Garden 2014

It's that time of year again.  My garden and I come alive again.  Here's to my 2016 garden!!  I cant wait to see what beauty it brings me.

Ras Kutan Resort- Tanzania

Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

February 2016

After a week observing a district hospital and then a week on safari, we were ready for a little bit of decadences.  We  booked five days at the Rus  Kutan  just 40 kilometers from Dar Es Salaam.  The place sits right on the Indian Ocean and caters to 20 people.  There are  luxurious hut, overlooking the ocean.  All meals are included.  Drinks are extra. The scenery is beautiful and life is good. Here are just a few things that I enjoyed:

• ·      Snorkeling at an old ship wreck;
• ·      Blue ball monkeys roam around us;
• ·      $200 bar beer on the first day. We got that under control the next day;
• ·      Morning naps;
• ·      Afternoon naps;
• ·      Early evening naps;
• ·      Massages;
• v        Day 1- head massage
• v        Day 2- salt scrub
• v        Day 3- foot massage
• v        Day 4- full body massage
• ·      Bottle after bottle of Kilimanjaro beer;
• ·      Floating in the warm water of the pool;
• ·      Skinny dipping late at night with a sky full of stars;
• ·      Protecting our food from the monkeys and not always being successful;
• ·      Lingering at the dinner table until 10:30 PM, deep in conversation on how to save the world;
• ·      Sleeping with the door  wide open so we can hear the ocean all night long;
• ·      Large, encumbering mosquito nets that were difficult to get in and out of our massive, luxurious bed;
• ·      Great food, too much food at every meal;
• ·      The lovely feeling of being cut off from the rest of the world, oblivious of the news, obligations and worries;
• ·      Days that blend in to each other with nothing to distinguish one day form the other;
• ·      Relaxing, bordering on lethargy;
• ·      Accommodations fit for a queen.  It’s the type of place that is so nice I begin to panic and dread the thought of leaving the minute I step in to this bit of paradise.

Related story: African Skies http://bkmemoirs.blogspot.com/2016/03/african-skies.html

More Thoughts on Tibet

More Thoughts On Tibet

 July 1999

I traveled through Tibet for three weeks.  Here are my thoughts:

• ·      I am never traveling to a Chinese government country again. I don’t like the negative influence the government has on the Tibetan people. They are treated as second class citizens.
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• ·      Kathmandu reminds me of an Asian Amsterdam. it’s tolerant of different religions and ideas.  There are lots of old hippies walking around and lots of people living on the fringe. And the coffee shops were a welcomed perk.
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• ·      The Potula reminds me of Graceland. it’s become more of a tourist site more than a religious site.
• ·      The Tibetans seem content with life. I wonder what they worry about.
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• ·      I don’t do well with high attitudes.  I need to spend time at sea level. Being above 18,000 feet is hard on my breathing.  And it turns my fingernails blue.
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• ·      I don’t think the Dalai Lama can ever return to Lhasa. The city has moved away from that era when he was here so many years ago.
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• ·      I’m not going to eat pig’s ears for a long ever again.  They are two dreadful food choices.
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• ·      I am not any closer to understanding why some people have a sense of spirituality and others don’t have any. if you question too much does a whole thought concept become absurd? if you question too much are you just uncovering too many inconsistencies in thoughts and practices?
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• ·      When they work in the fields or on the roads, the Tibetans sing together. I wish we saying more at work. Maybe we would get along better.
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To read more stories, check out:   bkmemoirs.blogspot.com

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STORKS

STORKS

Serengeti, Tanzania

February 2016

I was always intrigued by storks.  There aren't any storks where I live. I haven't really ever seen one before my safari. So maybe I just liked them because they brought babies to families.  As they soared through the sky, they seemed so elegant.  But now that I have seen a few storks up close and personal, I am sort of spooked by them.  THEY ARE UGLY!!!

To read more stories, check out: bkmemoirs.blogspot.com
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Their 40th

Their 40th Anniversary

December 29, 1992

For some reason, we decided to make a big production out of my parent's 40th wedding anniversary. I don't know why we did.  But we went all out.  My parents got wind of our plan and decided to throw themselves a brunch to celebrate the occasion.  We had a special Mass for them at the church where they were married and they renewed their vows and then we had a nice party.  My parents thought that was the end of the celebration.  But we had never planned a party.

Instead, we sent them on a trip.  We flew them to England for three days.  Then they took the Chunnel to Paris where they spent another three days.  Then we put them on the Orient Express for a night and they ended up in Vienna for three days.  They loved this trip.  They loved every aspect of it.

Shortly thereafter, my mother got sick and died a few years later. They never got to celebrate a big milestone anniversary again.

More Thoughts on Tanzania

More Thoughts on Tanzania

In February 2016, I traveled through Tanzania for three friends.  We had a great time. Here are some more thoughts about this wonderful country:

• ·      10,000 wildebeest galloping of in the distance, across the plains. 
• ·      Half a million flamingos taking flight in the crater. One bird starts, then the rest follow as they move through the watering hole in search of more food.
• ·      Baboons trying to get into our parked vehicles, searching for food and anything else of interest
• ·      Banana beer and banana wine.  I am glad I tried them both once.  But I will not be trying them again.
• ·      Mount Kilimanjaro and its hikers and sherpas
• ·      The gentle sauntering of elephants as they slowly pass our vehicle
• ·      Congested cities, honking horns and dirty cabs
• ·      Beaded jewelry made by the Masala tribes
• ·      A large, prosperous taxidermy business brought on by foreigners who come here just to kill the wildlife.
• ·      Greetings, lots and lots of greetings.  There is a greeting for the time of day, to recognize age status and to offer blessings
• ·      Hot, hot days and cool, crisp nights
• ·      Karibu- “Greetings, Welcome”
• ·      A plush hotel that caters to rich Americans and Europeans recently suffered the consequences of two separate incidents of children being mauled to death by cheetahs.  A sign, posted on the porch, “Watch your children” is followed by a painting of a cheetah chasing a child, tells of their sad misfortune.
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