It’s the rainy season all over the city of Nuestra Señora of La Paz: a cold rain often comes at the end of the afternoon, letting us know the upcoming night will be even colder.

It’s time to get the fireplace going, pop in a movie for the kids, and why not, go over the recent photos taken during the a well-deserved experience with nature.

Escaping to the Yungas mountains, on a biking trip, cycling through the world’s most dangerous road, couldn’t be better sealed up than with a unique Zip Line adventure. Instead of going from tree to tree, why not go… from mountain to mountain?

According to Cheri Lucas, the one providing inspiration for this week’s photo challenge: “Escape. Depending on your current mood and headspace, or time in your life, this word can evoke different emotions and conjure a variety of images”. Today, sharing images of a great escape… to the world’s most dangerous road! Join us!

Definitely, one of the highlights of this month of May: Zip Lining with Gravity Bolivia! All are welcome to enjoy as much as the group did!

Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “Escape”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥

Related articles

• Cycling the World’s Most Dangerous Road! (3rdculturechildren.com)
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Reblogged from The Chris Brockman Website:

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LOS ANGELES — With apologies to Don Draper and Walter White, an argument could be made the two most popular television programs in the country right now are anything involving the National Football League and "Game of Thrones." So, logically, we here at The Chris Brockman Website decided to combine the two, matching our favorite backstabbers, schemers, and philanderers of Westeros with their respective NFL counterparts.

Read more… 2,558 more words

Coroico is a town in Nor Yungas Province, in the La Paz Department of western Bolivia.

Last November was the first time our family travelled ‘solo’ through the roads of Bolivia. Our car had finally arrived, and the time to explore our surroundings had begun!

Some 2 hours from the capital, La Paz, the city of Coroico was the choice made for an extended weekend of adventure and relaxation during the cold months! Also, it’s a fantastic way to test one’s skills when driving/biking with no road shoulders, endless cliffs; and in the Winter, through thick fog and heavy rain, overlooking the so-called, ‘death road‘! From tour buses to brave mountain bikers challenging the road of death; from volcanic rocks to water falls exploding from within the rocks… From green tropical vegetation to snow-capped mountains… Quite an experience – and I’m glad the husband got to do it! Two parents trying it at the same time… errrr… One always has to come back home for the kids :o

This past Saturday [Mother's Day Weekend!], it came time for ” Cycling the World’s Most Dangerous Road”!

It’s a bike ride like no other, many have said.

On its upper reaches, the clouds hug the cliff edge, obscuring the abyss.

To the left, there is an unobstructed 600m drop off a cliff while on the right, a vertical rock-face. And the unpaved surface, resembles a rough, dirt track more than a road.

The scenery, if you dare take your eyes off the road, is breathtaking, with the lush rainforest of the Yungas stretching out before your very own eyes! But the stone and wooden crosses that line the route are a sombre reminder that not everyone cycles the full 40 miles (64km) safely to its conclusion.

The man who started the phenomenon in 1998, New Zealander Alistair Matthew, says good instruction and sensible behavior can overcome the dangers. He came up with the idea while trying lots of new rides on his mountain bike in the region near La Paz. His company, Gravity, was the first to offer tourists the chance to cycle the road.. Note to Readers: Alistair is our personal friend. Him and his family, have been our social sponsors since our arrival in Bolivia. We couldn’t have asked for a better choice!

water falls from within the rocks

Stay tuned! There’s more to come your way! After the amazing ride, bikers were taken on a Zip Line adventure… photos to come soon!

Related articles

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Taking advantage of this being “Mother’s Day” weekend, and inspired by a recent Daily Prompt suggestion, I’ll try to answer this tough question, and yet, illustrate the ‘response’ with a few musical memories… See if you can catch them!

We each have many types of love relationships — parents, children, spouses, friends. And they’re not always with people; you may love an animal, or a place. Is there a single idea or definition that runs through all the varieties of “love”?

Obviously, I’m not the first one who thought about this song ♫ when we saw the title for the prompt… and being a Foreigner myself, it couldn’t be any more fitting! Who doesn’t love a good play with words?

But, in fact, What’s Love? ♫  - thought I “had a way“ on this, but still missing several connecting dots in order to finely tune down my ideas on love!

Here is my opportunity to try: I did not marry my First Love ♫, and because, like many, was always seeking for the perfect combination of Love, Trust and Honesty ♫, I was able to discover What Is This Thing Called Love ♫…

Love Changes everything ♫.  We’ve become more than a couple, we’re a family, and with each child, we now wholeheartedly understand the meaning of Timeless Love ♫… There are different kinds of love, and we love each person in our lives, in a different way, no more, and no less… Simply different. Fortunately, there’s no single Meaning of Love ♫. But there’s definitely, Not Enough Love In The World ♫ to all the ones that need it!

That said, if I may leave a bit of advice, as somebody who’s constantly experience love, from my family, friends; from the one I chose to be my partner for life, the one who’ve given the most precious expressions of love – our children – here it is: “Put A Little Love In Your Heart“ ♫, and all will be well… ♥

Happy Mother’s Day, to all the moms out there! And much, much love to us all!

For the “non-Portuguese speaking world”, inside the heart you may find the word ‘Mãe’, which means, “Mom”… too perfect, right?

Without noticing, I jumped straight from week 18 ["from above"] to week 20 ["escape"]! Humm, am I trying to ‘escape’ from something? Don’t think so! And to prove that, here is the response for the 19th week of this year, inspired by “Pattern” – the colors of the Seasons in Bolivia, an ode to our 10th month in country [already? time really flies when you're having fun!].

Color Patterns of Fall:

Color Patterns of Winter:

Color Patterns of Summer:

Color Patterns of Spring:

Her half-asleep self, messy hair, teary eyes, tell me she’s lost her sleep, and has come seeking comfort and protection in her parents room… not an uncommon event, and like any other night, I guide her towards the bed. She lies down next to me…

We hug, cuddle, and while asking her the reason for her sadness, I’m told she’s afraid.

My five-year-old tells me she’s had a dream, and in the dream she felt lost, lonely, and didn’t know where to go for help, nor who to talk to… She tells me she’s afraid of growing up, and in becoming an adult, leaving us [her parents] behind, like what I did, in her words, ‘when I left my  mother, and became her mommy’…

I let her know it had just been a dream, and that she was safe with me – her father and I would always protect her. I then, confessed I also used to fear the unknown, and often times, was too scared to think about it…

I told her that when I was her age, I used to fear growing up, and being left by the ones I loved. At her age I also began understanding the meanings of life and death, and all the events in between…

She’ll never have to feel lost or alone. We’d always be there, for her, for her big brother and her baby sister…

I told her the Future is something amazing, it’s like a dream you have no idea it’s coming, until you close your eyes at night, and let your mind take over your body…

By then, the teary eyes were gone, and through the fade light in our bedroom, the little girl hesitated in opening up a smile, which she finally did… I felt her comfort, her confidence, her trust. I knew she understood she didn’t have to fear for the unknown.

The future is just part of a sweet dream all of us experience… when we close our eyes, and let our minds take us through the bedroom door… into the unknown…

Thanks for the inspiration!  

{Backstory} This week, the inspiration comes from walking through a door… imaginary, or a physical portal… 

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Reblogged from Life Inspired:

Dear Disney Channel Executives,

My daughter Journey has recently become a fan of the Disney Channel.  She just turned 7, she has officially outgrown Nick Jr. and since Nick seems to show SpongeBob all day, she has moved over to the Disney channel.  At first, she was pretty much only watching Phineas and Ferb.  Eventually, she started watching the rest of the line up including Good Luck Charlie, Austin and Ally, Shake It Up and Jessie.

Read more… 614 more words

Image Credit: http://tumblr.com

Today, trying to answer the intriguing question proposed by the Daily Prompt:

How do you communicate differently online than in person, if at all? How do you communicate emotion and intent in a purely written medium?

Humm… how differently do I communicate online when compared to communicating in person?

I guess I’m part of a minority group when it comes to texting [or messaging, whichever new word has come up to describe the attempt to quickly deliver your thoughts within the cyber-world!]. I’m sure many over here have heard [or read] about the ‘new language’, a new way of expression, the so-called ‘Weblish’, defined as the shorthand form of English that is used in text messaging, chat rooms, twitter posts and other forms of microblogging. So, how much do I [personally] rely on this particular language form, which has gained the unconditional support as the ‘urban grammar’ used as a slang for online conversations? Not much, I’d say. [Is it a bad thing??]

I love interacting with people, you know, the real kind of interaction, the one you need to vocalize the words in order to establish a conversation? Yeap, that kind. I’m a blogger, and being so, I’m completely open to using any and all social media tools that become available.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely not against networking, the social media tools [when well used!], and I tend to blog the way I write. I write the way I believe it’s possible to give my thoughts a voice. I’m a chatty cat, if allowed! ♥

Photo Credit: http://nydailynews.com

Back to the social networking ‘channels’, I not only admin and maintain a photo/travel journal blog, but also, a Twitter account and a Facebook fan page. Shocked?? By now, many are probably wondering: is this hypocritical woman gonna make any point with all this ‘nice talk’?

Again, I’ve got no intention to put down all the research years that have brought the internet [and all its related content, mechanisms and pathways] to where we are, right now. And I’m grateful to all the advances in technology that make possible for me to skype with family around the world, send and share images/videos of my growing children, offer and receive support from other expats through blogging/microblogging.

But, I have to say, I’m a bit nostalgic. I remember the days I’d correspond with people using letter mail. I remember the great feeling of receiving a birthday card from a family member, getting an expected phone call from a good friend [remember when we didn’t have caller ID?], or a paper note from that special boy at school, with handmade drawings…

These events have a dear place in my memory, and it saddens me to think they may be gone by the time my children would be ready for those experiences. I feel that now, things are moving a bit too fast, and unfortunately, we, as a society, tend not to allow ourselves to spend a little more time interacting with each other…

I’m a believer. I believe in TEXT. The real kind, the one where words [not signs, not smiley faces, not words without letters] are used to express our true thoughts, feelings and emotions… I’m believer, what can I say? And since I’m a bit older than many here [pushing 42, right now…:o], I’ve survived without the internet, but now, it’s a critical part of my life; I feel like I can have my saying…. I’m old-school, and if I need to text, I’ll do so, with no regrets. But if the message gets a bit longer than I have the patience to type, I just write: “Need to touch base. Will write you an e-mail”… and all my problems are, magically, solved!

Image Credit: http://facebook.com

What about you, are you like me, or completely different? In any event, thank you all for sharing! TEXT-TEXT TEXT/ [pingbacked to other bloggers, sharing their takes on the theme!]

Above us all, the peaceful skies over the city of Nuestra Señora of La Paz, turn into a magnificent and quasi-frightening scenario. Suddenly, the temperature changes and the clouds let us know that a powerful force of nature will bring down the showers. They might simply be hail or the heavy rain showers… one never knows what to expect… It’s the force of nature in action. It may last for a few minutes, and before one is ready for it, the sun will be shining again, above us all. It’s nature at its best performance…

The idea for this post is to try ‘inverting’ the perspective of the suggested theme. “From Above” inspired me to look for a different approach – the way the nature ‘perceive’ us, from above. Above us all, as the most powerful force…. Let’s see how it came out! Thank you all for visiting, and sharing your impressions! ♥

Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “From Above”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥

“the light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it!”

We all need the Force. Something stronger is coming from above... Above us all, there’s a stronger counter-force: the power of a child who decided that playing was a better choice than his well-needed 8 hours of sleep…

May the Force be with you. With all of you. With all of us, parents, who have to deal with an unforeseen middle-of-the-night playtime!

Star Wars figures, inherited from his dad. From his dad’s collection [see the Darth Vader carrying case?] Yes, the same one who betrayed the Jedi Order and his Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi! – for over 30 years this case has secured the dreams of the boy I ended up marrying. And now, the carrying case and its figures are happily laying on the carpet, next to the hamster’s cage, planning some sort of invasion (???). And this is all happening way past my son’s bedtime…

May the Force be with you, parents of the world! May your sleepless nights be filled with giggles and pretend-fights among little toy figures… May the 4th, the first day of a long-waited weekend, be a great and restful Saturday, for us all… for our own sake and mental health!

This 5 year old not only decided she could dance to the ABBA‘s Mama Mia and ‘designed’ her very own ‘moves’, but also, despite not convincing any of her classmates to join her in this ‘Artistic Adventure’, went onto stage ‘solo’, cheered by a full international school auditorium… The youngest one to perform at the school… and yet, the bravest! ♥

Pretty gutsy, right?  

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In green, the areas where “Portunol” is spoken in South America. Image downloaded from http://wikipedia.com

Oh, well, this one should be interesting!

The inspiration for this week’s writing challenge is ‘a manner of speaking’.

Recently, I just shared my very personal point of view on ‘why do I write‘, really meaning ‘why do I blog‘ – and the answers are quite simple: I write, blog, share, because it’s the easiest, fastest, simplest way to reach out to other [bloggers], get feedback [from within the traveling, expat community], vent out [my difficulties, challenges] and exchange [experiences, lessons learned and why not, 'things that one should not do while trying to raise kids around the world!']

I also try to blog in different languages – although my posts tend to be mostly in English, my mother tongue is Continental Portuguese [born and raised in the beautiful & multicultural country of Brazil!], and to top it all off, we’re living and working in Bolivia, whose national language is Spanish. That said, my work days are spent in 2 languages that aren’t really, ‘mine’… Despite the obvious exhaustion at the end of the day, I’m surviving…

At work: I talk to people in English and in ‘Portuñol’. My staff is kind enough to ‘pretend’ they’re fully understanding what I’m struggling to tell them! Conversations with local nationals are often established in ‘Spanglish’ and in Portuñol.

At home: it’s a mix. Met my husband several years back, while still in Brazil, and the two of us would have long conversations in Portuguese. Years went by, and now we created a mixed language that tends to gravitate towards the ‘one who’s the most tired’: if it’s me, than, we talk in Portuguese. If it’s him, the conversation will move toward English. But we’re not done, there are the 3 kids, adding to this lingual melting pot: the older ones, due to the international school, show some preference to English, while the toddler showcases her abilities in Spanish Paceño [typical of La Paz], with a few words in Aymara [indigenous dialect], here and there…

Somehow, all of us, who are continuously swinging between two or more languages, find our way to adjust, to adapt to new scenarios, and keep on moving. We keep on talking [and boy, I'm a chatty cat, if allowed to be!] – communication is one of the most powerful tools our society’s got, and when well used, it’s not only a diplomatic tool, but it also enhances our chances to improve social relationships at home, at the work level, and emotionally. ♥

” Amanhana, yo hablo!”

“Amanhãna eu hablo. Si queden tranquilis!”

[this is a classic example of Portuñol - very likely, the intention was to say: 'I'll talk about it tomorrow, stay calm".]  Photo credit here.

For the Spanish-speaking readers here, this sentence probably sounds like a joke… and guess what, was produced by one of Brazil’s former President, while addressing the Mercosul community!]. Jokes aside, I’m proud to have a mixed background, and even more proud to have the ability to share that with my growing children. I speak Spanglish. I speak Portuñol. Yo hablo whatever mix between these three languages is required to have the conversation going… The goal is to communicate. Hopefully, I’m on the right track… and if not, I’ll graciously find my way out: ‘yo no comprendo…’ ‘ I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about...’ And, if I’m lucky enough, I won’t find myself lost in translation through life! ♥

In order to wrap it all up, a poem, written in the “most pure Portunol“, by a Brazilian Gaucho, Mario Quintana:

Don Ramón se tomo um pifón:
bebia demasiado, don Ramón!

Y al volver cambaleante a su casa,
avistó em el camino:
um árbol
y um toro…

Pero como veia duplo, don Ramón
vio um árbol que era
y um árbol que no era,
um toro que era
y um toro que no era.
Y don Ramón se subió al árbol que no era:
Y lo atropelo el toro que era.
Triste fim de don Ramón!

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When I stop to think, ‘why do I blog?’ or ‘why do we share stories about your family experiences, our travels, our difficulties and joys while raising kids?’, I come back to the same answers:

I blog because, to me, it’s a personal experience. I have no ambitions to use the blog as some sort of ‘marketing springboard’, although, since along the years, it has become quite a forum for other expatriates, traveling families, members of the foreign service community… a safe place where I can express my views and takes on life, share our questions, seeking for answers and/or advice from others facing similar situations…

I’m a parent, and with my husband, we’ve built an interesting lifestyle for ourselves and for our growing children. We are diverse. We share different backgrounds, cultures, knowledges and lessons learned. We share our learnings with our kids. We speak different languages in our household… and everyone has to try all the different types of food mom and dad were brought up with!

We share the joy, the sad moments, the adventurous decisions… We share the concerns and we look for solutions. Among ourselves, within the expat community. We look for input from other families in the foreign service. We try to enjoy life, snapping shots along the way, and sharing those beautiful and unique images here. Hopefully, this ‘live journal’ will one day be useful to our kids, our worldly citizens, growing up as products of hybrid cultures – and if that happens, I’ll be very proud! ♥

That’s why I blog. I makes me happy to share, and at the same time, it keeps me going. It helps me cope with difficult situations, it helps me assist other families, and it gives me the so much needed reassurance that, despite all challenges, we are not alone. And we’ll never be alone… that’s one of the beauties and positive sides of the cybersphere!

And you, why do write, blog, share your very own ‘personal space’ with other bloggers, keeping the ‘blogsphere’ active and spinning? Some others have done their part, and, as expected, given away their reasons [see below]… thank you all for sharing!http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/daily-prompt-personal-space/

Diplomatic Corp present at the Diplomatic Ladies Event in La Paz {April 2013}.

The Diplomatic Ladies Association [Asociación de Damas Diplomáticas] in La Paz, Bolivia, organized a fair to showcase products and a little bit of the culture of the many countries who mark their presence in La Paz. Entrance fees were used as a fundraiser for charity projects throughout the capital. Here, a collection of snapshots of a few of these countries, including Panama, Japan, Great Britain, and, the United States…

Wish I weren’t be so caught up working at the booth, and had the opportunity to go around snapping more pictures from the beautiful German Embassador’s Residence! Maybe next time… next year, for sure!

Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “Culture”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥

In the meantime, what else has our ‘home diplomatic corp’ been up to? Take a look at this beautiful initiative: http://3rdculturechildren.com/2013/04/25/la-paz-runs-for-boston/

I’ve been away from blogging a bit too long, and now, the opportunitiy to bring up my random thoughts on a very intriguing social issue, has arisen. The suggestion for this personal op-piece comes out as Michael Pick pokes us all this week, with the question: “Does watching violent movies inspire violence in the real world? “.  In his own words, “When tragedies happen in the real world because of the violent deeds of a particular individual, the shock and horror that this happened very soon leads to trying to unravel the reason behind how it came to pass.

For some, the violence seen in films is taken as a catalyst or the inspiration for disturbing acts of violence in the real world. For others, blaming film violence for real life tragedies is cutting corners at best and “scapegoating” at worst — an effort to pin complex social or psychological issues on an enemy that can’t fight back…“

Violent? These are Super-Heroes, embedded with super-dupper powers, and any husband’s  little boy’s dream!
Image downloaded from the site http://abduzeedo.com

As a parent, a traveler, a ‘serial expat’, and mother of 3 growing TCKs, I believe there are so many factors responsible for shaping up a child’s future – and this is especially true when we’re talking about raising well-adjusted, worldly citizens, well-rounded children, as products of hybrid cultures.

Some of these factors are culture, socialization and the own child’s experience; its perception of the world, and the child’s feelings and frustrations. Unfortunately, due to being exposed to a myriad of social situations and contexts, a so-called ‘third culture child‘ is also more vulnerable to external influences. One of the strongest influences relates to the common day-to-day aspects of life: the innocent act of ‘absorbing‘ images and concepts brought home through movies, TV shows, streamed videos, all the so-handy resources offered by the internet! And why not say, through the apparently harmless violence-based children’s video games…

Oh, well… so then, what should we do, as parents? Others here already expressed their opinion that simply forbidding the child from watching potentially violent programs/movies, is not the solution, but it does have an impact on the developing mind – and the impact is unlikely positive, unfortunately…

Third culture children are in continuous need to understand the true origins of caring, the need to help others, and the strategies to display a nonaggressive behavior. The key players in order to achieve that level of self-knowledge, comes from parental socialization, the family system, schools and cultural influence. Currently, the easiest and quickest [albeit, not fully harmless!] avenues are the social media tools, television and movies. For younger kids, especially, the last two ‘avenues’ mentioned before, have both a fast and deep impact on the children’s minds, and the way they begin developing their own concepts, affirmations and perceptions about their surroundings.

Children who are growing up under this modern ‘violence-influenced’ scenario, will likely tend to develop the understanding that violence is a regular [and maybe necessary] part of life, which could be extremely dangerous for our future generations.

Again, as a parent, I’m concerned with the loss of sensitivity when it comes to publicly offering free violence viewing to our kids, as if it were part of a healthy environment.

Is reality really as cruel as it’s perceived through the movies? Is it all necessary? What good is it bringing to the upcoming generations?

Too many questions, and not on single answer – at least, not from my parental and confused mind.

We’re all just trying to get by surviving one day at a time, and hoping that our children will turn out to be well-balanced, responsible and loving adults. That’s simply my hope; as much as I’d like to, I don’t have control over my children’s future. I can offer them advice and love, but can’t hide them inside a bubble, making sure they won’t get hurt or even hurt others. This ‘motherly bubble’ doesn’t exist, thankfully… Kids need to be kids and yet, need to experience life. Life as it is. Holywoodian life is not life, it’s not real. The ‘reality’ portrait by movies is not, in fact, real. And the violence offered by movies should always be perceived as what it really is: fiction…

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• The Connection Between Violence and Movies. (sarinawhite.com)
• Mind the Gap: Violence-influenced childhood and third culture children. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Stop Blaming Marilyn!!! (ardenrr.wordpress.com)
• Mind the Gap: Violence-induced childhood and third-culture children. (3rdculturechildren.com)

Date: Sunday, April 21, 2013.

La Paz [Bolivia] streets taken by locals and groups of expatriates, including the US Embassy in La Paz. Running for Peace. Running for Boston! ♥

And, a nice write-up on a similar inspiring story:

http://diplopundit.net/2013/04/24/us-mission-canada-canadians-run-for-boston/

So, just got a note today that this blog had achieved [the mark of] 1,337 followers… Strange number, right? Not round, not exact… far from cabalistic… But, hey, I’ll take it… For whatever reason it is, WordPress people decided it was worth to send out the note… Oh, well, I do appreciate the ‘achievement’, and welcome any positive thoughts towards this blog’s way!!! 

Thank you for reading [and following!] <3

A El 19 de abril, el Encargado de Negocios Larry Memmott presidió la ceremonia de graduación de estudiantes del Programa Access 2011-2013. La ceremonia tuvo lugar en la Residencia del Jefe de Misión en La Paz. El evento comenzó con una presentación artística a cargo de jóvenes egresados de la ciudad de El Alto que deleitaron a la audiencia con un recital de violín. Durante el evento, los estudiantes destacaron la importancia del programa Access en sus vidas y demostraron su habilidad en el uso del idioma inglés, que es el resultado de dos años de cursos intensivos de idioma, comprensión cultural y liderazgo. Un total de 127 estudiantes de escasos recursos de la ciudad de El Alto se benefician del programa y reciben clases de forma gratuita con patrocinio del Departamento de Estado.

All photos and text are protperty of the US Embassy La Paz [Flicker Gallery]

One of these weekends, our son spotted unique formations in sky. Husband was quick enough to get the camera and register the view through our window… The very peculiar sky over the city of La Paz, in the neighborhood of Achumani, place we’re calling home… ♥

Related articles

• Travel Photography: Streets of La Paz, Bolivia (safari-photographer.com)

Innovation. Technology. CHANGE.

Using social media tools to change the way the world is perceived. In this case, celebrating the landmark of having 100,000 friends on the Facebook page of the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia [text extracted & adapted from the US Embassy Bolivia Website, link here] - simultaneously welcoming guests in the five different cities in Bolivia, through webchat technology. Hope on over to their fan page for images from guests in all 5 cities… Number of fans are changing every day… Changing now the way celebrations are done.

Photo is current Profile Cover of Facebook Fan Page for the Embajada de Estados Unidos en Bolivia – https://www.facebook.com/usdos.bolivia

Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “Change”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥

Filed under: BOLIVIA, foreign service, photography, technology Tagged: 100000 fans, 52 Bolivian Sundays, Facebook, La Paz, photo challenge, postaday, postaweek, social media, US Embassy Bolivia, weekly photo challenge, WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge ]]> http://3rdculturechildren.com/2013/04/13/photo-project-52-bolivian-sundays-week-15-change/feed/ 9 3rdculturechildren happy100K Photo is current Profile Cover of Facebook Fan Page for the Embajada de Estados Unidos en Bolivia - https://www.facebook.com/usdos.bolivia http://3rdculturechildren.com/2013/04/08/packing/ http://3rdculturechildren.com/2013/04/08/packing/#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2013 03:01:04 +0000 3rdCultureChildren http://3rdculturechildren.com/?p=4427 ]]> A long time has gone by since I prepared this blogpost… And yet, it remains so current! Even celebrated my birthday surrounded by bubble wrap & moving boxes – it was pack out season! The original post was ”Inspired by the FS Blog Round Up, I decided to do some research and put together a pack of interesting information about moving and packing, including my personal comments. Some of the “facts” were actually quite new to me.

Others, made me laugh.

Also found some “advice” on moving with small children – supposedly, “moving with kids could be a breeze, if you plan ahead”. This is probably my favorite, and I ask: “how much ahead to you need to plan? maybe before you were joined by your kids??”

Anyway, here are some of the ‘facts’ about moving and packing:

• Moving is the third most stressful event in life, following death and divorce. (from: Employee Relocation Council).

Comment: Really?! Would have never guessed! Moving is trauma, ranked right up there with getting a divorce, losing a job or burying a loved one. But chances are you already know that. So here comes the question:

So.. Why we do it???

** just a rhetorical question! We all look forward to those intense

finding-sorting-wrapping-packing-storing days!

• One-sixth of all Americans, an estimated 43 million people, move each year. (U.S. Census Bureau)

Comment: And 50% of all moves take place between Memorial Day and Labor Day – that’s just weird – no idea why the preference! [** And recently I learned it was because of the U.S. school year/calendar (thanks, Carla!)... now it does make sense - another hint that I'm a foreign-born spouse!]

• Individuals move 11.7 times in their lifetime. (from: U.S. Census Bureau)

Comment: Already crossed that mark, even before meeting the husband and joining the FS…

• The typical moving customer is a married couple between the ages 25 and 44, with one or two children between the ages of 2 and 11.

Comment: Good to know we’re not alone. It comforts me to know there are several other parents out somewhere, screaming and kicking … 

And here are some of the “advices”:

• Get back to normal: For the sake of the entire family’s happiness, try not to take too long to resume doing what your family enjoys.

Comment: I’d really appreciate knowing how to get back to normal after a move, not taking long to resume to your ‘normal’ routine. Maybe I’m always too busy trying to prevent the kids from killing each other, that I may loose focus…

• Pack late (late?) – The actual process of packing up and putting things away in boxes may be emotionally trying for preschoolers, as they see familiar and favorite objects disappear into boxes. Try to pack your preschoolers’ belongings as late in the moving schedule as possible, and reassure them that their belongings will be going to the new house.

Comment: You don’t realize how much stuff your kids have until you start packing.  BTW, where are the kids? Make sure the answer to your question is on the top of your to-do list! 

• Pace Yourself: Your already busy schedule keeps you on your feet at all times, and moving adds a whole new list of things to do.  Plan ahead. Give yourself several weeks to pack for your move, that way you are only packing a few boxes a day. This will decrease the amount of time you need away from your everyday responsibilities, including your kids. In other words, it’s not only about keeping your kids busy, but it’s about making yourself more available during your move.

Comment: Would love to know how to pace myself. One day I’ll learn. Not next year. Not in this decade. Also, how could I “buy” several weeks ahead, for packing before a move? If I’m able to manage a semi-smooth “packing & moving” event, ensuring that our car keys and travel documents won’t be packed away with our HHE, I’ll be pretty lucky!:o  Here is some good advice (at least for me!) about keeping it real for the traveling children (thanks to “Family-Travel-Scoop”): Do talk frankly with your children about the move Do let your child express his/her feelings Do acknowledge their frustrations/anger Do research the country you are moving to with your child Do let your child say goodbye properly to the place you are leaving Do expect an adjustment period when your child has mixed emotions Do keep traditions from home alive in your new home Do maintain regular ties with family back “home” Do bring items (e.g. framed pictures) and put them in each home you live in a similar place Do involve your child with any decisions that may affect him/her if possible

Good luck to all the ones moving out this season! I’m glad we don’t have to think about packing for at least, another year…

Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥

GREEN AND DELICIOUS BURGUNDY!

ALL BURGUNDY… AND EXQUISITE!

  THE COLORS OF HAPPINESS & FRIENDSHIP!

Just mentioned [on a previous post] our recent trip to Chile, during the Easter break, taking advantage of the short and pleasant flights to Santiago. As part of our personal photo project called 52 Bolivian Sundays, inspired by the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge, now it’s time to share a day in Chile’s main port and known for its bohemian, artistic vibe and lovely vistas. I’m talking about the famous city of Valparaiso, only 70 miles northwest of capital Santiago. Its UNESCO-designated historic downtown offers charming colonial architecture, great seafood restaurants, markets and stores were our family’s chosen spot for enjoying the last Friday of March.

Sharing here, impressions and snapshots of a day well spent with our family of 5 and dear friends from our time in Africa, now, adjusted expats in Santiago. Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥

Previous Posts from the Photo Project:

• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 8, 'Forward']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 9, 'Lost in the Details']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 10, 'My Neighborhood']. (3rdculturechildren.com)

• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 2, 'Illumination']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 5, 'Unique']: the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 3, 'Beyond'] (3rdculturechildren.com)
• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 7, 'Kiss']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 4, 'Love']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 1, 'Resolved']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 6, 'Home']. (3rdculturechildren.com)

Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, called 52 Bolivian Sundays, always inspired by the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge, travels recently took our family of 5 to the beautiful city of Santiago, capital of Chile, a neighboring country. We had the opportunity to enjoy day trips throughout the city and its surroundings, like the famous winery of Concha y Toro, the beach, the cosmopolitan Viña del Mar, and the exquisite Valparaiso. More posts to come, with unique images of our travels in Chile, but for now, will share an image that represents ‘future tense’, taken at the Plaza de Armas, in Santiago.

So many impressions on the future to look forward to… what is out there for many of us? Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥

Previous Posts from the Photo Project:

• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 8, 'Forward']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 9, 'Lost in the Details']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 10, 'My Neighborhood']. (3rdculturechildren.com)

• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 2, 'Illumination']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 5, 'Unique']: the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 3, 'Beyond'] (3rdculturechildren.com)
• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 7, 'Kiss']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 4, 'Love']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 1, 'Resolved']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 6, 'Home']. (3rdculturechildren.com)

Apparently, she’s got them… all of them!

She ‘knows when to hold them’… ‘when to walk away’… and knows when to run! ♥

Chocolate Kahlua Mousse & Vanilla Bailey’s Mousse… pairing the Irish with the Mexican!

Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, called 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do.
For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “Lunchtime“, we will ‘share’ a few images from our Sunday luncheon with a couple of friends and their children…

As part of the menu, New Mexican stacked Enchiladas, Spanish Rice, Beans, Pico de Gallo, Flautas – all accompanied by Paloma cocktails and an intriguing set of desserts- Fruit Bowl, Chocolate & Kahlua Mousse, and since it’s also Saint Patrick’s Day, why not bring out a new family favorite – Vanilla Baileys Mousse – “pairing the Irish with the Mexican” ♥… What if it starts getting too cold outside? Simply head back inside to enjoy dessert and coffee by the fireplace… All, in a very special Bolivian-style!

So many details to look forward to! Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥

Previous Posts from the Photo Project:

• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 8, 'Forward']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 9, 'Lost in the Details']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 10, 'My Neighborhood']. (3rdculturechildren.com)

• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 2, 'Illumination']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 5, 'Unique']: the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 3, 'Beyond'] (3rdculturechildren.com)
• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 7, 'Kiss']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 4, 'Love']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 1, 'Resolved']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 6, 'Home']. (3rdculturechildren.com)

Just a regular Saturday morning… Snapping shots of my most precious loved ones… simply a woman behind a camera…

Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, called 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do. 

For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “My Neighborhood“, we will ‘stroll’ through a few images that are so very familiar to us, and yet, a surprise every single day, due to the unpredictable weather, so characteristic to the city of La Paz, the place we’ll be calling ‘home’ for the next year and a half… 

Our morning greeting… the nostalgic design of the streets, the contrast between the cobblestones and the always green foliage covering the house walls…

And what we spot when looking up to the sky: the ‘chaotic and intricate’ arrange displayed by the electric cables, against the peaceful tree covers and the white clouds…

What about different views from a popular playground? Trying to show the intriguing ways a child would perceive its surroundings… the metal structures, the reddish mountains in the background, the memories of our childhood brought by the set of swings, and the majestic palm trees…

A walk towards the kids school leads to a nice quaint restaurant, with an inviting outdoors patio…

And finally, a roof top, like many around our neighborhood, after one of the many 15-minutes hail showers, leaving the tiles covered with tiny pieces of ice… Don’t like the weather? Just wait a few minutes, and a new scenario will arrive at your ‘Paceña‘ neighborhood…

So many details to look forward to! Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥

Previous Posts from the Photo Project:

• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 8, 'Forward']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 9, 'Lost in the Details']. (3rdculturechildren.com)

• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 2, 'Illumination']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 5, 'Unique']: the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 3, 'Beyond'] (3rdculturechildren.com)
• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 7, 'Kiss']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 4, 'Love']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 1, 'Resolved']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 6, 'Home']. (3rdculturechildren.com)

Tomorrow, March 8, it’s Women’s International Day. Bolivia, like many other countries, is honoring all women with a full month of celebration and recognition. In the capital, La Paz, it’s possible to appreciate the artistic works of several gifted women, through painting and photography – and luckily, a couple of the artists presenting their pieces are friends of ours, and members of the US community here. Congratulations, ladies!

Sharing here a few images from the exhibit, at the Galeria de Arte Alternativa – by the neighborhood of San Miguel, La Paz – with art pieces [paintings and photography], courtesy of one of the participants, Mrs Susan Scanlon – my deepest appreciation to her as a wife, committed mother, artist and friend – thank you! ♥

Spanish: La galería Alternativa inauguró el sábado la muestra Mujeres artistas con obras pictóricas de Mirta Cwirko, Carolina Lovo, Mónica Rina Mamani, Rosmery Mamani, Guiomar Mesa, Laura Miller, Susan Scanlon y Cecilia Wilde, las esculturas en cerámica de Corina Barreto y los trabajos en metal de Marcela Mérida.

Related articles

• Snapshots of Artistic Expressions in La Paz. Part II: The Fighting Cholitas! (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Snapshots of Artistic Expressions in La Paz. A visit to the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo in La Paz. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Essay: People and Feelings of Copacabana, Bolivia. (3rdculturechildren.com)

“Handling Fruits and Vegetables: Sanitary Tips

Living at hardship posts offers more than challenges to all ‘household managers’ out there. If offers us the opportunity to learn – through advice from our peers, through our own research, through experience and why not say, through mistakes – ours or someone else’s – while facing similar situations. A common concern among families living at hardship posts is ‘how to offer the best, healthiest diet to my family?’- and that includes not only how to “optimize” your grocery shopping budget, but how to ensure those beautiful fruits and veggies will be safe for consumption, even before they’re tossed in the fridge, or beautifully displayed on a fruit bowl!…” [continue reading]

Curious to learn more tips on this and other topics? Hope over to the Hardship Homemaking collaborative blog! Thank you for the interest…

Diversity at State: Helping our Children.

The value of diversity promotion in the State Department was well emphasized by EEO Counselor Krishna Das (Letters to the Editor, January issue). As a parent, I see the discussion regarding how we bring up our children within the diverse Foreign Service lifestyle as equal parts interesting, challenging, and crucial. It is, of course, necessary to serve as role models for our children right from the start, particularly in teaching the lesson that everyone, despite appearances or stereotypes, deserves respect.

As noted, State Department children are highly exposed to diverse cultures, and we as parents should demonstrate why this is such an advantage to their own growth as human beings.

Building a culture of diversity starts at home, a literal reality for many State Department families. We speak different languages, come from distinct cultural backgrounds, and practice different religions. And yet in most cases, our children are growing up in a culturally richer environment than we (parents) were brought up. Children in the Foreign Service live the concept of diversity and its social implications – on a daily basis.

That said, it is often necessary for us to question what is our role as parents in this process? How can we assist our children regarding the issue of diversity? It would appear as far as diversity is concerned, we need to be extra involved in their lives: listening to their stories, learning about their ventures and challenges adjusting to new, countries, discussing their questions and social frustrations, establishing a healthy communication channel, building positive identities and respect for differences. Further, we should seek ways to insert these concepts into the routines of our children’s everyday lives and help convince them through our actions that a society without discrimination is possible. It is critical for us parents and caretakers to develop ‘cultural sensitivity’ regarding our surroundings; otherwise, without specific cultural information, we may inadvertently promote practices and approaches that could counter other parents’ efforts.

One great piece of advice I once received was to “encourage your child’s friendships with others across race, ethnicity, class, religious practices, background and ability.”

The more personal experiences children have with other groups, the easier it will be to dismiss stereotypes and misperceptions.

******

Want to add to the discussion? Please feel free to share your comments/opinions/suggestions here!

Related articles

• Embracing Diversity as an Expat: “How could we help our children around this issue?” (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Raising resilient expat children? (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Children: Of Mice and Men? (researchingreform.wordpress.com)

Above, details from the drive up to the Hotel Complex, through the Valle de La Luna mountains.

Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, called 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do. For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “Lost in the Details“, brings images from our recent visit to Mallasa, and a day very well spent with friends from La Paz and from Washington, DC, at the Oberland Hotel Complex, a taste of Switzerland in Bolivia. In order to get there, one of the requirements is to appreciate the fascinating mountains from the Valle de La Luna [The Moon Valley]… The mineral content of the mountains varies greatly between individual rock formations. As a result, the sides of the mountains are different colors, creating very striking optical illusions. A majority of them are a clear beige or light brown color. There are also areas that are almost red, with sections of dark violet.

And here, a few more ‘detailed impressions’ from a great reward!

So many details to look forward to! Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥

Previous Posts from the Photo Project:

• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 8, 'Forward']. (3rdculturechildren.com)

• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 2, 'Illumination']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 5, 'Unique']: the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 3, 'Beyond'] (3rdculturechildren.com)
• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 7, 'Kiss']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 4, 'Love']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 1, 'Resolved']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 6, 'Home']. (3rdculturechildren.com)

March 2011 

From that point on, blogposts began to come out quite often, increasing the number of subscribers, comments, Facebook Page fans [over 230], Twitter followers [over 350], and blog followers [now at 983]. Being picked to be Freshly Pressed a couple of times by the WordPress editors was definitely a good burst on the social part of it, coupled with the recent popular vote for best Expat Blog about our current home, Bolivia; and the mention of being one of the best parental/family blogs for families wondering about life with kids in the foreign service, according to Gaddling, the world’s top travel blog. Many thanks! 

Today, another milestone was reached, having me surprised and pleased, finding out that our ‘family travel & photoblog‘ displayed over 120,000 visits.

Being passionate about your life experiences, sharing images and impressions, reporting what one sees happening around, somehow, pays back. At least, in the ‘blogsphere‘… I’m inspired by the several bloggers who take part at the writing prompts, Weekly Photo Challenges, FrizzText and Jake Austria, probably being my very first inspiration (thank you both!); as well as, all the beautiful ideas shared by Ailsa, from ‘Where’s my Backpack?‘, with her travel theme challenges, and The Island Traveler, a parent, like many of us, who decided to share some beauty from their regular lives with the world…

Thank you all out there, parents, expats, bloggers, friends, for reading, commenting, following, and for offering a great deal of inspiration… blogging is fun!

What is your NEXT MILESTONE? Your Blog Milestone? Share here, if you care! Thanks!♥

Related articles

• WordPress.com photoblogging themes reviewed (messagesandmeans.danielgreene.com)
• The 20,000 Milestone | Blog (rackspace.com)
• Celebrating a Milestone | Blog (rackspace.com)
• Good FS Blogs, according to Dave Seminara
• Blog Milestone (ageofravens.blogspot.com)
• Major Milestone Announcement – 1,000 views! (must-press-on.com)
• Milestone for this blog, 150,000 visits (onewebstrategy.wordpress.com)
• 200,000 Views Milestone (thehealthcaremarketer.wordpress.com)

From a sunny afternoon, to 12 minutes of intense HAIL SHOWERS, back to a calm and warm end of the day… That’s La Paz… gotta love the ‘Paceño weather’!

At 4:00pm, a regular sunny Monday, like many others…

Right around 4:30pm

Finally, at 4:42pm [yeap, I had a stopwatch!]…

How not to love this? If you don’t like the weather… just wait a few minutes, and it’s guaranteed to change!

A good way, indeed, to begin a peaceful week – the last one of February – sharing images from our surroundings, the municipality of Mallasa, a town 20-30 minutes from the city of La Paz, is a place of family entertainment with a pleasant climate, nature and tourist attractions.

One of the places most frequented by tourists is the VALLEY OF THE MOON, which are land formations that resemble the lunar soil, the Municipal Zoo “Vesty Pakos” animal’s own Andean area as the llama, alpaca, condor and others, the Parque Valle del Sol family recreational place but especially for children.

Related articles

• Photo Essay: People and Feelings of Copacabana, Bolivia. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Nuestra Señora de La Paz, seen from above… (3rdculturechildren.com)

Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, titled 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do.

For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “Forward“, a great place to spend some good quality time with friends, the Bowling Alley in La Paz: “Rock’n Bowl” – our chosen spot for the last Saturday of February! Hitting it forward!!!

Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥

Previous Posts from the Photo Project:

• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 2, 'Illumination']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 5, 'Unique']: the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 3, 'Beyond'] (3rdculturechildren.com)
• 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 7, 'Kiss']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 4, 'Love']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 1, 'Resolved']. (3rdculturechildren.com)
• Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 6, 'Home']. (3rdculturechildren.com)

Well, Carnaval is over, but the celebrations continue! The same week we offered a typical Brazilian Feijoada for a group of friends and their kids, our family celebrated the 5th Birthday of our Valentine’s Girl, with special ‘mommy-made’ cupcakes… and to top it all off, why not take part at a 16-couple Progressive Dinner?

A bit of background: This type of moving feast offers hours of entertainment with a limited amount of prep work. It’s a great way to entertain a group of friends or neighbors without shouldering the whole responsibility (or cost) of a multi-course dinner party — all because a progressive dinner party was held at 16 different homes in succession, with a single course served at each one. In our case, we hosted Dessert.

What was prepared for our special guests?

Considering I’m a mom of 3 very active little kids, with not a lot of ‘free time‘ on any given Saturday, cooking time had to be carefully planned, and all three desserts needed to be simple, easy and tasty. That said, had all kids in the kitchen during prep time, and before I knew it, Voilá – we’re done! ♥

A first-timer Trio of Desserts, each one including a different type of liqueur... [totally made that up... instead of going with one type of dessert for all guests, decided to try something different, and offer a light variety of flavors: dark chocolate, light caramel/'dulce de leche' and a fruity option, with not-so-sweet elements, for a fresher taste. What's the deal with the different kinds of liquor - Rum, Kahlua [coffee liqueur] and Brandy? It’s part of the fun… something unusual, something to talk home about!]

Besides the ‘sampler desserts’, guests had an opportunity to enjoy some freshly brewed Brazilian coffee!

Results?

Liquorish mix of fruits:

Peaches, raisins in rum, Maraschino cherries [as wished], and caramelized peanuts, as the ‘crunchy element‘…

Dark chocolate and Kahlua mousse

Pudim de Dulce de Leche (Caramel Pudding) with Brandy

From our “Paceña Kitchen”, to yours… Curious about the simple & easy recipes? Send me a comment with your email and I’ll be happy to share the tips to all “busy bees” out there!