On Holiday ~ Tuesday 4

 Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

Summertime means travel time for many people.

Let's talk about travel and holidays.

1. Will you be traveling this summer at all?

I will be travelling up country to Kamloops two or possibly three times to visit my niece.  We generally don't overnight on these trips but it makes for an extremely long day there and back.  On one of those trips we hope to carry on and keep on going to Edmonton, Alberta and possibly even farther north to visit some relatives.

I've posted a few very old photos of Kamloops and a map from Kamloops to Edmonton.  Vancouver to Kamloops by car is a distance of 354 kilometres or 220 miles.  It is an additional 807 kilometres or 501 miles from Kamloops to Edmonton.  From there we would likely carry on to other northern towns and cities before returning to Vancouver.  You can get a better look at the map if you click on it to enlarge.

A view to North Kamloops and Bachelor Heights

2. Will there be day trips in store for you? visits to the beach, evenings out?

A true day trip to local area probably won't happen but there will be some visits to different venues at least once or twice with friends.  I'll likely post about it on this blog and share some photos. I always like to go to the beach as well and take some photos there though I'm not sure I'll get there until autumn this year.

I love going to the conservatory but don't get there so often. Here you can see a lot of tropical birds and inside the conservatory is very nice, warm and tropical so it mimics the natural habitat of the bird life.

Another nice location is the rooftop garden at the city's main public library branch downtown.  In the photos below the sky looks overcast. I remember the day well and it was alternately hot and cloudy/windy. I hope on my next visit there it will be a day of sunshine.

There are a great many places to visit but sometimes it's difficult to find time to be a tourist in your own city.

3. Do you eat out more in summer ...  do you go for ice cream or treats more?

I probably eat out a little more in summer though not too much more. Eating out is just too expensive but if I'm out and about and I feel too hungry then I will have a sit down meal most often rather than a snack on the go. I do like ice cream and tend to it all year long, lol. I especially like to have a Banana Split at the DQ on summer days.

4. What is your favorite place to visit and what is the most exotic place you've been to?

My favourite place to visit is Kenya for the scenery and the people. I also love Australia for the spectacular scenery and the informal nature of the Aussie people. 

Green Island, Australia (Great Barrier Reef)

Sydney Harbour, Australia

I've forgotten the location but it's near Nakuru, Kenya

Typical huts in the countryside & laundry hanging to dry

Wildlife freely roams the park while you dine nearby.

Fisherman on Lake Bogoria

A buck peeks out at me

Water buffalo with pink flamingos in background, Lk. Nakuru

One of many food distributions we did near Kericho, Kenya

Both of these continents are exotic with their unique flora and fauna and the people are very hospitable. I'd love to visit these two places again but more than likely will get to Kenya before I make it back to Australia. I'm hoping that I'll be able to travel to a new country on my next visit to somewhere but we'll have to see how things go.

Simply the Best ~ Tuesday 4

Here is an older Tuesday 4 from Toni Taddeo.

1.   What was the best place you've ever been? A Place you would love to return to again and again.

There are two places I've returned to time and again.  The first is Australia, everywhere and anywhere on the east coast.  Cairns in the Far North Queensland has a special place in my heart due to family connections.  I also loved Sydney because in its winter it reminds me a lot of where I currently live.  After my 3rd visit to Australia though, I decided I'd better visit other places. One day I'd love to return and see the City of Melbourne.

The second country I love so much is Kenya.  It's a relatively small country compared to Canada where I live but it does take time to travel to places outside of Nairobi.  I love all parts of Kenya though I haven't travelled to the far flung northern areas mainly due to lack of time, money and issues of insecurity in the. north.  Perhaps one day I'll get to see the northern areas too.  In particular, I love the area around Kericho, Kenya, located in the Kenyan Highlands and home to many of the country's tea estates. I've visited the country 7 times and would like to return one day. If you search my blog you'll be able to see some photos of my travels to Australia though limited because it was in the days before smart phones. I do have more posts about my Kenyan travels.

Tea fields in Kericho, Kenya

2.   What was the best book you have ever read?

The best book I've ever read is a difficult one to answer. I have to identify several different books and I've shared these before in many different blog posts. The books are: The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher, Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry & The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I'm going to add a 4th book because it sticks in my brain though I've never had it on my favourites list before. It's called Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. If you've read any of these books I'd love to know what you thought of them.

3.   What is the best food you've ever eaten? How about the best restaurant?

This is a difficult question too because I've eaten many best foods but I think two stand out. I do love Greek Souvlaki dinners (Chicken or Lamb) but they must include rice pilaf, roasted Greek potatoes, Greek salad, tzatziki sauce and grilled (warmed) pita bread.  It's the combination of all of the above that make it special. I also love calamari (deep fried squid) with tzatziki sauce.  Virtually any Greek restaurant I've eaten at knows how to prepare these dishes very well.

Chicken Souvlaki Plate

Another favourite dinner is special because it was a romantic meal. My now husband took me to an Ethiopian Restaurant in Nairobi, Kenya.  We had Beef Tibs and he fed me each bite and I fed him in turn. It was the one and only time I've ever had such an experience and we both laughed at attempts to feed one another.  We enjoyed ourselves and the meal was very tasty. Since then I've experimented with other Ethiopian dishes and I enjoy the food very much.  The restaurant we ate at was located in the northern part of Nairobi in the United Nations area but I can no longer find it on the Google Maps.

Beef Tibs

4.   What was the best movie or TV series you've ever watched? 

Best movies ever watched are The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston, Dances with Wolves with Kevin Costner and any of the Bourne Trilogy, James Bond and Mission Impossible movies.  Do you sense a theme here? Historical and spy movies.  

Here is a movie trailer for The Ten Commandments. Have you seen the movie?  It's a very old one and I first saw it when I was quite young. In fact the movie was released before I was born but they would run the movie every Christmas. I haven't seen it on television for years.

 
So what would your answers be?  Get blogging and let us know.

Travel Bug ~ Tuesday 4

Hello!  It's time for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 hosted by Annie at Cottage by the Sea.

Annie says that finding reasons to blog and stay in touch with others, or to meet new bloggers is very important and I would agree with her.  Blogging also  provides you with a record of your thoughts and ideas to leave for your family.   It's a journal of sorts really that you share with others.

Summer is June 21st and people usually take advantage of the warm weather to take a trip or vacation or day trips to visit, shop or for recreation.

So let's talk about travel.

1.  What are the most memorable destinations you've visited, and what made them stand out? (this could include places like museums, art galleries, etc. not only a vacation site.)

Oh my!  I've had so many memorable travel experiences and fantastic places that I've visited over. the years.

Australia  - Everything was novel to me, from what side of the road you drive on, to the sayings like 'good on ya mate', the flora and fauna, the spectacular scenery and of course the weather. I was enamoured of the fine white sand along the Gold Coast at Surfer's Paradise but the entire eastern coast of Australia was beautiful and there were miles and miles of nothing. Similar to parts of Canada in that respect.  I've travelled to Australia 3 times, twice with my brother and once with my late mother.  On the first trip, my brother and I took a road trip all the way from Port Douglas in the Far North Queensland (FNQ), and south to Sydney in New South Wales. My brother drove the entire distance and we stopped at many points along the lengthy coast.  Oh and I can't forget about the Great Barrier Reef in FNQ.  We spent an entire day out on Green Island to explore the reef.

On the Ross River, FNQ on the Aboriginal Tour

On a boat in Sydney's Darlington Harbour

With David Hudson of the of Tjapukai Dance Theatre

A young dancer from the Wild World Show

On the catamaran to Green Island

Relaxing on Green Island for the day

Enjoying the fine, white sand at Surfer's Paradise 

New Zealand (North Island) - I loved the scenery and the quiet countryside. We saw more sheep than I've ever seen at any one time. A fantastic time time was had in the hot springs of Rotoru (Te Puia) and in the Maori's Marae listening to the cultural teachings, songs and dances of the Maori people.

Traditional Hut and totem pole of the Maori

Honolulu, Hawaii - I've been to Honolulu on overnight layovers from Australia.  Though I'm not a huge fan of the heat, I absolutely loved the tropical scenery. On 2 of my layovers, I took the 2.5 hour air conditioned bus tour around the island to experience the Halona Blow Hole and the lush, tropical scenery. I did a recent google search and found that the tours these days seem to be much more extensive and can last all day with increased costs to match. Personally I prefer a shorter tour. The ones I took were run by the original Hawaiians who gave a little insight into their history and lifestyle and the time allotted for the tour was perfect for learning a bit and seeing the sights on the Island of Oahu.

Kenya, East Africa - On my first visit to Kenya, I went on an unforgettable safari  to the world renowned Maasai Mara National Park. Part of the experience was seeing the Maasai men perform their traditional jumping dance and also visiting a traditional Maasai village. The Maasai people, like many tribes in the isolated areas of the country, still live in their traditional houses and compounds.

Wildlife at the Maasai Mara National Park

Paris, France - For years, I fantasized about travelling to Paris, France. For some reason I would promise my youngest nephew who was very small at the time, that we would travel there together.  When he grew up I never really thought he'd be interested but he was and we did it together! In 2019, we travelled to Paris for a few days and thoroughly enjoyed our short trip.  

Just being in Paris was a thrill though we also saw several of the usual tourist things. My personal favourite is the Sacre Couer Basilica and although you're not supposed to take photos inside, I took a few photos surreptiously.

The iconic Eiffel Tower

2.  Which hidden gem locations have you explored that you'd recommend to others?

These days it's pretty hard to say you've found or explored a 'hidden gem'. Most places that are worth seeing have pretty much been overrun with tourists.  There are many beautiful places in the world but I have to say that Canada is blessed with spectacular scenery.  British Columbia, the province where I live is no exception especially if you love mountains, valleys, & lots of waterways (lakes, rivers and oceans). If there are any hidden gems I'd have to say if you travel the province by car and explore some country roads you will find all manner of beautiful spots and many secluded areas near lakes where you can camp or rent a cabin. Virtually every where you go in British Columbia, there is a beautiful, gem and it's a 'hidden one' if it isn't on someone's 'must see' list. 

3.  What’s the most unique cultural experience you’ve had while traveling ?

Travelling in New Zealand where we experienced the marae (communal and sacred space which serves as a hub for community gatherings).  My brother and other men were invited to participate in a Haka Dance with the local Maori men and it was so much fun to watch them.  We also visited a cultural geyser site where foods were being cooked in the traditional way among the rocks and the hot steam.

In Cairns, Australia, my mother and I joined a tour where we were taken around to various sites where the Aborigines of the area showed us how they hunt, make things and forage for herbs and foods.  We also had an opportunity to see the Tjapukai Aboriginal Dance Troupe in the Daintree Rain Forest.

In Kenya, I went on safari, a once in a lifetime experience.  As part of my lodging package, I got to see the men of the Maasai tribe do their traditional dancing and visited a traditional Maasai village.  I went to many places where the culture was on display.  For example, when I visited orphans raised by a widow woman, they broke out in traditional song to welcome me and did the same when I left.  This kind of greeting happened wherever I visited and made my trip so memorable.

4.What mode of transportation is your favorite for a long trip? How about a short trip?

For a long trip I prefer to take the plane. For a short trip I prefer to go by car. A train may have more room but it is very slow in Canada and I don't like to take forever to get somewhere. Many tourists who come to Canada, opt to take the train and better see the spectacular mountains between British Columbia and Alberta, the world famous Rocky Mountains.  

I've been on the trains in Germany but not as a tourist. I found it quite stressful dealing with train connections.  I was largely alone and had to struggle with heavy luggage up and down stairs with tight margins of time   I wasn't on holiday and the people organizing my travel itinerary left no room for flexibility. If I missed a connection it would have been a nightmare. It was also in the days before smart phones and Google so I couldn't do much advanced research.

Today, if I were to take a multi-country trip to Europe, I would likely travel by train so I could see the countryside.  I think it's an economical and comfortable mode of travel if you are not so fixed on the time for connections.  Well at least if you make your own arrangements you can make connections that are more suited to your needs.  I would also use the bullet train if I ever travel to Japan though I don't relish the idea of being crammed in the train like a sardine (I've seen it on television).

Note:  A post such as this is better enjoyed with personal photos. Most of my memorable experiences on the above travels were before smart phones the quality isn't very good. I also didn't capture many moments of our travels because it wasn't always convenient or culturally appropriate.  As for Kenyan & Parisian photos, I have so many and have uploaded them over time on various posts. I'll see if I can add a few here once again. In the meantime, I've added links in this post, to all the major sites.  Please do check them out.

Thank you for stopping by!

Tuesday 4: Travelling

I'm joining in with Tuesday 4 this week.

Annie at Cottage by the Sea continues this meme in memory of Toni Taddeo.  This week's questions are about travel.

1. How far have you gone from home and where did you go?

I've travelled far and wide though not quite as far as I would like. The farthest point from my home is Kenya in East Africa. The distance from Vancouver, Canada to Nairobi, Kenya is 14,388 km or 8940 miles. The 2nd farthest I've been is Cairns, FNQ in Australia which is 11,496 km or 7143 miles.

Mount Longonot, The Great Rift Valley, Kenya

2. Do you think the hassle of travel is worth the trouble?

When I was younger I would enthusiastically say 'yes'.  These days I find travelling is hard on me physically not to mention all the work involved in planning long distance travel. So I do not enjoy the actual preparation for travel, needing to save funds for the journey or the actual travel. I do enjoy it once I'm at my destination.

My last trip to France and Kenya made me think that travel is no longer worth the hassle. I found myself running from one gate to another and barely making my connections due to all the security checks. It means that in future I have to add even more time for flight connections not to mention factoring in the time and hassle of whatever new conditions will be put in place due to the Covid pandemic. Nonetheless I still expect I will do a bit more travelling.

Palace of Versailles, France

Travel once you get to your destination is also a lot more fun if you are driven around by a driver or people who know the place you are visiting. Otherwise it is usually a hot and tiring mess.

3. Are there places you would like to visit or have plans for visiting?

Yes I have plans for future travels but besides travel within Canada, I only have plans to visit Kenya again. It would also be nice to visit several places in Europe, the UK (after Brexit I'm not sure if the UK is still technically part of Europe), Israel and Egypt.  I have done a bit of  European travel with trips to Germany, France, Czech Republic and Holland. I never tire of seeing some places over and again and there are still so many new places I have yet to see.

4. What trip was the best you've ever had?

It's hard, if not impossible, to pick just one. The best international trips were to New Zealand and all down the eastern coastline of Australia by car. I was a lot younger then and enjoyed everything including sleeping in hostels and being generally more adventurous. Another great trip loaded with pleasant memories was my first trip to Kenya about 14 or 15 years ago. I loved everything about it and one of the highlights was going on a safari and getting to  stay at a beautiful lodge in one of the country's many national parks. I've been back to Kenya several times due to missions work I do. Canada also has many great travel opportunities and I've enjoyed many road trips but the trip to Niagara Falls was a highlight.

 

 

 I'm joining in with Tuesday 4.

Blessings and Changing My Reader

My blogging friend, Crystal Mary in Australia has a new book out. Please listen to Crystal's vibrant voice in this short youtube "trailer" she made to promote her book. You might know someone who would like this book and be blessed by it for Mother's Day or an upcoming birthday.

In other news, I've decided to transfer the blogs I follow from Google Reader to Bloglovin so I won't lose any of you that I read faithfully. You can follow me that way too.  See the widget to the right of my blog. I'm still mulling over blog platform options. Stay tuned.

I've been sick for some time and more so over the last weekend and continuing to now. I've asked a few dear souls to pray for me.  I feel that those prayers really helped me because suddenly on Tuesday, things changed.  Matters came to a head on Tuesday after really suffering on Sunday and Monday and I began to feel a little better since then.  Today I finally managed to get to the doctor and am now on a course of antibiotics. I hope it can arrest the infection(s) very soon. I feel very blessed because I know things could have been much worse and I am not out of the woods yet.  More tests are being done in the coming months.  When I was at the doctor's office she asked me why I didn't call the emergency after hours service. I hadn't even thought of it. That's what happens when there is too much infection in the body. You cannot think straight. I've seen it happen with my mother many times and she would even refuse to go to the hospital when in that state.

My mom has also been quite sick and struggling for at least one month with a bad cough and infection.  I've been worried about her because of her compromised immune system.  I asked a few people to pray, I called the prayer line too.  For the last 5 days I prayed that the doctor would reach out to examine her and prescribe her medication, or that somehow a new doctor could take over her case (that would need to be a miracle).

I was just at the point of pressing the matter very soon with someone who could do something to make sure mother was getting medical help and lo and behold, this morning the doctor arrived to see her before she was even out of bed. He soon prescribed antibiotics. I know that God was in this answer because of the inattention of the last month or more. I give praises to God for responding to the prayers.  Thank you to those too who have stood with me in prayer.  Your sacrifice and intercession are noted by God but you also need to  know how MUCH you bless me by this faithful act of friendship.  I also continue to pray for those of you who have asked for a healing or financial touch. God really does answer prayer and we of the faith are to be burden bearers for one another.  Thank you so much and  Praise His Name. xx

This Sunday is Mother's Day.  I am blessed to still have my mother here on earth and hope she is with us for years to come.  Since I just had a visit with her two weeks ago and can't travel right now,  I am sending flowers.  If your mother is still alive, I hope you are able to give her and call and spend a few moments of the day with her if you don't live in her city.

Happy weekend to all!

Perth Here We Come

Some time ago I signed up for a dish cloth swap being organized by Rhonda and Sharon over at the Down to Earth blog. I guess I didn't remember to specifically leave them my email post so I got left out of the swap but was kindly picked up by Judith from Perth, Australia.

I had an olive coloured dishcloth set with mixed light yellow and cream colours but I thought that those colours would be too dull for a place like Perth, Australia. So I came up with these tropical, summer colours instead.

There are two simple dishcloths in this set.

I thought Judith might also like some photo postcards of Vancouver.

This was a fun swap. I can't wait to see what my dishcloths from Australia look like.

Judith said she was aiming to send them about a week ago and I'll be interested in seeing how long it takes a small parcel from western Australia to travel to me here in western Canada.

To see more Mellow Yellow submissions click here.

Join Smiling Sally and the gang for Blue Monday by clicking here.