tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25728770464617013032024-03-18T22:08:33.239-07:00Antoinette's walkaboutTonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-48642786950008966262010-06-07T17:21:00.000-07:002010-06-07T17:46:40.507-07:00Peaceful Mind<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpLw1CAC6KJxHgeY4PMIKYRk8otjwtzotn8tRJmkOo94a_pA2ZhuEGITPTaOSXH_j0riZp7PLWJjTEZlLvVMhhTPDLbl_xCDJT8fmVzJ6hTvZ9fe3lmkpqhmpQaL6w7gp1nsxCNmaubxu/s1600/IMG_4171.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpLw1CAC6KJxHgeY4PMIKYRk8otjwtzotn8tRJmkOo94a_pA2ZhuEGITPTaOSXH_j0riZp7PLWJjTEZlLvVMhhTPDLbl_xCDJT8fmVzJ6hTvZ9fe3lmkpqhmpQaL6w7gp1nsxCNmaubxu/s320/IMG_4171.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480197070159476258" /></a><br />So, this is my last blog I'll be writing from overseas. I'm leaving in about 7 hours from Auckland to head to the good 'ol USA. I'll fly for 12 hours straight into LA and head to San Diego.<br /><br />I went for a run this morning and enjoyed the last morning of the beautiful New Zealand skies and had time just to reflect on my journey the past ten months. At this point I don't know how to even sum it all up...it has been so many different things but mostly it has been an amazing adventure that I have absolutely no regrets about and would do it again if and when the chance arises. <br /><br />You learn so much about yourself as well as other people and cultures when you do something like this and it changes you in many ways. To say what that is I'm not even sure yet but I trust that I'll know more once I get back home, re-adjust and start building a life there again. So you'll have to wait for the insights once I return and touch into them all first. <br /><br />To sum up New Zealand and the feeling I have here is "Peaceful Mind". I can not say enough wonderful things about this country; the landscape, the people and the overall feel of being here. <br /><br />My last couple weeks in the north island was a fun adventure. As I said before Inbal and I rented a car and I quickly got used to driving on the "wrong" side of the road and maneuvering roundabouts. We visited some great places like Rotorua and the thermal pools and geysers, Lake Taupo and the Huka falls and the highlight-Tongariro national park. We did a one day hike which was 18km and took about 6 1/2 hours. This time of year it's weather permitting so we had to check in the day before to find out that it was a go. We took a morning shuttle to the start, climbed beautiful trails surrounded by even higher pikes like Ngauruhoe Summit which was used in the filming of "The Lord of the Rings" and were blessed with amazing weather! <br /><br />Since I need to leave here shortly I'll get this off with my photos for you to enjoy and will be in touch. My journey has not ended quite yet since I'm planning to travel a bit around the Northwest and then back to Colorado to visit friends and see a bit of my own country. <br /><br />I just want to thank you all for tuning in; to read my blog, view photos of my journey and all you wonderful comments and emails. Much love to you all!<br />Toni...........or Antoinette<br /><a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/NorthislandNZ">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/NorthislandNZ</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-9279225923245841882010-05-29T14:20:00.000-07:002010-05-30T21:45:26.187-07:00New Zealand Skies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgweWnAwZBZSjJA_sRs0MLNnhl1n5YB0qBl27QTTRAMprIVnWVUofyaJ5PZHcbClQS4gfSzM5nlithElJssiPNiN_4_kvvqK3koF9cHDoGgbG6lLlNu2ymT5Yf2ZLM2-yh87wymUZG8A2AG/s1600/IMG_4079.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgweWnAwZBZSjJA_sRs0MLNnhl1n5YB0qBl27QTTRAMprIVnWVUofyaJ5PZHcbClQS4gfSzM5nlithElJssiPNiN_4_kvvqK3koF9cHDoGgbG6lLlNu2ymT5Yf2ZLM2-yh87wymUZG8A2AG/s320/IMG_4079.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476807987255194258" /></a><br />New Zealand Skies<br /><br />Today my friend Inbal and I were driving in our rental car to a little surf town on the west coast of the north island of New Zealand called Raglan and saw the most spectacular rainbow. I think the most fabulous one I have ever seen…no kidding. Oh course a photo could not capture the brilliance of it but I’ll include it in my photos anyway. Truly I have found the skies here to be some of the most amazing of any of the places I’ve visited. <br /><br />I should really fill you in first on the south island. After leaving the ashram, I spent two nights in Nelson to re-group; do laundry, catch up on emails. I did a couple of runs as well as explore the small city of Nelson. I also managed to get to a yoga class which I enjoyed. I met some friends of my friend Pam and had a wonderful dinner with them. When leaving Nelson I connected up with two of the girls from the yoga retreat, Jess and Inbal, and drove down the west coast of the south island. The weather Gods were smiling upon us and gave us some incredible days of sunshine to enjoy the many sights along our route. We walked along a seal colony in Westport, saw the pancake rocks and blowholes, Franz Joesph glacier and Fox glacier as well as Lake Matheson which is know for its reflective lake views.<br /><br />One of my favorite places was Wanaka and the backpackers we stayed at was great. It overlooked the lake and was nice and clean. We went to this great cinema where they have mostly couches to sit on and you can get glasses of wine and fresh cookies right out of the oven during the intermission. Yum! <br /><br />Next we went to Queenstown which is known to have just about anything that an adrenaline junkie might want….for bungi jumping to sky diving to glacier flights. Needless to say I did none of these since the cost is high and the weather was cold and fairly wet. It was nice to see the town again since I had been there 20 years ago. Queenstown seems much more touristy but still beautiful. The rest of NZ seems pretty much the same; very relaxed lifestyle here. <br /><br />From the south island Inbal and I flew from Queenstown to Auckland, rented a car and headed south on the north island. Raglan is a great coastal town on the west and known for its surfing. We stayed at a youth hostel in little cabooses on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. Today we are moving on to Rotorua. <br /><br />I just wanted to get a blog out and some photos since I was able to borrow a computer charger. I left mine in Wanaka at the backpackers…oh well! I must be ready to get home if I’m starting to forget things. I’ll be back in the US on the 8th of June so just about a week to go! I plan to enjoy every moment.<br /><a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/southislandnz">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/southislandnz</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-53110300792041780162010-05-20T12:17:00.000-07:002010-05-20T12:33:04.787-07:00Ashram Life<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY97lap693fMxXtXdSmRw8U7IK3STh3hMHJvaGViAI8MZ0sUMJ2O0UEr6xscMXFAXwy3WRGT1mWq_hYc7BDGN-mmJd3r9w0xyGYlnD7Xsg-80PMQWAFHTkvAYhW65qV95vSFRs6tC2A7UJ/s1600/IMGP1725.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY97lap693fMxXtXdSmRw8U7IK3STh3hMHJvaGViAI8MZ0sUMJ2O0UEr6xscMXFAXwy3WRGT1mWq_hYc7BDGN-mmJd3r9w0xyGYlnD7Xsg-80PMQWAFHTkvAYhW65qV95vSFRs6tC2A7UJ/s320/IMGP1725.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473436997874936946" /></a><br />The first week I was in New Zealand I spent at an ashram called Anahata in the area called the Golden Bay in the northeast of the south island. It was beautiful there and I really enjoyed my time there. I was living the yogic lifestyle for sure. The style of yoga is called Satyananda yoga and comes from a long lineage from India with many Swamis(teachers or gurus). Swami Muktidharma was there and we got to listen to him talk at a satsong-a talk about life and different aspects of yoga and incorporating that into everyday life. Easy for the residents since they are living that life style day in and day out. It’s a communal living environment….or just one big happy family….where they are very organized about the everyday chores that a household requires. As “guests” we also had a choice to participate. This meant that we had a schedule 6 days out of the week. A typical day was to get up at 6:00 and begin with a yoga class and/or meditation then have a breakfast of porridge(oatmeal) to help sustain us for the next three hours of karma yoga-the yoga of action. So basically we all had jobs cleaning, cooking or tending to the garden. After which, there was a session of yoga nidra-deep relaxation yoga-followed by a wonderfully tasty vegetarian lunch. After lunch the afternoon was typically ours to do as we wished. On a nice day, there were lots of trails to explore. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t lend too much of exploration but reading by the fire was always a good option. In the evening there was often some sort of activity like kirtan-music and chanting or a fire ceremony which was very interesting to see. <br /><br />I have to say that although it was a wonderful, powerful and relaxing week, the yoga ashram life would not be for me. Too regimented and limited but I’m so glad that I had the experience. The yoga teacher at in Thailand made many reference to “living a yoga life” and this is certainly one way to do that. Another is to do your own practices and incorporate it into “normal” life. <br /><br />I also had the opportunity to meet some really wonderful people while there and am currently on the road traveling with two of the girls that I roomed with at the ashram. Jess is from Canada and Inbal from Israel. We are traveling in Jess’s car south on the south island and have wonderful weather the past three days. We have been taking the western route along the coastline and there has been spectacular scenery. We are staying in backpackers accommodations along the way which is really nice since you have a place to cook your meals and even do laundry if need be. It has been wonderful to not have a schedule and to just stop wherever you want and explore along the way. Today we will head to Franz Joseph where there is a glacier to hike and from what I can remember from 20 years ago, some equally breathtaking sights. <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/anahataashram"><br /><br />www.piscasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/anahataashram</a><br /><a href="http://www.anahata-retreat.org.nz">http://www.anahata-retreat.org.nz</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-27924450917659948822010-05-12T22:11:00.000-07:002010-05-18T02:14:34.297-07:00"Toto, we're not in Asia anymore!"After 5 months in Asia even New Zealand feels like a different world. I left Thailand for a one day stopover back in Bali before catching my original flight to NZ. I stayed in Seminak which is near the beach(and closer to the airport) and is a busy place especially at night. What was nice was being able to get up the morning of my departure and go for my last run on the long stretch of beach along the Bali shore. The beaches in Bali are no where as scenic or nice as southern Thailand beaches but still great. As I was sweating and enjoying my morning on the beach I was thinking to myself “you’re going to miss the Asian lifestyle”. <br /><br />After about a 24 hours travel day from start to finish I arrived to Wellington, NZ which is in the very south of the north island. I was exhausted and it truly hit me that I was no longer in Asia……I was cold! Imagine having to wear a jacket! The other thing that hit me is that I could ask someone a question in English and mostly could understand the answer-the English language is not created equal as I’ve mentioned in earlier blogs. Some of the things I had to remind myself was that I didn’t have to take off my shoes upon entering a building/house and I could actually flush TP down the toilet and didn’t have to squat to pee. I know it’s the little things but it’s a bit hard to get used to. I laughed at myself that out of all the places I could choose to eat, I went to an Asian restaurant/take away run by a Malaysian woman and the price was about 5 times what I would have paid in Asia-still very good but expensive. You would think I’d be tired of Thai and Balinese food but obviously not.<br /><br />My time in Asia was amazing, I would never have imagined that I would have resonated with the Asian lifestyle so easily but I did. If NZ feels so different, imagine what I’m going to feel like once I get back to the US! <br /><br />I’m on the ferry heading to the south island now. I’m heading to and area called the Golden Bay to Takaka and staying at a yoga ashram for a week. I’m trying to maintain a sense of calm and inner peace that I felt in Asia through yoga and meditation.<br /><br />I posted some additional photos from Blooming Lotus from the last post so check them out when you get a chance. I'll get some New Zealand photos posted soon.Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-2300895126692979102010-05-01T00:11:00.000-07:002010-05-01T00:40:07.921-07:00Sink or Swim<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQC6JOeKMlO01UmH5Ts9fQTKczSZbxrAFg5jxcYBPbf6k8q8VrjR12X6BgoT4DZvLqeuBvA-YJVSGCHJOgoLwL4iBVhTXiwXw3pou8VpHBZxtnyLgc_H9-URkKxJekmOFaf22R3CzkvRj/s1600/IMG_3848.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQC6JOeKMlO01UmH5Ts9fQTKczSZbxrAFg5jxcYBPbf6k8q8VrjR12X6BgoT4DZvLqeuBvA-YJVSGCHJOgoLwL4iBVhTXiwXw3pou8VpHBZxtnyLgc_H9-URkKxJekmOFaf22R3CzkvRj/s320/IMG_3848.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466200460999777666" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJopXDfM8aZHNXjtUKbZmAfIPfB-q9UCH2ZnecwKnsqUtAYhp1rdpYMyuowvS2Agw3A_2Cv3CTVJULLd1AN3cVmxYmKQZG97MWNjb-V0oUWmk8p-A_nkmaUDb3bdFF-Kagdx9dLNPCT3vR/s1600/IMG_3841.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJopXDfM8aZHNXjtUKbZmAfIPfB-q9UCH2ZnecwKnsqUtAYhp1rdpYMyuowvS2Agw3A_2Cv3CTVJULLd1AN3cVmxYmKQZG97MWNjb-V0oUWmk8p-A_nkmaUDb3bdFF-Kagdx9dLNPCT3vR/s320/IMG_3841.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466200453135527426" /></a><br /><br />As I mentioned in my last blog, the yoga training has been a major challenge and not in the ways one would think; long hours, early start, hours of yoga practice, the heat, lots of homework but NOT being reprimanded nearly everyday like teenagers for things like leaving the door slightly cracked, leaving books on the floor, being one minute late…or more like one “OM” late, talking/laughing/having fun and basically for “not living yoga”. What the hell! I believe that all of us in the group are living yoga….in our own way. Sure, we are all in different places in our journey but we all have a strong desire to have yoga be a part of our lives, otherwise why would we be here? Sure, it’s a beautiful place to experience a training such as this but if we had wanted to spend precious time and money with no cockroaches, spiders, ants etc. AND even have hot water showers, we could have stayed numerous places with at least a 4 star rating and just hang out on the beach with a good book…BUT we chose to be here in Koh Phangan in the extreme heat trying to focus on what normally should be such an amazing experience.<br /><br />So, we get that meditation is a big part-but only a part-of yoga but throwing one into hours of cross-legged torture to become enlightened isn’t what we signed up for. Yes, yoga is so much more then the postures and is not just another form of “aerobics or pilates” and that’s why we’re here….to learn more. To understand why yoga has pulled us in, why it normally makes one feel so blissful and opens your heart; to share this fabulous practice with others while finding that peace within. I know in my heart and soul that through the teachings of this ancient practice of yoga all this and more can be accomplished but we as individuals must do this in our own time and in our own way. <br /><br />Okay, so if one teacher has so much knowledge and teachings to share with us then why would she not even speak about the meaning of “OM” and elaborate on the “limbs of yoga” like the yamas and niyamas(which is like not teaching a Christian “The Golden Rules) or the yoga sutras….one does NOT learn these teachings by just reading information plagiarized and compiled into a huge teachers training manual. <br /><br />But….that all said we do have a choice. Sink or swim? Do we let the lack of one persons dis-empowerment get the best of us and sink OR take in the experience for what it does have to offer and swim with it; knowing that this is only the beginning or a stepping stone and can only get better from here. To swim the tide of life and let the currents take you to amazing places along your journey.<br /><br /><br />I wrote this about 3 weeks into the training as a bit of a vent but also wanted to find the humor in it all. I am now finished and relaxing on the shores of Koh Samui… reflecting and recovering…on the past month. I have to say that I do feel I gained a number of things from the experience even if it was to learn what not to do. Our teacher did know how to teach a good yoga class with good alignment principles and she had a strong background in meditation and pranayama(breath work) which she brought to the table but her ego, lack of teaching skills, and compassion made for a very interesting month. For me I realize it was a lot about a sense of completion and now with that all said and done…..time to move forward with it all! I continue to believe in and love yoga and my heart is open…always <br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/bloominglotustt">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/bloominglotustt</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-88101288698962792612010-04-15T21:39:00.000-07:002010-04-15T21:52:47.440-07:00"Great Expectations"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnhVNX5FBj8ULLsrNvyvB1f2j-aODaHPEMSCY8ugR_txapV0KK7JOg8h3rD_v5wrkZTxb2BNW1vWkAi86XC4by5w9dmU0vIlX1uVlEjRBRmp_YBSaZBv_ewk9b0Jo2G_fPBaQvjkhp9D7/s1600/IMG_3766.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnhVNX5FBj8ULLsrNvyvB1f2j-aODaHPEMSCY8ugR_txapV0KK7JOg8h3rD_v5wrkZTxb2BNW1vWkAi86XC4by5w9dmU0vIlX1uVlEjRBRmp_YBSaZBv_ewk9b0Jo2G_fPBaQvjkhp9D7/s320/IMG_3766.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460593019037671298" /></a><br />No, not the book by Charles Dickens…. but expectations in life. So, as I’ve mentioned last time I came back to Thailand to do a month long teachers training with a teacher that I had met her when I was here in Koh Phangan in January. She really sold herself the day I talk to her about the training and also all the information she sent about the course, her background etc. Oh course I had expectations coming here but sometimes those expectations are not met…unfortunately this has been one of those times. After day two I knew the next twenty six days were going to be a real struggle. I won’t go into details but basically her teaching methods and ego are most challenging for me to handle. I know I’m not the only one and we have talked to her about it and in some ways things have gotten a bit more tolerable but only just! So, what I’ve had to do is to look at the positives of all this.(let me mention that there would be no way of getting a refund and the fact that I spent time and money getting back here to do this, I’ve decided I will stick it out)<br /><br />First off, I am back staying at an amazingly beautiful place and I can wake up and go for a swim in the ocean before class, eat wonderful Thai food everyday, meet new and interesting people not to mention do yoga everyday and learn something new…..even if I don’t always jive with it. What I have realized that even with the negatives, I’m learning a lot about myself and things I will and won’t do in teaching yoga. This has also made me look at how much I have already learned from some truly amazing teachers since I’ve been studying yoga. Even Lilly(the teacher here) has much to teach me, I just have to leave myself open to all possibilities. So that’s not to say that I’m not counting the days because I am and everyday there seems something to challenge me. Who said life wasn’t a challenge! <br /><br />I think that we should all have great expectations in life but need to just show up, pay attention and not get attached to the outcome………….and hope for the best <br /><br />Just a note to add to this blog; I wrote this almost two weeks ago now and haven't had a chance to post it. So, the count down continues but today is Friday and we have a day off tomorrow!! I'm going to get through it. It has been exceptionally hot and I feel as though I'm melting half the time but it's still beautiful and the early mornings are wonderful. <br />Here is a few more photos from Koh Samui. Thanks to all of you for being here for me whether I've heard from you or not...your in my heart and my thoughts. <br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/morekohsamui">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/morekohsamui</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-40843179954876463042010-03-26T01:35:00.000-07:002010-03-27T23:26:47.410-07:00I am a lucky girl!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KApMYfco8LFqIlVnwyRSo3uIKQ_E1G31s0DC8n1PQGXbjFOKbCmII7znfQR5xJGFB3qgVRc2kBDqXXre-5tidhKFLLhIQAqiMuYBejo47bX349U0cn7W63VfByk_99e-Pf9jB__pf5md/s1600/IMG_3737.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KApMYfco8LFqIlVnwyRSo3uIKQ_E1G31s0DC8n1PQGXbjFOKbCmII7znfQR5xJGFB3qgVRc2kBDqXXre-5tidhKFLLhIQAqiMuYBejo47bX349U0cn7W63VfByk_99e-Pf9jB__pf5md/s320/IMG_3737.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453566144361892450" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDIzIFGvgTthR5xGEiz6dps5YIp9gfRTQ3S_yeFueZWfceKkjAdkBgqjylYig51uUSwW_f97lFOf7vNVicfm7HQMUD87RQ5LS7OWvipI6PQDghT1t1p5Hpz6QyjtOU4UlmyW1Bt_Szbb1/s1600/IMG_3695.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDIzIFGvgTthR5xGEiz6dps5YIp9gfRTQ3S_yeFueZWfceKkjAdkBgqjylYig51uUSwW_f97lFOf7vNVicfm7HQMUD87RQ5LS7OWvipI6PQDghT1t1p5Hpz6QyjtOU4UlmyW1Bt_Szbb1/s320/IMG_3695.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453566133417290514" /></a><br />Everyday I wake up and give thanks for everything I have, all that I have experienced on my journey(good and challenging)and just enjoy each and every moment. So, I question why is it in the "real world" that we tend to take so much for granite and forget that each day is a gift and each day should be treasured as such? My goal is to bring all of that back home with me in my heart, body and soul and to remember these times always...the feelings and the gifts. <br /><br />So is it luck or my choice to be here? Oh course I made he choice to make this trip happen but I also know I have been extremely blessed in so many ways before and during my travels. I have met some amazing people on this trip and feel I've made some life long friendships as well. I've also fallen in love with some of the places I've been to and embraced the different cultures-especially in Asia...Bali in particular and am already trying to workout ways that I can get back sooner then later and to do some sort of business to pay for it. If anyone has any ideas let me know!<br /><br />Currently I am staying in Koh Samui which is Thailand's second largest island(not sure what the largest is??) I made my way down south and stopped off below Phuket and just south of Krabi in a beautiful area called Railay Bay. This area as well as the neighboring bay called Ton Sai Bay is famous for their cliffs and rock climbing. Then I headed to some very small islands called Pi Pi islands where the water was so blue and picture perfect. I did a day of snorkeling among some of the even smaller islands and inlets and the fish were plentiful although much of the coral has died due to our environment and global warming. We went to Maya bay where the movie "The Beach" was filmed. I had just rented the movie while in Bali so it was fun to see the area it was filmed while it was fresh in my mind. I only spent a couple days there before heading here to Koh Samui and although this is a larger island it is still very laid back and easy to find secluded places.<br /><br />Speaking of secluded places; I am staying at a place called "Big Trees Village" <a href="http://bigtreesvillagesamui.com/about-us.html">http://bigtreesvillagesamui.com/about-us.html</a><br />and I love it here! My friend, Anna, who I met in Koh Phangan in January told me about this place and I am so happy to be here and thankful to her. It is in the trees above the town and the beaches and so peaceful and quiet that if it weren't for the heat, I'd never leave. It is the hottest time in Thailand right now so going for an ocean swim is essential to stay cool. Thanks to the owner, Steven, I also have learned to drive a motorbike/scooter which has been on my list of things to do(you might remember my "Vespa" and Italy fantasy in an earlier blog)so now I'm doing it! At first I was very nervous but after a couple of days I've got the hang of it and of course am VERY careful especially in town. I really wanted a pink one but since those were taken I opted for a turquoise one with pink on it as well. I am a happy girl! (as well as a lucky girl!)<br /><br />I have another 3 1/2 days of the leisure life before heading to Koh Phangan-which is just a short ferry ride away-for my yoga training. I will be there for the month of April and have only three days off in that time period with training from 8:30am to 7:00pm. We do have an hour and a half lunch break and also a "beach" break in the afternoon. It will be intense but it'll be great too. <br /><a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/thailandbeaches">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/thailandbeaches</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-50372281098019791182010-03-15T01:52:00.000-07:002010-03-15T02:07:42.543-07:00Return to Thailand<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkeqjAI2-jy07hAE5I-nSNWe-95tkgLVHmj732W3tchWrhvw2e3DxInAecKFzYVU3eVbp1b67iIpLLLWQ_z62Q9rBHFhUyIBZFAcXYOWLHbQ30nR4i5xSXXhZgAdbz1cI6-6nK77ZFb2cy/s1600-h/IMG_3563.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkeqjAI2-jy07hAE5I-nSNWe-95tkgLVHmj732W3tchWrhvw2e3DxInAecKFzYVU3eVbp1b67iIpLLLWQ_z62Q9rBHFhUyIBZFAcXYOWLHbQ30nR4i5xSXXhZgAdbz1cI6-6nK77ZFb2cy/s320/IMG_3563.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448784661151039202" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmBUdcFYaF7S6vizlGMd3c-E8ZgcMHCJ9AT9uEyWkqRe6pJk9LfrVGC55fPVRzfuoU5ZUtyVNDwbHodkSrdXTcuOZikjxY2oT35IKRxa7aa_fS5VfMb4TTHMs5lBq9X69LeqEmq2pVPJh/s1600-h/IMG_3589.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmBUdcFYaF7S6vizlGMd3c-E8ZgcMHCJ9AT9uEyWkqRe6pJk9LfrVGC55fPVRzfuoU5ZUtyVNDwbHodkSrdXTcuOZikjxY2oT35IKRxa7aa_fS5VfMb4TTHMs5lBq9X69LeqEmq2pVPJh/s320/IMG_3589.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448784646931977458" /></a><br />So I’m back in Thailand and have spent the past few days in the busy city of Bangkok with it’s pollution, traffic and noise………so why did I leave Bali? I have not been to that many Asian countries but now that I have a few to compare, I have to say that I prefer Indonesia/Bali over Thailand. The feel is different altogether and I’m not quite sure if I can put my finger on the reasons why. Is it Hinduism virus Buddhism or just the overall culture? One of the things I loved about the Balinese is the emphasis on family and ceremony. It felt like such a gentle, happy culture and was so easy to immerse oneself into that world and never want to leave. Thailand on the other hand, has some lovely people and I believe being Buddhist they are inherently good people but there seems to be a leeriness about them….until you get to know them that is. Bangkok is not the place to judge Thailand on and I believe in the North and South there is a much gentler feel. <br /><br />Thailand has some wonderful aspects to enjoy including the islands and beaches which is why I’m heading back south later this evening. I have to add that I’m doing an overnight bus after saying I would never do that again but weighing the options it seems to be the best choice. I am heading to Khabi which is on the west coast on the Andaman sea to explore some of the small islands of Koh Pi Pi . I will head to Koh Samui before taking a short ferry back to Koh Phangan for the month of April to do a yoga training/retreat. It will be a very busy time and I will probably not have much of a chance to email or blog so if you don’t hear from me don’t worry……and I will be in touch once I return to Bangkok before leaving for New Zealand. <br /><br />I have another set of Photos from Bali that I’d love to share with you. Please go to <a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/baliagain">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/baliagain</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-64127620765109650032010-02-23T01:39:00.000-08:002010-02-23T02:13:31.647-08:00The Call to Cats<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicr4RHqE4oarHNd89v2Zk3S3eeYWVtFYij3aRnu5TYcn1IZRxZ03AH78TShfsjC2LTJhzKtqUfBkMvrVoJvsChKuVV7qs8gXAqos5rCtSihHn3c8sOtaWQqTVy570TUaNSo1DKWjRRwMVZ/s1600-h/IMG_3401.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicr4RHqE4oarHNd89v2Zk3S3eeYWVtFYij3aRnu5TYcn1IZRxZ03AH78TShfsjC2LTJhzKtqUfBkMvrVoJvsChKuVV7qs8gXAqos5rCtSihHn3c8sOtaWQqTVy570TUaNSo1DKWjRRwMVZ/s320/IMG_3401.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441378078637083714" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREIW3LFFN1FhCGyMbg2XO95_V8RA_onhYjbc5ovM9uufUndI7sx4kpJ_RaBm1jn7NrjWubDceef0_10B70W9HJQp0axPJlcJtkX1lY7WwNfJDOEZopV-jyG8_qM4UqoT2_68ZM0SefdGE/s1600-h/IMG_3383.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREIW3LFFN1FhCGyMbg2XO95_V8RA_onhYjbc5ovM9uufUndI7sx4kpJ_RaBm1jn7NrjWubDceef0_10B70W9HJQp0axPJlcJtkX1lY7WwNfJDOEZopV-jyG8_qM4UqoT2_68ZM0SefdGE/s320/IMG_3383.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441378064465952770" /></a><br />I’ve really settled into a nice groove in Ubud. With my runs and walks among the rice fields in the morning, yoga in the afternoon and often some sort of evening activity like a movie at the yoga barn, or just dinner out and home to bed early with a good book. Life is simple, relaxing and I feel like I’m rejuvenating my body and soul but I still want to explore some more areas in Indonesia. <br /><br />So what does one do when they want a change of pace from the beautiful but busy Ubud? Go to the beach of course! There are some small islands off of Lombok (another island off Bali) called the Gili islands that I had heard wonderful reports about. Lombok, unlike Bali, is mostly Muslim as are the Gilis. My friend Debra and I headed out on a shuttle from Bali to get the slow ferry from Padangbai. The ferry boat took 4 hours plus then we had to get a shuttle from Lombok up the coast about an hour and then wait……….and wait some more. Finally, we got a small boat over to the biggest of the Gili's called Gilli Trawangan. We had some ideas from the guide book about where to stay and once we landed we headed down the beach front to find a place. Being that it is the slow time we didn’t have a problem finding a place called “Blue Beach” which seemed nice enough but we quickly discovered reasons to change accommodations the next day. During the night the generator kept switching off and therefore our fan did as well so I slept in a puddle of sweat most of the night and the blood suckers were out full force as well. Our mosquito nets were more decorative then functional. The worst of it was that at 5 am there was the first “call to prayer” for the Muslims and the speaker seemed to be right into our window and we discovered we were next to the Mosque. Quite the wake up call! Needless to say, we found another place to stay the next night.<br /><br />The place we found was 100 times better and about 3 times more expensive but the price was still very affordable especially for what we got; air conditioned bedroom, a sunk in living room with TV and DVD player, refrigerator, and an outside Jacuzzi….never mind that the jets didn’t work, it was nice to have a cool soaking tub. Plus you can’t beat fresh water showers as most are salt water. We had two luxurious days/nights there and a relaxing time spent on the beach, snorkeling and enjoying fresh caught fish for dinner. I also enjoyed running around the island in the morning which I estimated about 5-5.5 miles around then jumping into the ocean for a swim among the fishes. There was a great spot on the island to enjoy the sunset which is a huge attraction and I took some great photos one night.<br /><br />What I loved about island life on the Gilis is that there are NO cars or motorbikes! The only transportation besides walking is horse and cart or bikes. It was so quiet and no pollution. There were also no dogs to our amazement because on Bali there are so many stray dogs. The other thing Debra and I both loved about the Gilis was that there were tons of cats. They were mostly very well taken care of, feasted on fish daily and were very sweet and friendly. We had many cat friends (especially during dinner time) and we joked about how we preferred to have a “call to cats” instead of the “call to prayer” and how we could throw a huge party for all the cats in our party pad! <br /><br />We decided not to endure another 12 hour day on the slow boat so we took the fast boat which put us back to Ubud in about 2 ½ hours with boat and shuttle. Had I not had my bungalow in Ubud for the month, I could have stayed on the Gili islands for another few days at least.<br /><br />So, reality back in Ubud hasn’t been bad either. More yoga on the beach with the Balinese locals in Sanur (which is about 1 hour from Ubud) and my friend Elana and I spent the day at a beautiful cove called “Blue Logoon” which next to Padangbai (were I took the ferry to Lomok and the Gilis). It was also gorgeous with some pretty good reefs and colorful fish to snorkel among. <br /><br />I was able to change my ticket and extend my visa to stay another 2 weeks in Bali then I’m back to Thailand to take a month long yoga teachers training on Koh Phangan. This wasn’t in the plan but that’s what traveling is all about! <br /><br />I have a couple sets of photos for you to check out and I hope you enjoy! I miss you all but am having the time of my life :)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/morebali">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/morebali</a><br /><a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/giliislands">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/giliislands</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-52363502369272419842010-02-11T20:54:00.000-08:002010-02-11T22:15:10.887-08:00When it Rains it Pours<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxccysAhtrmyaFiFHI0YgMiop24mTqXfqAgzYyvV_aSxWx6FBPKgM4ZrR0SKxeSKQXF2dnsvMtoss0WLY73JXFeyYC90MHDOP5XbHOLcJE_En88OOjc9GOGrEOP4JoVv8k_oNNoyl1GBF/s1600-h/IMG_3300.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxccysAhtrmyaFiFHI0YgMiop24mTqXfqAgzYyvV_aSxWx6FBPKgM4ZrR0SKxeSKQXF2dnsvMtoss0WLY73JXFeyYC90MHDOP5XbHOLcJE_En88OOjc9GOGrEOP4JoVv8k_oNNoyl1GBF/s320/IMG_3300.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437235929418031602" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6c4Zqr_Gy8S_61gtS05q0YUEb0FWmcCElkPccSFP9ZoGLAH79m7saziUgvOHuuG4zUshOU8qAfEVU3JF68usIfuliZm3rCZ9nIPl4I2JPLHW1RpH4LQiXiALqmDr0krI6SxNr016YKmK/s1600-h/IMG_3262.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6c4Zqr_Gy8S_61gtS05q0YUEb0FWmcCElkPccSFP9ZoGLAH79m7saziUgvOHuuG4zUshOU8qAfEVU3JF68usIfuliZm3rCZ9nIPl4I2JPLHW1RpH4LQiXiALqmDr0krI6SxNr016YKmK/s320/IMG_3262.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437235922101151138" /></a><br />I didn’t know it was the rainy season when I came here and it certainly does rain. Not all day mind you and mostly in the afternoon and the rain can sometimes last between 30 minutes and 3 hours. My umbrella broke when I was in Scotland and I thought I wouldn’t really need one in Asia…I was wrong! I do have a big poncho but when ever I do bring it, it never rains. It is also very, very humid much of the time except the evenings cool off nicely and sleeping is very comfortable especially with the sounds of the night. <br /><br />Speaking of rain…I was invited to join a couple women friends to go on a two day excursion to see some other areas of Bali. We headed up to the mountains and first stopped at some wonderful hot springs with private pools plus a large pool and a waterfall. It really started out as a great day and then the rain decided to come….in buckets. The roads were flooded to knee deep at in some areas and motorbikes were pushing their bikes through and some cars were getting stuck. We arrived to Lake Bratan and had planned to have some lunch then visit a beautiful temple on the water. On the water and amidst the water! It was beautiful though and we did have umbrellas that day but inevitably we got wet and when we arrived at our guesthouse near Lake Tamblingan for the night, we were all scrambling for any warm clothes we had. It was really cold! Who would have thought that I would be cold in Bali! I had to borrow clothes and slept with three blankets (I think heaters are non-existent).<br /><br /> The sun was out the next day and we headed out on a guided five hour trek in the jungle. The huge trees were amazing to see and the wild ginger and other flowers I had never seen like a passion fruit flower.The one thing I certainly could have done without were the leeches. You might recall my strong dislike for roaches…well, next to roaches I truly hate leeches. There is NOTHING nice about leeches and they were everywhere. I think I was a bit distracted on the hike because I was constantly doing a leech check on my body and having my friend, Elaine, check for them on my shoes and pull them off. I won’t touch them if I don’t have to. I’m very happy to say that none of the blood suckers managed to get any of my blood (I guess the mosquitoes are doing that for me) thank God.<br /><br />The other excursion I did was an eco cycling tour. It started out with a wonderful breakfast overlooking Gunung Agung which is Bali’s highest mountain and an active volcano. We then were taken to a Balinese plantation where we sampled the local fruit, coffee and tea and learned about local plants and healing properties. We started our ride and on the way visited a Balinese home/compound and were able to see how they live their daily lives. We also got to walk among the rice paddies and even got to join in the knee deep mud and help out. We rode on and stopped where they were harvesting the rice and again got to help out in the process. We rode on and had the option to ride uphill to the finish of the ride that ended in a delectable Balinese feast! Always worth the hard effort with food at the end! It was a great day.<br /><br />One of the most amazing things here in Bali is the cultural aspect of men and women’s roles. The women carry everything on their heads from baskets of food to construction materials like bricks and 2 x 4’s. The men do the labor as well but the women do the hardest work of carrying. Women are definitely the stronger sex here. The men in general are the artists and the skilled in woodcarving, painting, etc. which have been passed down from generation to generation. The other cultural thing I learned was about the children. A baby is never put onto the ground for the first 3 months of their lives so are carried around by family members, friends constantly and hardly ever cry. How is that for establishing security at a young age? Three month is also when the baby is named by the high priest. <br /><br />They are ceremonies for just about everything (even a day for metal). The other day was dedicated to giving thanks for money and I was invited to join in at one of the local temples and dressed in their typical ceremonial attire of sarong, kabala, and sash. It is quite a social event and the locals as well as the offerings around the temples were colorful and festive. One of the most important and expensive ceremonies is the cremation ceremony with a person dies. It is even more important and elaborate then a wedding in Bali. <br /><br />I continue to enjoy my time here in Bali and have met some wonderful people including the locals as well as over travelers. I am doing yoga at least 3 times a week and have found some great runs among the rice paddies so I am happy to be back running again. I did an artistic creative day with a friend, Debra, who invited me to join her to experience Rudolf Steiner’s color theory and create our very own drawing done with pastels. It was inspiring and so much fun. <br /><br />I hope everyone is doing well. Enjoy my photos and I will be in touch soon. <br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/Bali">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/Bali</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-80466683077604470422010-02-01T04:02:00.000-08:002010-02-01T04:03:30.389-08:00Bali, Bugs, and Bungalows.I think I’ve died and gone to heaven! Bali is so beautiful, magical in so many ways….except the bugs! I’m being attacked by no-see-ums(I think) and the bastards are vicious. I’ve been using the repellent that seemed to deter the blood sucking mosquitoes in Thailand but it’s not working here. You can’t even see these nasty buggers and they itch like crazy. While we are on the subject of bugs….my worst fear came true in Bangkok. I literally had a cockroach the size of a poodle.…okay, but it was the size of my thumb…run over my bare foot while at the ATM one night. I was horrified and let out a very girlie scream.<br /><br />Okay, back to pleasant things. Bali is hot and humid as it is still very much the rainy season but it’s lovely and green and full of sensory delights. The first night I lay in bed listening to the sounds of the night and it lulled me to sleep (even without screens and I was a bit creeped out about bugs crawling on me) and I slept like a baby. I have this great bungalow; two stories and a bathroom that is partially open to the outside with orchids in pots on the wall. There are two balconies that overlook the views and comfy chaise lounges and chairs to relax on. I love it! <br /><br />Bali shops have amazing art to overload your visual senses as well as tempt your spending habits. There are beautiful paintings, silks, batiks, jewelry, wood and stone sculptures that include huge Buddhas, Ganeshes (that will definitely NOT fit in my suitcase). There are yoga and meditation classes, great health food stores and many restaurants-both Balinese and western. I’ve only started to explore the streets of Ubud and the surrounding areas. <br /><br />Today I went to a dance which told of a mythical story which was interesting and then went to a beautiful temple. There are over a thousands temples in Bali and each village has an average of three temples. Bali is 70% Hindu, 15% Muslim, about 10% Christian and 5% Buddhist.. Everyday the Balinese people give offerings to the Gods and place some food(a bit of rice and crackers)and flowers onto woven banana leaves out in front of there homes and shops. They are very spiritual people and take there beliefs very seriously.<br /><br />The most expensive thing in Bali is transportation. I am staying in a small village called Penestanan and it is about a 20-40 minute walk into Ubud, depending on where you are going. The yoga studio I go to is about a 35-40 minute walk and it makes for a great warm up before class(as if you really need a “warm-up” here). <br /><br />Life in Bali is as relaxed or as active as you want to make it. There are great walks to do among the rice fields and a path overlooking the valley which goes for miles. There are tours offered that do cycling tours and white water rafting excursions. You can go to yoga or just choose to visit one of the many spas in town which offer Balinese massage, body scrubs, flower scented baths and much more. You can also just relax in your bungalow overlooking the views and read a good book while the sound of the afternoon rain relaxes you even more. So I think you can see why I’ve died and gone to heaven!Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-59267298924685905522010-01-20T22:04:00.000-08:002010-01-20T22:11:40.421-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0iXNeyt1XOfGEtPDuH42iIpCQaO43xgopv7gcHCc1Ke24jQhn_Y808mKIfIM4gwqy37z22ViCyMLNY0qvzCCmh154tIqfGNHVGLDrYPrRqdm8kkLNBqqAtbmqwuGnXa_nL9g2r_4yEW9P/s1600-h/IMG_2902.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0iXNeyt1XOfGEtPDuH42iIpCQaO43xgopv7gcHCc1Ke24jQhn_Y808mKIfIM4gwqy37z22ViCyMLNY0qvzCCmh154tIqfGNHVGLDrYPrRqdm8kkLNBqqAtbmqwuGnXa_nL9g2r_4yEW9P/s320/IMG_2902.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429071131002192818" /></a><br /> Paradise Island-Part 2-The perfect massage<br /><br />So as I was saying before, I broke away from my little bit of paradise at Wai Nam beach to go to the northeast of the Koh Pha Ngan island to Mae Haad which also has a small island called Koh Maa that is connected by a strip of sandbar. When the tide is low you can walk over and have a look and even get a drink at the local Reggae bar(something I’ve yet to do so perhaps in the next couple of days before I leave) It’s a smallish bay that is known for good diving and snorkeling. Since I arrived the weather has been very windy and the sea rough so not good for visibility. Hopefully before I leave I’ll get to enjoy some great underwater scenery. <br /><br />It seems that while my stay on the east side was with an ocean view and focused on doing a lot of yoga and hiking the jungle, my accommodation here has been in a jungle/garden atmosphere and doing walk/runs in the early morning and at sunset time getting a massage on the beach. I know, it sounds decedent and my goal has been to find the perfect massage. A Thai massage is a lot of stretching and deep pressure on points of the body which is often quite intense. An oil massage is what westerners are most familiar with. I have discovered a Thai oil massage and this in my opinion is the “perfect massage”. A combination of the wonderful Thai massage stretches with a deep tissue massage done with coconut oil to moisturize the body. I’ve had three so far and the best was last night while watching the sunset over the ocean. <br /><br />In my photos you will see a picture of a Great Horned Beak bird and we saw it on our hike to the remote beach (Ploy beach) on the other side of the island. It did seem quite tame and was taking a banana out of a woman’s hand. So the story continues here in Mae Haad. The first morning I was here I went for a run and was dive bombed by a bird and it nearly landed on my head! My heart was racing and I stopped to look at it and sure enough, it was the same type of bird that I had seen on the east side. Come to find out later at the local breakfast spot “Four Tables” that this there used to be two birds here and apparently a number of weeks go, one went missing. The one remaining is a menace and tries landing on people, taking their food and beach accessories and is just plain obnoxious! I showed some of locals my photo of the other bird and they think it’s the same one and is the male. I think the female here is bored without her mate so therefore causes havoc with the tourist. <br /><br />Island life……it’s hard to beat and even harder to break away from and if it weren’t for the fact that I’m leaving next week for Bali I’d be really sad to leave. I really have enjoyed my time on the islands and feel the most relaxed since I left the states.<br />Follow this link to see all my photos from Koh PhaNgan <a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/KohPhaNgan">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/KohPhaNgan</a><br /><a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/KohPhaNgan"></a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-53705652146582882632010-01-20T21:56:00.001-08:002010-01-20T22:04:18.151-08:00Paradise Island-part 1....finding the perfect spot<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYiOxc-31XuA30sShLrwCGHO0kiLkUhfpqVdVUWPuY-QV5Mhz67bck23NS9pcBJG5VRqhVusdw7NpElwRHQps5mvUxa-eXMTme09oSBWWw_UvfsZb2P2n81t9k8MrzxhgqaO65t59RoByr/s1600-h/IMG_2964.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYiOxc-31XuA30sShLrwCGHO0kiLkUhfpqVdVUWPuY-QV5Mhz67bck23NS9pcBJG5VRqhVusdw7NpElwRHQps5mvUxa-eXMTme09oSBWWw_UvfsZb2P2n81t9k8MrzxhgqaO65t59RoByr/s320/IMG_2964.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429068708128536642" /></a><br /><br />Sorry about the delay in blogs. I think the island life is getting to me…meaning I’m extremely relaxed not to mention the limited internet connection here on the island. So, I’m going to write this in two parts because there’s more then one story in the past two weeks. <br /><br />I came to Koh Pha Ngan on the 7th of January after doing yet another one of these “too good to be true” package bus/ferry deals. The reason being is that I had already scheduled it before Lana and I left Bangkok for Cambodia and even though I vowed to never do that again….there I was waiting in traffic in Bangkok, arriving at a totally different ferry then I thought I would and at 3:30am. This meant waiting until 7:00am to get the ferry over to Koh Pha Ngan which was 4 ½ hours on very choppy waters. Luckily I don’t get seasick but it was a long, long night and day! <br /><br />I finally arrived and planned to make my way to the east side of the island in a area called Haad Thian and where a spa/resort called The Sanctuary is and where I was hoping to stay but they were booked up because of this huge gay wedding of a couple from Las Vegas and Tokyo-not sure where they live now-but it was one festive event….more on that later. So I ended up staying at a place called “Lovelip” very close to The Sanctuary so I could also take advantage of the yoga and meditation classes at the Sanctuary. I didn’t really connect with the bungalow at Lovelip so I started exploring some other options. I wandered over to the next beach called Wai Nam and there it was! Paradise found and I was determined to stay there and apparently so was everyone else so it took patience and three more nights at a bed bug infested bungalow (I realized this after nearly scratching myself raw and thinking that the mosquitoes were brutal here!) before I could get a room. In spite of the above mentioned it was worth it. I had an amazing bungalow with a view of the ocean, cliffs and coconuts trees and slept soundly to the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. I left the bed bugs behind but did have an infestation of ants but hey….this is the islands. No hot water showers or flushing toilets but it more then paid off to stay 6 more nights in paradise. Wai Nam beach also had a platform overlooking the ocean to use for yoga and meditaton. I took advantage of this as well as doing a few classes through the Sanctuary. <br /><br />Back to the wedding! The event took place the day after I arrived and right on the Haad Thian beach. The bridegrooms were dressed up in colorful kimonos and the guests were clad in wild makeup and outfits. Come to find out one of the grooms is an entertainer in Vegas and many of the guests were talented as well so they put on quite a show after the ceremony plus a fireworks display that was pretty spectacular. It was a fun night and I met some really nice people including Davie from South Africa who became my hiking and hanging out buddy for some of the time I was there. I made friends with a couple from Germany and Victor actually helped me to carry by bag over rocks and cliffs when I first arrived by boat (since it was rough they said they couldn’t take up right into Haad Thian), a sweetheart of a man, Michael, from the Uk but living in Thailand and Amsterdam, and Anna from the UK who I grew to really enjoy our walks and talks together. <br /><br />Davie and I hiked over to an even more remote beach which was about a 45 minute hike and was beautiful. Another day we hiked into Haad Rin(where I took the boat from) which was close to 2 hours up and down through the jungle and as I was swinging on vines to help myself down the steep embankments, I re-named myself “Jungle Jane”. It was incredible with great views and on the way back we got caught in the rain and were totally drenched but it was worth it!<br /><br />There is a bit of a party scene there on the island but it’s one that you can partake in or not. The dance parties on Tuesday and Fridays nights barely get started before midnight and go until noon the next day. Needless to say, I did not go and luckily was far enough away that I wasn’t kept awake by the music. After all, Koh Pha Ngan is famous for their “Full Moon Parties” that attract thousands of people. <br /><br />So sadly I tore myself away from this lovely paradise after ten days only to experience a different side of the island……….”same, same but different” as the Thai’s like to say. I will tell you all about that in part 2 of “Paradise Island”Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-45929002355759380932010-01-08T03:34:00.000-08:002010-01-09T03:40:42.619-08:00If it seems too good to be true....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAdmu_pZNSgCYy_Guun-QyblMdwFMjKCbWA5O36Xjt8N8Nm2h5vzIvOjrJw-hEnLdf78nd6BUG2iuAdQDymQXVi7lM0TKicDnESV_Xpx4u7uoWPhInvDPHB4rE452Nyd40B3R_dv9rRWb/s1600-h/IMG_2876.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAdmu_pZNSgCYy_Guun-QyblMdwFMjKCbWA5O36Xjt8N8Nm2h5vzIvOjrJw-hEnLdf78nd6BUG2iuAdQDymQXVi7lM0TKicDnESV_Xpx4u7uoWPhInvDPHB4rE452Nyd40B3R_dv9rRWb/s320/IMG_2876.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424703475095074274" /></a><br />It probably is! We asked our travel guru Bill what he thought was the best way to get to Koh Chang which is an island not too far from the border of Cambodia and he said we could take a taxi to the border for $30 and then in Thailand get either a local bus or a mini van (which he said they make you wait till it fills up. We figured we get to the border and look at the options. We happened across a travel agent in Siem Reap and decided to check out what else they had available. Lana was ready to jump over the desk and kiss the Thai girl who informed us that a bus/ferry combination from Siem Reap to Koh Chang would cost us $12 each! We decided that it sounded like a great deal so why not?<br /><br /> A minivan picked us up at 7:30am from our guesthouse and took us about 10 blocks to a travel agent and told us we had to get out and wait. For what? Another bus oh course. An hour or so later a bus came and crammed us all in along with our luggage like sardines for the 2 ½ hour ride to the border. The border wait was chaotic and we waited in what seemed to be the never ending line that took about 1 ½ hours. We then waited…again, for a minivan to take us about another 10 blocks or so to another wait station. By this time our patience was wearing thin but what are you gonna do? We waited until 3:30 and Lana and I were stuffed into the front seat thinking we had the best seat in the minivan but I was literally on the hot seat-not sure what made it so hot but I was getting pretty cranky during the 4 ½ hour ride. I’ve also wanted heated seats but NOT in Thailand!<br /><br />We arrived to Trat and were rushed out of the van and literally had 10 minutes to get our gear and onto the last ferry. After what should have taken 7-8 hours total, 13 hours later we finally make it to our destination. Thus the title of this blog!<br /><br />Finally once in Koh Chang we had some time to relax. The first day just getting to breakfast and the pool felt like quite the feat for the day. The next day we rented a double kayak for about 2 hours and had a great day! We enjoyed a wonderful sunset, great food and some classic people watching. Time to relax for the remainder of my time in Thailand! <br />Only a few from Koh Chang <a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/KohChang">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/KohChang</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-13588848956483093342010-01-05T20:05:00.000-08:002010-01-05T23:53:15.156-08:00Honk if you've been to Cambodia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ssgQCAIrduDw7OhBrlRFCaMqSpGC7XdJQ_0BvcIaHTa2-EnTvmfrgdbDTklvFrDm7dGGSq2t44wVMoVFjuwgWXdBGy-o-42nA0KCJEdug9Y3wxzTAjoIjZoG5I_NAS8aCkURtXv4yv0f/s1600-h/IMG_2696.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ssgQCAIrduDw7OhBrlRFCaMqSpGC7XdJQ_0BvcIaHTa2-EnTvmfrgdbDTklvFrDm7dGGSq2t44wVMoVFjuwgWXdBGy-o-42nA0KCJEdug9Y3wxzTAjoIjZoG5I_NAS8aCkURtXv4yv0f/s320/IMG_2696.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423530732731483986" /></a><br />After reading online about the border-crossing scams, we decided we were brave enough to give it a shot. We got up at 4:00 a.m. to take a taxi to the Moh Chit bus station. The Bangkok street markets were already open and active. Our bus was packed with locals, we were the only “falongs” heading for Aranyaphratet. We arrived at the border around <br />9:30 a.m., prepared for the fake Visa salesmen and con-artists. It wasn’t as terrifying as we had been told. We only had to walk one block to the 1st window for the Passport check. At the second window we paid the $20 for our Visas into Cambodia, plus an extra 100 Baht for no copy of the photo. (No one mentioned that!) The 3rd window stamped our passports, and finally we went out to meet our ride to Siem Reap. He was supposed to be waiting for us with a sign reading “Toni Bodeau”, but we waited and wandered around for two hours, dripping in sweat in the dirty, hot and humid border area. Finally, he approached us and said he had been looking for two men. We fooled him! He took us to the Poi Pet bus station, where we met our taxi driver, Mr. Heng (or “Hung” as I referred to him!) We spread out in the air-conditioned taxi, surprised that they drive on the right side of the road in Cambodia. Mr Heng never stopped honking the whole way to Siem Reap, about a 2-hr drive. In fact, everyone seems to hook in Cambodia for this reason or that. <br /><br />At the Two Dragons hotel, we met my dad and his friend Bill. We cleaned up, had a fresh strawberry smoothie, and then took a Tuk-Tuk to Pub Street for dinner. Bill wanted to go to Happy Pizza, where they serve “ganja” with anything. During dinner we were constantly interrupted by kids selling books and bamboo bracelets. They spoke English and were persistent yet delightful and funny. “America has 300 million people, minus 4 – because you 4 are here!” joked one boy. We walked about the town for awhile, and then headed back to the hotel because we were getting up at 5:00 to go to Angkor Wat temples to see the sunrise. <br /><br />Our guide and Tuk-Tuk driver were waiting for us when we came downstairs the next morning. It was pitch black and I was wondering who the hell gets up this early…apparently many people do since it was packed already. We waited for the sunrise(a bit of a disappointment but still nice)while we struggled to understand our guide and Lana and I had to interpret for each other very often. He was a wealth of knowledge for the things we could understand but after about 10 hours later and too many “Lana’s and Toni’s….as he used the plural for our names…we had about all we could handle for the day. Plus it was hot, hot and humid to boot! Back to the guesthouse and another strawberries shake, shower and back out to explore Siem Reap. It’s a great town, filled with many restaurants and shops. The only thing unlike Thailand is that they really pester you to buy, buy. Lana become “Madame America” with many of the young kids trying to sell us on whatever the special “Happy New Year” priced item was. <br /><br />The next day we got up (a more reasonable 7:30am start) and used the same driver but decided to decipher for ourselves with a guide book the different temples we visited. One that Lana and I really liked was out about 40 km away and we had to hike in about 1 mile or so up to a waterfall and along the river where there were many carving in the water and rocks along the river. It was really amazing to see. Being that it was New Year’s eve we headed into town again and Lana and I got a foot scrub/massage under the full moon. This is the life! We had a couple of drinks in an outdoor café and chatting with the sweetest boy who looked about 14 but said he was 18. After some excitement of the police chasing some boys on a motorcycle with guns we decided to head back to Two Dragons and bring in the New Year with the local Cambodians from the guesthouse. We danced and listened to music and counted down the New Year…..a very different way to bring in the New Year.<br /><br />New Years day the four of us headed out to Tonle Sap Lake and rented a boat to see the floating villages of Kompong Khleang. This was incredible to see how the 6000 villagers lived in a village of about 1260 houses. You’ll see by the photos how they lived in houses on very tall stilts to accommodate the heavy rains and rising water levels. They row everywhere; to floating veggie and fruits markets, fish markets and just about anything else they may need. We got out and walked along the village and met some of the locals. The children are not shy at all and followed us and loved to pose for photos. This was truly the “real” Cambodia. Between the floating village and Angkor Wat we were so glad we took the challenge to cross the border and visit this amazing country. We figured going back over the border to Thailand would be a breeze….or so we thought!<br /><br />I downloaded all the photos I took so I know it’s a lot but I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them. <a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/Cambodia">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/Cambodia</a><br /><br />Happy New Year!!Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-1184200033943348762009-12-30T04:29:00.000-08:002010-01-01T05:30:40.218-08:00Merry Christmas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgSWtHFtC4Gmb3WCtXwkoLHSVz33hi1Uz6uk3vlN00biGAkU1VOnnFfG67sgG0LAinbV4mCEXoigrw7esxEgwwOz1pC28YzESPYkAMdcpjPQqBDhkN6iUGLXe3MZKns2R-w6v4X936OXt/s1600-h/IMG_2343.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgSWtHFtC4Gmb3WCtXwkoLHSVz33hi1Uz6uk3vlN00biGAkU1VOnnFfG67sgG0LAinbV4mCEXoigrw7esxEgwwOz1pC28YzESPYkAMdcpjPQqBDhkN6iUGLXe3MZKns2R-w6v4X936OXt/s320/IMG_2343.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421750062759171778" /></a><br /><br /><br />I feel as though my life has been in fast motion since I wrote last and truly it has been filled with some amazing adventures and funny stories which I will share with you. I really will be writing two blogs in one to get caught up and post some great pictures from the past 1 ½ weeks. <br /><br />My friend Lana arrived the day after I finished my Thai massage class. The day she arrived we jetted around Chiang Mai getting organized to leave on a trek the following day. My dad had gone on this trek and highly recommended it so we signed up. It was such an amazing experience! I don’t even know where to start. The trek was south of Chiang Mai about 4 hours by car in an area called Sopmoei-Mai Sarlang area. There was nothing touristy about this trek. What it was about was experiencing a hill tribe village and what their every day lives consisted of. The three days consisted of hiking with packs/sleeping bags on through tropical forest, jungles, through the water along waterfalls and through a cave with bamboo lit to guide the way. The first night we stayed with the Poe village people in the headman’s home with his family. We had amazing food cooked for us and tasted some rice whiskey which wasn’t too bad…missing some good red wine here in Thailand <br /><br />We slept on bamboo mats outside the “deck” under mosquito nets and woke up to roosters at the crack of dawn-not that we got much sleep on the hard surface anyway! We set off to hike more on that day going through another village and a school where the children were playing a game called “sempattakrol” which was like soccer played over a lowered volleyball net. It was a lot of fun to watch and a couple of our trekking group joined in with the kids. Speaking of our group and crew; we had a great group of people; Thomas and Sarah from France, Juan, Imma, Jochen from Majorca, Spain and of course the Americans, Lana and myself. Our tour guide was Ropooh who was an amazing guide. The Poe people are his people so he not only speaks the language but knows all about the culture and also living in that environment. He was very knowledgeable about uses for various plants and fruits to help with things like a sore throat and bleeding. There was even a leave that you could blow bubbles with. We also saw some pretty scary spiders, tree mice but luckily no cobras. We also had Elvis(not his real name but he had it on his shirt so thus he become Elvis for the trek) as our driver and a few of the locals Poe villagers who carried most of our food, carved the bamboo, and cooked our meals. Not only that but they fished with nets, caught frogs, and they even caught a rat in the middle of the night that we guessed they ate at some point. Nothing is wasted. <br /><br />On the second day we hiked back down to the river(we had had a steep hike up the previous day) and crossed the river a couple of times and hiked along the river until we arrived at our 4 star river front accommodation. It was like Gilligan’s island meets Robinson Crusoe. We unpacked, took a swim in the river and sunbathed on rocks(well I did at least) and hung out while our guide and locals made our eating utensils and cooking gear all out of bamboo. We ate this amazing Thai vegetarian meal consisting of three different dishes and cooked rice all done on the fire in bamboo. We were all so quiet while we devoured this delicious meal. For entertainment, Thomas who is a professional dancer, tried teaching us salsa on the bamboo floor….not too easy to maneuver but we had fun and laughed a lot. <br /><br />Once again we slept on the bamboo floors and had to hike to the toilet(squatters) in the middle of the night. The next morning we had eggs cooked in bamboo, fresh fruit and toast. We packed up and started our hike for the day which consisted of many river crossings, along waterfalls and the finale a 20 minute hike up river through a cave. It was incredible. After some more hiking uphill we had a great Thai lunch all wrapped in bamboo leaves. After lunch we had a short hike and unfortunately our trip was coming to a close. We headed back to Chiang Mai and joined up with our group for one last meal together. <br /><br />The next day, Lana and I had planned to do a cooking course at an organic farm about 30 minutes outside of Chiang Mai. Thomas and Sarah, from our trek, joined us and we had a great day of cooking and eating Thai food with a fun group of people. <br /><br />On to Christmas! We had organized a guide and car to head up north to Chiang Rai, The Golden Triangle and over to a mountain town called Mae Salong. Our driver showed up with the gal from the office who booked our tour(who was actually his wife and we were informed she was coming along as well) Lana and I went along with the flow even through the car seemed a bit rough and as the day went on our driver manipulated most of the day so instead of going on a 4 hour boat trip along the Meekong river we only went for about 1 hour but did head up to Mae Salong for the night which ended up being a wonderful place. It is a Chinese hill village where they grow oolong tea and have wonderful views and lovely cool nights. That evening Yo (the driver) took us up the very steep hill to the temple to see the night view. Once back in town we stopped to get something at 7-11(yes, they are all over Thailand…no kidding) and the car wouldn’t start. We figured he’d get it fixed and we’d be off in the morning….or so we thought!<br /><br />Christmas morning we got up early to climb the 718 stairs to the temple for a wonderful view. On the way we ran into Yo and he informed us that the car needed a part so he was on his way to Chiang Rai and would be back and ready to leave in about 3 hours. We figured Mae Salong wasn’t a bad place to be stuck so we hiked the temple, walked around the morning markets and the town enjoying the day. Yo finally got back and informed us he had to go back to get another part. By this time we were ready to leave and see the sights we had planned on so Yo had to hire another car/driver to take us to Mae Sai(border to Myanmar) the Golden Triangle where we took a speed boat over to Laos for a short shopping excursion. By this time, still no word from Yo who was supposed to meet up with us and we would continue to Chiang Rai and back to Chiang Mai. We started getting nervous and wondering if we’d ever get back that night. He did indeed fix the car and we met up with him to switch cars and head back. The clincher was that Yo ended up borrowing 2000 baht from us to pay the other driver.(We really did wonder if he'd really pay us back but he did)It was the longest drive! We had to stop often and he had to mess with the engine but FINALLY we got back to CM. Not really the Christmas we had planned but an interesting one to say the least. <br /><br />The next night was the 26th and we got an overnight bus to Bangkok. I’ll stop here because my brain and hand need a break and post some photos from these adventures and will work on the next blog very soon. <br /><br />I hope you all had a great Christmas! <br />View photos at:<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/chiangmaitrek">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/ChiangMaitrek</a> <br /><a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/chiangraitour">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/ChiangRaitour</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-1383969133134540612009-12-17T15:46:00.000-08:002009-12-17T17:02:30.234-08:00Can Elephants really paint?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ImaX_tTrfZEU7j-Kbj9ivI_5-zi4uD128naAfyJuWXFgaBbc0ERTWJXrl5iUEnJB8uqaPZ4OiY2hqEMmwyP_2tEYBlP8-Y5Dn7jjqwZ0DDO_cAE7M7GkWOSTilWuVITXajx8CXZ575gz/s1600-h/IMG_2286.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ImaX_tTrfZEU7j-Kbj9ivI_5-zi4uD128naAfyJuWXFgaBbc0ERTWJXrl5iUEnJB8uqaPZ4OiY2hqEMmwyP_2tEYBlP8-Y5Dn7jjqwZ0DDO_cAE7M7GkWOSTilWuVITXajx8CXZ575gz/s320/IMG_2286.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416375007635464802" /></a><br />I'm up early and doing last minute note reading preparing for the exam from my second week of my Thai massage course. It has been great! I've learned a lot..too much really...and the hope is that I don't forget all of it before I return home. I just need to practice, practice, practice.......I'm sure I won't have too much of a problem finding volunteers. The past two week have been very physical as well as intellectually simulating. We do yoga, tai chi or qi gong every morning for an hour then learn new postures in the Thai massage sequence. I'm pretty beat by the end of the day. <br /><br />That said, I really haven't seen much aside from the center city of Chiang Mai and the neighborhoods surrounding were I'm living. I did go to a couple of places last weekend with my dad and his friend Bill. On Saturday we went to the town of Bantawa where they do the detailed wood carving and it's a cute little town with many, many shops to tempt you. On Sunday we went to one of the elephant parks which was fun but very touristy. They train(and you wonder how they do this..which I don't like) the elephants to do all sorts of things like play soccer, twirl hoops and even paint...no kidding, that was amazing! You can see on the photos. You can feed the elephants bananas and bamboo and sit on their knee and they will take a hat and put it on your head. We also went to a snake show (which wasn't my idea but I'm the one in the photo with a cobra around my neck!)and unbelievable that these Thai guys handle pythons, cobra and other dangerous snakes.<br /><br />What I've really enjoyed is just walking and taking in the culture and the people. They are so friendly and helpful. My friend, Lana, arrives today from San Diego and we have some great things planned for the next few weeks. I will be in touch. <br /><br />I just want to wish all of you a wonderful Christmas and know I will miss you but honestly am not missing all the hype of the season...just missing friends and family. I hope 2010 is a wonderful year for everyone. <br /><a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/Thailand">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/Thailand</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-69585216512423132612009-12-07T04:49:00.000-08:002009-12-07T06:18:31.338-08:00Another World<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2qsI_p2K-8fl3wHgH6diEAtQdgaHp7mq7R6fuk80MUGHSOHpiEkGRYCgkucrv7ZnaTL1h0V42oZx5N89dFqkRCW3gQp4PBkJ__eUXiUFqqRpELjQljpY7QgVdePUG6EaenT7kgxIDMmc/s1600-h/IMG_2229.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2qsI_p2K-8fl3wHgH6diEAtQdgaHp7mq7R6fuk80MUGHSOHpiEkGRYCgkucrv7ZnaTL1h0V42oZx5N89dFqkRCW3gQp4PBkJ__eUXiUFqqRpELjQljpY7QgVdePUG6EaenT7kgxIDMmc/s320/IMG_2229.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412493857606286130" /></a><br />Sawasdee Kaa from Thailand...hello that is! After a long flight from Glasgow to London and then into Bangkok I went to get my bag and it never came! Here I am in Asia thinking OMG, I'll never get my bag but I overcame that thought and trusted it would but it's horrible being without your toiletries(luckily I thought to pack an extra set of clothes into my carry on)especially your mosquito repellent when they love me! My bag did arrive 24 hours later but by then I was so bit up, I don't know if I'll ever be the same. Why I didn't think to go buy some I'm not sure but that'll teach me :)<br /><br />So, what does one do the first day in Bangkok? I always like to just orientate myself into a new place and I decided to just walk and see what there was nearby. I wandered along the streets taking in everything that was so foreign to me but even in spite of the craziness of Bangkok city, I felt good thrown into this new culture. The people are so gracious and friendly, they never hesitate to smile at you and at least try to understand what your trying to say. I stopped and got a leg and bikini wax for about the equivalent of $11. Mind you, I didn't know what I was getting myself into and their standards for cleanliness are no where near like the ones we have in the states(which is an understatement) so if I thought too much about it, it was a bit frightening but all was just fine. Later that day I received my first real Thai massage and it was great!(about $10) I figured I should get at least one traditonal Thai massage before starting my Thai massage course in Chiang Mai. <br /><br />I ended up meeting the Canadian twins(two women traveling together who look like sisters) and had a great time with them. We struck up a conversation on the street and we can some great conversations about travel-they had some great stories-and life and I ended up spending most of the evening with them until I was absolutely cross eyed from jet lag. <br /><br />The next day I had arranged for a overnight VIP bus to take me to Chiang Mai. This was also the day of the Kings birthday in Thailand and a HUGE party was going on. Getting to the bus station on a Tuk Tuk(A Three wheeled vehicle that are open and can maneuver in and out of traffic and is quite the knuckle gripping ride!) The bus ride was 10 hours and it was quite nice actually as they served you snacks and played a movie dubbed in Thai that was SO loud that I ended up watching a movie on my computer to try to drown out the sound. The Thai LOVE thing loud! <br /><br />I arrived at 5:00am and made my way to my home for the next 2 weeks. I'm staying at a guest house walking distance to the massage school I'm going to and I started that today. It feels like a lot to take in but I think I'm going to enjoy the program and learning a new skill. I've met some nice people from all over the world and I truly love hearing their stories. One American girl from California(massage therapist)had planned a 6 month trip to Costa Rica and 5 years later she's still on the road! She lives part time in Greece and is the only Massage Therapist in town and also has family in Spain so is applying for dual citizenship.<br /><br />I will be here for two weeks and then my friend, Lana from San Diego, comes for Christmas and New Years. I excited to have her join me and get out of the cities and see the country side and beaches down South. We will also stop back into Bangkok and see some of the famous temples and other attractions that Bangkok has to offer. <br /><br />I finally have my London photos to share with you. As you'll see I had one amazing day in London and the photos from the London Eye and the river boat cruise came out really well. Thailand photos will follow soon. Hugs to you all!<br /><a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/London">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/London</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-62032610385503592342009-12-03T07:03:00.000-08:002009-12-03T07:17:43.426-08:00Men in skirts?Where else would you see four good looking men in skirts? Scotland of course! I attended a Ceilidh last Saturday. In the old days in the Highlands of Scotland “ceilidh” is Gaelic describing a get together or meeting. Now, it is used to describe a gathering of people who dance the dances of Highland. <br /><br />I wasn’t sure what to expect but I had a great time! There was a Ceilidh band called “Gallus” and they rocked. They were the good looking blokes with black kilts on worn with a sporran(a purse basically) and black boots and the lead guy wore an "ACDC" cap worn backwards. He also played an iridescent purple fiddle and it sounded amazing. <br /><br />The group ranged from 10 years(only a few youngsters) to 80 years old-yes, some older men in kilts as well. The dances were called out so one could easily follow the steps...well, after a few rounds anyway. During the breaks they had these four young women dancing the traditional highland dances very professionally. It reminded me of “River dancing” that the Irish do and it was very energetic and entertaining. I ended up dancing most of the night and came away nearly bruised on my arm from being swung around in “strip the willow” where you basically go down the line or the group of people and swing just about everyone round and round. What was great to see is most everyone participating with huge smile on their faces. <br /><br />Unfortunately, being totally out of the “travel mode”, I forgot my camera. There was a man who was at the Ceilidh that is a photographer and he gave me his website to view photos of the event. When I checked last, he hadn’t posted the new event but if you like to check out his website, go to: <a href="http://www.caledonianphotographic.co.uk">www.caledonianphotographic.co.uk</a><br />If you go to gallery then events you should see something like “Lanark Ceilidh dance 2009” <br /><br />So, my time has come to an end in Scotland and I’m off to Thailand today. I’m very excited for warmer weather and also for a new adventure. I have had such a great time of rest and connection with Scotland and family that I feel ready to move on.Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-86153413134846961172009-11-26T13:55:00.000-08:002009-11-26T14:44:49.561-08:00Happy Thanksgiving!So, I know your all wondering what one does in Scotland for Thanksgiving. Actually nothing having to do with the American tradition of eating until your absolutely stuffed and can't move and you always say "Why do I always eat SO much!" This I'm happy about but not that I didn't miss the tradition of getting together with family and friends and being thankful for the great food and all the wonderful things that life is. So, what did I do? I woke up this morning and laid in bed thinking of all the things I personally have to be thankful for...which is a lot! I got up and made my green tea and climbed back into bed(it was only 6:45 after all) and finished the book "Three Cups of Tea" I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it if you haven't read it already. It had a wonderful message about life and humanitarianism and what there is to be truly thankful for. <br /><br />I went to a "diverse fiber day" with my aunt Jenn where a group of women gather once a month working on projects having to do with fiber art and especially 'felting" I made a pair of felted wool gauntlets(gloves without fingers) which will NOT come in handy in Thailand so will no doubt stay behind to come back to the states (at some point) with my aunt Sara's second suitcase of all my goodies accumulated while in Europe....thank you Sara! I did have a turkey sandwich for lunch so I was in the spirit of the day. Jenn and I enjoyed a wonderful meal at a local Italian restaurant here in Lanark this evening.<br /><br />Have I mentioned the rain yet? Not that I was under the impression that it was going to be nice in November but holly cow....it is bloody cold! I can't complain since I'll be leaving this lovely country to warm, humid Thailand next week so I'll just try to appreciate the crisp air and rare sun shinning through the clouds with colorful rainbows now and again. Mostly my time here is about re-charging my batteries and just relaxing with family. As wonderful as travel is, it can be damn tiring as well. Having a bit of down time is essential. I realized just how tired I was after leaving Rome and arriving to London to stay with a friend Christine. While London is a wonderful city, I just didn't have the drive to go,go,go. I did have a couple of fun days with a British friend who showed me quite a lot of London in a couple of days. We were blessed with a clear, beautiful day and went up onto the London Eye and did a river cruise with a great commentary of the London sights along the river Thames. It was a spectacular day with wonderful skies. I will download photos soon. <br /><br />I wanted to write and fill you all in on my whereabouts but mostly wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving and know that I am so thankful for all of you; my amazing friends and family who have been so supportive of my travels and dreams. Thank you for your emails, "skypes" or responses to my blogs. Just know that hearing from you truly makes my day and I appreciate your effort, time and love and miss you!<br />Enjoy the holidays season and I will be in touch from Thailand very soon. Love and Peace to you all.Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-36618061930446855902009-11-15T13:23:00.000-08:002009-11-18T05:04:00.545-08:00Italy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirM6Ow7Qe7s-JO2ndg3k8yCcdmtL0YLM5vFwzPWzBILpXTqWyR5MtL1PZCzdeusZHYo2qYVuFmryZV8jqdmn5PoztT75qsNPPkeXGB5Nk1YpVIloyBdBk17u_Rrdeow4MBsHq4xdEM_WVl/s1600/IMG_2092.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirM6Ow7Qe7s-JO2ndg3k8yCcdmtL0YLM5vFwzPWzBILpXTqWyR5MtL1PZCzdeusZHYo2qYVuFmryZV8jqdmn5PoztT75qsNPPkeXGB5Nk1YpVIloyBdBk17u_Rrdeow4MBsHq4xdEM_WVl/s320/IMG_2092.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405428430699603554" /></a><br />So the rest of my time in Italy was primarily in Rome and that is a fantastic city. They is so much history and I was staying with a friend, Mariella, and her husband, Silvano while I was in Rome. Mariella is a tour guide so what better person to take one to the Vatican museum, Sistine chapel and Saint Peter's church. Mariella is a wealth of knowledge and I learned so much about Roman history in a few hours then I ever knew before. the Colosseum was spectacular as well as the Roman forum. These are some of the well known sites but there are also some great plazas and fountains....you can see for yourself by looking at the photos.<br /><br />I had the pleasure to meet the cousins, Laura, Francesca, and Marco,of my aunts friend, Julie, while in Italy as well. We had a nice night out walking along the ancient streets of Trastevere and stopping to enjoy some Italian wine and tasty Italian cheeses. We enjoyed a nice dinner and did a driving tour of some of the other areas around Rome. <br /><br />Rome has so much to offer and see and I feel like a touched the surface. After all, I did throw coins in the the Trevi fountain with they say means you will one day return to Rome. <br />Photos at: <a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/Italy">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/Italy</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-37216333009157012642009-11-10T22:36:00.000-08:002009-11-11T23:32:47.598-08:00In my next life, I want to be Italian and live in Italy....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL34px5q4F4kRrL2_0Lm49JuQx78f2429glNAVeEsdyNZGdf3ru400lYohnAM03TJj1Tqm9mCjyk6I51v8haUqJ1H0O8NefBKaeFXXTxoPi1fhFwRy_tHsCVZthTqniBAT-fxm7lO9hC5X/s1600-h/IMG_1785.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL34px5q4F4kRrL2_0Lm49JuQx78f2429glNAVeEsdyNZGdf3ru400lYohnAM03TJj1Tqm9mCjyk6I51v8haUqJ1H0O8NefBKaeFXXTxoPi1fhFwRy_tHsCVZthTqniBAT-fxm7lO9hC5X/s320/IMG_1785.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403116763061646434" /></a><br />I love Italy! The food, wine, the people, the culture, history, the style......and yes the gelato! So in my fantasy I drive up on my Vespa wearing my Italian made boots, leather jacket with my hair flowing from under my helmet. I walk along the streets and find a cafe to stop for an espresso or cappuccino and perhaps a yummy pastry to go along with my coffee....okay, I could go on but you get my drift.<br /><br />So, my time here has been short with only a few more days to go but it has been great and I feel it has been a wonderful introduction to the Italy life and culture. I arrived from Paris on the 3rd of November and dropped off some of my "load" at my friends house in Rome and headed off to Siena. I only spent one day there really and it is a lovely small ancient city(what isn't in Italy)with charm and a sense of wanting to melt into the winding streets of shops, the historic buildings and yes......the gelato shops. I love the gelato here in Italy and am working my way through just about every flavor.<br /><br />I left the next day by train for Florence. There I met up with my cousins, Morag and Robert, from Glasgow as they were there on holidays in Florence. We had a great time enjoying the view from the top of the Duomo and visiting some of the greatest museums. We went to the Academia which houses "David" by Michelangelo which was amazing. I could have sat and examined that work of art for ages!We ate lots of good pizza and really good pasta and of course great wine.....not to mention...gelato. <br /><br />I took the train to Venice and got into the water bus made my way to my hotel. What an wonderful city Venice is. I wandered the narrow streets and waterways for the rest of the day and evening until I just felt exhausted from visual overload. The next day I went for an early morning run and it was magical. The sky was cloudy but in the early morning light it made the rust, yellow, peachy colors of the buildings really stand out and the water was a slate blue. Later that morning when I was wandering the streets and getting lost-you really can't get lost since your on a small island-I went into a wonderful art exhibition of a Chinese master and had a conversation with the man there about energy and symbolism.<br /><br />I then made my way to the boat to take me to Murano; the small island that is famous for making glass. There the windows were exploding with color with some fantastic pieces of art, jewelery, lamps and chandeliers. By this time it was raining cats and dogs and when I returned to Venice and went to San Marcos square it was literally flooded. This is went welly boots would come in handy and a lot of people had them or had plastic bags tied around their feet and legs. For the tourist not in the know, they had a line of table like risers to walk along to stay relatively dry. Not the best of days for sight seeing but still, a wonderful place to visit. <br /><br />Off to Rome where I'm at now but I'll save that and the photos for the next blog!Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-84458788592485664182009-11-07T00:51:00.000-08:002009-11-07T00:59:19.141-08:00"Julie and Julia" in Paris<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHM_8vSEpMvdUInx0tWRBaaIqQcMZG_weh82gV1TCQOUjZLMXpqW8Ve26N28XRvP4Bzg5mukv-AcRfk-jNRlDKitMQVPZDhfqhe09T0MzLHNB1bcfjeMYvDgGObgFjlO5gn1ESkPc6aXS9/s1600-h/IMG_1583.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHM_8vSEpMvdUInx0tWRBaaIqQcMZG_weh82gV1TCQOUjZLMXpqW8Ve26N28XRvP4Bzg5mukv-AcRfk-jNRlDKitMQVPZDhfqhe09T0MzLHNB1bcfjeMYvDgGObgFjlO5gn1ESkPc6aXS9/s320/IMG_1583.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401283324823679282" /></a><br />One of the rainy days in Paris, we went and saw the movie “Julie and Julie” and I loved it. It was so much fun to see some of the same areas we were seeing in Paris that Julia Childs apparently frequented for many years while she lived in Paris. I was also very touched emotionally by the movie. A few weeks ago I had read my friend Jean’s blog (<a href="http://www.lostinthebubble.blogspot.com">www.lostinthebubble.blogspot.com</a>) that she wrote after seeing the movie and she had expected a light hearted “chick flick” and was balling throughout the movie as it touched some places deep inside her. I felt very similarly; that is made me very emotional….as well as making me laugh….about my life. It was about two women who where searching for a purpose and passion in their life and when they looked at what they really loved to do and they pursed it to the fullest, life become joyous, full and meaningful. Isn’t that what we all truly want but let’s face it so many of us fail to find that meaning and passion. <br /><br />So, here I am traveling the world. Is that my passion? No,yes...maybe, and in my journey I am finding joy, adventure, new friends as well as the challenges the come along with this sort of journey. In the process, I trust that perhaps some of the passions that are already there or ready to come out, will indeed do so. So, now I have to add cooking school onto my “bucket list”. As many of you know, I love to cook and believe I am quite good at it but I would love to inspire to be even better. Just for the pure joy of it but unlike Amy Peterson in the movie, if I were to cook and eat myself through Julie child’s cookbook, I’m sure I would gain multiple pounds. Would anyone care to fund my culinary passion by sending me off to cooking school….say in Italy? I would gladly practice by cooking for you.<br /><br />Oh yes, Paris! I was in Paris once, with my Uncle and my friend, Lisa, right after high school. It is a fantastic city and I have to say that looking at Paris through eyes 30 years later is quite different with much more of an appreciation for the city and what it has to offer. <br /><br />My friend Dave, from Colorado, met me here and we rented a cute little flat in the Montmartre area which is famous for the cathedral Sacre-Couer and the plaza for portrait artists. There is also a steep set up steps going up to the Cathedra(which was where our apartment was)l that Dave and I set out to run 10 times; approximately 150 steps and 100 vertical feel. We worked up to it over the 11 days and we did it and I calculated that in the three days that we ran steps, we did it 19 times total…. So we did approximately 2,850 steps….and that’s just the up part….the down was a cool down. I know, perhaps that doesn’t sound like much fun for most of you but when you are indulging in wine, cheese, bread and decadent deserts, you have to do something to burn off some of the calories. Plus we walked a lot<br /><br />Unfortunately, I had a tough time physically; meaning that I had an "accident prone" period while in Paris. I first caught my ring on the fence taking a photo of the backside of the Norte Dame and luckily my ring came apart before tearing up my finger instead of tearing OFF my finger. Then three days later I fell down the metro steps…no, I was not drinking…and sprained two of my fingers on the same hand and bruised the rest of my body fairly well. Not the highlight of my time in Paris. They are still sore but will heal in time. <br /><br />So, I won’t go over all the sights, museums, areas we visited but instead will let you check out the photos and see for yourself. It was a great time in Paris and even though I thought it was still quite crowded, it was a great time of year to be in Paris and only two days of rain in 11 days………..we were very lucky! <br /><a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/Paris">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/paris</a>Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-11894424999366730932009-10-30T01:52:00.000-07:002009-10-30T02:13:19.576-07:00Barcelona-The City of Gaudi<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMb0zRyBZfkeJZVPssfyCpk458nvk4O9XDeK_ohWFwltnJtlr8rl40TgdZ_J3gPyXA_90Pq6y587BuaQidlLpZ4-PO7sUon9RIL5O5G7R-ZcE7uJ6v_IN2-foKOkOhd-aDrjI0wM_xiOV/s1600-h/IMG_1406.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMb0zRyBZfkeJZVPssfyCpk458nvk4O9XDeK_ohWFwltnJtlr8rl40TgdZ_J3gPyXA_90Pq6y587BuaQidlLpZ4-PO7sUon9RIL5O5G7R-ZcE7uJ6v_IN2-foKOkOhd-aDrjI0wM_xiOV/s320/IMG_1406.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398317759003404994" /></a><br />It seems like a long time since I’ve written. I have truly enjoyed Barcelona as I had a feeling I would. Unfortunately my Spanish lessons were curtailed by the fact that in Barcelona they speak Catalan so only to confuse me more and believe me it’s quite different. In fact the true Catalans believe themselves to be very separate from the Spanish. At many of the museums they have the headings written first in Catalan and then in Spanish………sometimes English if you’re lucky.<br /><br />I just loaded my photos from Barcelona on my computer and had a good look. Barcelona is definitely “The City of Gaudi” There are amazing buildings and churches designed by Gaudi and some fantastic designs at that. My photos only captured a small amount of Gaudi as I didn’t go into all the buildings but did have a good look from the outside. Some of the things I saw and/or visited were the La Sagrada Familia church, La Pedrera, Casa Batillo and Park Guell. You will see a number of photos from the park as I went two different times; once when there were a lot of people and then one morning I ran there and it was so peaceful and quiet.<br /><br />I also went to the Picasso museum and that was wonderful. What a brilliant artist and interesting person he was. I visited monument a Colom, museu naconal d’art De Catalunya<br /><br />While in Barcelona, I was lucky enough to have a friend to stay with who is American and has been living in Barcelona for about 12 years so knows the city very well. Lucky me! In trade, I was able to cook meals for us and satisfy my culinary desire to cook. One day I walked down the La Rambla-a famous street in Barcelona filled with street performers, flower and live bird stalls and much more. I visited the Mercat de la Boqueria which was fantastic! It was filled with every vegetable, fruit imaginable and more. Then the choices of meat, fish was incredible and some I couldn’t tell you what it even was. There was even a hog’s head which I decided to pass on that for our evening meal. I must have spent more then an hour and had to control myself since I had to carry all I bought onto the metro and buses. <br /><br />The weekend that I was there, Greg and I headed to the coast to a place called Cadaques which is about 20 kilometers from the border of France.I fell in love with the white washed buildings, the crystal clear blue water, the small winding rock laid streets filled with boutiques, restaurants and art galleries. We hiked and I ran some of the trail out to the lighthouse and you’ll see by the photos how magical Cadaques is. It is known for the wind and boy was it while we were there. The evening we were there we attended a photo exhibition done by a local photographer of the local women of Cadaques in black and white and it was wonderful! Most of the women were in their 50’s and 60’s and she captured the beauty and playfulness of every one of them. The opening itself was very interesting and I wish I had remembered to bring my camera but it was great people watching!<br /><br />The next day we took a bus to Figures where Salvador Dali grew up. There we went to the Teatre-museu Dali and that was fantastic! What a talented and strange man that was. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. <br /><br />The remainder of my time there was spent wandering around, exploring the city, and getting caught in the rain…and I mean serious downpour. Yes, I had my umbrella but this didn’t stop my shoes and socks from getting totally drenched. This was the day before I was leaving and in Europe dryers aren’t very common so I had my wet clothes draped all over the house radiators in hopes they’d dry by the morning.<br /><br />So, my time in Spain was wonderful and it felt bitter sweet leaving this morning but to be going to Paris is not a bad thing! The walkabout continues! <br /><br />photos at: <a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/Barcelona">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/Barcelona</a><br /><br />I'm currently in Paris and leaving next Tuesday but will get my blog and photos posted before I leave...next is Italy and not sure about internet connection while I'm there.Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572877046461701303.post-13735791542272235232009-10-13T06:29:00.000-07:002009-10-15T07:35:40.156-07:00The Last Supper<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdIN2JYNZJXMPSeN0z2pCwicxnveNNftGlZ8El8jklO4rHpLmfRRlavwQEE_Zs9-6QI8ITQCT47OZ4Xe2nDYI29ae1YfiwOhzrlRgBzM5dyJSiYG7DW6TUANIV7P9lPfxGT4Z0n6bN1z2/s1600-h/IMG_1208.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdIN2JYNZJXMPSeN0z2pCwicxnveNNftGlZ8El8jklO4rHpLmfRRlavwQEE_Zs9-6QI8ITQCT47OZ4Xe2nDYI29ae1YfiwOhzrlRgBzM5dyJSiYG7DW6TUANIV7P9lPfxGT4Z0n6bN1z2/s320/IMG_1208.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392819691982723346" /></a><br />This was the joke I had with the group of Anglos and Spaniards that I spent the week with in Salamanca on the last night of the program. Being that when you travel, sometimes meals take the back burner. It’s not like I starve but I tend to eat simply and sometimes only two meals a day. So, I have to say, in spite of the long hours it had it’s benefits (not to mention my own room, bathtub and wake up calls) and one of which was three meals a day and pretty good food in spite of being a buffet; it always had lots of fresh fruit and a great salad bar at lunch and dinner so I was a happy girl! And as some of you may know, I LIVE for my salads and since I’ve been away my servings of fruits and vegetables have been diminished somewhat. When your traveling for extended periods of time this feels like luxury. <br /><br />So there I was enjoying my salad and fish (of course wine) thinking about the week. It was really a great experience. Even though my time wasn’t my own and I had to talk and listen all day long at great concentrations, it was really fun. I truly enjoyed meeting new people, having some great connections and learning so much about the Spanish way of life. I truly feel like I made some new friends. We had some funny activities as well, like skits and poems and presentations in the evenings. I even did a yoga presentation and had one man, Lynn, from Wales volunteer to let me lead him through the demo….what a good sport! The last night we had a fiesta with Sangria and lots of dancing and some sad goodbyes at the end of the night. <br /><br />Once again the partying interfered with my sleep. I had to get up at 4:00am to catch a train to Lisbon, Portugal. At about 12:30 I was almost convinced to just stay up and go out with everyone but I figured a few hours of sleep would probably be a good idea!<br /><br />I had the train ride from hell. My train left from Salamanca at 5am and it was 7 hours on the worst train I’ve ever experienced. We were squeezed into a compartment like sardines and it was loud, cold and dirty. This was the first time I had experienced a bad train so I was surprised. I survived and arrived to Lisbon at about 12:00 noon and made my way to the hostel. What was really nice is everything seemed a bit easier in Portugal. They actually listed English as well as Portuguese so I could actually figure out what the hell I was supposed to do next and a lot of people spoke English. <br /><br />The hostel I stayed in was really nice and the people very friendly and helpful. I thoroughly enjoyed my 3 ½ days in Lisbon and got to see a number of sights like the town of Belem which is on the water and had a bridge that reminded me of the Golden Gate bridge. I visited a couple of castles, an old montassary and some great neighborhoods. Also a town called Sentra which was very magical filled with castles and amazing parks and more history then I had time to digest. <br /><br />Currently I am sitting at the Salamanca train station in the café waiting for my next train to Madrid for a day to visit a friend and then head to Barcelona. I arrived at midnight on the “train from hell” (which wasn’t AS bad this time) and couldn’t catch another train to Madrid until 5:45am. So, here I sit writing about my experiences and wondering if I can curl up on the table and sleep for a few hours. The TV is blaring and chairs uncomfortable so I’m thinking not. Oh well, there’s always 2 ½ hours to snooze on the fast train to Madrid.<br />View my photos from Salamanca and Vaughan Town at:<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/SalamancaAndVaughanTown">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/SalamancaAndVaughanTown</a><br />Also view my Lisbon photos at:<br /><a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/LisbonPortugal">www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/LisbonPortugal</a><br />Another note: I posted the Madrid photos on my last blog entry so go there...Madrid<br />Thanks for letting me share!Tonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176601126281348792noreply@blogger.com0