I’m not sure when I lost my interest in the beach, but I certainly remember the exact moment I rediscovered it. I spent much of my childhood going to the Jersey Shore, even after the days when hypodermic needles were washing up on the beach. The whole state gets a bad rap, but I remember the joys of swimming in the ocean and playing in the waves with friends and family. I never saw any needles. In fact, the beaches there were quite nice and, if I remember correctly, CROWDED! Then followed the years in which I just stopped going...
When I started blogging, I had no idea what to expect. It took some courage for me to put my thoughts out there for anyone to read because I have always guarded them so closely. It’s almost like being in high school again. There are moments in which you rate your self-worth on how many people visit your site in a day. It’s as if it is a measure of your popularity– kind of like in high school. When I first started, I would check my stats daily to see how many people gave a s#!+ about what I had...
One thing about me is that I happen to be a foodie. I love food. I love to eat it. I love to talk about it. I love to cook it. I love to look at it. I love to take pictures of it, and I love to look at pictures of it. There is a lot I avoid because of food sensitivities, but I still find a way to enjoy good food– the food I eat is just a lot simpler now. And I never ever miss a meal. So when I realized my lunch options were very limited,...
Our days in Vieques were simple: woke up to roosters welcoming the new day– though their cries did sound more like misery than excitement. Got ready for the beach. Then packed the car and headed to town for breakfast. It would have been more convenient to cook breakfast in the condo, but it wasn’t appealing in that shabby kitchen with no dish soap. Plus, the eggs we found at The Green Store were dated about 1 month earlier. The woman there said that was the ship date, not the use by date; but we didn’t want to take any chances. ...
Vieques has quite an interesting history. Once inhabited by the Taino Indians, it was eventually under the rule of Spain and ultimately the US. After the start of World War II the US Navy assumed control of over 70% of the island, and they began to use the island for training and bombing practices. Though controversial with the locals, this continued until 1999 when a civilian was accidentally killed in a bombing target practice. And so began the Navy-Vieques Protests. These protests drew international support, and lasted until May 2003 when the US government finally announced the Navy would leave...
I know I say this about a lot of things, but I love Vieques. I’ve been to other beach destinations before and felt like a week was too long. So when I booked our trip to Vieques, I kept it to 3 days. I was worried I would get sick of it if I stayed for too long. Boy was I wrong! What makes Vieques so different? The beach beaches! Nothing beats the Caribbean waters, and this is all it takes to keep me occupied for days on end.We arrived at the tiny, deserted Vieques airport with no one in...
You don’t need me to tell you that flying kind of sucks these days. I mean, I don’t want it to sound like I’m complaining, but it really is different from how it used to be. While I do appreciate that it is all for my own safety, blah, blah, blah… it’s still kind of annoying. I’ve been repressing these feelings, and they awakened when I flew on VAL– Vieques Air Link.We recently spent a week in Puerto Rico, and I felt compelled to get myself to the white velvet sand and turquoise blue waters that grace that part of...
Now that the bulk of my traveling has come to a close (for now at least,) it’s time to do a little more reflecting. I asked myself a question a few posts back when I was faced with a test. I forgot my camera and asked myself if I could survive without it. I look back on my “experiment” after I arrived in New Orleans without my camera, and what did I learn? First, being without my camera really didn’t matter all that much in the scheme of things. I still had fun and enjoyed every minute of it. I also learned not to waste...
One thing I’ve learned from visiting music festivals over the years is that the experience is about much more than just good music and food. It’s about the culture too, and each festival has its own personality. They all share one thing in common though: the people. People watching provides just the right form of entertainment to accompany any event. I find myself thankful for our individuality, because without it, life can be a little boring. Often times you get to see an interesting fashion statement. Or sometimes you might see a little too much.Some people are all about safety first… because you never know what kind of danger...
While a visit to NOLA is filled with nostalgia for me, it’s also about gluttony and fun, and celebrating life! What better way to do all that than spend your days at a music festival scattered throughout the Quarter. You can always be sure that in New Orleans every good party will start with a parade. As you can see, even at 10 am, it’s never too early here to get your drink on.From big stages down by the river……to small stages all the way down at The US Mint.There is something for everyone. I love Jazz fest, but there is something nice about rolling out of...
