Junk in Klein Bonaire

Our day on Bonaire continued to be busy. We headed out in a Chinese junk which was to transport us to a small crescent shaped, uninhabited and protected island called Klein (small) Bonaire. It is purported to have the best snorkeling and diving opportunities in the Caribbean.



As we approached Klein Bonaire, snorkelers were sent off toward the dive site in zodiacs.

The water was pristine and the beach unspoiled. The island is uninhabited, has no dwellings and no facilities of any description.

I opted to remain on the junk, relax, take photos and enjoy the peace and solitude of the almost deserted boat. I wasn't alone for long as the teen son of the captain arrived, by zodiac, after his day at school. He was a most polite young man named Urs who loved to talk and proudly share all his knowledge of Bonaire. "I just came from gym class," he said with a chuckle. "We went swimming."

  He was intelligent, well mannered and clearly well educated. I enjoyed listening to his stories and soon heard about his enjoyment of outdoor life. He told about his Swiss heritage and his Dutch education at a Bonaire private school. When I asked, why the private school, he told me that he needed to learn Dutch rather than the Bonaire slang language Papiamentu which is spoken in public schools. And yes, he knew how to speak Papiamentu as well as Dutch, English, French and Swiss...five languages! I learned about Bonaire history, culture and politics while waiting for the rest of the passengers to return to the boat. Time well spent.

I practiced using the camera timer as I ran to various parts of the boat to be in the photos. I missed the mark on this one (me on the left) but found a surprise when I got home and viewed the enlarged picture on the computer. The captain was obviously peeking to see what all the thumping on deck was about. Embarassing.

                                                                  

On our return sail, we saw landmarks and lizards.

It was a terrific second half of the day. Bonaire is truly historic, fascinating and fabulous for those who love ecology and the outdoors, the sun, the sea, the sand, sailing and snorkeling.

http://www.geographia.com/bonaire/bonhis01.htm

Slavery and Salt In the ABC Islands

In some instances, a "B" can be far more desirable than an "A". This was the case when we visited the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. Bonaire was a delightful surprise. The island has an area of 113 square miles with a population of about 16,000. Crime is minimal since it is relatively impossible to escape being caught. Traffic, is clearly not an issue.

In the morning, we found a delightful cab driver named Banban. He had lived in Bonaire for quite some time. In fact, I'd venture a guess that his vehicle was one of the first taxis on the island. He was eager and willing to give us a tour of the sites we requested on the southern part of the island.

First, Banban took us onto the grounds of the salt mines. We waited as he ran into the office. When he came back out, he brought us some sample sea salt crystals.

 Next, he took us to the slave huts and showed us the tiny dwellings where the slaves huddled together by night, after mining the salt all day. They were originally built with a corresponding obelisk in colours red, blue, white and orange. The obelisks showed ships where to dock to pick up salt after a flag of the corresponding colour was raised.

Huts often held 6-8 adult slaves

Process of transporting salt to ships

Although the salt mine and the slave huts were the highlight of our tour, Banban also took us to a beach and to a flamingo habitat. We returned to the ship to prepare for our afternoon tour...a sail on a Chinese junk with snorkelling on Klein Bonaire.

Banban showed us an original slave bridge

Visiting Embera Country

We recently went on a fantastic trip. It included a stop in Panama, where we were fortunate to visit an authentic Embera Indian Village. Because we needed to venture into the jungle, we first had a bus ride, then met some of the indigenous men who ferried us to their village using dugout canoes with motors. It was a 45 minute scenic ride in the canoe.

The Embera are a nomadic tribe. They have settled in an area of Panama which is now one of the country's protected national parks. They are supplementing their livelihood with tourist dollars.

As we arrived, we saw the raised village huts and children frolicking in the water. During our visit, we learned that the children are educated by teachers who come from Colon and live in the village during the week, then go home on weekends.

We were greeted by a band of Embera men who made music as we entered the village. There were also a few apprentices.

Since we had been travelling for quite awhile, an essential trip to the facility proved to be quite the culture shock.

The children hammed it up for the camera as we waited for the food and festivities to begin.

The women cooked tilapia and plantain, then served it to us in an ornately wrapped leaf pouch.

After dinner, we were treated to some entertainment, a snake dance and a monkey dance. Then, we were shown the many varied handicrafts made by the families, including baskets, wood carvings and jewellery. Of course, the items were for sale. I purchased a red and black monkey mask made by a teen girl and a nut bracelet.



The Community Centre

Everyone posed for a final photo and wished us a good trip back.

Since many photos and videos on the Embera people are available on Google, I did not elaborate on their history and lifestyle, but simply descibed our unforgettable experience. 

Hotel Review

My lack of blog production is because we have been away. I am now in "catch up" mode. The first thing I've written since our return is a hotel review for www.tripadvisor.ca. I have done a few in the past, some good, some bad. Here's the latest.

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserReviews-g34168-d266168-r123760550-Sleep_Inn_Ft_Lauderdale_International_Airport-Dania_Beach_Florida.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT

New Year's Eve...and Beyond

Thanks to Dr. Seuss for these words...
"And when you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done."

Toward the end of 2011. I was in somewhat of a slump. A few issues were weighing on my mind and I suddenly felt "elderly". I lost interest in things, was sickly and had insomnia.

On December 31st, hubby and I went to a dance with some couples we know. We dressed in our New Year's Eve finest only to be surprised at the variety of clothing worn by much of the crowd. There was a more diverse group at the dance than we had anticipated. The age range was actually quite large. I looked around at the young women and couldn't help but admire their bravery as they donned what appeared to be tulle undergarments, flourescent leggings and short boots. As I stared at their crimped and feathered coiffs, I imagined the hours it must have taken them to look like that. I have a daughter. I know.

Can I be in the picture? Please, please, woof, woof....

The music was mostly fast and modern...very modern. In fact, it was a "video dance", a term which was unfamiliar to much of our table. Music videos played on a screen on the dance floor. I only knew about this because I had once supervised such a dance in a school gymnasium. I loved it and happily sang along and bobbed around. The boom, boom, booming beat and volume of music made conversation challenging. As midnight drew near, we grabbed our hats, noise makers and glasses of water and headed for the dance floor. Midnight. Balloons fell. People hugged, kissed and spilled their drinks. It was 2012! 

Hubby and I started dancing to the first slow dance of the night...

  ***"Theme From Titanic". You know the one...Celine Dion. "This can't be a good omen." I muttered under my breath. 

January 1st got off to a slow start after a late night. The day, then the week picked up very quickly. We had a lovely visit with family members. Then later, imagine my surprise at seeing this message on Facebook from my favourite Toronto hotel. (blog "Monday with...", March 31, 2011).

Hotel Victoria

Please congratulate Hilde as our December winner of a Free night's stay at Hotel Victoria!   
    1 January at 15:03

The next day, I had an appointment at the orthopaedic and sports injury clinic to investigate some foot pain. The doctor told me that my feet are sensitive, very much like hers and that I needed to treat myself to an expensive new pair of shoes. Hmmm...best medical advice I've ever received!

Hubby went on a business trip and the weather was spectacular. The longer these temperatures last, the less time for ice and snow before Spring...fine with me. Puppy and I loafed around at home. I lingered in the tub, played some video games, listened to music. We went for some walks, did some cooking and I attended to medical appointments. Since I did most of my work before New Year's ("Things to Do...", Dec. 31, 2011) there was just a bit of tidying and laundry to be done. I "weighed in" and discovered that I had actually lost half a pound during the Christmas holidays. Besides all this, free samples and coupons galore came in the mail. One coupon was for $25 off a Tilley purchase...wonderful since I received a gift certificate from the same store at Christmas.

The week just kept getting better. On Friday January 6th, an item I wrote in this blog and submitted to the local newspaper was published. I have now achieved something which was on my bucket list (see "My Bucket List", June 30, 2010)

Northumberland News, Friday January 6th, 2012

It is now Saturday morning, one eventful week since New Year's Eve. Hubby made me crepes with strawberries for breakfast. The t.v. news channel has Bon Jovi's "It's My Life" playing in the background.  I am officially un-slumped. Happy New Year.

Yummmmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

*** Hubby reminded me that 2012 is the 100 year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Perhaps that's the reason for the music at midnight. Perhaps it was coincidence. In my opinion however, a poor and unexplained choice.

Things To Do Before Midnight

Although routine is generally a challenge for me, twice a year, I do make a special effort to follow some kind of regimen. Those times are New Year's Eve and Chinese New Year's Eve. On those particular days, certain things need to happen. I suppose it all stems from tradition or even superstition. In my case, it's probably not a bad thing to retain these habits.

As I sit here, the laundry is washing. There is to be no dirty laundry in my house on January 1st. I will change and wash the linens after I've had my afternoon nap (necessary so that I might go out and stay up until midnight tonight). Dead plant parts or shrivelled flowers and leaves will be meeting the composter. The dishes will be washed and put away after our last meal, probably consisting of leftovers because the fridge needs to have those items removed. Garbage must go outside and into the bin. And of course, that final blog of the year that needs to be written.

Once all those things are done, I can linger in the bath, dress up for the evening and get ready to ring in 2012.

I do not subscribe to such beliefs as scaring away evil spirits through midnight fireworks and noisemakers. I think those are just fun things for outdoor celebrations and indoor parties. Since I am becoming more sensitive to sounds as I continue on my path toward the grumpier years, perhaps I'll be one of those who will be scared off from public events in the future.

Over the years, I have made my share of resolutions, a New Year's tradition for some. Very few have turned out as anticipated. I learned that making resolutions involving others rarely works. (eg. my grown children will move out of the house this year). Unrealistic resolutions are also usually unsuccessful. (eg. my grown children will move out of the house this year). Having said all that, there will be a New Year's resolution for 2012. Since it's not a "to do" requirement before midnight however, I will share it at a later time.

So as I now go off to fulfill the rest of my pre 2012 chores, I will take this opportunity to wish everyone a productive day followed by a Happy New Year.

Autumn Au Revoir

My parents bought their first real home in the early 60's. I was eleven years old. It was a small three bedroom bungalow with one bathroom, no garage, a gravel driveway and an unsodded backyard. Until then, we lived in a series of flats in Toronto. In those days, people didn't live with their parents indefinitely, nor did they purchase a huge home the day they got married. My folks worked, they scrimped and eventually, they bought.

One of the first non essential purchases my parents made was an oil painting. They bought it in a jewellry and gift store at the Oshawa Centre. I remember that they went back several times. Spending $50 was a huge decision. They had admired several pieces by a Finnish artist who lived locally named of *Erkki Jalava. Although they preferred his works that showed splashing waves, the price was prohibitive and they ended up selecting an autumn scene, this autumn scene.

I liked it well enough at first, but then, over the years, twenty to thirty years, I began to tire of the picture. Part of the reason was that it seemed "dated". I thought it was time for my parents to revisit their living facilities and try to move into a newer decade of home decor. I had a friend whose parents had almost the exact same picture, painted from a slightly different perspective. In fact, they had met the artist who informed them that these were his "bread and butter" paintings.

In later years, I was surprised to see yet another version of the same painting, a winter scene at the home of my inlaws. Mr. Jalava seemed to be doing well in the "bread and butter" department. I also learned that there was a sister-in-law, Anna Jalava who painted similar scenes. I don't recall the exact location of the works, but they were painted near an Ontario cottage which the Jalava family owned.

After my dad died, the painting was homeless. We took it in. For awhile, it was hanging in our basement hallway. I hesitated to part with it...nostalgia I suppose. I still didn't particularly care for the colours or style. It didn't match my tastes at all, nor did it fit into my small house.

I researched similar paintings. Most were in the $325 price range. Some were even marked "sold". I decided that this was too small an amount of money to part with a piece of my family's history.

Imagine my surprise one day recently, when my daughter in law, admired the picture. "I really like that painting and the frame matches our furniture really well." she said. I remembered their grand house with its spectacular and tastefully decorated formal living, dining room containing French provincial furnishings. I had an idea.

Erkki Jalava would have a good home. I could visit from time to time. Everyone would be happy.

*Erkki Jalava

 The Jalava family arrived from Helsinki Finland in 1952 and included Mauri and Anna-Liisa Jalava, Mauri’s brother Erkki and his wife, also named Anna-Liisa, their mother Orvokki and Mauri’s brother-in-law, Paavo Hyttinen. Mauri Jalava had worked in Finland as location manager for two studios and as a freelancer for Finnish movie trade magazines. His wife Anna-Liisa was an accomplished artist, as was Mauri’s brother Erkki.

Erkki Jalava is listed in the National Gallery of Canada archives.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hydro

It’s 8 a.m. Christmas morning. So why am I not cooking turkey, singing Christmas carols with Justin Bieber or unwrapping gifts with my family? Simple, our hydro is out. After just enough on and off flashes of light to leave our mini dachshund trembling, we sit in the dark. Despite the 7:48 sunrise, the overcast sky has made it pretty difficult to negotiate much of the house.

Since moving to this location, I have learned several things. Patience is certainly near the top of the list. Hubby and I were surprised at the many power outages during our first year here. We accepted it as part of the “small town” experience. There were enough advantages that we could overlook the minor inconvenience of resetting all of our clocks about once a month.

I understand that my distress is not nearly as great as that of the utility employees who now need leave their own families and get out there looking, yet again, for the problem. So I ask, why are there these constant issues? 

Despite my current frustration, I am grateful. I am grateful that I have lived to see another Christmas. I am grateful that it’s not too cold outside or there’d be a whole other issue. I am grateful for family and friends. But most of all, I am grateful for the birth of our Saviour and the opportunity to celebrate on this special day.

In a strange kind of way, I am even grateful for the dark and the quiet that is currently all around me. It has given me time to reflect.

Tree Part Three

Ok, so I was being a bit sappy and overly dramatic in my last blog. For the past week, since the great "festival of trees" caper, I have been hearing nothing but nothing but "we need something in our front window...maybe some candles." We have searched from store to store for an item that would brighten up our large living room window and look good from inside and outside. The stars across the top don't seem to be quite enough. We thought of electric candles but the ones we saw were too short and somewhat chintzy.

After we went downtown and saw the lovely display of lights in the trees of the park, I started to hear, "maybe we should get a tree."

Victoria Park is spectacular

We were running out of time. I ventured out and picked up a cheap fake tree which sprouted plastic optic fibres off its tips. I put it in the window, plugged it in and watched the fibres change from red to blue to green. Then, I waited for it to be noticed and to see the reaction. I got none. Finally I had to say, "I did something and when you see it, let me know if you like it or if I should return it."

Another beautiful sunny day in December

The tree was the right height and the shape was good. The fibres were barely visible at night and totally invisible during the day. This wouldn't do. With two days left until Christmas, the plan changed. If we added a few lights and decorations, it just might work. First we found a string of white lights. Then I made a topper with ribbon and baubles which wouldn't interfere with the optic fibres on the tip.

                                      
With a little bit of digging through some bins of ornaments and white lights, we now have a Christmas tree inside and outside the living room window.

Our wedding tree is still visible outside

What I've Won

In the past, I have often "known" things. For example, I once knew I was going to win a piece of art despite the fact that there were many, many entries. Yes, I did win.

I knew I was going to win a tree from the festival of trees. My best guess now is that I didn't win. The draw was held yesterday and I have not received a phone call.

People asked about my backup plan. I didn't have one and I didn't need one. I was going to win the tree that sparkled and shone and caught my eye. It was going to look fabulous in my living room window. Perhaps it's my own fault that I didn't win. There was a brief time when my resolve wavered. I almost considered purchasing a tree.

I did not come away empty handed during this festive season. I did win something. Hubby and I were at a dance and here is the magnificent centrepiece I brought home. It now graces my dining room table. Lovely.

To me, this arrangement represents more than just flowers, greenery and holly. It reminds me of my many "winnings". It reminds me of all the things I have to be grateful for during this holiday season...family, friends, health and a comfortable life.

And in case that's not enough, I have a fantastic hubby who made my vision come true this Christmas after all. I have a colourful and shining tree in my living room window. It's one of our "wedding favour" trees from four years ago. Hubby transplanted it into the middle of our front lawn and covered it with a tiny blanket of lights. I have to look outside, but will gladly do so as I watch our tree grow older along with us.