Home?

July 29, 2020 //

Where to call home?

I pretty much always “feel at home” wherever I am. I’ve always thought this to be a good thing, and it is. It also makes picking an actual “home city” a bit of a challenge.

Here’s the thing. I’ve been lucky that work has allowed me to go to other countries and cities and discover more about what this awesome planet has to offer. That means I am also fortunate enough to have amazing friends all over the place. So if “home” equals being surrounded by friends and family…well…I’m not sure that narrows the question down for me!

Sometimes I think “I’ll meet a guy, and that will decide where I live”. Or “Work…I’ll find work that excites me and means I have to live in a certain place (for more than a year…), and that will decide where I live”. So far, neither of those “plans” have worked out very well.

So…I keep going back to places that really feel like home for me, and that is:

1.Vancouver – I have called this city home for over 20 years now. I have amazing friends and people I consider family there. I know who my “maintenance team” (doctor, dentist, TCM, chiropractor, massage therapist, workout trainer, etc. etc. etc.) are. I know where my gym is (kick-ass boxing workouts at Contenders…ouch…and so good!), and I know where my pools are (Kits in the summer and Hillcrest in winter). These are people that can not be “replaced” and who make time for me when I get back to Vancouver – no matter how long I’ve been gone.

The beauty of this city is undeniable – where the mountains meet the water.
Kits pool – my happy place!
Walking the sea wall around False Creek on a sunny day is always worthwhile.
The Richmond dike is one of my favourite places to run – I love the scent of the salty air, watching airplanes and seaplanes come and go, and the view of the mountains.

2.Montreal – well, Montreal and the Eastern Townships, to be precise. This is where I grew up. I have tons of family here, and I have some pretty amazing friends here as well. Having moved away when I was 16, my time spent in this part of my country has recently increased, and as I get to know it more, I love it more.

I love this old water bottle – amongst downtown high-rises, a sign of what used to be
Brrrr….I love the snow though!
I do enjoy seeing the lights adorning the city in winter.

3.Germany (my brother’s house, to be specific). Definitely a home away from home – with the added bonus of spending time with my brother and his family. You spend that much time with little ones and its harder and harder to leave. Doesn’t hurt that they live in a beautiful little village, and it’s easy to get to.

Schwäbisch Hall – I mean really…..beautiful!

Always a treat to go to the city centre for a stroll.

4.Istanbul….you didn’t think I’d forget about my beloved Istanbul did you??? I’m not sure how to describe my love for this city. I also have some amazing friends who live there and who welcome me back every time I visit. Last year ago I spent 6 weeks in Istanbul. Glorious. When I do that again I really need to take some intensive Turkish lessons. The little I know gets me by, but it isn’t enough.

Meandering through Istanbul’s neighbourhood streets early on a Sunday morning.

The name of the boat says it all.

Kahvalti – Turkish breakfast – my absolute fave! Especially the menemen (eggs scrambled in tomatoes with peppers) and bal kaymak (heavy cream drowned in honey) – delicious!

I spent much of the past year in Tokyo – getting to know another city, another culture. So in my little head, Tokyo was “home” for a little while (cut off short by the Covid-19 pandemic and an early end/postponement of the project I was working on there).

My Tokyo abode – At just under 400 square feet – no waste of space in this apartment! All of it very cleverly thought out.

This space quickly became my little sanctuary. And then…believe it or not, two of us worked at that table for a few months. Good thing we know each other and like working together!

I loved discovering “little streets” away from the high rises and main avenues.

Which brings me to now….I find myself back in the Montreal/Eastern Townships area with time on my hands and thoughts in my head about “home”, and the desire to take what little I own out of storage. I don’t have a ton of possessions, but I do have some and for the most part they have been stored in Vancouver for the past seven years.

Church Steeples, green leaves and lilacs
Downtown Granby. I love the old buildings

Given the current Covid-19 realities, Montreal is my pick for now. Making the move into the city next weekend, and looking forward to discovering more about what the city has to offer and creating my home base. Then the unpacking and rediscovering of the items I put into storage will come. Fun times ahead!

Montreal’s Atwater Market – soon to be my neighbourhood.

PS: while looking back through photos and picking those to go with this post I am reminded of what a charmed life I lead. Massive smiles on my face and gratitude in my heart!

Blessed to be on the Bosphorus – for work. Seriously!

Tags Germany, Home, Istanbul, Montreal, Schwäbisch Hall, Vancouver

Categories Health & Wellbeing, Random Thoughts

A Broad Abroad – Childhood Wishes Become Reality

April 3, 2019 //

St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow city centre, and blue skies.

I must have been about 10 years old. And I can still see and feel this moment very clearly. I was in the living room by myself (which is unusual when you have 9 siblings…). I loved watching sport events on tv (still do) and was watching what must have been an IAAF World Championship taking place in Moscow. The TV cameras would go wide, showing spectacular views of gold onion domes against blue skies. This is the moment I first thought “I want to go to places like this”. My mum was in the kitchen and I asked her “mum, have you ever wanted to travel?”. Of course she had – but then 10 kids came along…

I have been supremely lucky and have traveled to a number of countries for both work and play. And last year I found myself in Moscow – the city that first inspired my desire to see the world. Seeing those onion domes in person for the first time. WOW! I was there on a work trip, and I know that afforded me access to places I would never have been able to go – a very privileged visit and experience of Moscow. Lucky me.

PrettyBuildings

At times it felt so surreal – rushing around for site visits and meetings, all the while being aware that I was seeing these iconic images in person. And the memory of my 10-year old self clearly stating “I want to see places like this in person, I want to travel” was present throughout my stay. It may have taken a while, but it certainly is true what they say about putting a thought/desire out there into the universe and then just sitting back and letting the universe bring it to you — in ways you could never have imaged.

No pre-conceived ideas, no expectations, just a desire voiced in my head and out loud at age 10. A good reminder to be clear about what my heart wants and to let the universe help it along.

St. Basil’s Cathedral

Walking towards Red Square

Graced with a hostess who is generous, kind, clearly proud of her city and country, and connected meant an experience I would not have otherwise had. Places like Gorky Park and the Kremlin came to life.

Inside the outer walls of the Kremlin you find these beautiful buildings and golden domes.

Gorky Park…I mean really…Gorky Park!

KremlinDomes

My trip to Moscow coincided with their May 9th national day parade – a very seriously impressive parade of military might. More impressive to me, however, was the march that followed. Hours and hours of a 6-lane street filled with people marching in honour of family members and loved ones lost in war (many of whom perished during WW2), carrying photos of their dearly departed. Now that’s a “remembrance day” parade! Just outside my hotel room window was an old veteran with who I imagine to have been his grandson. People marching by thanked him for his service and saluted and you could see and feel the emotion on his face. I hate war. I hate people killing others in the name of whatever belief. I have never understood why some people believe it is okay to hurt or kill others just because they are different. And the emotion of this march…the emotion of people honouring lost loved ones…this…was inescapable. It took a while for me to process my experiences of that day – from military might to heart might.

Rehearsals in Red Square.

The never-ending stream of people marching to honour those lost at war. It went on for 4 hours!

Parade Veteran

And then there are the cultural and athletic sides to this country. I’ve spent many an Olympic Games and world championships watching Russian gymnasts and figure skaters and have seen countless clips of the Bolshoi Ballet on TV. So imagine my excitement at the thought of actually going to the Bolshoi! Incredibly beautiful – the theatre, the dancers, the entire experience. Definitely a “pinch me” moment.

The tickets and packing are beautiful – giving you a glimpse of what is to come.

The theatre itself is incredible.

And the ballerinas…

Just wow…

We were told that no photos of the performance are allowed…and yet people around me were snapping shots on their phones. I wanted to…but I knew the “rule”, so I couldn’t bring myself to do it. The final bows were all I could manage. And that’s okay – the memory of the ballet remains vivid.

And there was dinner at the Zhivago Grand Café – just the name itself “Zhivago” inspires and evokes – and the food was pretty darn good too.

No trip to Moscow would be complete without a glass of champagne – I saw it flowing on a number of occasions. Apparently they love their champagne – just as much as they love their vodka! It may have been the middle of the afternoon on a busy day, however it would have been rude to let one of my hosts drink on his own…sacrifices….

Champagne in crystal glasses…

…and crystal chandaliers

Although my days were filled with work-related meetings and site visits, I did manage a quick walk one evening, delighting in watching Muscovites rush around, enjoying themselves on a warm spring evening.

Pretty streets at night, filled with people walking, shopping and dining.

All in all – what an amazing opportunity and trip. It was my second trip to Russia, and the first to Moscow. I love seeing the history of places all around the world – be it in the architecture, music, culture, cuisine, people. So very thankful to my hosts for this trip!

Welcome to Moscow 🙂

GUM shopping mall – beautiful old building on Red Square.

Sunset over Moscow.

I Heart Moscow

Amazing skies and architecture

Blue skies for days

It would seem that mum was with me – I thought of her often and of our conversation so many years ago. She loved music – there was always music playing and she sang often. Seeing these larger than life music notes in day time, and then lit up at night, felt like a sign that she was watching from above with a great big smile on her face – which of course put an even bigger smile on mine, and filled my heart. Merci maman.

Tags Moscow, Russia, St. Basil's Cathedral, Travel

Categories Travel

A Broad Abroad – Airport Adventures

March 19, 2019 //

I have been very lucky when it comes to travel – seeing new countries, experiencing new cultures, meeting fabulous people all over the globe. Naturally this has meant logging quite a few hours on planes, through different airports, all over.

I recently flew from Bangkok to Istanbul, via Dhaka (Bangladesh). This routing was not my first choice, however I was flying on points and the direct flight on Turkish Airlines was not available…so this was the next best option. I initially thought the layover in Dhaka was 2 hours, but it was almost 6. It’s a small airport…with not much to do, and it was the middle of the night (I landed there at 1am, and my flight to Istanbul was due to leave at 6:25am). Staying awake so I did not miss my flight was my first priority.

I went off to find the lounge so I could at least get a marginally comfortable seat and wifi. The Thai Airways lounge wouldn’t let me in as I was not flying Thai Airways out of Dhaka (made no difference that I had flown to Dhaka on a Thai Airways flight). I was directed to the lounge that Turkish Airlines uses, and was told there that I should be at the Thai lounge – because I started my journey with Thai Airways, it was their branding on my boarding pass. I had to point out that despite the branding, I was flying Turkish Airlines and he finally let me in. I sat down and kept myself busy by doing few things on my computer, watching some Netflix, and shooing away mosquitos. Nope, it’s not an outdoor airport, there were just constantly mosquitoes on me…..constantly!!! At regular intervals I could hear the zapping sound of a mosquito meeting the electric bug-killing racquet the concierge was armed with. That is a very different airline lounge experience.

Eventually it was time to head to the gate. I was thankful and looking forward to getting into my seat and sleeping. Here’s where things got really interesting….

After taking my boarding pass and allowing me to pass through to the security check (which is right at each gate in this airport) I was called back. Seems they didn’t like the fact that my boarding pass had Thai Airways branding on it. In broken English they asked if I had checked luggage. Yup, 2 bags. They then proceeded to tell me that I needed to go to a transit desk to make sure that my luggage had been transferred to the Turkish Airlines flight. What? Look at my luggage tags – they clearly show my bags having been checked through to my final destination. Regardless, off we went to the Transit desk. Apparently in Dhaka you need to check into a Transit desk to make sure that your luggage has been transferred from one airline to another. It doesn’t matter that they were checked into their final destination in Bangkok.

To make things even more confusing, the one and only Transit desk is the Biman Airlines transit desk (Bangladesh’s official airline). Neither of my flights had anything to do with Biman Airlines, however they apparently take care of all travelers in transit.

Next thing I know there are 3 men discussing my “situation” in Bengali. One speaks enough English to tell me that they need to go have my boarding pass reprinted – so that it’s branded Turkish Airlines. And that they need to go find my luggage… They look at my current luggage tag receipts, my passport, my boarding pass (what’s left of it as it had been ripped with the larger piece retained by the team at the Gate), and one of them leaves with all my documents in hand to get my new boarding pass and luggage tags. It took me a few minutes to properly process the fact that I was now without my passport and luggage tags. What can I say, it was now 6:15am and I hadn’t slept at all. I didn’t outright panic, but I was getting a little antsy about how long this would take, wanting to make sure I got on that flight. I started asking more questions to the man in charge of the transit desk, who assured me that this is “normal” procedure at all airports when connecting flights with two different airlines. Uhhh, nope. Not when it’s all on the same ticket and the airlines are affiliated and the luggage tags clearly show both flights. He conceded that I may know better than him how things work in other airports, and assured me that all would be fine. He made a couple of phone calls – I could understand well enough that they were about me and my bags. And he told me that my flight had been delayed until 7:30, so lots of time. “Enough time to go for coffee” he said. I agreed that would be more fun than the present situation…

A few minutes later his co-worker arrived with my new boarding pass, luggage tags and passport. We walked towards the gate, and he had me wait for him at the top of the stairs leading to “arrivals” (where I’m guessing my luggage was still waiting for me…). He was back 2 minutes later – no more luggage tags in his hands (he had given me my receipts). And he started walking. I was a little confused as it was away from my gate, so I asked if I should still follow – he said yes.

A few steps later I understood – we were on our way to the restaurant. Aaaahhh, coffee/tea it is. We joined his 2 co-workers who were now having breakfast (this explained why one of them had been more than just a little annoyed by me and the fact that I hadn’t gone directly to the Transit desk upon arrival – “why did you wait so long before coming?” he asked…”why am I here at all? My luggage has been checked throughto Istanbul” I said). They were at the end of their night shift and having breakfast before going home. I was asked to sit, given some tea, and invited to join in their meal. What??? I wasn’t hungry, but felt it would just be rude to not eat anything, so I tore off a piece of flatbread with my right hand (well, I had momentarily touched it with my left when I realized I shouldn’t – and he didn’t touch his food with his left hand at all, as is custom here. Right hand for eating, left hand for bathroom…) and had that with a fried egg, and a yummy, warm lemon and honey drink. He looked at me and said “you see, I told you it would all be fine. And now we are sharing a meal.”

Indeed, all was fine and we were sharing a meal. Conversation was a little limited given my complete lack of Bengali and his somewhat limited English. But I did find out that he has a 7-year old daughter and likes to spend his vacations relaxing at home (while his wife and daughter go traveling).

So. Freaking. Awesome.

15 minutes later we left, I thanked them for their help and hospitality, and walked off to my gate with a big smile on my face. Now THAT was an experience!

It’s traveling to these smaller countries that reminds you that not everything everywhere is automated and automatic. Nor should it be. There is a lot to be said for random conversations with people you would never normaly meet, ,and so much to be gained by sharing experiences of all kinds. As much as it would have been nice to know beforehand that this was a necessary step at the Dhaka airport, thereby avoiding any last-minute stress for all of us, I smile at the thought of this little experience. Sit back and enjoy the ride, I say.

Original luggage tags

New and improved luggage tags

Tags Airport Adventures, Dhaka Airport, Joy of meeting people while traveling, Travel

Categories Travel

A Broad Abroad – Yoga Teacher Training and Life…

January 30, 2019 //

grad_group_beach

It was quite the month. Filled with challenges, learnings, new friendships, laughs, tears, ups and downs. So pretty much anything and everything you can think of! The desire to do a yoga teacher training intensive course is one I have had for a while now, and nearly did a couple of years ago. This does not necessarily mean I will end up teaching full-time, but you just never know. I simply wanted to get a deeper understanding of yoga – which is something that always helps ground me and makes me feel good.

I found Samahita Retreat two years ago. It was recommended to me by a friend who knew I was looking for a place to go in Thailand post a week-long conference in Bangkok. She mentioned that a mutual friend had done her yoga teacher training at Samahita. After viewing their website I signed up for a yoga retreat and Samahita’s Yoga-Core-Cycle programme. I loved it. So when I found myself with some time on my hands I was pleased to see that they had a YTT course within my “time off”. It was great to find myself back in this familiar place, with friends I made 2 years ago still here.

The main yoga shala, where we spent much of our days. I love this room.

I’m not sure what I was expecting out of the month…but let me say that I got so much out of it. The first two weeks were crammed with anatomy classes, introduction to yogic philosophy, morning meditation, pranayama (breath work) and asana (physical yoga practice/postures), asana studies (where you break down each of the poses and talk about the right way to go into them, be in them [BE IN IT!!! – as Paul would say], come out of them, adjust people in them), and Sanskrit studies of the names of the poses and chants . There is soooo much information coming that at times I wondered how I would remember it all, let alone truly absorb it all , and then pass the anatomy exam! I will admit that I also asked myself what the heck I had signed up for on a couple of occasions.

On a rare walk outside of the Samahita space – chickens and roosters happily wandering

Where coconuts go when they die…

Walking down the back streets, hello cows.

The third week is filled with yoga philosophy (Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras) – an introduction really as there is so much in the sutras that a lot more study is required to truly get a grasp of it all. This week saw discussions on “why are we here”, “who/what are we”, “what does it all mean”, “nothingness”, “non-reality”, “fear of losing all that we have/fear of death” and so much more. Oh ya, a few nights of calming the brain down was required for sure. And at the end of the week, exam #2 – Sanskrit chanting the pose names, kriyas, pranayamas and preparatory exercises. When I first saw the list I thought there was no way I would remember them all. And then as I was doing my self-practice (asana) just before the chanting oral exam, there was this energetic balancing to centre where it all just fell into place. Trust. That word came up many times – trust that this is exactly where I was meant to be; trust that those teaching the course know what they are doing and how to get us to the finish line; trust that it all comes into place and that I am more than capable of it all; trust that I was exactly where I wanted and was meant to be and just let go of any pre-conceived notions and desired outcomes; trust that it all will fall into place – just as it is meant to be. Now there’s a life lesson…don’t have to control it all? Don’t have to know exactly what happens when and how? Just let it all happen? Oh, OK, sure thing, that’s easy for this Scorpio born the year of the Dragon… Hahahaha…

The day after we took exam #3 – Philosophy. Thankfully I was calmer by this point.

Daily ritual – swim in the sea after the morning sessions and before brunch. Great way to wash the sweat off and relax a little before food.

Nightly ritual – swim a few lengths in the pool, mayby hit the steamroom – a great way to unwind before sleep.

Week 4 – teaching exams. I’ve lead some classes before, so this wasn’t the first time I did so. However – the environment of an ‘exam’ is so very different. Someone is watching you “teach” your fellow students. And we all know the sequences, so they know what pose is supposed to come next. Way more pressure than actually simply teaching a class. I stressed way more than I needed to going into the 2 exams, and was pretty pleased with my performance. As always there is room to grow and things to learn – and the beauty here is that this will never change. Always a student, never a teacher.

Well…certified to teach, but there’s always more to learn, so forever a student. A student of life.

Through it all there are a myriad of emotions coming and going – particularly in the morning contemplation around gratitude (where are you in your life, what are you grateful for – the good, the challenges, the lessons, the people), forgiveness (asking for forgiveness from those you have hurt, forgiving those that hurt you, self-forgiveness) and asking for help/guidance for whatever it is you need that with. Most of my tears came in the “gratitude” contemplation. I have said for years now that I lead a “charmed life”. I truly do. And I am grateful for all of it.

Mother nature sure has a way of showing off…

Beautiful sunrises.

There is a definite advantage to being up at 6am.

There is so much more to be said about this experience, however the words have not yet formed – the thoughts continue to evolve and ruminate. More contemplation required. More asana practice required. More breath work required. Not that any of it is “work” actually – for me it’s simply a glorious way to start the day. Then it’s the challenge of taking it all with me from my mat through my day.

One thing I can say is that the people I met here are amazing. An intense experience for all of us, and strong friendships made. People from all over gathered here and I am so lucky to have met them all. I miss you my beauties!

Gal Pals – happy, relieved, giddy…

Samahita – thank you. All the wonderful people who shared in this experience with me, thank you. I have learned so much from all of you and could not have done this without your support, smiles, jokes and encouragement — special shout out to those attempting the tongue lock by using a chopstick…

#Charmed Life. For damn sure!

Even when the storm is on its way in…this place is gorgeous.

A rare opportunity to see sunset as we were in the shala until after 6pm on most days.

Seriously…the sunrises!

Um…sunrise???

The skies…

Samahita from the beach (okay, I may have been in the water – thankfully my iPhone stayed in my hands!

Seen in a wonderful little café on my last day on the island.

Tags Koh Samui, Samahita Retreat, Thailand, Yoga, Yoga Teacher Training

Categories Health & Wellbeing, Travel

A Broad Abroad – Doha Life

June 16, 2018 //

I’m back. Back with a new adventure and a renewed commitment to writing regularly. Let’s see how that goes.

I flew to Doha on April 1st. That’s right, April Fools Day. I think it’s a pretty good day to start a new adventure in a far-away land. This “new” adventure has actually been 6 months in the making, so when it FINALLY happened it was a relief. And a little bit anti-climatic… I’m not sure if it’s just that I always knew it would happen, or if it had just been so long that it was a little deflated. No matter, once I got here the excitement followed.

West Bay – filled with new highrises

Construction continues everywhere, as the city and country continues to develop

The trip from Vancouver was both long, and fast – if that makes any sense. I opted for a Vancouver-London-Doha route with a 7-hour layover in London. Plenty of time for me to hop onto the tube and make my way to Covent Garden to meet friends for tea. It was also a welcome break from sitting on an airplane – the chance to walk around and get some fresh air and catch up with great friends.

Admittedly, I was pretty happy when my 2nd overnight flight was done and I had arrived in Doha. My customs agent reviewed my visa, stamped my passport and said “you now have a new home”. That was a lovely welcome, and one I had not anticipated.

When I am this far from home, I love “feeling” like I am this far from home. Seeing this cross-walk sign while out on one of my first walks made me smile. I am certainly a long way from home.

I’ve been here two months now, and I will also admit that it hasn’t been as “easy” to feel at home and grounded. A few weeks ago I was pretty much completely out of sorts. I don’t know if it was just the past year catching up to me on top of the pressures of figuring out a new job, new boss, new company in the middle of an extremely busy time – or if it’s just getting used to a new place, and the “energy” that it has (if you’ve read my posts about Istanbul, you know I love the “energy” in that city, and I do believe every part of the planet has its own energy). Or maybe it’s the amount of pressure I put on myself regarding all of the above. Likely, it’s a combination of all of it 🙂 Fortunately, I found a reflexology/reiki practitioner, who was amazing. Unfortunately, she has now moved back to the UK. But the good news is, that things have started to settle down. I’ve found an apartment, and move into it mid-July. Settling in there will help as well.

A few of the highlights so are are:

1.The day I arrived I went to the grocery store close by and was greeted with:

In City Centre Mall, an ice rink…

Also in City Centre Mall…Timmy’s!

I began to wonder if that lengthy trip over was a dream…and I was actually still in Canada !

2.Part of the process to get a residency permit includes some medical tests (blood tests and lung x-rays). I left the office with my guide for this appointment, a Qatari gentleman wearing the traditional Thobes. We walked out to the parking lot and the next thing I know I am hoisting myself up into a very large, noisy, red truck. There was just something about the visual that made me smile. Next thing I know we are speeding along, and he’s telling me that I will have to get used to the fact that Doha has bad drivers and that I need to watch out for them – this while he is watching a video on his iPhone as he drives, and nearly crashes into a vehicle merging into our lane… Not his fault, of course…(um, if he’d been watching the road and not the iPhone he would have seen the car’s signal light, turned on well in advance of it moving over into our lane).

3.In my first week here we had an event featuring Tom Brady. Yup, that’s right. I grew up watching the Patriots and have always been a fan of the team. But I had to come to the Middle East to see Tom Brady in person!

Tom Brady in the house!!!

4.I’ve enjoyed walking home from the office at the end of the day. But last week it just became too hot for that. 40 degrees C in bright sunshine. I don’t mind being sweaty when I get home, but there was something about it that just felt oppressive. So its Uber for me now. And soon I won’t be living in walking distance anyway.

On my way home from the office, at dusk.

5.One of the first nights out was spent at the Katara cultural area. It was lovely to spend an evening walking around the cultural centre, seaside, seeing the mosque, restaurants, and having dinner at an amazing Armenian/Lebanese restaurant. There were even a couple of surprises along the way.

Love the beautiful tiles.

I also love the details…

Just another Friday night fight along the waterfront?

6.I opened up my local bank account, and much to my surprise was sent this. It’s the first time I’ve ever been sent a gift for opening up an account! And there wasn’t even any money in it yet…

I don’t drink Arabic coffee (or coffee of any kind), but I will happily display this lovely coffee pot!

7..Souq Waqif. An evening spent walking around the various stalls, seeing what is on offer, feeling more of the Arabic culture, and ending up eating at a Turkish restaurant. I have to admit the Adana kebab and trimmings really felt good – felt like home away from home.

Still love Turkish tea in the belly glass!

Souk Waqif

I haven’t done as much exploring as I’d like, but that will come. As will more posts.

As always, thanks for reading!

The Pearl. Soon to be my new neighbourhood.

The Canadian Embassy is close to the office – and going by this flag twice a day always makes me smile. There’s something comforting about knowing the Embassy office is this close by!

Tags Living Abroad, Qatar, Travel

Categories Travel

LWD in NYC

September 28, 2017 //

I’m always happy to go to New York City – to walk through the different neighbourhoods, exploring whatever the city has to offer that day. It is always a treat. To visit with my Ladies Who Dine, made it even more special. Let’s see how my LWD book would have evolved, had I written it. Let’s call this an experiment in the LWD Book Of Life.

Wednesday. Arrive in NYC. Dinner at Bareburger followed by drinks at Dear Irving.
I arrived first, as I flew in from Montreal and Laura and Vicky were flying in from Vancouver. This meant I was the first one to check into our VRBO apartment in Grammercy – just around the block from the Park. A perfect location for exploring all that Manhattan has to offer.

I picked up a little something at duty free in Montreal. There was plenty of time before Laura and Vicky arrived for it to be perfectly chilled for a celebratory pre-dinner drink. What were we celebrating? Being together of course, that is ALWAYS cause for celebration!

Once the Ladies arrived, we settled into our apartment. One of us feels the need to completely unpack and get organized before going anywhere, so the other two did the same. I was in the loft bedroom upstairs, Laura and Vicky each had their bedroom on the main floor. No one needs to set themselves up in the bathtub half way through the night…we all have our own rooms. I haven’t seen my ladies since April, so there’s some catching up to do before we head out to dinner. I have been in Montreal, experience what life in that city is like as I ponder whether to make an official move there, so Vicky and Laura want to be filled in. Vicky is completely remodelling her house, and we want an update. Laura…well, she’s busy being promoted to VP. There’s a lot of ground to cover while sipping La Veuve!

As it’s our first night, we opt for something casual and close to home. We make our way by Grammercy Park (unfortunately we are not staying on the park, so we can not access it, but it is beautiful – surrounded by brownstones that I would oh so like to see the inside of! One day….one day.) On we went, through one of my favourite spots – Washington Square Park.

Washington Square Park gate. Love this place.

Bare Burger, Washington Square Park for dinner. One of our guests for dinner asked…”why Bare burger? It’s good, but why?”. Well, because the LWD do not always need to be at a 5-star, and the burgers and fries are fabulous!

Post burgers we made our way to Dear Irving. What a lovely surprise – from the reception desk at the top of the brownstone entry stairs, through the curtains, along the bar into a second seating room. It felt like discovering a secret club with private rooms and seating areas. We were taken to the back room where we settled into our seats and admired the decor, the drinks, and the young couple across from us who clearly didn’t have a private room to go back to. Oh to be young and in love with no place to go!

The beauty of Dear Irving. Beautiful surroundings, great drinks.

We saw the couple on the left, still going at it outside on the street corner…sucks not to have somewhere to go!

Pretty pink drinks at Dear Irving

Before heading to NYC, Vicky put together a very detailed spreadsheet of what we were doing and when – she wanted to make sure we didn’t forget about anything and that we all got to see and do what we wanted to see and do. The schedule was nicely broken down by area, making it easy for us to walk our way around Manhattan and Brooklyn. However, Mother Nature had other ideas in mind. With heavy rains on the horizon, we regrouped when we got home and threw the schedule out the window in favour of doing all the outdoor/walking items on what was going to be the sunniest day.

Thursday. Our Sunny Day. Put your walking shoes on.
We started with a quick coffee and breakfast at our neighbourhood Think Coffee. From there we walked ourselves to the Chelsea Market for a quick browse, and then up to the Highline. The Highline is always a highlight for me. Whomever thought of taking over the old, high rail line and turning it into a walking park was brilliant.

I don’t know what it is about the water towers, but every time I am in NYC I come home with a whole stack of water tower photos. I just love them. And the Highline gives you plenty of water tower viewing opportunities.

From the Highline we made our way to Central Park.

Oh that saucy Laura! Enjoying some of Central Park’s fine musical offerings. He really was good.

The beauty that is Central Park.

A star is born. As we were walking though Central Park we were approached by a group filming women reading about motherhood (Mother’s Day was quickly approaching). In this time of intense negative so-called “news”, they were on a mission to deliver a positive story about mums, our love for them and their love for us. Vicky read an excerpt from a book and nailed it – emotion and all – while Laura and I watched with tears in our eyes. Oy….

We stopped for lunch at Tavern On The Green, where this princess became a little picky…The first table was too close to the table beside us, which made it difficult for the servers. So we moved a couple of tables down. But then with the warm sunshine streaming in the glass wall….it was like a green house. So we went outside. 3rd table was just right. Hmmm…princess? Or Goldilocks? In either case, it was a beautiful day and a welcome break.

The Tavern Cobb salad…this was just half…a big, yummy salad!

From the Tavern we stopped in for a quick walk through The Plaza Hotel, then hopped into a cab to the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge. I always recommend people walk over the bridge into (or back from, or both) Brooklyn. The walkway in the middle of the bridge, above the cars gives you amazing views of the city.

Brooklyn Bridge

Carousel ride!!!

We walked around Brooklyn and stopped at a few of the local bakeries. This may have resulted in over-indulgence in terms of the sweets we took home.

Peek-a-boo Laura!

Manhattan bridge from Brooklyn

Manhattan from the Brooklyn Bridge

A trip to NYC would not be complete without a slice of NY pie…so pizza in Brooklyn it was before heading back to our Manhattan abode. We had noticed a very festive German restaurant next door, apparently permanently decked out with Christmas decorations, and wanted to go in for at least a drink. It looked so inviting and such fun! Unfortunately though, Rolf’s wasn’t quite what we wanted it to be. I am not sure if we were just too full, or if it was an off day at Rolf’s, but the smell…….I have been to Germany many times, and no restaurant has ever smelled that foul! Sorry Rolf’s…but we high-tailed it out of there and “Rooolllfff” became an inside joke – a word used when we weren’t all that pleased or when something made us want to…you know…..Rollff….

With all the walking we did that day, we opted for a drink in the apartment and an early night. As there was only one couch, we decided to open it up into a bed (it was a hide-a-bed) so that there would be more room for the 3 of us to sit and chat. The chairs with the dining table are fine for eating, but not for getting comfy and talking. Vicky had taken her seat and I crawled onto the couch to take mine…and…well, I clearly put all my weight in the wrong spot, as the couch started to fold in on itself, with us stuck in it. I wish I had a photo of that! The two of us, stuck in the middle of a hide-a-bed. Luckily Laura came to our rescue…and we folded the couch back up. So much for that idea!

Friday. To Met….Or Not To Met….
We decided Friday deserved a full sit-down breakfast, and headed over to Friend of a Farmer. Delicious! If you are in NYC and looking for a great little breakfast spot, give it a try. It wasn’t raining when we walked over, but upon leaving we exited into the rains. Luckily we had come prepared with umbrellas. We hopped into a cab and asked the driver to take us to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Might as well be in a museum on a crappy rainy day! When we got there however, we saw a massive line-up of people waiting to get it – it went down the block and around the corner. In unison we all said “no way”. And this is why are are such good friends. None of us wanted to wait in the deluge and get soaked. I have never been to the Met and I am sure it is fabulous….but not that day, not that day. So off to Bloomingdale’s we went.

Um…not for us this line-up in the rain!

Vicky’s new Bloomingdale’s purchase – appropriate for the day’s weather!

Magnolia Bakery. I first discovered Magnolia while in Abu Dhabi. Yes, that is true! It is a New York City bakery, with an outlet in Abu Dhabi. And I have to say….although the original is from NYC, the cupcakes and cake were better in Abu Dhabi. I would not have guessed that would be the case….but so far, it has been. Still a tasty treat though.

After hiding from the rain at Bloomingdale’s for a while, we headed to the MoMA. Luckily there were no line-ups and we were able to walk right in. It was my first visit and I loved it. Having spent a few years in the art industry, it was wonderful to walk through a place where you could see the work of so may amazing artists. From Van Gogh to Picasso to Monet to Basquiat….it was all there.

My Ladies at the MoMA!

Van Gogh’s Starry Night. Truly a masterpiece!

One of the reasons we wanted to go to the MoMA was their decision to feature artists from the nations who citizens have been denied entry to the US in accordance with recent presidential executive orders. Supporting this was important to us. And it felt great to see signs like this one throughout the 5th floor exhibit.

From the MoMA we high tailed it to the lower east side for the Tenement Museum Tour. If you haven’t done this…you should. To accurately describe the experience would take too long for this post – but let me assure you, it was amazing to hear stories of the challenges that immigrants had (and likely still have). We were able to see how they lived by walking through apartments restored to the era of the family whose life we were getting a sneak peak into. Using real families, showing us photos of their lives, historical documents, and their modern-day families makes this an experience that is hard to forget – and really, should not be forgotten. Super recommend!

As our nicely mapped out plan for discovering Manhattan’s different neighourhoods had been thrown out…we found ourselves headed back uptown for a night on Broadway. Thankfully our friend Tracie was waiting for us at Bea, where we were having a quick pre-theatre meal. We let her know what we wanted to eat and drink and she ordered as we made our way there. When we arrived the food had just been delivered to our table. Perfect timing!

Our choice for Broadway night was unanimous. We all wanted a comedy, and Kevin Kline is IMPOSSIBLE to resist. He is amazing – such talent, from the way he speaks, to the facial expressions to the body language. I’d see in him anything. And shout out to our Canadian Cobie Smulders who is also in the play. It was a super fun show, although the theatre itself was fricken freezing. What’s up with that?

Happy after another full day of fun, food and laughs, we made our way back home – with a pit stop at Almond Bar for a drink. It was just about closing time, and although the place was almost empty and the bartenders had started cleaning up for the night, we were welcomed and able to share a drink and more laughs.

Saturday. Soho, the Village, a Comedy Club and a Piano Bar.
Friday’s torrential rain had passed, and Saturday proved to be a sunnier day than expected. This allowed us to walk over to the Flat Iron building, and then down to the Village and Soho for a little shopping and strolling. It was a fairly relaxed morning and afternoon compared to the previous two days, and a nice reprieve before a busy evening. We headed home to freshen up and change before meeting Tracie at Beauty & Essex for dinner.

Beauty and Essex

Beauty and Essex – the food was sooooo good!!!!

As much as dinner and drinks at Beauty and Essex was good…the Comedy Club, not so good. It’s hit and miss with comedy clubs and this wasn’t their best night. So to top the evening off we headed back to the Village, to the Duplex piano bar. Show tunes and other favourites by the piano singer and wait staff. Extremely entertaining.

Late night snacks post drinks at our neighbourhood diner before heading off to bed. Another full, fun day comes to a close.

Sunday. What…we have to go home???
And just like that it is almost time to go home. The first in was also the first to leave – my flight was late afternoon and Vicky and Laura’s was early evening. Still, this gave us time to get up, hit Think Coffee for a light breakfast and go for a leisurely stroll. My favourite spot in Manhattan is Bryant Park. It never fails to please and to amuse. There is just something about this little park right in the heart of it all. We hadn’t been yet, and we hadn’t been to the Empire State Building either. So we walk to the Empire State, but opted not to wait in line to go up. From there we made our way to Bryant Park – where Laura had found out the restrooms had just been re-opened after a fancy renovation. Although I don’t have the photos to prove it (prospect of taking a photo in the washroom felt weird) I can report that they are indeed very lovely!

I am constantly amused by the activities in Bryant Park. Petanque was a nice surprise, but not as amusing as the time I accidentally happened on the Square Dance and Rodeo festival!

The Chrysler Building – they just don’t construct buildings like these any more.

Onwards to the Chrysler Building

Empire State Of Mind

From Bryant Park we walked to and through Grand Central Station, then the Chrysler building. It was my first time in the Chrysler…not sure why I waited so long! There are some seriously beautiful buildings out there, and this is one of them.

It was now time for me to head back to the apartment and gather my bags to head to the airport. Our LWD in NYC “weekend” was coming to a close. Another great trip with my ladies, filled with laughter, food, drinks, discoveries, heartfelt talks, and all that best friends share. Here’s to the next trip and more discoveries!!!

Tags Bare Burger, Broadway, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, Dear Irving, Friends for life, Ladies Who Dine, Magnolia Bakery, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York City Highline, Soho, Tavern On The Green, Travel, Washington Square Park

Categories Travel

Ladies Who Dine

April 30, 2017 //

Ladies Who Dine – in the Okanagan

It all started the summer of 2005. For over a year I had been spending a fair amount of my evenings out at the Lumière Tasting Bar in Vancouver (sadly, it no longer exists). After hearing about one of my evenings there with some friends, two of my newest (and soon to be closest) friends decided they wanted to go as well. That first evening at Lumière started something that the three of us had never imagined. Twelve years later we still get together regularly for dinner, drinks, heartfelt conversations, laughter and the love that three close friends share.

Oh how I wish I had written all of it down. I can see it so clearly. When we started on this road we had three rules:

We do this once a month (at a minimum)
We go to a different restaurant every time (what a great excuse to experience Vancouver’s immensely diverse and wonderful food scene)
NOBODY ELSE JOINS. Admittedly we did have a couple of ‘guest appearances’ in the early goings, but we quickly decided against those. It completely changes the dynamics of the evening. So it’s a protected evening (or lunch, or tea) now. Nobody else is allowed in.

And eventually we started calling ourselves The Ladies Who Dine.

What I should have done from the outset was document the restaurant, the food, the wine (or other drinks) and the conversation. Looking back now I believe all of this would make for a great read. Each evening its own chapter. We’ve covered just about every topic over the years.

There have been tears shed over a multitude of life’s challenges: relationship issues; we all lost our mothers; one of us lost our father; fertility issues; the agonizing decision of whether or not to have children; being told that bearing children is not something you will ever be able to do; being a busy mum of a beautiful little autistic girl; health scares (thankfully nothing serious); you name it.

There have also been many a celebration of life’s achievements: new jobs; travels to various parts of the globe; anniversaries; birthdays; books we have enjoyed; new discoveries that put smiles on our faces; again, you name it.

There are increasingly discussions on the state of the world and what we want for our lives – not only for ourselves, but for everyone and for the planet.

And there has been laughter. Oh so much laughter!

We even took the Ladies out on the road. Our first trip was to BC’s Okanagan region, for some wine tasting. Our first weekend away gave us an even deeper glimpse into each other’s little idiosyncracies – one of us travels with our own blanket and pillow; one of us is a very light sleeper; one of us occasionally snores; one of us sleeps with earplugs; one of us doesn’t care about showering and walking around the rented apartment naked. And the best part is, we are comfortable being ourselves because we know there’s no judgement, just acceptance. Well…with a well-timed joke here and there!

That first road trip ended up with my little Escape blowing up on the highway in the middle of nowhere, on our trip home. After what felt like an eternity on the side of the highway with cars speeding past us, the tow truck showed up and the 3 of us huddled into the front seat with the driver. We asked for the finest hotel Merritt had to offer (it was the closest town) and we were taken to a motel where the morning breakfast area was also a pizza joint by day/night. It’s the only time in my life I have seen a hotel room with 3 queen beds…all lined up in a row. After asking the tow truck driver which hotel was the best in town, Lady1 asked him “and does it have a spa?”. We broke down laughing, but the driver, not so much. It remains to this day my only “trip to Merritt”. I don’t think I could top it! And I certainly couldn’t top our rescue. I am extremely lucky to have many wonderful people in my life. Two I call my “surrogate parents”. They allowed an 18-year old university student to live with their family as a live-in babysitter my last year of university, and they remain my second family to this day. I’m a wimp when it comes to car trouble. I don’t know the first thing about mechanics and I always think it’s obvious and I’m being taken advantage of. One call to David and he offered to come and pick us up – that is a 4 hour drive to get us, help me sort out getting my car back to my trusted mechanic in Vancouver, and drive us home. He was our knight in shining armour that day, we told him so and we still refer to him as such.

On our second road trip we discovered that we need more than one room in a hotel – after one of us spent much of the night sleeping in the bathroom tub (she insists it was quite comfortable) while another snored away. Suffice it to say that we booked a second room for the following night.

Over the last 5 years this lady has spent much of her time working internationally. So our Ladies Who Dine evenings have become less frequent. We get as much time as we can when I am in Vancouver – it could be dinner, lunch, tea, even a movie. The LWD outings are one of the first things I schedule when I book my trips back to Vancouver.

And now we approach road trip #3! The Ladies are Dining in New York City! Next week we take on NYC for four nights. One of us has put together a spreadsheet outlining our daily itinerary. There is, of course, a broadway show. There is a comedy club night. There are dinners with friends (it is a welcome exception for someone two of us know, and don’t get to see very often – and well, over 4 days we can include a guest or two to some of the outings). And there will certainly be stories to tell (hmmm, and quite possibly some to keep secret). Stay tuned!

SO MUCH LOVE FOR MY LADIES WHO DINE!

Tags Friends for life, Ladies Who Dine

Categories Health & Wellbeing, Random Thoughts

Montreal Discovered

April 27, 2017 //

Montreal – view of downtown from Mont Royal

Whenever I am asked where I am from I say Montreal. In truth I grew up mainly in Granby, Quebec. Well…after being born in St. Boniface Manitoba, and living in a few spots in between…The first place I truly remember is Kenora, Ontario. My parents moved us from Kenora to Granby when I was 5 years old and that is where I spent most of my childhood.

Even after having lived in Vancouver, BC for over 20 years I say “I am from Montreal”. The irony is that I have never actually lived in Montreal! Until recently… I decided it was time. I have always loved coming here but never really spent that much time in the city. So at the end of January 2017 I landed here. 8 weeks actually living in Montreal before heading anywhere else. Time to absorb and explore the city.

I feel at home here. But then again, I pretty much feel at home wherever I am. Honestly, that gets a little confusing when time to decide where home actually is comes along! Istanbul – definitely feel at home there. London, England – yup, feel at home there. Mexico – yes please, that feels like home. Vancouver – of course. And there are many other places that feel like “home”. What makes Montreal different? First of all, I am surrounded by two languages, both of which I know. It really is nice to hear both English and French spoken, and know that I can slip from one language to the other many times a day (frequently in the same sentence) and be understood and understand others. Using the two languages I grew up with daily is a wonderful feeling.

Montreal is also a really diverse city – you can hear many different languages spoken as you walk down the streets. I love that.

There is a little grit to this city. It’s not all polished and shiny. I like the grit. Hell, you can say that about me too – I can polish myself up and get all glitzy, but I also like to grunge it out. Heels and a dress? Sure. Ripped jeans and a t-shirt? Even better.

Winter has thawed and spring is here now, but my meanderings so far have been in Winter. And in the snow and blue sky I have found so much that is beautiful.

The Atwater Market along the Lachine Canal

One of the first snowfalls

Walking along the Lachine Canal in -12 degree weather isn’t so bad when the sun is shining down on you and the sky is so blue. The air is crisp and fresh and I found I could walk for hours. Yes, it’s true, I am properly bundled up. But as has always been the case for me, it didn’t take very long before the coat was unbuttoned and the hat removed. I was like this as a child as well. Warm blooded I guess!

I love this sign. Look up people…there may be a large icicle coming your way!

Along the Lachine Canal. Artwork that can be appreciated all year long.

A couple of weeks in, I moved over to an apartment in La Tour Des Canadiens. That is a tower attached to the Bell Centre, where the Montreal Canadiens play. On game nights the street is shut to traffic as people wearing the Canadiens red line the street preparing to go into the rink. I was really hoping for a long playoff run, but unfortunately that was not meant to be this year. This is not permanently home…but I do enjoy being here.

Bell Centre – La Tour Des Canadians. Even in shadow you can tell that the first statue is Guy Lafleur – the stance, the hair flying behind him….

The old Montreal Forum is where les Canadiens used to play and where they hoisted the Stanley Cup more than a few times. I was not a fan of the team growing up – for whatever reason I decided to cheer for everybody they played against. Didn’t end up well for me on most occasions, because they really were that good. Now the forum is a movie theatre, and you can sit in some of the old seats and look onto what used to be centre ice.

As someone who has lived in Vancouver for so long and has seen 2 inches of snow shut the city down….it is amazing to watch this city go to work to clear the snow.

After a fresh dump of snow

Truck loads being removed from the city centre. They plow the sidewalks and the streets, and they the snowbanks are blown into large trucks so that we can actually see the streets…

I had a couple of friends visit me in February, and it was great to walk the city with people who hadn’t been here before. Plus it gave me an “excuse” to go up into Mont Royal, the mountain in the middle of the city. Okay…after living in Vancouver it’s more of a hill than a “mountain”, but it is a pretty awesome park. And in the winter you can skate, cross-country ski, snowshoe or just walk the paths.

The Mont Royal cross – visible from just about everywhere in the city and lit at night.

And of course there is Old Montreal. Beautiful any time of the year, any time of the day.

Old Montreal

Montreal is a very walkable city. But in the winter…the metro is your friend. When the current system was launched in 1966, each station had their own unique design. I love seeing the more elaborate ones and looking back at the design of the ’60’s.

Namur metro station

And then there’s the food. Oh lord the food…. Poutine. French restaurants. St. Hubert chicken. Little Italy. Cafês. I can’t even…. I don’t know where to start! Luckily for me I have a nephew in the food industry here. He has been at a few of the city’s best restaurants and most recently at Maison Publique (the food is AMAZING) and has his own company – Aliments Viens. He makes charcuterie – does it all himself and it is DELICIOUS. So when I need a recommendation for any type of food, I ask Phil. Every time he is right – whether it’s Vietnamese or a trendy bistro. Merci Phil.

The snow has melted and I’m now discovering this city in spring. Walks through St. Henri, Mile End, Le Plateau, La Petite Patrie…still so much to discover!

Old brick warehouses and water towers in Mile End

Fire Hall in St. Henri

I have always loved the old brick homes of this city. Now there are many condo towers joining the landscape. It’s a wonderful mix of old and new. There’s an energy in this city that I haven’t felt before – so much going on and an overall sense of ease and excitement. I am looking forward to uncovering more.

View from the treadmill in the gym. I love that old milk bottle! And I hope that the new towers springing up around it does not mean it will be removed…it’s a landmark and I hope it will be saved.

Tags Montreal, Travel

Categories Travel

Flying…a means to an end

March 27, 2016 //

On my way to Stuttgart to spend time with family.

It may surprise those who know me to find out that I am not a big fan of flying. I much prefer to have my feet firmly planted on mother earth. But…I also love discovering new places, meeting new people and seeing the friends I have made around the world. So flying becomes something to be endured, if not enjoyed…a means to an end.

Over the past 3 1/2 years I have done a lot of flying. With my home base in Vancouver, Canada and working in Istanbul, Baku and Abu Dhabi, this has meant numerous long-haul flights. I’ve also managed to do a fair amount of vacation travel, including 17 flights in 46 days last summer (most of them being about 1 hour in length). You would think that meant I got used to it. In many ways I have, but in others….not so much.

Flying out of Vancouver on a beautiful sunny day.

Take-offs. This is the part I like least. I’m not sure when it started, but for years now I have a ritual for dealing with take-offs. As the plane speeds up and the wheels come off the ground I speak to my dad (who passed away many years ago). I visualize his big, strong, loving hands taking us safely up out of whatever city we are leaving; I picture the route on the world map; and then his hands taking us down safe and sound in our destination city. Lately I also add the universe, mother nature, my spirit guides and God to the conversation – but it is always dad’s hands that I picture. It helps get me through the ascent to cruising altitude. Speaking of cruising…I still don’t like it when the engines cut back from the power required to take off. There’s something about that cut in power that always throws me off. I remind myself every time that this is ‘normal’, that you don’t need as much power when you’ve done the climb and are coasting. Sometimes the cut in engine power is barely felt, sometimes it is more pronounced – I guess it depends on the pilot and air traffic.

Once we’re cruising I relax, and at times I even really enjoy it. When I think of all the flying experiences, there are some highlights that come to mind (not all of them good).

While working for an art gallery I used to fly to France 2-3 times a year. On one of the flights from Vancouver to London I got really lucky. I couldn’t sleep, so I asked to go speak to the pilot (clearly this was before 9-11…). This particular aircraft (a Lockheed 1011) had a jumper seat behind the captain’s seat, and I sat there for a while, chatting with the pilot and co-pilot. About 90 minutes before landing the flight attendant came to get me because they were about to serve breakfast. I said my good-byes and the Captain said ‘maybe see you on your flight home’. I joked that I’d like to sit in the cockpit for take-off and landing. After breakfast was done, the flight attendant asked me if I wanted to go back into the cockpit for landing…Um, YES! It was great. We flew in right over Buckingham Palace. The view of the city was amazing. Now that doesn’t happen every day, and certainly not any more.
On another flight from Vancouver to London the pilot came on the speaker system to tell us to look out to the left of the airplane as the northern lights were putting on quite a show. They were. Beautiful.
Then there’s flying back to Canada from Europe, and seeing the sun set on the right of the plane, and darkness on the left side of the plane.
There are times when you look out the window and it is simply beautiful. It could be blue skies and puffy white clouds. Or flying over the Rocky Mountains on a clear day. Flying over the desert and seeing a pop of green every now again as mother nature finds a way for trees to grow in the middle of the desert.
Flying over the Canadian Rockies is always a favourite.

It’s almost like fluffy marshmallows – flying over Europe.
Or flying at night and seeing lights below.
Arriving into Montreal.
That one time I was bumped up to First Class by Lufthansa on a flight from Frankfurt to Muscat. A girl could get used to that kind of pampering!
I loved seeing an animated safety video on Fly Dubai – and a curvy flight attendant at that!
And then there are experiences one doesn’t need to repeat – like an aborted landing. I’ve been through one. Not so much fun. We were flying into Istanbul. This is a city I have flown into many, many times, so I know the approach well. I see the mosque and the homes, and I know when we are about to touch down, I’m excited and happy to be back. I swear, the wheels were almost on the ground and the next thing I knew the airplane picked up speed and then gunned it. It was very dramatic – particularly given that there was sunshine behind us and we were heading into a dark rain cloud. After what felt like an eternity (and was likely only about 3 minutes) the captain came on to tell us that we were circling around to get a better approach. A better approach? The approach was fine, we were almost on the ground. I suspect there was another airplane in the way and the captain figured out that we’d run into it. Everything else felt the same as it always did. I have to say though, what I felt was the perfect combination of being completely freaked out, and completely calm – knowing that it was not my day to die. No. Don’t need to go through another aborted landing again…ever… Don’t get me wrong, if there was something off and the pilot knew that we wouldn’t have a safe landing, I’m happy he circled and came back again for a safe landing. It’s just freaky, that’s all.

I admit to self-medicating to help calm the nerves, and to help me sleep on long-haul flights. But really, it’s mind over matter and remembering to breathe. And as someone who is used to a minimum 5-hour flight (years of traveling between Vancouver and Montreal), I still find short flights “odd”. We’re already there? Oh, right, we are. Shortest flight so far was a 20-minute flight from Athens to Mykonos. That’s just crazy.

All the above said….I’ve now been in Vancouver for a month and a half…and I have itchy feet. It feels like it’s time to head out again, to take a deep breath and get back on an airplane. How fortunate I am that I can. Grateful!

Cheers. Santé. Serefe. Saluti. Prost. Bon voyage!

Tags Airplanes, Flying, Travel

Categories Random Thoughts, Travel

A Broad Abroad – Summer Sizzle, Part 3

September 15, 2015 //

46 days. 17 flights. 6 countries. Old friends. New friends. Desert night. Beaches. Sunshine. Dancing. Wedding. Calamari. Rosé. Champagne. Rakı. Baptism. And so much more.

From Greece I headed back to Turkey, then Romania and Germany. Here is Part #3 of this summer’s adventures:

Stop #8 – Country #4: Turkey. Return to Ankara. Not initially planned, but a welcome addition. I was invited to attend a friend’s traditional Turkish henna night and wedding. How could I say no to that? One of my favourite things about traveling is experiencing first hand, with locals, a new culture. I’ll admit it was a little surreal going from dancing in gay bars with drag shows one night to dancing traditional Turkish folk dances the next – but also totally wonderful. This isn’t the kind of thing you can really plan – it just happens. The more diverse your friends, the more diverse your life experiences.

Beautiful back yard lighting help set the festive mood.

Beautiful back yard lighting helped set the festive mood.

At one point during the henna evening, we (the bridesmaids, decked out in flower crowns) guided the bride down to the dance floor, lighting the way with candles. This is where the henna ceremony happened.

The bride in beautiful traditional dress for the henna ceremony.

The beautiful bride in traditional dress for the henna ceremony.

Getting ready for the henna, which is placed in the palm of the hand.

We even had a Turkish gypsy band playing. They were amazing!

Our entertainment for the evening was a Turkish gypsy band. They were amazing! And in true gypsy form…we got a call before the evening started to let us know that they were at the police station and would be a little late. Apparently they were on the bus on their way to us when they got into a fight with the driver. Somehow a window was broken and they found themselves at the police station. I’m not sure how accurate that is…but it makes for a great story! In the end, they arrived at the perfect time and were great. Everyone was up and dancing.

I have never seen anyone move their hips like the band's singer...not even a belly dancer...

Dancing with the bride-to-be and the band’s singer. I have never seen anyone move their hips like that…not even a belly dancer…

The crowd in the backyard – largely women to begin with as the men were out front having tea and talking. Eventually though, pretty much everyone made it out to the back yard dance floor.

In true Turkish hospitality, I was welcomed into my friend’s family home with wide open arms, smiles and warmth. It is a privilege to see how families live and how they celebrate big life events. To be included in so much of it and given such important roles was an honour. I loved every second of it.

With the bride’s brother. Not sure why I’m covering my face…likely should have been covering my cleavage.

The day after the henna night there was an afternoon cocktail wedding, followed by a traditional Turkish meal with close family and friends. I have to say that we are talking about two amazing people who have found each other, and we were here to celebrate them as they officially start their lives together.

Tuty and Okan.

Beautiful.

The couple as they enter the wedding ceremony – different than the custom in my country, where the groom is waiting for the bride to enter. I liked seeing them enter together.

Tuty asked me to be her witness – which I was more than happy to do. I had no idea it meant that I would be at the front of the hall during the entire ceremony (which luckily is much shorter than a Catholic wedding). I’m used to the witnesses going up when it is time to sign, and only then. I also had to respond to a question, which I’m assuming was whether or not I would support them in their life together. Luckily I know how to say yes in Turkish, so “evet” it was!

And they are married!

And they have a great sense of humour.

After a 90-minute reprieve it was time for rakı night with friends. I could go on and on and write in a lot more detail about every little tradition I experienced during those two days, but maybe I’ll leave that for a future post on cultural traditions.

Rakı night at Bekri.

şerefe!

To top it all off, their family and friends made sure I (the only non-Turkish person there) always had someone to talk to and was having fun – seems they were worried I would get bored. Not a chance! Too much to see, soak in, and experience. I now have new friends in Ankara and know I will spend time with them when I go back. In fact I look forward to doing so. This is another upside to travel – you get to create social circles in different cities and countries. How blessed I am.

At rakı night post wedding with the new bride and groom and their friends.

Stop #9 – Country #4: Turkey. Çeşme. Another first. And again, it won’t be the last. I’d heard about Çeşme for a few years from friends and hadn’t managed to make it there yet. It was long overdue. I met up with a friend when I got there, and was lucky enough to have her show me her little piece of paradise, at the Paparazzi Beach Club on Ayayorgi Bay.

Dinner seaside.

My hostess.

I then spent a few days on my own – enjoying the warm sun and cool, clear water. As I didn’t rent a car, the best way to get around to the different areas was the dolmuş. A dolmuş is part of the Turkish public transit system, and is a mini-bus/van. You enter through a door in the middle of the mini-bus, and then tell the driver where you are going. Your fare is based on how far you are traveling. If it is busy and you can’t get to the driver, you hand your money to people in front of you who give it to the driver. If you have change coming your way, people hand it back to you. Heading to the Fly-Inn beach club was my first dolmuş experience. Easy peasy. It’s an awesome service. Although it was a reminder that I really need to advance my Turkish…not enough words in my vocabulary and putting a real sentence together…well, not quite happening yet. Something to work on.

Fly-Inn beach club. I loved the cliffs and the clear blue water. Refreshing! This particular beach was recommended by another friend who lives close by – local recommendations are always the best.

Fly-Inn beach club. Another beautiful sunny day by (and in) the water.

The village of Alaçati is particularly pretty, and a few hours of strolling through the streets before hitting another beach provided me with more delightful discoveries – quaint outdoor spaces, beautiful streets, outdoor cafés and more.

Alaçati.

Alacati. I stopped for a cold lemonade and a bite to eat here. It was lovely – and delicious.

Alacati. I loved the little streets and all the flowers.

Alacati. Filled with quaint restaurants with outdoor seating areas.

Alacati.

Not a bad view from my hotel room either.

This is the first time I’ve had a hotel room that opened up directly into the pool.

I’ll be back…as soon as I can. There is a lot more to explore and experience here, including a very active night life! And besides, I love the sound of the sea hitting the shore, the sunshine and the water.

Çeşme Marina.

Stop #10 – Country #6: Romania. Baptism in Bucharest. As I mentioned in an earlier post, my brother and his wife have a beautiful 6-month old little girl. She is one smiley, happy baby, and it was her baptism. I was lucky enough to have been to Romania last summer for their wedding, and it was a treat to return. The Hotel Rembrandt in the old city is the perfect place to stay, and it felt good to find myself at “our” table at Van Gogh upon arrival.

Back at Café Van Gogh. This was my family’s meeting spot last summer when we were in Bucharest for the wedding.

The baptism itself was lovely, as was discovering new spots in this city with family and friends. Having just spent 18 months living in a post-communism country, I saw similarities in Bucharest. There is a certain architecture that is common to communism, and an overall ‘feeling’. I like Bucharest – even since last year there are more cafés, renovated old buildings and “cool” neighbourhoods. It’s nice to see the city grow and develop.

Bucharest. Loved walking through the different neighbourhoods.

Bucharest. Beautiful old buildings refurbished to live a new life.

Bucharest. Lovely.

Bucharest. Given house prices…it is tempting to purchase this one and bring it back to its original splendour!

Bucharest. Beautiful sunset as we walk through the old city to dinner.

Once the baptism festivities were concluded, it was time to head back to Germany with my brother and his family. Back to where this 46-day journey began. Hard to believe it is over and I would honestly love to do it all over again. But I guess it is time for a new adventure.

Meanwhile, I’ll say it one more time….I am a very, very, lucky girl. What an array of experiences and memories.

Thank you universe. I am eternally grateful.

Happiness. With family and friends at Café Van Gogh, Bucharest.

PS: Thanks again to my friends at RASK Travel for their assistance with some of the arrangements. You guys are amazing!

Tags Alacati, Ankara, Çesme, Bucharest, Romania, Travel, Turkey

Categories Travel