SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - MADAGASCAR

No, this is not about the Dreamworks film of the same name. It is about the island country of the Republic of Madagascar.  With indigenous wildlife making upwards of 90% of that found on the island it is a bio-diverse locale indeed. However, years of human consumption has caused an increase in de-forestation and many animals are endangered or extinct. We really are a destructive lot (my personal opinion).

The majestic Baobabs (Adansonia) trees towering over the land. A island filled with beaches, tropical forests, highlands, escarpments, lakes and incredible flora and fauna, I imagine Madagascar a place like no other.


Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons, owned by: Attis 1979

Happy Thursday!

And why not? Actually I have been in a good mood all week (despite the fact that I have an infected spider bite on my left leg). Nothing out of the ordinary has occurred. My day-to-day routine has remained at the status-quo. A few perks are in the works (Vegas for $220 all-in for January to celebrate bestie Trina's bday) and I am off work after today for three days with plans for yoga, a free art show and some yummy cooking times. But that is not why I am in a good mood. 

Not that I need a reason to be happy, however, I suspect it is due to a few choices I have made internally. The other day my other bestie R (I am blessed and thankful to have several close friends, both near and far) sent a text of an article about intention, vibration and visualizing your life. I liked what it said. I have thinking and vocalizing my RTW trip as if it is all organized and going to happen - which it is in my mind. I am making choices to affect it coming to fruition.  That is the deciding factor. That has made it happen. What an incredible, powerful intention. 

Happy Thursday everyone. 

This is what she sent...sounds good to me

Photo credit: Wordly Minds

How To Be A Vancouverite

I could not resist posting this...




P.S. Contains (bleeped) language some may consider offensive

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - GREAT WALL OF CHINA

One of the most well known man-made creations is the legendary Great Wall of China. Having a history that spans centuries, this fantastic wall runs 21,196km/13,171mi. The intention of the wall was to provide fortification from attacking invaders from the north. Today it not only retains a historical importance but an architectural one as well. 

This UNESCO Hertiage Site, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons, owned by Severin Stadler

Let The Birthday Shenanigans Begin!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!! 

Yep, today is my birthday. If you are new here then you should know that LOOOOVE my birthday. Always have, even as kid. Now I'm just a grown-up kid. I do not feel my age and fortunately enough, I do not look my age (thanks mom and dad). 

As many of you know, I am not shy about announcing and celebrating my birthday, as I mentioned here. So I would like to share my plans for the day weekend. 

1. I took 2 days off work plus it's a non-work weekend. That means 4 days off!

2. Today I will cash in on birthday freebies: brekkie at Denny's, free tea at Blenz, and a free burger at either Red Robin or Vera's Burgers. I am also getting my hair coloured so I will be pampered. Tonight will be the really fun part - getting dressed up and having drinks at a swanky hotel bar. We will head to Reflections at the Rosewood's Hotel Georgia. This will be different from years past as I am a casual pub girl. I hope I fit in!

3. Friday will see some more pampering. I intend to redeem my free pedicure coupon. Then I will head home to prepare a scrumptious meal for some of my nearest and dearest friends. I wish I could invite more but, alas, my small bachelor apartment can accommodate only a few. I am at capacity as it is. It'll be a great girls' night in. 

4. Saturday night will be another the big celebration. I have reserved space at Red Card Sports Pub for an evening of drinks, perhaps dancing and fantastic camaraderie. If it is anything like years past it will be a great time. 

5. Sunday I am fairly certain I will be recovering from a hangover...

So there you have it. The plans for my special day. I will post photos down the line of the memories that will be made. 

Below please find a few photos of some of my past birthdays. I wish I had more but many are pre-digital. 

My first birthday and I'm already celebrating

A birthday while studying massage years ago

Most memorable birthday - on top of the Eiffel Tower

I climbed that tower on my birthday!

A couple years back and I met Captain Morgan
and borrowed his hat!

Canada From This Canadian's Viewpoint

As a Canadian I often hear from travelers how Canada is a beautiful country and how friendly her people are (thank you!). Hearing that makes me swell with pride and gratitude. Yes, Canadians are proud of their country - very proud. Some may not be aware of that because our pride is presented in a subdued fashion. We may not yell and wave our flags all the time but that pride is there, no doubt about it. Along with the pride I have for my country is gratitude. Gratitude that my parents chose this country to immigrate to out of every other option they had. Gratitude that I live in a country that is free and views equality as basic human right. Gratitude that multiculturalism is part of our national policy and constitution. Gratitude that this country has vast natural beauty that is unsurpassed. I love my country. 

Now every country, it would seem, has its "stereotypes" and idiosyncrasies. Canada is no exception. I hear from travelers and from other Canadians themselves. So let's take a look at the ones I find to be most popular.

Polite: I don't know if we are more polite than citizens of other countries but we have that reputation.  Being polite serms like common sense to me. Perhaps this article from Canada Free Press may shed some light on it. 

The use of "Eh":  We use it all the time, eh? No, we do not. It is part of the Canuck vernacular however it is not used the way characters Bob and Doug McKenzie would lead you to believe. "Eh" is found less frequently in conversations than stereotypes would present. And NOBODY uses "hoser".

The use of "Sorry": We have a gene for that...actually no but nobody would be surprised if science proved that. It probably goes back to being polite. 

The truth about Hockey:  Hockey is awesome. It is the best sport out there, however, it is NOT Canada's national sport. Lacrosse is. That is because is well documented that lacrosse was invented/developed in Canada. Hockey has numerous stories and many lay claim to its creation. Due to this discrepancy that why it is not out official sport. 

Beer: It's good! Especially craft beer.

French vs English: We have two official languages: French and English. All government services are available in both languages and most products have bi-lingual content on the packaging. Though not everyone speaks French. In Quebec and pockets of the population elsewhere you hear more French. In smaller Quebec communities you will rarely hear English (but not the case in Montreal or Quebec City). 

Multiculturalism:  Multiculturalism encourages diversity and the celebration of cultures within....oh come, we all know it's about food! Glorious, succulent, tasty, mouthwatering food!! Thai, Italian, French, Chinese, Malay, Indian, Ethiopian, Greek, Afghan, Finnish, Ukrainian, fusion and so much more. I am certain when the government decided to make it part of national policy it was because they were foodies.

Stoplights: Yes, us Canadian pedestrians will wait at stoplights even if there is no traffic. Maybe we like rules? Maybe we are being polite to the lights? Or maybe we know that Canada has crazy drivers!!! I know on the busy intersection in my neighbourhood that one must be careful or ya might get pegged off.

Snow: We have plenty of snow in Canada but it is not year round. It is during the winter like every other country that gets snow! The only exception are the Rocky Mountains and the Arctic where it is permanent. Come on, ya really can't think that we have snow year round! Oh and Vancouver and Victoria rarely get snow ever. There I finally said it.

Measuring distance in time: Canada is the second largest country by land mass. It is ENORMOUS. And I mean ENORMOUS. By measuring distance in time gives one a better perspective of how ENORMOUS this country really is. 3000 km is a long drive but saying 4 days gives you a more comprehensible idea.

Why are there so many Comedians in Canada?: Well probably because we do not take ourselves too seriously and we can laugh at ourselves. Besides living in a vast country, with cold winters and a small population with idiosyncrasies from region to region it's easy to poke fun at yourself. Here's some of our famous funny people: Mike Myers, Leslie Nielsen, Jim Carey, Seth Rogan, Russell Peters, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Brent Butts, Colin Mochrie, Phil Hartman, Catherine O'Hara, Luba Goy, Dan Ackroyd, Michael Cera, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, Ryan Reynolds, Rick Mercer, Michael J. Fox, Tommy Chong, Dave Foley, Martin Short, Tom Green, Caroline Rhea, Howie Mandel, etc. See we have a plethora of funny people

There ya have it...my viewpoint on a few things Canadian. Thanks for tuning in.

Follow me on Instagram

I am on Instagram under "Eevers2" if anyone is interested in following me. My posts are mainly of the Vancouver area and what I may be participating in. Of course if I find myself 'wandering' away from Van City then I will post my what my eyes see. 

I have tried to add an Instagram badge onto my blog but it has not worked. Since I am not the most technical savvy gal out there it may take a bit before I figure it out. It would seem Blogger does not recognize the code that I copy and paste for badge when I add a gadget. I will get it soon but until then this informative and compelling post will have to do. Cheers!

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - SARDINIA

Italy's Mediterranean island of Sardinia is a sought after destination for beach lovers and sun worshipers. In addition to it's warm summer weather it has a history that reaches back to 1500 B.C.E. It is one of the oldest pieces of land in Europe. It is now a semi-autonomous state of Italy.

Photo credit: Riviera VIP Services Blog

SWEET DREAMS

Zzzzzzz......huh? Wha...oh (rubbing sleepy eyes). Uh, hi there. I was just snoozing, enjoying dreamland. For me, dreaming is the best part of sleeping. I remember my dreams. The swirling colours, surreal backdrops, and my skin tingling from feeling the air or water around me. My senses envelope me while I dream. Bizarre scenarios, complex situations and unbelievable feats swim around my sleeping mind. Usually weird, sometimes scary and always interesting I trust my dreams, at times, to give way to deeper concerns of my heart and mind. A particular good (or bad) dream even has the ability to affect my mood on occasion. Not often but it happens now and again. 

The recurring dream is the one that shows me an underlying current. I have two. They are not recurring on a nightly basis but a couple times a year. Different situations yet the same outcome. One I've had since I was a teen. An irrational dream that my close friends no longer wish to have any contact with me. Irrational because I have strong friendships that are years and years old with those who I have had in this recurring (bad dream). 

The other recurrence began when I truly realized that my RTW trip could actually happen for me. That was a number of years ago. Once I put it out there, started thinking, planning and musing the dreams began. Frantically running through airports, losing my passport, held up in security and missing airport gate changes resulted in me devastated that my goal was crumbling in front of me. The panic, sadness and disappointment I feel in those dreams wrench at my heart. I would silently wonder why my brain would present these visions to me. I suspect it is fear. Fear of reaching my goal, fear of change, fear of moving forward....who knows?

Then something changed...

A few weeks ago I had a dream that I was in Australia enjoying an easy hike. Days later I had a dream that I was at a train station in Germany, about to board a train that would eventually take me to Bulgaria. The other night I was in France and decided my next stop would be Spain. Understand that I rarely dream of travel, at least not in the past several years. It has only been dreams of missing the plane. I never make it on the plane. Now I haven't made it on the plane in my dreams (yet) but I have made it somewhere. I am moving forward in these dreams, I am travelling, I am going. That space in my head where my dreams formulate knows

the possibilities now. How cool is that?


Photo credit

GETAWAY TO TOFINO

Several weeks ago I spent a few days on Vancouver Island with some of my closest girlfriends. We headed to Tofino, as I mentioned here. I was excited to get away for a couple of days and relax. It was a great time despite that the weather was a mix of rain and clouds. The sun did shine for us one day.

Tofino is a beautiful coastal town enveloped in green on every side except that of the Pacific Ocean.  We stayed at the Pacific Sands in one of their suites (and jammed five of us in there to save $$$). We faced the ocean with a row of trees lining the view. If you were to sail west from Tofino you would end up in Japan or thereabouts. Without any land between them the waves and storms can be wonderful and awe-inspiring. Even with the rain, we did not see any thunderstorms.

Our resort was on one of the beaches just outside of the town of Tofino. We did cruise into town to book the surfing lessons. Well, my friends did. I am not always confident in the water and the strong waves would have freaked me out a bit as I can barely swim.  I do like the water but if there is a chance of being overwhelmed by the waves I will opt to avoid them. Calm waters suit me best. As well, being a bigger gal, I don't think the surf shop would have a wet suit to fit me. In the end, I was the one who documented my the first-time surfing adventures of my companions.

We also looked around the very touristy aspect of Tofino. That is the main industry I am certain. Among the many surf shops there were galleries, whale-watching outfitters, sea-kayaking and fishing adventures and much more. One would be hard pressed to find a reason to stay indoors at this locale. 

I hope to return to Tofino and have a nice getaway to storm watch and take in the natural beauty on one of its many nature trails.

Ms Brown, mascot of girls getaways

On the beach

She sell seashells on the seashore

Surfing lesson

Surfer girls

Our beach at dusk

dusk

An incredible sunset

An (overexposed) starfish 

Birthday cheesecake and wine

We stopped here on our drive back 

Such lush greenery

Me hugging a very old and majestic tree

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - PIHTIPUDAS CHURCH (FINLAND)

It was my momma's birthday yesterday! So in her honour I am posting a photo of the church that is well known in her home town. She grew up in the region of Central Finland, in the small village of Pihtipudas. As a child I can remember her lovingly working on a needlepoint project of this very church. She told me how lovely it was and that she had fond memories of it. One day I will visit this church that holds a spot in my mother's heart (even though I myself am not religious) to honour her.

Pihtipudas Church

This area of Central Finland (Keski-Suomi) has numerous lakes, 140 in all. The village also entertains an annual javelin carnival. I can not wait to visit. 

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons. Owned by Elijas Walteri

Some Days

Some days I just want to stay in bed as the world around me continues to spin. 

Some days I want my dream to fully fall in my lap just so I can go NOW. 

Some days I just wanna say "Screw it! This is taking too long."

Some days I believe I am being pulled in every direction by every person I encounter. 

Some days I over-think. 

Some days I over-feel. 

Some days the rain gives solace. 

Some days I fail others. 

Some days I fail myself. 

Some days I see the day. 

Some days I see the world. 

Some days I see me. 

Some days my dream overtakes me and shows me possibilities. 

It shows me my life. 

Every day I try. 

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - BULGARIA'S BLACK SEA

Who doesn't like the beach? Many a region has them however some areas are better known than others.  The Caribbean, The Mediterrean, Southern California, The Dead Sea and Australia's Gold Coast ring familiar.  Although some others are not as recognized they are still as spectacular. The Bulgarian Riviera on The Black Sea is well known to locals. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain has been growing in popularity with foreigners.



Hours of sunshine and 130 km(80 miles) of beautiful beaches beckons sun worshipers from near and far. It's international recognition continues to rise.


Photo credit - Flickr: JurgenBOT