Monthly Archives: December 2023

Bye Bye 2023, thank you for everything! Welcome 2024!

30 Saturday Dec 2023

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2023 is coming to an end.  It flew by.  I want to give thanks to you for another year of support and love.  May 2024 bring you blessings and miracles, adventures and joy, and so much more!!

In looking back throughout my posts, I found a New Years post from December 2014.  I am reposting it here, as I feel the same way.

A million thanks to you- my reader, my teacher, my therapist, my friend!

So many reasons to be grateful.  This year I am extra grateful for Michael coming into my life. 

“Hope Smiles from the threshold of the year to come,
Whispering ‘it will be happier’…”   ― Alfred Lord Tennyson

 

Skiing in Park City, Utah – Dec23

24 Sunday Dec 2023

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If you don’t do it this year, you will be one year older when you do – Warren Miller

Hi Friends,

The busyness of the season has kept me away from here.  I am promising myself to budget my time better in 2024. The hope is to post more, to connect more.

The trip to Park City, Utah was perfect.  Michael and I had been there in March.  That was our first trip together, just a couple of weeks after we had met.  Here is the post about that trip: https://blessedwithastarontheforehead.com/2023/03/24/where-fear-and-happiness-meet/

This time we traveled directly to Park City.  We didn’t rent a car as we stayed right at the mountain.  We skied 3 days. There wasn’t a lot of snow.  They made some snow, but a lot of the trails weren’t opened. Still, for me, the green trails that were opened were enough.

We went out to eat 3 evenings.  We ate tapas at 710 Bodega Tapas, Italian food at Buona Vita and Mexican food at Don Gallo.  All three restaurants were delicious. The most memorable item for me was a dessert at 710 Bodegas,  called Broken pavlova; meringue, strawberries and whipped cream. We had it on the first trip and I wanted it again.

To summarize, the trip was a success. I always want to go skiing in new places, but I am finding joy in visiting a familiar place. I think we will be going to Park City every season.

Back home, I am swamped with end of the year work stuff. As usual, I can handle it.

We managed to go to see a Broadway show yesterday: Some Like it Hot.  Really well done and fun!  After it, we had dinner at Via Brazil – we had a lot delicious food: skirt steak, chicken fried steak, potato puree, rice, beans, yucca fries. Michael doesn’t eat meat so he had a hearts of palm stroganoff, which was equally delicious.

I think that will be a new holiday tradition for us: Broadway and dinner!

I am wishing you all a blessed holiday, celebrated in a way that brings you the most joy: with delicious food, with loving family and friends, with gratitude in your heart.  Thank you for stopping by, and being a part of my journey!  Thank you for your thoughts and great wishes!

Skiing is the next best thing to having wings.-Oprah Winfrey

Some photos of our trip to Park City:

Skis are not just pieces of wood, steel & fiberglass. They are tools for escape, a medium for personal expression, a way to challenge fears, push limits and share incredible experiences with your friends.”- Unknown

 

Sunday in Poços de Caldas, MG – Brazil, Nov 25, 2023

11 Monday Dec 2023

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“The reason birds can fly and we can’t is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings.” ― J.M. Barrie, The Little White Bird

After visiting with my aunt, my cousin gave us a ride back downtown – we had walked to my aunt’s.   We went to Thermas Antonio Carlos to inquire about getting some spa treatments. 

Thermas Antonio Carlos is a bathhouse that was built at the end of 1920s, and inaugurated in March 1931.  It was a place for sick people to get sulfurous baths and other treatments.  Today it has been completely restored and it is mostly frequented by tourists. 

They have also added a couple of stores with natural products and also a café/restaurant.  The café overlooks a water fountain and also leads to the outdoor areas that also has a few tables.

We scheduled an ofuro bath and massages for the end of the day.  From there we went to the Bird Zoo.

We don’t like to see animals in cages, but this place is more like a sanctuary.  They gave the birds a lot room.  They also rescue old and sick ones.

We hadn’t had lunch yet when we got there, but the place had only sweet snacks. I had a brownie and Michael had a banana nut cake.

It was fun to see and read about the beautiful birds. We spent a couple of hours there.   There are a lot benches throughout, so from time to time we sat and just took in the beauty of nature, and the realization of how blessed we are.

From there we went back to the bathhouse for our treatments.  We could have the bath treatment in separate tubs, but we chose to be together in an ofuro – wooden soaking tub.  We could choose a scent and an oil.  We chose lavender and rosemary.  It smelled delicious!  It was so relaxing.

After having the bath on the second floor, we went to our massages.  It was odd, my massage was on the first floor and Michael’s was on the third.  It is a big place with many tubs and masseuses. We got the relaxing massage, and it was.  I think I fell asleep.  Next time I will probably choose another type of massage, such as a lymphatic massage.

After the massage, instead of eating at the café there we decided to walk around and see what else was out there.  Michael mentioned pasta, so I decided to go to the oldest restaurant in town, Cantina do Araujo.  The food was very good, but the service lousy.  Our waitress was inattentive.  She brought our order to the table and never came back.  We had to flag other waiters to get water and then the bill.

On Monday morning, we returned the rental, got my sister’s car and drove to my hometown.  I worked Monday and Tuesday.  On Wednesday we left Brazil and got into NY at 5:30am on Thursday.  It was the perfect time to arrive.  There was no traffic getting home.

Our next adventure will be in Park City, Utah.  Park City was our first trip, just a couple of weeks after we first met. It will be nice to go back.

Here are some pictures of our Sunday in Poços De Caldas, Minas Gerais- Brazil.

“Some birds are not meant to be caged, that’s all. Their feathers are too bright, their songs too sweet and wild. So you let them go, or when you open the cage to feed them they somehow fly out past you. And the part of you that knows it was wrong to imprison them in the first place rejoices, but still, the place where you live is that much more drab and empty for their departure.” ― Stephen King,  Shawshank Redemption

 

A boat ride in Capitolio, MG – Brazil

08 Friday Dec 2023

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“A waterfall cannot be silent, just as the wisdom! When they speak, the voice of power speaks!” ― Mehmet Murat ildan

After spending 3 nights and 2 days in Sao Roque de Minas, we said good bye to our new friends and went to a small town called Capitolio.

Capitolio has many lakes and it also sits on the edge of the Furnas Reservoir.  There is a lot to do there, but we only did one thing: We took a 3-hour boat ride. 

The boat ride was great.  Along the way there were floating bars with places to swim.  We chose to swim at the third stop where there was a waterfall that we swam up to.  There was also other waterfalls, and of course the Canyons.

The Canyons is an area with gorgeous rock formations.  Unfortunately it was the site of a tragedy in January 2022.  Part of a cliff collapsed on top of some boats, 10 people were killed and many more injured.

The collapse was attributed to rock erosion, and could have been prevented if there was any inspection done. They still allow visits there, but now it is inspected for erosion daily.  There is personnel from the coast guard monitoring and only one boat can go through the area at a time, and it cannot get too close to the cliffs.  And while visiting that area we had to wear a hard hat and life jacket. 

We enjoyed the views, swam to the waterfall, ate cod fish cakes and had caipirinhas at one stop.  It was really enjoyable.  Normally they fill a boat with up to 10 people, but we decided to do just the 2 of us, and it was the best decision.  We didn’t have to stay or stop in any place we didn’t want to.

After the boat ride, instead of spending the night in Capitolio, we decided to drive towards my sister’s apartment in Poços de Caldas.  We made a quick detour to a small town called Campestre, where both of my parents were born.

Campestre is not such a small town anymore.  There was a mass going on at the main church and there was nowhere to park downtown.  It was also night and raining, so we decided to just take a small video to show mom and dad, and we continued on to Poços de Caldas.

When we got to my sister’s apartment was already night. I wanted to go out, but Michael was exhausted from all the driving, so we stayed in. It was the best decision as we were able to get an early start the next day.  

Next morning, we went to the weekly craft market and then stopped by one of my aunt’s house.  We walked up the hill from her house to a brand new lookout.  It was so beautiful to see the whole city, and the Christ.  Every Brazilian town has the statue of Christ somewhere.  In this town in at the top of a mountain.  There is a cable car that takes visitors to the top.

There was a roda(circle) of capoeira happening on the lookout.  Capoeira is a an Afro-Brazilian cultural art of dance/fight.  Some new students were graduating and they were having a ceremony.   It was awesome to see that, specially for Michael that was not familiar with it.

Here are some pictures of Capitolio and just one from the lookout.  Sometimes it is a question of enjoying the moment or taking a picture.  The moment always win, so I am sorry for not having more and better pictures.

The rest of the day will be on the next post.

 

“There are some things in this world, if you enter their sphere of influence, they will close your world and only their world will remain! That’s what a big waterfall is like!” ― Mehmet Murat ildan

2 days in Serra da Canastra National Park, MG – Brazil

06 Wednesday Dec 2023

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“Anyone who needs more than one suitcase is a tourist, not a traveler”
― Ira Levin, Rosemary’s Baby

Brazil was hot, very hot, but I survived; and actually, managed to have fun.

For the first few days there, I worked remotely.  It was great being able to work and spend time with my family.

Then I took 4 days over Thanksgiving to travel to Serra da Canastra.   Michael had searched for a place to go.  He read about this protected national park in the state of Minas Gerais.  It is a park full of trails and waterfalls.  The tallest and most impressive one is Casca D’Anta, at over 610 feet. 

We made no real plans in advance.  We didn’t book a hotel or guide, or anything.  We rented a car and started driving towards Sao Roque de Minas, which is the closest town to the park.

The drive was gorgeous.  When we got near the town, I started looking for a pousada.  A pousada is smaller than a regular hotel, it is normally charming and provides a more familiar experience.  They all provide delicious breakfast, with tons of variety.    

We chose Pousada Barcelos based on reviews.  We got there it was already dark, and they had availability.  This was right before high season, so I knew our chances of finding a place to stay was good.

We checked in, and on their suggestion went to Velho Chico Restaurant.  We shared yucca fries and fish parmigiana with rice, beans and French fries.  I had my usual caipirinha.  Michael had a draft beer. Everything was delicious.

The staff at the pousada were the best!!  I got a list of tour guides from them, but by next morning I hadn’t connected with any yet.  I was not concerned.  I knew all would turn out okay.  To visit the park, one needs a guide or a real good 4×4.  Some of the roads are just very difficult and very hard on the vehicle.

At breakfast, a couple on the next table asked us about our plans for the day.  I mentioned that we didn’t have anything scheduled.  He offered to call his guide and see if she could fit us in.  She did.  For two days we went to waterfalls with the couple and a guide named Claudia.  She is mostly known as Loba da Canastra. Loba is a female wolf. https://www.instagram.com/lobadacanastra/

We visited waterfalls and local artisans.  Besides the landscape, this area is known for having some of the best coffee and making some of the best cheeses. 

It rained right at the moment we got to Casca D’Anta, so it was specially full, gorgeous and loud.  I left my phone in the car, so it wouldn’t get wet, so I don’t have a photo, but will get one and post later.  It is a must see! 

This couple that we met were the most awesome people.  He is such an inspiration, a lover of life and adventure.  https://www.instagram.com/jjosuelprado/

They are planning a trip to Amazonia next year, and Michael and I hope to tag along.

After 2 days there we drove to Capitolio.  To be continued… Here are some pictures of those 2 days. 

Pousada Barcelos: the inn where we stayed

A tiny village that we stopped for lunch

Lunch stop: home cooked meal on a wood burning stop. Delicious!! A variety of delicious stuff such as zucchini, okra, chayote, collard greens, pumpkin pure, pasta, chicken, etc

A little chapel at the top of a mountain. A farmer built it fulfilling a promise after a successful surgery.  It has been featured in soap operas and music clips.

Here is Michael enjoying a waterfall.  I joined him after the photo.

Igreja Matriz: the church in Sao Roque de Minas

Location of Roça da Cidade, artisanal cheese factory and store.  An award winning cheesemaker.  

Carcara: a bird from the Falcon family

    A homage to St. Francis of Assissi.  The Sao Francisco River has its origin right on this spot.  The spring is right to the right of the statue.  This river the the longest rivers that runs entirely in Brazil.

My always favorite: passionfruit caipirinha

Tilapia parmigiana

“A traveler enters the world into which he travels, but a tourist brings his own world with him and never sees the one he’s in.”
― Thomas H. Cook, The Crime of Julian Wells