Category: #travel

COPING WITH CORONA….ARMCHAIR TRAVEL TO ASSATEAGUE ISLAND

I had always dreamed of visiting Assateague Island in Maryland and Virginia since I heard all about it from some people I met many years ago. Another “bucket list” item. Assateague Island is the place where the children’s story, Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry, takes place. In the story, a family tries to raise a pony that was born to a wild pony on this island. During the summer, usually in July, wild ponies on the Southern tip of the island are rounded up and swim to Assateaugue Island. Here the ponies are auctioned off to control the size of the herd and to raise funds for the veterinary care of the ponies. This week-long event is a BIG deal, with over fifty thousand visitors from all around the United States and Canada. A short youtube clip below, by National Geographic, captures the excitements of the annual pony swim:

Of course I had to make the journey with my family to this special place, where you can camp among wild ponies, a few years back. What makes Assateague Island so wonderful, in part, is the availability of some campsites right on the beach. Imagine looking out your RV or tent only to find wild ponies walking through your campsite. It is magical and like nothing else I’ve experienced before. Part of the Island is managed by the National Park System, and part of the island is managed by the state park system. Camping is only available in the Maryland district of the island. Campsite reservations are required from March 15 until November 15, and the site below takes for reservations six months before then. Most weekends sell out quickly. From November 16 through March 14, campsites are first-come first-served . This is an experience for which you should plan ahead, as even the firewood needs to be purchased within fifty miles of the park.

National Park information can be found below:

https://www.recreation.gov/search?q=Assateague%20Island%20National%20Seashore&entity_id=2576&entity_type=recarea

Maryland State Park information can be found below:

https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/eastern/assateague.aspx

There seems to be some difference of opinion as to how these wild ponies got to the island, but most say a Spanish Galleon with these ponies aboard sunk off the coast, and the ponies swam to shore.

If you are traveling with children, a stop to Ocean City Maryland, might be a good place for the kids to burn off some energy after being in the car. Ocean City, Maryland, has a lot of beaches and a wooden boardwalk with shops, restaurants, and hotels. There is also an amusement park there, at the Southern tip, called Trimper’s Rides. This is a historic themepark, which originally was opened in the 1890’s. It is under new management now, and there were plans to add at least nine more rides in 2020. I’m not sure what the status of this new expansion is, however, with the current Covid-19 situation. Normally, the park opens from Memorial Day until October, and there are both indoor and outdoor rides.

https://www.trimperrides.com/home

For a unique camping experience, consider camping on Assateague Island. For those of you who don’t wish to camp, you can drive through to see the wild legendary ponies that live there. Keep in mind, however, that both Assateague Island parks and Trimper Rides are currently closed because of the pandemic.

Enjoy a little unique travel to Assateague Island when the travel restrictions are lifted. This would be a great road trip when that happens and something for which to look forward.

Life is good; carpe diem, friends…….

You can read all about the annual “pony swim” week here:

https://www.chincoteague.com/pony_swim_guide.html

COPING WITH CORONA WITH A LITTLE DIY PINEAPPLE DOLE WHIP

photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com

Stuck inside from self-isolation or stay at home orders? Wondering when you might return to a normal life again? Why not try some diversionary Dole Whip, or “Food of the Gods”?

Several years ago when I was in Hawaii, I went to the Dole plantation in Oahu, Hawaii. Dole Plantation in Oahu is a wonderful place to visit, as they have a twenty-minute train ride around the plantation with several different gardens to meander through as well as a pineapple maze to walk through, too. It was there that I first ate the “Food of the Gods” and thought it was a little bit of heaven in the first bite. The plantation is normally open daily from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM (except Christmas Day), although it is currently closed temporarily because of the pandemic.

photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com

When I arrived back home to the northeast United states immediately after my trip to Hawaii, I searched high and low for Dole Whip, which wasn’t at that time readily available. When I flew to Walt Disney World a few years later, I was delighted to see the delicious Dole Whip available at the Magic Kingdom. Pineapple Dole Whip is a creamy blend of pineapple in a soft-serve ice cream base. It is refreshing and as close to perfection that I’ve ever experienced.

Now that we live in Florida we go to Walt Disney World as often as we can, and one of the first things we do in the Magic Kingdom is to head straight for the Dole Whip, which can be ordered with a slice of fresh pineapple and pineapple juice to make a “float.” I prefer my pineapple Dole Whip pure and simple, without any pineapple or pineapple juice, though.

There have been many “copycat” recipes on the net in the years that followed but NONE are as satisfyingly sapid as the original pineapple Dole Whip. This week, however, the Disney app released the coveted compound, and I swear I heard angels sing the moment I heard the good news! Maybe I even heard a horn play. The recipe is so easy that it lends itself to a spontaneous splurge for something sweet.

Disney Dole Whip Recipe (individual portion): Combine one scoop of vanilla ice cream, four ounces of pineapple juice, and two cups of frozen pineapple in a blender until you can’t wait any longer……

While you are at it, or another day you decide on a delicious diversion, you might try the recipe for pineapple Dole Whip that Dole has released:

Pineapple Dole Whip Recipe from Dole: Combine 1 cup of pineapple (frozen), one banana (peeled and frozen), 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of powdered sugar, and 1/4 to 1/2 cups of unsweetened coconut milk, one teaspoon lime juice in a blender until you can’t wait any longer……….(then put into your ice cream maker as you normally would).

photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com

While coping with the pandemic, why not try a little recipe for one for pineapple Dole Whip? It might just give you the daily diversion you need right now for a little sweet spontaneity.

Life is good; carpe diem, friends………….which recipe is YOUR favorite? Let me know if you try them and consider visiting Hawaii when the pandemic is over if you can. Life is short.

Click here for more information about visiting the Dole Plantation in Hawaii:

https://www.doleplantation.com/

Note: 5/18/20….after trying both recipes for Dole Whip, I just couldn’t make the Dole one work. It tasted too much like banana to me. We LOVED the Disney recipe for DIY Dole Whip, although it didn’t taste EXACTLY like Dole Whip in the park. It was very close, though. Plan on eating it right after you make it, however, as it does NOT freeze well at all. Also the taste somehow changes after freezing as well and isn’t nearly as good.

COPING WITH CORONA….A CAUSE FOR A CELESTIAL CELEBRATION

Super Pink Moon, April 4, 2020

Tonight is a very special night, but you probably know it already. Tonight is the last one exactly like it. Tonight, we experience the moon in the closest position that it will be to Earth all year, 17,000 miles closer to us than it is on average. That means it will look HUGE. That means it will be BRIGHT. In fact, it will be approximately thirty percent brighter than the average full moon.

The name “pink moon” has been used to describe tonight’s moon, but this is actually the name of the first full moon of any spring (in April). The “Old Farmer’s Almanac” says the name is “pink moon” because it happens at about the same time that pink creeping phlox blooms in some climates int he spring.

Looking at the moon tonight approximately one hour after sunset, it did not appear as silvery white as when I normally see it high in the night sky. It had an orangey/subtle pink tinge to my eye, even though it isn’t supposed to really be pink. Despite what I see, I tell myself again that it is only called the Pink Moon because of the “moss pink” or creeping phlox bloom that happens around the same time.

Isn’t that the way, though? We see what we want to see. We open our eyes, yet what we see is what we expect to see. C.S. Lewis said it best:

““What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Magician’s Nephew

Tomorrow I expect to see beauty. I expect to see joy with a touch of whimsy. I expect to see laughter. I expect to see people coming together for a common cause because where I am standing, the world looks beautiful.

“Well, it’s a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes….”

-“Moondance” by Van Morrison

Today IS a marvelous night for a moondance, a cause for a celestial celebration. Carpe diem, friends……….

COPING WITH CORONA…IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS/A SMALL GOOD THING

Three shakes. A “small good thing” in the words of Raymond Carver, a contemporary short story writer, in one of his short stories. Three shakes delivered to celebrate a small victory, a reminder that until further notice, we celebrate everything.

This weekend was fraught with frustration as we battled a huge plumbing issue during self-isolation that even the plumber couldn’t fix from the street. We were unable to wash clothes, use the dishwasher or two of our bathrooms or showers. Admittedly, not being able to use TWO of our bathrooms is a very “first world” problem to have. There are many others in the world who have none. Thankfully, my husband worked tirelessly from the inside, accessing several access points through out the house until he solved the issue hours (really DAYS) later. I admire and am grateful for his perseverance. I admire and am grateful for HIM.

Later that night, we violated our self-isolation by ordering three shakes from Shake Shake, delivered from DoorDash as a celebration of our victory, small victory that it was. I ordered the shakes and had the delivery person leave them on the porch. I opened the door after they left, using gloves. I wiped the outside of the styrofoam containers with disinfectant, as Covid-19 lasts about twenty-four hours on cardboard and approximately two to three days on plastic according to some sources. I transferred the shakes to our own decorative glasses inside the house, once the decontamination process ended. It has come to this, I thought to myself. But it was so worth the wait, as it was a “small good thing.”

TODAY, someone very special delivered surprise home-made muffins to our porch without notice. Another “small good thing” that caused our hearts to soar. A small good thing, an act of kindness, that helps us to rise above the themes of helplessness, loss, conflict, communication, isolation and loneliness that Raymond Carver develops in his story to lead the reader to discover our connection with others. The kindness of food and comfort given by another illustrates a shared understanding with others, letting us know we are all in this together.

You see, in our house, until further notice, we celebrate EVERYTHING. Sometimes it really IS the “little things” that make a difference.

“Together, together, together everyone
Together, together, come on lets have some fun
Together, we’re there for each other every time
Together, together come on let’s do this right….

Everyone is special in their own way
We make each other strong (we make each other strong)
We’re not the same
We’re different in a good way
Together’s where we belong…

We’re all in this together
Once we know
That we are
We’re all stars
And we see that
We’re all in this together
And it shows
When we stand
Hand in hand….”

-“We’re All In This Together” by Matthew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil

Find the small things to celebrate today. A smile, a gesture of kindness. Muffins left upon your porch by a special visitor. A shared connection with others. Carpe diem, friends….

COPING WITH CORONA…LEAN ON ME WHEN YOU’RE NOT STRONG

Photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com

Feeling lonely during self-isolation or stay at home restrictions? Find a friend. Call a friend. Email a friend. Ask a friend for help. We’re all in this together. A good friend is truly a gift…

“Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there’s always tomorrow

Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
‘Til I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you won’t let show

You just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you’ll understand
We all need somebody to lean on….”

– “Lean on Me” by Will Withers

Give help during Corona. Get help during Corona. We’ll make it through this together. It won’t last forever, but our friendships do.

“I get by with a little help from my friends……Oh, I’m gonna try with a little help from my friends…”

-“With a Little Help From My Friends” by The Beatles

Carpe diem, friends……….

COPING WITH CORONA….SCAVENGER HUNT AND BLACK SAND

Wanderlust? Stuck inside? Same here. I turn to memories of travels in times past to keep myself sane.

While visiting French Polynesia, I flew to Tahiti for a day, longing to find a beach with black sand. I flew into Fa’a’ā International Airport in Tahiti, armed with a little bit of the French language under my belt and a lot of adventure in my soul.


Even the plane to Tahiti is colorful

As soon as I got off the plane, I knew I needed to rent a car to go on my scavenger hunt (if only in my mind) to find a black sand beach. I stopped at one car company and was aghast at the rate they would charge me for less than a full day rental. The attendant was surprised that I could speak French, as I am sure he wanted to take advantage of this five foot American woman traveling alone, so I said thanks and moved on to the next car rental agency. At the next car rental agency, it was the same story with a slightly better rate, so again I moved on. They say “three is a charm” so I settled on a car rental from the third agency, whose rate was still high but a bit more realistic. The rate for less than twenty-four hours was equivalent to what we might pay for a three day rate here in the States.

A business in Tahiti

With a rudimentary map I picked up at a tourist kiosk at the airport, which listed only the highlights of the island, I set off for my adventure. I decided to pull over at a local business (Intersport) to seek clarification of the map. I walked into the shop and was greeted with a smile by a kind man. In French, I told him I was looking to find a beach with black sand, as I wanted to take some home to my daughter, and showed him my crude map of the island. Again, he laughed and gave me instructions (in French) to the black sand beach. As best as I remember, his instructions were something like go to the third red light, take a left, then take a right, etc….I thanked him and then set off on my adventure. I was delighted that one can travel half way around the world to still find a kindred spirit and kindness. The man laughed with me, not at me, and called me a “Cowboy”. Evidently he understood the wanderlust deep in this American soul. The language may be different than that which we are accustomed, but there is so much similarity between people from all parts of the world. Kindness, humor, gratitude, confusion, amusement, and respect are all part of the universal language we share with people all over the world.

It had been a while, several decades maybe, since I drove a “stick shift”, or car with a manual transmission. The road was very steep in some parts, but I was committed to finding that black sand. I was also VERY committed to finding an adventure.

Black sand beach in the north of Tahiti

I had been to a black sand beach in Hawaii before, but it had been many years. There is something other-wordly about seeing black sand radiating beneath my feet. I knew from my college days of Geology 101 that Tahiti was formed by two volcanoes, so the black sand is actually pieces volcanic rock. Continuous weathering of the rock replenishes the sand through the years as well.


Basalt volcanic rocks

After getting my sand in my little bottle I purchased at some little gift shop along the way, there was a smile in my soul when I finished my scavenger hunt and was ready to enjoy all else the island offered.

I stopped in the Marché de Pape’ete (Pape’ete Market) which is famous for its sights, sounds, and smells of authentic Polynesian life.

Marché de Pape’ete in the capital
Fish for sale at the market
Sign at the Tahiti Market that reads, ” Before Dying I Would Like….”

I encountered a blackboard at the market with a sort of “bucket list” written by visitors, which made my heart smile. Others everywhere had “bucket lists” and were checking off items one by one I’m sure.

One visitor wanted to travel the world. Another wanted to live in Tahiti with a spouse. Another wanted to find his love. Another wanted to return to Polynesia. Yet another wanted to build a big house for her children. I didn’t write on the board; I kept my “bucket list” in my soul.

After my journey, I was able to get back to the resort to relax a bit to sit in a comfortable egg chair with a good book in my hand and the scent of frangipani wafting through the air.


A Tahitian sunset



“I’ve seen a black sand beach
stranger than any foreign world
where King Poseidon draped in seaweed
once walked upon the Earth–”

-“Black Sand Beach” by Bret Norwood

Life is good. See the sights. Smell the scents. Taste the flavors. Carpe diem friends………….

“I’ve seen a black sand beach
stranger than any foreign world
where King Poseidon draped in seaweed
once walked upon the Earth–”

-“Black Sand Beach” by Bret Norwood

COPING WITH CORONA….VANILLA AND TEMPORARY TATOOS IN TAHAA (Armchair travel to French Polynesia)

Temporary Tatoos in Tahaa? Time for armchair travel to a warm, sunny place….. French Polynesia. Armchair travel in my mind keeps me sane amidst the Corona pandemic.

While visiting French Polynesia, a country comprised of more than one hundred islands located in the South Pacific, I took a tour of one of the islands there, Tahaa. Tahaa is ninety square kilometers (about thirty five square miles) and simply breathtaking. While driving along this island, located on the leeward (western) side of French Polynesia, our guide pulled over to the side of the road to pick a wild fern.

The fern has silvery white powdery spores on its backside.

When you place the backside of the fern against your skin and press for a few seconds, the spores leave an imprint on your skin which resembles a white tattoo. This spore powder doesn’t easily rub off and remained on the my skin for the duration of the day, coming off only when I washed it with soap and water later at my resort.

The thought of a tattoo on my arm did not especially appeal to me, but the thought of a “temporary tattoo” imprint from the spores of this natural plant intrigued me.

For the next stop on our tour, we visited a vanilla plantation. Tahaa is known as “l’île de la vanille” in French, ( “Vanilla Island”), as this island produces about eighty percent of Tahitian vanilla.

Vanilla growing in Tahaa

The vanilla plant is part of the orchid family, and the wet climate and altitude of this part of the world is great for growing this vanilla. La Vallée De La Vanille, an organic vanilla plantation, was an amazing place to visit.


vanilla normally produces flowers in a short season (May and September mostly)



During my visit, I learned that vanilla beans are harvested after each flower is hand pollinated, after about six to nine months. While it is possible to hand grow Vanilla planifolia  (vanilla) in other parts of the world, Tahitian vanilla is actually a hybrid of two species (vanilla planifolia and vanilla pompona), which were bred together to create Vanilla tahitensis or Tahitian vanilla. The bees that normally pollinate vanilla were not brought to French Polynesia by the Europeans from Central America, are not on the island, and are nearly extinct. The plants, which contain both male and female parts, are hand pollinated accordingly. The plant is propagated mainly from stem cuttings instead of seeds because they require a certain type of fungus to even germinate.

unripe vanilla pods on the vanilla plant and a “temporary tattoo” on the tour guide
Dried vanilla pods after several months

Vanilla pods are harvested when they are mature, as harvesting them too early before they turn the right color yields a vanilla bean that is not as aromatic or flavorful. Post-harvest, the beans are washed and dried in a series of steps for approximately nine months before going to market.

Marché de Papeete in Tahiti where many things, including Tahitian vanilla, are sold

Tahitian vanilla tastes very different than the usual vanilla we eat here in the Americas, which is usually a Bourbon vanilla or Madagascar vanilla. While Madagascar vanilla taste can be described as “rich and creamy”, Tahitian vanilla can be best described as sweet and floral with a hit of cherry somehow. Many people simply LOVE the flavor of Tahitian vanilla (especially my friend in Belgium), but I find it tastes almost like eating soap some how.

So when the travel bans are lifted, think about visiting French Polynesia. Try something different. Enjoy the local color wherever you end up and keep dreaming. Carpe diem, friends……….

COPING WITH CORONA, PART 12…..HAVE A PLAN, SEE THE BEAUTY, AND DON’T GET “EATEN BY THE WOLVES”

Toilet paper display at the Point WC, a public restroom on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, which also sells luxury bathroom items such as colored toilet paper

“Another way to be prepared is to think negatively. Yes, I’m a great optimist. but, when trying to make a decision, I often think of the worst case scenario. I call it ‘the eaten by wolves factor.’ If I do something, what’s the most terrible thing that could happen? Would I be eaten by wolves? One thing that makes it possible to be an optimist, is if you have a contingency plan for when all hell breaks loose. There are a lot of things I don’t worry about, because I have a plan in place if they do.”

― Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

Randy Pausch was an inspirational Carnegie Mellon University professor who died of pancreatic cancer when is was still a very rare disease in 2008. When he found out he had cancer, he decided to write what he considered his “last lecture” of his observations about life and delivered it lecture-style in class in 2007. He was a champion of making every day matter. I am reminded of him today when I hear the panic that is happening about the coronavirus. The best way to handle it, in my opinion, is to acknowledge its seriousness, make a plan, be prepared, and don’t fret the outcome. Rather, spend the time enjoying the moments along the way and keep living, enjoying your life, and having fun as best as you can.

So……..what IS the worst thing that could happen I run out of toilet paper? I don’t think I would be “eaten by wolves”, or any other animal either for that matter, so it will be okay………….and we don’t really need to worry about it, because we “have a plan.” Maybe facial tissues could double for that dreadful day!

In the meantime, I try to see the beauty in every day……..while every day may not be beautiful, there IS beauty in every day, even while we are coping with Corona to come knocking at our door.

Beautiful bathroom stalls in one of the airports in Paris, reminding us to see the beauty in every place every day….

Enjoy ALL the moments; carpe diem, friends…………..

COPING WITH CORONA, PART 9…….A GOOD DAY FOR A DAYDREAM

Venice, Italy

Closets could be cleaned. Chicken could be cooked. Soup could be simmered. There are myriads of things to do when self-isolating. Today, I prefer the good ol’ fashioned daydream…….

Day dream : noun – a pleasant visionary usually wishful creation of the imagination (Merriam Webster Dictionary)

Day dream: noun – a series of pleasant thoughts that distract one’s attention from the present (Google)

Day dream: – noun – pleasant thoughts that make you forget about the present (Oxford Dictionary)

Day dream: – noun – a series of pleasant thoughts about something you would prefer to be doing or something you would like to achieve in the future…………… (Cambridge.org)

Venice, Italy

Today, I’m thinking of all the places I would love to travel to in my lifetime…..Egypt, China (The Great Wall for certain), The Ice Hotel in Quebec, Antarctia, Venice (AGAIN!)………the list goes on and on in my mind while I accomplish the mundane tasks of cooking and freezing food in case we have a “shelter in place” in the near future here in Florida. The art of the armchair travel keeps me sane while the travel restrictions are in place for the time being.

Venice, Italy

“What a day for a daydream
What a day for a daydreamin’ boy……..

And even if time ain’t really on my side
It’s one of those days for taking a walk outside
I’m blowing the day to take a walk in the sun
And fall on my face in somebody’s new mowed lawn

I’ve been havin’ a sweet dream
I’ve been dreamin’ since I woke up today
It’s starring me in my sweet dream….”

-“Daydream” by Lovin’ Spoonfuls

Venice, Italy

Life Is Good. Live while you are living. Go outside; get some fresh air…..OR…. maybe it’s time for a daydream today instead. Time to think about all the wonderful things you want to do when the virus clears the air. Keep dreaming. Keep sane.

Carpe Diem, friends….