

Thelma, Debbie, and Estelle getting books signed by author E.L.Rhodes http://www.elrhodesbooks.com/

J. Moffett Walker, talking about her book Muh, dedicated to her mother, and about caring for family members with altzheimers. In 2005 she began a biography of Micheal Jackson. It will be available December 2009. http://www.artscouncilofclinton.org/misc/moffett.pdf

Sharon Ewell Foster is known for her christian fiction. Here, we get to hear and preview sections of a chapter in her new book about celebrating the life of Nat Turner, even before her editors. http://www.sharonewellfoster.com/

Victor McGlothin reads from his newest book Sinful Too with Gregory Morris, Kimberla Lawson Roby, Sharon Ewell Foster, and Maurice Gray, Jr listening just as attentively as we were. http://www.victormcglothin.com/, http://www.kimroby.com/, http://mauricemgrayjr.com/

Joyce V. Gray talks about her books, with Dark Karma being the most recent. http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewwork.asp?id=30092

Like Greg Morris, she writes science fiction. Greg's most recent book is Next Lifetime

As always all these exciting experiences were punctuated by lots of scrumptious food.

And the night ended with music - jazz at the Bohemian Cavern
http://www.bohemiancaverns.com/index2.html

Remember to check out the Literary Sisters website http://www.literarysisters.com/ for information about upcoming adventures - cruises to the Caribbean and to the Mediterranean, as well as a trip to South Africa. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Mesa Verde National Park

2009-09-02T17:22:00.002-04:00

Hi there:

I'm home - will not be leaving Philly this weekend, BUT . . . I'm sharing my article about Mesa Verde National Park that was published on September 1, 2009.

Pisa and Florence, Italy

2009-07-18T20:04:00.011-04:00

Yes, I climbed all 294 steps of this 185 foot Leaning Tower of Pisa - all the way to the bell tower. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a part of Cathedral of Pisa. The other components are the Baptistry (with an intricately designed dome believed to have Islamic influences); the cathedral, the Camposanto (cemetry) and the walls. One of the seven wonders of the medieval world, the architect is unknown. Check out more fascinating information at http://www.opapisa.it/

The Spedale Degli Innocenti, foundling home for infants, was created in 1419. It was the first such home in Europe. The building is now a museum.

Some Florence residents demanding that their voices be heard about the situation in Iran - standing in solidarity with similar protests around the world.

Ponte Vecchio, with its three stone arches, is the oldest, and the only original, of the six bridges across the Arno River in Florence, Italy. Shops on the bridge are mainly goldsmiths and silversmiths.

Will our train from Florence back to Venice, be on time? Not really! The first posted delay was 30 minutes. Eventually it was 2 hours! Announcements were made in both Italian and English, but it took a conversation with a native language speaker to help us learn that the delays were caused by someone committing suicide on the tracks! Whew! May he/she rest in peace!

Venice Revisited - the islands

2009-07-17T17:51:00.011-04:00

And so this fun cruise is over. We all return to families, work, the routines of our lives - enriched with these special memories, and of course the gifts for ourselves and others (maybe). :) :)

Murano glass is famous world wide! This distinction was bestowed on the island of Murano in 1291 when all glass making production was moved there from Venice. Most buildings in Venice were made of wood at that time so all those furnaces presented fire hazards. These pieces of public art, above, are sponsored by the Glass Museum on Murano.

Here is a fruit vendor - part of the floating market. Everything happens on water in Venice and its surrounding 126 islands.

Venice has a long history of being a maritime and naval power, as well as being a leader in ship building. This museum on the island of Arsenale documents those glory days.

Split, Croatia

2009-07-16T13:35:00.008-04:00

Today's adventure took us to Trogir, a district that is listed on the United Nations' World Registry of Historic Places. Trogir is most famous for architectural structures - the cathedrals, government houses, as well as residences/palaces for the wealthy and powerful over several centuries. Some structures went up very quickly, especially during the

period when the Romans were the dominant force. Other structures took much more time - like the clock tower that was not completed for 200 years. the pace was so slow, primarily due to financial restraints, that the decision to built a second clock tower was ditched. Most Croatians are descendants of the Polish peoples and jealously guard their freedom after being dominated by several different groups of oppressors.

The ride back from Trogir to Split was pleasantly punctuated with a stop at an old mill, turned restaurant and hotel, for Croatian snacks and wine tasting. While strolling around the grounds these swans decided to stop by with greetings for the group.

The grand promenade, seen here in the approach to Split, the second largest city in Croatia, and the largest city on the Dalmatian coast is a mix of modern and ancient buildings. Yes, the canine dalmatians are from this area and are so named because they were owned by a group/tribe called dalmatians. There are approximately 1,200 islands off the coast of Croatia, about 160 are inhabited. The third largest island, Brac, is know for the magnificent stones used to construct all the buildings across Croatia, and in some other places, like the White House in Washington, D.C.

Second "All Day At Sea"

2009-07-15T18:10:00.010-04:00

So what do people do when they are at sea all day? Have literary salons, play scrabble, and talk with staff who make the cruising experience so fascinating!

Authors Victoria Christopher Murray (far left) and Betty Miller Buttram (right) read, signed books, and talked about writing books as well as the nuances of the book publishing world. Did you know that sales from book clubs e.g. Black Expressions, do not count toward getting on the New York Times best seller lists? Did you know that the first week of sales for a book is as significant as the first weekend for a movie?

The scrabble games were out! Here's Cece, sister to author Victoria Christopher Murray, gloating over a challenging game!

Meet Anna, International Ambassador on Royal Caribbean's Splendour of the Seas! She hails from Portugal, speaks Portugese, English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian.
Did you know that Royal Caribbean International, created in 1970, was the first company dedicated to the cruise business? Its first ship was the Song of Norway, 20 gross tons, at a cost of US$20 million. The newest ship, Oasis of the Seas, due to sail in October 2009 will be 220 gross tons, cost close to US$2 billion, and will have a capacity of 6,000 passengers?

Mykonos, Greece

2009-07-14T19:39:00.008-04:00

Little Venice, in Mykonos, has houses built right on the sea, similar to the houses built on the canals in Venice, Italy. It can be extremely windy in Mykonos, so many houses are built with rounded sides.

Mykonos, is one of the 146 (or so) inhabitated islands in the Greek Isles. There are reportedly more than 2,000 islands - some in the Ionian Sea and others in the Agean Sea. On any given day there are more visiting tourists on the island than residents. Visitors shop - for designer fashions, murano glass and other jewellery, enjoy traditional greek foods, go to the beach (Super Paradise is clothing optional), sample exotic flavors of gelato, and step in the Mediterranean Sea (it was pretty warm when I stepped in).

Pedestrians, cars, delivery trucks, and mopeds all share the same narrow winding streets on Mykonos. Being alert at all times is much more than a notion.

Athens, Greece

2009-07-14T19:08:00.007-04:00

The Parthenon is being restored - so much of the outside walls are covered with scaffolding. Here I am with Denise and Anna our guide in front of what used to be the entrance to the Parthenon. Did you know that "acropolis" means highest mountain? So, each city in Greece has an acropolis - imagine that! Anna is a tour guide with Our Explorer, a company that provides tours in several cities/countries and in multiple languages. In addition to her native tongue, Greek, Anna is fluent in English and French. www.OurExplorer.com/tour-guide-jean-liu-1382.aspx
Among the many interesting historical, cultural, and political information shared by Anna, we all learned that the nine stripes (blue and white) on the Greek flag represent the nine syllables in the Greek works for "Freedom or Death."

An elite team of soldiers guard the tomb of the unknown soldiers at the Parliament Building (formerly the Royal Palace) in Constitution Square in Athens. Each hour, on the hour, there is a changing of the guard ceremony. Two guards are on duty at all times - 24x7. They stand motionless for the entire hour. When the change occurs, the two relief guards are escorted out by a third guard, who also escorts the previous two back "inside". The ritual is a representation of the triumph over the 400 years Greece was occupied by the Turks. The uniform "skirt" has 400 pleats. The shoes are handmade. The tuft on the shoes were used to hide weapons during battles. Participating soldiers serve for 6 months before being reassigned.

All Day At Sea

2009-07-13T02:08:00.010-04:00

Motown Revue is tonight's entertainment. There goes Fannie (far right) add pizazz, as a dancer, to the performance. Of course it doesn't stop there. We all danced into the wee hours of the morning to more than Motown hits.

Sunset over the Greek Isles!

Today is all day sailing from Venice to Athens, our first port of call. All day at sea provides a wonderful opportunity to explore the ship - food, entertainment, activities, spa services, rock wall - and talk with fellow cruisers. Here are The (pronounced as HE with a T) and Barbara W. of the Maryland Red Hatters Club. Interested in learning about this national organization for women at least 50 years? Check http://www.redhatsociety.com/

Venice, Italy

2009-07-11T19:00:00.008-04:00

The flight from Paris to Venice was uneventful. Thankfully so!

Public transportation is an indispensible part of life in Europe - and the exhaustive system that seems to operate seamlessly is wonderful. Land buses, water buses, water taxis - for the general public and for private individuals, and of course the gondolas! I was able to take the express bus from the airport to the port of Venice for a charge of 3 euros. The exciting experience for me today was to use the water taxi from the port (arrived there at noon and the ship was not sailing until 5p) to San Marcos square to get a glimpse of the famous Byzantine church - San Marcos Basilica. http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/

Lots of people, lots of renovations, shops full of designer items, delicious gelato. The picture above is of a frieze from the outside of the church.

And yes, there were lots and lots of shops - and yes I was drawn to the murano glass items.

Dinner gave me a change to catch up with the other Literary Sisters. Seems everyone took a different route to get to Venice - London, Paris, Rome, Madrid. Several people arrived early or are planning to stay over for a few days after the cruise ends. One group of friends from the west coast explained how the cost of the airfare almost excluded them from being a part of the trip. They realized that purchasing a ticket to London and then purchasing airfare from London to Venice made the trip so affordable, that they spent a few days in London pre-cruise and will be enjoying a post-cruise visit in Venice! Cheers for thinking outside of the box!

Paris, France

2009-07-10T16:13:00.007-04:00

Today was a fun day defined by the challenges of travelling in a country whose language you do not speak. Taking the Metro from the airport into downtown Paris was the easy part. The challenge was figuring out the fare, where to purchase the tickets, and how to get the coins for machines that did not take bills. Sure, several people were, only to quickly learn that many Parisians, even those at the Information Desks, were not able to effectively communicate in English. Close observations, and several trial and error attempts yeilded success.

Once downtown, on the legendary Seine, we hopped on and off the Open Tour buses for a day's fare of 29 euros. A beautiful city, but so much is about honoring wars, war heroes, and acknowledging the legacies of wars. I learned that the Cathedral of Notre Dame is the geographical center of Paris, thus the beginning of all distance mesaurements from and around Paris. I also learned that the Oblesik with hieroglyphics in the Place de le Concorde was created in Luxor to honor Rameses II and placed, as a symbol of peace, in the square where Henry XVI, Marie Antoinette and more than 1,000 others were executed.

The temptation to go up to the third level of the Eiffel Tower (move that 100 feet above ground)was tampered by the unseasonable cold weather. The Musee du Quai Branly, dedicated to non-Western art, was not explored beacuse of time constraints, but, will definitely be on my list when I return.

More than a cruise

2009-07-04T10:02:00.010-04:00

Literary Sisters - blood sisters and/or sisters who read - come together to converse about books we enjoy. Two retreats are offered each year - one on the west coast and one on the east coast. We also get to interact up close and personal with authors sharing about their craft. Here I am with my blood sister, Charmaine, in Santa Fe, NM. Authors Victoria Christopher Murray, Too Little, Too Late, and Betty Burtram, Cleo's Lies, will be cruising with us.

Getting ready for vacation

2009-07-03T21:04:00.004-04:00

Another summer has rolled around, and its time to pack my bags and head out to the airport! This year I'm off to enjoy a Mediterrean cruise - leaving from Venice. Stay tuned!

Back home in Philly

2008-06-29T14:04:00.003-04:00

So I am back at home. The flight home seemed to be never ending. Thankfully, there were several interesting people to talk with. There was a family from Raleigh, NC returning home from Vietnam with their new adopted baby girl Ada, after having to wait 2 months for her visa request to be aproved and issued. There was a student from Richmond, VA who lived in China and rural Thailand for six months. There were business people involved in international trade. There was a law enforcer from the Navy, and a dentist from Thailand heading to Toronto to sit certification exams. And, of course there were several groups of Lions returning from their annual international meeting held in Bangkok.

Dulles, as the first point of entry in the US, was the place for meeting with immigration and customs officers. The meetings were no problems and went quickly and easily. The challenge was getting to the immigration and then the customs officers. The pathways to the lines were definitely crazy and at times confusing. Thankfully my connecting flight to Philly was delayed, or I would surely have missed it.

I made it home, luggage and all, without mishap. I'll share all my pictures on http://www.kodakgallery.com/

Final night in Bangkok

2008-06-27T10:37:00.002-04:00

And so it is ending, this trip to Bangkok, Thailand! Classes ended today. Those who are staying on for the third 7-day session are off both Saturday and Sunday, so trips are being planned to the north, Chaing Mai; to the beaches, Phuket and Pattaya; and the old capital Ayutthaya.

The others, like myself, are packing to head home. Yes, at 6:50 a.m. I am on a 6 hour flight to Narita, Japan, to be followed by a 13 hour flight to Dulles, Washington, DC, and the final leg to Philly. Indeed, about 20 hours in 12 clock hours, because I am scheduled to arrive in Philly at 6:30 p.m.

So much more to see -- definitely a place to return to.

Time Out

2008-06-25T08:29:00.002-04:00

I have eaten rice at each of my three meals today - Japanese rice with sauteed fish (I don't know what type of fish and I didn't ask) at breakfast, sticky rice with shrimp and basil leaves at lunch, and white rice with seafood for dinner. Can you imagine?

I'm staying in tonight. I'll meet one of my sister's friends, who is visiting from Alaska with her daughter, for dinner tomorrow night. Definitely no rice! There is an extremely wide range of green (and other colors) vegetables here.

A color for each day

2008-06-24T09:20:00.002-04:00

There is no way I could have missed it. Everywhere I went people were in yellow shirts. Today, most people were wearing pink shirts! I just had to ask -- what's going on here? I learned that in Thailand each day is associated with a specific color, therefore the color of the day of your birth is your lucky color. There was another interesting twist. As you porbably know, Thailand has a monarchy, the king has been reigning more than 60 years. Yep you guessed it, the day of his birth is a Monday, so his flag is yellow, and everyone wears yellow in his honor.

Here they are:
Sunday - red; Monday - yellow; Tuesday - pink; Wednesday - green; Thursday - orange/brown; Friday - blue; Saturday - black/purple.

Finally, and a really big deal for me - I went downtown all by myself. I was armed with the thai version of the address for the taxi driver and the card with the hotel's address. I am ligit now!

The One Hour Foot Massage

2008-06-23T12:01:00.002-04:00

It was the end of the school day. Alan had a fitting scheduled at the Narry's the tailor in the Sukhumvit section of the city. Like any other section of Bangkok, there was endless shopping , whatever your price point, "spas" offering one hour foot massages, and restaurants galore, whatever your palate fancies.

At Narry's the sign says Package 1 - US $199 - 2 shirts, 2 jackets, 1 summer suit, 2 ties (scarves for women). Of course when you inquired about the package, I was immediately told that the fabric used in that package was not of the best quality and steered toward more expensive facbric. So much for that. Alan has been coming to Bangkok for the past 5 years, and getting a suit and/or shirts made at Narry's was a part of his regular activities. No switch and bait experience for him here.

After the fitting it was off to Joy and Joy to get our 1 hour foot massage. What is there to massage for 1 hour I asked myself. Well, for 250 bahts ($7.85) I could afford to find out. We each sit in the comfortable reclining chair, allowed our feet to be placed on the ottomans and as the massage began we were offered the package deal - 550 bahts ($17.18) we could get the foot massage, a manicure, and a pedicure! Could it get any better? What a special treat having someone massaging from the knees to the toes while another person worked on my hands. Turns out the foot massage also includes the neck as well as hands. Why did I wait this long? It is something I must enjoy at least one more time.

The evening ended eating babaganoush, hummus, and Nan
at an Egyptian restaurant!

Narai Phand and Koh Kret (also spelled Gaw Gret)

2008-06-22T11:42:00.003-04:00

Today, my only free day from class, was spent as a typical tourist - sight seeing and shopping. The first stop was at Narai Phand at government supported store for products made by Thais. They had just moved into new spaces so all products were not out on the shelves and some areas of the shop were not yet opened, but there were still lots and lots of excellently made products.

It was then back to the hotel to meet about 5 others on the trek to Koh Kret/Gaw Gret. This island created when a canal was dug in the Thai River to avoid a sharp bend is historically significant for several reasons. One, it was one of the most important pottery making centers in the city; and second, it is populated primarily by Mon, an ethnic Chinese group, who had initially migrated to Burma, were forced out of Burma, and then fought the Burmese on behalf of the Thais.

Like every other location in the city there were several wats (Buddhist temples). Renovations are being made to the historical Wat Chimplee. The grounds are on the banks of the Thai River and is now a playground for children as well as a location for food and craft vendors.

Suan Lum Night Market

2008-06-21T12:56:00.003-04:00

Everyone kept asking me if I'd gone to the night market. So tonight six of us set out from our hotel to take taxis to the Suan Lum Night Market. All six of us could not fit in one cab, so with two sets of destination information written in Thai, and confirming we had the Thai version of the hotel's address we all walked to the main street Ramkanhaeng to hail 2 taxis. We agreed on the specific entrance where we would meet and then departed. Ruth, her sister Annette, and I were in the first taxi.

It is an understatement that the traffic jams in Bangkok go on for hours and hours. We were not entirely surprised therefore, when we were stuck in traffic for about 30 minutes. We assumed our fellow travelers in the second taxi experienced the same fate so waited for them at the designated meeting spot. Thirty minutes later they had not shown up. The executive decision was made to go ahead and explore the market. Suan Lum Night Bazaar is open until midnight every night offering food, entertainment, and literally hundreds of independent stores selling everything - curios, household items, pashmina scarves, clothing, shoes, artwork, handbags and luggage. We had dinner after investigating the prices of several items of interest (planning for the second visit) and then returned to the hotel.

You can imagine our surprise when we saw 2 of our 3 fellow travellers sitting in the hotel's "tea room." They had paid the taxi driver an extra 50 bahts (less than $2.00 US) to use the highway (we didn't even think of that option) so arrived at Suan Lum within 20 minutes. Thinking we had exercised the same option, they gave up on finding us after about 20 minutes, did their explorations and returned to the hotel! Oh well, I guess we all got to see Suan Lum Night Bazaar, just not together!

A quick switch of topics here - the protests in Bangkok are reported to be under control. See www.bangkokpost.com - in english.

Global Studies

2008-06-20T13:16:00.004-04:00

Today 24 students and I began an exploration of child growth and development within cultural contexts. They are Americans living and working in Taiwan and Japan. They are Canadians living and working in Kuwait. They are Pakistani's working at American schools in their home country. They are Moaris from New Zealand. They are Filipinos and Chinese. . They are from Australia and Greece and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The perspectives represented are mind broadening. We are bringing to the forefront the reality that physical appearances and/or names are often misleading as many times they erroneously represent a sterotypical cultural alliance that is not the case.

Of course we explored models of education delivered within their geographical settings. And would you know it, the majority are affiliated with either American schools or International Schools so the student population and the curriculum did not reflect the majority of the country's population nor the educational policies. Very interesting! For example, students in Pakistan enrolled in the American school are taught in English and then have to learn their native tongue, Urdu, as a second language!

Of note is the local protests -- seeking to get a change in political leadership. Here there is a reigning monarchy. A much loved King (they all say) who has been reigning for more than 60 years -- and will be celebrating his 80th birthday soon.

On the touristy side I learned a lot more about the night market - food, very inexpensive shopping, and entertainment. Get ready to hear all about it in tomorrow's notes.

International Schools

2008-06-19T11:38:00.002-04:00

As we say in Jamaica, "mi free paper burn today" as this was the last day before the intensive course begins. So, logically, I think, it is time to visit the middle school where the classes will be held, get my ID, figure out connectivity, follow-up on arrangements for supplies, and the like.

My course will be one of five offered during this second of three sessions being held. The sessions are all being held in classrooms of the Ruamrudee International School. Ruamrudee, Redeemer, and RIS Swiss Section are 3 of the 75 international schools (at least those that belong to the Association of Inernational Schools) in Thailand. They share a college-like campus in the Nimburi section of Bangkok, former rice paddies that are now filled with mansions in gated communities. These 3 schools offer english language based education using an American curriculum from PreK through 12th grade (IB and AP courses are also offered). Tuition varies by school, but the fees range from a low of 179,000 bahts ($5,351.00 US) for PreK/K to a high of 400,000 bahts ($11,958.00 US ) for grades 9-12.

With a per capita income of approximately $3,737.00 US I am guessing that students here are children of expat, business, and governmental families. Of the approximately 62 million people living in Thailand, approximately 10 million live in Bangkok. Education is mandatory through 12th grade. Using a national curriculum, there is a literacy rate of 94.9% for males and 90.5% for females. Very impressive!

Seeing some of the sights

2008-06-18T09:10:00.004-04:00

Today I hung out with Charles Russo, a fellow adjunct faculty member, and his wife, Debbie. The day began about 10:00 a.m with a request that a member of the front desk staff write the name of the tourist site and its address in Thai for the taxi driver, and then asking the security guard to tell him where we are heading. A part of the reality is that in addition to not speaking English, several taxi drivers are often not able to read Thai. We then asked for a card from the hotel that had its address written in Thai -- this card we would show to the taxi driver when we were heading back.

With all bases covered we set out to tour the Grand Palace http://thailandforvisitors.com/central/bangkok/ratanakosin/prakeo/. Built in 1782 when the capital was moved from Thonburi, the Grand Palace housed the King's residence (he will be 80 years this year, and no longer lives there) as well as some governmental administrative offices - then and now. Traffic is horrendously slow, and we came upon a road block created by/to contain protestors. Our taxi driver speaks very little English, neither one of the three of us knows more than Khwap Khun Ka (thank you very much) in Thai, so we could not ask about nor learn the reason for the road block. Finally, about 1 hour later we arrive at the Grand Palace.

As we move toward the entrance we are approached by a young man who tells us the palace is closed until 2 p.m. He did not know that we were informed of this strategy to divert us to take a tuk-tuk to sites in walking distance, but would allow the driver and his "lurer" to take us to shops off the beaten path at the request of shop owners willing to purchase gas for them in exchange for bringing in customers. We were able to ignore these ploys and enter the Grand Palace without incident and purchase tickets, thanks to the stories shared by group of colleagues who had that experience yesterday and quickly spread the word.

Palatial took on new meanings as we toured the buildings. At one point we had to remove our shows to enter the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. I was ready with a pair of socks brought specifically for that purpose. Photographs and video-taping were also forbidden in this temple.

Next it was to the Jim Thompson House of Silk http://www.jimthopmson.com/. Here again we had to remove our shoes. The guide told us that traditional Thai meals are served family style on the floor so the custom of leaving shoes outside helped with ensuring that the floors were always spotless. As an aside, the housekeeping staff at the hotel always remove their shoes when entering the rooms/apartment of a guest. American born Jim Thompson did a lot to reinstate the then waning art of hand woven silk, built a large house in Bangkok, collected Asian art, and evntually disappeared without a trace in 1961 while visiting Malaysia. Looking for beautiful handwoven silk items? The store here is the place to shop!

A 10 minute walk away is the Siam Center, a mall for all mall shoppers! http://www.bangkok.com/shopping-mall/siam-center.html High end mall shoppers, that is!Until 1939 Thailand was known as Siam. The name change is associated with an early coup - several have taken place since then. East meets West here as all the US and British stores have branches here, including NYC's Musem of Modern Art! It is also the hangout for teenagers. They were there in droves, wearing uniforms, gathering in several restaurants, McDonalds included, chatting, socializing, and just having fun!

We enjoyed the final day of the orchid show -- WOW!, and did we sample fruits and other goodies in the gourmet food court!!! I felt homesick for Jamaica as I saw and sampled guava, sweet sop which they called custard apple, mangoes, tamarind, and coconut. We enjoyed dessert before dinner tasting gelato, pastries, and other sweets. Finally the trek home began after a scrumptious Thai meal.

The BTS works like the DC metro - fare stages, entering and exiting using the fare-card, and a fare-card that gets "eaten" when the money is used up. The last leg of the return journey mirrored the first leg of this morning's journey -- with a cab ride hampered by traffic. It allowed for a wee bit more sightseeing -- so many food places, so many 24-hour 7/11's, and so many female pillion riders sitting side saddle on motorcycles that are furiously bobbing and weaving through traffic. Needless to say we were relieved to disembark at The Kantary House.

Jet Lag

2008-06-17T07:28:00.003-04:00

Today I slept, and slept, and slept!

My intent was to get up for breakfast (at check-in I received a book of breakfast coupons) that is served between 7 - 9:30 a.m. and then return to my room to catchup on sleep. I set the alarm on my cellphone for 8 a.m. I heard it going off in the distance and decided to ignore it. The next thing I heard was the doorbell (real chimes). It was housekeeping wanting to clean the apartment. I passed. Consciousness came at 4:30 p.m.! I slept the entire day!

Instead of going downstairs to the restaurant for dinner I ordered room service - salmon japanese style.

I'm watching TV- a local program about sports that seems to be geared toward teens. No, I cannot understand the spoken word, but who says that is the only way of communicating? There is CNN and BBC World in English, but the segments get repeated endlessly, and of course the range and depth of news is limited.

I'm catching up on e-mail and will go back to sleep.

Getting there - Sunday, June 15 6:30 a.m. - Monday June 16, 10:50 p.m.

2008-06-16T14:03:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Win for the 2:30 a.m. wakeup call. I was so deep in sleep that the cheerful chirping of the cell phone’s alarm would most surely have been considered a part of the dream rather than the signal to start getting ready for this incredible journey. And yes, the car service was there 5 minutes before the agreed upon 4 a.m. There were fellow travelers on the Schuykill to the airport, but definitely no traffic jam. Yes, the Philadelphia International Airport was alive and jumping when we pulled up at 4:15 a.m. In fact there was a line to check in at the United Airlines counter. I was not going to give up $2 at the curbside check in for my one bag if there was the chance that I would also be charged the newly imposed luggage fee of $15 per bag . When I got up to the counter I learned that the check in bag fee was only for domestic travel, BUT, my bag weighed 4 lbs above the allowed 50 lbs so it was recommended that I removed something or be assessed a $100.00 fine. Not wishing to dig into my spending money BEFORE getting to the gate I gladly opened my bag and removed the packet of 300 5 x 8 index cards. As I was wondering what else to transfer into my carry on bag, I heard the United representative say – “You are now okay!” and she then affixed the luggage tag. Whew! That was easy.
TSA personnel were extremely pleasant – is it that the real morning people get the morning shift or there has been a super strong dose of “Be nice to the customers” professional development sessions? I was a bit concerned about not being able to get food in the airport and then figuring out how to manage the growling of my stomach that would surely be the outcome of a meal-less 6 hour flight. Mercifully the concession stands start opening about 5 a.m. – well, actually, they are illuminated so all the hungry passengers can start lining up, but the gloves for service and the cash registers come on at 5:30 a.m. My $8.78 breakfast consist of scrambled eggs, freshly done, a raisin bagel and a large bottle of water. No there will be no $3.99 snack bag of nuts for me, to take on the plane. My sole intent is to get on that plane, settle into my middle seat (16 B) and go to sleep for the entire flight. As I wait the few minutes to hear the call for boarding I realize that a telephone conversation will be the only guarantee that the flight will not be missed because I went off to sleep. So the one person who accepts 6 a.m. calls without grumbling shared those few moments with me.
I get the reminder that 6 hours goes very slowing while flying because as tired as I am squeezed into a tiny seat between two persons, being almost upright wrapped in my shawl and the airline provided blanket and still shivering is not the winning recipe for restful sleep. I attempt the crossword puzzle as well as the Suduko puzzles, but the brain is not awake enough to rise to the challenge. Eventually, my neighbor to my left and I strike up a conversation for the rest of the flight. Turns out he is from the Philly area, is an FBI agent wearing a gun (I didn’t know that they just tell perfect strangers that info), who specializes in pedophile cases.
San Francisco’s International Terminal is a duty free mall of high end name brands. I have brunch at a Japanese restaurant filled with people who I think, am hoping, are Japanese. They are all talking at the tables, but there definitely no buzz. The miso soup, grilled squid and pot of green tea are delicious! Satiated I look for the gate, scout out an outlet (not hard to do as unlike most airports, SFO has banks of workspaces, and outlets on every column), plug in my phone and make those Happy Father’s day and other checking in with you calls.
Aboard the plane the pilot informs us that there is a 16 hour time difference between SFO and Tokyo (where I’ll be changing planes) and that we have a ten hour flight ahead of us. On this leg I will cross the International Date Line. I am sitting between a businesswoman from Indonesia who exports exotic fruit to Dubai, UAE and other countries, and a Japanese aviation student returning home after completing his four year program at a university in Washington state. From him I learned that I can listen in on the conversations between the air traffic controllers and the pilots on channel 9 of the entertainment system. I use this leg of the journey to sleep some more, watch The Bucket List, eat two scrumptious specially requested Asian vegetarian meals, and enjoy Barack Obama’s reading of Dreams From My Father. Awesome! I will be listening to it again and again. He was at Columbia College while I was in the School of General Studies. I have to check with my friends to find out who knew him then.
The almost two hour layover in Tokyo’s Narita International Airport goes by pretty quickly. I am not hungry. I find no Cambio’s to purchase Thai baths (approximately 33 bahts to $1.00). I people watch – lots of families travelling. I talk with one African American male, he is returning from vacationing in Germany to finish the last four months of his tour of duty with the US Navy. I see a few black families and some couples.
I am first in line to board the flight for the penultimate leg of this “more than a notion” journey. Wait a minute, in a few days I will have to retrace these steps in order to get back home! This flight is not full – lots of opportunities to spread out and stretch out for better sleep. I realize this after a conversation with my one neighbor in this five seat row. A European American man who worked with FedEx supporting emergency aid to disaster areas all over the world, he and his wife decided to start a relief agency for Asian countries and relocate to northern Thailand. They have been living there for eight years and swears there is no better place to rear a family! I learned about so many interesting places in Thailand and in the neighboring countries that I know now I will have to come back. After more sleep and listening blues on United’s entertainment system (the battery in my mp3 player is all used up), we arrive in Bangkok – I will have to give you the correct name tomorrow. Customs was a breeze, I converted $50.00 to 1,597.50 bahts, picked up my luggage and went to meet the driver from Kantary House – home for the next 2 weeks. I thought I’d crash immediately, but I am really wired now.
What have you been doing while I have been flying more than hall way around the world?

Preparing to get there

2008-06-14T20:39:00.001-04:00

So this trip is happenning in the midst of major rule changes by the airlines like check your bag for a fee and no more free water! Those are not my worries at the moment however because I'm heading to Bangkok, Thailand and there are no fees, right now, for checking bags on international flights AND I'm flying on United where the water, last I heard, is still free. But, I have to pack and get to the airport for that 6:30 a.m. flight knowing that despite the 12 hour time difference, more than 20 hours will "fly" by before I arrive at my destination.