Category: TRAVEL

Day 360 in Bolivia: Suggestions for entertaining the little ones.

The Miranda Family arrived in La Paz in the beginning of august, 2012. assignment. Our familial “nucleus” is constituted of 2 adults, 2 kids (7 1/2 and 5 1/2 yrs-old) and a 2 1/2 year-old toddler. ,Being a parent/caretaker requires lots of diplomacy, negotiation, peacekeeping, policy implementation and strategy skills. That said, managing a household, its respective juvenile population and the consequent budgetary implications, is a… HUGE, EXPERIMENTAL and UNFORESEEN task!

A male Green-and-rufous Kingfisher on Chalalan...
A male Green-and-rufous Kingfisher on Chalalan Lake, Tuichi River. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Miranda Family arrived in La Paz in the beginning of August, 2012.  assignment. Our familial “nucleus” is constituted of 2 adults, 2 kids (7 1/2 and 5 1/2 yrs-old) and a 2 1/2 year-old toddler. Being a parent/caretaker requires lots of diplomacy, negotiation, peacekeeping, policy implementation and strategy skills. That said, managing a household, its respective juvenile population and the consequent budgetary implications, is a… HUGE, EXPERIMENTAL and UNFORESEEN task!

There is a never-ending need to keep kids and parents sane (as much as possible). Family outings require loads of planning and logistics management – even if we’re just talking about a Sunday lunch!

  • Here are some suggestions for entertaining the kids (without pulling our hair off), we’ve learnt along the way:
Take weekend trips with other families with kids -it's a life-saver!
Take weekend trips with other families with kids – it’s a life-saver!
Immerse into the local culture and traditions
Immerse into the local culture and traditions
Go hiking through the Isla del Sol
Go hiking through the Isla del Sol
Host a kids Halloween Blast!
Host a kids’ Halloween Blast!
Join the traditional 'water balloon fights' during Carnaval!
Join the traditional ‘water balloon fights’ during Carnaval!
Go bowling!
Go bowling!
Go Zip-lining at the Yungas!
Go Zip-lining at the Yungas!
Throw impromptu 'theme lunches'
Throw impromptu ‘themed lunches’
Family and friends spend the Sunday together at Oberland.
Go out! Family and friends spend the Sunday together at Oberland.
Go on a boat trip along the waters of Lake Titicaca
Go on a boat trip along the waters of Lake Titicaca
Join a 'greening initiative' for a weekend of activities
Join a ‘greening initiative’ for a weekend of activities
Throw impromptu costume parties!
Come up with impromptu costume parties!
Days spent at close-by parks and playgrounds
Days spent at close-by parks and playgrounds
Family luncheons and walks thru the neighborhood of Calacoto
Get out of your comfort zone! Family luncheons and walks thru the neighborhood of Calacoto
Escape to the neighboring Santiago...
Escape to the neighboring Santiago…
Visit to Museums in Prado, La Paz.
Visit Museums in Prado, La Paz.
Mountain biking trip
Take a mountain biking trip
Family trip to the Isla del Sol, Copacabana.
Unplug! Family trip to the Isla del Sol, Copacabana.
Family day trip to the Cotapata Park
Out again! Family day trip to the Cotapata Park
Weekend with friends at the Yungas Region
Weekend with friends at the Yungas Region

 

Surprise your children. Here are some links on good stuff to do around La Paz:

Español: Alumnos del Colegio Padre Luis Gallar...
Español: Alumnos del Colegio Padre Luis Gallardo “Nayra Inti” interpretando con sus tarkas una tarkeada. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Children’s Activities

Bolivia does not boast an extensive selection of activities for children, but what it does offer is stunning national parks and the chance to get close to nature and see scenes that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world.

La Paz Zoo
La Paz Zoo has recently relocated from a tiny plot of land in the south of the city to a much bigger area in Mallasa, which can be found just outside of the city. The bigger space has allowed new enclosures to be built as well as a children’s petting area and an information block. Children will not fail to be impressed by the menagerie living in natural surroundings. You will find many animals in a park-like setting, living life as they would in the wild. After a morning’s excitement with the animals, try out the on-site café for some lunch and treat the kids to a souvenir from the gift shop.

Madidi National Park, Bolivia
Madidi National Park, Bolivia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

National Parks
Bolivia is home to some of the most unspoilt national parks in the world. These parks boast a tremendous variety of wildlife, although you have to be lucky to see a lot of animals as most of them hide deep in the densest of forests. Madidi National Park is recorded by National Geographic as being one of the world’s largest biologically diverse reserves. One of Bolivia’s richest forests can be found here as well as over 988 species of animals. It stretches from the Andes to the western Amazon Basin and allows people to watch animals, trek through woodland and explore the many nature trails. The children will love this unique chance to get back to nature.

Toro Park fountain
Toro Park fountain (Photo credit: Rob Michalski)

Toro Toro National Park is located close to Potosi and is ideal for dinosaur lovers. You will find giant dinosaur footprints and fossils as well as the caves of Umajalanta. Carrasco National Park is an enormous rainforest park located in the Andes’ foothills. It is a great park for children as there is so much space to run around in.

Witches’ Market
This market is also known as Mercado de Brujas and is full of magic and mystery. Goods sold here include herbs and remedies as well as other components used in ancient Aymara traditions. It is La Paz’s most colourful site, with many sights to amaze and excite children.

Witches Market
Witches’ Market (Photo credit: callumscott2)

{Guest Post} Exploring Popular Perceptions about the “Serial Expat”.

Though more people are starting to travel for their job, and more people are embracing the idea of “lifestyle design,” the serial expat is still a relatively rare creature. Maybe you know someone who taught English in Asia for a year – I’m one of them – but few of us know people who spend their whole lives living abroad, maybe even bouncing from country to country, seeing the world while they work.

Perhaps because so few people actually know a serial expat, there are a lot of misconceptions about what serial expats are like and what their lives are like. Many of them are negative, though a couple are positive. Either way, they all miss the mark in some way. Here are a few of the myths about the serial expat compared to the reality of the expat lifestyle:

by Chloe Trogden

In the Midst of This
In the Midst of This (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Though more people are starting to travel for their job, and more people are embracing the idea of “lifestyle design,” the serial expat is still a relatively rare creature. Maybe you know someone who taught English in Asia for a year – I’m one of them – but few of us know people who spend their whole lives living abroad, maybe even bouncing from country to country, seeing the world while they work.

Perhaps because so few people actually know a serial expat, there are a lot of misconceptions about what serial expats are like and what their lives are like. Many of them are negative, though a couple are positive. Either way, they all miss the mark in some way. Here are a few of the myths about the serial expat compared to the reality of the expat lifestyle:

They Don’t Want to Grow Up

One of the most common perceptions about the serial expat is that they are Peter Pan types who don’t want to grow up. They party all the time, and they hold down a job only long enough to finance their next trip to some tropical beach where they can party the days and nights away. The perception is that serial expats can’t face the reality of a job and a mortgage and a family, so they defer the inevitable by literally dropping out and moving to another country.

The reality is that – just like with any group of people – this is true for some expats, but it is not true of them as a group. Many serial expats are working in serious jobs that are a part of achieving their long-term career goals. They are working in senior positions or working their way up to them. They are living the same kind of lives that anyone else lives – except they’re doing it in another country. In many cases, they may even be buying real estate or raising families.

They Can’t Commit

Serial expats are often thought of as serial bachelors. Many people think that they don’t want to commit to a partner, to get married, or to raise a family. The logic is that if they were settled down with a spouse and children, they wouldn’t be moving around to other countries – they’d be saddled with a mortgage State-side near their extended families.

However, the reality is that many serial expats are traveling with their partners and their spouses and that many of them have children. There are expats taking round-the-world trips as they homeschool their children. There are expats who are pursuing career opportunities as they put their children in English-speaking schools.

They Can’t Get “Real” Jobs

Going overseas to teach English is a popular choice for recent college grads who can’t find work in their home state – or who aren’t quite sure what they want to do for a career. Yet many people think that serial expats – especially teachers – decided to go overseas because they couldn’t or didn’t want to get “real” jobs.

The truth is that there are expats working in all types of jobs overseas. There are some working in NGOs, working as reporters at English daily newspapers, working as business leaders and so on. Even those working as teachers are working “real” jobs – many are committed to careers teaching ESL and developing curriculum.

They’re Adventurers

Expats are seen as adventurers who are traveling the world, learning about new cultures, tasting new cuisine, and meeting new people. Many people think that every day for them will bring something new and exciting. They may look to the lives of serial expats with envy.

There is some truth to this perception, as expats do get to experience many adventures and learn about new cultures and new people. However, every day doesn’t bring something new and exciting. Many expats are living the same kind of lives as their friends and family back home – going to work, paying bills, keeping doctors’ appointments and so on.

They’re Risk Takers

Many people think that moving to another country is a big risk and that only those who are spontaneous and used to taking risks will make that choice. While moving to another country may be a big risk for some, it’s not for others. There are many expats who consider the move to be on par with moving to another state for a job. They may be comfortable making the move yet be risk averse in other areas of their life.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach for the expat lifestyle. There’s as much diversity in the expat community as there is in any other community. Perceptions are just that: Perceptions, not necessarily reality. The truth is that serial expats are living the same kind of lifestyles as any other group of people – just in a different location.

Bio:

Chloe Trogden is a seasoned financial aid writer who covers specific opportunities such as grants for school. Her leisure activities include camping, swimming and volunteer work.

What perceptions have you encountered about serial expats? Share your thoughts on them in the comments!

{Weekly Writing Challenge} How to prepare a ‘serial traveler’: Recipe, cooking times and serving suggestions.

How to prepare a ‘serial traveler’:

When raising a child, remember to offer him/her a healthy dose of ‘worldly experiences’: take them on field trips, sightseeing tours, museums, photo exhibits. Share videos and tales from your own childhood. Take advantage of each and every opportunity to show your growing child that the world is much more than what they’re gathering from social media tools.

 How to serve a ‘serial traveler’, inspired by ‘A Pinch of You’:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Preparation Steps:

Make sure you’ve got all the ingredients handy. Ensure their good quality and origin. When raising a child, remember to offer him/her a healthy dose of ‘worldly experiences‘: take them on field trips, sightseeing tours, museums, photo exhibits. Share videos and tales from your own childhood. Share with them your curiosity, your concerns, your dreams. Listen to their plans, their ambitions, their fears of the unknown…

[Note from the Chef] These are just suggestions for this dish. Alter as you please, adding or subtracting ingredients. Come up with your own unique recipe and most important of all, have fun cooking! 😮

Get the oven going: Take advantage of each and every opportunity to show your growing child that the world is much more than what they’re gathering from social media tools.

Cooking and Serving:

  • Travel, go to places, move. By car, by bus, by train, by boat, on the back of a horse or camel. Try flying, but also, try different transportation methods – the stranger, the better! Dealing with travel difficulties is part of the learning process, and overcoming challenges brings the experience to a whole new level.

where's home?

directions

  • Spend some time planning your trips. Imagine how it would be, what you’d do, who you’d encounter… Dream about it. Enjoy the preparations and be ready to appreciate the reality, when the time comes.
  • Find someone who shares your passions, and share your life with him/her. I did that, and have no regrets: married another serial expat, and he’s helped me raise our 3 little ‘nomads’…

Kal9

  • Try meeting new people. Chat with them. Exchange stories. Build new relationships. Be yourself, be silly, and yet, be smart – care and attention are never excessive when moving out of one’s comfort zone…
  • Try out new foods – it’s an easy and fun way to immerse into the culture. Remember the smells and the tastes. Take a heart picture of the dishes you’re enjoying. Reserve for future use.
  • Check out city maps, newspapers, street posters. Don’t know/don’t speak the language? Go for the pictures, the colors, the textures, the funny images and signs. Remember: your friends or family back home are living vicariously through your travel experiences! IMG_5686
  • When traveling, visiting new places or renewing memories from old ones, take as many photos as possible. Keep them handy for future use. Store in a tight container [but please, not in the fridge!]. You will surely need them for future recipes…

 

[Note from the Chef] When checking out of hotels/hostals/B&Bs remember to always check under the beds for misplaced pieces of clothing, photo gear, baby toys, lost socks… and maybe… a kid or two! 😮

  • Recipe preparation and cooking times may vary. Season it to taste. For some, it may take years and many mistakes/missteps before reaching the ‘optimum point’. Be careful: Try not to burn yourself, but if it happens, make sure you’re surrounded by good friends and good memories to help you through the tough times…

my branching tree...

Use your best judgment when traveling, but once you begin improving this recipe, there’s no way back – you’ve certainly become a ‘serial traveler’ like myself, my husband and these three little ones pictured above. We can’t really stay put for long…

That said, guess how we’ve been raising these ‘tree branches’ over here?

Thanks for the inspiration!

Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 29, ‘Fresh’].

Cotapata Park, Bolivia
Family trip to the Isla del Sol, Copacabana.
Coroico, Bolivia

 Enjoy as you please, and thanks for stopping by! ♥

Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 28, ‘The Golden Hour’ – going back home].

Inspired by this week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, we’re cruising though week 28. For this week, a set of photo shots, departing the USA and getting back to our current home, Bolivia – all taking advantage of the intriguing light of the ‘golden hour’, the last hour of our last day. According to Cheri Lucas, from Wordpress, “The Golden Hour. In photography, the “golden hour” is the first and last hour of sunlight of the day. Photographers venture out on sunrise hikes or sunset treks to capture a magical shot, due to the quality of the light during that time of day.”

where's home?

Inspired by this week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, we’re cruising though week 28. For this week, a set of photo shots, departing the USA and getting back to our current home, Bolivia – all taking advantage of the intriguing light of the ‘golden hour‘, the last hour of our last day; an overnight flight separating our family from the ‘goodbyes’ to dear friends and family in DC, to a warm ‘welcome back’ from our friends and colleagues in La Paz.

According to Cheri Lucas Rowlands, from WordPress, “In photography, the “golden hour” is the first and last hour of sunlight of the day. Photographers venture out on sunrise hikes or sunset treks to capture a magical shot, due to the quality of the light during that time of day.”

where's home?

Enjoy as you please, and thanks for stopping by! ♥

And, since we’re talking about the last flight from this year’s R&R, here are a few shots from two little people taking advantage of the night flight opportunity – posing as flight captains before the take off! 😮

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

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Snapshots of R&R in the USA: Fourth Stop, “Experiencing the Story of America’s Beginnings”.

Have you checked the blue line on the map [above]? That’s right! 😮 All the driving done, during our so-called Rest and Recuperation [with 3 little kids?!] trip. As many know, we’re currently in La Paz, Bolivia, for our work assignment. And a year from now, we’ll be leaving here, heading to our new post assignment. In order to break our 2-year assignment a little, we headed back to the US for a well-deserved “Rest & Recuperation” {R&R} trip. Three weeks driving from Florida to Delaware, stopping, snapping photo shots and introducing our children to new cities/states.

Fourth stop: Yorktown, Virginia.

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Snapshots of R&R in the USA: Third Stop, the Oldest City in South Carolina.

Have you checked the blue line on the map? That’s right! All the driving done, during our so-called Rest and Recuperation [with 3 little kids?!] trip. As many know, we’re currently in La Paz, Bolivia, for our work assignment. And a year from now, we’ll be leaving here, heading to our new post assignment. In order to break our 2-year assignment a little, we headed back to the US for a well-deserved “Rest & Recuperation” {R&R} trip. three weeks driving from Florida to Delaware, stopping, snapping photo shots and introducing our children to new cities/states.

Have you checked the blue line on the map [above]? That’s right! 😮 All the driving done, during our so-called Rest and Recuperation [with 3 little kids?!] trip. As many know, we’re currently in La Paz, Bolivia, for our work assignment. And a year from now, we’ll be leaving here, heading to our new post assignment. In order to break our 2-year assignment a little, we headed back to the US for a well-deserved “Rest & Recuperation” {R&R} trip. three weeks driving from Florida to Delaware, stopping, snapping photo shots and introducing our children to new cities/states.

Third stop: Charleston, South Carolina.

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Listening to the little voices in my head: ‘there’s no place like home…’

I’ve been quite introspective, recently. Maybe it’s because we’re approaching the mid-point of our work assignment in Bolivia, and begin thinking about what’s ahead of us, the near future, the prospective work. Or maybe, because we’re a bit concerned about what’s out there – we’re trying to ‘redefine’ ourselves, as a moving/nomad family, as we always do when this time of the year comes around…

yellow-brick-road1
Source: http://businessesgrow.com

I’ve been quite introspective, recently. No special reason, and no ugly results from that. Simply spending a lot of time with my own self, and paying more attention to those ‘little voices’, insisting to be part of my daily thoughts… 😮

Or maybe, it’s because we’re approaching the mid-point of our work assignment in Bolivia, and begin thinking about what’s ahead of us, the near future, the prospective work. Or maybe, because we’re a bit concerned about what’s out there – we’re trying to ‘redefine’ ourselves, as a moving/nomad family, as we always do when this time of the year comes around…

In any event, there’s a line that’s been part of my thoughts – the idea of “home”… The definition of home is quite difficult, and I often see myself as this little girl, with her innocent thoughts [and yet, gorgeous shoes! Which woman has never dreamed of wearing those shoes?!] 😮

“There’s no place like home… there’s no place like home…”

Whatever ‘home‘ is; wherever it is… I’m always trying to get back there… Not today, though, but for sure, a friendly yellow brick road will guide me home one day… I’ll simply close my eyes, clicking my heels together, and repeat three times: “there’s no place like home…” ♥

Source: http://travelblogs.com
Source: http://travelblogs.com

Check out other bloggers, inspired by their own ‘earworms’.

Also Related:

If you could live a nomadic life, would you? Where would you go? How would you decide? What would life be like without a “home base”?”

Thanks for the inspiration! ♥

Random thoughts on my life as a ‘rolling stone’…

Here is the question:

“If you could live a nomadic life, would you? Where would you go? How would you decide? What would life be like without a “home base”?”

Answer:

Oh, well, I guess I already live a ‘nomadic life’… Early this year I tried to ‘map it out’, describing the different places I’ve lived, as a growing child in Brazil, due to my parents work duties; later, as a researcher, and finally, as a spouse married to the ‘Foreign Service’, raising our three third-culture children, in a similar nomadic way I’d been brought up! I fell like this ‘circle’ will never end… and… why should it? 😮

directions

Here is the question:

“If you could live a nomadic life, would you? Where would you go? How would you decide? What would life be like without a “home base”?”

And here, the tentative answer:

Oh, well, I guess I already live a ‘nomadic life’…  Early this year I tried to ‘map it out’, describing the different places I’ve lived, as a growing child in Brazil, due to my parents work duties; later, as a researcher, and finally, as a spouse “married into the Foreign Service“, raising our three third-culture children, in a much similar nomadic way I’d been brought up!

I fell like this ‘circle’  will never end… and… why should it? 😮

A couple years back when I began blogging, I decided to name this blog, representing/expressing what my [now 3] kids are: the product of their mom’s and dad’s hybrid/joined cultures. Moving is part of our lives, and was part of mine, way before meeting the so-called ‘better-half’.

I could define myself as a ‘serial expat’, but in a very positive way. The idea of being a ‘rolling stone’ always attracted me, and I was lucky enough to find a match who shared the same ‘itch’… we can’t stay put for long! 😮

And the best part: we’re not alone in this type of lifestyle. Recently, the movie Argo brought out  a side of the Foreign Service that only few knew about – and it made us happy. It has made us proud. We’re proud to be ‘that type of nomads‘…

There are so many bloggers sharing their life stories, experiences, travels and joys about the foreign service! They talk about learning new languages, new cultures, adapting/adjusting… moving, and re-adapting… Some time ago, I wrote about an intriguing reality: “moving is the third most stressful life event“… for real! 😮

Again, the circle does not end… why should it? We embrace the nomadic life… and welcome the changes!

Thanks for the inspiration! ♥

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Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 27, ‘Nostalgic’].

Inspired by this week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, we’re cruising though week 27, and this picture of my oldest daughters and her two BFFs in the hammock sent me back to a happy place down memory lane… growing up in Brazil, and having the luxury of hours spent swinging in hammocks…

Venue: Nor Yungas, Bolivia

hammock

Inspired by this week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, we’re cruising though week 27, and this picture of my oldest daughters and her two BFFs in the hammock, sent me back to a happy place down memory lane… growing up in Brazil, and having the luxury of hours spent swinging in hammocks…

Venue: Nor Yungas, Bolivia

Enjoy as you please, and thanks for stopping by! ♥

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

 

Snapshots of R&R in the USA. Second Stop: Savannah, Georgia.

Have you checked the blue line on the map [above]? That’s right! 😮 All the driving done, during our so-called Rest and Recuperation [with 3 little kids?!] trip. As many know, we’re currently in La Paz, Bolivia, for our work assignment. And a year from now, we’ll be leaving here, heading to our new post assignment. In order to break our 2-year assignment a little, we headed back to the US for a well-deserved “Rest & Recuperation” {R&R} trip. three weeks driving from Florida to Delaware, stopping, snapping photo shots and introducing our children to new cities/states.

Second stop: Savannah, Georgia.

 
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Originally posted on rogue cheerios:
My husband bought me Mama, PhD as a graduation gift. He thought I would appreciate the stories about “motherhood and academic life.”  In under a week, I tore through the anthology.  Divided into four sections, the editors captured women’s stories about “The Conversation” whether to start a family, “That Mommy…

I’m back. Back on blogging, back from a restful family R&R and just found this great piece. Loved her final comment, and felt so related to it, that decided to share it over here, with my dear readers/expats/travelers/nomad parents in the Foreign Service! And how cool is that we [the author and myself] share the same name – granted: my version is in Portuguese, a proud devotion to my roots – thanks, mom! ♥ 

Family life is important. More important than your/our [original] career decisions… once one’s got a family, decisions and changes in life need to take that into consideration! 😮 I remember myself being so afraid/concern to tell my [then] Post-Doctorate advisor on my [first] pregnancy, back in 2005, and fearing for his reactions… today, several years later, 3 kids and changing jobs at every post we’ve been assigned to live/work, there are no regrets. My career did change, and I believe, for better. I’ve become more adaptable, more adjustable, and with the always-needed flexibility, I’m more patient with myself, with my husband, and more understanding about his career. I believe we [as a family] have evolved, which is great. 😮 After that, life has taken us to many different places, and for sure, my career has changed. Quite a bit, I’d say. And I’m happy with that. I’m satisfied with the decisions we’ve made for our growing children, under the circumstances of being a ‘nomad couple’ with the Foreign Service.

Definitely, it’s worth a read – my favorite part, the original author’s [another mother/career/academic woman!] wrap-up comment: “I am not sure if I have been “parent tracked” but I do know that my family is important to me, and decisions about my or my husband’s professional lives will always take the well-being of our family and our marriage into account. We would not choose to have jobs that forced us apart, we want to remain close to our extended family if we can, and we want our children to have both of us present in their everyday lives. If that means that I make deliberate professional choices and pursue non-tenure-track or alternative-academic opportunities, I feel comfortable with that arrangement”…

Related articles

rglw's avatarrogue cheerios

My husband bought me Mama, PhD as a graduation gift. He thought I would appreciate the stories about “motherhood and academic life.”  In under a week, I tore through the anthology.  Divided into four sections, the editors captured women’s stories about “The Conversation” whether to start a family, “That Mommy Thing” that competes with more scholarly pursuits, how “Recovering Academic[s]” fare after becoming parents, and the “Momifesto” that women create for themselves to guide their own professional and personal lives.

I felt comforted to read memoirs of women’s lives as they described their worry in revealing their pregnancy to their advisory committee, the schlepping and physical challenges of being pregnant on a big college campus, the swell of support or the lack thereof from different significant others in their lives, and the realization that life would never be the same after becoming a mother.  Each vignette was short, and I…

View original post 950 more words

Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 26, ‘Companion’].

Venue: Nor Yungas, Bolivia

Weekend with friends at the Yungas Region

Inspired by this week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, we’re cruising though week 26, already back from a much deserved R&R with friends and family in the USA…

Leaving here the question: ‘what’s life without good companionship?’ 😮

Enjoy as you please, and thanks for stopping by! ♥

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

 

Ready for the Scottish Wedding!

During our family’s recent R&R in the USA [gotta take a break from work, right? :o], the 5 of us attended one of my husband’s lifelong friend’s wedding in Virginia. Kids were welcome to the celebration [with great baby-sitters on-site/on duty during the ceremony, so grown-ups could really appreciate the traditional wedding events!] and definitely helped us celebrate in style – I guess our kids have become fast learners when it comes to errrr – party! ♥

As one of the groomsmen, husband was looking pretty sharp in the full Scottish kilt gear, I’d say, and well fulfilled his duties…

Modern Scottish wedding traditions are far more relaxed than they were in the olden days, but even today remnants of the ancient traditions still linger – making Scottish weddings the festive and joyous occasions that they are!

Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 25, The Kallawaya Ceremony].

Inspired by last week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, this set of photos represent the begining of winter in Bolivia, and all the Celebrations associated with that.

The Kallawaya have been well known as traditional healers and medicine men for centuries, and come from the Cordillera Apolobamba near Charazani in the north of La Paz department.

Kal3

Inspired by last week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, this set of photos represent the begining of winter in Bolivia, and all the Celebrations associated with that.

The Kallawaya have been well known as traditional healers and medicine men for centuries, and come from the Cordillera Apolobamba near Charazani in the north of La Paz department.

 The Kallawaya culture dates from the Pre-Inca period. It originated in the Charazani region (and surroundings of Curva, Chajaya, Inka, Chari, etc.), located in the northern part of the department of La Paz.

This practice is currently carried out itinerantly using plants, animals, minerals, etc., and is part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage recognized by UNESCO.

The Kallawaya speak Quechua, Aymara, Spanish and and their own language where kallawaya means “initiate“.

 Their magical and medicinal lore is passed down from one generation to the next, and their therapies are based on rituals, ceremonies, massages, potions, etc., that are used in order to prevent, treat or cure physical or psychic ailments.

The kallawaya have a special Weltanschauung, so their psychotherapy works in three dimensions: symbolic, spiritual and animist. The latter awaits the return of the Ajayu (the soul or element that generates life).

Enjoy as you please, and thanks for stopping by! ♥ Original inspiration here ♥

Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 21, ‘Background and Foreground’].

Inspired by this week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, we’re cruising though week 21, the last one before our family goes back to the USA for a much well-deserved R&R… The chosen spot for our last weekend of May was the intriguing scenario of the Yungas, and these background and foreground images here bring out a bit of the unique beauty of the Cotapata Park. Enjoy as you please, and thanks for stopping by and riding with us! ♥

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Inspired by this week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, we’re cruising though week 21, the last one before our family goes back to the USA for a much well-deserved R&R… The chosen spot for our last weekend of May was the intriguing scenario of the Yungas, and these background and foreground images here bring out a bit of the unique beauty of the Cotapata Park. Enjoy as you please, and thanks for stopping by and riding with us! ♥

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

From WordPress: “I’m looking forward to seeing you all but disappear into the moments you capture. – Pick”

Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 20, ‘Escape’ – Zip-Lining in the world’s most dangerous road].

According to Cheri Lucas, “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! 😮

world's most dangerous road

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! 😮

Go Zip-lining at the Yungas!

 

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! ♥

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Cycling the World’s Most Dangerous Road!

Gravity Bolivia Mountain Biking

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!

Gravity BoliviaSome 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 😮

TGravity Bolivia Mountain Bikinghis 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.

WMDR

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

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

Zip Lining in Coroico

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Between Us: An Open Letter to the Disney Channel

Simone's avatarLife Inspired

No More Disney Channel copy

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.

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Photo Journal: Learning English Through Music

Brian giving a banjo lesson during our "Learning English Through Music" class for Bolivian teenagers today.
 
Brian giving a banjo lesson during a recent “Learning English Through Music” class for Bolivian teenagers, in El Alto, La Paz.
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What’s up with 1,337?

 

ImageSo, 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!] ❤

Pictorial Journal: Visit to the Concha y Toro Winery, Chile.

Concha y Toro

Escape to the neighboring Santiago…

Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 14, ‘Color’]

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 colorful images, from recent visit to Viña del Mar, Valparaiso and the Concha y Toro Winery, located in Pirque, a few of the many scenarios spotted during our family trip to Chile. Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥

DSC_8096Just 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 colorful images, from recent visit to Viña del Mar, Valparaiso and the Concha y Toro Winery, located in Pirque, a few of the many scenarios spotted during our family trip to Chile.

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

GREEN AND DELICIOUS BURGUNDY! 😮

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ALL BURGUNDY… AND EXQUISITE! 😮

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  THE COLORS OF HAPPINESS & FRIENDSHIP!

Classic Travel Family Photo: everyone exhausted, but happy! 😮
kids just being kids!
city mural
city mural

Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 13, ‘A day in Valparaiso, Chile’]

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.

boardwalk
overview of the city
city mural
city mural
Paseo Mirador
kids just being kids!
Classic Travel Family Photo: everyone exhausted, but happy! 😮
Colorful Valparaiso
hotel, by the boardwalk
family going up on the Ascensor Concepcion
A quick stop to eat, before the walking and sightseeing continue! 😮
Entrance to the Ascensor
Detail from downtown Valparaiso

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:

Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 12, ‘Future Tense’]

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.

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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:

 

Snapshots of Artistic Expressions in La Paz. Part III: Mujeres Artistas.

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, 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! ♥

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! ♥

563279_10151470777444861_1451982059_nSpanish: 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.

Con un total de 40 obras realizadas en diferentes formatos, técnicas y con una amplia variedad de temática, esta muestra estará abierta al público paceño hasta el 22 de marzo.

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Raising children in the Foreign Service – a brief talk about diversity.

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.

Screen shot 2013-03-03 at 6.53.28 PMOriginally published as a Letter to Editors [The Foreign Service Journal, March 2013].

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!

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The peaceful surroundings of La Paz: Mallasa through photography.

 

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.

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Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 6, ‘Home’].

Home is anywhere where one is able to share the joy of being alive, being its own person… Home is where we share, where we teach in exchange of learning… home is where we feel safe, surrounded by trustworthy friends… Home is the place where we share love…for a nomad like myself, trying to answer the question: “where is home” has a very unique response, because it’s a challenge to define ‘home’ for ‘serial expats’… Very personally, home is the place I feel free to be myself, and share all my passions! 😮

The ‘photographers’… 😮
Go on a boat trip along the waters of Lake Titicaca
Join a ‘greening initiative’ for a weekend of activities

For this week’s photo challenge, we’re all trying to answer the question:  ‘What is home?’ Some amazing bloggers have already done it! 

What about you? ♥

Home is anywhere where one is able to share the joy of being alive, being its own person… Home is where we share, where we teach in exchange of learning… home is where we feel safe, surrounded by trustworthy friends… Home is the place where we share love…for a nomad like myself, trying to answer the question: “where is home” has a very unique response, because it’s a challenge to define ‘home’ for ‘serial expats’… Very personally, home is the place I feel free to be myself, and share all my passions! 😮

Previous Posts from the Project “52 Bolivian Sundays”: 😮

  1. Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 2, ‘Illumination’].
  2. Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 3, ‘Beyond’]
  3. Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 1, ‘Resolved’].
  4. Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 5, ‘Unique’]: the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real.
  5. Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 4, ‘Love’].

 

Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 5, ‘Unique’]: the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real.

At 6,438 m (21,122 ft), mount Illimani is the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real, the second highest in Bolivia and the 18th highest in the Andes.
It lies just south of La Paz at the eastern edge of the Altiplano.
It dominates the city of La Paz like a sentinel on guard.
It has three prominent peaks seen from La Paz (it actually has several peaks over 6000 meters) and the most commonly climbed route is on the west face.
To climb this mountain one should have some experience and be very well acclimatized. It’s recommended to spend at least 7 days above 3000 meters and work on some high altitude trekking or climbed another 5500 meter plus peak.
Here, the magnificent peak, waiting for a storm to come… Despite the frightful image, the mountain remains peaceful among the dark clouds…

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At 6,438 m (21,122 ft), mount Illimani is the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real, the second highest in Bolivia and the 18th highest in the Andes.

Illimani

It lies just south of La Paz at the eastern edge of the Altiplano, dominating the city of La Paz like a sentinel on guard.

Illimani

It has three prominent peaks seen from La Paz  (it actually has several peaks over 6000 meters) and the most commonly climbed route is on the west face. To climb this mountain one should have some experience and be very well acclimatized. It’s recommended to spend at least 7 days above 3000 meters and work on some high altitude trekking, before any attempt! 

Illimani

Here, this series of images display the snow capped magnificent peak, waiting for a storm to come…a very common scenario during this time of the year… Despite the frightful image, the mountain remains peaceful among the dark clouds…

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…and after the storm has passed – the calming view of the mountain, once we’re safely back home, in La Paz! 

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♥ Thanks for reading! Curious about the previous posts on this Photo Project?

For this week’s photo challenge, and as part of the ongoing Photo Project, ’52 Bolivian Sundays’, I’m wrapping this post up, leaving the question:  ‘What is unique?’ Some amazing bloggers have already done it! 

Photography: Isla del Sol, Bolivia.

Trying a different thing here! Before you begin reading, let’s try this: I hope you’ll enjoy this post — please let me know your thoughts by dropping me a comment below – obviously, after checking all these beautiful images out! ♥ Thank you! This is the third post of a series on our visit to the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca. The previous posts focused on people and our perception of their lives, as well as our ‘on-foot exploration’ of the Copacabana town [missed the great images? No problem! Just hop over to the posts using these links: stop 1 & stop 2!]

From our home, La Paz, to the town of Copacabana, we drove some 172 kilometers, route including a ride on a Ferry Boat! Once in town, we took a 2-hour boat, packed with tourists, families, kids, to the mystic Isla del Sol, for an exciting and exhausting challenging (!!) 3 hour hike through the rocky mountains, towards the pre-Inca ruins, the Sacred Inca Labyrinth, and a well deserved stop at the intriguing ‘floating islands’ [islas flotantes], artificially established fish farms, restaurants & rest areas, for some delicious trout lunch! 😮

According to Wikitravel, “Isla del Sol (“Island of the Sun”) is the largest island on Lake Titicaca, and part of Bolivian territory. An ancient holy site of the Inca, it’s easily reachable from Copacabana”. Considering I love to search for meanings, reasons, traditional explanations, I really loved to learn that, “the Inca [people] legend says that Viracocha, the bearded god who created the universe, emerged from the waters of Lake Titicaca and created the sun at this location”… How can something get any cooler than this?

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Trying an unusual blogging experience here!

I hope you’ll enjoy this post. Before you begin reading, let’s try this: “what do you expect to see through this post? What type of images come to your mind when you read ‘Isla del Sol’? ‘Bolivia’? — please let me know your thoughts by dropping me a comment below: did the results live up to your expectations? – obviously, share your thoughts after checking all these beautiful images out! ♥ Thank you!

This is the third post of a series on our visit to the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca. The previous posts focused on people and our perception of their lives, as well as our ‘on-foot exploration’ of the Copacabana town [missed the great images? No problem! Just hop over to the posts using these links: stop 1 & stop 2!]

From our home, La Paz, to the town of Copacabana, we drove some 172 kilometers, route including a ride on a Ferry Boat! Once in town, we took a 2-hour boat, packed with tourists, families, kids, to the mystic Isla del Sol, for an exciting and exhausting challenging (!!) 3 hour hike through the rocky mountains, towards the pre-Inca ruins, the Sacred Inca Labyrinth, and a well deserved stop at the intriguing ‘floating islands’ [islas flotantes], artificially established fish farms, restaurants & rest areas, for some delicious trout lunch! 😮

According to Wikitravel, “Isla del Sol (“Island of the Sun“) is the largest island on Lake Titicaca, and part of Bolivian territory. An ancient holy site of the Inca, it’s easily reachable from Copacabana“. Considering I love to search for meanings, reasons, traditional explanations, I really loved to learn that, “the Inca [people] legend says that Viracocha, the bearded god who created the universe, emerged from the waters of Lake Titicaca and created the sun at this location”… How can something get any cooler than this? 😮 That said, we’ve been to the place where it all began… or at least, the spot where the Sun was created! ♥

Lovely, right? And the images are a testimony of that… take a look and enjoy this journey with our traveling family!

The boat ride to the Isla del Sol… 

Take weekend trips with other families with kids -it’s a life-saver!
Largest freshwater lake in South America

…and snapshots of the floating islands and the fish [trout] farms!

The floating restaurant
The floating restaurant
Detail from the trout farm
The fish farm
The floating restaurant
view from the floating restaurant

Learning a bit about the island and its features:

A full-day tour took two hours to get from Copacabana to Cha’llapampa, two and a half hours to see the museum and make a round trip hike to the Rock of the Puma, and back to the Inca Steps and two hours for the ride back to Copacabana.

It’s possible to hike from the Rock of the Puma back to Yumani (three hours) and catch the boat from there. Our family just could not do this, and we skipped the extra 3-hour hike, due to exhausted kids… But, our adventure was well-worthy:

  • Cha’llapampa, the town on the northern end of the island, is where the boat lets you off. The Gold Museum (Museo de Oro) displays Inca treasures which were discovered underwater off the island in the last decade.
  • The sights on the northern tip are ancient Inca sacred sites. The Rock of the Puma, or Titi Kharka, after which the lake is named.
  • A short distance from the rock is the Inca Table, a low platform fashioned of stone. which was supposedly used for human sacrifices. The Footsteps of the Sun nearby are a set of natural impressions in rock.
  • From Yumani on the southern part of the island, the Inca Steps descend down to the water. At the bottom is the Fountain of Youth.

Finally, once at the island, our hiking adventure through mysticism, tradition & culture!

The Table of Sacrifices
Pre-Inca Ruins
View from the top of the mountain
Entering the Sacred Labyrinth
Pre-Inca Ruins
Aerial view from the villa
Blessing the hikers
Sacred Labyrinth
The Sacred Labyrinth
Sacred Labyrinth
Immerse into the local culture and traditions
The youngest hiker

Photo Journal: Cultural trip to Copacabana, Bolivia.

This is the second post of a series on the city of Copacabana, the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca.

Our path towards a very restful weekend. Bags packed, kids packed, car tank full. Let’s begin! ♥
Our ‘home away from home’, Hotel Rosario do Lago Titicaca, a welcome respite in this funky beach town …. heavenly views, spacious rooms very tastefully decorated, modern and spacious bath, comfortable and beautiful beds. Food is fantastic with beautiful views overlooking lake and lovely gardens…


from La Paz to Copacabana

Typical lady from Copacabana. Photo taken in front of the Basilica of the Virgin of Copacabana, Jan 2013.
Typical lady of Copacabana, selling bread in front of the church. Photo taken at the Basilica of the Virgin of Copacabana

This is the second post of a series on the city of Copacabana, the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca.

The previous post focused more on people and our perception of their lives, the image on the right should give a pretty good first impression of what we found during our visit [if curious, hop over to the post using this link!]

Our path towards a very restful weekend. Bags packed, kids packed, car tank full. Let’s begin! ♥

172 kilometers to drive, route including a Ferry!

Leaving La Paz was a breeze! Not the heavy traffic we expected throughout El Alto, and as a bonus, some very interesting buildings along the way – see below!

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Our kids simply loved their ‘new way of moving’ along the Lake!

 

Our ‘home away from home’, Hotel Rosario do Lago Titicaca, a welcome respite in this funky beach town …. heavenly views, spacious rooms very tastefully decorated, modern and spacious bath, comfortable and beautiful beds. Food is fantastic with beautiful views overlooking lake and lovely gardens… Here is what we spotted from our hotel, while enjoying a cup of coffee [me] or a chilled beer [husband] – the magnificent Lake Titicaca:

hotel rosario del lago       Screen shot 2013-01-28 at 2.28.06 PM

 

The city was completely ready for pilgrims and tourists coming from all sorts of places. People seeking blessings, people honoring promises, people of faith and tourists. The colorful city of Copacabana had a special place for each and every one of them!

 

The street markets were a sure hotspot for visitors! Clothing articles, leather-made products, typical food, ‘the famous tostadas’ were among the offers!

 

Hiking options were also available to all, and again, the reasons varied with the will: adventure, faith, curiosity, photography… you name it! The views from up top the Calvary Hill are definitely priceless, and made us forget the difficulties climbing up through the 14 Stations [of the Cross] with a bunch of little kids!

Detail from one of the “Stations of the Cross”
The beginning of the hike along the Calvary Hill
The little members of our family’s hiking team – our kids!
Detail: hiking and adventure see no boundaries… no age is too young!
The city of Copacabana, spotted from our hiking mid-point
Entrance to the “Calvary”
…and more kids along the way!
Moms & Kids, resting at mid-point.
Our youngest member of the hiking team: a 2-yr-old girl”
Detail from another one of the 14 Stations of the Cross

 

Once at the top of the Calvary Hill, we were introduced to the popular Alasitas! Miniatures representing a wish. It could be a house, a job, a diploma, a car…even money! [they actually had miniature copies of dollar bills!]

 

People would buy their ‘product of desire’ and have it blessed by a priest [at the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana] or by a native yakiri… Some people chose both options, why not? 😮

 

At the top of the Calvary Hill, it was time to enjoy the magnificent natural beauty around us: the Lake seemed endless, powerful, and yet, soothing. The deep blue colors from the waters mirrored the blue ceiling the sky was offering to all the ones brave enough to accomplish the walk up… ♥

 

After all this, were we tired? For a bit, we were, for sure. But we found enough energy to keep moving on, and exploring… an island! The Isla del Sol [Sun Island], a 2-hour boat ride away from Copacabana, with occasional stops at the ‘floating islands‘… But this will be part of an upcoming post… For now, just get back to the images, enjoy them, and if you wish, let us know what you think! 😮 Thanks for tagging along with our ‘traveling family of 5′!’

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[Spanish] Copacabana, región encantadora a orillas del Lago Titikaka, está situada a una altura de 3.841 m.s.n.m, y a una distancia de 155 km la ciudad de La Paz, que es la sede de Gobierno de Bolivia y la ciudad más importante del país.
El recorrido desde La Paz toma aproximadamente 3 horas y media por carretera asfaltada. Copacabana, casi es un paso obligatorio entre Cusco (Perú) y la ciudad de La Paz. 
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Willing to travel? Check out this suggestion on cheap tickets from Flighthub!

Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 4, ‘Love’].

A traditional expression of love, for something bigger than oneself…

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Religion, devotion, faith, Love – many names for the several different ways of approaching what’s believed to be a stronger, powerful protective force… People seeking blessings, seeking help, seeking guidance…

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Cerro Calvario (Calvary Hill) is a hill in Copacabana lined with small monuments representing the 14 Stations of the Cross. Pilgrims visit the Stations for prayer and penance. Thousands of pilgrims journey to Copacabana – some on foot for the entire 158km distance from La Paz, and it’s the chosen inspiration for the fourth week of this 52-week Photo Project, and the last Sunday of January 2013.

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At the summit of Cerro Calvario, pilgrims light incense and buy mini replicas of various material possessions that they hope the Virgin will grant them during the year.

The Virgen de la Candelaria in Copacabana is a statue of the Virgin Mary sculpted by an Inca craftsman in 1576. Believed to work miracles, the statue of the “Dark Virgin of the Lake” is the most important pilgrimage destination in Bolivia.

According to a local legend, in 1576, some Inca fishermen were caught in a terrible storm on Lake Titicaca. As they prayed for help, the Virgin Mary appeared and led them to safety.

A traditional expression of love, for something bigger than oneself…

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For this week’s photo challenge, we’re all trying to answer the question:  ‘What is love?’ Some amazing bloggers have already done it! What about you? ♥

Photo Essay: People and Feelings of Copacabana, Bolivia.

This is the first post of a series on the city of Copacabana, the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It’s an amateur attempt to capture more than just images, landscapes and hotspots from the enormous Lake Titicaca and its surroundings – it’s an experiment to enter people’s lives and understand their feelings… That’s why it’s being called ‘People and Feelings of Copacabana’.

Typical lady from Copacabana. Photo taken in front of the Basilica of the Virgin of Copacabana, Jan 2013.
Typical lady of Copacabana, selling bread in front of the church. Photo taken at the Basilica of the Virgin of Copacabana patio, where she patiently waited for the Mass to end…

 

This is the first post of a series on the city of Copacabana, the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It’s an amateur attempt to capture more than just images, landscapes and hotspots from the enormous Lake Titicaca and its surroundings – it’s an experiment to enter people’s lives and understand their feelings… That’s why it’s being called ‘People and Feelings of Copacabana‘.

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[Spanish] Copacabana, región encantadora a orillas del Lago Titikaka, está situada a una altura de 3.841 m.s.n.m, y a una distancia de 155 km la ciudad de La Paz, que es la sede de Gobierno de Bolivia y la ciudad más importante del país. El recorrido desde La Paz toma aproximadamente 3 horas y media por carretera asfaltada. Copacabana, casi es un paso obligatorio entre Cusco (Perú) y la ciudad de La Paz. 

Religion, devotion, faith – many names for the several different ways of approaching what’s believed to be a stronger, powerful protective force… People seeking blessings, seeking help, seeking guidance…

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IMG_5669

The town has a large 16th-century shrine, the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana. Our Lady of Copacabana is the patron saint of Bolivia. As part of our trip, we also visited the Isla del Sol, and appreciated the long and heartwarming hike through the rocky paths, up to the pre-Inca ruins – sensations and feelings, were everywhere…

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More still to come on our recent family 4-day road trip, but for now, let’s begin with these very personal and intimate photo shots… Hope you are all able to perceive the same sensations we got… ♥ Let us know!

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Snapshots of Artistic Expressions. A visit to the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo in La Paz.

Art galleries in La Paz have been springing up like cactus flowers after the rains.

Many are within an easy walk from one another. Is there a better way for getting to know the beauties (and resources) this colorful city offers?

Now, that I’m comfortable enough to walk around the city, I’ve begun a series of posts about art in the city, this one being the result of an afternoon visit to a current Art Exhibit at the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo ‘Plaza’, in La Paz. Oh, the temporary advantages of being a ‘stay-home-mom’! ♥

Got some free time to explore, what about nicely educating yourself on the country’s history, art and endless man-made beauty? I’ve got, and I’m slowly educating myself… through art and history! 😮

IMG_5563

Art galleries in La Paz have been springing up like cactus flowers after the rains.

Many are within an easy walk from one another. Is there a better way for getting to know the beauties (and resources) this colorful city offers?

Now, that I’m comfortable enough to walk around the city, I’ve begun a series of posts about art in the city, this one being the result of an afternoon visit to a current Art Exhibit at the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo ‘Plaza’, in La Paz.  Oh, the temporary advantages of being a ‘stay-home-mom’! ♥

Got some free time to explore, what about nicely educating yourself on the country’s history, art and endless man-made beauty? I’ve got, and I’m slowly educating myself... through art and history! 😮

[All images provided here were taken by me – with permission].

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Still curious for more?

Find below a list of gallery websites, and/or related resources:

Bolivian Painter Claudia Soria
Online gallery of paintings by Bolivian painter Claudia Soria.

Bolivian Painter Emma Rosario Imana de Murguia
Biography of the artist and some art work samples (Italian).

El Retorno de los Angeles
Amazing online exhibition of Bolivian baroque paintings (angels, archangels, virgins and saints).

Galería de Arte y Cultura de Bolivia
Art and culture gallery. Paintings, masks, enbroideries, books, and videos for sale.

Jorge Crespo Berdecio
Artist in metal work, serigraphy, xilography, and lithography.

Jorge Hurtado’s Fine Art Gallery
Works in fine arts, illustration, and graphic design. Nice site.

Mamani Mamani
Collection paintings catalogued by theme: mothers, flowers, archangels, birds among others.

Marcelo Videa – Surrealismo Apechurrado
Surrealist art. Paintings, drawings, sculptures, and ceramic.

Orlando Arias Morales
Creative ecstasy in the works of Bolivian painter Orlando Arias Morales. Portfolio.

Paula Lopez – Art Gallery
Resume, exhibitions and pictures.

Pedro Portugal
Bolivian artist. Paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and murals.

Sanjines Art 
Website for Bolivian Artist and Photographer Marcelo Sanjines.

Taipinquiri
Culture, architecture, and arts center. Paintings, sculptures and books.

Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 2, ‘Illumination’]

Today, for the second Sunday of 2013, the chosen photo is inspired by the weekly photo challenge, “Illumination”, and is a little remembrance of the way the city of Nuestra Señora de La Paz greeted the New Year of 2013… Illumination brings rebirth, reinvention.

“Lights are functional — everyday objects in our rooms and on our streets. Yet lights can be powerful symbols: signs of life, curiosity, and discovery…”

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Today, for the second Sunday of 2013, the chosen photo is inspired by the weekly photo challenge, “Illumination“, and is a little remembrance of the way the city of Nuestra Señora de La Paz greeted the New Year of 2013… Illumination brings rebirth, reinvention, rejoice!

 “Lights are functional — everyday objects in our rooms and on our streets. Yet lights can be powerful symbols: signs of life, curiosity, and discovery…”

Original post from Photo Project:

“You’ve been Freshly Pressed… Again!”

freshly pressed

I’ve been blogging for exactly 22 months [the first post went live on March 11, 2011, about the Largest Street Carnaval in Brazil – and apparently, it didn’t take long to be picked up by Pop Pressed‘s radar, on March 2011. Link here for full post]. 

But it’s always nice to get that sweet email from the WordPress editors… Especially, for the second time.. what are the odds? 😮 Thank you all for reading! ♥

A bit of Math here [and my former Algebra students who thought they were free from this!]: The chances of being Freshly Pressed are, on any given day, about 12 per million. Well, considering that just happened for the second time, it brings the odds to… 1 in 6,400,000,000

Maybe I should move on to playing the lottery?!

Curious about the ‘map it out post’? HERE it is! 

It’s [Girls Scout] Cookie time! [Sharing information from The Dinoia Family]

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Image Credit: http://girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies/meet_the_cookies.asp

This community we’re part of [Foreign Service] is all about networking and sharing… sharing information, advice, comments, experiences… In sharing, we all become stronger, and able to keep moving forward! 😮 That said, I’m now sharing some information learned from The Dinoia Family‘s Blog, about this year’s Girls Scout Cookies Initiative, involving a couple of other very active ladies [and their daughters!] from the FS community – definitely, a great one! And I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be sharing their initiative and efforts! 😮

Quoted from The Dinoia Family’s blog:

“Yep…it’s cookie time!

Girl Scout cookies are back and we are on those orders!  In fact, this year, we are working together with Jill and Riley to spread the cookie goodness far and wide throughout the Foreign Service.  We have made it terribly easy to enjoy those once-a-year treats that you buy en masse because they are so darn yummy (and ship well!).

To make it easy, I have copied the “how to” from Jill’s blog.  Follow these simple instructions and you, too, could be enjoying those cookies very soon!  And now…Spanish homework is calling again…

Want cookies?  Read the excerpt from Jill’s post below and just follow the instructions!

First and foremost, we don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, so our joint efforts are focused on providing Girl Scout Cookies solely to our Foreign Service friends overseas, where we can ship to an APO/FPO/DPO or pouch address.  If you are our family members or personal friends and want to buy from us rather than from the little girlies who are SURE to knock on your door sometime in the next few months, that’s great too.  But we’ll take care of you outside of this joint venture.
Just like the last few years, the cookies are only $4 / box … with all your favorites returning!
  • Thin Mints
  • Samoas
  • Thank You Berry Munch
  • Trefoils
  • Dulce de Leche
  • Tagalongs
  • Do-Si-Dos
  • Savannah Smiles
Here’s how to order:
1) Attempt to narrow down how many boxes you want (versus how many boxes your eyes and stomach want.)
2) Send an email to DSforGS@yahoo.com by Friday, January 18th, with …
* Your Name
* Your Post
* Your Address
* Exactly how many of each kind you’d like
3) When the cookies come in, send us your payment via paypal, and we’ll get them out to you ASAP.  We’ll send you an email invoice letting you know your totals.
It’s THAT simple.
We will be shipping the cookies in the USPS Flat Rate boxes. The current APO/FPO rate is $13.45 for a 12″ x 12″ x 5 1/2″ box … and we can fit 8 boxes of cookies in them.  And as an incentive … you pay the first $10 / box, and we’ll pick up the rest!
A wee bit of additional information  …
** If you are at a post overseas, pass along this information to any of your friends.  We would LOVE to outfit your entire Consulate or Embassy.
** Consider combining orders with your friends to help reduce shipping costs.
** Between the two families, our girls sold over 1100 boxes of cookies to 50+ countries during the last two years to FS personnel.
** We set up the DSforGS@yahoo.com email address so that we could make it easy to get more cookies shipped out to more places.  If you know either of us personally and want our daughters to send out your cookies – no worries.  Just say so in your email.  Otherwise, we have divided up the world behind the scenes so that all you need to do is send in your order, and let us take care of the rest!
Now what are you waiting for?  Happy ordering!”
Please hop back to Jen Dinoia‘s blog for more information! Thank you!♥

 

{Weekly Writing Challenge} Map it out!

[Backstory, inspiration from WP] “As bloggers, we scan through photos and descriptive tales from our fellow writers who share their travels with us… Maps symbolize the places we’ve been, the places we want to go, and the places we’ll end up, even if we don’t know it yet… ”

That said, I’m taking up on the challenge, and ‘mapping out’ the places in my life. Just the important, ‘life event’ moves. A couple years back when I began blogging, I decided to name this blog, representing/expressing what my [now 3] kids are: the product of their mom’s and dad’s hybrid/joined cultures. Moving is part of our lives, and was part of mine way before met the so-called husband. Maps are a frequent guest at my posts, and this time, responding to the challenge, I’m ‘mapping out my life’, the moves I’ve endured as a nomad child back in Brazil, the ones leading me to a new path as an expat, mother and ‘trailing spouse’… ♥

Moving as an expat…

[Backstory, inspiration from WP] “As bloggers, we scan through photos and descriptive tales from our fellow writers who share their travels with us… Maps symbolize the places we’ve been, the places we want to go, and the places we’ll end up, even if we don’t know it yet…”

That said, I’m taking up on the challenge, and ‘mapping out’ the places in my life. Just the important, ‘life event’ moves. A couple years back when I began blogging, I decided to name this blog, representing/expressing what my [now 3] kids are: the product of their mom’s and dad’s hybrid/joined cultures. Moving is part of our lives, and was part of mine way before meeting the so-called ‘best-half’. Maps are a frequent guest at my posts, and this time, responding to the challenge, I’m ‘mapping out my life’, the moves I’ve endured as a nomad child back in Brazil, the ones leading me to a new path as an expat, mother and ‘trailing spouse‘… ♥

The beginning: ‘this child is born’, in a small Japanese colony, in Southeastern Brazil:

Itaguaí, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Itaguaí, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The original family moves to the nation’s capital, for a fantastic couple of decades of friendships, schooling, learning, growing, language, cultural and life experiences:

Professional opportunities keep leading that grown child to keep moving up… and North!

Life presents itself in very strange ways... and sometimes, love, personal life & work seem to agree with each other… a few fortunate moments, that one must take advantage of… and move on! Again, keep moving up… and North! The new home, now officially an expat, the “D” city indicated by the map – working as a foreign research fellow, in Davis, CA.

One day, we all come to the realization that it’s necessary to say ‘YES’ to a lifetime commitment… and so I did! And the acceptance brought me to a new address, some 2,800 miles away, to new work opportunities, to a new life as a spouse:

What happens when a ‘nomad child’ marries another ‘nomad spirit’?

Well, they move, together with their first ‘world citizen‘! This time, as a ‘trailing spouse’ and a mom, I’m going back South… to Southern Africa…

It came time to welcome our second child… so then we moved to a neighboring country, for a little while…

We were done with our work in Africa, and had to return to our original home. Back in Washington DC, before heading out to our next adventure… From “A” to “B”, landing in “C”, and welcoming our third child into the world [of traveling!]:

But since we’ve got ‘itchy souls‘, common to world travelers, we may not stop… We’re always moving, and as a result of work, lifestyle and adventurous minds, we find ourselves in a different place, the beautiful country of Bolivia… for now! 😮 Thanks for following us, and… what about you? What is YOUR JOURNEY? Feel free to leave a link at the comments section for others to ‘live thru your experiences’!! 😮

Related: Writing Challenge: Map It | Fi’s Mutterings & Mumblings

Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 1, ‘Resolved’].

Well, this is the time to come up with New Year Resolutions. I’m no different than many others, and since once of my resolutions is to get better at photoblogging, I’ve resolved to do something.

Just created a project for 2013, which I’m calling ’52 Bolivian Sundays’. And why? Well, it’s a simple way to share my visual impressions about my surroundings, throughout this year… and considering our family still has a year and half here, it’s safe to bet on the 52 weeks.Today, the first Sunday of 2013, the opening photo is inspired by the weekly photo challenged, “Resolved”.

52 images of natural landscapes, people, culture, food, tradition, daily life, social events, artistic expressions… you name it! But each and every one of them need to represent the place we’re now calling home, the beautiful country of Bolivia! ♥

My first resolution for the year: getting out and exploring the country. We haven’t done a lot of traveling in these past 5 months here, but now it’s time to explore… and find out what’s hiding behind these mountains…

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Well, this is the time to come up with New Year Resolutions. I’m no different than many others, and since once of my resolutions is to get better at photoblogging, I’ve resolved to do something.

My resolution? Trying to blog better, more consistently… this year, I’ll see if I can abide by a weekly schedule… with at least a post a week for 2013, which I’m calling “52 Bolivian Sundays”, my plan to share my [photo] impressions about our surroundings, the culture we’re currently calling ‘ours’, the place we’ll call home for the next year and a half… Hopefully, I’ll stick to the plan, and have a photo post out every Sunday… 52 images of natural landscapes, people, culture, food, tradition, daily life, social events, artistic expressions… you name it! But each and every one of them need to represent the place we’re now calling home, the beautiful country of Bolivia! ♥

Today, the first Sunday of 2013, the opening photo is inspired by the weekly photo challenge, “Resolved“. My first resolution for the year: getting out [more] and exploring the country. We haven’t done a lot of traveling in these past 5 months here, but now it’s time to explore… and find out what’s hiding behind these mountains… or, what lies beyond these clouds… 😮

Related articles

Snapshots of Artistic Expressions in La Paz. Part I: Paintings.

Art galleries in La Paz have been springing up like cactus flowers after the rains. Many are within an easy walk from one another. Is there a better way for getting to know the beauties (and resources) this colorful city offers? Now, that La Paz is our home, and I’m comfortable enough to walk around the city, I’ve begun a series of posts about art in La Paz, this initial one bringing up a list of resources for other visitors/expats, life myself. Got some free time to explore, what about nicely educating yourself on the country’s history, art and endless man-made beauty? That’s what I’m doing! 😮

Quenua Tree [oil on canvas]

My most recent creation, showcasing the love affair with a unique tree – the Andean Queñoa, from my front yard!
Like many others, I need color in my life. A few years back, I discovered a good way to cope with the intense life of the foreign service, moving every so often, and raising kids along the way – through artistic expressions. We’ve been at our new posting for a little over 2 months, and I’m getting back together with my passion: painting. I’ve been learning, touring galleries, listening to stories…

Art galleries in La Paz have been springing up like cactus flowers after the rains. Many are within an easy walk from one another. Is there a better way for getting to know the beauties (and resources) this colorful city offers? Now, that La Paz is our home, and I’m comfortable enough to walk around the city, I’ve begun a series of posts about art in La Paz, this initial one is about ‘Painting’, bringing up a list of resources for other visitors/expats, like myself. Also, this month I’ll resume my painting classes – something I’d stopped while back in Brazil when  my baby girl was born (2010). Here in La Paz I already got one canvas out, but still feel the enormous need to improve my skills, and learn more techniques… Oh, the temporary advantages of being a ‘stay-home-mom’! Got some free time to explore, what about nicely educating yourself on the country’s history, art and endless man-made beauty? I’ve got, and I’m slowly educating myself... through art and history! 😮

[All images provided here were taken by me – with permission – at different art galleries throughout the neighborhood of San Miguel, La Paz].

Feeling very proud of my 'creations', right now...
Here, 3 of my “creations”…

Find below a list of gallery websites, and/or related resources:

Bolivian Painter Claudia Soria
Online gallery of paintings by Bolivian painter Claudia Soria.

Bolivian Painter Emma Rosario Imana de Murguia
Biography of the artist and some art work samples (Italian).

El Retorno de los Angeles
Amazing online exhibition of Bolivian baroque paintings (angels, archangels, virgins and saints).

Galería de Arte y Cultura de Bolivia
Art and culture gallery. Paintings, masks, enbroideries, books, and videos for sale.

Jorge Crespo Berdecio
Artist in metal work, serigraphy, xilography, and lithography.

Jorge Hurtado’s Fine Art Gallery
Works in fine arts, illustration, and graphic design. Nice site.

Mamani Mamani
Collection paintings catalogued by theme: mothers, flowers, archangels, birds among others.

Marcelo Videa – Surrealismo Apechurrado
Surrealist art. Paintings, drawings, sculptures, and ceramic.

Orlando Arias Morales
Creative ecstasy in the works of Bolivian painter Orlando Arias Morales. Portfolio.

Paula Lopez – Art Gallery
Resume, exhibitions and pictures.

Pedro Portugal
Bolivian artist. Paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and murals.

Sanjines Art 
Website for Bolivian Artist and Photographer Marcelo Sanjines.

Taipinquiri
Culture, architecture, and arts center. Paintings, sculptures and books.

2012 in review, according to the WordPress stats helper monkeys…

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt:

19,000 people fit into the new Barclays Center to see Jay-Z perform. This blog was viewed about 68,000 times in 2012. If it were a concert at the Barclays Center, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

A look back at 2012: why people came to this blog? At the end, we’re all stats junkies!

2012 will be over in a couple of days!

A very intense year, in many levels, scenarios… Our family moved several times throughout the year… we got to live in 3 different countries [Brazil, USA, Bolivia}, lived out of suitcases for a long time; kids had to say goodbye to their dear friends, and say ‘hello’ to the ones becoming their new friends and teachers, adjusting to a new school, new cultures, and now, we’re happily settled in Nuestra Señora de La Paz, capital of Bolivia…

Image Credit: http://blog.hubspot.com
Image Credit: http://blog.hubspot.com

2012 will be over in a couple of days!

A very intense year, in many levels, scenarios… Our family moved several times throughout the year… we got to live in 3 different countries [Brazil, USA, Bolivia}, lived out of suitcases for a long time; kids had to say goodbye to their dear friends, and say ‘hello‘ to the ones becoming their new friends and teachers, adjusting to a new school, new cultures, and now, we’re happily settled in Nuestra Señora de La Paz, capital of Bolivia…

Expat Blogs

At this moment, looking back at 2012, and preparing the ‘retrospective’: popular posts, interaction with other bloggers, popular searches/forums… good discussions… Good therapy, some may say – and I’m glad to agree 😮 – when it came to blogging, got a lot done this year, sharing our experiences, challenges regarding parenting, multilingual living, cultural adjustments… work… expatriate and family daily life…. So, why visitors, readers, commenters, came to this blog? Most of them are expatriates, like our own ‘nomad family’, some belong to the Foreign Service community, and are well familiar with the challenges faced by the 5 of us. Others, are parents, travelers, adventurers, looking for images, photos, tips about travel options, or simply… curious eyes in search of a good reading, or a funny/intriguing/amazing image from our travels and/or not-so-fantastic daily life!

Image Credit: http://www.seomoves.org
Image Credit: http://www.seomoves.org

Now, I find myself with some time after the Christmas holidays, and with a chance to pull together the ‘highs and lows’ of 2012, displaying my gratitude to the readers, commenter, frequent visitors, who always enrich this blogging journey! A big thank you to all!

For a ‘visual summary‘ of 2012, please hop over to this other post, especially crafted for WordPress‘s weekly photo challenge, the last one of 2012: A year through images!

For all the ‘fellow stats junkies’ out there [don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about! :o] here it is, this past year, through numbers… Who came in, looking for what, and the most popular posts… 

Top visitors {countries}: 

United States

Brazil

United Kingdom

Canada

India

Australia

Popular Posts/Articles

Highlights of 2011: Blogging one day at a time… Thank you for reading!

About us

UPDATED: “Moving is the 3rd most stressful life event”…

Why “3rd Culture Children”?

Scientific investigation during Carnaval 2012…

The Supermoon and Cinco de Mayo

2012 displayed an average of 246 blog comments/month, averaging 186 views a day.

Here are the ‘top commenters‘ [thank you for the very positive interaction!] 😮

journeyman1977 – Lucid Gypsy – colonialist – eof737 – fgassette – travelgardeneat 

And which ones were the most commented posts? The ones with the strongest human interaction? [Again, my deepest gratitude for all the feedback received!]

Post/Page

Comments

about us

157

Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrast

86

Weekly Photo Challenge: Through

77

Weekly Photo Challenge: Waiting

70

Weekly Photo Challenge: Down

67

Weekly Photo Challenge: Sun

66

Weekly Photo Challenge: Two Subjects

64

Weekly Photo Challenge: Hope

63

Weekly Photo Challenge: Two Subjects [as one composition]

60

Weekly Photo Challenge: Celebration

59

See you all back in 2013! Let’s all have a great, peaceful and successful New Year! 😮

Thanks for stopping by!

************

[Backstory] I initially began this blog to share my impressions, observations and along-the-road experiences with our families and friends, and later, with other expats experiencing similar challenges/adventures…

…so, the blog morphed into more than just a quasi-travel and photo journal. I liked the idea of organizing not only our travel notes, but also providing resources for other parents, and encouraging an exchange of ideas through comments, questions and suggestions from viewers. The name for the blog came from the term itself: “3rd Culture Children” (TCKs, more information here) are children whose parents come from distinct cultures, and grow up under a hybrid environment, experiencing diverse cultural growth. 

Travels in Brazil, posts related to outdoors activities, cultural events, such as attending the world’s largest open air theater for the Re-enacting of the Passion of Christ, as well as the ones showing scientific investigations and natural discoveries, seemed to be quite popular! 

‘Adventure‘ popular posts:

Visiting the Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, swimming along with marine dolphins (Brazilian Atlantic coast, World Heritage Site, according to UNESCO)

Builiding a Hanging Garden using Recycled PET Bottles – teaching the importance of respecting the environment.

I’m grateful to Ruth Bailey, for the recent nomination – the 7 x 7 Link Award, where one’s supposed to highlight 7 recent important blogposts. Many thanks to Cyclingrandma, for offering the Good Apple award.

Nominated by a couple of bloggers in 2011 & 2012

Thank you, ClaudiaJohnson, for the nomination!

For a working mom, juggling with the work-life balance, in charge of anything from grocery shopping to planning trips, I’m honored. I’m so pleased to share with other expatriates, parents, and traveling families, the beauty and excitement of traveling, exploring nature (I’m a biologist!), languages (we’ve got Spanish, Portuguese and English in our household!), social/cultural adjustments, and our not-so-professional advice as “parents-on-the-go“ – imagine hauling this family of 5 around, raising multi-language TCKs, and keeping the passion for photography and story-telling?! 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: My 2012 in 12 Pictures.

How was the year of 2012? Apparently, we all did okay through the Mayan quasi-apocalipse, so, that’s a pretty positive point!

It’s often said that images speak more than words, so…. Here’s our 2012 through photos!

June 2012: After 2 years at post, our family says goodbye to Brazil in style, surrounded by friends, family and co-workers!
June 2012: After 2 years at post, our family says goodbye to Brazil in style, surrounded by friends & family!!

2012 will mark the 12th New Year’s Eve with my guy… yeah, the one riding the Peace & Love 70s van with me, just pictured above… ♥ And this December we celebrate 110 months of married life… it sure goes by pretty fast!

How was the year of 2012?

Apparently, we all did okay through the Mayan quasi-apocalipse, so, that’s a pretty positive point!

It’s often said that images speak more than words, so…. Considering that during 2012, we had homes in three countries, it was a bit of challenge to pick an image to represent each month, but, why not give it a shot? :

Here is our 2012, through photos!

August 2012: New life, new school, new friends. School kids receive their ‘welcome’ with a traditional ‘Salteñada’.
July 2012: Spending Home Leave in the USA. During a family Reunion, kids get to ‘show their colors!
September 2012: Learning about our new home, the beautiful country of Bolivia. First stop: the traditional architecture of the San Francisco Church
October 2012: Halloween at the USAID/Bol Compound
“November 2012: Celebrating the Anniversary of the Marine Corps. “Who doesn’t like a Ball?”
January 2012: Beginning the year cooking: a typical Portuguese/Brazilian dish: Shrimp casserole, here, with an added hint of…. beer!
June 2012: After 2 years at post, our family says goodbye to Brazil in style, surrounded by friends, family and co-workers!
March 2012: A trip full of adventure to the Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, Northeast of Brazil.
May 2012: A visit to the Rainbow Warrior, ship from Greenpeace on Brazilian Waters.
February 2012: Enjoying the largest street carnival in the world – Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
December 2012: Scenes from old homes and present home. The warmest wishes for a fantastic New Year!
April 2012: Visiting the mystic city of Brasilia, capital of Brazil, for a USA/Brazil summit. Here, the architecture, lighting and unique beauty of the Metropolitan Cathedral.

This week’s photo inspiration is to portrait 2012 in pictures… one per month… Let’s see how good of a job I did over here!

Happy Holidays to all!

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Getting ready to look back at 2012, remembering the most popular post in 2011!

2012 is almost over! A very intense year, in many levels, scenarios… Our family moved several times throughout the year… we got to live in 3 different countries, and now, we’re happily settled in Nuestra Señora de La Paz, capital of Bolivia. Right now, looking back at 2012, and preparing the ‘retrospective’: popular posts, popular searches/forums… good discussions… got a lot done this year, when it came to blogging, sharing our experiences, challenges regarding parenting, multilingual living, cultural adjustments… work… expatriate and family daily life….

Before I get a chance to pull together the ‘highs and lows’ of 2012, I remembered last year, Wordpress came up with a great initiative for all bloggers and readers: the year in blogging… That said, I thought it could be a great way to get ready for this year’s review. Post write-up is both in English and Portuguese, since we were living in Brazil, at that time… Maybe, if I’m gutsy enough, I could try to prepare this year’s review post in English and Spanish (Bolivia’s official language)?? 😮

Image Credit: http://blog.hubspot.com
Image Credit: http://blog.hubspot.com

2012 is almost over! A very intense year, in many levels, scenarios… Our family moved several times throughout the year… we got to live in 3 different countries [Brazil, USA, Bolivia}, lived out of suitcases for a long time; kids had to say goodbye to their dear friends, and say ‘hello‘ to the ones becoming their new friends and teachers, adjusting to a new school, new cultures, and now, we’re happily settled in Nuestra Señora de La Paz, capital of Bolivia…

At this moment, looking back at 2012, and preparing the ‘retrospective’: popular posts, interaction with other bloggers, popular searches/forums… good discussions… Good therapy, some may say – and I’m glad to agree 😮 – when it came to blogging, got a lot done this year, sharing our experiences, challenges regarding parenting, multilingual living, cultural adjustments… work… expatriate and family daily life….

Image Credit: http://www.seomoves.org
Image Credit: http://www.seomoves.org

Before I get a chance to pull together the ‘highs and lows’ of 2012, displaying my gratitude to the readers, commenter, frequent visitors, who always enrich this blogging journey, I remembered last year, WordPress came up with a great initiative for all bloggers and readers: the year in blogging… That said, I thought it could be a great way to get ready for this year’s review. Post write-up is both in English and Portuguese, since we were living in Brazil, at that time… Maybe, if I’m gutsy enough, I could try to prepare this year’s review post in English and Spanish (Bolivia’s official language)?? 😮

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Here’s this blog’s ‘first year’s review’ [2011], according to WP: [Anxious to know what’s in store regarding 2012’s review, as well as the plans for 2013!]

For some reason, according to the WP blogging annual report (shown/posted yesterday), today I’m sharing the post that got the highest number of unique views (over 2,500 views in one day, September 2011), surpassing the one that’d been Freshly Pressed (about children and folklore in Brazil).

I had no idea that “directing” the photo shoot of my husband jumping into the paradisiac Blue Lagoon in Jericoacoara (Ceara, Brazil, one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world, according to the NY Times), could be so intriguing! 😮

Anyway, thanks for checking it out, and here it is: The Blue Lagoon: Executing his best jumping, flying and diving moves!.

[Portugues] Depois que o jornal Washington Post, em 1994, incluiu Jericoacoara entre as dez praias mais bonitas do planeta, a pequena aldeia de pescadores, 300 km ao norte da capital do Ceará, mudou bastante. Jericoacoara não é simplesmente encantadora pelas suas dunas, praias e lagoas, mas também pelo seu vilarejo tranqüilo. O lugar era uma antiga vila de pescadores e até hoje conserva as ruas de terra, a arquitetura antiga e principalmente a paz de uma cidade que se esconde atrás de enormes dunas. O nome Jericoacoara deriva do tupi-guarany: yuruco (buraco) e cuara (tartaruga). Buraco das tartarugas, que seria uma referência a uma praia onde acontece a desova das tartarugas marinhas. Além de tudo isso, Jeri, como é chamada pelos moradores, oferece diversas opções para prática de esportes como windsurf, vela, trekking, cavalgada e outros.

Photo of the Day: Thanks to Gravity Bolivia(c)!

The “Ripping shot of a gravity group doing the bolivian death road” in Bolivia! One of the many touristic/adventurous things to do while visiting this beautiful and unique country! Unfortunately, I can’t take credit for the amazing shot: it belongs to Gravity Bolivia (c) http://www.gravitybolivia.com, 2012, and I was lucky enough to get authorization to share it over here… Totally worthy, right?

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Seriously… look at this! Isn’t it a fantastic photo?

So, what’s it, exactly?

The “Ripping shot of a gravity group doing the bolivian death road” in Bolivia! One of the many touristic/adventurous things to do while visiting this beautiful and unique country! Unfortunately, I can’t take credit for the amazing shot: it belongs to Gravity Bolivia (c) www.gravitybolivia.com, 2012, and I was lucky enough to get authorization to share it over here… Totally worthy, right?

The photo was taken with a cell phone (!) [HTC ONE X, using the HDR function]… a great stimulus to all of us, amateur photographers out there! 😮 Liked what you saw? I sure did… I’m still finding my adventurous side [I’m a mom of 3 little kiddos, remember?], but the hubby is totally sold by the idea of venturing through the death road, biking and bringing back wonderful photos for his beloved wife… I appreciate that. Will keep you all posted… Again, a BIG THANK YOU for letting me share this unique image… That’s why it’s so easy to fall in love with this country… 😮 And, for the curious ones out there, when in Bolivia, go check them out:

www.gravitybolivia.com

Company Mission

Each year we have managed to grow in size while at the same time improve our quality — better bikes each year, more training for our guides and mechanics, new rides, and more information and resources available for visitors to our office. We look forward to seeing you and taking you on “the ride of your life”…

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“Lost in Time”: Flora of the Jericoacoara National Park, Brazil

Walks along the beach coast are one of the best ways to temporarily, leave reality, trading urban stressful images for exquisite coastline sites, immersing into natural beauty… Here are a few examples of nature’s hand, samples of the flora collection observed during one of our walks along the Monte Serrote, located at the National Park Jericoacoara (environmentally protected area, APA). Typical flora representatives are Caatinga and Cerrado.

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Found a post I never published… don’t know exactly how it happened… and such a beautiful place, a paradisiac beach, surrounded by… nothing! Just unique natural beauty… the spot some 12 years back I met the one who’d became ‘my guy’…♥ Oh, well, these shots were taken during our ‘solo trip'[no kids!]

Sometimes, even memories fall thru the cracks… 😮 Glad I found it! With you all, the Flora of the Jericoacoara beach, in Brazil! This is the place some 12 years back, I found the one who’d become ‘my guy’… ♥

Walks along the beach coast are one of the best ways to temporarily, leave reality, trading urban stressful images for exquisite coastline sites, immersing into natural beauty… Here are a few examples of nature’s hand, samples of the flora collection observed during one of our walks along the Monte Serrote, located at the National Park Jericoacoara (environmentally protected area, APA). Typical flora representatives are Caatinga and Cerrado.

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Photo Essay: Road trip to Coroico, Bolivia.

Coroico is a town in Nor Yungas Province, in the La Paz Department of western Bolivia. Coroico Viejo (Old Coroico) was founded above the Kori Huayco River (which means “golden valley” in Aymara). The town lived from mining gold, but the massive attacks by Indians left the first settlers in search of protection. From the mid-18th century the lands in this region came under the control of a few powerful families, the hacienderos. These families maintained control of this region until the mid-1950s, when they were overthrown by revolution. After the revolution, agrarian reforms were put in place, dividing the lands up between the national government and the locals.

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

Thanksgiving weekend – the first time our family is traveling ‘solo’ through the roads of Bolivia. Our car finally arrived, and the time to explore our surroundings has 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! Also, a fantastic way to test husband’s skills when driving with no road shoulders, endless cliffs, 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, we saw it all… Quite an experience! 😮

Below, some great views of the volcanic rocks lining up along the drive, as well as exquisite red cliffs framing our road trip towards learning more about this beautiful country we’ve been calling home for the past 4 months…


Llamas crossing!
water falls from within the rocks

Coroico Viejo (Old Coroico) was founded above the Kori Huayco River (which means “golden valley” in Aymara). The town lived from mining gold, but the massive attacks by Indians left the first settlers in search of protection.From the mid-18th century the lands in this region came under the control of a few powerful families, the hacienderos. These families maintained control of this region until the mid-1950s, when they were overthrown by revolution. After the revolution, agrarian reforms were put in place, dividing the lands up between the national government and the locals.

The snow-capped mountain contrasts with the tropical vegetation found around the town of Coroico.

La Familia

Now, Coroico has a mostly Aymara and Mestizo population. The town has become a major market for the surrounding region. Staple products arrive from La Paz and the surrounding areas to be sold in the colorful markets and stores all days of the week.

A great reward after a difficult drive!

Death Road’ bikers and tour buses are common visitors to the region around Coroico, which has remained a traditional adventure growing area….

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[Weekly Photo Challenge: Geometry] The singular city of Brasília, where architecture and mysticism meet.

[Backstory] Geometry. This challenge is about the shapes and rhythms that make up the geometry of our world. Many photographs of any genre have an underlying sense of geometry, but I often like to make this the main subject of my work. I think it’s the most important aspect of a photograph’s success. This could be the patterns of the natural world up close and personal, or the rhythm of your local buildings. The above photograph, “Positive Negative,” depicts the Paula Rego Museum in Lisbon where the sky created an equally strong element of the composition as the building. The image has a totemic quality, softened by the passing cloud. I had waited for this cloud to move into the perfect position within the frame. The colour, light, and form of the image emphasize this geometry.

[Backstory] Geometry. This challenge is about the shapes and rhythms that make up the geometry of our world. Many photographs of any genre have an underlying sense of geometry, but I often like to make this the main subject of my work. I think it’s the most important aspect of a photograph’s success. This could be the patterns of the natural world up close and personal, or the rhythm of your local buildings. The above photograph, “Positive Negative,” depicts the Paula Rego Museum in Lisbon where the sky created an equally strong element of the composition as the building. The image has a totemic quality, softened by the passing cloud. I had waited for this cloud to move into the perfect position within the frame. The colour, light, and form of the image emphasize this geometry.

Share a photo that means GEOMETRY to you!

Tip: Once you have found a good subject that contains an interesting geometry, try to crop tightly into the subject to make an unexpected composition. Your goal should be to create an abstract composition so the image is more about underlying shapes than a literal representation of the subject matter itself — by doing this you create art rather than a snapshot.

Brasilia cathedral

Image Source (left): “aboutBrasilia.com” Brasilia is without any doubt a singular city, different from all others; even those ones considered moderns and planned.

For such special city, an equally singular Cathedral was designed and built. On 12th September 1958, the Cathedral’s cornerstone was laid. The Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasilia is an expression of the geniality of the architect Oscar Niemeyer. In 1960, the Cathedral’s structure was finished, and only the 70 m diameter of the circular area and the 16 concrete columns were visible. These columns, having parabolic section and weighing 90 t, represent two hands moving upwards to heaven. The Cathedral was dedicated on the 31st May, 1970. At that time it had already the external transparent window. Four bronze sculptures 3 m high, representing the Evangelists, can be seen at the external square in the entrance of the Temple. These sculptures were made with the help of the sculptor Dante Croce, in 1968. Inside the nave, three sculptures of angels are suspended by steel cables.


The smallest angel has 2,22 m of length and weighs 100 kg. The medium one has 3,40 m of length and weighs 200 kg. The big one has 4,25 m of length and 300 kg weighs. The sculptures were made by Alfredo Ceschiatti, with the help of Dante Croce, in 1970. The nave stained glass is made of 16 pieces of fibreglass. These pieces, in colours of blue, white and brown, were fixed between the concrete columns, in triangles of 10 m of base and 30 m of height. They were painted in 1990 by Marianne Peretti. Having an oval form, the Baptistery has its walls covered by a panel of ceramic tiles painted in 1977 by Athos Bulcão. The local architecture is completed by a bell tower. Its four big bells were donated by Spain.

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If “moving is the third most stressful life event”, let me turn it into a fun inspiration for Halloween!

Did you have any last-minute, crazy idea for your adult costume? I’d love to know! A year’s gone by since I prepared the original blogpost about packing and moving, focusing on the FS events… Over four months have gone by since we packed out from our last post assignment, Recife, Brazil.

This year, I even celebrated my birthday surrounded by bubble wrap & moving boxes – June was our pack out season – but husband and kids found a way to celebrate my special day, despite the craziness we’re all familiar with, when it comes to have your house taken down by movers, packers, filling endless forms and making sure you don’t lose track of your life during the process! 😮

So, now it’s the end of October, and sinc

The  “packed out”  couple.
“UNACCOMPANIED AIR BAGGAGE” & “HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS”
Memories from last June…

A year’s gone by since I prepared the original blogpost about packing and moving, focusing on the FS events… More than four months have past since we packed out from our last post assignment, Recife, Brazil.

This year, I even celebrated my birthday surrounded by bubble wrap & moving boxes – June was our pack out season – but husband and kids found a way to bring joy to my special day, despite the craziness we’re all familiar with, when it comes to have your house taken down by movers, packers, filling endless forms and making sure you don’t lose track of your life during the process! 😮

[UAB to HHE] “why are you taking so long to come home?”  [HHE] “Sorry, dear… you know how it is at the port… you meet a couple of cool young boxes… begin chatting, talking about the midlife shipping crisis… and you lose track of time!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, now it’s the end of October, and since we STILL DO NOT HAVE (not yet! I’m always hopeful!) our household effects, I thought about turning the frustration into something, at least, fun, for this year’s Halloween at our local Marine Detachment House. Husband and I went as ‘pack out couple’... Well, a bit of crafting skills, an open mind and a good sense of humorwere the perfect recipe for this year’s costume!

Did you have any last-minute, crazy idea for your adult costume? I’d love to know!