tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38727944744995820342024-03-05T13:12:52.887-08:00Stupidly FearlessLeciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-79726605472058787672011-06-28T15:35:00.000-07:002011-06-28T17:54:36.098-07:00camera fundraiser!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';">dear friends, family and art supporters,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';">as many of you are aware, my camera recently died. i will not be able to get it fixed until i return to the US in october. i was inconsolable. then i thought, it was with your help i was able to purchase it in the first place. so i decided to reach out again.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';">i am offering these three prints, signed limited editions (20 each), for $30 (includes s&h). the upside: you help a friend in need and get a memento of my adventure for your wall. downside: you have to wait until november to receive it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitv4vLFsQtSPDuBtsl90aFg-BXq3GTBvPS6h-jajsasxLnjNyYQ-EOBIyz7Z8XkpZO_3zvrjnTMPl14M3aSdUnCV-CxAt_b7xa6aCX_chXEtBSb6QKdhF_oY56YRkIhOdknM9GiJpw84k/s1600/DSC_0709alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitv4vLFsQtSPDuBtsl90aFg-BXq3GTBvPS6h-jajsasxLnjNyYQ-EOBIyz7Z8XkpZO_3zvrjnTMPl14M3aSdUnCV-CxAt_b7xa6aCX_chXEtBSb6QKdhF_oY56YRkIhOdknM9GiJpw84k/s320/DSC_0709alt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">afternoon on the salar, uyuni, bolivia 2011</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODWNgf6z1aYjmuizb1pknPhdyLfuRm7Hqh9z724ZlM-zdNnqNoeUAAyVDc7y3uqXu0PMYCOoZaI91rW4QacE2kPxoF59I7OQDYbv-6DAPb-TWzBxx1TobasNr5usj0OtoXLjmsWDHB-0/s1600/DSC_0964.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODWNgf6z1aYjmuizb1pknPhdyLfuRm7Hqh9z724ZlM-zdNnqNoeUAAyVDc7y3uqXu0PMYCOoZaI91rW4QacE2kPxoF59I7OQDYbv-6DAPb-TWzBxx1TobasNr5usj0OtoXLjmsWDHB-0/s320/DSC_0964.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">iceberg, antarctica, 2011</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3_2uG18Z00BvFn0QyVk74aocjazZIoLkSABNfEbFe28azeulOcG4D-logt_AG-7Pa0T60XiXoG5zPf7SSh1oC_SAkTDJFV2nWSAU7a4rbqRmEJjUuyGdyYQqkTsP6Z7wHj4L5oUNkD4/s1600/no-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3_2uG18Z00BvFn0QyVk74aocjazZIoLkSABNfEbFe28azeulOcG4D-logt_AG-7Pa0T60XiXoG5zPf7SSh1oC_SAkTDJFV2nWSAU7a4rbqRmEJjUuyGdyYQqkTsP6Z7wHj4L5oUNkD4/s320/no-7.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">number seven, havana, cuba 2011</td></tr>
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: grey; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'American Typewriter'; font-size: small;">go here to purchase:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter'; font-size: small;"> </span><a href="https://www.5036.com/artist/camera-fundraiser/limited-editions.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">CAMERA FUNDRAISER</span></b></span></a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';">going to try to replace my camera at the end of the week...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';">Thank you!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';">~L</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';"><br />
</span>Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-31502898799573565082011-06-15T18:38:00.000-07:002011-06-15T19:07:37.741-07:00chants<div style="text-align: left;">paraty, brazil to são paulo, brazil </div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwTvXqLpPMxHXV1KYgPND2nlfIAwxIbZTCdr_m5SYgzIGqXuPSqU5NsxgkKr7XcWprsIlm2Lv2WY8gG_cEly6uPi6sQL9DXg29LhihmuWu5DMmmLLros0ptg1KEmkbNDF8I9_xknGw-I/s1600/a-window1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwTvXqLpPMxHXV1KYgPND2nlfIAwxIbZTCdr_m5SYgzIGqXuPSqU5NsxgkKr7XcWprsIlm2Lv2WY8gG_cEly6uPi6sQL9DXg29LhihmuWu5DMmmLLros0ptg1KEmkbNDF8I9_xknGw-I/s320/a-window1.jpg" width="190" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">window at the mercado municipal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>our first order of business on arrival in são paulo was going to hear monks do some gregorian chanting.<br />
our overnight bus ride left me feeling a little wobbly, and i wasn't feeling too enthusiastic, but v's energy carried me right into the cathedral. it turned out to be a full mass (with very little chanting) and after about 20 minutes i began to do a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh__g-ZZ6WA">mr. bean</a>, so i left the monks and v for the fresh city air. when the service was over we grabbed breakfast and made a circuit around downtown, ticking off all of the buildings v wanted to see.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9GwvXORL1xTRdHcjmMUqE2rK8-R2_k5yYacmSaTJZ51oLsA2ni0lJ3Z66umBP7YbH_zc_yywU4qa8xp-u48VAkleI52_3wxuWsKQwK6j16KBj1LIiZcjK1LFy-fVipSNQigXeeRRsEY/s1600/a-lil-fruit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9GwvXORL1xTRdHcjmMUqE2rK8-R2_k5yYacmSaTJZ51oLsA2ni0lJ3Z66umBP7YbH_zc_yywU4qa8xp-u48VAkleI52_3wxuWsKQwK6j16KBj1LIiZcjK1LFy-fVipSNQigXeeRRsEY/s320/a-lil-fruit.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fruit stand at the mercado</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">i liked the city very much, it reminded me of nyc in the best way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">i was especially taken with the architecture, a lot of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_deco">deco</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Nouveau">art nouveau</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLY7_OWT0TAr2pKuBmlb7ldOsvi38Sxm2vbnqIWQSIjsdDfxn5z6RYYXo4ZufD7Q-cg1e1FyR3j0trIWyi0YQ_SOfr3CmVdVE-pNOS18AIVgBMh54IPqallHDQsRyqZniKq6Pa6swKd8Y/s320/a-window.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rococo and asian influence...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-gRVjgDJqyTLuKu4CZT6noX9GDzXLX-eu_ygJHYV9WTvCm37vfdmTFgJ_l3JStDHVRDRH5GXhhwPMGOMrAocijnNHxm9qjJ-fm75SKLgONd_ISfm5jlHYhUxOAXlvY3t0J4t5HHct-0/s320/ceiling.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">at the top of the banespa building</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-gRVjgDJqyTLuKu4CZT6noX9GDzXLX-eu_ygJHYV9WTvCm37vfdmTFgJ_l3JStDHVRDRH5GXhhwPMGOMrAocijnNHxm9qjJ-fm75SKLgONd_ISfm5jlHYhUxOAXlvY3t0J4t5HHct-0/s1600/ceiling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMj8kjX5dMPAWoKJSCkHlQqJOtgT0iel7YRjydChWb6CUp8T5JcMVU-S9gZ-FG1Q4whUJVWlgDOdAJd_6eFZ4ZBgMDTO4-LP7jqD9nc5dbJ_koSoGhgsaIIOi6a-dqrvrhCgvVzEkgCVE/s1600/art-deco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMj8kjX5dMPAWoKJSCkHlQqJOtgT0iel7YRjydChWb6CUp8T5JcMVU-S9gZ-FG1Q4whUJVWlgDOdAJd_6eFZ4ZBgMDTO4-LP7jqD9nc5dbJ_koSoGhgsaIIOi6a-dqrvrhCgvVzEkgCVE/s320/art-deco.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">late deco</td></tr>
</tbody></table>i wouldn’t have minded staying there for a few more days, but we had already booked ourselves on the overnight bus to iguazu. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmijV6a4tJZkxzmI2RpT7OLJ4JXWQ5rjwLcTnO2JxCzH63NH241EfAORURxhJo79fXsEJR5Bt_XFvWmGQFcegNnDsXcTkMTwGFAeaixA_5x5OMSUuqU3Ky7QY5PAQrmEzcvrWv0si5Aoo/s1600/catherdral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmijV6a4tJZkxzmI2RpT7OLJ4JXWQ5rjwLcTnO2JxCzH63NH241EfAORURxhJo79fXsEJR5Bt_XFvWmGQFcegNnDsXcTkMTwGFAeaixA_5x5OMSUuqU3Ky7QY5PAQrmEzcvrWv0si5Aoo/s400/catherdral.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">outside the são paulo cathedral </td></tr>
</tbody></table></blockquote></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnimGGmvXZebffYEwdWMHxc0C3QrWZTlAFDiiO-bsvu9onxXeTitgvGMj5P4D3KAm-6WigS1OeE5LyM1vmRVMhyphenhyphen2U_8XaBuwxRa5MyeTvJMAUPhAl6s_w7X5_iK8ElCHEFo6FyfFZErI4/s1600/always-look-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnimGGmvXZebffYEwdWMHxc0C3QrWZTlAFDiiO-bsvu9onxXeTitgvGMj5P4D3KAm-6WigS1OeE5LyM1vmRVMhyphenhyphen2U_8XaBuwxRa5MyeTvJMAUPhAl6s_w7X5_iK8ElCHEFo6FyfFZErI4/s400/always-look-up.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbfqE9UR9PN9kDJW_HCeES4z7yloOeidm-roAMgiaEP4S9jIU0bGhD0Id8-w3hUqbJhXWkJIh01EEJM2MReXLxMTGqpDJjRpLrZSmk3kN3-vzqHuSZdIjS-0rulmLfL4lBm0O6fWmXSM/s1600/catherdral2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbfqE9UR9PN9kDJW_HCeES4z7yloOeidm-roAMgiaEP4S9jIU0bGhD0Id8-w3hUqbJhXWkJIh01EEJM2MReXLxMTGqpDJjRpLrZSmk3kN3-vzqHuSZdIjS-0rulmLfL4lBm0O6fWmXSM/s400/catherdral2.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">stained glass colors the marble</td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7bzmHKG4SUN0lKE1HCknBvZpq7mWwBcwU0qJuPfg4PGqw7BE7lHD-0njEM2cxQ8QDTBZcjWVvEvwofFVeUU6BIhf0ZGxsRcXHFXoAfraXPPCC8AxE_1Dp4ZzMqkuQV8frNJTq5Hgo4c/s1600/an-exotic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7bzmHKG4SUN0lKE1HCknBvZpq7mWwBcwU0qJuPfg4PGqw7BE7lHD-0njEM2cxQ8QDTBZcjWVvEvwofFVeUU6BIhf0ZGxsRcXHFXoAfraXPPCC8AxE_1Dp4ZzMqkuQV8frNJTq5Hgo4c/s320/an-exotic.jpg" width="214" /></a>after we got our fill of skyscrapers we made our way to the botanical gardens. it was heavenly - right up until we got caught in a torrential downpour. we hid out in one of the exhibit buildings for a little while, but started to worry about getting back in time for our bus, so we made a mad dash for the park exit. getting a cab started looking bleak, but just as i was beginning to have pangs of despair, a taxi appeared!</div><div style="text-align: left;">the power had gone out for parts of the city and we were told the metro wasn’t running, so we decided we’d take the cab all the way to the bus station, an expensive ride, but necessary if we were going to catch our bus. the driver told us how much he guessed it would cost and, since we had just a bit more than that, we relaxed. as the ride dragged out, massive traffic caused by the crazy rain, flooding and power outages, the meter ticked higher and higher. i began to worry that we wouldn’t have enough money and kept contemplating jumping out sooner and trying the metro, but if that still wasn’t running we’d be up a creek, as they say. </div><div style="text-align: left;">as it turned out, while a bit more than estimated, we had just enough money to cover the fare and we got to the station with time to change into dry clothes, get cash and grab some food for the bus ride. lucky, lucky, lucky!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVZNVPMLs9Bfg7KOBOuiqaanHBrRSrXO3ar4vXgeDUnWyy6-9WLoop79zy-WjYIUqCDS9hZvSETzK4GAWFd1fBEWfqcroVRzIFTSnhq7glJU9y74sKnVnsa68msW2OHFNmBt1udCtaUc/s1600/amazons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVZNVPMLs9Bfg7KOBOuiqaanHBrRSrXO3ar4vXgeDUnWyy6-9WLoop79zy-WjYIUqCDS9hZvSETzK4GAWFd1fBEWfqcroVRzIFTSnhq7glJU9y74sKnVnsa68msW2OHFNmBt1udCtaUc/s400/amazons.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rain forest at the botanical garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">i think i'll come back to são paulo again someday...</div>Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-49038118567629928822011-06-06T20:21:00.000-07:002011-06-14T08:05:16.673-07:00decadencerio de janeiro, brazil to paraty, brazil<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRNfApuL23fwq9negyeO7xsbomtDCRlvqP_hyphenhyphengL0XfrBzI8eT05fwH0nHXptX91hLQtDusi6-Ji_aoR8auy-AhZs5NTBBoM1yn6FIzCc08uYhKknqBMhJzA4KXA-1FR5VGOvIlvVjehM/s1600/beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRNfApuL23fwq9negyeO7xsbomtDCRlvqP_hyphenhyphengL0XfrBzI8eT05fwH0nHXptX91hLQtDusi6-Ji_aoR8auy-AhZs5NTBBoM1yn6FIzCc08uYhKknqBMhJzA4KXA-1FR5VGOvIlvVjehM/s400/beach.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">paraty from the bay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>we got the bus first thing in the morning and headed south. the ride was beautiful, a landscape of green rolling hills and blue sea.<br />
immediately after we left rio i began to like the country a little better.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnP1C_6tLUfw-0Pn6tZNGmSpr9GqNGW8YN6SjKYGXJBkZjn1jqGuAkhn9z69eH6jdLheag_ExzcBVlgN0_EXBO5QIl09xAFCkCCUY3NBZdRdsmr8bg6zzCKtiKQYO5vXgiLA0OXJqNxK8/s1600/covered-in-green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnP1C_6tLUfw-0Pn6tZNGmSpr9GqNGW8YN6SjKYGXJBkZjn1jqGuAkhn9z69eH6jdLheag_ExzcBVlgN0_EXBO5QIl09xAFCkCCUY3NBZdRdsmr8bg6zzCKtiKQYO5vXgiLA0OXJqNxK8/s200/covered-in-green.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">green grows everywhere</td></tr>
</tbody></table>portugese would prove to be the bane of my brazil existence, but when i was able to communicate a little, i was happy as a clam - a steamed clam. it was hot and very humid. i love the heat, but humidity makes me a whingy wilted mess. v put up with me admirably and i did my best to not act like a rotten 4 yr old throwing a tantrum.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qLt8-4KTK-Qc6GCwueRZBj51-iRvslNNe8NwU1KbmYSazrQLvtW7soDFsMPh6nh_ohttw2idqs8W1tCdtQvRLBfXDatPD-eQeLTDpDlat6Qla3wyGeYFVA28kBiisiAc5uHKaRySK28/s1600/a-mission.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qLt8-4KTK-Qc6GCwueRZBj51-iRvslNNe8NwU1KbmYSazrQLvtW7soDFsMPh6nh_ohttw2idqs8W1tCdtQvRLBfXDatPD-eQeLTDpDlat6Qla3wyGeYFVA28kBiisiAc5uHKaRySK28/s320/a-mission.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the old mission</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcQKHqT_Sqw_5ygti0ScRvW-TXQ61E2bjeoE4VkzNYQAf56znw6b14jNvCe76pgZBTpdTtS5AfiQwslfZYgkZ_CqSZ1RZPfClfS-ZP2sjFdq1HYem1EsuIy3aCRgyqVausrcD8F-yo6Y/s1600/colonial-lane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcQKHqT_Sqw_5ygti0ScRvW-TXQ61E2bjeoE4VkzNYQAf56znw6b14jNvCe76pgZBTpdTtS5AfiQwslfZYgkZ_CqSZ1RZPfClfS-ZP2sjFdq1HYem1EsuIy3aCRgyqVausrcD8F-yo6Y/s320/colonial-lane.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">colonial quaintness</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RlaBVGgjQzbDdbCJp63ZbQ6j8ORLtADbK1QItWM-e9YVIEYH9rdztDSw6Ns3vtN-PcWRRoMHUDESwbg7Eqb-8pyPtaqi9A5eQ2FvmIQ8aztkl_KmC6iJL2fb9k1NZOo0roCqAuKihtI/s1600/cake-cart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RlaBVGgjQzbDdbCJp63ZbQ6j8ORLtADbK1QItWM-e9YVIEYH9rdztDSw6Ns3vtN-PcWRRoMHUDESwbg7Eqb-8pyPtaqi9A5eQ2FvmIQ8aztkl_KmC6iJL2fb9k1NZOo0roCqAuKihtI/s200/cake-cart.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cake cart </td></tr>
</tbody></table>paraty is a nice little tourist trap of a town. old colonial buildings have been restored and converted into stores and restaurants aimed at people passing through. we arrived late in the afternoon, settled into our hostel and went to explore the town. after walking along the water we grabbed a nice dinner, topped it with lovely gelato (too bad that we discovered the ingenious cake carts after dessert),<br />
then headed to an adult themed puppet show that was quite amazing, the <a href="http://teatroespaco.com.br/">teatro espaço</a>. all in all, a great day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwq_Vu6DjXKjsKu874ZpKBTX8zyPxUqHn_dQrWAGko5bmF-qBlgSI17WsFWnn1zfWMjyrtSn68Q3MX1b9ktU5d7MWgC9qleIKnvQuTlwak55Nu3SQVD3bik2Qvd05k0-T4cNGUGF4cn0/s1600/boat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwq_Vu6DjXKjsKu874ZpKBTX8zyPxUqHn_dQrWAGko5bmF-qBlgSI17WsFWnn1zfWMjyrtSn68Q3MX1b9ktU5d7MWgC9qleIKnvQuTlwak55Nu3SQVD3bik2Qvd05k0-T4cNGUGF4cn0/s320/boat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the banzai</td></tr>
</tbody></table>the following morning, we bought tickets for a schooner cruise that would go to some secluded beaches and lagoons in the bay. this was one of the most awesome days ever.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqR-QmShC_Ksdj6im5RbKsW-WgzzfsTIV-Ool7qMxthMy8x8Uv3t2IRdAcF1aWoCq6Am8_hgIdJ_R5Ow3PVbwyNPHLLuAHvJhIB7RQQx6uvGyZwilH54EuG3AvWwLC0kcxgOntoJJNymk/s1600/-anchor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIE8-aaYULaWOb5vju02rXsJ42kN_RTkvwO6ZDpquq9XY5y9SPZvfHzea2IjOUbNtm8-koFLYJFrUBNrVDXRiyYAmAWCrKUVm24rgKSMSHqys2mUGy_a99KlmdFvAlmDCVdyAjNE7418/s1600/cove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIE8-aaYULaWOb5vju02rXsJ42kN_RTkvwO6ZDpquq9XY5y9SPZvfHzea2IjOUbNtm8-koFLYJFrUBNrVDXRiyYAmAWCrKUVm24rgKSMSHqys2mUGy_a99KlmdFvAlmDCVdyAjNE7418/s400/cove.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i swam here!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wrE7aWjrtkysK-If4orQAdW7teWbVWY_-Z5jK39nSFJsKrO5ApjXBAr_Ziq7pAJyJlZBjq7JuCh-UOm6NCI9JUDKMpZqPEUo0yT9JGcJDJN5a8RwmewyQ3MBunzUzqFgg-vaRmmx_HY/s1600/boat-helm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wrE7aWjrtkysK-If4orQAdW7teWbVWY_-Z5jK39nSFJsKrO5ApjXBAr_Ziq7pAJyJlZBjq7JuCh-UOm6NCI9JUDKMpZqPEUo0yT9JGcJDJN5a8RwmewyQ3MBunzUzqFgg-vaRmmx_HY/s200/boat-helm.jpg" width="200" /></a>it felt like the height of luxurious decadence. lazing on the deck of a beautiful boat, occasionally jumping off the side to swim a bit in <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXnHIx5nkF2uXc4PeSODKeWtv3w9bCukhKINzE8FRwNFYA8JbRcxEVQTEdAGGD62ExgkyUzyOOZCBnRi9Vi4NYHCKFim7cI4PYaNKdizaG9sDartDw2rOqn86zVC01CKmvaXIemBua3I/s1600/-anchor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXnHIx5nkF2uXc4PeSODKeWtv3w9bCukhKINzE8FRwNFYA8JbRcxEVQTEdAGGD62ExgkyUzyOOZCBnRi9Vi4NYHCKFim7cI4PYaNKdizaG9sDartDw2rOqn86zVC01CKmvaXIemBua3I/s200/-anchor.jpg" width="136" /></a></div> absolutely glorious water. i could have done this for days. the only down side was any bit of my skin that came in contact with the surface of the water, no matter how much sunscreen was worn, burned to a nice crisp (a handy trick i learned in my early days in los angeles forestalled the unhappiness that usually accompanies sunburns - in the evening, after the burn has finished setting in, apply copious amounts of a dense skin cream, repeat every few minutes until the skin stays moist to the touch...in the morning you have a nice tan instead of an evil burn. this doesn’t do anything to lessen the chances of future melanoma though, so wear your sunscreen!).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpsPZboRHtqEy90HYgEjFKCKIuUfGUKFunIsQlVjFx7z_dpifUOzwyzz5FANi5S6T6B6eDoDv_uWT1Hdzsq0JJpPfieXvJGiUcb03hdtFhO26Iw_vqfG8omWwiQsW6dioOok6rv78Erc8/s1600/a-little-island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpsPZboRHtqEy90HYgEjFKCKIuUfGUKFunIsQlVjFx7z_dpifUOzwyzz5FANi5S6T6B6eDoDv_uWT1Hdzsq0JJpPfieXvJGiUcb03hdtFhO26Iw_vqfG8omWwiQsW6dioOok6rv78Erc8/s400/a-little-island.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">they filmed the twilight honeymoon somewhere out here</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfXkfm8eKjczNDox36wVF7bvljRo-Jbnx2AWl5GNcpBIEjsxcwGmeSYj9-96NFLI0hPeeM9nqa5b1Tt9J2nmqVASGOeT7lBr-4x0p4Ju56G4lbWMmzngWvsPxBl67-fC46Bpvi_P0XKo/s1600/cap-leathal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfXkfm8eKjczNDox36wVF7bvljRo-Jbnx2AWl5GNcpBIEjsxcwGmeSYj9-96NFLI0hPeeM9nqa5b1Tt9J2nmqVASGOeT7lBr-4x0p4Ju56G4lbWMmzngWvsPxBl67-fC46Bpvi_P0XKo/s200/cap-leathal.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lethal liquid - caipirinha</td></tr>
</tbody></table>v got silly drunk on one caipirinha (these drinks are delightful and go down nice and smooth then, twenty minutes later, sucker punch you),<br />
while i stuck to my addiction, coca cola (i had planned to drink a little, but the only other alcohol they had was tequila, and i just can’t drink something that tastes like an unpleasant shade of brown).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig8XhcA-lpccTV4aQ3sQ2z3wtx_j5GOvZmoPk4jXyb9hbDvYYQYz3t_h4FRoLcfIJzJdLll2QsH8fKJS5MSR9-MfC31Pr9mTwjpogysmb5Rb3EzQTJDYhcTa6Ypz1lvZ_nLsddPigkGuQ/s1600/concert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig8XhcA-lpccTV4aQ3sQ2z3wtx_j5GOvZmoPk4jXyb9hbDvYYQYz3t_h4FRoLcfIJzJdLll2QsH8fKJS5MSR9-MfC31Pr9mTwjpogysmb5Rb3EzQTJDYhcTa6Ypz1lvZ_nLsddPigkGuQ/s200/concert.jpg" width="200" /></a> we were treated to an impromptu concert by some fellow guests who brought along a guitar and lovely voices. they sang songs in english that they didn’t know all the words to, so i occasionally piped in and helped them along.<br />
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back on land we went and had another nice dinner before going to the hostel to grab our bags and head for the bus station to catch the overnight to sao paulo.Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-51956600323042359842011-05-08T20:54:00.000-07:002011-05-08T20:57:13.241-07:00chupacabrario de janeiro, brazil<br />
the second day was a tourists dream, completely packed with brazilian experiences, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candel%C3%A1ria_Church">candelária church</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corcovado">corcovado</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarloaf_Mountain_%28Brazil%29">sugarloaf</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copacabana_%28Rio_de_Janeiro%29">copacabana beach</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churrasco">churrasco</a> (or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra">chupacabra</a>, as v kept accidentally calling it).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68mrbyFnkI4I6pwE2bPGcdL-j46Opu1oaiPsibhqBBDOdrUIlzL2GVN6LCCtt0tKKFthX3zGfI46Jsmz8hVEaKC-hXWce-fzO747IKSSgPy570Yun9hynjiG9daFsE_wzvmOT5CXQhBQ/s1600/saint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68mrbyFnkI4I6pwE2bPGcdL-j46Opu1oaiPsibhqBBDOdrUIlzL2GVN6LCCtt0tKKFthX3zGfI46Jsmz8hVEaKC-hXWce-fzO747IKSSgPy570Yun9hynjiG9daFsE_wzvmOT5CXQhBQ/s320/saint.jpg" width="215" /></a>the church was our first destination. we'd tried to go the day before but arrived just at closing time. like many catholic spaces, it was lovely.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45xMuFa7aimn4EUP_hU2ZJye7VJyxeCDhMRnbwNFSHyTWjvlFIzBFlN6YmX5lqBqCs87ihKvpIagCl3ydFAJtl9BEzBxdjJXBpmufBUetZ1N8BV8lCCrF-NmGI1NOLhIIFgSakrbagvg/s1600/DSC_0622-alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45xMuFa7aimn4EUP_hU2ZJye7VJyxeCDhMRnbwNFSHyTWjvlFIzBFlN6YmX5lqBqCs87ihKvpIagCl3ydFAJtl9BEzBxdjJXBpmufBUetZ1N8BV8lCCrF-NmGI1NOLhIIFgSakrbagvg/s200/DSC_0622-alt.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from the helipad</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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from there we caught the metro and a bus to get to the base of corcovado. we were told the tram wasn't running and we could take a bus service for just $8 more. since we were in a time crunch, we opted to just believe the lady who may have been hustling us. the mini bus takes you up to a viewing point, you take some pictures from the helipad, and then you continue up to a place where you wait in line for 30 minutes. finally you get to begin the climb.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLIxU3en6u6EtpOsvOfbQUrLQGJLN8s_U1_OThyRxd6GSWhBDKZxQNK3RNwpRaEg3ydw0-4wExMK8AJIESkuAUO4OEqWhy4lYYQ3eZq5PRyvPKaZIVE232H3jNKZEefoxdhRdaKxg7jQ/s1600/IMG_1167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLIxU3en6u6EtpOsvOfbQUrLQGJLN8s_U1_OThyRxd6GSWhBDKZxQNK3RNwpRaEg3ydw0-4wExMK8AJIESkuAUO4OEqWhy4lYYQ3eZq5PRyvPKaZIVE232H3jNKZEefoxdhRdaKxg7jQ/s320/IMG_1167.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div><br />
christo is lovely. everything i wanted him to be. and by the time you get to the top of the mountain, hot and thirsty, you have a lovely cafe that offers fruity refreshment.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzoLUExyb4ABfTJm_-O5fJlEhhQJ3wDOZ1rveAJcffIB8l3dN_AQpQGMXwkF0wQk_JvvOP7tplIFo9bk0rL8o8ny_AT8RiLo59292Y5FafzMhj12At_6kV-WjwgdX9vCiDY08MgK2DSg/s1600/IMG_1165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzoLUExyb4ABfTJm_-O5fJlEhhQJ3wDOZ1rveAJcffIB8l3dN_AQpQGMXwkF0wQk_JvvOP7tplIFo9bk0rL8o8ny_AT8RiLo59292Y5FafzMhj12At_6kV-WjwgdX9vCiDY08MgK2DSg/s200/IMG_1165.JPG" width="200" /></a> <br />
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v wanted to go to sugarloaf, and while i wasn’t very enthusiastic, i agreed to at least consider going. we got to the base and i thought the price a bit steep, but i told myself to just be a tourist and pay it. as it turned out it was my favorite part of rio. you take a cable car to the first mountain, wander a little then take another cable car to the second mountain. everything was lush, green and pretty. the views of christo were fabulous. the rest of city looked rather pretty too. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5T9B1aNsPNx5YAY8dgU7bJPERnmRzrbS7moDkH17t7Io0Cj2js5kl8bJY-BCWNOh4xjEcEvqO1EOXosq3DieIsNUDhuqYGkwRbbA4cZBE4i_mCf673Ve5UVPoMqGnRipc0yNcMl1_Hs/s1600/monkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5T9B1aNsPNx5YAY8dgU7bJPERnmRzrbS7moDkH17t7Io0Cj2js5kl8bJY-BCWNOh4xjEcEvqO1EOXosq3DieIsNUDhuqYGkwRbbA4cZBE4i_mCf673Ve5UVPoMqGnRipc0yNcMl1_Hs/s320/monkey.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">monkey or lemur?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>the trails were sort of intimate and crawling with bugs, birds and monkeys (or maybe they were some sort of lemur, i don’t know, but they were cute with creepy eyes, my favorite combination!).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmIfQ3pryhlO2wknOkyv2BmzJw7cua83WT7Yor4T0qzSW282tzaVQcHrVFwsqBA4IcR88EU2oDEaL3F2q4DsuoIZjIzbUwpAZGzyqhKceO8p-5qqm-t-Lw1KXY8-FVgiDukIKXY6LX1Y/s1600/IMG_1188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmIfQ3pryhlO2wknOkyv2BmzJw7cua83WT7Yor4T0qzSW282tzaVQcHrVFwsqBA4IcR88EU2oDEaL3F2q4DsuoIZjIzbUwpAZGzyqhKceO8p-5qqm-t-Lw1KXY8-FVgiDukIKXY6LX1Y/s200/IMG_1188.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">red curtain made of ropes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>there was a neat museum about the history of tourism on sugar loaf, and we had fun taking pictures of the red curtain that was more like an art installation.<br />
as we were getting ready to go in search of the churrascaria we were treated to an excellent lightning storm.<br />
we eventually managed to be on the right bus to get to copacabana beach and the restaurant that had come highly recommended. dinner was okay. not great, but not bad, and not too expensive. i wasn’t feeling as churlish as i had been the day before. and while i wasn’t sad about leaving, i was no longer feeling the need to run away screaming either.<br />
we went for a short walk along the beach and watched the moon rise,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEuRquF9u1wEK-ie6ccsLiLkGqAzMhh8Wb79zeUFUPSDiH1P6AnIlfqAIiReZMYKFt8NFhOFoc3DtyNRk_kNx5B8gBPRTtYhjL7JGoKBVAwrZ_VV_QyZ2WRdZLjJG-iosRlelyRbEJFQ/s1600/IMG_1210_alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEuRquF9u1wEK-ie6ccsLiLkGqAzMhh8Wb79zeUFUPSDiH1P6AnIlfqAIiReZMYKFt8NFhOFoc3DtyNRk_kNx5B8gBPRTtYhjL7JGoKBVAwrZ_VV_QyZ2WRdZLjJG-iosRlelyRbEJFQ/s320/IMG_1210_alt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
then went to the supermarket to get rations for the morning bus ride that would take us to paraty. so long rio.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilB0-dcry0s5azJnY2QR9NzXG8dgBksF30yVIR7z7tQCAZQOiKW-f9yDtmqRsEzvLWS-q-jo59RqrAGkK3ZfdIxnF_m2wNYUpM693ZpxsNrEEuR1-kX7k-UrI2M9wSHXQDmsJcX6oi4us/s1600/IMG_1211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilB0-dcry0s5azJnY2QR9NzXG8dgBksF30yVIR7z7tQCAZQOiKW-f9yDtmqRsEzvLWS-q-jo59RqrAGkK3ZfdIxnF_m2wNYUpM693ZpxsNrEEuR1-kX7k-UrI2M9wSHXQDmsJcX6oi4us/s200/IMG_1211.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">artful corn, street food</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-6462903501695750822011-04-27T09:42:00.000-07:002011-05-08T19:52:36.157-07:00cuidado<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQzkAAgB_YN-_nk5clkpw7UNdM6Ts9svRnR2NNAVb4JgK9A2uf6Sl4Yt3fnSEePQdgzxuN_OslWuHH33F1R9dY2IoANPF3wkW6RsX0nWJSHFk9HvwIvjaraNteRcWsUtpdvTQfZHvG8E/s1600/IMG_1144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQzkAAgB_YN-_nk5clkpw7UNdM6Ts9svRnR2NNAVb4JgK9A2uf6Sl4Yt3fnSEePQdgzxuN_OslWuHH33F1R9dY2IoANPF3wkW6RsX0nWJSHFk9HvwIvjaraNteRcWsUtpdvTQfZHvG8E/s200/IMG_1144.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">flying into rio</td></tr>
</tbody></table>the capitol of the island that shall remain nameless to rio de janeiro, brazil<br />
flying over rio, i thought i was going to love the city. the green mountains and valleys surrounding the city are magical.<br />
<br />
i grabbed a taxi, too tired to try to figure out what bus i should take to get to my hostel. the driver was clearly a fan of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayrton_Senna">ayrton senna</a> and was practicing for the day when he would get to race <a href="http://www.formula1.com/">formula one</a>. when i wasn’t gripping the seat in panic, i was trying to take in the city. at one point i saw some large heads being created for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Carnival">carnival</a> and i had a moment of love and enchantment, i was going to try to find these again and take photos (never happened and i am still sad).<br />
i survived the trip to the hostel.<br />
it was a dive.<br />
i didn’t want to touch anything.<br />
but i was relieved to find my friend v (who was going to travel with me for a couple of weeks) and we set about making a plan for my first day in rio.<br />
we walked, a lot. i began to feel the first signs of disillusionment. the map was crap, a block on the map could represent one or twelve in the real world. lunch was expensive but mediocre. portugese completely eluded me and my attempts to speak it only baffled the locals. the city was dirty, compact and crowded. any time i took my camera out, well meaning folk would say sternly “cuidado” (careful). i became paranoid about being robbed in some violent manner, as my beloved camera is so securely strapped to my person when i am out and about they'd have to knock me out to get it, so the only way i wasn’t being careful with it was having it out at all. since i am all about my photos, this was really frustrating.<br />
we tried to go to the cemetery, it was locked. who locks the cemetery during the day???<br />
the only graffiti i managed to see was ugly tagging. the litter was extensive, but it was kind of amusing to watch v pick up bits here and there and walk them to trash cans close at hand, muttering about the idiots too lazy to hang on to their rubbish a few steps more.<br />
on this first unhappy day, the one delight was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro_Cathedral">catedral de sao sebastiao</a><span id="goog_1060188474"></span><span id="goog_1060188475"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguCVVvM_qTgCl3h3BSBqbpXOgHtIf2MsDm85HAvKgEn-N_r89ZS_i3ZFwStcQQCIwR_uxVIQGIaS2j8oIlyUc9CfcK04icN_QMVNe2fPgq8yF9HYzA4Te3_FEhQXCmp1UJej3fR2-0KU/s1600/IMG_1155_rio-church-cross-alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguCVVvM_qTgCl3h3BSBqbpXOgHtIf2MsDm85HAvKgEn-N_r89ZS_i3ZFwStcQQCIwR_uxVIQGIaS2j8oIlyUc9CfcK04icN_QMVNe2fPgq8yF9HYzA4Te3_FEhQXCmp1UJej3fR2-0KU/s320/IMG_1155_rio-church-cross-alt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ceiling of the catedral</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
a peaceful space, with an interior similar to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_temple">lotus temple</a> in delhi. a nice american fella from somewhere in the midwest started a conversation with us. he'd been away from home for a long time and missed the ease of a conversation where you didn't have to edit yourself or try to figure out a way to translate your meaning. i could understand, having been in that place many times myself. <br />
we tried to find a place for dinner around 6pm, but nothing was open. i was hungry, tired and frustrated with this place i had been prepared to fall in love with.<br />
by the end of the day i told v i didn’t like rio and i’d be ready to leave after we went to see Christo. i wanted out.<br />
she had been there for several days before i arrived, so she was fine with moving on.Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-67225189327472827712011-04-23T09:57:00.000-07:002011-04-23T10:28:24.303-07:00departurecapitol of the island that shall remain nameless to rio, brazil<br />
the night before c left, she asked me to go to this fancy coffee place, cafe el escorial, and get a bag of their coffee beans for her. they are part of a collective that grows, processes and roasts the beans then serves the coffee - kind of neat that it all happens under one roof, so to speak. it seemed like a simple enough request, so i said i'd do it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbRbgivlC9WStw4PkEL92A_wXM3Sdp9sw9ARyvZgPJVrLfCDcmtmKkWr9KLBOygL8Os-wH7A4DdlKD9rVuvSnXGydgNKnuzOY3XrkYccSFJ1lLHxiQHmwfyGBeMR6TzXS8PhksYJalLQ/s1600/roasting-beans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbRbgivlC9WStw4PkEL92A_wXM3Sdp9sw9ARyvZgPJVrLfCDcmtmKkWr9KLBOygL8Os-wH7A4DdlKD9rVuvSnXGydgNKnuzOY3XrkYccSFJ1lLHxiQHmwfyGBeMR6TzXS8PhksYJalLQ/s320/roasting-beans.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">steam and coffee beans pouring out of the single roaster</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
i went every day for a week and struck out every time. i'd usually show up around 2pm, and they would just say '<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">mañana</span></span>'. on the 5th try, the guy added, 'come early'. okay. so the following day i arrived at 11am -<br />
'<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">mañana.'</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">gah! i got smart with only one more day to succeed at the seemingly simple task - </span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">'what time do you open tomorrow?' </span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">'10am.' </span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">'excellent, i'll be here at 9:30!'</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZwl4noXWJ5IAdsMY0qc4XffHMuayPBiY3OFaCh9PGIV9XN0EqW78YdjupjZsrOHjnGRMe7YgKZ5o5gExbASl8DQdXoL7CI25zIIkT0_2ztJSjQkKyKsk3vkJdnPn-XXsHY3l01ayHnY/s1600/stilts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZwl4noXWJ5IAdsMY0qc4XffHMuayPBiY3OFaCh9PGIV9XN0EqW78YdjupjZsrOHjnGRMe7YgKZ5o5gExbASl8DQdXoL7CI25zIIkT0_2ztJSjQkKyKsk3vkJdnPn-XXsHY3l01ayHnY/s200/stilts.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">i arrived at 9:30 to see a long line already formed outside of the cafe. i used the ultimo trick (see <a href="http://stupidlyfearless.blogspot.com/2011/03/ultimo.html">'ultimo' post</a>) and sat on the front steps for over an hour, watching stilted people prepare to entertain the tourists.</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">while waiting, anxiety and a fear that despite my early arrival i'd still leave empty handed ate at me right until it was my turn to place my order. i am happy to say i got the coffee (and sent it from brazil - when all was said and done, those beans, not including my time, cost about $60 for a kg! but c assures me they were worth it!).</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETZ2hhfRbhlH99VCfVpNvdB1F4tQ-wvwkmQHm4rAJDxQ56VW6EMFysZP8wUeQOph3sAbWvz3QDLMudY2FthNpCQmCCgv7KfLXjXknKs6gFyIKAtBmWF5VpCC7qr0b0nBvmgbGlu1XCjQ/s1600/no-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETZ2hhfRbhlH99VCfVpNvdB1F4tQ-wvwkmQHm4rAJDxQ56VW6EMFysZP8wUeQOph3sAbWvz3QDLMudY2FthNpCQmCCgv7KfLXjXknKs6gFyIKAtBmWF5VpCC7qr0b0nBvmgbGlu1XCjQ/s320/no-7.jpg" width="212" /></a><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">from there i wandered over to the presidential palace with the idea of going in to see the revolutionary museum that is housed there. i never found it. i still cannot figure out where it was, must have come within a couple blocks of it a dozen times, but according to my map, it wasn't where it was supposed to be and i never got to 'the palace that wasn't there' as i began to call it. </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RalrFWIrSl-z17GuDpV56j0U-3hNVZ5inTKKLyLR-h0SxbIaiRCZuh9nDcBgxBeWwPabnN8_55Mq8j0J8IDfZfz7sD7DSNBm0CaP6wMcOpVOf_OM0L1Oac-hoRHx0Dkerd5aLop04Pw/s1600/vintage-postcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RalrFWIrSl-z17GuDpV56j0U-3hNVZ5inTKKLyLR-h0SxbIaiRCZuh9nDcBgxBeWwPabnN8_55Mq8j0J8IDfZfz7sD7DSNBm0CaP6wMcOpVOf_OM0L1Oac-hoRHx0Dkerd5aLop04Pw/s200/vintage-postcard.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">i had to settle for this vintage postcard.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AGQ0cksvasJMYbx47h-GxktkdG467JU1KwkVFmx_D7xmThcDa-EFROGzcedZC4LJe2qlV6Ykw0B6PHhtELj9M5j9wvS4v4LHzn5OHeYfaCocYg4P67KjeCsgCvN4gdPZSxIEcBVXVCY/s1600/industrias.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AGQ0cksvasJMYbx47h-GxktkdG467JU1KwkVFmx_D7xmThcDa-EFROGzcedZC4LJe2qlV6Ykw0B6PHhtELj9M5j9wvS4v4LHzn5OHeYfaCocYg4P67KjeCsgCvN4gdPZSxIEcBVXVCY/s320/industrias.jpg" width="212" /></a><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">after spending several more hours happily wandering the streets, i headed back to candy's to pack my bags and head to the airport.</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">my taxi driver told me about how he had a masters degree in computer engineering, but that he makes more money driving a taxi. i had gotten glimpses of the frustration that these highly educated people experienced when they were unable to make a decent living in their area of expertise, but this was the first time i was able to ask questions. it was interesting to see the negative side of unlimited access to higher education. </span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">fidel has offered the people as much knowledge as they want but has maintained communist limits on how much money can be earned, regardless of education. i was told that the street cleaners make about the same as doctors. there is something disconcerting about this, a job that requires no training and no skill earns the same as one that requires years of learning and skill - it begs the question why bother to try?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">i tipped big and entered the airport with a little apprehension. the lines were long - even by cuban standards. i couldn't figure out where to pay my exit tax. i had to wait in several lines twice. but eventually i made it to my plane. i am seriously glad i gave myself 4 hours for the airport because it took over three to get to the gate.</span></span><br />
while waiting to take off, i felt a huge lump of sadness. on the one hand i know i'll return - i have to, i liked the island much to much to stay away, and having only seen the capitol, there is still so much left to explore. but i always want to return to places that i've loved, and when there are so many places in the world yet to be seen, i sometimes struggle to make it happen...<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"> </span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><br />
</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3V1yka_Y_hhpjGk8a8PBcd3aHlHrKIKWfIDnjK7DU8ZTcAA6I54ZxnIVzyGuLY2OdYtrjk2j2n9P1yhen48fIQf06TLTyekuD5d2CSFJmfVYpO92resr61jSOsROhkX8VFRZICKXfqw/s1600/brazil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3V1yka_Y_hhpjGk8a8PBcd3aHlHrKIKWfIDnjK7DU8ZTcAA6I54ZxnIVzyGuLY2OdYtrjk2j2n9P1yhen48fIQf06TLTyekuD5d2CSFJmfVYpO92resr61jSOsROhkX8VFRZICKXfqw/s320/brazil.jpg" width="320" /></a>after catching a couple of fitful hours of sleep on the long flight, i woke to pretty views of a sunrise over the outlying area of rio!Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-70914025139856187612011-04-22T06:08:00.000-07:002011-04-22T06:11:25.114-07:00cha cha heelscapitol of the island that shall remain nameless<br />
i've mentioned how important music is to the islanders, but i think i forgot to talk about the dancing. everyone you meet can <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salsa_%28dance%29">salsa</a> with the best of them. it's like if you are born here you are gifted with this incredible ability to shake your ass in time with music <i>and</i> do it effortlessly while attached to another person.<br />
i have always had difficulty finding and keeping the beat. it used to drive my mother, a musician, absolutely crazy that her daughter had no ability to hear what was so obvious to everyone else. someone once told me i hear the down beat. i'm cool with that. anything to explain how i can start off clapping in time with the crowd but be off in mere seconds.<br />
so dancing lessons have always had a level of frustration that made it more work than joy - although when i do manage to get something, like the lindy hop, i am beyond thrilled to do the dance all night long!<br />
gato's wife, yudi, is a semi-retired professional dancer, who offered to give me some salsa lessons. while i knew it might be a fool's errand, i was still hopeful that i could come out of her company with some slinky skills.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjij6vpI2X-7x19D_tfdX1J7rEwtCCOKNfg9MUcFv2sAYlTnjdZjsZLZWSp1RmUWxdkDIESpFm4oORKEnUldUennsFb-3mKjIcGyym6LtRtjMTHSxmMYkOHRN3uiAPIQxhhnhpfLmLpi30/s1600/cha-cha-heels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjij6vpI2X-7x19D_tfdX1J7rEwtCCOKNfg9MUcFv2sAYlTnjdZjsZLZWSp1RmUWxdkDIESpFm4oORKEnUldUennsFb-3mKjIcGyym6LtRtjMTHSxmMYkOHRN3uiAPIQxhhnhpfLmLpi30/s400/cha-cha-heels.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my dancing shoes</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjij6vpI2X-7x19D_tfdX1J7rEwtCCOKNfg9MUcFv2sAYlTnjdZjsZLZWSp1RmUWxdkDIESpFm4oORKEnUldUennsFb-3mKjIcGyym6LtRtjMTHSxmMYkOHRN3uiAPIQxhhnhpfLmLpi30/s1600/cha-cha-heels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
the first lesson was with c&e, a mistake. c, meaning well, was constantly correcting me, which would only make me more self conscious and frustrated, and eventually a little too defensive to learn anything. my second lesson, yes, i went back for more, was hilarious, mostly because yudi doesn't speak english and i didn't speak spanish, so communication on what i was doing wrong and occasionally what i was doing right, was painful. but she was patient, and in the end, there were a few times she told me my moves were sexy - i'm not sure i agreed with her, there was a full sized mirror in front of me, so i could see what i was doing, but i wasn't going to contradict her, as it was such a great feeling to get some of the moves down. not to mention, i did find the beat every now and then and managed to hold it for an entire song, SUCCESS!<br />
she told me i would have to take samba lessons in rio and tango lessons in buenos aires. i didn't, but i will revisit salsa in cusco...Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-67956498070864130492011-04-19T08:22:00.000-07:002011-04-19T08:22:48.336-07:00metal headcapitol of the island that shall remain nameless<br />
c assured me that i would weary of photographing the old cars. i'm afraid i'd need to be there much longer for that to happen...<br />
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any time i saw a car with the hood up, i asked if i could take a picture of the engine. they usually looked at me like i was a little loony, but they generally said yes. i don't know that much about cars, but even i could tell that some of the parts didn't belong on those engine blocks...<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtJRuHukhYLkGy_K_-NR-Rwg6igm4Jv2_r5JZQef2YaIpugKdFll-9C2RUCUdinsu5nHPuFKYVDkWITqbsMpFdho7DTxD2v3RiA4CqrNgDsS_IKqKfaRt6DknpGCt5fcZLB60NHc4hkw/s1600/under+the+car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtJRuHukhYLkGy_K_-NR-Rwg6igm4Jv2_r5JZQef2YaIpugKdFll-9C2RUCUdinsu5nHPuFKYVDkWITqbsMpFdho7DTxD2v3RiA4CqrNgDsS_IKqKfaRt6DknpGCt5fcZLB60NHc4hkw/s320/under+the+car.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-51040816390178910762011-04-18T06:44:00.000-07:002011-04-18T10:46:26.087-07:00mah-keenahcapitol of the island that shall remain nameless<br />
sunday is a swell day to walk around the city. seems like everyone is enjoying a mellow day.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9GkDUBGyXJy-gckwzUwW_VC9x4IsszSE0VJpAKv0t7NY9OrjTyR4ubCoraXAhyZ3eCVGLKaGVNyXlqJEQMKqclv7CJwxktZ3-5qvFJpgT7ZJKeiBIa5LikmASXsAI4bVUtdCYTXryaA/s1600/sunday-baseball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9GkDUBGyXJy-gckwzUwW_VC9x4IsszSE0VJpAKv0t7NY9OrjTyR4ubCoraXAhyZ3eCVGLKaGVNyXlqJEQMKqclv7CJwxktZ3-5qvFJpgT7ZJKeiBIa5LikmASXsAI4bVUtdCYTXryaA/s400/sunday-baseball.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>kids are playing baseball.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OJbfMT9DtRfT7PpoF9Z6SHlKOVwOcedUl98wggjGWPjUtscWsrleC8LvPKZFr5WsCXZpMaS3Y8JAFk-ZlUwjUFl4MWfMwQCCpaj2ehQNomDXEM7XcrHbgO_AyiL3RkJkKYLaau14I_8/s1600/DSC_1410alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OJbfMT9DtRfT7PpoF9Z6SHlKOVwOcedUl98wggjGWPjUtscWsrleC8LvPKZFr5WsCXZpMaS3Y8JAFk-ZlUwjUFl4MWfMwQCCpaj2ehQNomDXEM7XcrHbgO_AyiL3RkJkKYLaau14I_8/s400/DSC_1410alt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>grandmas are gossiping together in the park. knives are being sharpened on a bicycle.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcU427QZSB8PEh86HcFJ5mo37g75Yo39crfYK119taPZfK8mLiuAdlZjHZhYcMVa-D1HoADuxStAs9OllRJegIsQlt2vhTIbYNeovoqxvgkjYXvR93nKWXz_dtoYGKCd-OCmk6XaLL_-4/s1600/DSC_1230alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcU427QZSB8PEh86HcFJ5mo37g75Yo39crfYK119taPZfK8mLiuAdlZjHZhYcMVa-D1HoADuxStAs9OllRJegIsQlt2vhTIbYNeovoqxvgkjYXvR93nKWXz_dtoYGKCd-OCmk6XaLL_-4/s400/DSC_1230alt.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>dogs are lolling.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44jcL8Vei_WTAPsnk-PGQGGJ6hxonomjxQbn_2gKhq8mKSFD-BQt7basCbcyVeM_xFTAykv-Yk0D6fWtdBW0ldaGq4PgtUUULlPXdduSAbVasc-nxzVd1xe7ntEyyWgwmf45iB-923jc/s1600/DSC_1497alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44jcL8Vei_WTAPsnk-PGQGGJ6hxonomjxQbn_2gKhq8mKSFD-BQt7basCbcyVeM_xFTAykv-Yk0D6fWtdBW0ldaGq4PgtUUULlPXdduSAbVasc-nxzVd1xe7ntEyyWgwmf45iB-923jc/s400/DSC_1497alt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>teen girls are showing off their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silly_Bandz">silly bandz</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8C5PnUiClGczmEAUOBpOXguW-62kDDJqpyZuZ183o1KHuwTXndstfiImeZ9XYdleL5KpxGJeQvlQIhWx3J9g2tm9fiWkfLBdovISaSnRCsQ_7AOGgqZKcWjJPGw_8qHICka4FeUNhTo/s1600/IMG_0923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8C5PnUiClGczmEAUOBpOXguW-62kDDJqpyZuZ183o1KHuwTXndstfiImeZ9XYdleL5KpxGJeQvlQIhWx3J9g2tm9fiWkfLBdovISaSnRCsQ_7AOGgqZKcWjJPGw_8qHICka4FeUNhTo/s320/IMG_0923.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>there are mini carnivals, complete with carnies and rides that look like death traps.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkc714VMaXT6DinGii1VYrfpsF9QNSKcPn_JqTVhYnpZssqGmOeSR7ivbcVlmviMvePc493ZdE0KVH03iy2PewDv30DtOOIHPpdGyrf2t57UNGtWax3mebtkaQcBUKJNEuwr5JJqRSR0/s1600/mortifica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkc714VMaXT6DinGii1VYrfpsF9QNSKcPn_JqTVhYnpZssqGmOeSR7ivbcVlmviMvePc493ZdE0KVH03iy2PewDv30DtOOIHPpdGyrf2t57UNGtWax3mebtkaQcBUKJNEuwr5JJqRSR0/s320/mortifica.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoFEuzGoE0aFL_guXJ1z5JQrH4j4kqlGeJmXi21Ca73hvn2tJDfm3Z-yl-ZLmRDQEXGYE79Lk76jF6cche6iZRuU1MixKiITN-EQqWpNip5b-3tPhxA2bKMXcRWNYd5cW0kSTn76vlHs/s1600/mortifica-DSC_0016-alt-carnival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoFEuzGoE0aFL_guXJ1z5JQrH4j4kqlGeJmXi21Ca73hvn2tJDfm3Z-yl-ZLmRDQEXGYE79Lk76jF6cche6iZRuU1MixKiITN-EQqWpNip5b-3tPhxA2bKMXcRWNYd5cW0kSTn76vlHs/s320/mortifica-DSC_0016-alt-carnival.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">to ride the "mortifica" or not?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>yes, it's a swell day to be out and about.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW40pOMaQ0kJ5K6wUffjXs-2YuDVCb6c_-Ar2xz7W3zro_cpM5btVYhSYFQGn7syezmdxw6qC3c_GsrasXxAZtZS1MAhy12yZct5ICqYjj-IweD8-Us6ESxfdDyRFyJyZYKLN840iVfko/s1600/mansion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW40pOMaQ0kJ5K6wUffjXs-2YuDVCb6c_-Ar2xz7W3zro_cpM5btVYhSYFQGn7syezmdxw6qC3c_GsrasXxAZtZS1MAhy12yZct5ICqYjj-IweD8-Us6ESxfdDyRFyJyZYKLN840iVfko/s200/mansion.jpg" width="141" /></a>c decided we would take a machina (pronounced mah-keenah), one of the vintage cars used as local public transportation, to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedado">vedado</a>, a neighborhood inhabited by spanish colonial mansions that have been converted into a sort of tenement housing.<br />
i took a gazillion photos, but the sun was so bright, most ended up being a bit blown out, i am sad to say. i wished i had used my filters - rookie mistake!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-4JHza2uDDxPTyEQRyzMU8yd3OCOjcst6kmNQ2eEqbz-j7cDAC-6e9Y3AsfEhL96Q3Qrm8RPsAqh_3l2r3r5PslqRfc0AEq_5X7elSQ4PRUJDCi5HdPK-g1d7DpMuE_QQh-ADBgVUns/s1600/IMG_0889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-4JHza2uDDxPTyEQRyzMU8yd3OCOjcst6kmNQ2eEqbz-j7cDAC-6e9Y3AsfEhL96Q3Qrm8RPsAqh_3l2r3r5PslqRfc0AEq_5X7elSQ4PRUJDCi5HdPK-g1d7DpMuE_QQh-ADBgVUns/s320/IMG_0889.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>the machina are beautiful. the cars are mostly beat up and being held together with rubber bands, spit and pride, but they are still gorgeous - maybe even more than the mint condition ones you see in car shows because they are still being used every day, all day long. mostly they run on specific routes, kind of like buses. you stick out your hand, they pull over, you say where you are going and usually you hop in. they are not meant for tourists. you pay with the cuban money meant only for cubans. i don’t know if it is legal to ride in them. i don’t know if it is legal to have the pesos nationales. but when i am with c, i live on the edge.<br />
we flagged down a real cherry - it was red with just a touch of sparkle and appeared to be in perfect condition. the young man behind the wheel looked like he ought to be going to a hot rod convention. c and i climbed in the back and e got in front. we drove about two blocks when the driver decided to negotiate for cucs instead of pesos nationales. the ride should cost around 40 cents each. he wanted $3 each. c said no, he kicked us to the curb. undaunted, c flagged down another. this car was blue and had been repainted numerous times with paint that has no business being anywhere near metal. it looked beaten down by the life it had led. i was thrilled.<br />
noisy, rumbly, spacious, old. i love vintage. i love the machina!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjir-5qHzb2mais95u1j-QjTc2Z9-MiSS7JAkUDwCmV3yMxJI5OXHRuWg0gyPyTf8JEbNrfbCWZ7RVbfZZlDml1WPDQEmCGlAY44KCZMzv_BlxO8qK9cuHDlls5HN7A45XqMuwwS6NpfMU/s1600/DSC_0043-alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjir-5qHzb2mais95u1j-QjTc2Z9-MiSS7JAkUDwCmV3yMxJI5OXHRuWg0gyPyTf8JEbNrfbCWZ7RVbfZZlDml1WPDQEmCGlAY44KCZMzv_BlxO8qK9cuHDlls5HN7A45XqMuwwS6NpfMU/s400/DSC_0043-alt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJTLZ3ApxuyG6goX_0hu22qtYHgmmVnhZN0Y1kwMlqaFd_Y10FwOHR838i839s5VRWorQAQvr1uADCqvRjOg1zYC9NSqr7d1QN6gnR3rp-ySAetvJExcSAaSedul9LOxr0DcLzRWANdA/s1600/machina-family-parts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJTLZ3ApxuyG6goX_0hu22qtYHgmmVnhZN0Y1kwMlqaFd_Y10FwOHR838i839s5VRWorQAQvr1uADCqvRjOg1zYC9NSqr7d1QN6gnR3rp-ySAetvJExcSAaSedul9LOxr0DcLzRWANdA/s200/machina-family-parts.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnWvW43YukIa-Ch7cgLpnJc0S3DPbYtbzxflSSCTcwhWSOaX8ugEaIVOPQ-TVJogr6y57lmtO166O9tTWxIZXnGg_ZCt_Cdemp6ghcc2NmDBtaPbIUpB-JmYzZZ8brgwQ9xgV4PE6w1Q/s1600/machina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnWvW43YukIa-Ch7cgLpnJc0S3DPbYtbzxflSSCTcwhWSOaX8ugEaIVOPQ-TVJogr6y57lmtO166O9tTWxIZXnGg_ZCt_Cdemp6ghcc2NmDBtaPbIUpB-JmYzZZ8brgwQ9xgV4PE6w1Q/s200/machina.jpg" width="185" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3x6gBAO2jZT3MoCZAsdsXmAlOKvqgEOkJu2uaURUGzetvKlDjKjvq96XD8jaEepnHQRaP69vRAkkYkoI5iimr154127IiYeiCb3xQ9QL09najcdMfI0MVFW6LGyBiWMC-dDWDu6AWUUA/s1600/DSC_1527alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3x6gBAO2jZT3MoCZAsdsXmAlOKvqgEOkJu2uaURUGzetvKlDjKjvq96XD8jaEepnHQRaP69vRAkkYkoI5iimr154127IiYeiCb3xQ9QL09najcdMfI0MVFW6LGyBiWMC-dDWDu6AWUUA/s400/DSC_1527alt.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9AQTwA4OnlxW6HgF48r63rI5nRjwIIWsckL81qYrZcRekcmIOQ60Ui5bugw-7CLvTbwqweU4CE3QuJdhb__0-o3JIr3Tm5XpK-hzfmYDMuTkAPw7GWhD-maeeX1-SXJIvXUDpp0OXcI/s1600/machinas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9AQTwA4OnlxW6HgF48r63rI5nRjwIIWsckL81qYrZcRekcmIOQ60Ui5bugw-7CLvTbwqweU4CE3QuJdhb__0-o3JIr3Tm5XpK-hzfmYDMuTkAPw7GWhD-maeeX1-SXJIvXUDpp0OXcI/s320/machinas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEWe_GrG9KXuwQIyUXEvg1LQ-WYk4lJEuAF8P5GM_rVn1YHLfpUnOgC5ZM4ZpuhyFdaxEZw_Tw_TnKS_cVxkkTb4RfCLiST9vMXGpzIZCog2JnsFBOsbMq_TwdLzEjWtOUk_xIyI2eg4/s1600/modelT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEWe_GrG9KXuwQIyUXEvg1LQ-WYk4lJEuAF8P5GM_rVn1YHLfpUnOgC5ZM4ZpuhyFdaxEZw_Tw_TnKS_cVxkkTb4RfCLiST9vMXGpzIZCog2JnsFBOsbMq_TwdLzEjWtOUk_xIyI2eg4/s320/modelT.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8E6Zuus-WhVoYgX2lXC48veELomtKHf3b8J-elnfHFzReUoUD47bcECMWJF5chTkIEkGG41sUp0dhoafPxbg7IaqlT_OYl2xd4u-pgENcXCo8hoIhDFf1u4mdSYwi90bxuU6z9MaaRA/s1600/DSC_0927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8E6Zuus-WhVoYgX2lXC48veELomtKHf3b8J-elnfHFzReUoUD47bcECMWJF5chTkIEkGG41sUp0dhoafPxbg7IaqlT_OYl2xd4u-pgENcXCo8hoIhDFf1u4mdSYwi90bxuU6z9MaaRA/s640/DSC_0927.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-80297453951263328042011-04-17T06:50:00.000-07:002011-04-17T14:24:12.695-07:00fowlcapitol of the island that shall remain nameless<br />
one day, while walking with c&e, i surreptitiously grabbed a quick (slightly out of focus) photo of this guy:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tk6wSw7ZaUO2gjMQRrqwLbvGfYlcGfsp6iAgX9TWx0TunjoZvdwIBLvCH6vz5bfoT_ukMdZx5MiQ-GhX5hBctOoz273Lyo70o69NY43fczVbweIYO-HWznqpx6uiGXXMR_wBA5vIDJY/s1600/trim-rooster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tk6wSw7ZaUO2gjMQRrqwLbvGfYlcGfsp6iAgX9TWx0TunjoZvdwIBLvCH6vz5bfoT_ukMdZx5MiQ-GhX5hBctOoz273Lyo70o69NY43fczVbweIYO-HWznqpx6uiGXXMR_wBA5vIDJY/s640/trim-rooster.jpg" width="369" /></a></div>as we walked away i jokingly said, 'i just took a photo of a guy trimming his rooster and that isn't a euphemism.' what followed was a slightly blue conversation about what 'trimming your rooster' could be a euphemism for...these are the moments that will still make me laugh in 30 years.Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-31926277381958427562011-04-10T17:50:00.000-07:002011-04-18T10:47:31.949-07:00facescapitol of the island that shall remain nameless<br />
<br />
here are some shots i took of random people that piqued my interest...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59dU4kRkomS7ZR3oJUOWXbxC23EDg2SIIammzHi-sTYFJj5o0y_82wuIeW0zohFM-RM-Erii_xAXa0_36vDe_wuhl8ewphUT75D5b8q8i1yZD5rSb9-xayhQ5P44fnJgfYEk8Yzcg1Jc/s1600/belinda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59dU4kRkomS7ZR3oJUOWXbxC23EDg2SIIammzHi-sTYFJj5o0y_82wuIeW0zohFM-RM-Erii_xAXa0_36vDe_wuhl8ewphUT75D5b8q8i1yZD5rSb9-xayhQ5P44fnJgfYEk8Yzcg1Jc/s400/belinda.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">shopping</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmwN7oCB_To3Y7LTrn9TZ1EdfVSMDXIvyxKlQy7i2yBoz5LVOhS_Uk4xXqUdPqEUrcW5ZvxNu5XsReXZcQytaR7yU5FIkicvPOdb26V0mZrY2RrQ344ulxMqlrvdI0enMj1oghTCuicQ/s1600/blind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmwN7oCB_To3Y7LTrn9TZ1EdfVSMDXIvyxKlQy7i2yBoz5LVOhS_Uk4xXqUdPqEUrcW5ZvxNu5XsReXZcQytaR7yU5FIkicvPOdb26V0mZrY2RrQ344ulxMqlrvdI0enMj1oghTCuicQ/s400/blind.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">street musician</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYK8owG6j4KvhpehMo6RgS3gqYWEh89upBzCK3rH81nxPGPMCYrWUGwFR42OYNhc0dbmE4MIMxwj1dgL4CK8tCTeGAu5gI614QN3ofVuGSKDb05KzWuSdMhusUZsmdtkg-JZP-MxT_Q0c/s1600/bottle-seller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYK8owG6j4KvhpehMo6RgS3gqYWEh89upBzCK3rH81nxPGPMCYrWUGwFR42OYNhc0dbmE4MIMxwj1dgL4CK8tCTeGAu5gI614QN3ofVuGSKDb05KzWuSdMhusUZsmdtkg-JZP-MxT_Q0c/s400/bottle-seller.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bottle seller</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7eQzumUhc6ubgfdyhJ4hnKtZd6wSbYMh46v1GXGZwqFqEhacW5L2SvYqBwi7kvzcEvdzis5rLzuYhw9jUif2J-MUebzKn2Cf2pdVSmVY6LAqpr46nKXJT03jKowkZdsP2q-APsedohM/s1600/hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7eQzumUhc6ubgfdyhJ4hnKtZd6wSbYMh46v1GXGZwqFqEhacW5L2SvYqBwi7kvzcEvdzis5rLzuYhw9jUif2J-MUebzKn2Cf2pdVSmVY6LAqpr46nKXJT03jKowkZdsP2q-APsedohM/s400/hair.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hair ties</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrVIXJKce7uw0murVz8W_WL-s6f-53fQCH3y6tWNFLWSWP3jh2oz1pgTPbF5FwY5bKvZSXZH5YuBVr0U8vwKfRHYWHcb3z85gpg8SDolHZjrwWS8qjumhFkE2RyWhcyYuo2dOyn3DI0A/s1600/IMG_1084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrVIXJKce7uw0murVz8W_WL-s6f-53fQCH3y6tWNFLWSWP3jh2oz1pgTPbF5FwY5bKvZSXZH5YuBVr0U8vwKfRHYWHcb3z85gpg8SDolHZjrwWS8qjumhFkE2RyWhcyYuo2dOyn3DI0A/s400/IMG_1084.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">chess</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGNtsn7HUFbB3oOgJUf3YXXJ1xYPLoeopZLx9xYbFReZNIKA3-6Ky44-LMYrrjNihY_4BwzvhalBCGn63s9rsfM1j0L4GRUZEoLc_FgmHZAfC1aOGU_F_VhgvETuyeBm7Dpc3UApKGUA/s1600/matching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGNtsn7HUFbB3oOgJUf3YXXJ1xYPLoeopZLx9xYbFReZNIKA3-6Ky44-LMYrrjNihY_4BwzvhalBCGn63s9rsfM1j0L4GRUZEoLc_FgmHZAfC1aOGU_F_VhgvETuyeBm7Dpc3UApKGUA/s400/matching.jpg" width="342" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">matching date</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eJSOMvRyEzO4RS0pKxwaV2InHKlIihwovWUwuC3-GuPlW2qjtz5P05zNNc0hi336EzxwtXXXct_tNe2Cviv21EV4ls5C8WFtSLfjdfLmAbXOzsqUYFjrGkbbjpACizGERx1kSteD0wY/s1600/pedicab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eJSOMvRyEzO4RS0pKxwaV2InHKlIihwovWUwuC3-GuPlW2qjtz5P05zNNc0hi336EzxwtXXXct_tNe2Cviv21EV4ls5C8WFtSLfjdfLmAbXOzsqUYFjrGkbbjpACizGERx1kSteD0wY/s400/pedicab.jpg" width="345" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pedicab I</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04GmNz7__7DKB0_rfvSqoy-EYnza5n6ogcnthN_G4_Dgae_CGnbZ9Raz0ImYaqiQY7Cdt5vJOj2aq_XwKR1_JcZC2DaShHx82nzIZ3vl0Mx-y-JLJlvSc1X7igC0s-DT_hu2GdWlFieQ/s1600/rapido.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04GmNz7__7DKB0_rfvSqoy-EYnza5n6ogcnthN_G4_Dgae_CGnbZ9Raz0ImYaqiQY7Cdt5vJOj2aq_XwKR1_JcZC2DaShHx82nzIZ3vl0Mx-y-JLJlvSc1X7igC0s-DT_hu2GdWlFieQ/s400/rapido.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pedicab II</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvNNSfp04LmwdaQfoOp2jpZp-ILmKJEcsPnEjpBDl-t0U53qf1AgsVC1Lei8ZhE5EYgDQtVuG8ibjjrwqPv7Inuu1hndstbMhBalVHx4QE6PHif2eZ6AQUTP8naRh-F3fTBEknXuNm-E/s1600/reds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvNNSfp04LmwdaQfoOp2jpZp-ILmKJEcsPnEjpBDl-t0U53qf1AgsVC1Lei8ZhE5EYgDQtVuG8ibjjrwqPv7Inuu1hndstbMhBalVHx4QE6PHif2eZ6AQUTP8naRh-F3fTBEknXuNm-E/s400/reds.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">reds</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOgzKixVauPCI83mz9N0-RfpvEMouY1EolfITnCBk214EmEgT0EuBMNKwrhWtR-IgXnZ9lR0FU1la7v9nhFoffjHWn3JLRL547hQO7Q3mPzcLdw8oit3cJujioSMrqQBKH_pufkikjB7k/s1600/tomatoe+sauce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOgzKixVauPCI83mz9N0-RfpvEMouY1EolfITnCBk214EmEgT0EuBMNKwrhWtR-IgXnZ9lR0FU1la7v9nhFoffjHWn3JLRL547hQO7Q3mPzcLdw8oit3cJujioSMrqQBKH_pufkikjB7k/s400/tomatoe+sauce.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">black market tomato sauce</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmC0gm-wAwOuh-CLBzPopVy1Q7IELbxdHmRzG8-yt9aJKmObTnIQhiZEShEkS6CVJP8nJ3gfyUgt1UuhG3sUXNoN_uwYuvtMtivcnPyMC3KU4mjlHed8tb9LmFxUyMOTwFA0sp1_jVWR8/s1600/unloading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmC0gm-wAwOuh-CLBzPopVy1Q7IELbxdHmRzG8-yt9aJKmObTnIQhiZEShEkS6CVJP8nJ3gfyUgt1UuhG3sUXNoN_uwYuvtMtivcnPyMC3KU4mjlHed8tb9LmFxUyMOTwFA0sp1_jVWR8/s400/unloading.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">deliveries</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-48717083989548087212011-04-07T07:43:00.000-07:002011-04-18T10:52:08.615-07:00baseball<div class="post-header"></div>capitol of the island that shall remain nameless<br />
america's favorite pastime is shared by the islanders. on saturday and sunday, everywhere you go, there are kids playing the best game ever.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzl7r-Gveoc2T_Nc0KsCH1Oayd_PqiUp203Bzb2mRbhGF_tMOE6tPtfFUuLsZgP8n1voCwW499hoRE_wa_oDE-j3ajcd9zOCMNqdiaei7XRFrCx9Tfl22A_3PMfCH6wYyv2Lcisjgj0f4/s1600/baseball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzl7r-Gveoc2T_Nc0KsCH1Oayd_PqiUp203Bzb2mRbhGF_tMOE6tPtfFUuLsZgP8n1voCwW499hoRE_wa_oDE-j3ajcd9zOCMNqdiaei7XRFrCx9Tfl22A_3PMfCH6wYyv2Lcisjgj0f4/s400/baseball.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">abandoned buildings make great diamonds</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IryGCdE5BW5lhIkDprdIRoIbe3nXI8C_5gcp7J31gKjFuMmxfDjITfmRAFF2oY-3WgCddfj43j5TAZLGVYvk82uPFp12RO6nJ1_GdlBsUpd2NY_0hqKXT87HJwPC82oWfUX7TwSOzaQ/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IryGCdE5BW5lhIkDprdIRoIbe3nXI8C_5gcp7J31gKjFuMmxfDjITfmRAFF2oY-3WgCddfj43j5TAZLGVYvk82uPFp12RO6nJ1_GdlBsUpd2NY_0hqKXT87HJwPC82oWfUX7TwSOzaQ/s320/team.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">machete or baseball bat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>balls are prohibitively expensive, as one might expect, so the players make do with whatever they can scrape together. i saw a lot of old balls barely stitched together, tennis balls, a few handballs and several spheres of tape, who knows what was inside. i also saw broomsticks, random bits of wood and broken bats being used. these kids will be great ball players one day!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBEx-FwkNsmB7f6b3z3BG40Gg1KZtqdHmNeEc_lRWUXyzwGUb6nXvqen4vl7I2T4yWo0SRMf5mgvQwG18QSxqCeUpqOA72UWdpQIRlCYm4cTtrIzbh-mTVN9L0h8EDRwcGUPTEJwlhog/s1600/giants-car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBEx-FwkNsmB7f6b3z3BG40Gg1KZtqdHmNeEc_lRWUXyzwGUb6nXvqen4vl7I2T4yWo0SRMf5mgvQwG18QSxqCeUpqOA72UWdpQIRlCYm4cTtrIzbh-mTVN9L0h8EDRwcGUPTEJwlhog/s200/giants-car.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">giants fan?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>as a huge fan of the game, seriously, a sunny day at pacbell park (or whatever they are calling it these days) watching my <a href="http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=sf">Giants</a> play is simply the best, i thought about loading up a spare suitcase with baseballs to bring and hand out. the problem was i didn't know for certain whether or not i was going to get to the island, and in the end i gave up the idea. fortunately i had mentioned it to c, and she had brought a few. the smiles we got in return for a bit of leather and cotton were wonderful.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvQYevOXlo-uAKLolGQzK5WwQUJ8B_iZxQgce_WFgjEggdMHzUjEStQhNkZS9UUUBWOjGL3_THbP6E3nKWY5P1Jkg6Yk44OpW32w-sBo0GRz4d1Tc3RKl-9TdIyfh34MHRIz5uRdgRDU/s1600/free-baseball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvQYevOXlo-uAKLolGQzK5WwQUJ8B_iZxQgce_WFgjEggdMHzUjEStQhNkZS9UUUBWOjGL3_THbP6E3nKWY5P1Jkg6Yk44OpW32w-sBo0GRz4d1Tc3RKl-9TdIyfh34MHRIz5uRdgRDU/s640/free-baseball.jpg" width="433" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">new ball, new team captain!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBEx-FwkNsmB7f6b3z3BG40Gg1KZtqdHmNeEc_lRWUXyzwGUb6nXvqen4vl7I2T4yWo0SRMf5mgvQwG18QSxqCeUpqOA72UWdpQIRlCYm4cTtrIzbh-mTVN9L0h8EDRwcGUPTEJwlhog/s1600/giants-car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqm3ZsQX_FtGCRRCd7xRkwo5o4lS4_6ATDlZ0qMRK5QCKl30qpPgpB62phaVeYy3tsAqJwKr0kdQgBeZ6L66sp73DLl4SrCNFfBYACTyvYTPqsU3iwuL7aBpwdczae8GDcVgLdwxGSGM/s1600/IMG_1021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqm3ZsQX_FtGCRRCd7xRkwo5o4lS4_6ATDlZ0qMRK5QCKl30qpPgpB62phaVeYy3tsAqJwKr0kdQgBeZ6L66sp73DLl4SrCNFfBYACTyvYTPqsU3iwuL7aBpwdczae8GDcVgLdwxGSGM/s320/IMG_1021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the big leagues</td></tr>
</tbody></table>i did manage to go to one professional game, though the two teams were so ill matched, it felt a bit more like a minor league team vs goliath, and in the end, with the score 11-1, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industriales">Industriales</a> smashing La Isla, the losers didn't even get their last at bat. i felt cheated, but everyone else seemed happy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8uEMcCxmnztxsDaXrVFoV50DyVvNmK6Wzh8VRCmo6nUUXR7aHLITJnqgJJLidg9GSKghxpWlS_5kE27tUL1KgSySb1trnXpPUTisdHIfm9Vbb1b2RkVrGYWfZX6PorEObGx64JBYq2ck/s1600/IMG_1028-richard_williams-looking_for_a_cougar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8uEMcCxmnztxsDaXrVFoV50DyVvNmK6Wzh8VRCmo6nUUXR7aHLITJnqgJJLidg9GSKghxpWlS_5kE27tUL1KgSySb1trnXpPUTisdHIfm9Vbb1b2RkVrGYWfZX6PorEObGx64JBYq2ck/s200/IMG_1028-richard_williams-looking_for_a_cougar.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my new friend Richard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>i got lucky, too, because i sat next to a young fella who had the patience of Job and an interest in conversation with the gringa. he helped me figure out who i was watching and gave me the skinny on the retired superstars who were wandering the stands getting mobbed with autograph requests.<br />
lastly, no matter how old you are or where you are from, if you are a fan, when you catch a game ball, there is nothing more thrilling! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoE3eGgs7sPHLo5k4CiXkvHjrIw3Sq6ImWsf7wP1dKz_d0TAXzp0FgeEaMX64IU5kFAsw858G5WsKPANizufJoMWCjoHCoZ3nnn9kj_oNcdFQJJ22i80yU6_Z0U3qkKjAV64woTZpr2Zc/s1600/IMG_1016-foul_ball.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoE3eGgs7sPHLo5k4CiXkvHjrIw3Sq6ImWsf7wP1dKz_d0TAXzp0FgeEaMX64IU5kFAsw858G5WsKPANizufJoMWCjoHCoZ3nnn9kj_oNcdFQJJ22i80yU6_Z0U3qkKjAV64woTZpr2Zc/s320/IMG_1016-foul_ball.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">foul ball</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-54286702348119049062011-03-25T07:53:00.000-07:002011-03-25T11:51:49.380-07:00bvsccapitol of the island that shall remain nameless<br />
i don't get out much at night when i travel by myself. a sense of safety, i think. but there is also a desire to be part of the real place, not the stuff set up for tourists and, generally, i'm not in the know of these local haunts, so i forgo the pleasure.<br />
music and dancing are a huge part of the culture on the island, it seems like everyone i met was a <i>cantante</i> or a <i>músico</i> and had a cd available for purchase. because of c and our loose tie to ernesto 'gato', singer extraordinaire, i got to venture out and experience club egram (see fortuna post). gato had invited c & e to see him perform and while there were a couple foreigners in the crowd, it was mostly made up of a crush of enthusiastic locals. the musicians traded spots on the stage regularly and dancers would jump up on stage and shake their tail feathers, much to the entertainment of the crowd.<br />
too much fun, after c left, i went back on my own a couple more times - being an honorary habanera was awesome!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcY6l8a5eM3eF1ou0qmtac-I9iisIjvH731urg9muJSJT2hoL8q9Bg9KqfBgEmtzsadCOLAfznzaQ_PiwMOkKus31bASdn3RZ9NUE6qVU5AWbYQ8HS5oOxxoKGH1hDmOhWNBgDD0IAUfU/s1600/drums.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcY6l8a5eM3eF1ou0qmtac-I9iisIjvH731urg9muJSJT2hoL8q9Bg9KqfBgEmtzsadCOLAfznzaQ_PiwMOkKus31bASdn3RZ9NUE6qVU5AWbYQ8HS5oOxxoKGH1hDmOhWNBgDD0IAUfU/s400/drums.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my buena vista social club </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-33409826941098899712011-03-24T15:40:00.000-07:002011-03-24T15:41:53.863-07:00crumbscapitol of the island that shall remain nameless<br />
cubans love cake. it is everywhere. the oddest thing is seeing a large macho-ish man standing on the street with a makeshift cardboard tray holding a miniature cake frosted in white and pink like a wedding cake, offering slices for 1 cuc each (about $1.13), touting how delicious it is...just awesome, unlike the cake, which usually disappointed me, i suppose i have pretty high standards when it comes to baked goods. folks who like supermarket tray cakes would probably be more than happy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvyFYluepsl2O5GgMnf1NGg_2OCo3-_7gRVovW0YJNg8kbWKrUqdSB-6m-qB1fxpTCQhASDQs2mJo9LPIlm_P4NLjKn1Cg9LCXhWzfkEElUjvEI8mxws3OGqNTdChLY28oR_P-bKtZxY/s1600/cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvyFYluepsl2O5GgMnf1NGg_2OCo3-_7gRVovW0YJNg8kbWKrUqdSB-6m-qB1fxpTCQhASDQs2mJo9LPIlm_P4NLjKn1Cg9LCXhWzfkEElUjvEI8mxws3OGqNTdChLY28oR_P-bKtZxY/s400/cake.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">just purchased from the macho guy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-37080371307938631002011-03-24T09:55:00.000-07:002011-04-18T10:59:32.730-07:00ultimocapitol of the island that shall remain nameless<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVI0QWfpDphE3hJt0L-ybiYGsvq4UvIROT01KvZcsx8_EihT5z-WFymZ-WERXicqanTp2NvJmZNmCm0zuZxCgI7yPIoz2d8q5IfLK8ozNcz7rCq_EmTt5RPKCCjQsYEI5z2ea-T6dn6k/s1600/pedi-cab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVI0QWfpDphE3hJt0L-ybiYGsvq4UvIROT01KvZcsx8_EihT5z-WFymZ-WERXicqanTp2NvJmZNmCm0zuZxCgI7yPIoz2d8q5IfLK8ozNcz7rCq_EmTt5RPKCCjQsYEI5z2ea-T6dn6k/s320/pedi-cab.jpg" width="218" /></a>i believe i mentioned in jamaica that i am a wuss when it comes to cold showers.<br />
i stayed with alba, intending to spend my entire visit with her. i was being eaten alive by mosquitoes but i didn’t care, she was swell, and she had helped me find c. i was grateful and i would show it. c immediately started trying to get me to move to la casa de candida y pedro. i said no, i’d stay with alba in her not so nice neighborhood. the casa was very nice, conveniently located in a slightly better neighborhood, candy and pedro were swell, and they didn’t seem to have mosquitoes, but i was grateful to alba. right up until i went to take a much needed shower. cold water. ugh. i couldn’t bare to step in, so i opted to just wash my hair in the sink. i despise cold water.<br />
i asked c if they had hot water - yes they did.<br />
how soon could i move in?<br />
so much for loyalty to saint alba.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiQJ6PoIQPWy9uFydL7BniV_MAsD2W9lmBwHCzU5nRllIDgF3xm4UOUu0QPoUzgKpnxzkEdDb_T7DtXkzBKs7VGsmTt2x1EsOcFGqa6BTaQonmwAEk1SrPbmCsrGInPakWr9KJDlXU8E/s1600/blue-building.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiQJ6PoIQPWy9uFydL7BniV_MAsD2W9lmBwHCzU5nRllIDgF3xm4UOUu0QPoUzgKpnxzkEdDb_T7DtXkzBKs7VGsmTt2x1EsOcFGqa6BTaQonmwAEk1SrPbmCsrGInPakWr9KJDlXU8E/s320/blue-building.jpg" width="169" /></a>i spent my first full day wandering in old havana with c. she showed me the ropes, from buying peanuts to waiting in line at the best restaurant in town - and this is important to know! they have a very civilized queuing system, you go up to the last person in the line and ask them 'ultimo?' if they say yes, you are now the last person in line, but if they say no, they point to the last person they handed off the ultimo position to and you go up to them and ask 'ultimo?' and again they either say yes, or point to someone else. this way you can wait in line, comfortably lounging against a wall down the way, or sitting on a bench, or in the actual line, up to you, ultimo!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Lr4LPBDLbFf-qmVAYeUf0zRkUmHiCQvLP4uDbkcBvp5HanryyNU3e6Mp6lL5ywNF2TA30ahaclIoLIHjyLBz4pqA8cbRveFB_mp9OEwHN7a-vPCqZcIvzEkx_ujIauaVeifyldrINB4/s1600/red-car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Lr4LPBDLbFf-qmVAYeUf0zRkUmHiCQvLP4uDbkcBvp5HanryyNU3e6Mp6lL5ywNF2TA30ahaclIoLIHjyLBz4pqA8cbRveFB_mp9OEwHN7a-vPCqZcIvzEkx_ujIauaVeifyldrINB4/s400/red-car.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_i_rVE2biECrl0_nFPZO5i9hCWh-9muls8kenW4I4qxapvLuM23D7lUakSoW-aZ-Uck7ITrr6_DFpxpT5TLbF-f5UbHNaW5xrhQI-cztPNzqX8abhMNed_HdyIQcnbB2qVMk5DMSZb0/s1600/red-car-carol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_i_rVE2biECrl0_nFPZO5i9hCWh-9muls8kenW4I4qxapvLuM23D7lUakSoW-aZ-Uck7ITrr6_DFpxpT5TLbF-f5UbHNaW5xrhQI-cztPNzqX8abhMNed_HdyIQcnbB2qVMk5DMSZb0/s200/red-car-carol.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C reflecting on old dodge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>we got hot chocolate at <a href="http://www.curious-food-lover.com/culinary-activity/7305/the-chocolate-museum">the chocolate museum</a>, went to a modern art museum, ate wonderful pesto pasta at <a href="http://www.havana-guide.com/restaurant-los-nardos.html">los nardos</a>, wandered the streets with me snapping wildly at every amazing car i saw.<br />
c assured me i would grow accustomed to seeing them - i didn't. she pointed out places i should go and warned me away from places they had found disappointing (names quickly forgotten).<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAQNzaidZQkJa0ACaXFG9ZQSb1HwVrD5BxUbtcDHrh8CTLPK1dc04z3IJY_3DZZkCfb07nnR36z5OpTzhapeJK_awXtCFam2o4yu_xbxYEXyg3a8snPPLbFvdPabJesNqQYOa3N_rQyg/s1600/white-car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAQNzaidZQkJa0ACaXFG9ZQSb1HwVrD5BxUbtcDHrh8CTLPK1dc04z3IJY_3DZZkCfb07nnR36z5OpTzhapeJK_awXtCFam2o4yu_xbxYEXyg3a8snPPLbFvdPabJesNqQYOa3N_rQyg/s200/white-car.jpg" width="200" /></a>c and e walked me back to alba’s that night and i spent the remainder of the evening watching episodes of <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/modern-family"><i>modern family</i></a> while i packed my gear and made alba a felted flower pin, wishing i had more that i could give her.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib93BoMSVYCHFOxslLbkdMX8qB1-JF7n-lhhYotm46TdGA0j3loLKIJ4Hw33E8HQ4IW19EdebVOHjeR5pOAqIV2YCXjixyj32-eHey_V_NbpVSBdNnP8W2k8EUel1yY1OAzsqmLphzTbw/s1600/teal-car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib93BoMSVYCHFOxslLbkdMX8qB1-JF7n-lhhYotm46TdGA0j3loLKIJ4Hw33E8HQ4IW19EdebVOHjeR5pOAqIV2YCXjixyj32-eHey_V_NbpVSBdNnP8W2k8EUel1yY1OAzsqmLphzTbw/s400/teal-car.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>in the morning i told her i was moving and she seemed to understand. 'claro'.<br />
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</a></div>loaded up, i hoofed it over to my new casa.Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-12871177511447897472011-02-04T14:29:00.000-08:002011-02-04T14:29:55.174-08:00embargo - a mild political rantcapitol of the island that shall remain nameless<br />
when i went to egypt a couple of years ago, i thought no place would ever give me the same sense of belonging and homecoming that i felt there, but i was wrong.<br />
these island people were incredibly open and kind to me, which was a surprise considering my government is responsible for much of the hardships of their daily life. granted, most folks watched me with a stern eye, but as soon as i gave them a big smile and a hearty ‘hola’ or a wave, their cool demeanor would melt instantly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRpOzv1Er9UM5dw9IEzJSRSd13qbpq4OzYwCPbaWccyyFKrX_5dOjXrzsdziFcp5KLjDqiVKWB6bK2AxT9jKT-O_Y_ws1TDEgBFpEODKsASWHv6FM-KSHLFjpKlMqX_RTeMHXiAXl-Rc/s1600/cuban+family-alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRpOzv1Er9UM5dw9IEzJSRSd13qbpq4OzYwCPbaWccyyFKrX_5dOjXrzsdziFcp5KLjDqiVKWB6bK2AxT9jKT-O_Y_ws1TDEgBFpEODKsASWHv6FM-KSHLFjpKlMqX_RTeMHXiAXl-Rc/s320/cuban+family-alt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">folks who befriended me on one of my walks</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
i don’t speak a lick of spanish and anticipated the isolation that comes from being a monoglot in a foreign land - instead i got people who patiently tried to make conversation with lots of starts and stops as i referred to my dictionary or handed it to them.<br />
i want very much to learn spanish, just so i can go back one day and discuss everything from the price of milk to politics (though those are actually the same thing in havana).<br />
i watched c, who is fluent, have conversations that revealed much about how people really feel and what they are going through. i was jealous that i could only participate through her, but grateful that i got a glimpse at all.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSnhoZbO_f_KFvGdVxjRMZUU4LuR8S6PJaTAB5hXoXBQALLIC2WWv26UdhvdUe_Hxu9aHFpK8j03lGUSnww_p-2-miUL4zB72InxnYmgkyLbbq0C064OMH2FbRnSP_SIMBbvHdV7TeAk/s1600/Don-t-shoot-your-eye-out-a-christmas-story-3189191-800-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSnhoZbO_f_KFvGdVxjRMZUU4LuR8S6PJaTAB5hXoXBQALLIC2WWv26UdhvdUe_Hxu9aHFpK8j03lGUSnww_p-2-miUL4zB72InxnYmgkyLbbq0C064OMH2FbRnSP_SIMBbvHdV7TeAk/s200/Don-t-shoot-your-eye-out-a-christmas-story-3189191-800-600.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>from my limited knowledge of the past, i have developed a big old soft spot for these people. before the trip i believed the embargo should be lifted and felt it was unjust, but now i am completely bewildered by my government - they are behaving like spoiled children, throwing a tantrum because a toy they misused was taken away from them.<br />
<br />
i wouldn’t go so far as to say that ‘el senior’ is a good leader, i’ve heard too many stories of things he has done to punish people who have disagreed with or stood up to him, but i do see how we created the situation that caused him to become the man he is today. he WAS an idealist, striving to free the cubans who were suffering under batista’s self serving rule, free them from the greedy stranglehold of a handful of american corporations that were striping the islands natural resources without reasonable compensation. nationalizing the plantations was pure robin hood heroics and eisenhower was the sheriff of nottingham. if he hadn't been taking from us, we'd have been celebrating him rather than demonizing him.<br />
by cutting off trade and strong arming our allies into following our lead, we forced fidel into a relationship with the only folks who would deal with him, our enemies. the soviets paid attention - the enemy of my enemy is my friend.<br />
<br />
the people have paid for their independence, in spades, and i think it is time for my government to get over themselves, end the embargo and begin talking to the island that is so damn close you can swim there.<br />
a bar of soap should not cost $5.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmcO4HrNVGkci6b7DssYBNr4Ry5_wv34Nf3Hf6Uykgacn5poSJCC9uwYdlTkEslY4BF3YCxeayVd0yrP-b7rg4zG-KcOn5dF15OgiJdD77ItEGrngNUswcyLgAL9OS-H-LpkCXBu-e_nY/s1600/superstore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmcO4HrNVGkci6b7DssYBNr4Ry5_wv34Nf3Hf6Uykgacn5poSJCC9uwYdlTkEslY4BF3YCxeayVd0yrP-b7rg4zG-KcOn5dF15OgiJdD77ItEGrngNUswcyLgAL9OS-H-LpkCXBu-e_nY/s400/superstore.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">typical 'superstore' nothing like costco</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-51086368757053651992011-01-26T03:18:00.000-08:002011-04-18T11:01:29.997-07:00fortunamontego bay, jamaica to the capitol of the island that shall remain nameless<br />
it is hard to know where to start. the buildings, the people, the cars, the food, the politics, the crazy fates that allowed me to connect with my friends. i guess i should start at the beginning...<br />
<br />
when i arrived, i was anxious. i didn’t know what to expect of the immigration and customs people, and honestly, i expected them to be hard on anyone from usa. getting through the first was a little freaky - not speaking spanish, i watched as the young woman inspected my documents and i volunteered information before i was asked in an effort to avoid any confusion, she frowned at me. i was told to take a step back. ok. ‘look into the camera.’ oh, ok, little strange. ‘do not to smile.’ <br />
oooh kaaay.<br />
i jokingly, and nervously, said ‘now i look like a criminal’ to which she replied with no inflection of humor, ‘si’. <br />
zoikes. <br />
when i headed through customs i had a purse filled with little treats arlene (my adopted jamaican mama) wanted me to take to alba, the saint who was going to help me get my feet firmly on the ground in havana. the purse contained tea, incense, jello, soap and a large ziplock full of candy. the agent who scanned the purse said something to me in spanish. i apologized and said ‘<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">no</span> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">habla</span> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">español</span></span>’, so he directed me to take the bag to a secondary customs agent. uh oh. she went through it and i tried to tell her what everything was, unsure of where the problem lay. she asked me something about the candy. i didn’t understand and said ‘gift’. she asked if she could have one - i opened the ziplock and happily said ‘take two!’ she did. <br />
i went in search of my backpack which i’d had to check. i heard on the plane that one should always pay to have one’s checked baggage wrapped or you may arrive with fewer belongings. i was dismayed to see that my bags bungie cords had been undone. my heart sank when i thought about all of the things i had put in it that had some value to my long term plans. i searched quickly through to make sure that my power cords and camera battery packs were still there - if they were missing i was going to make a loud fuss. they were right where they were supposed to be. i relaxed. whatever else might be missing, i didn’t care (found out later that the only item missing was my dove soap). then i found h, a south korean i had met at the airport in grand cayman, whom i had agreed to split a cab with.<br />
i changed my $450 canadian dollars for cuban cash. i felt a little exposed, carrying so much cash - i missed being able to just rely on my plastic. <br />
h struck out with all of the airport atms and learned the hard lesson that you should always have some cash stashed somewhere when you arrive in a new country - credit cards and atms can be persnickety about giving you money - suddenly i was glad i had brought so much moolah!<br />
i decided to take him with me to alba’s and hoped she would be able to point him in the right direction for money and the bus he was planning on catching later that night.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4i-A-skn32SHG0i3eR_Udn7BWkf9FR4XgJfarM4CsWvDZ6a_6n3DGyOfuq8rJf_OpTLRxyVzs78WTvxR4MgiQ4Dsh9hIlW-fZLEmyJTRUc0MpmKCDihBs6Ch0AAMDa6rh3N2mDJmvsc/s1600/IMG_0864_alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4i-A-skn32SHG0i3eR_Udn7BWkf9FR4XgJfarM4CsWvDZ6a_6n3DGyOfuq8rJf_OpTLRxyVzs78WTvxR4MgiQ4Dsh9hIlW-fZLEmyJTRUc0MpmKCDihBs6Ch0AAMDa6rh3N2mDJmvsc/s400/IMG_0864_alt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">first photo i took in havana</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
i mentioned in an earlier post that what sent me to jamaica instead of mexico was an email from my friend, c, telling me that there were no flights from mexico until late january. c had tried to go mid december and had sent a brief email from cancun saying she was sorry she wouldn’t get to see me until i got back from my odyssey. she was going to go to havana via panama at great extra expense and knew that i was too cheap to do the same (can’t go over my nine month budget for one country). i had no way of reaching her and knew she would not be checking email until she returned to the states. i didn’t have much hope that i’d find her, even though i was desperate to see her once more before my odyssey took me south.<br />
<br />
alba welcomed myself and h and told him where he could go to get money. while he was out, she and i had a labored conversation but managed to learn much about one another. i gave her the phone numbers i had for people that c may have had contact with, hoping that one of them night know where she was, if she was even still in havana.<br />
alba made call after call, conversations that i understood not at all, getting new numbers or having to call back because of party lines (have i mentioned yet that havana is stuck in the fifties? it is really something!). she struck out on the two numbers that seemed the most promising. <br />
i had given c the name and number of a friend of a friend that i was fairly certain she would contact - ernesto is a musician, and c loves latin music and dancing. alba rang him at home, was given a different number and called that. ‘call back in five minutes.’ we did. moments later i was speaking with c! she was at a club, in havana, listening to ernesto perform. she couldn’t believe i was in the city, she had been so certain i wouldn’t be able to find my way to the island. i told her i would come to the club, immediately. h returned just as i was leaving and opted to come with me.<br />
we hopped a cab - $5 and 5 minutes later, we were there, studio egrem. i was so anxious, i got out when the cab stopped, but the driver didn’t realize it and started again to move to the side of the street when i was only partially out of the cab. he literally ran over my shoe, fortunately, as the car trapped and rolled over the sneaker, i was able to squish my foot to the side and his car did no damage - it shook me up a little, but no harm, so off i went.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAk_jRvOJmPL_8B1W15LWEjcmTMrtw5dbFL0tTwr2gUJUFfiG6BK6i7soK_d93vdHTzymxuKqicX-o1yx_kjp0_rTJLeDH2TgJc8R1_6zoxyCYOzdILpamAezVH4sQQ-bT1l1S2myJTs/s1600/IMG_1055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAk_jRvOJmPL_8B1W15LWEjcmTMrtw5dbFL0tTwr2gUJUFfiG6BK6i7soK_d93vdHTzymxuKqicX-o1yx_kjp0_rTJLeDH2TgJc8R1_6zoxyCYOzdILpamAezVH4sQQ-bT1l1S2myJTs/s320/IMG_1055.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my buena vista social club</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
once inside i located c very quickly. she was in the crush at the bar. we were thrilled to see one another and both of us couldn’t believe that the universe had allowed us to spend a few days together at the beginning of my long adventure.<br />
she and e, her beau, were planning on leaving the next morning for a beach town nearby, but they canceled the plan and opted to spend the weekend in the city, showing me around.<br />
i couldn’t believe my luck - the place was magical.Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-42155837422332956772011-01-19T19:35:00.000-08:002011-01-19T19:38:47.734-08:00jamaica timeportland, maine to montego bay, jamaica<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXOOddea1ZxT7s8zSYUsMTLsfg3biuLDG3JLNNsVxkgGogFNhYM8AjFPItyp_rRlX-21Bk7R3p-rX-C1uRVFvs4PTkIoY_Io_Uwnr1VKBBlHgxtKkFdyft1XKQtpX19oNlV89Uj3G7f8/s1600/IMG_0773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXOOddea1ZxT7s8zSYUsMTLsfg3biuLDG3JLNNsVxkgGogFNhYM8AjFPItyp_rRlX-21Bk7R3p-rX-C1uRVFvs4PTkIoY_Io_Uwnr1VKBBlHgxtKkFdyft1XKQtpX19oNlV89Uj3G7f8/s200/IMG_0773.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">caribbean from the air</td></tr>
</tbody></table>i had been planning to fly to cancun, but circumstances forced me in a different direction - jamaica. had i done a bit more research, i probably would have flown to the cayman islands, but i wouldn't have wanted to miss this lush place!<br />
when the plane landed, i suddenly realized i hadn't checked to see what this island's requirements were for travelers - good gravy, talk about rookie mistakes! fortunately i got a very kind immigration agent. he understood my predicament (re: island that shall remain nameless), and he waived the entry requirement of a departure ticket in hand. phew!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRB_kbF2_Yvky0Mkuq1L1UHQkT9uKWrvRdbKW6mVHtqyx0gskn6TCxOTfK3JHM_pyJeOdjfm_Zt2zD9naYWssk6ETTHi7FQogQvEunlVyvf3_D9t8TKnL0lW0iKcR4JGnqJapG8OJI5A/s1600/IMG_0839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRB_kbF2_Yvky0Mkuq1L1UHQkT9uKWrvRdbKW6mVHtqyx0gskn6TCxOTfK3JHM_pyJeOdjfm_Zt2zD9naYWssk6ETTHi7FQogQvEunlVyvf3_D9t8TKnL0lW0iKcR4JGnqJapG8OJI5A/s320/IMG_0839.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
when i stepped out into the wonderful sunshine, i saw a handsome young man holding a little sign with my name on it. the hostel had indeed sent someone to pick me up! never had i gotten such grand treatment from a hostel.<br />
gregory and his mother, arlene, run <a href="http://www.hostels.com/hostels/montego-bay/cedar-ridge-lodging/46309">the cedar ridge hostel</a>, a lovely villa high up on bogue hill, with help from eddy, the philosophical rasta driver and miss madge, the housekeeper/cook. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5uaGAXMPDMZX7XIa2fGUdqCYhaReEH1wt8Qkc1YxHhQMvEDXSLvDfLUqOv6r04zHH_ouvdLk2lNFIWn5WI-31lHJuXG_HJ9_LTuSAOvyd3NjOBNmuHKe-Cv3Z31IfuFM7NcBF6vlnzg/s1600/veranda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5uaGAXMPDMZX7XIa2fGUdqCYhaReEH1wt8Qkc1YxHhQMvEDXSLvDfLUqOv6r04zHH_ouvdLk2lNFIWn5WI-31lHJuXG_HJ9_LTuSAOvyd3NjOBNmuHKe-Cv3Z31IfuFM7NcBF6vlnzg/s200/veranda.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a corner of the veranda </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
the place was mostly a dream come true - the rooms were nice and airy, the beds comfortable, the veranda was vintage luxury, there was free wi-fi, they offered fluffy towels and delicious home cooked meals for a modest fee, and of course the airport pickup. the flip side - no hot water, remote location, limited light at night and no toilet paper.<br />
i brought my own toilet paper, so okay.<br />
i can live with one small lamp at night, especially if i am spending half my time on my computer.<br />
remote location can actually feel like a blessing when you've been stressed to the max for weeks. <br />
but no hot water? zoikes!<br />
<br />
i tried to take a shower the first morning anyway. but i am no <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharine_Hepburn">katharine hepburn</a>, cold showers just don't work for my pansy ass. i'd rather be dirty.<br />
however, the folks who run the hostel were so swell i found i didn't care. i can't stress enough what fine people they are. welcoming, kind and helpful are just the tip of the iceberg.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2knyNYgDaT6ua_MmWZ74PBd2vqxAIGmfcytr5atUmst5UUQhkF9tII_brI6CpEWw40GSBWFlaF7BT2cUYdHdJodObn_yRyTvRBE0ZwpbgEt4ylMChxFhrFZIqgceZz7XsqG3bNie0058/s1600/IMG_0787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2knyNYgDaT6ua_MmWZ74PBd2vqxAIGmfcytr5atUmst5UUQhkF9tII_brI6CpEWw40GSBWFlaF7BT2cUYdHdJodObn_yRyTvRBE0ZwpbgEt4ylMChxFhrFZIqgceZz7XsqG3bNie0058/s200/IMG_0787.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>i went into town with miss madge, to the market and watched her pick out the good veggies and haggle for the best price. i helped carry her bags. she 'saved' me from buying packets of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_%28drink%29">tang</a>, little did she know i'd go back and buy them later! <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-OqLbhbquwPlZ5MKc_4_YZ7ivhh28TEvuFIvFSbdqPtw0xWz87w881mnD4-lF1w22KXDmTJQWXbQWhpmyO5-T994EF1oWdfYyaN_oBMQQjNyX0B2ub7f8Ef5dlTrisqvlamvteRX4YA/s1600/IMG_0785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-OqLbhbquwPlZ5MKc_4_YZ7ivhh28TEvuFIvFSbdqPtw0xWz87w881mnD4-lF1w22KXDmTJQWXbQWhpmyO5-T994EF1oWdfYyaN_oBMQQjNyX0B2ub7f8Ef5dlTrisqvlamvteRX4YA/s320/IMG_0785.JPG" width="320" /></a>miss madge showed me where to go to get back up the hill and we parted ways.<br />
taxis are shared, and you flag them down, tell them where you want to go and they say yes or no. i caught a cab from downtown to the local cemetery. <br />
there were some sketchy fellows looking at me from inside and i decided to go get myself some jerk pork for lunch, hoping they would be gone by the time i got back.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEQKIjgFF8rjsqA8ZMEwYPVsQJjJ0_7j4kyLqPsR1uRoJdMQrXX_y6ocNF_HsuX5uTC9dtxvReXq_1iJ8pL-HeOKqmtPx29lmIAckGP4fhYJHijiZy9orbENgtOkhxCdTsuKHBj35Lio/s1600/IMG_0805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEQKIjgFF8rjsqA8ZMEwYPVsQJjJ0_7j4kyLqPsR1uRoJdMQrXX_y6ocNF_HsuX5uTC9dtxvReXq_1iJ8pL-HeOKqmtPx29lmIAckGP4fhYJHijiZy9orbENgtOkhxCdTsuKHBj35Lio/s200/IMG_0805.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'strictly staff only' furniture store</td></tr>
</tbody></table>but alas, they were still there and more determined than ever to befriend me. rupert, the parks crew supervisor (sketchy guys were just a work crew, miss paranoid!), took it upon himself to walk me around. he brought me to shelley haydyn, a lovely 50's headstone relief that was a dead ringer for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie">barbie</a>. i was grateful. we walked through to the oldest corner, but it was treacherous, and i decided against wandering off the main path.<br />
rupert told me he wanted to take me out that night, to where the tourists gather. aside from my rabid dislike of tourist haunts, i thought it best to just say no. he seemed friendly enough, but my first impression, sketchy, was still nibbling at my insides.<br />
i headed off for the hill, flagging the taxis left and right.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOkVlZa9pvjvdj9-WAorjpgEbqAv8x9rsZg34Y0lUZ2310aBst981LwartWV48TXb8V2Ku7-YbYN6niwHGzRpVQlieb8NNe4Y-UpdDLWpvdSvDyoqNY1TxQMrz78VxxgKiK5DH2sRR4YA/s1600/IMG_0810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOkVlZa9pvjvdj9-WAorjpgEbqAv8x9rsZg34Y0lUZ2310aBst981LwartWV48TXb8V2Ku7-YbYN6niwHGzRpVQlieb8NNe4Y-UpdDLWpvdSvDyoqNY1TxQMrz78VxxgKiK5DH2sRR4YA/s320/IMG_0810.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">crumbled bus stop maintained by the optimist club</td></tr>
</tbody></table>none of the taxis that came along were willing to take me up the hill to cedar ridge, so i began walking, occasionally trying to flag the red license plate vehicles. <br />
i eventually walked up the hill - i felt like super woman, and could not wait to take that cold, cold shower!Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-33356128727986323602011-01-05T18:34:00.000-08:002011-01-05T18:42:01.330-08:00whiningit is hard not to moan and whinge when i talk about my new least favorite airline, jetblue.<br />
if you don't want to hear it, and why would you, please skip this post...but i must get it out publicly!<br />
after numerous delays, hours on hold when they didn't just hang up on me and cancellations, as well as knowingly stranding me in new york, jetblue added insult to injury by losing my checked baggage. if they had once offered any kind of compensation for the inconvenience, or even a bottle of water at the airport, i may have been mollified. but instead they made excuses.<br />
yes yes, the storm - that was four days ago. come on people.<br />
no, not every airline was operating as poorly as you. i saw several that seemed to know exactly how to treat their customers - hotel rooms, food and even the odd travel voucher good for a trip at a later date.<br />
i finally got to maine, but my box did not. no big deal, please put it on the next flight. i am scheduled to fly to jamaica in two days, and i need that box. assurances that the box would be on the next flight.<br />
the next flight was canceled.<br />
but it wasn't on the flight after that, or the one after that.<br />
excellent.<br />
when i called the ny jetblue baggage office, when they weren't hanging up on me, or putting me on hold for two hours, they were informing me that they didn't know where my box was.<br />
panic started to build. there were a lot of things in that box i needed for the long haul, but there were also things i was leaving with my step dad to hold in case i needed them, so having it sent to me in jamaica wasn't an option, especially since i was only planning on being there for a couple of days.<br />
i threw myself on the mercy of <a href="http://www.usairways.com/">us airways</a>, asked if there was anyway they could rebook my montego bay flight to a later date.<br />
the answer 'we would love to do that as a courtesy'<br />
what? tears welled, and my gratitude knew no bounds! i had three extra days to figure out what to do if the box was well and truly lost.<br />
<br />
but the box did finally arrive, eight hours after i was supposed to have left. and when it arrived, this is what it looked like:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDW_uWeglXHRPTspLq4MzbDOhdzEMWS7VO8prkvlMt1cp13Y5Lxg7FpvcIF2A0LaSVBt6gKy10_IPRqSqaB0OVn32LeSiCIM6_2vNyYinuch1c6_c7IaO7fQxm8WQwr3xuTYe0psyhwI/s1600/destroyed-box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDW_uWeglXHRPTspLq4MzbDOhdzEMWS7VO8prkvlMt1cp13Y5Lxg7FpvcIF2A0LaSVBt6gKy10_IPRqSqaB0OVn32LeSiCIM6_2vNyYinuch1c6_c7IaO7fQxm8WQwr3xuTYe0psyhwI/s320/destroyed-box.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
they hadn't even bothered to tape up the sides of the box they had destroyed. my spanish phrase book was missing. one of my dvds was shattered. the casing of my back up computer was cracked (because TSA had repacked the thing with the protective foam stacked on top - stellar job, folks).<br />
i won't ever fly jetblue again.<br />
i don't want anyone else to fly them either. <br />
i feel wrathful and wish them ill.<br />
<br />
and now i am done whining, because the trip is finally begun... <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_AxMjA0Xjpjcl32Vl-8Ch5rTR7Y9YnnrBKInasenROfR2n2e_nXoPxXkOpjH4KVlawhODCgnWJTjaZ-FfSBAjo_KFxDpp1HaAdtEFJDxCUUUc9JVDtHesgqV3yy-QBcAir9xu2VHVva4/s1600/montego+bay_view+from+veranda_alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_AxMjA0Xjpjcl32Vl-8Ch5rTR7Y9YnnrBKInasenROfR2n2e_nXoPxXkOpjH4KVlawhODCgnWJTjaZ-FfSBAjo_KFxDpp1HaAdtEFJDxCUUUc9JVDtHesgqV3yy-QBcAir9xu2VHVva4/s400/montego+bay_view+from+veranda_alt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view from the veranda at cedar ridge hostel, montego bay, jamaica</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-29694947674573057702011-01-04T15:59:00.000-08:002011-01-05T17:29:07.165-08:00foiledlos angeles, ca to portland, me<br />
the best laid plans are subject to destruction by bad time management, mother nature and inept airline staff.<br />
<br />
i was due to fly to portland, maine on christmas day to visit with my family before the big adventure. the entire day i was a blur as i sped through one task after another, but time was slipping away faster than the items on my to-do list were being checked off. my friend g and her sister showed up to take me to the airport and instead jumped into action, helping me get items off the list. we worked frantically and i shoved everything i needed for my adventure into a box to check and my cold weather gear for maine into my backpack.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMvuQLNQSz1vWxstlCRf8fhpF5mVk7LKjaT9F_OmVAKKmJzLo1Fk69pQd2f4NzP-GnVPxNafg6jEgAVGfNI9sLERZEkYTH7FGLwVKjCeP5soHhTzpxQhTV4TxYHHykOcjOBahlAg4dlM/s1600/IMG_0692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMvuQLNQSz1vWxstlCRf8fhpF5mVk7LKjaT9F_OmVAKKmJzLo1Fk69pQd2f4NzP-GnVPxNafg6jEgAVGfNI9sLERZEkYTH7FGLwVKjCeP5soHhTzpxQhTV4TxYHHykOcjOBahlAg4dlM/s200/IMG_0692.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>rain began to pour out of the sky with a vengeance, and our ride to the airport became a perilous one. the plane took off without me. i was stunned. i'd never missed a flight in my life. i was flying jetblue and they scored big points with me when they offered to rebook me for the following day for $40. they scored bigger points when the agent waived the fee, saying a hearty 'merry christmas'.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QWATU7Rorwu8iokma0V1iQrBITS_RqJ5mbUEWsDYfo4z2SsxkfFoJGg0T-UzfIcdWfjX6voE236h77_QrSEEKMDBRgf58_CJTg33Akj5wDv8gOpsa5UQmR9qJ673bHwNzmVKbYhGCt0/s1600/IMG_0582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QWATU7Rorwu8iokma0V1iQrBITS_RqJ5mbUEWsDYfo4z2SsxkfFoJGg0T-UzfIcdWfjX6voE236h77_QrSEEKMDBRgf58_CJTg33Akj5wDv8gOpsa5UQmR9qJ673bHwNzmVKbYhGCt0/s320/IMG_0582.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my little guy with a big name, ozymandias</td></tr>
</tbody></table>my subletter graciously offered me the use of my home for one more night, which meant a little quality time with my little guy.<br />
<br />
at midnight my phone rang, jetblue calling to tell me my flight had been canceled by the big storm that was due to hit new york in the morning. i began to suspect that this was why the agent had been so free and easy with the fee waiver. i was rebooked for the next flight that evening.<br />
it was nice to have that extra day to pack a little more carefully and make a stop at the apple store to work out some last minute kinks in the precious new macbook air (seems they don't support CS2, and i had to upgrade. terrific. course the disc is packed away, along with the serial number. if anyone out there has a spare CS2 license they could lend me for an upgrade, i'll hand it back to you, plus the upgrade, in october!)<br />
got another phone call that afternoon, evening flight was canceled. ugh.<br />
now i was feeling well and truly stranded. everyone i could call to pick me up, put me up for the night and drive me to the airport was either otherwise occupied with holiday guests or out of town.<br />
not having a car in los angeles is one of the 10 levels of hell, dante just forgot it.<br />
a $50 cab ride got me to j's house - he graciously extended the use of it to me while they were in boston.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalWPDYdRyQSAQ_DW3_zJ3vyzda1OIZC5YoKoX42bVNh1qAtWg4eVQDzGv-JzPz72G7vxA8SNKWN7QdmJ05w8wu4SHWhGyvNX1LlvWBAcmjlZNlxMPPldWXPTxp6rov-qSaIxyYkoEYwA/s1600/IMG_0744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalWPDYdRyQSAQ_DW3_zJ3vyzda1OIZC5YoKoX42bVNh1qAtWg4eVQDzGv-JzPz72G7vxA8SNKWN7QdmJ05w8wu4SHWhGyvNX1LlvWBAcmjlZNlxMPPldWXPTxp6rov-qSaIxyYkoEYwA/s200/IMG_0744.JPG" width="200" /></a>that night i got another call from jetblue, morning flight was canceled. four hours of trying to get through to their customer service netted me nothing. i decided to show up at the airport the next night and hope for the best. they gave me a boarding pass, checked my precious box and off i went to deal with TSA.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif408LZyqp3q9RcHWwnjU1UvfoviEkCf2vZE1_fIwzbCpMvAxTYgrLQfukhp2gGLEIgJp0qVzBgzOeNRP9RH_5JbeXcOX3LJOQmZXEmtE7QfNVaWlrFu2hlR2kRppJyeB7-RgNRCPX6-U/s1600/729710_sk_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif408LZyqp3q9RcHWwnjU1UvfoviEkCf2vZE1_fIwzbCpMvAxTYgrLQfukhp2gGLEIgJp0qVzBgzOeNRP9RH_5JbeXcOX3LJOQmZXEmtE7QfNVaWlrFu2hlR2kRppJyeB7-RgNRCPX6-U/s200/729710_sk_lg.jpg" width="200" /></a>i don't give TSA points for intelligence, they had to run my package of dole peaches through the scanner four times, along with swabbing it testing for explosive agents, despite me saying i would be happy to eat them on the spot or throw them away, but they didn't make me go through any particularly humiliating poses, so yay.<br />
i arrived at jfk exhausted from the red eye, having been cramped between two nice but abundant ladies with pointy elbows, only to find that my connecting flight to maine had been canceled. guh!<br />
so close, yet so far!<br />
i spent over an hour waiting to speak to an agent to get rebooked on a flight that night.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_CI0JljCithPY1k2wQ75F70tu_CDWtIiGs0BkemDDWWA5HIL8IwlBtgRfm8eajmLZL98SK-aBW5cLcf4s0zojCoBiA1O-ADM7lQCSnaKLl6K9V_rNMUkXIjiWvklFjXW68bp8avw9Ys/s1600/IMG_0702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_CI0JljCithPY1k2wQ75F70tu_CDWtIiGs0BkemDDWWA5HIL8IwlBtgRfm8eajmLZL98SK-aBW5cLcf4s0zojCoBiA1O-ADM7lQCSnaKLl6K9V_rNMUkXIjiWvklFjXW68bp8avw9Ys/s200/IMG_0702.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">double trouble</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
deciding to make the best of things, i called my friend m, and asked her if she wanted to meet for lunch. i walked over to terminal four, checked my backpack and headed to the Q10 bus. two hours later i was in times square eating pizza and garlic knots (so yummy!) enjoying this spontaneous time with m. it was swell.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHn-OC7RkskB9KgEz4pjtY2e_tHK-0It1G504y89sDtQn6HgOeg7h__4daFccfU8WEw5aDNO1l51wTPpkUALgme1617s6p97F6kczXmGihhx41WSNQju6tX87AIsQUNyONqAezvmOhrb0/s1600/IMG_0707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHn-OC7RkskB9KgEz4pjtY2e_tHK-0It1G504y89sDtQn6HgOeg7h__4daFccfU8WEw5aDNO1l51wTPpkUALgme1617s6p97F6kczXmGihhx41WSNQju6tX87AIsQUNyONqAezvmOhrb0/s320/IMG_0707.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">double empire</td></tr>
</tbody></table>when m went back to work i wandered over to the international center for photography and got to see the 'cuba in revolution' exhibit. then, by beautiful happenstance, my half sister (whom i've only known about for a little over a year) was in nyc, so i headed over to brooklyn to hang out with her. right after i arrived i checked the status of my flight, trying to figure out how much time i would need, and lo and behold, another cancellation!<br />
a leisurely dinner with my sister, then a short subway ride to astoria where i would find a nice bed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0ulCC0vOiypZOpFdcZOq5YGKADo-J4PKOHmZKUntH6Fx251ziYa5RKvOzj2UlvEBTsBe_3gMr9Ml7nAh4-EcBSevr_DzrnbTnYWzuDyqfBgEF_62KugxF4omQshxMtmxd_aM9u6cQSY/s1600/IMG_0740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0ulCC0vOiypZOpFdcZOq5YGKADo-J4PKOHmZKUntH6Fx251ziYa5RKvOzj2UlvEBTsBe_3gMr9Ml7nAh4-EcBSevr_DzrnbTnYWzuDyqfBgEF_62KugxF4omQshxMtmxd_aM9u6cQSY/s320/IMG_0740.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ditmar station 5:20am</td></tr>
</tbody></table>at 5am, i hoped my flight was canceled, i was too tired to move, but it was on! so off to the subway i went. i had to trudge from one station to another for time's sake, and dealt with one of the most unpleasant mta employees ever (clerk#12145 - she was satan, and i will be writing a letter, even though, as she assured me, it will have little effect), and eventually made my way back to the Q10 bus and finally the airport. made my way through the hordes of misplaced people, got my boarding pass from a diy kiosk and headed through security (completely eventless).<br />
the plane was delayed, but it did eventually take off, so again, yay!<br />
<br />
<br />
i got off the plane feeling tired and battered, but delighted to have arrived, only to have my spirits plummet when my checked box went missing.Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-24849605871924251562010-12-21T16:54:00.000-08:002010-12-21T17:01:00.586-08:00hit the road, jack...just four days until my odyssey begins and already there have been changes one couldn't foresee. my first stop was going to be cancun - i was going to visit the mayan temple, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichen_Itza">chichen itza</a>, before catching a flight to the island that shall remain nameless, a friend went last week and informed me that no tickets were available until mid to late january. shoot.<br />
so i've just purchased a ticket to jamaica instead. from there i will see if it is possible to get to the island, but i am not going to do anything crazy to make it happen. if it doesn't work out, i will head to guyana and see about busing my way to rio where i will meet up with my friend v, an intrepid adventurer who is game for trying out my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants travel style.<br />
i had hoped to be all caught up on old adventures before i began writing about this one, but it seems that is no where near happening. life has a way of forcing you away from the stuff you want to do and making you do the things you'd rather not.<br />
so i warn you now, there will be some going backwards and forwards and to help keep it clear, i will try to toss in a year now and then, as well as keep all current posts titled in lower case and old adventures in capitals.<br />
hope you will stick with me!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2J-t0G6Eze_8KMHOMqKOG8ejGy00UjoqwD8V5Cy6F7e6XqGJvcaatNWHrNVEbC338I8sn0vkBKiLVuUeg5_djf4ltEe3lzDVzhQ5Vlnfc7lPBHp0nqox8gy-X8T6HwY6ThF-qPKtSJ8/s1600/pilfered-tidings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2J-t0G6Eze_8KMHOMqKOG8ejGy00UjoqwD8V5Cy6F7e6XqGJvcaatNWHrNVEbC338I8sn0vkBKiLVuUeg5_djf4ltEe3lzDVzhQ5Vlnfc7lPBHp0nqox8gy-X8T6HwY6ThF-qPKtSJ8/s320/pilfered-tidings.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"the monkey who stole christmas"</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">and between now and the next post, let me wish you all a very merry holiday!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>pilfered tidings</i></b> is one of my collage cards, available through my website, <a href="http://www.5036.com/">www.5036.com</a></span> <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-81009393848555791542010-12-07T19:49:00.000-08:002010-12-07T19:49:15.288-08:00random quotesjust <span style="font-size: small;">watched </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.180south.com/">180° South</a> and this was my favorite line from the movie about two inspiring adventures:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <br />
<i>"the whole purpose of climbing something like that [everest] is to effect some sort of spiritual and physical gain. if you compromise that process [hiring sherpas to do the work for you], you are an asshole starting out and you're an asshole when you get back"</i><br />
~ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvon_Chouinard">yvon chouinard</a> (founder of <a href="http://www.patagonia.com/">patagonia clothing</a>)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqnXuTVOsz8yWqb8DCICYblB6n8Lgd9f_79y_BGzWyBXZTcNNSRSrbNh5TwJfnPbbj93gxMDRx_94tv4LtyUNrKXYmlqYZ1BDKsINflKYw5LrPU9ov2uGDCd3oZpQQxfxcyYOZYOdF6I/s1600/11048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqnXuTVOsz8yWqb8DCICYblB6n8Lgd9f_79y_BGzWyBXZTcNNSRSrbNh5TwJfnPbbj93gxMDRx_94tv4LtyUNrKXYmlqYZ1BDKsINflKYw5LrPU9ov2uGDCd3oZpQQxfxcyYOZYOdF6I/s1600/11048.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1968 adventure</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdv7-Z1p8FW5P3jyF9bLxvvsJFc5L-NI6bfv74a9q3us_GazQ5jvnLppop5u5l6BYRZU4-2T2zV3UbLNZDXZNoJNdiopF0ZYLKIo23Q856GBwIAgZoVcAOpz21gmFI8Cu9X6P__8J6K-Y/s1600/180south-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdv7-Z1p8FW5P3jyF9bLxvvsJFc5L-NI6bfv74a9q3us_GazQ5jvnLppop5u5l6BYRZU4-2T2zV3UbLNZDXZNoJNdiopF0ZYLKIo23Q856GBwIAgZoVcAOpz21gmFI8Cu9X6P__8J6K-Y/s320/180south-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2008 adventure</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span id="goog_191689472"></span><span id="goog_191689473"></span>Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-82177699504948929492010-12-03T10:02:00.000-08:002010-12-08T11:57:09.106-08:00CANADIANSgalway, ireland to cork, ireland<br />
i stayed in a hostel in galway one night before heading off to my next destination. while checking in, i met a fellow californian. we got to chatting about home and found we had similar political views - loved our country, but didn't care for the lack of consideration/respect of others. when we walked into the dorm room that we would be sharing with 16 others, it was only about five, so as we got settled in we talked about going and scrounging up some food.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfY6G_kJge11Ew2ryb3pWqzw6CDob963C_g8vNluUl_gOH0E9P8LSOi-ac3Mhrw57gmR0EPsw7VKuktdltb6OLRHPq_Ch14MFTrYZABNcUygA__4AsfG4-ENDUVrswY-Zd2uGggNeMF0/s1600/crazy-canadian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfY6G_kJge11Ew2ryb3pWqzw6CDob963C_g8vNluUl_gOH0E9P8LSOi-ac3Mhrw57gmR0EPsw7VKuktdltb6OLRHPq_Ch14MFTrYZABNcUygA__4AsfG4-ENDUVrswY-Zd2uGggNeMF0/s320/crazy-canadian.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">crazy canadians</td></tr>
</tbody></table>there was a huge <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Canada">canadian flag</a> covering one of the bunks (a privacy barrier), and i found i couldn't help myself - i started mocking the canadian traveler's need to make sure they didn't get mistook for american, putting those maple leaves on every available surface. i said some outrageous stuff that i didn't believe at all, like canada was really just the 51st state, mainly to make my new friend laugh. we were being loud and having a great time, but then someone behind the flag groaned a little, and we realized we had disturbed their sleep. we slipped out of the room so as not to further annoy them.<br />
in hostels you get folks from all over who sleep at irregular times depending on where they've just come from and what they'd been doing there. i hated when other hostelers would come in drunk and loud, with no regard for the people trying to sleep, and was abashed that i had just done that - granted it was still light out and they had hidden themselves behind the flag, but still, i felt bad.<br />
<br />
the next morning, as i got myself ready to bus down to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dingle">dingle</a>, i noticed the canadian was already gone.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2t4FH2e0hn8yIhMlZCzdIUdQ0SfhhTMghH8vhHySboXGjb5QVfOLb2YsgB-I_1bKT1OIabx9p_IFVvN0mEB2VzpX0P4EvMllOnP0PgmRaHsF4dP2TkI2f5Pu8ukLfCCNodGVLC-DhJk/s1600/dingle-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2t4FH2e0hn8yIhMlZCzdIUdQ0SfhhTMghH8vhHySboXGjb5QVfOLb2YsgB-I_1bKT1OIabx9p_IFVvN0mEB2VzpX0P4EvMllOnP0PgmRaHsF4dP2TkI2f5Pu8ukLfCCNodGVLC-DhJk/s320/dingle-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>dingle was stunning. the name sounds silly, but the place is just absolutely beautiful. so green. that shade of kelly that seems just a wee bit too bright for nature. rolling hills, super narrow roads, quaint little village, and a lovely hostel that used to be a manor house. <br />
it was divine.<br />
<br />
the first night at the hostel, i met the staff and the only other guest, a canadian gal, k. we made dinner together and talked long into the night. at one point, which often happens to me, we fell into a political conversation. i can't stress enough how much i love my country, but i am also deeply respectful of other cultures and i think assimilation is a terrible thing.<br />
k seemed to get where i was coming from and liked what i was saying, and then started telling an 'ugly american' story. seems she had been in a hostel, sleeping and these two loud americans had come in and woken her up with their obnoxious pro-america blather, dissing canadians -<br />
uh oh.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGz5xJ-FCcMokTBAwjGUs6vkU3w5CNso_DtNVvbr1ofAGpP8P2fFpfYXk5BkYtA15eGZMgYxvYYBGbyw_htEWcsmoItGLueCTrUvMJ2-kY3JZfS3jzCEctIP8CBl3ryQpFDEVrr9LYQ8Y/s1600/ballentaggart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGz5xJ-FCcMokTBAwjGUs6vkU3w5CNso_DtNVvbr1ofAGpP8P2fFpfYXk5BkYtA15eGZMgYxvYYBGbyw_htEWcsmoItGLueCTrUvMJ2-kY3JZfS3jzCEctIP8CBl3ryQpFDEVrr9LYQ8Y/s320/ballentaggart.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ballentaggart hostel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>i asked if she had been in galway the night before.<br />
'yes, how did you know?'<br />
i somewhat shamefacedly admitted that that had been me and quickly pointed out that i had been kidding, which now that she knew me a little, she could see.<br />
even though we all got a big laugh out of it, i was mortified and decided that i would try to mind my tongue a little closer going forward. jokes out of context can be very bad news!<br />
<br />
dingle was amazing, and life was so fine just then, i ended up staying for days, giving up a couple nights in blarney to do so. i hung out with fungi, a local dingle citizen who happens to be a dolphin, went for long rambling hikes, the whole group of us would cook together and watch football on the telly, it was lovely. but eventually i knew i needed to head out.<br />
when i did, k decided she would tag along with me for a little, and since we had completely gotten past my mockery, i was open to the company.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIKx7ARy500TyLj6cdjfiHr_acx8o96nPM3AWxPVbwmkLHU83sbMfcnsJZcWkrll_z-lRWHcwPWN75fMMjndChpE27HCPDrg5vCOA2F-4-GCi-aakEVAuzr1aRoiK9WgAyOYUeE-NSWs/s1600/dingle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIKx7ARy500TyLj6cdjfiHr_acx8o96nPM3AWxPVbwmkLHU83sbMfcnsJZcWkrll_z-lRWHcwPWN75fMMjndChpE27HCPDrg5vCOA2F-4-GCi-aakEVAuzr1aRoiK9WgAyOYUeE-NSWs/s320/dingle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a two way road with room for one car...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>we just missed our morning bus to cork. there wouldn't be another one until the following day. we were told that hitch hiking was commonplace and completely safe; feeling brave because we numbered two, out the thumbs went. the first car that passed stopped to pick us up. it was a tiny battered little thing being driven by an eccentric millionaire sheep farmer, johnny dingle. he was very friendly and chatty, and said he could drive us as far as blarney and assured us we'd be able to hitch a ride from there onto cork. i, thankfully, was sitting in the backseat, so was able to ignore the fact that he drove like a demon.<br />
i could see k's white knuckle grip and resolved not to look at the road - if i was going to die, i didn't want to see it coming. but there was no head on collision, seemed some sort of miracle!<br />
he was really very nice, but i learned my lesson, no more hitch hiking for me. when we got out of the car, we both agreed that the bus (which we were now way ahead of, thanks to johnny's lead foot) was the way to proceed.<br />
<br />
oh, and i did visit the blarney stone, but i didn't kiss it - i am already cursed with a gabby tongue, i didn't see any need to increase that!Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-13077002107348994552010-11-27T16:27:00.000-08:002010-11-28T12:11:09.729-08:00THATCHsligo, ireland to galway, ireland<br />
before i'd been to ireland, the mention of it conjured visions of green grass and thatched roofs. by the time i had gotten to sligo i could understand the green, it was everywhere, in every shade imaginable, but i had yet to see one bit of straw roofing. ten days in, i finally saw a thatched roof! it was ridiculously exciting, and looking back seems really sad on my part, but still, at the time, it warranted an entry in my journal.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRw1a0sanUMX-ZbNcxUvwYpuR9eD-Q_JgzFnhB9g1HG0alZkbf_r1D5K6EyXFubx0DkxxKH-yeAES5SurBEFkwMaT6WSzb6lPV45VpLKrefVGONLYEqfcIZD47yyl_IJ7-V-tXqtz-zU/s1600/sligo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRw1a0sanUMX-ZbNcxUvwYpuR9eD-Q_JgzFnhB9g1HG0alZkbf_r1D5K6EyXFubx0DkxxKH-yeAES5SurBEFkwMaT6WSzb6lPV45VpLKrefVGONLYEqfcIZD47yyl_IJ7-V-tXqtz-zU/s320/sligo.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>and as you would expect, it was quaint. bucolic. made me feel like i had stepped back in time. but thatching wasn't the only thing ireland was going to serve up to boggle my 20th century brain. most folks on aran island lived without electricity - to this day i can't imagine my life without my kilowattage!<br />
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i hopped a bus for westport with an aim to go to clare island. the weather didn't cooperate, so i spent a nice chunk of time at <a href="http://www.mattmolloy.com/index.html">matt malloy's bar</a>, an old fashioned irish pub, owned by matt malloy, of chieftan's fame. no matter what time it was, seemed there were always folks up for performing a little traditional music.<br />
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the next day it was still fogged in, so i gave up on clare and headed for galway and the aran islands.<br />
caught the ferry (really just a small boat with an open back that seated ten or eleven people max). the seas were a bit wild and the ride was a rough one. it was here i began to believe i was prone to sea sickness. the fear of the return trip kept me on the island a couple days longer than planned, but that was alright, it was a swell island! i stayed at a hostel run by joel, a gourmand who happened to be a cousin of the great opera singer, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03d65OOIQoQ&feature=related">jessye norman</a>, a woman whose voice thrills me. he ran a pretty fancy restaurant, but let me use the kitchen to make my famous cheese souffle and as we ate the cheesy clouds, we talked food and music into the wee hours.<br />
i woke up feeling revived and went off to explore the seven churches and dun aengus, the remains of a norman fort on a cliff edge. taking a breather from tourism, i sat in the common room at the hostel and saw a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unbearable-Lightness-Being-Milan-Kundera/dp/0060932139"><i>the unbearable lightness of being</i></a> sitting on the table, face down as if someone had been interrupted and would be right back. i put a slip of paper in to mark the page and began reading from the beginning, knowing that any moment the owner might come back to claim it. as i got more and more caught up in the story, i began to read faster and with a sense of urgency, the idea that i wouldn't get to finish it caused a little despair to well up. i couldn't risk it, so i didn't go to bed and finished the book by morning. the owner never knew that someone else had devoured their book.<br />
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<i>"...there is nothing heavier than compassion. not even one's own pain weighs so heavy as the pain one feels with someone, for someone, a pain intensified by the imagination and prolonged by a hundred echos"</i> - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan_Kundera">milan kundera</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIRnDgVleZkMGSXHmKcsvbUgndpZEDUceIViBQ9RcjmsVkuDz9_d3xc_66lwetj725c-jNbOSXzS0jzIo-Je02DeU3tqYqT3JrJERGyLXU6QXtQ85B9W3gQMxvfziVCriRgtw-j0dU4E/s1600/aran-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIRnDgVleZkMGSXHmKcsvbUgndpZEDUceIViBQ9RcjmsVkuDz9_d3xc_66lwetj725c-jNbOSXzS0jzIo-Je02DeU3tqYqT3JrJERGyLXU6QXtQ85B9W3gQMxvfziVCriRgtw-j0dU4E/s320/aran-sm.jpg" width="280" /></a>the following evening i ventured out to the pub for what was supposed to be a quick bite. it was so much fun, seemed like everyone on the island was there, that i ended up staying until way past dark. this isn't such a big deal in most towns, but on the island the houses were few and far between and most had no electricity, coupled with no moon the path i walked very carefully was doused in pitch black. as i made my way in what i hoped was a homeward direction, a man's voice boomed next to me,<br />
'<i>evening</i>'<br />
i nearly jumped out of my skin. he kept on walking down to the pub, but i had to sit down right there in the middle of the dirt road to collect myself. i did eventually get back to the hostel, but i made sure that i always had my little flashlight on my person from then on!<br />
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the island was beautiful but a little beyond my budget, so i braved the ferry ride back to galway.Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872794474499582034.post-19076052838405585682010-11-19T00:12:00.000-08:002010-11-28T12:13:02.364-08:00SECURITYdublin, ireland<br />
at the beginning of my first big adventure, i was a nervous nelly about my stuff, and jeez, i had so much of it! but this was before the world of electronic books, the internet, cell phones and bank cards, so you can hardly blame me.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJx0X6UXCInAV-cTgOiaUd-8XhdSSlGeviPaIJHEmHJgDzaZchC-Ukf5aLDlWSIfgkPCGqQvjZaZDxR5SrgiegwVVUdE-0Uddn4BEFe8rlPQdwBw_9pLtlQRxD-1GQXNnEZplU-fQ934/s1600/fifty_pound_note1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJx0X6UXCInAV-cTgOiaUd-8XhdSSlGeviPaIJHEmHJgDzaZchC-Ukf5aLDlWSIfgkPCGqQvjZaZDxR5SrgiegwVVUdE-0Uddn4BEFe8rlPQdwBw_9pLtlQRxD-1GQXNnEZplU-fQ934/s320/fifty_pound_note1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>aside from the 70lb backpack that was mentioned in an earlier post, i also had on my person, that first week of travel, my passport, $1,000 in travelers checks, 2,000 american dollars, 2,500 british pounds, a eurail pass and a trans siberian train ticket. all of this could be stuffed into a plastic pouch meant to be worn around the neck. it was waterproof, so it could be taken into the shower, perfect for the kid who is staying in youth hostels that offer no privacy or security.<br />
well, talk about rookie mistakes - my first night i dumped my pack on the floor by my bunk and prepared to take a shower. i pulled out the waterproof pouch and put all of the money, etc. in it, grabbed some clothes to change into, toiletries and my travel towel and headed to the communal showers. as i washed my hair i thought about the safety issue and was glad i had that pouch -<br />
wait, where was the pouch?<br />
through the shampoo suds i madly searched the shower stall and looked through the tiny pile of clothes, no pouch. without taking the time to rinse my hair, i grabbed the insignificant towel and ran back to my room, a room i shared with fifteen others. folks looked at me queerly, and why not, but all i had eyes for was that damn pouch! i ran to the bunk, and there it sat, on top of the bed, waiting for some kind soul to take a shine to it! i grabbed it and ran back to the showers.<br />
i couldn't believe my luck. my trip could have ended right then and there, at my very first stop. that particular fear induced rush of adrenaline was so unpleasant (i can still remember the roiling of my stomach) i never left that pouch anywhere again. <br />
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one of the hardest parts about backpacking is feeling like your possessions are never really safe, that you aren't ever really safe. there are opportunists, pickpockets and nasty, bolder thieves, thugs who like to hit things, rapists and murderers - just like at home! but at home you have your home, and it provides an illusion of safety that gives you peace of mind. you also have accumulated knowledge of what parts of town are especially dodgy and even if you live in that neighborhood, you know, roughly, how to avoid being a victim.<br />
when on the road, i don't really think you are in <i>more</i> danger, but when you don't know your surroundings very well, you are more likely to accidentally wander into a dead end alley or a part of town that the locals refer to as 'murder city' (or, as in the case with my <a href="http://stupidlyfearless.blogspot.com/2010/11/faith.html">belfast</a> experience, not realize that a place you want to go presents dangers to the ignorant) and without the safety net of the known, you find yourself operating on a higher level of alert which is stressful and exhausting.<br />
rookie mistakes still get made all these years later, but accumulated knowledge means they happen less often and usually come with less painful consequences. touch wood - let's see what happens this first time of traveling with my computer...Leciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08133840986539943748noreply@blogger.com1