We were the country kids. I was painfully shy, awkward and resisted wearing jeans to high school. City kids didn't. "You will wear them," Mom said. "If the bus breaks down, you'll be glad you're warm." We did. It did. South of Colon we had to push it out of a snowbank. But we were warm!
Leona's husband, Richard, and Alice share the same birthday. Over Leroy's roast pork and wild rice and mushroom stuffing we shared our travels. A big-game hunter, Leroy and Alice travel to Africa each year. Alice said, "The Doma Safari Camp is about three hours out of Harare, Zimbabwe in the middle of nowhere. Electricity is generated for about two hours at sunrise and in the evening just long enough for meals. Staff launder our clothes daily and hang them out to dry. Each piece is flat-ironed and folded." Less luggage. Even better than wash 'n wear.
Leroy cooked cashews, raisins and carrots so small I thought they were fava beans. Delicious. Richard and I lived two miles apart as kids and never knew each other until high school. His family hatched thousands of chicks. And I thought two-hundred hogs a year was a lot of work. Richard and Leona visit their daughter in Sweden and have traveled to Alaska where the cabbage grows as big as bushel baskets.
While in Australia I witnessed a preservationist sharing his passion for saving the koalas while it soaked his suit. I wonder if he changed his mind about them. Leroy sent home two of his homemade cinnamon pecan rolls for breakfast. Mine didn't make it to daylight. Krysia loved hers. Alice, he is a keeper!
Leroy's cloud dessert was cream cheese sweetened with Splenda. Piled and mushed in the center it resembled Ireland, but wasn't green. He cooked blueberries sweetened with Splenda for the center. Yum! I ate mine slow.
Traveling tests our ability to adapt, overcome and improvise. Often times it's a huge hassle, but we love to learn, see and do and will keep traveling. Good food, good friends and talk of world travels made my day. Happy travels to you, too.
copyright 2008 Red Convertible Travel Series
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
I would rather be in Mexico!
We went to Mazatlan, Mexico, to escape weather like we had last week: below zero and unable to drive under the influence of blizzard. Lake Manawa, Iowa has fifteen inches of ice. That's reassuring for ice fishing, but takes muscle and time to auger through by hand. Today we're in the high thirties (degrees).
Late one Mexican afternoon we went in search of grilled seafood. Our restaurant of choice was packed. Over Mariachi music we asked how long we would have to wait. The server said, "No wait." He grabbed a table and set us up on the curb, literally. The high-backed chairs were so low the distance from plate to mouth was minimal. We ordered Mexican beer and grilled shrimp.
A brown-skinned mountain man walked toward us smiling. His teeth were perfect and blindingly white. He had a cloth bag over his shoulder. I can't help myself. I want to talk to most everyone. I smiled back. He stopped, opened his bag and crowded our table with carved Mexican ironwood reindeer and donkeys. I imagined eight reindeer with my mini-wicker sled on my dining room table. We had to buy. Patrons leaving the restaurant took one look at us and our menagerie and bust out laughing. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.
copyright 2008 Red Convertible Travel Series
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Around the World on a Bowl of Stew
It's snowing out. Three to four inches expected. Dunking La Brea Pane Toscano in my homemade stewed tomato, cod and shrimp stew, I looked around my kitchen, the extent of my travels for the moment.
Framed hundred-year-old colored magazine prints from Hay-on-Wye, Wales, feature chickens. A pair of black and whites with hats hang opposite a pair of black and whites with feathered feet. I can hear the hen's gentle voice calling her chicks and the rooster's bellowing crow over his proud family.
The print of an outdoor Paris flower market at the end of the table fills my mind with scents of lillies and daises. I want to sit at the umbrella table, sip coffee and eat chocolate filled croissants - several. The horse drawing the buggy leaves its own aroma. The pigeons are drawn to the beauty and possibility of crumbs.
My Nantucket switchplate lookes like scrimshaw on whale bone. I think it's plastic. The whaling ship is standing still or I might get seasick just looking at it.
Three two-inch square Dutch tiles display windmills, a small sailing boat, typical miniature houses, marshes and water in shades of blue. The sky is musty grey. Nothing dries outside. We collapsed a clothesline trying. I appreciate the contribution the Dutch have made to the world through flowers.
There's a card on the table with Mississippi cardinals. Brandi says when you see a cardinal, make a secret wish.
I met Mae from Ireland in London at Harrod's fresh fish display. We marveled at the fresh fish nailed up in a sunburst pattern. She crocheted the tea cozy and sent it.
There's a miniature Mexican coastline mural on the wall complete with parasail reminding me of winter vacations spent in swim suit and caftan, cliff divers, table dancers, silver jewelry, too much fresh fruit, grilled seafood and lazy days. Aaaaaahhhhh.
The French espresso cups remind me of Paris - again. At every turn I found a warehouse of information. It was like coming home.
There's a Chinese calendar on the wall. I have yet to walk the Great Wall.
I lift my cup of Chai tea to travels of the past and those to come.
copyright 2008 Red Convertible Travel Series
Framed hundred-year-old colored magazine prints from Hay-on-Wye, Wales, feature chickens. A pair of black and whites with hats hang opposite a pair of black and whites with feathered feet. I can hear the hen's gentle voice calling her chicks and the rooster's bellowing crow over his proud family.
The print of an outdoor Paris flower market at the end of the table fills my mind with scents of lillies and daises. I want to sit at the umbrella table, sip coffee and eat chocolate filled croissants - several. The horse drawing the buggy leaves its own aroma. The pigeons are drawn to the beauty and possibility of crumbs.
My Nantucket switchplate lookes like scrimshaw on whale bone. I think it's plastic. The whaling ship is standing still or I might get seasick just looking at it.
Three two-inch square Dutch tiles display windmills, a small sailing boat, typical miniature houses, marshes and water in shades of blue. The sky is musty grey. Nothing dries outside. We collapsed a clothesline trying. I appreciate the contribution the Dutch have made to the world through flowers.
There's a card on the table with Mississippi cardinals. Brandi says when you see a cardinal, make a secret wish.
I met Mae from Ireland in London at Harrod's fresh fish display. We marveled at the fresh fish nailed up in a sunburst pattern. She crocheted the tea cozy and sent it.
There's a miniature Mexican coastline mural on the wall complete with parasail reminding me of winter vacations spent in swim suit and caftan, cliff divers, table dancers, silver jewelry, too much fresh fruit, grilled seafood and lazy days. Aaaaaahhhhh.
The French espresso cups remind me of Paris - again. At every turn I found a warehouse of information. It was like coming home.
There's a Chinese calendar on the wall. I have yet to walk the Great Wall.
I lift my cup of Chai tea to travels of the past and those to come.
copyright 2008 Red Convertible Travel Series
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's colder than a well-digger's destination. Snow and ice linger to reinforce the frigid. Moments like this place a shadow of doubt on global warming. I received an email by an anonymous author that puts a twist on wishes for the new year.
May peace break into your house
May thieves come to steal your debts
May the pockets of your jeans be magnets for $100 bills
May love stick to your face like Vaseline
May laughter assault your lips
May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires
May happiness slap you across the face
May your tears be tears of joy
May the problems you had forget your home address
In simple words.....may 2008 be the best year of your life!!!!
2008 Red Convertible Travel Series
May peace break into your house
May thieves come to steal your debts
May the pockets of your jeans be magnets for $100 bills
May love stick to your face like Vaseline
May laughter assault your lips
May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires
May happiness slap you across the face
May your tears be tears of joy
May the problems you had forget your home address
In simple words.....may 2008 be the best year of your life!!!!
2008 Red Convertible Travel Series
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)