The Springs

I consider myself very lucky to have the opportunity to travel to different places but there is no place like home.

Suwannee, Florida

Back in June we were on the Suwannee River, and, as the sign says, we were "right where the Suwannee meets the Gulf". I love seeing the silver flash of a mullet leaping out of the water. What causes them to do this? Scientists don't know. Some say to catch a fly. Who knows? Maybe for the sheer joy of it. After all, leap while you can.

Riding in the boat with friends from childhood that know me best and love me anyways... life doesn't get better than this.

All Is Truth

Photo: Park in Brussels,Belgium

All Is Truth

..."Meditating among liars and retreating sternly into myself, I see that there are really no liars or lies after all,

And that nothing fails its perfect return, and that what are called lies are perfect returns,

And that each thing exactly represents itself and what has preceded it,

And that the truth includes all, and is compact just as much as space is compact,

And that there is no flaw or vacuum in the amount of the truth--but that all is truth without exception;

And henceforth I will go celebrate any thing I see or am,

And sing and laugh and deny nothing."

-Walt Whitman

Payne's Prairie, Gainesville, Florida

A grass path in the middle of a pine forest.

Did you see a girl named Alice come by earlier? Is that a mad hare wearing a crazy hat further up the trail? Or will we meet Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter somewhere in this forest near a lamppost looking for a talking lion? Then again, maybe it's not a fantasy from a book but a real life fairy tale place that you can visit. After all, isn't life itself a miracle?

Amelia Island, Florida

Walking along the historic district in Amelia Island. Love the old trees with moss hanging over the streets.

Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island

♪♫ Puttin' on the Ritz. ♫ ♪

You know, staying at a place like the Ritz isn't that expensive if you pile two to a bed. And it's nicer because they aren't so chintzy with the shampoo & lotion...and it's Bulgari. The uber-polite and observant bellman will politely offer to put a few extra robes in the closet for you too. But don't expect to do anything for yourself, like park your car or bring your bags up. After all, it is the Ritz. So don't be chintzy either, just tip the valet and the bellman like you've been waited on your entire life and enjoy the Ritz and with all its amenties with a few good friends.

"When words are both true and kind, they can change the world." -Buddha

My mom tells the story that when she was pregnant with me, they visited the Kamakura Buddha in this photo. My father commented that "look at that face, no human being could have looked like that".

Then to their amazement, when I was born, it was that same exact face.

How to prepare natto

Kanase teaches me how to prepare natto

How to eat natto

Kanase shows us how to eat natto

A couple of famous gals at the Louvre

Mona Lisa is named for Lisa del Giocondo,a member of the Gherardini family of Florence and Tuscany and the wife of wealthy Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo. The painting was commissioned for their new home and to celebrate the birth of their second son, Andrea.

The Venus de Milo's great fame in the 19th century was not simply the result of its admitted beauty, but also owed much to a major propaganda effort by the French authorities. In 1815, France had returned the Medici Venus to the Italians after it had been looted from Italy by Napoleon Bonaparte. The Medici Venus, regarded as one of the finest Classical sculptures in existence, caused the French to consciously promote the Venus de Milo as a greater treasure than that which they had recently lost. It was duly praised by artists and critics as the epitome of graceful female beauty; however, Pierre-Auguste Renoir was among its detractors, labeling it a "big gendarme".

Winged Victory of Samothrace

Without even knowing who it is, you know it is someone important. And she is, it is Nike, the Greek Goddess, herself. This incredible marble statue was created 3rd century B.C.

Samothrace is an island in Greece. The original statue is located in the Louvre Museum, Paris, France while a replica stands in the island of Samothrace. As it is with many things Greek, you will have to go to France or U.K. to see the original since t was too tempting to leave these things where they were discovered... something we learned upon visiting the Parthenon in Athens, Greece.

Paris, France. Jardin des Tuiliries.

The pigeons are well-fed in Europe. "Fat-boy" must have taken offense to the nickname because he refused to cooperate resulting in a blurry photo.

Later, I find him in a tree.

♪ ♫ On my first day in Paris my true love gave to me, a fat-pigeon in a Parisian tree. ♫ ♪

Grand Place - Brussels

Grand Place, the central market place of Brussels. It was declared a world heritage site in 1998. On the even years, they create a flower carpet. So I guess I will have to return to see it.

We saw the Grand Place on the way to dinner at Chez Leon. On the way back, the Grand Place was lit up in golden hues. Then we left the Grand Place to walk back to the car and heard a commotion. The light show was starting. So we ran back in time to catch it. Very nice.

Dinner at Chez Leon - Mussels in Brussels

After arriving in Brussels, Janice & the kids and I went out for dinner. We met up with a colleague of mine from work who just so happened to be in Brussels that very same weekend. Yes, it is a small world after all.

We went to Chez Leon for the famous "moules & frites". I was a bit nervous as it was combining one of my favorite food (fries or frites) with mussels. I don't recall ever eating mussels and could have lived out my entire life without trying it. However, when in Brussels one must try the mussels. So I did. And they were great. We had mussels in white wine, mussels in garlic sauce (my favorite) and mussels in curry sauce. All good.

They had me try "Kriek" which is a cherry beer. Almost like a cherry soda but not so sweet.

Arriving in Brussels

A bit of bad weather in Newark delayed the flights into and out of the airport in New Jersey but otherwise the flight was quite pleasant. The plane had just over 300 movie selections in addition to tv shows etc that you could watch. I mostly read "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett on my Kindle. That is, when I could. The fellow who shared the center row of seats with me was an ex-college basketball player and current college basketball coach from Nebraska who introduced himself to me as Tom. Well, everytime Tom had a thought in his head he wanted to share it with the person closest to him... which happened to me. To get my attention, he would reach across the empty seat between us and punch me in the arm. Everytime he had a thought. And he had a lot of thoughts. "Hey! Didja know there are over 300 movies?" "Hey, there's the stewardess, make sure you get a headset." "Hey, do ya want some combos (snack)?" "Hey, Hey, so where are ya headed?" Ouch ouch ouch and ouch! Luckily, the plane finally was able to leave the tarmack, which meant we'd be airborne and the movies/music could be played and my new "friend" could be otherwise occupied. The rest of the flight went peacefully.


 

I came prepared to leave the USA at 7pm and arrive in Brussels at 8am. I had a neck pillow with matching eye mask and ear plugs. The eye mask is especially designed to not interfere with REM sleep. Which ends up making it look like a training bra.

I sipped water every half hour and then put on the mask/pillow/plugs about 6 hours before landing. I must have fallen asleep for a while. The next morning I was feeling great. Except for feeling a little dizzy a couple of times during the day, I fell right into the Belgian time zone and never even needed a "power nap" for jet lag. Awesome.

Passport Panic

This actually happened three years ago during my first trip to Guatemala. I was so nervous after being dropped off at the airport. While standing in line to check my bags I felt for the passport and it wasn't there! I had a panic attack and called my husband who was just leaving the airport. He "talked me down" and I found it. Whew.


Well, to avoid such panics in the future, I wisely purchased a passport & special documents thingamajiggy that I can wear around my neck. I then carefully put the passport, IDs, cards in it.

Today, standing in line to check my bags, I was wearing the passport thingy around my neck. And just like three years ago, I went to get my passport and once again...and IT WAS NOT THERE! I could not believe it. How could this happen again?! My hands were shaking as I dialed the cell to get my husband and got the wrong number. So now I'm fumbling for my reading glasses because I'm stranded and blind. Maybe, maybe they will let me get my boarding tickets while we wait for the passport to arrive I thought irrationally. There was not enough time for him to go all the way home and return with the passport before the plane departed. Where was it anyways? I had PUT IT IN THE THINGY!

His phone went to voicemail and I gave him the "alert" then continued searching my bags though I knew it was futile. I put the passport in the "thingy" before leaving the house. It wasn't in the bags. Then I heard my name being called. Yes? There was an airline representative calling my name. Why? Then I saw in her hand a passport. OMIGOD. It had fallen out of the passport thingy when I put it around my neck. I had put it in the top part that folds over so it slipped out.

I thanked her and everyone clapped for me as I crammed it down in the bottom part of the thingy instead of the top part that folds over. Crisis averted again.....whew.

In flight

Flying to Brussels today. Meeting Janice at Starbucks. Starbucks is everywhere. Apparently, the coffee company's business plan includes world domination.

Hsin Hsin Ming

Verses on the Faith Mind
by Chien-chih Seng-ts'an
Third Zen Patriarch (606AD)

[translated by Richard B. Clarke]

The Great Way is not difficult

for those who have no preferences.

When love and hate are both absent

everything becomes clear and undisguised.

Make the smallest distinction, however

and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart.

If you wish to see the truth

then hold no opinions for or against anything.

To set up what you like against what you dislike

is the disease of the mind.

When the deep meaning of things is not understood

the mind's essential peace is disturbed to no avail.

[The verses in its entirety are on the Hsin Hsin Ming website.]

Dixie Crossroads Restaurant, Titusville, FL

Yes. The corn fritters and rock shrimp are that good.

The Springs

 

"Almost heaven".