San Diego Zoo

Oh wow! I want to work at the zoo for a summer just to be able to do all of the safaris!  You can see and do everything and I want to. Money is a bit of a problem--since the safaris run about 50 to 80 dollars each and there are MANY to choose from. I especially want to feed the rhino. To my surprise, the African safari looks--at least from this picture--exactly the same as I remember it from when Grandma and Grandpa took me 40 years ago.

I'm also fond of flamingos, so I was glad to see they are still in residence.

But perhaps coolest of all are the webcams, which are free and that anyone can enjoy. There is a tiger cam, elephant cam, ape cam, condor cam, panda cam and more. The website is terrific.

Maybe when I retire, I'll move to California just for the theme parks. I really love them. I could be the sweet little old lady working retail. I'll spend a year in every park.

Sunny California

Grandma and Grandpa used to live in San Diego which at once makes California one of the most magical places on earth and also one of the most boring as far as virtual traveling goes, because I've been there so many times. HOWEVER, anyone who knows me at all, knows that California is pretty much synonymous with Disneyland in my mind. I've heard wild rumors that there is more to California than just Disney, so for this month that is what I'll explore starting with the Redwoods.
But first, I should explain how one gets to California. You start in Utah with the blue station wagon. No one wears a seatbelt. The 10 year old is lounging in the back with a lifetime supply of books, puzzles, games and snacks. You drive straight to Las Vegas where the temperature is 110 degrees in the shade. There the car breaks down. The car is pushed or towed to the mechanic. Mom hauls out the cooler full of food (german cold cuts, homemade bread, mustard, watermelon) that nobody wants to eat because everyone but Mom wants to eat out. Plus for some reason we are not waiting in an air-conditioned building--maybe they don't allow food--we are sitting on the curb in the heat. Mom eats a sandwich. We eventually nibble on some watermelon. Now we are hot AND sticky. Eventually, the car is fixed. It's late now. Mom and Dad alternate driving so they can get through the desert at night. Ten year old sleeps until the car arrives at Grandma's house. Mom and Dad stressed and exhausted. Ten year old ready for Disneyland.

The redwoods really are magical. I got to visit once during one of those famous summer trips, and I've never forgotten them. One of my co-workers recently visited with her family and what was remarkable about her vacation was that she looked really rested when she came back. There's a lot to be said for a mellow vacation--a stroll on the beach, a trip to the Redwoods.

When we went took me, we naturally drove through the tree with the station wagon. I thought it was so cool and I still do.

Dominican dinner

We had Dad up for a Dominican dinner.  Interesting. First course was a kind of potato soup. Didn't taste bad, but it was supposed to be made with malanga. Best I could figure, malanga is a type of root vegetable similar to yucca. In a pinch the internet said I could use a potato or a sweet potato. I hunted all over town and finally just bought some fingerling potatoes. These are cool because they come in red and purple. The effect of them in a soup though is to turn the soup gray.  It was a little bland and looked unappetizing, but it wasn't terrible. The muffins, which were supposed to be made of another mystery substance similar to cornmeal (I used cornmeal) didn't use baking powder, and were flat and not very good.  The pork chops, however were great!

I rubbed the chops with cumin and put them in the oven (too cold to use the BBQ).  Then I wrapped banana chunks in bacon and put them on the chops for the last 15 minutes.  That was really good! The banana on the pork was an unusual and delicious flavor. Bacon of course, improves everything.

Dessert should have been better, it was a mango banana bread. Not terrible, but would have been greatly improved with coconut and chocolate chips.

We put on steel drum music and wore the loudest shirts that we had.

Titou Gorge

Apologies for not remembering which website the following quote came from:

The hike through Titou Gorge, is actually a short swim from the base of a waterfall through a series of natural "rooms and ponds" formed by high cliff walls canopied by interlaced trees. The undulating sides of this deep, narrow gorge were formed as molten lava cooled and split apart.

The swim is short, only about five minutes, and the canopied light filtering down the mountainside within the gorge is spectacular. A hot spring tumbles down a short wall just outside the entrance of the gorge, which feels wonderful after the cool waters of the falls!

Doesn't that sound fantastic?!

Doesn't this look fantastic!

Some of the Pirates of the Carribean movie was shot here.  Good choice!

No tipping

I'm liking Dominica more and more.  There is no tipping at restaurants. I wish we didn't tip in America. Just add the 15% to the bill and then let the customer praise or complain just like any other business.  Another cultural fun thing.  People tend to hold your arm when they speak to you and let go when they're done.  Love that too!  I often work with the socially clueless and if I'm ever the one who needs a clue I'd love this for a signal.

SHHHHH CIA

Love it. The flag has a parrot.

 I did a quick search on google and one of the top hits was from the CIA.  On the website, there is some info on Dominica and a whole lot of info on the CIA.  Does this mean something? Dominica has no standing army. Perhaps the CIA is using Dominica as a retreat?  I know if I had access to a ton of government money I'd use Dominica as a retreat.

Anyway and interesting fact, or should I say intelligence.....Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europe because the natives were so fierce.  Today there are about 3,000 Carib Indians living there and they are the only pre-columbian population in the Caribbean.

Most Beautiful

This month we're visiting the incredibly gorgeous island of Dominica. This is NOT the Dominican Republic. This is a country in its own right and arguably the prettiest place that our virtual travels have taken us to yet.  It's nickname is "Nature's Island."  It only has a population of about 70,000, but google images show at least one picture with a cruise ship--so apparently somebody knows about this place.  Still, based on my own ignorance, plus everybody's reaction so far "You mean the Dominican Republic?" I think there's a sporting chance that when I go there, I'll feel as though I have the place to myself.

So to start off the virtual travels here are just a few jaw-dropping pictures.