Author: kbyler2015

I’ve been home for over a week and yet the deep vibes of Morocco resonate through my mind. I believe Morocco is defined by more than geography; it’s a state-of-mind. Some of my strongest memories are captured here in photos …

• Afternoon tea–whether in the desert, at a riad or five-star hotel, or at a rooftop cafe as in this picture taken in Jamaa Lana Square in Marrakech. It’s just so civilized to slow down, breathe in atmosphere, and savor the precious moments of companionship with a loved one. The certain knowledge that there are snake charmers in the square below enhances the contrast and the calm. 
• Evenings of delicious Moroccan cuisine and exotic dancing. When the clay chimney tops were removed from the tangine cookers in front of us, we knew a delicious meal would follow. I’ve tried making some of these dishes with the spices we brought back but it’s going to take a lot more practice before I can come close to the delicate flavors we enjoyed daily all over the country. On our last night, Daniel opted for a watermelon-flavored hookah pipe.
• Cultural and intellectual exchange through countless conversations with locals and other travelers from all over the world. Granted, you get this regardless of where you travel but that makes it no less wonderful.
• The colors, especially the blues. I don’t recall ever hearing the expression “Majorelle blue” before but now it evokes images of mosaic tiles, buildings, fabrics, and leathers.
• And, the Sahara Desert. From silent sunrises casting shadows over sand dunes to the panoramic sky full of stars, the Sahara Desert is unquestionably a magical place. It’s always great going somewhere new but, yes, I will likely return to Morocco. In a world of globalization and homogenization, Morocco retains its character. It’s affordable, safe, and so beautifully unique.

“Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” Dorothy, Wizard of Oz

“If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown! But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature and Selected Essays  

Wow! I felt like I was walking in a dream all day as we strolled through the medina (old town) of Chefchaouen, commonly called the blue city or blue pearl. We hired a driver for the 3-hour drive from Fez. It’s way up in the Rif Mountains and the drive is very scenic.  There are no vehicles allowed in the medina. Our driver dropped us off at the square then we rambled up and down alleys. To be honest, I was lost most of the day but happily so. Like most days, it started out chilly (50’s F) but I’m glad we arrived early because there were few people so it was easy to take pictures in lovely spots before a lot of tourists arrived. And there is no end to the photo-worthy spots! At every turn the view seemed more beautiful than the one before. The various shades of blue all blend together perfectly with just the right amount of white and accent colors.We stopped for a delicious lunch of falafel, hummus and mint tea on a third-floor rooftop.After lunch I walked down to the ground level with the vast array of merchants and colorful products. While I would ordinarily find that charming, it hit me like a brick wall. I turned around and went back up to the rooftop restaurant with this peaceful view of Chefchaouen. And that’s where I stayed until time to return to Fez–looking at this view, listening to the call to worship, and absorbing the blue. Don’t think I stopped smiling for hours. Travel allows me to step into different worlds and experience new, wonderful things. I’ve been doing that all week. Even better, I’ve been doing it with my fine son. I’m a lucky girl, and I know it. 

“I’d like to dial it back 5% or 10% and try to have a vacation that’s not just e-mail with a view.” Elon Musk 

The songs make Morocco sound so inviting. It’s been on my short list of places I want to visit for quite a while. Finally, my son, Daniel, and I made a plan and here we are! As I write this, I’m at a cafe on a hill overlooking the medina (old town) of Fez. It’s the 29th of November and cold and wet at home but here it’s about 75 degrees and sunny. I can’t tell you how glad I am to be here rather than in Black Friday madness back home.

We flew into Marrakesh, the cultural capitol of Morocco, last week. It truly is a magical place, just like the song describes.

“Take the train from Casablanca going south. Blowing smoke rings from the corners of my mouth. Colored cottons hang in the air, charming cobras in the square, striped djellabas we can wear at home.” Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Marrakesh Express

The souq (market) is one of the largest I’ve ever seen. There are hundreds of merchants eager to haggle over the price for beautiful fabrics, pottery, metals, spices, and leathers. 

Walking through the narrow alleys, making way for donkeys and scooters laden with packages, and taking in a multitude of aromas and sounds is my idea of entertainment of the highest level.

I was quite startled when I first spotted the snake charmers with cobras lying on the ground. Once I associated the flutes with the snakes, I was able to navigate around them at a more comfortable distance.

A woman grabbed Daniel’s hand and started painting a henna tattoo on it. He didn’t want it but there was no real choice once she started.

As a former French colony, the French influence abounds. My favorite example of this is the Yves St. Laurent Museum and beautiful Majorelle Garden where Yves’ ashes are entombed. 

While in Marrakech we stayed at one of many delightful riads (garden homes with the center open to the sky). From the outside it’s nothing more than an ordinary door in a narrow alley but inside it’s a warm mixture of comfort and culture.

There are more palaces than we have time to visit. Each is more beautiful than the one before with every inch of floor, walls, ceilings, and doors as its own work of art.

After a drive into the Atlas Mountains and an overnight stay in Skoura, the next few days were spent in the Sahara Desert. We signed up with a company called “Desert Luxury Tours” and opted for 2 nights glamping in canvas tents with comfortable beds, tables with linens, and all the comforts of home. But that’s not the good part. Life at the camp revolves around nature — sunrise viewing at 7:30 AM, sunset viewing at 6:30 PM, campfire after dinner, then star gazing at 10:00 PM. When the camp lights were turned off, the sky lit up like a planetarium! Then, as if on queue, a shooting star ignited and shot across the night sky! So many sand dunes everywhere called to Daniel to jump on a snowboard and head downhill. He said it was impossible to turn but also impossible to get hurt because the sand is so forgiving when you fall. One morning we rode camels over unspoiled desert sand hills for an hour, enjoyed nuts & raisins and hot tea made over a small open fire, walked around a while then slowly made our way back to camp.

Later that afternoon, we drove to town to rent an ATV buggy and enjoy the dunes at a much faster speed.

The next day we drove about 7 hours to arrive at Fez, the spiritual city. It’s up in the Rif Mountains and moves at a slower pace than Marrakech. The medina and souq are both older and considerably smaller than at Marrakech.Wherever you are, five times a day, the call to prayer over loud speakers reminds you that 99% of the Moroccan population is Muslim. The streets/alleys in the medina are ridiculously narrow and dark. I’m told it’s dangerous, even for the locals, to go out in the medina after dark.

The doors are so ornate they make the colored doors of Dublin seem plain. Many have a small door inside the larger door. The small door is used for people and the larger for horses and ceremonies. And many have two knockers–the smaller indicates a woman or father/husband/brother of the woman of the home is calling. The larger knocker lets the woman know that she should not open the door. The doors to the mosques, mausoleums, and church schools are decorated to excess.I wasn’t allowed to go into the mosques and holy places but I could stand at the door and look in.

Fez boasts the world’s oldest and continually operating college–the University of Karueein, founded in 859 AD. Previously, it taught sciences and languages as most universities but today it is limited to Muslim studies. The Blue Gate is the main entrance from the West. No cars or vehicles are allowed inside the medina. I get totally lost walking down the narrow streets but I noticed there are sections such as the spice street, the meat alley, and the fabric area. The beautiful fabrics are made from natural materials and natural dyes. The red dye in this picture is made with poppy flowers. This man is weaving with a combination of wool, cotton and other natural fibers. Perhaps, it’s good that I have just a small backpack. Otherwise, I’d be tempted to buy way too much. The tannery is the biggest trade in the Fez souq. I was told there are about a hundred families who have operated it for many generations, passing down the ancient methods and using only natural dyes. The animal skins are from camels, cows, goats and sheep. We held mint leaves to our noses to mask the animal odor. All animals are killed in the halal method of one quick strike with a super-sharp knife to minimize the pain to the animal. Every dinner is delicious. The Moroccan spices (cumin, saffron, cayenne, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, aniseed, and paprika) are so aromatic. Eating a vegetarian diet has not been difficult for me. Daniel enjoys the chicken and lamb.  Dinner isn’t served until 7:30 PM or later. Live music and belly dancers generally show up at 10 PM.

“Now you say Morocco and that makes me smile. I haven’t seen Morocco in a long, long while.” Jackson Browne, Something Fine

My mother (93), daughter (30) and I booked a Mother’s Day weekend in Bermuda. On approach to landing, my first impression was the many shades of blue – blue skies with puffy, white clouds fading into azure blue waters with white sand beaches. I truly don’t ever remember seeing water so clear and beautiful. The 21-mile long island is still under British rule and it’s a direct reflection of the UK; very different from nearby Caribbean islands. The airport is in St. George and our resort was at the extreme other end of the island. A 40-minute taxi ride at about $50 gave us a good overview of the architecture and landscape. We passed neat, well-maintained, pastel-colored homes and commercial buildings. Even the gardens had a British feel to them. There’s no question that this is a desirable location for wealthy people. It’s just a two-hour flight from NYC. We were told that Michael Douglas has a home here (his mother was a native of Bermuda) and former-NYC Mayor Bloomberg also has a home here. Our taxi driver told us it’s illegal to take pictures of others, whether famous or not, since it’s considered rude. Papparazzi are not allowed.

We stayed at the Pompano Beach Club which is a 50-year old resort of pink buildings built into the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean at the western-most point of the island. Meals were uniformly tasty, fresh, and pricey. Fresh fish, lobster and other seafood were prevalent. Birds flew in and out of the 30 ft tall restaurant and each evening we had a majestic view of the sunset. I was completely shocked one evening when, at the moment the sun disappeared below the horizon, I saw a green flash! Seriously! It was a shade darker than lime green and was explosive like fireworks.Never out of view of the ocean, every morning began with an excellent breakfast served by friendly staff. In fact, everyone we met on the island had such a positive, welcoming attitude. Either the locals understand the importance of tourism on their economy or they just have extremely nice personalities; perhaps, both. The beach, sunshine, relaxation, and shared time were our main interests but we took advantage of the one rainy day to ride the local bus to Hamilton (about $4 per person). Front Street was lined with cafes and small shops selling vacation attire, souvenirs, and Cuban cigars. Nothing’s cheap. It seemed like most things cost double or triple what they would at home. Shopping is easy because the American dollar is accepted as equal, dollar for dollar, to the Bermudian currency. And, of course, English is the native language.

Although there are plenty of tourists, there’s a prevailing sense of peace and calm with virtually no shouting, no chaos, no horns blowing, no sense of urgency, and very little noise. Mixing British decorum with island-time produces a very pleasant atmosphere.We noticed that there were a lot of pregnant women among the tourists. Apparently, this is a top spot for a “babymoon” because it has no Zika virus scare from germ-carrying mosquitos. Everyone with whom we spoke was a repeat visitor with many people saying they’ve been coming once a year for decades. Golfing seems to be one of the big attractions. Supposedly, Tiger Woods played at the PGA golf course next to our resort.

Bermuda shorts is a real style here. I saw businessmen carrying brief cases and wearing suits with the pants legs cut off just above the knees. The black knee-socks and dress shoes seemed odd with shorts but it makes sense if you think of it as professional attire. Alas, all good things must come to an end. I won’t soon forget how easily and quickly I can be on the beaches of Bermuda complete with the crystal blue water, white sand, and magical sunsets.
The weekend was marked with beauty–beautiful water, weather, people, and my beautiful mother and daughter. “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” Abraham Lincoln

“My parents elected me president of the family when I was 4. We actually had an election every year, and I always won. I’m an only child, and I could count on my mother’s vote.” Condoleezza Rice

“Shower the people you love with love.” James Taylor

I was honored to accept an invitation to attend the University of Southern California (USC) Annual Real Estate Law and Business Forum as a guest of the USC Gould School of Law. My thought was to take in the conference and get ideas for the VA State Bar (VSB) annual real estate conferences. A side benefit was to meet the author of the text I use when teaching Real Estate Transactions at Regent University Law School. Happily, I experienced all of this and more.

The USC program in downtown LA offered so many excellent speakers and break-out sessions that it was difficult to choose which to attend. Rick Caruso, billionaire, Chair of the USC Board of Trustees, Pepperdine Law alumus, and CEO/founder of Caruso, an American real estate development company, was the keynote speaker. Listening to him talk about his experiences in mixed-use developments was fascinating. He highlighted the economic and aesthetic value of green space, trends in retail rentals, and trends in transportation that affect parking requirements. Some of the other important speakers addressed cannabis law sections, pro bono practice, 55+ housing trends, and commercially viable housing in high-dollar areas such as New York City. Virginia is well behind the curve in most of these areas but Northern Virginia is leading our state with the new Amazon complex. A fun fact is that the building plans had to be modified to remove all escalators because they aren’t dog-friendly.

With the work portion of the trip complete, I headed northward for the weekend with my three sons and one girlfriend. First stop, Pepperdine University to pick up Daniel. Situated on sprawling hills overlooking the Pacific Coast Highway and Pacific Ocean, no wonder Pepperdine is consistently voted one of the most beautiful campuses in the world. All along our drive, the hills were full of brightly-colored wildflowers! I’m told they’re extra-abundant this year due to the wildfires that scorched the earth a few months earlier. Next stop, Santa Barbara! No surprise, but Santa Barbara is a very stylish city with the ocean on the West and mountains in the East.  Honestly, it looks the way I expect a California town to look — full of beauty and money with lots of excellent restaurants and chic boutiques.  Santa Barbara appears to be the home of the beautiful people, much more than Los Angeles with its pollution, congestion, and homelessness.   The next day, we hopped around small towns in the Ynez Valley. Our time limitation only allowed us to stop at two of the many wineries.  I could have spent much longer here playing corn hole on the lawn and soaking up the natural beauty of the countryside.Next stop was the quaint town of Solvang. This is a funny, little town settled by Danish immigrants. It still holds much of the old culture. There were cafes and pastry shops galore but also a lot of other historic buildings. 

Heading back to LA for the night we hit a bit of the legendary traffic but nothing too horrible that a bit of patience couldn’t overcome. I caught an early morning flight out of LAX and was back at the office before anyone missed me. It’s never easy to say “goodbye” to loved ones but these short trips are terrific!

“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”  Anthony Bourdain

Words fall short of expressing the pride I feel in my amazing daughter. Touched by a video she saw, Kristina registered as a potential bone marrow donor years ago. She knew the odds were extremely low that she’d ever get a call. One in 40 are called for testing as a possible match. Only one in 300 are a match. And, even then, there are numerous, potentially disqualifying, small steps before getting to donation day. I registered about 20 years ago but have never been contacted.

https://bethematch.org/support-the-cause/donate-bone-marrow/join-the-marrow-registry/likelihood-you-will-donate/

I was honored to accompany my daughter to the closest bone marrow donation center, George Washington Hospital in Washington, DC. All expenses were covered  and we were treated very well. Due to the shots she was getting to increase her white blood cell count, she had flu-like symptoms for a few days before the donation and wasn’t feeling much like enjoying DC but we managed a pleasant dinner at Founding Farmers, one of our favorite restaurants, the night before the procedure (non-alcoholic drinks only).

Kristina was given limited information about the person in need of her bone marrow–only that it was a 58-year old woman with a rare form of blood cancer.  Advances in bone marrow harvesting allow for most to be through a peripheral extraction from blood. Surgery is still an option but not as common. At the completion of the six-hour process, while she was still in bed, a courier came into the hospital room, took the donation, and left. We were told that if the recipient is in the United States, the donation would be delivered within 24 hours and if she is out of the country, it would be received within 48 hours.

A little less than 48 hours later, Kristina received a phone call that the bone marrow had been received by a woman in Belgium. Because of privacy rules with the Belgium bone marrow donation system, there is no exchange of information such as names and phone numbers. Hopefully, Kristina will get an update in six-to-nine months with an update on the recipient’s health. Regardless, it was an important and generous thing to do. I thank God for such an amazing daughter who never thought twice when asked to make this important gift to a person she’ll never meet.

Upon my arrival, Central Park looked so pretty, lightly covered in a layer of snow. Three days later, the snow was almost gone but the sky was blue and the warmer temperature felt like spring. Either way, you can’t beat a walk through the park. 

My dear friend is spending six weeks in NY while her brilliant husband undergoes cancer treatment at the renowned Sloan Kettering Center. There are no words for the horrors they face daily. But, as my wise friend would say, “We’re making lemonade.” When she accepted my offer to come up for the weekend, I eagerly made a reservation. After a short flight,  I hopped on the NJ Transit train from Newark to Penn Station. And, from Penn Station I took a cab to Central Park. Voila! I was in NYC for a weekend of friendship, love, and diversion … good things in the midst of bad.

I stayed at the Park Lane Hotel on Central Park South at 5th Avenue and 59th Street, practically beside the Plaza Hotel and diagonal to the Sherry-Netherland and Pierre. The rates are more than affordable for this prime location and lovely hotel.

Saturday afternoon we walked to the theater district to see “Ain’t Too Bad,” the new show about the Temptations.

It will be interesting to see what the critics think when it premiers in a couple weeks. I’m no critic, but I really enjoyed it. 

It’s like hanging with an old friend; 2.5 hours of Motown music with a bit of dialogue about the band and its members.

Every evening we had delicious dinners, all within easy walking distance. It’s hard to choose a favorite but Montebello on 56th Street was perfection.

The picture above is Columbus Circle at 8th Avenue, a couple blocks from my hotel. It’s full of great places including the Museum of Arts & Design with a lovely restaurant (Robert) on the 5th floor and the Time Warner Center with some upscale shops and a jazz club. This picture is a small corner of Robert where I enjoyed Sunday brunch with live music. The design of the room is delightful and the view of the park is even better. The menu, food, and service were characteristically excellent as I expect in NYC. 

Below is a picture of Dizzy’s, the jazz club on the 5th floor of the Time Warner Center. The Renee Rosnes Quartet was playing when I stopped by. You’ve got to love a female pianist on a Steinway. So smooth …

Walking the streets and stopping at interesting places is one of my favorite things to do. Galleries Bartoux had a lot of art that I would love to have at B-Flat (my home).

There were no price tags and I didn’t ask. Surely, the cliche applies, “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it”.

Before flying out on Monday, I went to the Whitney Museum of American Art. My ticket for the Warhol Exhibition was for 10:30 AM so I took the subway downtown about 9:00, joining the last of the rush hour travelers. When it’s a clear day, the view from the top floor cafe/patio of the Whitney is gorgeous. It’s a tiny spec in this picture but looking out on the Hudson, you can see the Statue of Liberty.

The Warhol Exhibition lived up to my high expectations.

The Faces of Jackie Kennedy below is particularly moving. Warhol searched thousands of pictures to use in this screen print. The top picture was taken that fateful morning when the President and First Lady arrived in Dallas . The next photo was taken later the same day at Johnson’s swearing-in ceremony and the last was taken three days later at President Kennedy’s funeral.  

Time was getting tight and I needed to get to the airport so I took the subway ($3) and train ($13) both of which avoid the congested streets and makes more sense than a cab or Uber ($90+). Plus, the subway has the extra benefit of providing random entertainment.

“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.” Helen Keller

“The true New Yorker secretly believes that people living anywhere else have to be, in some sense, kidding.”  John Updike

“We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth.”            John F. Kennedy

“Creativity takes courage.” Henri Matisse

It’s February and cold in Virginia so when I got an invitation to meet Naomi in Miami for her nephew’s wedding, I bought a cheap, non-stop ticket. It was too easy to contemplate for more than a moment.

My one day & night in Miami Beach were terrific fun. The restaurants and clubs on Collins and Ocean Drive are legendary. Sitting at a cafe for dinner, watching people and cars passing, is very entertaining. We went in several clubs, most of which charged little or no cover. Mango’s is still absolutely crazy with dancers on the bars and three separate areas for dancing. It’s been a while since I stayed out after 2 AM but the wedding reception and after-party were too fun to leave.  Still, we set our clocks and got up to watch the sunrise over beautiful South Beach. It was definitely worth getting out of bed for. The city is very diverse with a heavy Hispanic influence but, truly, international. After delicious coffee and pastries, we jumped in our rental car, put the top down, and headed south. As soon as we made it out of town, leaving the buildings, traffic, and noise behind, the entire mood changed. The densely developed landscape changed to small, pastel cottages with mom & pop businesses along the highway. Since the keys are a chain of small islands, we frequently got to a bridge with ample parking to pull over to fish or check out the water. 

It’s an easy, picturesque drive to Key West. We ate almost every meal outdoors, usually with a view of the water but always with palm trees. The Banana Cafe was an exception to outdoor dining but the crepes are worth it. We stayed at Margaritaville Resort which is over-priced but right where we wanted to be, beside Mallory Square. Every evening at sunset the square and waterfront are lined with people soaking up the natural beauty and looking for the (alleged) green flash. There were always a lot boats making sunset cruises but we preferred the square. At least, that’s what we said since no one offered to take us on their boat 🙂 

Mallory Square has a carnival atmosphere with entertainers (gymnasts, fire jugglers, musicians), good food, and small stands selling jewelry and crafts.

We toured Ernest Hemingway’s house, studio, and grounds complete with dozens of six-toed Hemingway cats. They have excellent guides so it was well worth the small entrance fee. Everywhere is an easy walk–there was no need to ever move our car out of the garage. A short walk down the road takes you to the lighthouse and the southernmost point in the continental USA. 

Next morning we jumped on a ferry to Dry Tortugas National Park with Fort Jefferson and gorgeous beaches. It would be great to take a tent next time and camp out for a few days which is completely possible, even encouraged. I know this looks photoshopped but it’s a straight up iPhone pix with no filter.

We ate and drank well–everything from gourmet meals and Cuban coffee to fish tacos and margaritas. I saved room for a piece of the legendary Key Lime Pie that didn’t disappoint.

At night we walked Duval Street and stopped in cafes to hear live music. There was never a cover and the music was always good–classic rock, country, contemporary, and original. Of course, we popped in to Sloppy Joe’s (Hemingway’s bar) and Captain Tony’s (oldest bar in town and the original site of Sloppy Joe’s). We enjoyed a lot of singing, dancing, and laughing. Everywhere we went we met cool people. The Jimmy Buffett vibe rules. I heard no words of anger or stress the entire time I was in the keys with one exception. I walked by a television over the poolside bar and saw my own governor apologizing for an old picture of him in blackface standing beside someone in a KKK robe. What a sharp contrast to the laid-back, peace & love atmosphere. I was not looking forward to returning to Virginia and the so-called “real world” of cold weather, ugly politics, and deadlines. Honestly, it was hard to leave Key West and head north but Ft. Lauderdale has its own charm and is very nice, albeit less relaxed, so I focused on the beauty of the moment and stayed away from televisions. 

Our last day, after another great lunch at an oceanside cafe, I left Naomi in Ft. Lauderdale to catch her non-stop flight to Baltimore then I drove to Coral Gables for dinner with the birthday girl, Lyssett, on the Miracle Mile.   Nearby MIA is huge so returning the rental car and getting to my gate took a while. Asking for directions wasn’t helpful because I don’t speak Spanish and that’s the dominant language at the airport. The rental convertible Mustang was perfect for the weekend and so fun that I’m seriously thinking about checking it out for price and reliability.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. I took a direct flight home and was back in my own bed by 1:00 AM.

“Yeah, they’re freezin’ up in Buffalo stuck in their cars
And I’m lyin’ here ‘neath the sun and the stars.”

“Please don’t say manana if you don’t mean it
I have heard those words for so very long
Don’t try to describe the ocean if you’ve never seen it
Don’t ever forget that you just may wind up being wrong.”

Jimmy Buffett, Manana

Although we were anxious to get to the beach and filled with joy to be in 80° F weather in December, we took one day to experience the capitol city, San Salvador. The city is about a 45-minute drive from the international airport. Taking the public bus costs 25 cents. A private driver with a van was $12 per person. Our energy was low from the early morning flight so we saw less than we could have. The many political billboards prompted questions so our driver introduced us to the woes of the upcoming election. It seems the past president embezzled about $350 million and enjoys retirement as a political refugee in Nicaragua. The current president isn’t much better but at least there is law that no president may succeed himself/herself. Elections are controlled by the right or the left but both we were told that parties are corrupt and there’s little hope for better. The current frontrunner is a wealthy businessman born of immigrant (Lebanese) parents who isn’t affiliated with either party. Speculation is that he’ll check the polls and, as the February election approaches, he’ll make an alliance with one of the two parties to dominate. Later, our 30-year old Airbnb host told us she doesn’t plan to vote. I couldn’t help but think of the current situation of American politics and how many people feel similarly disengaged.

The Nico Urban Hotel was perfect — charming, clean, affordable, friendly and almost empty except for staff.

It cost about $100 per night for two people including a full breakfast in a tropical courtyard.

The hotel is situated in an area that’s perfect for strolling. We settled on a terrace cafe for margaritas and dinner where we were the only gringos.

Sunday morning we walked to the nearby National Art Museum, bought frozen, chocolate-covered bananas from a street vendor, and admired graffiti along the way. Again, I noticed no other American tourists. This continued throughout our trip.

The drive back to the coast to our Airbnb home for the next week was again about 45 minutes and $60 for a private driver and van. No doubt a local bus would have been less than a dollar.

The roads and towns are largely indistinguishable from other underdeveloped countries near the equator (El Salvador’s latitude is 13°-15° North). At La Libertad beaches the poverty is intermixed with a couple upscale hotels and a considerable number of smaller hotels and hostels catering to surfers.

Our gracious Airbnb host offered us to jump in a friend’s pickup and go to a nearby beach with a spectacular vantage to watch the sunset.

It’s December and 38° F back home but the surfers, sunset, music, and party-vibe on the beach create the mood of the proverbial “endless summer.”

Give me a sunset over the ocean to share with someone I love and I’m a very happy girl.

On the way back to the house, we stopped at a little cafe for pupusas, the local specialty, which is a fried corn tortilla filled with your choice of beans, cheese, meat, and/or vegetables. They cost a dollar a piece, are made fresh to order, and are delicious.

Our first full day was spent on the beach — surfing (board rental is $25/day or $15 for a half day) and tanning. The national currency is the U. S. dollar and the electrical outlets are the same as back home which makes it very easy for us.

The Sunzal surf break is world famous and it did not disappoint. There are a number of other good surf spots but, with just a week, we stayed close. The guys surfed here 3 days and each day the surf was nice.

It’s hard to top a day walking on the beach, soaking up sunshine, and a lunch of ceviche, shrimp & avocados, and sangrias.

Tired from the sun, we stayed in for the evening while our lovely host made us a healthy, tasty dinner of mahi mahi grilled in banana leaves.

Fun fact: In addition to being a great host, Fatima, a native Salvadorian, is an excellent surfer, yoga instructor and former member of the national fencing team.

To be honest, we’ve stayed in every night. Our Airbnb home is spacious and comfortable plus we’re ready to relax after a long day of rising before sunrise, exploring, hiking, surfing, beaching, and sipping tropical drinks. The calm beauty around us is the perfect setting for quality time with family or personal reflection. Our evenings focus on good food & drinks, watching movies, playing games, and resting.

Early Tuesday morning, we took a two-hour drive then a two-hour hike to the highest point in the country — the top of the Santa Ana volcano (7,749 ft). The two-hour, hot (about 90 degrees) hike is rewarded by a gorgeous view down to the crater lake. The steam coming off the water is actually sulfur.

En route back from Santa Ana we passed the Izalco volcano and stopped at a lakeside restaurant for a well-earned dinner break.

Every day begins with a colorful, peaceful sunrise at about 6:00 AM; more than an hour earlier than the sunrise in Virginia this week. At dawn, Venus is still bright in the sky. Brightly colored birds sing and fly around the property. We’ve seen red hummingbirds and bright yellow birds that, sadly, I can’t identify.

Each evening at 5:30 PM we get an orange, tropical sunset. This is the week of the winter solstice so the days are short but they are a couple hours longer than at home.

At night the stars are vivid. Mars shines brightly as a brown planet and the three stars of Orion’s belt are easy to identify. We sleep with the sliding doors open listening to the sound of the ocean without worry about mosquitoes. There are few bugs other than tiny ants and an occasional fly. At every turn I see colorful, tropical flowers.

Alternating days of activity and surfing/sunning on the beach works well. If you look closely, you can see 15 – 20 surfers out on the Sunzal break.

Our dining has been a huge array from little pupusa stands to upscale restaurants overlooking the Pacific. Lunch one day was in a dried-up riverbed with dogs and chickens walking around. We loved it, of course.

This is a typical stand selling fresh corn tortillas and pupusas that we find in great multitudes.

Our favorite restaurant is Beto’s that offers both delicious food and drinks and a great vantage for sunsets over the Pacific.

Everywhere we’ve been, seafood is abundant and the service is excellent. The cuisine is uniformly good, fresh, and very affordable but it’s not as cheap as Thailand or some places we’ve been. Clearly, the average Salvadorian citizen earning approximately $350 per month can’t afford to eat out often. Much worse, gas costs $2.85/liter or $10.78/gallon yet the roads are very congested. Our host tells us that the buses aren’t safe due to gangs so people buy cars but there are insufficient roads. She says El Salvador has better roads than Costa Rica (and we agree) but Costa Rica has better schools. Traffic jams with no traffic signals to control the flow are common and almost comical. A trip to the grocery store took us 15 minutes one day but more than an hour another.

Friday, the winter solstice, we visited pre-Columbian Mayan ruins (900 BC)  at the San Andres and El Tazumal archeological sites.

Each day is about 85-88° and the evenings are in the 70s; no clouds, no rain, only a light breeze.

It’s so great having time together. We’ve shared a lot of laughs but also endless interesting conversations. For example, we discussed the obstacles third-world countries face. The economy can’t grow sufficiently and people can’t advance their standing without infrastructure to support growth. An example of how that restricts is found in home ownership which is typically a person’s greatest asset. Real property that has been handed down for generations without proper titles and official government recordation system is impossible to leverage.  The inability to leverage these assets limits access to capital needed for the growth of small business and access to higher education, thereby limiting the increase in income taxes and real estate value. All of this has a larger economic impact on the country as a whole forcing people to operate outside the government’s control to support their families. Everywhere you look you see small, entrepreneurial efforts. Citizens are incentivized to vote for leadership that protects the status quo. Micro-financing works to a limited extent but doesn’t address the bigger issues. No doubt, this is only a small part of the challenges but it’s meaningful to learn from travel and terrific sharing thoughts. We have no desire to see the entire world turn into the United States, still, one can’t help but think about the opportunities in the U. S. versus the severe limitations facing much of the world.

One afternoon we were sitting at a cafe by the ocean and Bob Marley’s “Is This Love” was playing. Andrew brought up an interview he saw with Bob. In response to a question asking if he was rich he replied essentially, not if you mean money in the bank, but I’m rich in peace of mind, love, community, and respect. Work as hard as you like, folks, but you can’t buy those things.

El Salvador has been perfect for an 8-day trip. It’s easily reached, full of natural beauty and warm, welcoming people, and is very affordable. Too bad so many travelers see it as unsafe. At all times I’ve felt surrounded by good, kind people. True, our Airbnb is in a gated-community. Also true, it’s common to see security personnel (private, police, or soldiers) armed with big guns but I haven’t had an uncomfortable moment or felt in any danger whatsoever.

Flying back home just in time for Christmas. I’m not sure when or where my next trip will be but of this I’m confident … the world is big and life is an adventure. Time is the ultimate limited resource.

“A very Merry Christmas
And a happy new year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear”  John Lennon

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” Helen Keller

“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.” Henry David Thoreau

I love long weekend trips! And this trip was double the fun because it was a “girls’ trip!”

We flew into Boston then picked up a rental car for the 80-mile drive to Cape Cod. Our accommodations were a 200-year old home and cottage in West Dennis which is one of the many charming, coastal towns. Without exception, every town I visited on the Cape and Martha’s Vineyard was beaming with excellent seafood, historical architecture, and friendly people. Funny how the Northeast seems to value and maintain its old buildings and furnishings while much of the country tears down, throws out, and starts over.

Day One was spent on Martha’s Vineyard which is an easy one-hour ride on the ferry from Hyannis to Oak Bluffs. Our excellent host was a local to both Massachusetts and Virginia so she was perfect to show us around. Over the course of the day, she drove us to all six towns on the island, stopping for highlights along the way.

Leaving the port at Oak Bluffs, we passed this idyllic grass square complete with a gazebo and geese. Without noticing that we’d left Oak Bluffs, we ran straight into Edgartown where we stopped for lunch. Time for a lobster roll!

Edgartown is the county seat (aka “shire”) and it still holds the look of the wealthy whaling days with rows of big, white homes for the ship captains.

Just off the tip of and part of Edgartown is Chappaquiddick Island, a small state park marked by a ranger taking tolls. Access to Chappaquiddick is off the paved road via a small, dirt road and a low bridge that spans a waterway about 8-10 ft deep at high tide, according to the ranger. It sent chills down my arms to think about July 18, 1969 when Ted Kennedy drove off the bridge, swam free, left Mary Jo Kopechne inside the submerged car, and did not report the incident until the next day. Minutes before he notified authorities, Mary Jo’s body was recovered by local police. Kennedy pled guilty to leaving the scene of an accident that caused personal injury and was sentenced to two months in jail; all of it suspended. He continued to have a successful political career and was the second-most senior member of the U. S. Senate when he died in 2009.  Here’s a picture of the Chappaquiddick Bridge.

The entire island of Martha’s Vineyard is 100 square miles (about 22-mile long and 5 miles wide) and is referred to geographically by locals as up-island and down-island or sections such as west chop and east chop. (We were told the island is shaped like a pork chop thus the expressions.) 

Up-island has three small, rural towns–Aquinnah, Chilmark and West Tisbury. In Aquinnah, the western most point of the island, we stopped at the beautiful Gay Head cliffs and lighthouse.

Aquinnah is less than six square miles and is home to the Native American Wampanoag Tribe. The day we visited there was a Native American festival going on near the cliffs.

Next to Acquinnah is Chilmark with Menemsha. There was something extra-special about the little fishing village of Menemsha and I would love to go back to spend more time there.  It’s a favorite spot for watching the sunset while savoring take-out lobster dinner.

Winding out the last of the six towns, Vineyard Haven (aka Tisbury) is followed by West Tisbury. Vineyard Haven is the primary harbor and stays open all year long unlike Oak Bluffs. All along the way we were directed to huge homes and sites with local history such as the estate where the Obamas stay when they’re in town, the theater where Jackie Kennedy frequented, the community center where James Taylor or his brother and sister perform, and the neighborhood where Carly Simon and her family live.

Back in Oak Bluffs for the return ferry to Cape Cod, we stopped by the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meting community. This is an adorable community of 318 gingerbread cottages, each one cuter than the one before. 

The community was founded in the early 1800’s as a camp with tent sites for inter-denominational Christians to meet and worship. Today it’s recognized as a National Historic Site. 

The homes have names and dates displayed on the porches and makes for a lovely, afternoon stroll. I felt like we were walking through the setting for the Hansel & Gretel fairytale.

Near our ferry port, we stopped at Nancy’s, the restaurant where Malia Obama worked last summer.

(I did not take this picture of Malia nor did I see her. If I saw any famous people, I didn’t recognize them.) Our server said she worked as a hostess for a couple nights then was moved to the window of the outdoor cafe. Once she was recognized it became a side-show and Secret Service removed her. It’s easy to see why wealthy people and celebrities like Martha’s Vineyard. We never saw a police officer and I assume there’s little-to-no crime. In spite of the incredible wealth, everyone was quite unassuming and uniformly pleasant.

Back on Cape Cod we spent the next couple days biking, hiking and enjoying the huge cultural change from Virginia Beach. Entering the Indian Lands Conservation Area at the West Dennis trail head to the Cape Cod Rail Trail, we hiked along the Bass River.

The area had very few people and was full of birds, butterflies, and natural beauty. Both of my hiking companions are biologists so they positively identified a red-tailed hawk giving us an aerial show swooping repeatedly over the wetlands.

Cape Abilities Farm is a non-profit organization providing employment and skills training for people with disabilities. The beautiful produce and flowers are then sold at stands and served in restaurants across the Cape. We stopped at the farm in Dennis to explore a bit and left with honey, candy and other treats. 

Next to the lobster, perhaps my favorite thing about Cape Cod is the Cape Cod Rail Trail. There are so many miles of great biking between quaint towns. We rode the Shining Sea Bike trail between Falmouth and Woods Hole. 

Once in Woods Hole, we parked our bikes by the ferry station and walked through the town stopping to sit a while with Rachel Carson, pioneer marine biologist, conservationist, and author of “Silent Spring” credited with promoting a global environment movement. 

Next stop was the Marine Biological Laboratory. There is no fee but donations are accepted. All the displays were of life found in the area including  this skate…

and this angel fish.

Where ever I go and however great the museums, aquariums and other places are, my favorite thing to do is almost always walking the streets and getting a feel for the community. 

On my first trip to the Cape I was introduced to the Boston accent and frequent conversations regarding Ivy League schools, universally liberal politics, and topics that rarely come up in SE VA conversations. Now on my third trip to Cape Cod I know what to expect and I warmly welcome the diversity of sound and thought.

While the beaches are fine, they’re not amazing. First, it’s never warm enough for me to sit in my bathing suit and, secondly, the water is cold which is not good for me but is a favorite for sharks. The Saturday after our visit a man was killed by a shark attack at Wellfleet Beach. That’s the second shark attack at Cape Cod beaches this summer.

Evenings on the Cape were almost magical. Passing neighbors and dogs, we walked to the beach for sunset …

then happy hour at the cottage …

and a delicious dinner with interesting conversation in the comfort of the Emslie’s summer home passed down through generations.  After dinner we walked about 1/2 mile to O’Shea’s for live music and fellowship with local residents. It’s the friendliest place I can think of. The Spampinato Brothers rocked the place on Saturday night! You might remember them from “The Simpsons” where they played in cartoon characterizations. Our server danced across the floor, hugged everyone she met, and almost cried begging us not to fly back to Virginia Beach where a hurricane was approaching.

“Cheers” where the television show was filmed is in nearby Boston but, in my experience, O’Shea’s is where everybody knows your name.

There’s no doubt that I’ll go back to Cape Cod. Perhaps I’ll be brave enough to go in winter next time. It could be fun to see everything covered in snow. Hurricanes and all, there’s no place like home.

I saw this sign at one of the many little shops in Falmouth. It seems to fit.