Joie De Vivre
"The best thing you can do for your children is to love their father." Anonymous
Perhaps it is because we leave for Paris next Sunday. My two middle children and I will be traveling with the Ridgefield Symphony Youth Orchestra on a seven-day tour, performing in medieval cathedrals for Parisians and tourists alike in three concerts throughout the week.
Table For Downloads
Perhaps it is because I watched the book, "French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure," catapult to bestseller status on Amazon and to the No. 2 spot on Barnes & Noble. Other bestsellers included "Barefoot in Paris" and "Guy Savoy: Simple French Recipes for the Home Cook" by the renowned French chef. Even Julia Child remains on the bestseller lists at most book chains.
I've never been to Paris, and I am a self-acknowledged disinterested cook. Truly not "into it." Not into the gourmet thing, the foie gras thing, or the wine thing, I spend my days not in the kitchen, but in my office or my studio, writing or painting...or in the chemo clinic, hooking primitive rugs while watching medicine drip into my son's port-a-cath. Not one to either read travelogues or purchase cookbooks---particularly those re: French food, I find other things to grab both my attention and my time.
But because of this upcoming trip, my radar has been out for most things French. Partly because of my ignorance. Partly because of my inexperience. I desire now to educate myself, not with the hope of becoming a serious Francophile, but with the modest intention of getting up to speed.
And so it was that my husband and I went to Bernard's, a French restaurant in our little New England town, for date-night Saturday. It was a rare treat, indeed. Accustomed to regular date-nights, which have, for sure, been interrupted with our son's leukemia battle, we generally choose reasonably priced restaurants where we can relax over a meal, yet dive in and out within an hour or so. And with my New Year's resolution to practice "dining" rather than "eating," dinners out with my hubby---albeit more infrequent than we would like---generally fit this bill.
When one eats at a French restaurant, and a five-star one at that, one must plan on making it a whole evening's affair. And, true to that custom, our dinner lasted three hours. It was splendid! Their bread, freshly baked and warm, was divine with real butter. The bisque soup was like medicine for our souls. The cheeses which Ernie chose for dessert were both rare and the perfect end to a fabulous meal. More important, to us anyway, is that Bernard's owners are fellow youth symphony parents who have been wildly supportive and extremely generous in lending their facilities, their time, and their talents on behalf of the youth orchestra. So on several fronts, we wanted to "give back" as they have so graciously given to our own.
However wonderful the food---and it was indeed wonderful---it was in combination with uninterrupted time out with my husband that proved such a special treat. Not only did we appreciate fabulous food and superb service; we simply enjoyed the beauty of the environment---the warm glow of candles, the freshly cut and beautifully arranged flowers on our table, the artwork on the walls---as well as the luxury (and it was pure luxury) of sitting back and relaxing in each other's company. We were fully aware of its rarity. Fully aware of its perfect timing. Fully aware that kids' schedules just happened to jibe to make the evening work. We promised each other not to take any of it for granted, but to enjoy it for the pure delight that it was.
Maintaining date-nights with your spouse, once children arrive, can be a daunting task. When your kids are babies, you hesitate to leave them in the care of someone else. Thoughts ranging from "What if the babysitter drops him?" to "How can I wear silk while I'm nursing?" to "What if he screams all night?" can leave the best-intentioned of us defaulting to delivery pizza and a DVD.
It doesn't get much easier when toddlerhood arrives. What with separation anxiety and the "barnacle syndrome"; tantrums and "time-outs"; and potty-training and all of the other activities junior claims to be able to do on his own---we often throw our hands up in frustration, believing that it's just not worth the effort.
The teen years hardly bring relief, either. For just when you think it's safe getting away, you learn all too well that two parents out of the house for a couple of hours is a guaranteed invitation for disaster. Dozens of hormone-impaired, logic-challenged youth will descend on your house like mosquitoes to a poorly-drained swamp. Word travels via cell phones at the speed of thought, and before you realize you've been "hit," your home has become the veritable stomping ground of social science. Once again, your well-intentioned date-night has been relegated to years---if not decades---down the road.
Fewer things bring more pleasure than regular, weekly date-nights. Yet fewer things are more difficult to consistently pull off.
Just knowing that the weekend will bring a couple of hours out, alone, with my husband, helps me "keep on keepin' on" when the mundane realities of the job drive me practically insane. Knowing that a little glamour might transform the make-up-free-workout-clothes-tennis-shoed-uniform that finds it way onto my bones most days keeps me upbeat and optimistic when carpooling and dishwashing get me down.
I cannot advise you as to how---exactly---to work romance and date-nights into your own reality. I can only assure you that, like fine French cuisine, its pleasures cannot be denied. They must be experienced as frequently as possible. Embraced for all of their possibilities. Enjoyed to the fullest.
Colorado Springs - What Is There To Be Seen
The most frequently visited man-made attractions in Colorado Springs is the U.S. Air Force Academy, which is very interesting. Its tries to develop young men and women into brave Air Force Officers. You can find it in a beautiful area of Colorado, just outside Colorado Springs. The campus is an inspiring place. The part that is the most impressive is the Cadet Chapel. There is a nature trail that leads there, and it is a great piece of architecture. The exterior is formed of 17 spires that rise up towards the heavens. Inside the building, there are several different chapels for different denominations, and each is designed and decorated accordingly.
Another wonderful destination is the Pikes Peak, which was named for Zebulon Pike, an early explorer who discovered the area, and the peak, in 1806. The US Signal Service built a telegraph station, in 1873, at the summit of the mountain with the help of which they monitor the weather in the area. This led to an increase in the mountain traffic. More people needed and wanted to reach the summit, and they did that on foot, horse, mule or burro.
Nowadays, visitors reach the top with the help of the Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway, founded by Zalmon Simmons. The founder of the Simmons Mattress Company first visited the summit in the late 1880s. He went to the telegraph station in order to see a new insulator he had invented for telegraph wires in function. He went up and down the mountain on a mule. While he was at his hotel, he complained to a hotel proprietor that there should be a better way of travelling up the peak. Someone from the hotel suggested a railroad. Simmons remembered the idea. He got the necessary money, and the first passenger train went up the mountain in 1891.
Hammered Copper Sinks, Artisan Treasures From Mexico
Traveling the world will take you to many places and in some of them you may even find treasures. But treasures are not always made of gold or diamonds. Treasures are also made of copper. And in Santa Clara del Cobre in the Mexican state of Michoacán you will understand why treasures are also made of this modest and noble metal.
Copper, the 29th element, is believed to have been mined for about 5000 years now accompanying humanity and civilization through most of his great technological accomplishments. In modern times copper is an ever present element in the electrical and electronic industry. But that's not the only area of our modern lives where copper is present. Since ancient times Mexican artisans have used copper as a valuable material to fabricate beautiful and intrincate artisan works, among them there is one branch of artisans that combine practicality and art in their work. They are those dedicated to fabricate beautiful raw copper sinks in Santa Clara del Cobre.
These sinks are fabricated entirely by hand using the same ancient techniques of their indigenous ancestors. Even gas is forbidden to heat and soften the metal, they use only charcoal in small fires in the shops and helped by their inseparable hammer artisans give life and form to the copper plates placed into the fire. But this is not all, after getting the desired shape, the sinks surface has to be treated so that they will last and look like new for many years. For this they use a process called "patination" which is done under heat and that gives the surface of the copper sinks its characteristic color and durability.
Many people may think that copper sinks are soft or fragile but that's not so. They are sturdy enough to substitute a regular, series made, stainless steel sink. It is sturdy enough that even bathtubs are fabricated entirely on copper. And due to the "patination" process they won't acquire a greenish color or get rusty as those old pennies that didn't have the luck of being "patinated".
The charming town of Santa Clara is full of shops that work day after day to bring to life this wonderful pieces that are considered a national art. They are so proud of their skills that every corner is adorned with copper, even street lamps have their share of this noble metal. If you ever have the chance to visit Mexico, make plans and include Santa Clara del Cobre in your schedule. Who knows and you may even end cooking in a copper pan and relaxing in your own copper tub while your dinner is being cooked under a copper kitchen hood.
A Visit To Labadee In Haiti
The first port for our Royal Caribbean cruise of the western Caribbean was Labadee, Hispaniola which is actually a part of Haiti. This specific port is leased out to Royal Caribbean so only their cruiseships come here. Labadee is actually a peninsula with a few beaches. Getting to land from the cruiseship is by tender.
There is a small section for kids with floating fake icebergs to climb and water slides but they charge an admission fee. Flotation mattresses are also available for rent for those who just want to float in the ocean. There are also locals who help with getting beach chairs for you but they expect tips. So things here are a money grabber. The cruiseship did have optional tours for snorkelling, parasailing, waverunner and kayaking tours but we thought that they were overpriced. Most passengers just spent the day relaxing around the beaches.
The area around Labadee was pleasant enough but the beaches and shores themselves were fairly rocky so wearing sandals in the water would be advised. Royal Caribbean had organized a beach BBQ at an outdoor picnic facility which was okay but nothing special. There is a market there consisting of two buildings. One is a store where the souvenirs and items have marked prices and the other building is like your typical market where locals try to hustle you for business. The locals inside the market were aggressive but polite. If you don't mind haggling, you could get some pretty good deals but if you dislike this type of pushy atmosphere, then you best avoid the market except for the fixed price store.
One big difference between this port compared to others is that since it is pretty well being used as a private beach, you will not be hassled by locals. The vendors coming around with drinks at the beach locations are actually Royal Caribbean staff so if one wishes to buy a drink, the cruiseship passcard is all that is required. As for concerns about being in Haiti given the poverty and political situation, Labadee was not a problem because the entire site is enclosed by a high steel fence. Other passengers later told us that they wandered off near the perimeter of the site and saw many Haitians along the fence begging for handouts and food. The fencing was mostly concealed in the distance from the main tourist areas.
We found Labadee in general to be a bit of a waste of time for us. The beaches were too rocky and we didn't have access to inexpensive activities since everything was run by Royal Caribbean. If one wanted to just go lie on the beach all day and not much else, then Labadee would be a suitable place. For those who want to experience some culture, do water sports without going through the cruiseship, or shop duty free, Labadee would not be the place to go. We decided to stay on board the ship after the BBQ lunch for the rest of the afternoon. I like Royal Caribbean and would definitely cruise with them again but would not want to go on an itinerary that included Labadee in the future.
Best Florida Beach Vacations
Why choose a beach vacation in Florida? One good reason is because wherever you go in Florida, you're never more than 60 miles from the beach!
Florida is also easy to get to, the temperature is pleasurable year round, it offers good value for your money and that's just for starters. So whether you are looking for a family vacation, a romantic vacation, a relaxing vacation or getting in some golf time, there is a Florida beach vacation area for you.
Best Florida Beach Areas for Families
Siesta Public Beach
Siesta Public Beach in Sarasota makes a great family beach because of its gradual slopes, shallow waters, lifeguards on duty, fine white sand and tranquil waters. It has won awards for best beach based on sand, water quality and facilities. The beach facilities include picnic areas, rest rooms, concession stands, playground, trails, and tennis and volleyball courts. If you enjoy collecting shells, try Turtle Beach, at the south end of the island.
Tampa Bay Area - St. Petes/Clearwater
Located on the West Coast of Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico, the Tampa Bay area is a waterfront heaven! Miles and miles of white sandy beaches along the Gulf Coast offer unlimited options for a fun and relaxing vacation. When you need a break from the surf and sand, there are plenty of nearby activities to keep the kids amused including the Florida Aquarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Lowry Park Zoo.
Daytona
With twenty-three miles of sparkling white sandy beaches and beautiful blue-green waters there is no shortage of beach fun for whole family. The beach is up to 500 feet wide at low tide and is perfect for castle building, cycling, jogging, fishing or just relaxing in the sun. The Atlantic Ocean is great for swimming, especially during the spring and summer when water temperatures range from 74 to 80 degrees. And you are only an hour's drive from Orlando if you are so inclined.
Best Florida Beach Areas for Romance
Miami Beach
A Miami romantic vacation has everything from relaxing on the beach by day and dancing by night. There are lots of art deco and interesting hotels on South Beach. A short drive west will bring you to the Everglades, where you can take a Scenic Boat Tour and see plenty of wildlife, including alligators. You can shop at the ritzy Bal Harbor shops, and at night choose from plenty of dance clubs or mellow jazz bars and restaurants.
Marco Island
Marco Island is located at the southern tip of Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast at the western entrance to Everglades National Park. The island is surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico on one side and natural wilderness on the other. There are miles of white-sand beaches, lavish real estate, shopping, dining, nightlife, attractions and lots of outdoor activities. Your recreation choices include swimming, sunbathing fishing, golf, tennis, and more. Enjoy the subtropical ambience that exists in Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast.
Cocoa Beach
Cocoa Beach has beautiful sandy beaches and a great pier that is available for fishing, dining & dancing. There is a large promenade leading to the beach with an observation deck overlooking the ocean, perfect for romantic walks. While you're on the Space Coast you can visit the Kennedy Space Center, go deep-sea fishing, surf, windsurf, rent a jet ski, golf our take a take a river tour. At night there is lots of nightlife and great dining for you to enjoy.
Best Florida Beach Areas for Relaxing
New Smyrna Beach
New Smyrna Beach is a laid-back beach town without the crowds, noise or pollution, which gives visitors a relaxing beach experience. Although the northern beach is accessible to cars, the majority is traffic free, allowing for peaceful sunbathing and strolls along the beach. New Smyrna has a small town feel in its architecture and atmosphere. There are no high-rises along the beach, only low-rise buildings and these accommodations range from bed and breakfast inns, family-size condominiums or oceanfront motels.
Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island is one of the unique barrier islands of the world, having an east-west orientation when most islands are north south. This gives the island great sandy beaches with plenty of shells. Check out Bowman's Beach for peach and quiet, you won't find any hotels here. You can park and walk over a bridge to secluded white beach. There are barbecue grills in the area so it is a great spot to have a picnic and enjoy the beach.
Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda is located about 30 miles north of Fort Myers. There is plenty of waterfront in this town, and a very nice riverfront beach area. Here you can enjoy swimming, fishing, canoeing, hiking and walking in the woods, it is a great place to get away from the crowds. The town of Punta Gorda has street art, water views and interesting murals that enrich the historic downtown district that also has cobblestone streets and gaslights, and many fine shops and restaurants.
Best Florida Beach Areas for Golf
Sarasota
Sarasota is a sophisticated resort town near the Gulf of Mexico. For beach lovers there is Sarasota's 35 miles of fine, pure, sparkling white sand beach to enjoy. As far as golf is concerned there are 32 golf courses in the Sarasota area and almost 20 more if you include the surrounding cities of Bradenton and Venice. You will find one for every level of ability available for your golfing pleasure.
Jacksonville
Jacksonville has twenty miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches and lots of nearby state parks to explore. You will find lots of things to do and lots of beaches to explore in Jacksonville. For golfers there are over 25 golf courses in the area. Several championship golf courses are located nearby; many of which are ranked among the top in the country offering challenges for players of every skill level, ranging from top ocean side resorts to popular public courses.
Naples
Naples, located on a stretch of southwest Florida that is not bordered by barrier islands, has seven miles of silky, white sand beach that overlooks the tranquil waters of the Gulf of Mexico. There is plenty of shopping and dining in the area once the sun goes down beachfront. There are also dozens of excellent golf courses in the area. From May through October, the golf courses are not as crowded and you can pick your tee time and be assured of a leisurely round. Also, many private courses are open to the public during these months.
As the sun set on my first evening in Morelia, I found myself reflecting on the day's events and my initial impressions of this old colonial style city that would be my home for the next several months.
After arriving by air into Guadalajara, my bus trip from there to Morelia with Primera Plus, one of Mexico's first class bus systems, had taken about three or three and one-half hours over the fairly new autopista (freeway) that connects Guadalajara and Morelia with Mexico City. The ride had been a marvelous, comfortable experience when compared to riding Greyhound buses in the United States. In addition to a good meal and a new release movie, one of my fellow passengers shared many of the interesting things about Morelia that I would be able to see and do once we arrived. This helped me relax a little and feel more at ease. Even so, nothing would quite prepare me for what I would experience right after we arrived.
The trip from Morelia's central bus station to El Centro (downtown) normally takes fewer than five minutes and is less than a ten-block distance away. That is, unless you take a taxi ride with a driver that knows you are in unfamiliar territory and gives you a scenic, roundabout tour in order to capture more of a fare than he is entitled to. A trip that should have cost me 10 to 12 pesos (1 - 2 $USD) at the most, ended up costing about 250 pesos (25 - 30 $USD). Needless to say, one of my first purchases in Morelia was a city map. That way, I would know for sure where I was at all times and not be taken for a "ride" ever again.
My evening meal and hotel room more than made up for any disappointment and anger I may have felt initially, however. I honestly don't remember the name of the first restaurant I ate at in Morelia, but the food was wonderful. My room at the Mintzicuri hotel was only a surprising sum of $8 a night. Now how good could that possibly be at such a low rate? Not only was it comfortably furnished and clean, it even had cable TV!
Apartment living, the neighborhoods, and the people
While I won't say that everything I experienced was pleasant, for the most part I truly enjoyed the places that I lived and the people that were my neighbors. At first, a few of the local people in the area around my apartment on Padre Lloreda were a little antagonistic toward me because I was a foreigner, an outsider. I remember on occasion being called "guero" which, near as I can tell or remember means "white boy" or "white- faced boy" or something to that effect. Now that I think back, it is kind of funny - I was very white-faced for the first few weeks I was there! Then, thankfully, my skin started to darken and my Spanish greatly improved.
Right from the start, I became well acquainted with the local people by going out on the streets around my apartment and getting to know the stores and the people that owned them or shopped in them. One such place was the local grocery store that was about a block away from where I lived. The man that ran it and his niece quickly became good friends to me. The local corner grocery store in Morelia is much more than just a place to shop - it is a gathering place for friends that want to socialize. At least, that one was. One day, one of my name callers came in and asked 'guero, why are you here? These are all my friends!' Alma, the store owner's niece quickly spoke up and said 'they are all his friends too! So, why don't you just be quiet or go away?' That was the last time I ever had a problem with anyone in that neighborhood. Even my name caller became more pleasant and almost friendly.
In appreciation for Alma's great act of kindness, I offered to tutor her in English during my off hours from teaching and studying at CMI (Centro Mexicano Internacional). She proved to be an excellent student. Sometimes, Spanish speakers have problems with certain sounds in English. The "th" sound, as in "thank you", is one of the most difficult to learn. Alma was determined, though! One night, we sat for at least 3 hours doing word exercises to grasp the sound. I even had Alma watch my mouth carefully to imitate the way I held my teeth and lips to form the "th" sound. It would come out more like 'fank you'. Alma never did get it that night, however, one day as I turned to leave the store; she called out a resounding thank you! She had been practicing.
My next apartment was at least a couple of miles away down the side street from Padre Lloreda on Calle Vincente Santa Maria. My favorite person there was my landlady Amparo, affectionately known as "Amparito" to all of her "boys" in her apartment-rooms. She was warm and kind, but at the same time let you know the "house rules." There never was any loud music, wild parties, or any funny stuff going on, at least not in that house! Our neighbor just north of us, however, liked to get a bit sauced and sing loudly until the wee hours of the morning occasionally.
This neighborhood was very welcoming. I had 3 corner style grocery stores, a beer store, a tortilla factory, a barbershop, a restaurant, and a laundry within a four or five block radius. I wasted no time in getting to know most of the people on a first name basis, and I never experienced prejudice of any kind.
Shopping - mercado style
I did most of my shopping for clothes, food, and household things at Mercado Independencia on Avenida Lazaro Cardenas next to Vincente Santa Maria or at other stores in the immediate area. This mercado occupies a huge city block area - more like 3 or 4 blocks here in the U. S. I have never experienced anything so unique as shopping mercado style. Everything under the sun seems to be here. I could go and get fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats here, eat a restaurant style meal at one of the many food stands, buy leather goods, get my school supplies, etc. The food stands are basically a long counter with chairs and cooking facilities. The meals are simple and nourishing and generally cost around $2, never more than $3 or $4.
One of the funniest experiences I had in Morelia was at this mercado one afternoon during a break in my classes. I had decided to purchase a couple of ears of corn to go along with my spaghetti dinner that evening. Now, I had always learned the Spanish word for corn to be maiz (my-eece). When I first asked for some maiz, one of the vendors went and got me a can of cut corn from a neighboring vendor. Then, I tried drawing ears of corn and explaining what they were by means of gestures and other descriptive words - to no avail. Finally, one of the young children looked up at me with big eyes and said - "elote, elote!" Si! Elote! I really was not sure what elote was; however, I figured it was worth a try. So, the little girl brought me back, yes - thankfully, an ear of corn. I have never forgotten the Spanish word elote.
Another time, when I was doing my shopping at the mercado, I got another lesson in Spanish that I will more than likely remember for the rest of my life as well. I had said something to one of the young women in the shop that I thought for some reason had embarrassed her from the response she gave me. I had no idea what I might have said, but I tried to ask what it was and apologize. So, I tried to think of what the Spanish word for embarrass could be. Now, a lot of Spanish words are similar to their English counterparts. To make a word end in ed (embarrass - embarrassed) you add ado. So, I added ado to embarrass and asked the lady if I made her embarasado, to which she adamantly said - "No, no señor!" Her face said differently, or, so I thought. I asked again - "No, no señor!" came her immediate reply. Now, I was really confused. I dug through my backpack and found my pocket dictionary. Imagine my horror - I had been asking if I had made her pregnant. Thankfully, she realized I was stumbling over my words and we both had a good laugh. Incidentally, the Spanish word for embarrassed is averganzado. I don't think I'll ever forget that word either.
One of my favorite stores in Morelia, Milano's Men's Clothing, was right across the street from Mercado Independencia on Avenida Lazaro Cardenas. I never paid more than $10 for any of the shirts and pants I purchased there. Within a couple of months of moving to Morelia, I lost over 40 pounds from all the exercise I got every day in walking back and forth to my school and around the city. So, I bought a new wardrobe. The quality of clothes at Milano's was wonderful and at prices I could easily afford. I even had my own personal clothes-shopping assistant that would meet me and help me to match colors on my outfits.
The sounds of Morelia
One of the other things I came to appreciate about Morelia was its sounds. From the roosters crowing all over town at the crack of dawn heralding the beginning of a new day to the vendors and various service providers on the streets, each would have their own sound. For instance, the garbage man had a unique sounding whistle that he would blow as he wound through the neighborhood streets. Generally, when you heard the first hint of the whistle, there would be about 5 minutes or less to make sure any unwanted trash was at curbside for pickup. Trucks loaded with bottles of gas for cooking and heating had a special horn sound. And, on most weekdays, the streets teemed with sounds of traffic and people as they hustled about busily involved in their day's activities. Weekends would bring the music of fiestas (parties) as people would get together and socialize. When Morelia's futbol (soccer) team played a neighboring city's team and won, sounds of jubilation could be heard as people drove up and down the street blowing whistles or making other noises and shouting "Morelia, Morelia" at the top of their lungs.
Making Morelia my home
I never wanted Morelia to be just a place to visit, study, and work. Right from the beginning, it became my home. I knew I had to learn to communicate effectively to fit in and do well. The teachers at my school, CMI, played a big part in helping me to learn to conjugate Spanish verbs, but it was the people I came into contact with on a daily basis, however, that helped me to build my vocabulary of words and learn to communicate well. Very few of them knew English. So, to eat, do my shopping and other day-to-day activities, I had to speak Spanish well enough to be understood. It took me between one and two months of trial and error to learn to converse freely.
My students were another part of what made me feel at home in Morelia. I have never seen people so eager to learn. English opens up a whole new world to many of them. For many, traveling to, living and working in the United States was a dream or goal. I tried to remember this while teaching practical language usages that would make it easier for them to adapt to a new culture and land. A lot of my students loved to read books and magazines, surf the Internet, and listen to American music. So, I would use each of these avenues to make learning enjoyable for them. Learning is a two-way street. My students could always sense that I really cared. To this day, though, I feel that they taught and helped me more than I ever did them.
Learn the language, make mistakes, but keep your sense of humor
So, you want to live in Morelia, eh? The best encouragement I can give you, then, is learn the language to the best of your ability, surround yourself with good friends, keep a strong positive attitude, and try not to lose your sense of humor when you make mistakes. And, though you do not want to be tied to your dictionary or other language aids - keep them handy just in case you encounter a word or words you are unsure of.
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