Tag Archives: travel

Quick getaway – Western Caribbean cruise

21 Friday Nov 2025

Posted by in Daily Life, Daily Message, Finding Me, travels

≈ 21 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

Michael and I decided on a last minute getaway. We did a Western Caribbean cruise.  We went from Port Canaveral, FL to Cozumel, then Costa Maya, and back to Port Canaveral.

We had a great time.  In Cozumel, Michael went to the Chichen Itza Ruins.  I skipped that, as I had been there before and didn’t want to face the long trip there.  So, I had a lazy, quiet day to myself.

In Costa Maya we both went to Chacchoben ruins, it was smaller and less impressive than Chichen Itza, but still very interesting.

This was a Royal Caribbean cruise, and it was the Explorer of the Seas ship, which is a 25 year old ship.  It showed its age, but that doesn’t really bother me.

One thing I was a bit disappointed was the quality of the food at the buffet.  Even though there was tons of different ones, I don’t think the quality came close to that of the MSC Meraviglia ship.  Specially when it came to desserts, something that I really look forward to.  Some of their desserts gave me an aftertaste, which means that it had too many preservatives and food extracts and coloring. Still, I confess I overate, as I have a tendency to want to try a bit of everything.

I went to the gym a couple of times, and was really impressed with the amount and quality of the equipment.

We also saw a few shows, such as the magic, the comic, and the ice-skating.  We went to bingo and to the casino. We also played ping-pong and arcade games. And we rested.

We can’t wait for the next one.  I really want to do longer ones, to Alaska and Europe.

Have a blessed weekend everyone!!

“Every person needs to take one day away.  A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future.  Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence.  Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for.  Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.” ― Maya Angelou

 

 

He made it!

25 Friday Jul 2025

Posted by in Daily Life, Daily Message, Finding Me

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

This morning I saw another baby turtle making its way to the ocean.

It is really amazing that they are able to make it against all odds.

My video making actions is still a struggle, but it is very hard to record those little guys.  They move faster than they look, plus I am trying not to get too close to them, and had just taken a fall.

It was 6am, still dark and all of a sudden I spot this little guy going towards the sand bar the tides created. I realized he would fall, which he did and landed on his back. I fell as I stepped on the sand bank to go down to him. By the time I got up he had turned himself over and was on his way.

All is well that ends well!

Sunset Bliss

24 Thursday Jul 2025

Posted by in Daily Life, Daily Message, Finding Me

≈ 21 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I love my sunset bike rides.  Before returning home I normally sit at a bench by the river and spend some time doing some or all of the following:

  • Watching the creatures, such as dolphins, jumping fishes or the birds diving to catch them
  • Calling my sister and catching up 
  • Reading my fellow blogger’s posts
  • Playing a game of buraco on the phone (buraco is a Brazilian card game)
  • Watching people doing yoga (free class on Thursdays, I may join in the future)
  • Composing a mental gratitude list.  I have so much to be grateful for
  • Nothing (this is very hard for me, but I do attempt it)

Here is heaven:

Shoes, eyewear and turtles

22 Tuesday Jul 2025

Posted by in Daily Life, Daily Message

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

I have a shoe problem.  In the beginning I was walking on the beach barefoot, but I had all sorts of pain in my knees and my hips.  I looked into some water shoes, but haven’t found any that provided the support I want and need.  Water sandals didn’t work either, they let the sand in and it becomes uncomfortable, also my foot slides in them, so there is no support.  I also need high tops so that sand doesn’t get in them.

For the moment I have been walking in sketchers tennis shoes. They are good, but I don’t want to get them wet, so I have been walking mostly on the dry soft sand, instead of closer to the water.  I am still in search of the perfect beach walking shoes.

Today I found myself walking much closer to the water because of some sand banks the tide has created.  It is interesting to see how the ocean and tides behave during the different seasons.  Michael is a surfer so I am hearing more than I care to know about how the waves are behaving on a daily basis.

I feel bad for the turtles.  In some areas they cannot go over the sand wall that has been created.  Look at the tracks in the picture below.  They were headed to the sand to lay their eggs, but had to abort the mission and return to the ocean.  

All I found today were items returned by the ocean.  They all looked like they had spent a night in the ocean and returned in the morning.  I am guessing the ocean is tired of eyewear.

I saw another baby turtle, but unfortunately it was dead.  I think a crab had tried to grab its legs.  I am amazed that some of them are able to make it to the water, with all the obstacles and predators.

A blessed week to all!

I wrote the above yesterday, but didn’t have the chance to edit and post it.  I don’t have time to do it today either, but decided to post it anyway or it will never be done.

I have a financial audit, and also the final answer letter to the NFA findings both due on Thursday, July 24th.  I am giving myself Friday off, if those are finished and there is no follow up questions.

Briefly, today I saw 2 turtles going back to the ocean.  I didn’t take pictures. The first one it was still dark out and I didn’t want do anything to disturb it.  The second one, there were already too many people watching it.

I found goggles again, a couple of shovels and a t-shirt, plus assorted bottle caps and straws.

Sorry about typos. I hope everyone has a blessed day!  May you see all the blessings in your life!

Getting busy living

16 Wednesday Jul 2025

Posted by in Daily Life, Daily Message

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I am still here, just the usual busyness.

I went to NY for a couple of weeks to pack some more of my stuff.  At the moment, I only have some of my mom’s paintings and mosaic materials left there.

I thought I would be going back to NY more often, but that is not the case.  I rather try to develop a routine here.

Another 2 weeks of routine here, and we are off to ski in Chile.  I am so excited about that!! From there we will be spending a couple of months in Brazil to help out with my aging parents.

The audit my company is going through it is coming to an end.  It has taken 6 months.  I just need to write a couple of pages of answers to their findings, and a couple of late requests, but I am so relieved that this is final.  Hopefully it will be more than a couple of years until they return again. 

 I am still walking on the beach in the mornings and bicycle riding along the river in the afternoons.

I am not sure why, but I haven’t really been finding a lot on the beach, not even garbage.  Perhaps:

  • Someone is getting up earlier than I do and cleans up the beach. I go to walk at 6am.
  • There has been a lot less people on the beach. Less people, less garbage.
  • People are becoming better about picking up after themselves. I wish!!

I still continue to see turtles laying their eggs.  I just look from a distance.  I want to give them their space.   It is a long nesting season for the 3 types of turtles we have here: green turtle, leatherback and the loggerhead.

I have only seen 1 baby so far.  By the prints on the sand, it looked like he was just late leaving the nest.

Clearly by the video I could never be a videographer 😊. In my defense, I was far away so it was not that simple.

I hope you are having an amazing summer (or winter depending in what hemisphere you are). 

Blessings!

BIRD WATCHING

09 Friday May 2025

Posted by in Daily Life, Daily Message, travels

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

 

Aleijadinho, Brazilian sculptor

25 Wednesday Sep 2024

Posted by in Daily Life, Mosaic and other crafts, travels

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Antonio Francisco Lisboa, better known as Aleijadinho, was a famous sculptor in colonial Brazil. He got the nickname Aleijadinho, which means “little cripple” because of a degenerative disease that caused immense pain,  and his body to be deformed. He lost some fingers and his feet.

His work can be found in many churches around Ouro Preto and the neighboring towns.  The churches that I was able to visit are gorgeous.  Unfortunately, some of the main ones that I wanted to visit were closed.  

Santuario do Senhor Bom Jesus de Matosinho

Santuario do Senhor Bom Jesus de Matosinho – an UNESCO recognized construction

In front of the church there are 6 chapels, and inside each there are sculpures describing the Passion Walk. The sculpures are done by he famous Aleijadinho and his team. at Santuario do Senhor Bom Jesus de Matosinho

In front of the church there are 6 chapels, and inside of each there are sculptures describing the Passion of Jesus Walk.

The Last Supper by Aleijadinho, inside one of the chapels

The Last Supper by Aleijadinho, inside one of the chapels

Church of Saint Francis

Church of Saint Francis

Churches in Mariana

Churches in Mariana

Tiradentes and Ouro Preto, sights and tastes

23 Monday Sep 2024

Posted by in Daily Life, Finding Me, travels

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt

Posada Casa da Tuta

Posada Casa da Tuta

In Tiradentes we stayed at Pousada Casa da Tuta. Cozy room, delicious breakfast. I would go back there for the chocolate cake alone.

a store in Tiradentes

a store in Tiradentes

In Tiradentes we had a delicious dinner in a restaurant that I cannot remember the name. It had a back patio with a jazz group playing great Brazilian jazz. I remember most the black rice risotto that I had, with fish and vegetables.

Pousada do Arcanjo

Pousada do Arcanjo

In Ouro Preto we stayed at Pousada do Arcanjo – a historical themed bed and breakfast. Great breakfast, comfortable rooms, but I would have prefered a more central location.

Pousada do Arcanjo

Pousada do Arcanjo

We ate at Tropea Cantina Armazen https://www.opassopizzajazz.com.br/tropea and Bene Flauta http://www.benedaflauta.com.br/. Both great restaurants, but I don’t recall exactly what we had. In one Michael had pizza and I had the chicken fried steak with pasta. In the other I had cod fish cakes and salad, and I cannot remember what Michael had.

Bene da Flauta Restaurant

Bene da Flauta Restaurant

Everywhere I went I would choose a drink of passion fruit and cachaça, but at Tropea I tried a drink with gin, passion fruit and ginger foam.  It was delicious.

Tropea Restaurant

Tropea Restaurant

Downtown Ouro Preto

Downtown Ouro Preto

“We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink.” ― Epicurus

Coronavirus is too close for comfort

10 Tuesday Mar 2020

Posted by in Daily Life

≈ 46 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.” ― Roy T. Bennett

My city is in the news and not for a good thing.  New Rochelle has the most cases of coronavirus in NY state.   All the cases are tied to an orthodox Jewish community. An attorney that attends that synagogue first contracted and passed it around.

I am curious to know how he contracted.  It has to come from somewhere.  My co-worker attends that synagogue.  The moment he heard about it he self quarantined. 

Today governor Andrew Cuomo deployed the National Guard and created a 1-mile contained zone around the synagogue in New Rochelle.  I live 2 miles away in the downtown area.

For now, for me, is still business as usual, but should it be?  I have trips scheduled.  I am bringing my mom to the US in about one month.   Should I cancel everything?  Should I stock up food? 

What I am doing is washing my hands more often and cleaning everything in sight with alcohol wipes.

I actually ordered masks for when my mother travels here, but they say that masks don’t really do much.

I go from not caring to being worried.  I will wait and see…and wash my hands again.

“If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.”― The Dalai Lama

Update on my new friends

04 Friday Oct 2013

Posted by in Daily Life

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” 
― Anaïs Nin

Milton. https://blessedwithastarontheforehead.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/milton-my-new-friend/  I haven’t seen him in awhile.  His birthday was September 30 and I was going to bring him a cupcake but again he was not in his usual spot.  They have repair going on that corner and I looked around to see if he had moved to another corner but couldn’t find him.

I am hoping that is a good sign.  He had been waiting on NY City to get him housing, so perhaps that means that they relocated him to some kind of housing.

*****

C, a resident from the Nursing home called me.  https://blessedwithastarontheforehead.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/when-the-right-thing-is-also-the-hardest-thing/

He has a hard time speaking, it takes effort and concentration for the words to come out and when they do is very low and hard to understand.  Even in person I have to keep asking him to repeat, so in the telephone was worse.

I tried my best to understand and I think we were able to get some things understood.  He misses me and wants me to call or visit.  I mentioned that I had sent him a card and he said he didn’t get it.

I hope the Nursing home is not holding on to the cards that I sent.  I bought Halloween cards to some of the residents I used to visit.  For convenience and because I didn’t have everyone’s last name I put it all in a FedEx envelope and sent them to D., the girl that works there and did the visits with em.  I can’t imagine her holding on to it and not handing out.

C.  has an appointment on November 11 with a throat doctor.  He said the doctor will inject Vitamin C on his vocal chords and he will be able to speak better.  I hope that all goes well with that.  It is so hard to watch him speaking.

I am going to see if the nursing home lets me visit him when I return from my trip.

*****

This feels a bit rushed as I am leaving in 5 minutes on my way to the airport. I am going to Brazil to see my family.  I am blessed, and even more blessed for knowing I am blessed! 

Thank you God, Thank you Universe! 🙂

“Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” 
― Charles Dickens