Friday, December 29, 2017
Vancouver, Canada May 2017
Besides having stunning natural beauty, this part of Canada give much to community beauty.
+ The trash cans have a recycling area on the side of the container.
+ Flowery patterns on crosswalks.
+ Electrical junction boxes are laminated with paintings
+ Post boxes laminated with the postal logo
+ Victoria has a walk to discover art works on light poles, walls and other search and find places.
+ Local artist Susan Point even has her designs on the tree wells in Seattle. Lovely work.
Met up with many travel mates from Antarctica to Sri Lanka and had my birthday in the mountains with a mate from SE Asia. I love my life and my friends.
Forgot to say that the border into Canada was a nightmare, thought I was in the TV program - Border Patrol. The agent just didn't want me to come in. I finally said, that's enough when she wanted see my bank account. Good thing the bus waited. Whew, not since I was entering the Soviet Union has it been that bad. Hummm
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Bali 2017
I went to Bali to get some dental work done. I scheduled two weeks. I was out in two hours. Now what?
President Obama was also there, not at the dentist.
Luwak Kopi ispart digested coffee cherries eaten and defecated by the Civit cat. I didn't try.
The black and white pattern used all over Bali to wrap columns and people means -Yin and Yan.
Nyepi-to keep silent- the Dark Moon. It is a day of silence, nothing happens, moving, food, talk, and, no light, as it is a symbol of emotion(fire).
It was the time of the month long festival. People from all over come to perform plays, music, storytelling, buy and sell. The venue was an immense area, many buildings and stalls. I watched a play- love and death. To get information on the performances and the location of them was elusive, for me. The throngs of local people seemed to do just fine.
The eye hospital was built by the Australians after the bombing at Kuta Beach. So, I went to have a check up, all good. Except for those floaters.
First breakfast I was spooning in some congee, just as I was going to put some flavor on it, the waiter came and said it was hot. I said, I like hot. Mistake. He spooned the sauce on and he included the bits of the peppers. It took my breath away, not that hot! Next day, I served myself.
Same with the foot massage, Do you like it hard? Yes. Tears sprang from my eyes, not that hard.
On the way to the airport I had a four hour spa treatment. A very nice way to leave.
President Obama was also there, not at the dentist.
Luwak Kopi ispart digested coffee cherries eaten and defecated by the Civit cat. I didn't try.
The black and white pattern used all over Bali to wrap columns and people means -Yin and Yan.
Nyepi-to keep silent- the Dark Moon. It is a day of silence, nothing happens, moving, food, talk, and, no light, as it is a symbol of emotion(fire).
It was the time of the month long festival. People from all over come to perform plays, music, storytelling, buy and sell. The venue was an immense area, many buildings and stalls. I watched a play- love and death. To get information on the performances and the location of them was elusive, for me. The throngs of local people seemed to do just fine.
The eye hospital was built by the Australians after the bombing at Kuta Beach. So, I went to have a check up, all good. Except for those floaters.
First breakfast I was spooning in some congee, just as I was going to put some flavor on it, the waiter came and said it was hot. I said, I like hot. Mistake. He spooned the sauce on and he included the bits of the peppers. It took my breath away, not that hot! Next day, I served myself.
Same with the foot massage, Do you like it hard? Yes. Tears sprang from my eyes, not that hard.
On the way to the airport I had a four hour spa treatment. A very nice way to leave.
Australia 2017
Ah, back in Australia. I've come for many reasons.
+ AA Convention in Cairns- met up with mates of long standing I only get to see at conventions.
Laughs and love, can't beat that. Also to conquer the Great Barrier Reef by snorkeling. It was at this reef in 1988 that I could not put my face in the water, flash back to a near drowning in a truck. I have tried before, however, the weather prevented me from this final conquest. This time I succeeded, it's mine!
+ 4WD to the northern most point-Cape York. Yes, it was camping, compared to other adventures, almost glamping. I learned what a stretcher is, to sleep off the ground, hell yes! I have never seen so many 4WD rigs in total in my life. All different and tough. Learned about Toots- pioneer truck driver who brought freight to this area on dirt roads, not nice roads either. And bore 8 children. And, kept on truckin!
+ Took my friend Flat Tyre Pete's offer of a ride from Darwin to Broome. I took it, as this journey passed thru another part of Australia I had not seen. The Kimberly's. We gathered as a Tag A Long group from Darwin, south to Katherine, then West to Broome. I had a real bed in the camper, a treat. What I missed was the Bungle Bungles, these are worn away formations that look like Jaffa cakes-orange and black. Must have a 4WD to go to them, we did not. Must say, I was a bit pissy about missing them. They are advertised as the must see in this area. I mistakingly thought that the Kimberly area was painted mountains, NOT. this area is red and flat. There are small canyons that have water running thru them, big climb down. Many steps, not safe in any way. And, so dam hot.
Needless to say, I missed most. What I didn't miss was the Sand Flies. I capitalized them due to the hugh impact they make. In Katherine, it was my second round of them. This round sent to me the emergency, which caused a great interest in the staff, for example-Hey nurse, come here to see this, what do you think these huge blisters and purple skin means? So comforting. I got the normal treatment-antibiotics. I still have scars. When we got to Broome for their convention, we were put next to the horse corals at the race track to camp. Now, we are talking flies the likes I have not seen in Australia before, and, that is saying much. If one does not fan one's plate of food to keep the buggers off, one cannot eat. Period. I caved and flew to Adelaide, no bugs, cooler and a house to stay in.
+ Two of my friends keep bees. One day, I graduated to be a midwife. Part of the hive was taken in the house to let the honey drip and as the bee emerged, I took it outside to be free. I felt like Mother Nature. Actually, I tossed it out the window-fly be free.
+ Then I got a distress call from my US room mates to help post surgery, so, I left good old OZ.
+ AA Convention in Cairns- met up with mates of long standing I only get to see at conventions.
Laughs and love, can't beat that. Also to conquer the Great Barrier Reef by snorkeling. It was at this reef in 1988 that I could not put my face in the water, flash back to a near drowning in a truck. I have tried before, however, the weather prevented me from this final conquest. This time I succeeded, it's mine!
+ 4WD to the northern most point-Cape York. Yes, it was camping, compared to other adventures, almost glamping. I learned what a stretcher is, to sleep off the ground, hell yes! I have never seen so many 4WD rigs in total in my life. All different and tough. Learned about Toots- pioneer truck driver who brought freight to this area on dirt roads, not nice roads either. And bore 8 children. And, kept on truckin!
+ Took my friend Flat Tyre Pete's offer of a ride from Darwin to Broome. I took it, as this journey passed thru another part of Australia I had not seen. The Kimberly's. We gathered as a Tag A Long group from Darwin, south to Katherine, then West to Broome. I had a real bed in the camper, a treat. What I missed was the Bungle Bungles, these are worn away formations that look like Jaffa cakes-orange and black. Must have a 4WD to go to them, we did not. Must say, I was a bit pissy about missing them. They are advertised as the must see in this area. I mistakingly thought that the Kimberly area was painted mountains, NOT. this area is red and flat. There are small canyons that have water running thru them, big climb down. Many steps, not safe in any way. And, so dam hot.
Needless to say, I missed most. What I didn't miss was the Sand Flies. I capitalized them due to the hugh impact they make. In Katherine, it was my second round of them. This round sent to me the emergency, which caused a great interest in the staff, for example-Hey nurse, come here to see this, what do you think these huge blisters and purple skin means? So comforting. I got the normal treatment-antibiotics. I still have scars. When we got to Broome for their convention, we were put next to the horse corals at the race track to camp. Now, we are talking flies the likes I have not seen in Australia before, and, that is saying much. If one does not fan one's plate of food to keep the buggers off, one cannot eat. Period. I caved and flew to Adelaide, no bugs, cooler and a house to stay in.
+ Two of my friends keep bees. One day, I graduated to be a midwife. Part of the hive was taken in the house to let the honey drip and as the bee emerged, I took it outside to be free. I felt like Mother Nature. Actually, I tossed it out the window-fly be free.
+ Then I got a distress call from my US room mates to help post surgery, so, I left good old OZ.
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