I started this blog to share some of the thoughts I have along the journey of life. I love to travel and spend time with my family and friends. A good meal, breaking bread with those I love, gives my life meaning. So does travel. I adore dreaming of sites to visit, not just to check them off on a list. Rather, I consider myself a student of life, traveling as an explorer, to open my mind to all the possibilities the world holds in store for me and for others. I love to travel to discover how different the world is in terms of climate, cultures, politics, terrain, economy, etc. but also to discover how SIMILAR the people are. Despite language barriers, much can be communicated with a smile or gestures. Language is simply a means to communicate, yet there are so very many other ways to communicate. Once when I was in French-speaking Canada, I realized that my 7th grade French class didn’t teach me the word for “straw”. However, when I thought about it, I was able to communicate to the very French-speaking waiter in a very French-speaking restaurant about my need for a “cylinder through which to drink” in my limited French vocabulary. Travel challenges the mind and soul, stretching us to problem solve and form conclusions about all that we experience. THAT is the type of travel I enjoy best. “All’s well that ends well”, as they say………….”Life is Good” as well.
Cabin Fever. Wanderlust. Tough to be inside. Spring Break today, ” Teen Traveler” and I decided to venture out of the house to where we could maintain an appropriate “social distance” from others to protect ourselves from Covid-19. Living in Florida, we decided we would find a remote beach area where there were few people present. We searched for the perfect “Cast Aside Covid Cove” with a song in our hearts and our usual spirit of adventure.
Turtle Sculptures were originally auctioned off and placed in Vero Beach by Turtle Trax to raise awareness for mental health. There are over thirty turtle sculptures similar to this one in Vero Beach.
We traveled to Vero Beach, FL, where we found WAY too many people in the parking lots and on the beach for us to maintain our “social distance”, but we enjoyed our day trip to this magical place that is dotted with sea turtle sculptures in so many places. Vero Beach wasn’t as isolated a spot as we wanted, so we decided to drive further south until we found some hidden beach access somewhere else.
Local Beach access on A1A in St. Lucie County. Blink and you’ll miss it…..
I wanted to share this day with “Teen Traveler” to show her how we prepare for Corona to come knocking on our door. We think. We come up with a plan. We prepare. We have FUN! A day spent all alone with “Teen Traveler” where we went on a road trip, we laughed, we talked, we laughed some more, we listened to music from our respective generations, and we laughed some more was just what we needed.
“Teen Traveler” the mermaid
There were few people on the beach, but there was a red flag waving in the breeze. Native Floridians know this means to stay out of the water for some peril or another. One red flag means that the surf is high or there are dangerous currents or both. So, we decided to go into the water only up to our knees, but the surf was so high the waves hit our waists as they came rolling in toward shore. The water was cool at first (for the Native Floridians in the crowd), but we adjusted okay.
“Teen Traveler’s” Life Through a Lens………..
Being with my daughter reminded me of a song by Sia……….
“… I’ve been waiting for a magic moment But maybe there are magic moments Could it be a magic moment now? I’ve been waiting for a magic moment But maybe there are magic moments Baby it’s a magic moment nowBut darling it’s a magical, magical life, life, life Oh honey, it’s a magical, magical life, life, life And baby it’s a magical, magical life, life, life When you can find magic in every day, night, night, night….”
“Teen Traveler” contemplating…….serious one moment…………. ….then making “sand angels” in the sand instead of the snow the next minute…………..
We had a great day and we are already thinking of where we might take a day trip next week. Clear kayak on a Florida spring? Fly a kite at another beach? One thing is for certain. On Earth we have ONLY these five minutes. Time to go out to make a memory, as there is beauty everywhere.
Keukenhof Gardens, the largest flower garden in the world, located in Lisse, Netherlands (South Holland)
As I transition from “social distancing” to self-isolation in our home, I am reminded of an old song that says, “For every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows.” I am reminded of all the good things that are happening in the world right now, despite our current precarious world situation, that are still positive.
The smile of a stranger at the market from an appropriate social distance combined with eyes that meet and show a shared understanding (before I self-isolated), the sense of community in my neighborhood where people are looking out for each other and some folks have offered to get groceries and supplies for the elderly or at-risk neighbors, the gift of extra time together with my family, sharing a laugh as we remember to have fun while we prepare for this coronavirus to come knocking at our door. Having the luxury of extra time with board games while “Teen Traveler” is home from school and watching any pandemic movie we can will be fun memories to reflect upon years from now. Today we will find a remote stretch of beach where there are no visitors so we can feel the sand between our toes and the wind in our hair. This situation is serious, but we still can live while we are living with the situation.
There are many other other things that are that that “flower growing” despite the “rain” in this health crisis. Dolphins have returned to the canals in Venice because the water is cleaner and clearer right now with less traffic. The air is cleaner as emissions have fallen as China’s coal use drops. Many companies are changing policies and procedures to make working from home a possibility, which can help families who are normally juggling the needs of their children while needing to work. Supply chains are working overtime to help meet the needs of the country. We have begun to investigate what self-reliance means personally and as a country, giving some thought to how we can manage on many levels when things go awry. We all have developed an “attitude of gratitude” when we find a supply of toilet paper, any toilet paper, any brand, in the market.
I am reminded of the beauty of Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands while I think “for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows.” The garden will not open tomorrow as planned, yet I can’t help think of all the beautiful flowers that continue to grow, despite our global turmoil. I had always wanted to see the tulips growing in fields as a bucket list item, so last year we traveled there. Another bucket list item crossed off my list.
Tulip farm near Keukenhof
Keukenhof Gardens normally is open in the spring for the about eight weeks from mid-March to mid-May. Originally the gardens were part of Countess Jacoba van Beieren’ s (Jacqueline of Bavaria, 1401-1436) kitchen gardens at Teylingen Castle. In 1949, plans were made by some prominent bulb growers to use that space to grow bulbs, and in 1950 the gardens were opened to the public.
At Keukenhoff, one can take a forty-five minute quiet electric boat ride through the region where you can learn a little bit more of the area. Unfortunately this boat is NOT wheel-chair accessible. Fees range from 4.50- 9. Euros (about $4.82 USD for children -$9.63 USD for adults) at the time of this writing. Children under three are free of charge. The park does, however, offer complimentary electric wheelchairs to guest to enjoy the gardens, though.
Keukenhoff is NORMALLY open from 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM but is temporarily closed now because of Covid-19. There are multiple places to eat within the park, and the park allows dogs on leashes.
A pop of color in a boxBreathtakingly sturdy and enduring windmill on the property reminds me of our resolute human will while battling cornonaDaffodils mingle among tulips and hyacinths in harmonyWish for quick resolution of the Coronavirus and its effects Hyacinths and crocusesThese tulips were not dyed but grow this colorBreathtaking displays of exhibition tulips grow everywhere
Coping with the Corona situation is difficult for everyone, but taking a moment in your heart and mind to visit other places where beauty endures and life goes on might be just what you need. Armchair travel is always good for the soul, as it gives us something for which to look forward some day. The flower bulbs remind us that life goes on, year after year, even after a period in which everything appears to have stopped and is dormant.
“I believe for every drop of rain that falls A flower grows I believe that somewhere in the darkest night A candle glows I believe for everyone who goes astray someone will come To show the way I believe, I believeI believe above a storm the smallest prayer Can still be heard I believe that someone in the great somewhere Hears every wordEvery time I hear a new born baby cry Or touch a leaf or see the sky Then I know why I believeEvery time I hear a new born baby cry Or touch a leaf or see the sky Then I know why I believe”
-Written by Roger Whittaker and sung by Mahalia Jackson
TODAY is a good day to have a good day. Spring has sprung. Go out and live; carpe diem, friends…………..
A beach on Hutchinson Island, St. Lucie County, FL
My daughter “Teen Traveler” and I decided to get out of the house today while we are all coping with the Corona Chaos here in Florida. Luckily we don’t have any symptoms, nor does anyone we know. Here in Florida, it is recommended not to be among crowds of more than ten people at a time, and we decided we can still LIVE while we are living with the Corona Chaos. We began thinking of all the things we can do on a road trip here in Florida and decided we wanted to go horseback riding on a beach with beautiful blue water, so we came up with Tours On Horseback in Fort Pierce. We called them, and they said they could meet us in Frederick Douglass Memorial Park on South Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County. Their website said, “Horseback riding is the perfect way to relax and take your mind off the stress and tension of everyday life, ” and that sounded just PERFECT for us while we take a break from travel due to the US travel recommendations and restrictions during this Covid-19 outbreak. We made the reservation today and for $45.00 per person, we rode along the seashore while a gentle breeze blew in our hair. The temperature on the beach today was only about 81 degrees Fahrenheit, and it was just what we needed to avoid any cabin fever we might feel in the coming days…………
“Teen Traveler” on her horse
The ride lasted about an hour, which was just the perfect amount of time for “Teen Traveler”, who has never been on a horse that long. The horses walked along the edge of the beach with their hooves in the water but did not go into the water, which would have been fun.
We saw unexpected bursts of color along the trail to the beach
After our beach ride, while we were driving home, we noticed LOTS and LOTS of electric scooters scattered about the island, all for rent. What an unexpected surprise. You can use an app to pay for the scooters with your cell phone.
Electric scooters all lined up in multiple spots along South Hutchinson Island and ready to rent.
Use the Link Scooter Sharing App to rent your scooter through your cell phone
Along the way home, we enjoyed our day at the beach with its breathtaking blue waters………
Sand here on South Hutchinson Island is a bit more dark than the white sands of Vero Beach, north of St. Lucie County in Indian River CountLighter sand on Vero Beach
What a wonderful day spent together with “Teen Traveler”, soaking up the sun with laughter and reminding ourselves that we will overcome this virus situation eventually….
“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.”
― Roy Bennett
We CAN create a day full of joy, full of love, full of exploration, full of adventure, full of hope…………
With Covid-19 positive cases cropping up here in Florida, combined with the CDC recommendations not to visit places with greater than fifty people, I am strolling down memory lane to visit Silver Springs State Park, which was extremely popular within Florida’s tourist industry, until the early 1970’s when some of the large theme parks opened in Orlando. This park was so popular that a tour boat operator released rhesus monkeys there in an effort to make a Tarzan-like attraction. Now, visitors can spot an occasional wild monkey roaming about the park. If you see a monkey, though, don’t get too close. Many are infected with herpes B virus, which can be transmitted to humans through contact with the monkeys if they bite. Sometimes the monkeys are aggressive, so it is better to stay away from them and live life through your lens with photographs.
Sign at Silver Springs State Park, describing the wild monkeys and advising you to stay away from them Turquoise blue spring waters from ancient limestone formations
I spent the day, with my daughter, “Traveling Teen” hiking through the trails, enjoying the moments as they unfolded before our eyes……..
Temperature is 72 degrees Fahrenheit year round, but swimming is not permitted
Although swimming is not permitted at Silver Springs State Park, you can take a glass bottom boat ride for only $12.oo for a half hour. You can even see some statues from one of the underwater scenes from a James Bond movie filmed there.
Like Alice at the looking glass, you can see a whole new world through the glass bottom boat floor at Silver Springs
Many movies were filmed at Silver Springs:
The Seven Swans
Never Say Never Again
Thunderball
Legend
Moon Over Miami
The Yearling
Distant Drums
Underwater!
Creature From The Black Lagoon
Don’t Give Up The Ship
Blindfold
Tarzan And His Mate
Tarzan The Ape Man
Smokey And The Bandit, Part 3
Rebel Without A Cause
The Frogmen
SeaHunt (Series)
Spanish Moss hanging from trees everywhere
While coping with Covid-19, you can always take a road trip to Silver Springs to create a memory with someone you love as you get some fresh air. If you want to avoid a crowded boat, you can rent kayaks, stand up paddleboards, and canoes there, too.
Life is good; get out to enjoy it whenever you can. Silver Springs is located in Marion County, Florida, north central Florida, just east of Ocala. The blue waters and this park is “old Florida” at its best. Enjoy today; carpe diem……….
Vacationing as a vegetarian certainly comes with some challenges. Finding something good to eat, beyond a basic salad, can be much like a scavenger hunt……In Rhode Island you can find some mouthwatering and flavorful options below:
THE GARDEN GRILL (Pawtucket)
In Rhode Island, there is a great vegetarian restaurant called “The Garden Grill” in Pawtucket. I especially love the roasted butternut squash quesadilla, because I eat cheese. For folks that prefer not to eat cheese or are vegan, they offer menu items such as black-eyed pea falafels and chipotle seitan. They even offer gluten free items, such as mushroom pad thai, gluten free mac and cheese, and other wonderful things. Their menu changes frequently, usually with the seasons, so check the website often. They are also kosher-certified by a local Rabbi since 2013.
In the heart of the former jewelry district in Providence at the site of the former Imperial Knife factory, you can find a charming, eclectic restaurant that is not vegetarian but is vegetarian friendly with vegan and gluten free options. I have never had a meal here that I did not just love. The decor is intimate, romantic, and chic with funky chandeliers. This place has been featured in “The New York Times” and “BonAppetit”. Definitely worth visiting for great food beautifully presented, great ambiance, and great service. On Wednesday nights they sometimes feature live jazz. Great for a different date night.
Rhode Island style Cantonese chow mein is delicious here, although this is a very simple spot THAT SOMETIMES smells a little funny. Served in hot stainless steel containers with lids, the meatless fried rice and meatless chow mein are winners. Chow mein is served usually accompanied with a side order of white rice. The chow mein is served piping hot over crispy fried chow mein noodles from a distributor in Fall River, Massachusetts. Chow mein , Rhode Island style, consists of usually celery, onions, and bean sprouts with a corn-starch based gravy. King’s Garden also served meat-based entrees, such as chicken chow mein, pork lo mein, and General Tso’ chicken for the ominvores in your party. Simply delicious. The restaurant was updated a bit a few years back and has a bar as well.
UNCLE TONY’S PIZZA AND PASTA (Cranston, East Providence, and Johnston)
This simple place, first opened in Cranston in 1969, with red and white checkered vinyl tablecloths is home of the famous “Plumpy” spinach pie, which is delicious! The plumpy contains cheese, olives, seasoned spinach, and pepperoni, but you can order it without the cheese and pepperoni if you are a vegetarian. This very large and tasty Rhode Island style “spinach pie” is a variation of what everyone else in the country calls a “calzone.” However, in Rhode Island calzones usually don’t have ricotta cheese in them. This restaurant is adjacent to a shopping plaza and is a no-frills place with green and white walls and a red rug. Not much atmosphere, but you will always find great Italian bread, served with all meals, and great food. Lots for ominivores here, too, like the Italian chicken escarole soup, the hot meat entrees, and sandwiches. Pizza is great, too, and can be ordered without any meat and still is fantastic.
uncletonys.com
CRAZY BURGER (Narragansett)
This small, charming eatery near “The Wall” at Narragansett Beach serves great, unassuming food. Here, strings of paper lanterns hand from a wooden ceiling in this local favorite since 1995. They serve four types of vegetarian burgers as well as meat burgers and entrees for the omnivores that visit. The sweet potato fries are to die for! They serve breakfast, too.
While I have never been to this restaurant, it serves vegan & kosher pan-Asian eats in a casual ambiance with dark wood in downtown Providence near the Providence Performing Arts Center and is only a nine minute walk to Trinity Repertory Company (theater).
Location, location, location! This restaurant is directly across the street from Brick Market Place on Thames Street in the heart of the Newport waterfront tourist area, where America’s Cup race is held. They specialize in Northern Italian food and have something for vegetarians as well as omnivores. In fact, they feature a whole separate vegetarian menu with items such as seitan and vegetarian pastas.
This busy eatery is open late night and is right in the heart of Providence’s East Side on Thayer Street. They serve delicious Mediterranean food, such as stuffed grape leaves, falafel, baba ganoush, spanikopita, and vegetarian lentil soup as well as omnivore favorites such as lahamajeen meat pie and gyros. This place is a quick walk to just about anywhere on the Brown University campus and is all about good food in a simple atmosphere. They also serve gluten free options.
This list is by no means all-inclusive, but in Rhode Island there are many options for places to eat if you are a vegetarian. Vegetarian in Rhode Island can mean no more boring salads while you are traveling. Anyone care to add to this list? Life is good. “Carpe Diem”, friends………….
As the world hunkers down to try to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus, many travel restrictions are in place around the world. I decided about a week ago to postpone my bucket list travel trip to Egypt. In the meantime, unless there is a “shelter in place” for our area, I have decided to get out of the house to a local park where there is fresh air and no need to maintain a distance of three to six feet between myself and others, as there really are not that many people out and about right now.
I traveled to Ravine State Park in Palatka, Florida, which is a beautiful state park with large suspension bridges along a 2.5 mile loop wooded trail. This place is very interesting, as it is elevated in some spots beyond our usual “sea level” flat trails here in Florida. Although this place has had some damages from recent hurricanes, it is known for its display of azaleas and LOTS of them. At this time of year in 2020, most of the azaleas have already bloomed, but I saw an occasional bloom peaking out among isolated branches. A spot of color on an otherwise green branch here and there gave me pause and reminded me that all things are temporary, including this Covid-19 virus. It will run its course eventually, and eventually life will return essentially to normal for the most part. I am not sure what this will do to our economy or way of life long term, but I do know that the Covid-19 will eventually run its course. In the meantime, I will get out to local travel places, now that even Disney has shut down, to find inspiration…….find inspiration in nature and revisit places I have visited already again in my mind……
A lonely bloom which reminds us that everything is temporary
I ALWAYS will agree to the sentiment behind the company whose logo says, “Life is Good”.
Try to see the beauty and stay calm…..stay safe.
Maybe I can find a four leaf clover among the oxalis…………
Headed to New England a few weeks ago and couldn’t help but look forward to the cold weather. Wish there was a Waterfire going in the state’s capital, but that is reserved for warmer months. Check out this site here: https://waterfire.org/
Waterfire lights up the Providence and Woonasquatucket Rivers in downtown, Providence. Such an artistic effect in Providence’s “Renaissance City”. Definitely something worth checking out if you are in Rhode Island.
River in downtown Providence where “Waterfire” is held, viewed from Providence Place MallRhode Island School of Design Museum exterior
Another great place to visit in Providence is the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, a place where I first saw an Egyptian sarcophagus and a fragment of relief from the Egyptian Karnak Temple. This is where I knew I wanted to visit Egypt some day and planted the seed for my wanderlust.
Coffin and mummy of Nesmin, 170-30 BCE, Rhode Island School of Design Museum
Providence is a magical city, where a statue of Roger Williams overlooks downtown near the First Baptist Church of Rhode Island.
Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island and the first Baptist church in America, located in Providence, RI First Baptist Church of America, 75 North Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island
Of course, Rhode Island is home to a couple of world famous colleges, most notably Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design
Brown University, an Ivy League university in Providence, RIThe courtyard outside the “Met Cafe”, Rhode Island School of Design’s cafeteria in Providence, RI
Of course, one can spend the day looking at many interesting examples of architecture in Providence, especially on the East Side. You can read more about the architecture in Providence here:
This is an example of one of many private residence homes in Providence’s East Side that looks like a dollhouse Another example of interesting architecture in Providence
Providence is easily accessible by plane into T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island, although the airport code is technically “PVD” for Providence. You can ride by car to Providence from the Airport in about fifteen minutes. A train also connects the PVD airport to Providence for about $3.00-$8.00. Providence is a great city to walk around by foot. In fact, in winter time, you can even go ice skating in Kennedy Plaza in downtown. While you are there, check out some Rhode Island Italian food on Federal Hill, which used to be a little like a smaller version of New York’s Little Italy, but now is more multi-cultural. You can still get some of the best Italian restaurants here like Joe Marzilli’s Old Canteen Restaurant, Enoteca Umberto, Cassarino’s, Venda Ravioli (where you can also purchase fresh pasta in the store), among others. While in Providence, you might want to check out Cafe Nuovo if you want to dine by the riverside with “global dishes” downtown or Al Forno, which is a wonderful Italian restaurant near the river in Providence as well.
While you are in Federal Hill, don’t forget to check out DePasquale Plaza, which has a fountain in the middle of the plaza, which reminds me of a piazza in Europe where folks congregate on warm summer nights. DePasquale Plaza is a short walk from Pastiche, which has many wonderful desserts or Caserta Pizza, which has delicious pizza and Rhode Island style “spinach pies”, a variation of what is known as a calzone in the rest of the country. Simply delicious! Spinach pies are sold in many bakeries here as well as pizza parlors, too.
Several other foods to try while in Rhode Island are “quahogs”, a type of mollusk which is served in chowder (or “chowda” as the locals call it), clam cakes, baked stuffies. Rhode Island is known also for Saugy hotdogs (Cranston) and hot wieners, a type of hot dog served with Rhode Island’s special meatsauce and other toppings like onions and celery sauce. Don’t forget their “party pizza” which is typically purchased at bakeries or grocery stores, not pizza parlors, and is served at room temperature with sauce but no cheese. These traditional party pizza strips, which are often sliced in square or rectangle pieces, are often found at graduation parties, birthday parties, and other social gatherings.
There have been several movies shot in Rhode Island you might want to watch after your trip.
Dumb and Dumber (1994) directed by Peter and Robert Farrelly,
There’s Something About Mary (1998) directed by Peter and Robert Farrelly,
Dan in Real Life (2007) directed by Peter Hedges
The Great Gatsby (1974) directed by Jack Clayton,
Amistad (1997) directed by Steven Spielberg ,
Meet Joe Black (1998) directed by Martin Brestm
Me, Myself, and Irene (2000) directed by Peter and Robert Farrellym
27 Dresses (2008) directed by Anne Fletcher,
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) directed by Wes Anderson,
Irrational Man (2015) directed by Woody Allen
All in all Providence, and all of Rhode Island, is a delightful little place to visit. Consider visits to Narragansett, Block Island, and Newport while you are there, too. Boston is only about an hour away from Providence, and New Hampshire is about two hours away. Parts of Maine (Kittery) are only about two and a half hours away, and Mystic, Connecticut is only about an hour away. There are lots of options to visit New England if you start your trip in Rhode Island.
Carpe Diem with Caye 