“A good holiday is one spent among people whose notions of time are vaguer than yours.”
Steam rose from the wet bark of the pine tree earlier this morning as the sun moved across the morning sky, and its warmth reached the bark. Today is the sort of fall day when outside is warmer than inside. The deck is bathed in sunlight. As is my wont, I stood for a while outside to take measure of the day. I noticed my neighbor has strung red and blue balloons around his deck. At four o’clock this afternoon is the party for his three year old son, and I’ve been invited. Sebastian, my neighbor, has asked me twice to make sure I’m coming. I have a feeling the party might be a bit like every evening when I sat in the living room of my Ghanaian father’s house in Bawku. The room was filled with people who spoke Hausa, and I understood very little. I just nodded my head and smiled a lot. Sebastian and his family are Brazilians, and when they are together or have company, I hear Portuguese more than I hear English. I suspect I’ll be nodding and smiling a lot.
I have been combing through travel sites looking for a place to go this fall, but nothing has piqued my interest. When air fares are posted mid-week, I look for a flight to somewhere exotic, to somewhere a bit different. I remember getting off the plane in Marrakesh and smelling unfamiliar spices in the air. I remember the trip from the airport when I first saw the ancient pink wall surrounding the old part of the city and calishes traveling along the sides of the roads. I remember smiling and waving at the passengers. I knew I had chosen well. I want that same feeling again.
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
September 19, 2010 at 10:45 am
We have had almost all kinds of weather here today. Sunshine, cloudy, sunshine with rain and cloudy and rainy. We´re having a hail storms at the moment 🙂 🙂 🙂
We´re having elections here today, for the government, council and municipal governments too. The opposition is taking in more and more of the lead the government has had for months now 🙂 It will most likely be a close one.
I hope that at least the cake tastes great if You don´t have any one to speak too 🙂 🙂
Have a great day now!
Christer.
September 19, 2010 at 11:16 pm
Christer,
I had heard on the radio that today was election day in Sweden, and all that popped into m=y head is the amount of loud declaiming the choice of a Sunday would get. We have all the stored open, but I think people would balk at the polls being open though I think it a good idea. More people would then be around to vote.
The cake was great, and I did find two who spoke English. It was a fun party.
September 19, 2010 at 11:51 am
Kat, it’s in the air. I just booked a Long weekend in London for the first week of December and now the delights of planning ..starting with War Horse. Tree lighting in Trafalgar Square, a panto, maybe the revival of Oliver…..oh and steak and kidney pie.
September 19, 2010 at 11:19 pm
My Dear Hedley,
Now you have me even more impatient to find somewhere to go. I do have a quick trip set but that was booked a while ago. I’m flying to Chicago for two nights just to attend the Christkindlmarket. Maybe that will hold off my urge for going until after Christmas.
September 20, 2010 at 1:21 am
Kat,
Christkindlmarket will be on our list this fall. Of course that will be an hour and a half train ride and home again by bedtime. Sandy’s adapted well to the retired life and loves the day trips we’ve been taking.
But…..
another big one’s in the works for us. We will be leaving in about 3 weeks for our road trip out to California to see our son and daughter-in-law in San Diego. One week out to the coast by the Northern Route, one week in San Diego, and a final week back home by the Southern Route. Pictures to follow.
I’m kind of embarrassed to say I haven’t finished our Norway photos from May. I’ve still got two memory cards to load and edit. I’ve been busy with folk festivals, Union functions and other events that I’ve ignored the Norway trip. Have you done Scandinavia? Pricey, but a great part of the world to visit – and their English is often far better than ours.
September 19, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Wherever you decide to go, you should make your travel arraignments sooner rather than later. The airlines have been reducing the number of flights to reduce their excess capacity and increase airfares. The United/Continental merger will further reduce capacity and competition.
I have not been on an airplane in the last year which was not completely full. Have you been to South America? My coworkers have had various problems obtaining visas and other hassles at the airport in Sao Paulo Brazil. I am planning a business trip to Santiago Chile later in October. We have had no issues going to Chile.
September 19, 2010 at 11:23 pm
Bob,
I am in the hunt for the right fare to the right place. It’s just I haven’t yet found one. My rule is, other than Ghana next year, I can’t go where I’ve already been.
One summer in the late 70’s I landed in Caracas and eight weeks later flew out of Rio. My friend and I traveled through Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay. In Brazil, we only went to Sao Paulo and Rio as we had run out of time.
September 19, 2010 at 5:48 pm
My neighbors came back from Mexico City and raved about the cheap prices and all they did on $5 centablows a day or whatever it is. I was jealous. Although not too jealous as Mexico has a real live drug war going on and I could gladly miss the action but Jeff said no one even thinks about it in the big cities. I have crossed over to Tijuana but in those days that was for the five cent beers. Peru is on my list. What do you know about Peru?
September 19, 2010 at 11:35 pm
Z&Me,
Some places in Mexico are still safe for touring. It is one of the places I’ve been looking at as I don’t count my trip to Tijuana as a Mexican trip. Mine was a quick one day over and one day back. That place was just so rough.
In the late 70’s, before it became a big destination, I traveled in Peru. During the 9 or 10 days I spent traveling through I didn’t meet a single American. There was no ritzy tourist train to Maccu Picchu so we took the early morning regular train. When we got there, few people were walking around, and we had the site sort of to ourselves. It was one of the most awesome places I’ve ever been as were all the other Incan sacred places around Cuzco.
When I left Cuzco, I traveled by train to Puno which is on the shores of Lake Titicaca. While in Puno, I visited the Islands of the Sun and the Moon and one other island I forget. After that, I took a boat across the lake to the Bolivian side where I rode a bus across the altiplano to La Paz.
That piece of my 8 weeks in South America was the most spectacular, and the part of the trip I loved the most. It was amazing.
September 20, 2010 at 11:17 am
Kat – read this book if you’re interested in that area. It’s a TERRIFIC read (and I normally stick to fiction … ).
s
September 19, 2010 at 11:02 pm
oh, kat i have my fingers crossed for you
i am living vicariously through you
at the moment!
good luck!
September 19, 2010 at 11:35 pm
Thanks, splendid
I am seriously on the hunt. You’ll be right with me!
September 20, 2010 at 10:34 am
John,
I did Denmark, Sweden and Finland. The only place with little English was Finland where Swedish was the second language. I did a lot of pointing when I was there.
San Diego is such a wonderful place. I have only been once, and it is a city I’d visit again.
September 21, 2010 at 11:04 am
S,
I have the book on my list for the next Amazon visit.
Thanks!!