Before My Travel Blog

Posted on May 20, 2011July 10, 2011 by Marcia Mayne

Long before I had a travel blog, I kept journals. I have been doing that since high school. Looking back, I remember the person I was when I worried about passing an exam, gushed about a boy or a grumbled because of some new disagreement with my mother. (Yes, those teenage years, when I was trying to assert my independence, were tumultuous.)

Screen shot 2011-05-20 at 1.39.06 AM — A few of my journals (old and new) - Maynefoto

Sometimes, I was diligent and filled page after page with the most minute details of my life. At other times, days would pass before I felt like reducing my thoughts to words on a page. But I never stopped writing.

When I started traveling, it was natural that I wanted to make notes of my trips. I knew of no better way to do this than a travel journal. Sure, photos are great but they only capture moments in time. Each journal entry covers a day and fills in the moments between the photos.

My travel journals have ticket stubs, receipts, menus, post cards, anything that adds texture to my trip. When I visit a historic place, I take notes in my journal or draw. Now that I’m getting to know my camera better, I also make notes about the photos I take, the settings I use, etc.

Screen shot 2011-05-20 at 1.40.40 AM — Page from my latest travel journal - Maynefoto

The difference between a travel journal and a blog is that the journal is private. I write freely because the information is for my eyes only. While I use my journal as a source for my blog, because my blog is public, I am careful about what I share. I still believe some thoughts are well, private, and should remain that way.

Although I blog about my travel experiences and enjoy sharing them, I can’t abandon my journal. I love the way I have to slow down to translate my ideas to words and how carefully, or not, I choose those words. And when words fail, I supplement them with drawings or pictures.

Because I use a computer all the time, except when I have to sign my name, I love to see my handwriting and see how it changes throughout my journal, depending on my mood.

The journals I use must have pockets so that I can store stuff. I prefer ones that lay flat when I open them, have good quality paper and a sturdy cover. Although I like ruled journals, most times, I go for ones with plain pages as the lines can feel confining. For travel, I also prefer one that’s small enough, say a 6″ x 4″, so that it can fit easily into my purse.

Do you use a journal when you travel? What things do you write about?

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Something every traveler should have… (traveltheworldwithme.wordpress.com)
Debra – It’s all about the travel journal. (ridingwiththetopdown.wordpress.com)

Tasty Thursdays: Bananas Foster

Posted on May 19, 2011August 2, 2013 by Marcia Mayne

I had Bananas Foster a few years ago when a friend brought it to a party. I couldn’t believe how good it was but then again, I should have. I love bananas. And the best part, it’s so easy to make!

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

3 1/2 tablespoons rum

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise and crosswise

1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 pint vanilla ice cream

Directions

In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in sugar, rum, vanilla and cinnamon. When mixture begins to bubble, place bananas and walnuts in pan. Cook until bananas are hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve at once over vanilla ice cream.

Thanks to allrecipes.com for this recipe.

Bananas Foster Cupcakes (tinicakes.wordpress.com)
Bananas Foster Flavored Oats! (agirlandhercarrot.wordpress.com)

Weekend Getaway: New Hope, PA

Posted on May 18, 2011August 8, 2013 by Marcia Mayne

If you visit Lambertville, NJ, you owe it to yourself to make the five minute walk across the bridge to New Hope, PA.

New Hope is a vibrant arts community of about 2,500 residents. A number of restaurants, antique shops and art galleries line its main street. And on weekends, according to one local, businessmen turned bikers, ride their expensive machines over to drink mojitos.

Bohemian New Hope has been a gay friendly community since the 1950s. When we arrived last week, we walked right into the middle of a boisterous Pride celebration, complete with outdoor concert, costumes and Ms. Gay New Jersey.

The Bucks County Playhouse which opened in 1939, became famous as the venue where plays destined for Broadway were fine tuned. The playhouse closed last year but is expected to be reopened under new ownership.

New Hope is less than an hour from Philadelphia and about 90 minutes from New York City. It’s my kind of town.

Delaware River near New Hope and Lambertville — The Delaware River forms a natural border between Lambertville and New Hope

Where to Shop:

Celt-Iberian Traders – art, sweaters, soaps, perfumes, pottery, Celtic crosses and more can be found in this historic building.
A Little Taste of Cuba – everything for the cigar lover but not a Cuban cigar in sight.
Against the Grain Medieval Gallery – the place to find swords, jewelry, clothing
Four Seasons Mall – art, Indian clothes/food, hookah lounge

Where to Eat:

Havana Restaurant and Bar – Nightclub, restaurant and bar. Great place for jazz, blues, etc.
Marsha Brown – a creole restaurant in a converted church
The Landing Restaurant – American food

Where to Sleep:

Getting There:

From the Philadelphia area, follow Interstate 95 N, Exit 51 New Hope/Yardley. Follow signs to New Hope.

Enjoy!

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Weekend Getaway (kezarlife.wordpress.com)
Weekend Getaway: Lambertville, Antiques Capital of NJ (insidejourneys.com)

Quieting My Restless Mind

Posted on May 16, 2011July 16, 2011 by Marcia Mayne

I spend a lot of time in my head so when I’m having one of those days, one where my brain is so stimulated, I can’t write what I want, its paralyzing.

I had this week all laid out. Starting today, I’d write about Paris. I was excited by the ideas that were coming, made notes, selected the photos but now that I’m to start, I haven’t been able to quiet my thoughts. I feel lukewarm, no, detached about it and frankly, it’d be a struggle to write even the first sentence.

Yesterday, on the subway, I ‘wrote’ an entire post on another topic — in my head. I didn’t want to pull out my notebook and begin writing because I feared the thoughts would float away — they were flowing so effortlessly, I decided to bask in the glow of their energy instead. And I did. (I must have filed them away because I can’t recall them today. But believe me, they were beautiful and oh, so poetic!)

So since my brain’s not cooperating, here’s what I’ll do in the meantime:

Write what wants to come out. Writing about something else, takes the pressure off and frees up my brain so it can continue to bake the idea/s that want to come out or clear the clutter.
Do something physical. Like cleaning (which I need to do), walking, gardening, exercising, etc., that engages the other side of my brain and frees me up so the ideas can flow again.
Review the events of the past 2 days. By reliving the weekend’s events, I can connect with and process the emotions and the sparks I got. I had a weekend full of activities and each was a potential blog post. I can also plan the coming weekend’s activities.
Talk to someone. I do have a few calls to make that are totally unrelated to my writing. Those will also take my mind off of the matter at hand.
Breathe deeply. Breathing deeply forces me to concentrate on my breath, not on the confusion in my head. It’s also quite relaxing.
Listen to music. When I listen to music, I’ll sing along or dance and that takes my mind off the noise in my head.
Watch a funny movie or cartoon. It’s no understatement – laughter is good medicine. It’s the perfect antidote to stress and relaxes not just the facial muscles but the entire body.

What technique do you use to quiet your mind when it refuses to do so on its own?

Writing without words… (dragonflyscrolls.wordpress.com)
Pilates to Relax Me! (energypilates.org)

Soulful Sundays: Susana Baca

Posted on May 15, 2011July 10, 2011 by Marcia Mayne

I discovered Susana Baca through the series, Blacks in Latin America, produced by Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. that aired recently on PBS.

Susana, of Afro-Peruvian descent, was born in Chorillos. According to Wikipedia, she has been a prominent figure in the revival of Afro-Peruvian music within Peru.

Once I heard her music, I knew I had to get a CD. Here’s De los Amores from her CD, Eco de Sombras.

Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXo4AfC8HFY]

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AMG New Release Newsletter – 05.10.11. (aalokashi.wordpress.com)

Weekly Photo Challenge: Red

Posted on May 14, 2011July 10, 2011 by Marcia Mayne

Everyone who knows me knows (or should know) that I love red. It’s my favorite color. But when I saw this week’s Photo Challenge, I panicked. Do I have anything red, I wondered?

I looked at my phone — the case is red — and thought that if I didn’t find anything, I’d take a photo of it. But a quick search on my computer turned these up. Saved!

Cola man — Coca Cola Man on Cape Town's V& A Waterfront

From our window, this giant man looked like it was made of legos. It wasn’t until we got closer that I realized that it was made from Coca Cola crates – 4,200 of them!

If you’re interested in classic American cars, Cuba‘s the place to go.

It was an unexpected pleasure to come upon this sculpture park near Havana‘s Plaza de la Revolución. I wanted to take this one home and put it in my backyard.

Another of Havana’s classic cars.

Enjoy!

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Red (dailypost.wordpress.com)

Re/discovering Myself Through Travel

Posted on May 13, 2011October 2, 2013 by Marcia Mayne

One of the unintended benefits of traveling, for me, is discovering something new about myself or rediscovering some personal quality that time and life had made me forget.

On my last trip to London, I stayed with my sister and her family. While it was a holiday for me, it wasn’t for them so I knew I’d be navigating the city on my own.

It wasn’t like that on my first trip. I stayed with my favorite female cousin who worked, but I didn’t venture out much. Fresh from completing school in Barcelona, I can still remember the energetic and confident 20-something I was then but I can’t remember why I stayed in so much. I missed out on a lot and it wasn’t because it rained everyday except the day before I left.

In the 20+ years between these two trips — the third doesn’t count as the 4 days were consumed by preparations for my sister’s wedding — I’ve logged several thousand miles of both solo and group travels.

This time, rather than letting myself feel alone or worry that I’d get lost — my friends say I’m directionally challenged, I call it exploring alternate paths — I felt the free and confident person that I am return. And I got even more confident as each day went by and I found my way even when I returned late at night or wandered far afield.

Like the day I did the London Eye. I wandered the Southbank aimlessly, stopped for something to eat then rejoined the sea of people who seemed to be out for a Sunday stroll and enjoying the unusually warm day. I had no idea where I was but I wasn’t bothered. I knew I’d find the underground and my way back — and I did.

After a week of finding my way around in London, I was excited to tackle Paris, where except for a friend from New York, whom I saw once, I was totally alone. My aloneness emboldened me. Could it have been because I speak some French? Probably. But the first night in the hotel, I put a chair behind the door, just in case.

Everyday, I picked the places that I had to see then spent the rest of the time wandering around, discovering quaint streets, flower stalls, boutiques and ‘real’ pharmacies along the way. By the time I made my way back to the metro, it would be way past midnight.

The trip was a big boost to my confidence, especially at a time when I was feeling more than a little unsure of my footing.

I’m eager to start the next trip to see what else I discover about myself.

What do your travels reveal to you?

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6 common solo travel questions – answered (cbsnetpreprod.wordpress.com)
How to save on solo travel (cnn.com)
On travelling solo. (packabackpack.wordpress.com)
A New Incentive to Travel Solo (intransit.blogs.nytimes.com)
5-11-11: The travel shrink (robinandrich.wordpress.com)

Tasty Thursdays: Fresh Strawberry Pie

Posted on May 12, 2011August 2, 2013 by Marcia Mayne

tasty homemade strawberry pie — Image by soozums via Flickr

My almost mother-in-law and second mom was a fabulous cook who hosted elaborate parties. She was a stickler for attractive food presentation. She’d always say that food should please the eyes first before it pleased the stomach.

I spent a lot of time at her home the summer following our meeting, getting to know the family. I ate a lot and discovered several dishes that have become favorites. She always prepared them for me whenever she’d visit.

There’s one dessert she used to make that I love for its simplicity, its elegance and the combination of textures and flavors. It’s Fresh Strawberry Pie. I make every summer and look forward to making it again this year.

Hope you like it.

Ingredients

9″ pie crust

2 pints fresh strawberries (hulled and halved)

Whipped cream

Directions

Remove pie crust from packaging and bake following baking directions.
Select about 20 strawberries as close to the same size as possible. Wash, hull and cut in half. Leave one whole, including the stem, for garnishing.
Once the pie crust cools, arrange the strawberries back to back, stem side down around the edge of the pie.
Spoon whipped cream into the center of the pie crust. Chill until whipped cream is set, about 3 or 4 hours.
Garnish with a whole strawberry before serving.

What’s your favorite dessert?

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Bob Marley, 30 Years Later – Larger in Death

Posted on May 11, 2011July 16, 2011 by Marcia Mayne

Today marks 30 years since the death of reggae icon, Bob Marley. I remember how shocked I was when I heard the news. I had no idea he had even been sick.

I saw Bob perform once, in Montreal. My boyfriend at the time and I drove from Ottawa for the mid-week concert.

I don’t remember who the opening act was but when Bob finally came onstage, the crowd went wild. Around midnight, we decided to leave. My boyfriend had to work the next morning and we had a two hour drive ahead. (I would never had done that now!) I never got another chance to see Bob perform and always wondered how the show ended. Within a year or so after that show, Bob was dead.

As with some celebrities, Bob has become bigger and more popular in death than in life. More than anything else however, he was instrumental in putting reggae music and Jamaica on the map internationally.

In 1977, when I lived in Barcelona, I went to the student office on some matter that I now can’t recall. I handed over my passport to the gentleman at the office. He looked at it, looked at me and said, Bob Marley. But his English accent was so Spanglified, I didn’t understand. He must have seen the confusion on my face and said it again. Finally, I got it: Bob Marley! We had a good laugh and talked for a good while, in Spanish, about Bob. He even hummed some of his favorite songs.

It was then that I realized that Bob was not just ours, he was also the world’s.

I have many favorite songs but this one, Could You Be loved, has been playing in my head since I woke up this morning so I thought it would be the one to share.

Enjoy!

[youtube]_i-gcWdBUb8[/youtube]

What’s your favorite Bob Marley song?

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Bob Marley (amairgin.wordpress.com)
Remembering Bob Marley, 30 Years Later (theroot.com)

Stonehenge – Sacred Stone Circle

Posted on May 10, 2011September 7, 2015 by Marcia Mayne

I don’t remember when I first learned about Stonehenge but from the beginning, I’ve wanted to see it. As soon as I knew I would be going to London, I started searching for a tour. I opted for a private tour that would take me inside the stone circle at sunset. (There are also sunrise tours and other tours that don’t go inside the circle.)

Once I booked, it was hard to contain my excitement.

After a scenic drive through some of England’s most picturesque villages and towns, we arrived at Stonehenge around 6 p.m., just as the sun began its descent over the horizon.

I was struck by the size of the monuments. They looked smaller than what I had imagined they would have been after seeing them so many times on television. But they were no less impressive.

Since our group of 52 was too large, we separated into two – the first group entering the circle shortly after we arrived, the second about 45 minutes later.

Stonehenge is believed to have been built as a burial site around 2500 BC. Since there’s no written record of how it was constructed, speculation and theories abound.

However it was built and whatever the reason, it is still an incredibly impressive site, despite several missing and / or damaged stones.

The site feels peaceful, the surrounding area lush and green with fields of canola (rapeseed) in the distance.

When I see places like Stonehenge, I can’t help wondering what will be left of the structures we’ve built and what future generations will think of us.

What do you think?