Doors of Malta

When I was in Malta,  I did a lot of walking. It was warmer and sunny, finally.  After Milano with the cold and the snow, it was nice to walk and enjoy the sun.  I came across this section where it was like condos.

 Each door had such beautiful colors and each one different. 

 Each had a different iron gate

 Really, this could have been an East Carolina University door, (with a yellow door knob)

 Sky blue to brightern you coming in ..............................

 The light, the door, and the gate are the same color paint and look closely under the light, the house is called "Sea Breeze"  This place did not miss it calling

The last place is waiting to be update, or to be sold, or for some one to rescue it.  Still a great place with great potential.

Marsaxlokk Fish Market Malta

When I was flying from Sicily to Malta, there was a bunch of ladies on the plane.  They had gone for  to Sicily to shop.  The lady beside me and I began a conversation about Malta.  She told me to go the local fish market.  I had to take a bus from St Julian's Bay to Valletta and then on to Marsaxlokk.  It was maddening with tourist and locals.

 When I saw this carriage being used to display greens, it reminded me of the carriage at my barn with flowers and shells.  So, in Malta, some people recycle, reduce and REUSE too.

 The town is rather small and the walk around the harbor is filled with these small colorful wooden boats.  This was such a beautiful day and the bright sun make theses boats come alive

And just what would one do after visiting the fish market..............lunch and fresh fish.  I could not believe it, there was a harborside restaurant that the special of the day was SOFT SHELL CRABS.  Can you believe it,  Mrs Georgie, that have your trade too.

Gosh, it was good and sat there enjoying the scenery and the sun, the market started to disappear.  When they say it ends at 1pm, they mean 1pm.  Vendors hustling to pack up their leftovers, take down the tents and they were off.

This sea side village from a bustling shopping area to just a few people taking a Sunday afternoon walk.  Everything shut down and closed.

I found that between 1pm to 4pm there was nothing open.......... 

Christmas Day

I am in Castel Gandolfo for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  I t is cold, but not as cold as Milano.  Here I am in the square where the Benedict Cathedral and the summer palace for the pope.  Although the Pope is not here.  I think he might be doing some in t Rome. 

 I was walking around when this family asked me to take their picture.  Now they asked in Italian, so I said in English, "I do not understand all the words, but I get it, you want me to take your picture." So I did and this is selfie of us with the young man in the foreground, spoke some English.  Really, there may be a language barrier, kindness and being friendly, goes a long way and transcends obstecials.  "Boana Natalia"  that is Merry Christmas in Italian.

 This the sign for the town of Castel Gandolfo.  The palace of the Pope.  The hotel that I am staying is just beyond the sign.

This is the Italian Christmas breakfast.  Now, don't just hate people that have nothing to do than take pictures of food, but I just had to do this.  I just had to chuckle when cookies were on the breakfast display.

I look forward to seeing you in the New Year!!

Jeanne

Charlotte Airport

Doing this post has been difficult for me, as finding the time, so today........I was looking at my pictures and this was the first. 

Dawn, my daughter and I were on the first leg of our trip, leaving Charlotte to Newark.  Now, as many of you know, I am not savvy with technology,  and even with the kiosk at United Air.  It kept saying SEE AGENT.   Not even looking at the board with the flight schedule,  our flight was cancelled!  Not just us, but all the other passengers too.   There was a mad dash to rearrange out itenary to Milan. 

Can you imagine have me asking as kind of questions, "What is the compensation?  A free flight? Free up grades??????

This agent is doing her best to get us rebooked. 

After much to do, we were rerouted to Chicago, then to Newark,  then Frankfort and the Milan.  We were told there were upgrades for us.  Oh yea, worth the wait, until we got on the plane.

We were upgraded from seat 14A to moved to the front of the plane to 12A.   Moving us up just a row or two. 

The good news we were on our way.

The adventure begins...............................

So this is Christmas

Ok, it is Christmas here too and the music is playing "So this is Christmas."   There are Christmas trees and the typical Christmas lights.  Oh, yea, lights go on and off and flash all colors and they have the same ability to have 1/2 lights on and flashing the the other half go on and off. 

Today, I traveled to Birgu, a local market with everything one could want for any reason.  There was vegetables, fruits and the

BY GOSH, there it was, the dreaded fruit cake. 

So somethings are the same all over the world.

So this is Christmas  (music) and the fruit cake

Santa and his reindeer

Ok, here I go again.  This is from the Elephant Square in Catania Sicily.  This is such a hoot, the driver of Santa's sleigh is smoking a cigarette.  Look closely, Santa's pants are coming down.   I just laughed and laughed.

The first leg of my trip was in the northern part of Italy in a small town of Montecatini.  It was so beautiful, but so very cold and even snowing from time to time.

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Portsmouth Island

Honestly, I cannot believe that I took this picture and added to my blog.  I am in Charlotte leaving for Italy.  After going to the dentist and much rearranging and flights and hotels, I am about to leave.

BUT this is a picture from the Village of Portsmouth Island.  I have been helping rehab the Babb House

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Jeanne

Shelly Island

I have always enjoyed the search for shells, like looking for a treasure in one life.  And finding that special shell, and even have a shell call your name is a connect to life's free treasures, earth and a higher being.

Have you seen the news about the new formed island off Buxton right below Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.

I did and I have been biting at the bit to go there.  I had heard that waters had many sharks and NOT to swim over to the new island.  I had heard the currents were so strong one could be pulled out to sea and there had been many rescues each day.

The island formed this spring starting as a sand bar and now an island.   A young visitor from Virginia named it Shelly Island, so it is now called.

The Outer Banks are a fine line of islands shifting with the tides, forming and disappearing with hurricanes and Northeasters.

My love for the Coastal North Carolina and shelling, this new phenomena was calling my name.

The quest to go to THE NEW SHELLY ISLAND was now in motion

Where is this island, so new technology came into play, googled it and there is was.  Researching news media that had been there and covered the island and then calling locals .

It is too funny, the POWERS to be said it is too dangerous, don't go, YOU COULD BE EATEN BY SHARKS AND DROWN.   And make sure you are not going alone.  BE SAFE

OK, but I wanted to go.  So I called chartered boat captains, and they just laughed, "We do not want to do that, and if we did it would be $400 for half day.   I called my friends in Nags Head,  famous Mike Kelly, just laughed, just go and if you are worried about sharks and the currents, kayak over to Shelly Island.

Pressing on, I borrowed 2 kayaks and loaded them in the van.  Found a friend committed to go.  Now to find a placed to stay and even TRIP ADVISOR printed in LARGE RED CAPS  HIGH SEASON.  Every body and there brothers wanted to go to the Outer Banks.

Plan in motion, I have the mod of transportation, a cooler with lots of ice, water and adult beverages, towels, bug spray, sun screen, water shoes, hats, towels, folding chair.  Friends gave me marine flairs, back packs, bags to carry shells, ropes to pull the kayaks thru the sand.  My van was becoming so loaded with STUFF, that I was now relying on my side mirrors to drive.

The morning of departure, 5AM, at the last minute, I heard this voice in my head, it was Pat Elliot, a shelling buddy of mine, saying"check the tides"  and I did.  Low tide that day was 11AM and if we left at 6am we would have plenty of time.   I was hurrying my friend, lets go, come on.  And getting a late start (for Me), we were off.

It is a 3 1/2 hr drive and there conversation was muddled by the kayaks between the two front seats.  If we had a wreck, no one could have believed how we were PACKED.

Finally, we arrived at the NPS  Visitor Center.  You will need a 4 wheel drive vehicle to drive on the beach.  Heck, that vehicle was in Oriental  Or you can walk, OK that was the option and the plan, walking.

Now, this is where you need to pay attention.  Go past the visitor center, proceed to the ocean, a paved road until you reach the end of the pavement and that is Ramp 44.  There you can walk and pull the kayaks to the end of Cape Point and then to the new island,  SHELLY ISLAND.

OMG, when we got to Ramp 44, there were about 50 cars all lined up on the side of the roads, the was a constant procession of all types of 4 wheel drive vehicles driving on the gravel path to the ocean.  Well, I tell you, that going alone and be safe, went right out the window.

And you know me, I will talk to anyone, I saw this man letting the air out  of his tires, so I ran over to him and said, "Can you put our kayaks in the back of your truck and take us to Shelly Island?"   "Do you know where it is?  We have never been here before."  "Sure, I Know where it is!!!'  Gosh, just go to the ocean and turn right, it can not be that hard to miss it, Shelly Island is suppose to be a mile long.

Now, there was a mad dash to back my my van up to his truck, pull the kayaks out and out them in his truck, throw in a towel, a backpack and water and we were off.

When we rounded the point, there were trucks, jeeps, campers, tents, and NO WHERE TO PARK.  Being alone, you are kidding me, finding a space was now the challenge, finally, we maneuvered between to groups from Pennsylvania.  Oh well, it was the the only spot, and they turned out to be a wealth of information.  The island appeared to be really close in places, the shallow area was right in front of us, so  you do not need a kayak.

We threw the kayaks out, changed into some clothes, my bathing suit was in the van along with my water shoes.  Oh, well, I was there.  

I waded in thru in water less than knee deep to FINALLY get to Shelly Island, where there were hundreds of people, dogs and babies.  OH YES hundreds and hundreds of shells.  The island was more than a mile long and you could not see from side to side in places.  The dunes were over 20 feet high in places.  What a sight of nature building its own island.

OK, I had on the wrong clothes, but that tank top Croaker Fest, got alot of conversations with tourist and the PI hat too.  Gosh, I wish I had my water shoes, there were so many shells, it was killing my feet to walk.  I walked and walked searching for the best shells, no real finds, but quantity was the reason for the name of Shelly Island.

Ok, after all the hype and it could be  going away soon,  I can tell you it is well worth the drive  with a 4 wheel drive vehicle to see Shelly Island, Mother Nature at her best.

Things to know,

Get a permit to drive on the beach, although I never saw a park service personnel
Pack a umbrella or tent, carry coolers with lots of ice, beverages and food, cause once you get there and early, you will not want to leave.

Sunscreen, bug spray

Shoes to walk on the shells, something to carry you finds of shells

OH check the tide chart, you CAN wade across at low tide and you do not want to be stranded there at high tide

ON YES A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR AND ADVENTURE

I had a ball

Wall Graffiti

My last day in Georgetown was spent the usual walking to discover the street vendors and food "hawkers".   There was a new awareness of the graffiti.  Here is one that had pipes coming out of the side of the building.  I have no reason why there was these pipes, but some artist made this picture of a man in a gas  mask on the left.

Taking what was there and making a statement is really using your creativity.

As I am standing there, along come some university students from Kuala Lumpur.   I struck up a conversation with them.  Can you imagine that????

Well, as the conversation went, I asked them to pose with me in the photo.  Now, here I am in a foreign country, can not speak the language and get 6 guys to act like this.  Just act like we don't have a gas mask as in the wall art and there is gas coming out of the pipes.  WE ARE CHOKING!!!!

AND THEY DID IT!!!!!

I had so much fun and everyone around the street was laughing and having fun too.  I started a trend.

I was having so much fun......I did not know a soul.....These people were in and out of my life in a short period of time, but I will never forget them or this time in my life.

Enjoy!!!

Penang Malaysia

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I am in the old city of Georgetown on the island of Penang, Malaysia.  It UNESCO site.  Walking around in narrow alleys and streets has that Southeast Asia charm.

There are murals painted all of the city.   Some are large on the sides of buildings and and some are tucked away in alleys.  They are kinda hard to find, but once on the hunt to find them, it  is like a scavenger hunt.  They are some that are famous and some just recently painted.

This one is rather famous.   Here is a motor cycle with a guy painted on it driving it.  Can you see the guy over my left shoulder?????

OK,  there were other tourist waiting to have their picture made with this mural.   They would just stand there beside the mural for their  picture..   OH, NO, not me!!!!Just get on that motorcycle and pretend he was taking me on the ride of my life.   That is the way to make a photo op and remember the mural.  Oh, the tourist remembered me too!!!

  Here is the mural with no one in the picture.  This is so real looking.

This is fun walking city.

When walking around, you are looking down for step ups and downs and broken pavement

Enjoy these pictures, because it took me forever to be able to share them on this post.

I am leaving today for the north part of the island and the beach.

ENJOY

Violin Players

OK, I am just STILL learning, lost my teacher in Chiang Mai

and on my own, but I just was able to upload this picture from last night

LOOK how beautiful this Chinese lady is and her music was just as beautiful.

This is such a beautiful place with the most in creditable experiences

Enjoy

Jeanne

Luang Prabang, Laos

I arrived yesterday from Chiang Mai, Thailand to Laung Prabang, Laos.  After a short ride to my hotel, I was off exploring.  Keep in mind I did not know a person.

This is a very old town which has be kept in the French Colonial style.  Every build is no more than 2 stories high.  As I was walking down the night market street, I could hear some blue grass fiddle playing.  As I stopped to listen, there were 3 Chinese young ladies listening too.  One of them went up to this man and wanted the violin.  He obliged and handed it over.

She started to play the most incredible classical music with not music.  The crowd grew and before long the side walk and street were everyone taken in by her playing.

Oh, I digress,  I was on my walk to find the soy with the food market.

Off again, then I saw Indigo Blue Hotel, this was the land mark to this food market.....

and WOW, how great, you paid one price and filled your bowl and sat a table with total strangers, but not for long.

I met a couple from Sweden, a couple from England and few others on their own too

I was alone for long and the conversation went on until the owners ask us to leave so others could sit down and eat.

The topic of discussion was feeding the monks in the morning.....it is the ritual, but for a later blog.

So today, I was discovering the town in the daily light and saw the violin player, the man not the Chinese lady.  He was playing his violin and asked me to join him tonight where is playing with other local musicians.

As more discovering, I met the lady in the picture.   She was 75 and traveling alone....she was sitting there by the river contemplating crossing the  bamboo"bridge".  As these 2 monks spoke to us.  One was 17 and the other 16.  They had just finished their exams and wanted to practice their English.  It was such a challenge for them to understand "southerneeze"

Traveling alone is so wonderful, people just stop and talk.....well, of course, I always say, "Where are you from???"

Thai Elephant

Elephants were used in Thailand to help clear the forest and building road in the past.  Since I have been here, I have learned that elephants are not used any more.

 Did you know that an elephant can eat a ton of food a day.  And a wild elephant can destroy 3 banana tree in one day.  So elephants are beaten and killed as they are no long needed  any help.

 Many elephant reserves use elephant to carry tourist around which is very inhuman.  Many working elephant in the mountains are beaten.  Some elephants have had their eyes poked out.  Small or very young elephants have had their legs broken.

Some sanctuaries, some not so good and others are OK , have been established to save and feed these elephants.  I visited one of these when I first got to Chiang Mai.  It was not the best, but with the funds that were available, it was better than killing or even letting the elephant starved to death.

These are pictures from the Mae Rim region where elephants roam in the wild.  I saw many farmers gathering food to feed these elephant when they returned to home for the night.

This was an experience of a life time, as the population of Thailand elephants is decreasing.

I was so privileged to have this chance to see this.

The picture at the top is an elephant crossing the road, we had to stop and let them cross.

Who has the right away????  The big animal.

 

Last days in Chaing Mai

Well, I am about to be leaving Chiang Mai in the next few days.  It will be so sad to leave and as I was at the market today, I saw this.  Ok, it could be right in eaastern North Carolina.....boiled peanuts, I  did not like them at home and I will be darned if I would buy them here.  The vendor was so intent for me to buy them, he offered me one.  STILL THE ANSWER IS NO

 Visions of my past are here too.  Here is a broom that everyone here uses and it is the same kind of broom that my Grandmama Lilley would use to sweep the leaves.  And maybe even Aunt Melba is still using one to this very day.

I am going out with 2 amazing women now,  So, I will be adding to the blog a little later, when time permits.......

Doing a lot and having such a good time,  soaking up the cultural....

Miss y'all and will be home soon.......

Jeanne

McDonald's

There are McDonald's all over the world, but this Ronald McDonald is so unusual for me.

This Ronald is doing the traditional welcome with the hands touching and a slight bow, so nice and calming.

It is so common to meet a stranger and they will touch their hands and bow, saying welcome

The customs here are most refreshing

WELCOME

From The Balcony

This is the view from my balcony at the Smith Suites

This is what caught my eye, all these most beautiful paper lanterns

There were thousands of them filling the sky.  What a sight to behold.

Enjoy

Happy New Year



Oh my phone could not do just to the images above,  Wendy Davies from Canada shared these photos with me.  She quite the photographer and my teacher helping me with posting my photos.

Thanks Wendy

New Years Ritual.

As is here in this Buddha country, the monks have their ceremonies.  I have no idea exactly what this was but it was so beautiful and moving.

Prior to this procession of holding the candles, theses monks were in the temple chanting and lighting the candles and the going to this garden.  They left the candle on a little hill and then the next monks came too  and the procession was continues as the hillside became illuminated.  

This was the audience in the garden.  The crossed strings had hanging strings, amusingly to hold and offer a wish and then hang a banner.

You can see the hillside in the background with the candles that were left by the monks.

So beautiful and what away to bring in the NEW YEAR.

New Years Eve in Chiang Mai

I was invited to a New Years Eve Party at Smith's Resident.  I could not believe it, they were serving BBQ, not like eastern North Carolina's, but it was so good.

Then, after the meal, we were all dancing and having so much fun.  Some of the people were going to the 3 King's to attend the concert, so they invited me.

As I was leaving and going down the street you could see these images in the sky.....they were paper lanterns.

So, I ditched the orchestra idea and head off to the Tia Pia Gate.  There all kinds of vendors and the streets were filled with people from all over the world.  I made my way thru the gate and people were lighting the lanterns and releasing them.

Gosh, it was so beautiful.  At first, I could hardly take it in, so moving, there was such a peace and calmness.  Everyone was helping to hold and light the lanterns.  Met so many people from all over the world.

And, this young girl from Bogota asked if I was alone and I said yes.  We agreed to help each other light our lanterns.  So breath taking for me

If you enjoy these pictures in the least bit, you can imagine just how I how great it for me.

What a way to bring in the NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR

JEANNE