The Other Curacao

"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." - Henry Miller

The bright blue of curacao (keer-a-sow) liqueur flavored with the dried peel of the sour orange is recognizable to most people.  Think the blue color of the last Blue Hawaiian you've seen, and there you have it.  Well, come to find out, the name-sake of that liqueur, the island of Curacao, is quite vibrant itself.

Sometimes the blooms were on cactus.

In May, Nick (my travel partner/husband) and I ventured to this colorful island on holiday.  And, colorful it was.  Curacao is located about 40 miles off the coast of Venezuela in the southern Caribbean (part of the ABC island chain); it was a major hub of slavery during the 17th Century slave trade; and, its widely spoken Papiamentu is a Creole mix of Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English, French and Arawak Indian.  Today it is self-governing within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.  So to say that Curacao has many cultural influences is an understatement.  Geographically speaking, it is also more diverse than I was expecting.  Even with its mainly dry, desert-like terrain, it was, surprisingly, filled with bountiful flowers and shades of green that were endless.  

What we knew when we booked our trip was that Curacao was colorful, its downtown of Willemstad was noted as a UNESCO world heritage site and its waters are some of the worlds-best when it comes to snorkeling and diving.  After booking our trip, we learned more - for instance, it has a huge oil refinery and that oil refining is one of the largest industries, it has two really cool bridges and that it has a remote western side.  After having traveled there, we saw two Curacaos - the wild west and the modernizing historic city. 

Views from the Lodge

We stayed at the Lodge at Kura Hulanda  located near West Punt on the western side of the island.  It was remote and it was wonderful.  Mere minutes from two National Parks, unbelievable shore snorkeling and diving and a rural-island feel.  I loved it there.  People were warm and kind and the pace was slow.  Conversely, we had another experience of another Curacao...and that was in Willemstad.  Our time spent in the capital city was well, interesting.  On the surface it was beautiful, historic and colorful but when you really delve into the place, it is unique mix all its own.  Old with new, wind turbines and an oil refinery, a floating market filled with boats from Venezuela and huge cruise ships.  All in all, I am glad we spent some time there to see some of the sights, meet some locals and just get a feel of this unique place.  However, it still felt like a big city with Caribbean flair.  It wasn't the other Curacao we found, the one we really didn't know about until we experienced it, the one that was slower and greener.  

The heart of the West Punt area is filled with rugged nature, small townships and unbelievable waters.  You know, traveling is about exploring both your surroundings and yourself.  We found both in the other Curacao... 

Mt. Christoffel from trail head.

Kenepa Grandi - water so clear you could see the reef fish
atop a 60 foot cliff.

Sweeping Views

Nearing the Summit

Indian Caves 

Yum?  Well it tastes like pork, kinda. 

Travel Review

Jessica's Best - Climbing to the summit of Mt. Christoffel 

Nick's Best - Diving at Alice in Wonderland 

Least Favorite - strange experience with a local in Willemstad 

Food - Iguana.  enough said.

A few tips to offer  - there is broken coral on all the beaches, if you are tender-footed you may fair better 

with water shoes; you'll need a rental car to easily get around; it's HOT so be sure to have a water bottle with you so you can easily refill throughout your journeys.  

For more, you can check out my reviews of the Lodge; Mt. Christoffel and Boca (Boka Tabla) at Trip Advisor.  A few other helpful sites - www.unesco.org and www.curacao.com 

A Trip for the Soul

"Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." 

                                                                                                   - Oliver Wendall Holmes

I spend a lot of time thinking about trips.  It's a hobby of mine; one of my most favorite stress relievers.  Most of the magazines I subscribe to are travel-related.  I research destinations that I am interested in going to, sometimes even if I don't have a trip planned there...you know, just in case.  I cut clippings out about potential destinations and spend countless hours preparing for trips that are in the works, researching histories of each place, the best transit options, experiences and more.  I even talk about travel a lot in this blog, in fact, that was one of my motivations for starting it.  

Having just returned from my last trip on Tuesday evening, I find myself now reflecting of my time spent.  And, in doing so, I realized that sometimes that best trip is a trip home.  Home for me is St. Louis, Missouri.  I know, not exotic at all.  But something about home far outweighs the allure of a fancy location.  Now, that's not to say I don't love going to new and different places, but I've come to understand a trip home, is really a trip for my soul.  

This particular trip, I co-hosted a baby shower for one of my closest and oldest friends; had a girls day bumming with my mom; kayaked the lake with my dad; enjoyed my extended family as we partook in a family tradition of celebrating the Fourth together with a fast-pitch whiffle ball game and fireworks on the lake; watching a great movie with my niece, nephew and sister; spending the afternoon with my in-laws and great-nephew; there are so many others.  Some of my favorite times were just being in my childhood yard, having my best friend spend the night at my house (like we did when we were kids!) and taking a long family walk through the neighborhood at sunset.  I realized, I don't have to do anything out of the ordinary to gain a sense of renewal, fullness and peace.  And, that is very good for the soul.  

So as I am settling back into my routine in the 'Burg, I find myself thinking about the simplicity of home, of what that means and why it's important.  As I create new memories, experiences and a new sense of home here in St. Petersburg, I know while I can share my heart, it will always be intertwined with the first community I ever felt a real sense of place, of belonging, of home...and, that's with my St. Louis.  It’s part of who I am.  My feet may leave you, but you are always in my heart.  I know that as I create my new home experience in Florida, I am set up to be happy and fulfilled because my soul is reminded of what makes a home—family, friends, a sense of place

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of what's important.  And, for all of that, my soul is glad.  

I will happily share my thoughts on why St. Louis is an awesome place to check out.  If you are interested in learning more, I've included some links - www.explorestlouis.com  and www.lakesaintlouis.com  
Same goes for St. Petersburg - www.visitstpeteclearwater.com/articles/st-petersburg 

Dog (noun) : a loyal companion; faithful friend; a wise teacher

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"The great thing about a dog is that you can make a fool of yourself in front of her and not only will she not scold you, but she will frequently make a fool of herself too." 

-unknown 

Swimming at St. Joe State Park in the Panhandle.

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I am a dog lover.  I grew up with lots of dogs around me.  Almost every picture of me as a child has a dog in it.  Luckily for me, I married a dog lover.  Nick and I couldn't wait until we had a place so we could finally have a dog.  In fact, we often say the only reason we bought our own home was so we could finally get a dog.  The longest either of us had ever been without a dog was the first four years we were married because we were renters and no one allowed big dogs.  In 2008, we were finally in a position to be pet-parents!  We decided to adopt from the Golden Retriever Rescue of Mid-Florida.  I became familiar with GRR when my parents adopted our last family dog, Jake, from the St. Louis, Missouri chapter.  He was a great guy who needed a second chance.  So when Nick and I considered our options, we knew we had to check into GRR.  The Mid-Florida chapter had just what we were looking for...a beautiful red golden girl.  Her name was Jordan which we thought was fitting since our niece's name is also Jordan.  We took it as a sign.  The bonus for us, is that we found out Jordan came with her brother, Zeus, a golden blond boy.  They grew up together and GRRMF didn't want to separate them if at all possible since they were seniors and had lived their whole lives together.  We had intended just one, but thought, "why not?"  Goldens, after all are quite social and like interaction.  They would keep each other company and we'd be helping to keep them together.  Finally, after a long adoption process full of applications, interviews and house visits, we were awarded Jordan and her brother, Zeus... 

Eyeing up the bird on Thanksgiving 2009.

...fast forward this story to last December.  Zeus was going in for surgery to remove a tumor that was on the outside of his front elbow.  Since we were in and out of the vet for that, we took Jordan in for her yearly check-up.  She is the type-A golden--healthy, likes to retrieve everything and is a big fan of swimming and going for her daily walk.  We did not expect the news we were given.  The vet found a softball-sized tumor on her spleen.  Surgery wasn't really an option and we would not put her through chemo, so we decided to leave it as is.  It is terminal and the vet informed us it could be anywhere from one month to a year, depending on how quickly it spreads.  She could maintain her normal lifestyle with the exception of frisbee.  She could no longer bound around, jumping for the frisbee because the motion could puncture the tumor...if that happens she has just 12 hours...

Hanging out by the campfire.

...so here we are in late April and Jordan is still with us.  She is deteriorating and seems to be shrinking away to me, but she is still active, still eating, still wanting to go to the park and loves her daily walks around the neighborhood.  But she is dying.  

There are hardly words for me to express the pain I feel watching her and trying to care for her and soothe her on her bad days.  And, then turn to soothe Nick or have him try and soothe me.  It's a heart-breaking, wretched feeling.  You know, I can't compare this to death of a loved one because in that case, I was able to say things like, "she lived a long, healthy life."  "she didn't suffer."  "he was ready to go and no longer in pain."  and, other coping statements that accompany a long-life lived.  But, when it's your dog...and your first dog, at that...there are no coping statements.  It's just a reality when you are a pet owner.  You love a dog, care for it, it is part of your family, but you always know at some point they have to move from this life.  I've gone through this with my other family dogs, but Jordan is my dog.  My very own; my first dog.  She is part of mine and Nick's family.   

We would often dress them up in polos during our house remodel...it always made us laugh in an otherwise stressful time.

Zeus is doing well so far.  I am confident that he knows there is something up with her.  He occasionally  smells her tummy where the tumor is, like he knows it is in there.  He sleeps near her a lot of the time and is more gentle when they play without us even reminding him to be that way.  Their little pack is resilient and flexible and understanding; it an amazing thing to witness.  

What's more amazing to me is how Jordan has been behaving since the diagnosis.  At first there were hardly any signs, but slowly, over time, they've developed and are now continuing to manifest in different ways.  Thankfully, many days are still good days.  She is sleeping well, still has an appetite most of the time, gets excited for walks and acts as our yard-sentinel.  Beyond that, she has bright spots even on her bad days.  She knows she is dying but she is enjoying the hell out of each day.  

She loves snoozing by the Christmas tree.

What a great lesson, little Jordan-girl has given to us.  She doesn't complain, she doesn't whine, she goes on about her day enjoying each little thing she can.  She isn't worried about the walk next week, she is happy to be on the one she's on now.  She isn't snippy and barking because she couldn't eat breakfast.  She still loves, she is still loyal, she is still retrieving.  It reminds me of all the time I can sometimes waste being caught up in the negative aspects of a situation.  Watching her go through this has taught me a lot about being grateful, about being in the present and about carrying on even when there is a lot crap that I don't like, don't understand or don't want.  She's also brought a lot of joy.  

I am going to miss her when she finally passes.  I tell her each night that it's okay if she wants to go to sleep and not wake up because if she's in pain, I don't want her to suffer just to stick around with us since she's loyal almost to a fault.  I have this visual of her going to join my grandparents and good friend, Annie, in some form of heaven.  It helps me to feel better thinking they'll all be together...  


In any case, I appreciate you for reading this story about my good dog, Jordan.  It is hard for me to talk about but sharing this story through the written word greatly helps.  Throughout this article, I've included some of my favorite pictures of her from many of our experiences together.  I hope you enjoyed them.  Now, I am going to go and enjoy some time with her...

It's been awhile

Well it’s been about five months since my last post.  There is really no good excuse for why its been so long, since its been on my to do list for quite some time.  I am, to be quite frank, disappointed in myself. 

I have really enjoyed my first endeavors into the blog-o-sphere last year and have big plans for the future.  Along with upping the travel stories, I am planning to explore some topics that I’ve found are often on my mind.  As always, I will throw in some musings and reflections. Some guest-bloggers will also be featured. 

So, I first ask for your pardon in my delay.  Secondly, I ask that you continue to check back with From Here to There and please let me know your feedback.

Letter to my old friend

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"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever."  
                                                                               -jacques yves cousteau 


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Dear Ocean,

I was just eight or nine when we first met, but I knew I loved you at once.  It might have been your waves crashing the long strand of carmel sand that first drew me in.  I can't say for sure now.  It could have been your music that you so easily provide.  Creating a symphony of clapping, thundering and crashing for all to abide.  Up and down the coastal highway, I was lost in your vastness.

I did not see you for many years, but again I found you.  As I grew older, I knew I couldn't be too far away.  I soon realized you were a companion that understood without any words needing to be said.

Again and again I returned to see you.  But, always did I have to leave.

My thoughts were drawn to you often and soon I found myself living near your shore.  I wanted to be able to see you more.

Now that you are my ever-present friend, I seek out your wonder whenever time lends.  And, sometimes, still now, our visits are too far apart.

And what I have found is that no matter the time or distance, your companionship is still sought.  Your different personalities has shown me what you truly are--you can be so many things.  You can be gray and angry or crystal clear and ice blue.  You can be warm or cold.  You are a home and a shelter.  You are church and spirit.  You are life and power.  You are flexible yet sometimes unforgiving.  You fall on distant sands.  And, most of all, you have helped to show me, me.

So I write you this letter from my heart, to thank you and acknowledge you for all you have done.  I know you'll be a traveling companion of mine helping me to learn more, experience more and embrace more, to be open and yet strong.  You'll be my friend for my whole life long.

Till I see you again,

Jessica

Why National Parks (and visiting them) Matter.

I should give some background information.  I grew up in a small town on about 5 acres of land accessible only by gravel roads and surrounded by farm fields.  We had a huge garden, a barn, a horse, a few dogs and barn cats.  Now, that same area is one of the fastest growing sprawl sites in the country and my former yard has about six houses on it…but I digress.  I give this background because I grew up rural.  Like, out there.  I was always outside.  Exploring, riding my bike, playing in the fields, riding the horse…anything to be outside.  My parents always were outside with us and our “trips” always consisted of being outdoors, experiencing nature.  My mom would tell stories of the Native Americans and gray wolves to help us learn appreciation for things that were different from us yet still incredibly valuable.  It was an amazing way to grow up…something I am more grateful of as each year passes by. 

Even with the strong appreciation of nature that was instilled in my sister and I growing up, we didn’t take many vacations.  I was not aware of National Parks until I was a little older and we did school projects about them.  I didn’t become really involved with National Parks until just recently.  They are now very important places to me.  Even to the ones I have not seen.  I feel a sense of ownership and stewardship because they are mine…as they are yours, as they are everyone’s.  That’s why National Parks matter.  It’s simple really.  Stephen T. Mather, the first National Parks System (NPS) Director, said it best,

“The parks do not belong to one state or to one section.... The Yosemite, the Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon are national properties in which every citizen has a vested interest; they belong as much to the man of Massachusetts, of Michigan, of Florida, as they do to the people of California, of Wyoming, and of Arizona."  (adapted from the National Park System website) Now that's a wonderful notion.  

The first National Park was Yellowstone, created by an Act of Congress in the year eighteen hundred and seventy two.  Now there are more than 300 parks, recreation areas, historical monuments, seashores and other NPS properties in the system.  Many advocates along the way helped to make this happen and it usually always entailed a fight.  I have heard the average visit to Grand Canyon (the one park, President Theodore Roosevelt said every American should see) is just 3.5 hours.  3.5 hours.  Wow.  And, some people never see a National Park in their lifetime even for an hour.  To me, that’s a tragedy. 

It can be argued that the parks system is a waste  of essential tax payer money in these difficult economic times for our country.   Some states are even considering closing state parks due to financial burdens and failing budgets.  That, too, is a travesty, in my opinion.  Now, more than ever, we need to be outside, embracing all the blessings that entails.  In our busy, hectic, concrete-dependent lives, we need to carve out some time to just be.  

                             To just enjoy the present.  

                                    To just take a deep breath of fresh air. 

                                                To just get away.

                                                            To gain a new perspective.

                                                                        To reflect and come back renewed.  

I challenge everyone to embrace their National Parks.  As Wallace Stegner said about the parks, 

“…(they) are absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.” (adapted from the National Park System website) 

My husband and I have taken this challenge.  Anytime we go on vacation now, we try to check out a National Park property nearby.  This summer we’ve been to Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Great Smoky National Park and Cape Cod National Seashore.  Each one provided a renewing and rewarding experience.  I was able to wander, explore, push my physical limitations, strengthen my spirituality and really just slow down and be present, in the now.

As I work in my day-to-day life, I see people wound so tight.  I often hear them say, “Something is wrong, someone is to blame, everything sucks.”  Those people have grown hard…they’ve been away from nature too long as Chief Luther Bear from the Lakota Sioux tribe says.   We all need open, wild spaces to reconnect to who we are.  (I think this is true even if you don’t love to be outdoors because of nature’s healing qualities).  

So, National Parks matter.  Maybe differently to everyone, but matter they do.  Take the opportunity to visit the lands you own, that your ancestors owned, that your children’s children are yet to own.  Embrace their healing winds, surround yourself with wonder, get away and just be. 

I am glad I did.  And, I am glad for people like John Muir who fought for the parks.  I am glad for presidents who support this great idea, like Theodore Roosevelt (who initiated the NPS) and Barack Obama (who is reenergizing the people around the parks with the America's Great Outdoors Initiative -you can also find this on Facebook to get updates and information about the initiative).  I am glad for my parents instilling in me a love for wild places and appreciation for being outdoors.  I am glad for my national parks.  I hope you are too. 

For more information, click on the links in the post; check out The National Parks Conservation Association - www.npca.org and/or watch the documentary by Ken Burns--The National Parks: America's Best Idea 

A Challenge for a Holiday Weekend at Home

You've probably heard the term 'staycation' a lot lately.  As soon as the economy started to weaken the term has been a media favorite.  And, soft economy or not, everyone is always trying to pinch a penny.  Like many people, I am always trying to take advantage of those far too frequent three-day weekends.  Living in Florida, I have many choices when looking to select my three-day weekend of fun.  Over Memorial Day weekend, we trekked a few hours south to Naples and spent the weekend there.  It was a great trip and we didn't spend too much and a had really enjoyable time.  But, we still had to pack, travel and spend.  As this Labor Day was approaching, I thought about ways to take advantage of it.  And, the idea of a staycation kept coming to mind.  Knowing I wanted to have a fun, relaxing, vacation-like weekend I devised what I termed The Ultimate Holiday Weekend of No Spending...a challenge, if you will.  

Spending the holiday weekend like we are on vacation, staying at our house and spending no money.  Like zero dollars for the whole time.   

After discussing my plan with my husband, he agreed and I began planning for an awesome three-day weekend of fun, in my own house, in my own destination.  We wanted the vacation feel without the vacation stresses--of packing up, getting there and travel budgets.  

Our itinerary & menu: 

Friday night - watched the Cardinals on the MLB Network and enjoyed some delicious left-overs from the dinner party we hosted the night before.  A great way to wind down from a busy week and it's always an extra treat to watch our hometown team!   Cost for the evening - 0 dollars 

Walking the trail at Sawgrass

St. Pete Beach

Saturday - I made coconut toast (from my Grandma Kay's recipe) and a fruit salad for breakfast.  In the late morning we took a trip over to Sawgrass County Park with our dogs, Zeus and Jordan.  After that, we came home to rest up and have lunch.  We utilized some left-overs from the week for lunch.  A little later in the day, after spending some time catching up on reading, we packed up the picnic basket and headed for St. Pete Beach for sunset.  We enjoyed some champagne and a dinner of hors d'oeuvres.  It is amazing to us that we partly moved here to be near the ocean because we love it so much, but we aren't always able to visit it.  When we first moved we were there all the time, but for some reason when you live near it, it becomes easier to take it for granted.  Then, the next thing you realize is that you are planning to get on a plane and spend a good amount of vacation time and funds to go to another beach to relax for vacation.  To slow down.  To enjoy.  This was a great reminder for us to do just that--slow down, relax and enjoy ourselves--in our own backyard.  Cost for the day: $1.00 for tolls 

Our set-up

Sunday - We were up and going on Sunday morning because we were taking a day-trip down to Anna Maria Island to meet up with our dear friends.  Anna Maria is about an hour drive from St. Pete and makes for a pretty good half-way point between us and where our friends live in North Port.  We spent most of the morning and day (until the normal afternoon storms come) enjoying this beautiful island with our friends.  We packed our lunch along with snacks, brought the chairs, beach toys (for two-year old "nephew" Carson) and umbrella and had a blast.  In fact, my friend Carlie even made the comment, "who needs the Caribbean when you have this?"  Now while we all love a trip to the Caribbean, it's a good reminder of the assets we have at our disposal as Floridians.  And, it's a great way to relax and recharge without spending a lot of dough.  After a day in the sun, we headed home around 2:30 in the afternoon.  After we showered, rested and Nick drafted his fantasy football team, "Festivus 4therestofus" we were beat.  We decided on a dinner out.  I know, I know...we broke our no spending rule for the weekend.  However, we used a coupon and savored our meals at Estellas.  Cost for the day: $2.00 for tolls, $28.71 for dinner and drinks for two.  

Nick taking in the views

Monday - While Nick slept in, I decided to get up and finish the book I was reading--Bram Stoker's Dracula.  (What good holiday doesn't include finishing the book you are currently reading?!)  After a breakfast at home of bagels and eggs, we loaded up the bikes and headed over to Fort DeSoto Park.  We biked the park from end-to-end and even took a sand trail through the mangroves.  We saw white herons, a black racer snake, countless butterflies, road along the award-winning beaches, took in views of Egmont Key, saw kayakers, paddle boarders, road past the fort and saw many people out enjoying the various activities available.  It was a great afternoon.  Following the afternoon fun, we had our own little Labor Day cookout for dinner with the usual suspects-->hot dogs off the grill with fresh summer veggies and a beer.    We spent the rest of the evening relaxing at home with our pups.  Cost for the day: $0.85 for tolls 

Total weekend cost: $32.56

All told, the weekend at home, partaking in local activities, having fun and started our week off rested and renewed cost us just under $35 bucks.  It was a challenge not spending money (or trying not to), but it forced us to take our time and plan out our days and meals.  Many times it's easier to just get food out or go to a restaurant or go to a movie.  A good deal of the fun we had was just taking our time and working together to prepare for our activities and our meals.  We were also reminded of how amazing this area is and how lucky we are to have it as our backyard.  Even in these economic times, with many concerns and no shortage of things to save for, we found that you can still have a fun, restful holiday at home...on a budget.  I hope this encourages you to go out and plan your weekend of fun on a dime by capitalizing on your area's assets!  

*I've linked some of the places and things that we did during our trip.  If you live in the Tampa Bay area, feel free to check out some of these gems!