Most Memorable Christmas Eve

I know I promised a break... but I just couldn't help myself.

The doorbell rang on Christmas Eve.

I was home alone. My parents had gone out caroling with my baby sister in our quiet, lovely little neighborhood. They said to me "Christy, don't answer the door to people you don't know. We'll be back in a half hour." It was the Eighties and life was safer and quieter then. Bygone eras always are, you know.

I was a wildly independent five year old, and full to bursting of the idea that I was all grown-up and my parents had left me home by myself. I had snuggled myself down into the living room couch with a blanket, watching a movie and sipping the mixture of seven-up and orange juice Mommy had made for me with a straw. It's what she always made for me when I was sick. Though my one-piece footy pajamas covered me from neck to toe, I could still feel the red welts that covered my skin. They were mostly soothed by the caked-on pink Calamine lotion Mom had slathered on after an oatmeal bath, but they were definitely still noticeable.

"Don't scratch!" Mom had scolded repeatedly.
It was the dumbest thing I had ever heard. They itched! Why wouldn't I scratch them?

Marty McFly and Doc were running to the Delorean when the doorbell rang.

I looked around and remembered I was home alone.

I padded the plastic bottoms of my footie-pajamas to the front window, just beyond the television, so I could look out and see who was at the door. I was nervous. But when I saw the familiar faces of a family from my Church I was excited and ran to the door, unlocked it and threw it open.

"I have Chicken Pox!"

The visitors were amusedly stunned to see me sans parental units. "Christy, where are your parents?"

"They went Christmas Caroling. They'll be back soon."

"Well, we brought this treat over for your family." She nodded to a large, foil-covered tray, which I could only see the bottom of.

I put my arms out to take it and she smiled warmly. "Can you carry it? It's big!"

"Uh huh!"

She placed the tray in my arms. It's size humorous in the arms of a five year old. I stared down at the most beautifully delicious candy-cane shaped cinnamon roll loaf I'd ever seen. It was glazed with sugary-sweet white frosting and decorated with red sugar sprinkles, in stripes, so as to resemble the peppermint canes.

I looked up at her and mouthed "ooooooooooh!" And she looked back in delight.

I took the tray to the kitchen, and on my tippie-toes I pushed it onto the counter, then ran back to the front door, my plastic footie pajamas making a rapid "Skish-skish-skish" sound.

"Thank you!" I said to them.

"Merry Christmas!" They smiled back and I closed the door and locked the bolt.

I ran back to the kitchen and pushed a chair up to the counter so I could look at the gorgeous treat. It was so pretty! I stuck my little finger into some of the sugar glaze that was dribbled on the foil and put it into my my mouth. Yum!

I didn't mind the Chicken pox so much that night after my parents came back. I showed them the beautiful Cinnamon Roll loaf, told them who it was from and that I had put it on the counter all by myself! We nibbled on chunks of it that evening and sang Christmas songs as a little family. To this day it is the Christmas eve I remember most vividly, the first one I remember. The Christmas eve I had Chicken Pox and we were given a beautiful, candy-cane shaped Cinnamon Roll loaf.


What was your most memorable Christmas Eve like?

Christmas Break!

Christmas is in 4 days! Can you believe it? I sure can't.

I'll be taking a blogging break until the New Year, so come back after the first for more exciting travel posts! Can't wait to see you all in '11.

What are you doing for the holidays?

:)
Christy

Sailin'... Takes Me Away

Another "Must See" in Malta is really a "Must Do." Well, if you like the ocean. And Sailing.

And well, Malta is a nation of islands, so hopefully you like the ocean if you go. Because the best way to visit all of the islands is by boat.

I signed up to sail around the main island over to the island of Gozo on a beautiful, wooden schooner with Captain Morgan cruises (this blog is in no way sponsored by them). They were a great company. They picked me up and returned me to my hotel and provided an altogether lovely experience. While it was a bit early in the season yet, and a bit chilly, the day was still absolutely gorgeous.

We sailed out of a 500 year old Baroque, European, North African harbor city, one of the most stunningly poetic sights I've ever seen, and made for the isle of Gozo.

Along the way we hugged inlets of azure blue, cliffs resembling Sicilian terrain and kissed the wind and waves with the helm.

I couldn't help but grab the most forward seat possible - practically hanging off the bow - and was the only person to ride out the entire ride in the same spot. Everyone else gave up, either a bit too cold, too winded or too seasick.

I'm an old sea dog and can think of nothing better than possibly being reincarnated as a ship prow's mermaid.

When we reached Gozo we were served a lovely gourmet lunch and then set free for two hours to explore the island and all of it's charms.

Docked at Gozo, looking toward Comino

Gozo is home to a few natural beauties, not the least of which is it's hilly terrain. Other things you'll find there include a "Blue Hole" (which I didn't see, but I will next time I go), the Azure Window, and the Blue Lagoon.

Gozo is featured in the movie "The Count of Monte Cristo" and from Gozo you can see the old fortress used as the "Chateau D'if."

The fortress on Gozo used as the Chateau D'if in The Count of Monte Cristo

A few hours of swimming in the Blue Lagoon and warming my limbs on the sun-baked volcanic cliffs and we boarded the schooner once again and made for Valetta.

 The Blue Lagoon

Faraway Fantasy Friday: Freyes Beach

I've spent years in the Caribbean. Well, not all at once. But add up all of the Caribbean Cruises I've worked and it's quite a chunk of time. And I loved it. I mean,  really, loved it. There is nowhere like the Caribbe! Sure, sure, there are other tropical places in the world, but the Caribbe has a special place in my heart.

Much as I love that region, not all of the islands are created equally. 

I have a list of faves.

And on that list is the beautiful little island of Antigua.

Pronouced Ann-teeg-uh (the British pronunciation stuck), Antigua is an island of perfect coral reefs and sea salinity and 365 white sandy beaches. And you know what that means:

A really great tan.

The last time I was on the island, I was told that every hotel there is 4+ stars. EVERY SINGLE HOTEL. It is a bit posh, n'est ces pas? There are entire developments of massive mansions that have as a requirement for residence: Minimum of 1 Million dollars liquid assets on hand at all times. Do you know how rich you'd have to be to keep 1Mil in cash just laying around? Sheesh.

Oprah has a house there. I've seen it. It's exquisite. It's got a loooooooooooong  walkway that leads from the house to a point overlooking the ocean with a sort of gazeebo at the end. A waterway runs the length of the walkway and spills out into the ocean from the gazeebo at the end. Wow.

And it's got a private beach.
So, make that 364 beaches to tan on.

Have I mentioned the perfect water salinity? What  I mean by that is the water is the perfect consistency for snorkeling. It's a little bit saltier than other places I've snorkeled and you just kind of bob around effortlessly. It's really cool. Be sure to try it when you go.

And my favorite place on the island is a lovely little beach, normally known only to locals (A fellow shippie and I pried the location out of a local after making friends one day), this place is a stretch of peaceful, white bliss. It's called Ffreyes beach. Yes, there are two F's in Ffreyes.

Shhhh. Don't tell anyone about it. Just go.

Crystal clear. You can see straight to the bottom in three feet of water.

Don't Miss: M'dina, the Silent City

More on the perfect little Island-nation of Malta:

This gorgeous little chain of islands is home to an ancient city called M'dina (pronouced: MmmmmDina. Yes, like a hum, then Dina.)

It was once the capitol city of Malta and John the Baptist is said to have spent time in it's residences, writing his chapters of the New Testament.

In it's current state, M'dina is a Medieval town, complete with Medieval Cathedral, gargoyles and buttressed, Gothic architecture. It is stunning. But obviously, if John the Baptist spent some time there, the city is much older. Indeed, Ruins from earlier versions of the city have been found and date all the way back to the Phoenicians.  (Think: WAY before the Romans, about 800 years before Rome was established, in the 1500's, BC.)

Also, in it's current state, the city is referred to by locals as "The Silent City," the reason being that less than 300 people reside in it. Cars are not allowed to drive through it (except if they belong to residents) and most traces of modern civilization are completely hidden from street view. It's almost haunting, wandering down ancient alley-ways,

feeling the rough stone walls around you in the warm, welcoming climate. It almost feels as if the city is a recreation, a theme-park build, created for spectacle, except it's genuine and age bespeaks it. It is a friendly little city, bathed in sunshine and snug on it's hill.

You must visit Malta. Enjoy the beaches, visit the blue lagoon at Gozo and the blue hole, visit Sliema and beautiful Valetta, enjoy the friendly, lovely people and bask in the Island's rich history. But don't forget to visit M'dina. It is truly an unforgettable experience.

Monterey Getaway

I poured my eggnog down the drain last week. Because really, my ghetto booty does not need eggnog. But I have to say that it was REALLLLLLLLY good eggnog. Like SUPER good. The best brand of eggnog in the bay area is Southern Comfort, which is named like unto the whiskey, but is really non-alcoholic. Yum.

But now my Southern Comfort will not stick to my ghetto booty and that's a good thing.

But this post isn't about eggnog. Really.

It's about how Friday, at 3:00 pm I was sitting at my desk at home, working away and thinking about how I didn't really have any solid plans this weekend and how I'd probably end up working the weekend away (work is busy right now).

And it occurred to me that I really didn't want to do that.

And it occurred to me that I should take off and do something because: I didn't have any concrete plans for this weekend.

And it occurred to me that I've wanted to go to Monterey for about two years now.

So I hopped onto Priceline at 3:30. And within five minutes I had an accepted bid for a night's stay in a four-star hotel in Monterey (I had, of course considered going to a cheapie motel, but I really wanted to luxuriate a little bit... so...)

At 3:55 I was in my car, bags packed, on my way. Truly. How impressive is that?

It's why I keep a travel kit packed at all times. For times like these when my inner Gypsy needs to be fed.

(But I have to say that I did manage to forget shoes. All shoes. Except the sneakers I was wearing.)

I checked into the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa on Del Monte Golf Course around 6pm, wandered around the gorgeous facility, jumped on my plush bed and then headed downtown to Cannery Row for some grub. Post dinner: swim, hot tub, met some hilarious farmers in town for a farming convention. Que Sera. That night I slept like a rock. I tell ya, I need a hot tub at home.

The next morning, after a run around the golf course and breakfast overlooking the golf course I headed out!

Sea Kelp at the Marina. Did you know this stuff can grow up to a foot a day???

Sunrise at the Marina

Next stop, the Aquarium

Wouldn't that be a fun job?

The Jellyfish exhibit was gorgeous!

Killer seahorse exhibit. So cool.

Cannery Row

Off to Carmel for an afternoon hike at Point Lobos

Point Lobos is where the Whaling Industry used to live. The cove below is called Whaler's cove. Whales that were caught were taken here to be "processed."

Next stop: Random beach. Cool pebbly beach.

Next: Horsebackriding at Pebble Beach.

The fog rolling in over Pebble Beach Golf Course

My favorite shot of the day: Pebble Beach

After a marathon of a Saturday I wished I could afford to stay in my awesome hotel for another night, but jumped back in my car for the two-hour return trip instead.

And now, I really want some eggnog.

Faraway Fantasy Friday: Izmir

Today is all about Izmir!

Izmir is located in Turkey, and I've had a Turkish fascination for the past year or so. Izmir has a rich and ancient history and can trace it's human population back over 3,500 years. How cool is that?

Let's go to Izmir, people!



Here's what Wiki has to say: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izmir)
"İzmir, historically Smyrna, is a large metropolis in western Anatolia and the capital of the İzmir Province in Turkey. It is Turkey's third most populous city and the country's second largest port city after İstanbul. It is located along the outlying waters of the Gulf of İzmir on the eastern shoreline of the Aegean Sea."

Photo from: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/59e30/1c0a27/

The Shirley Plantation

America is quite a young country, as far as countries go. I mean, Italy dates back to the 8th Century, BC, for pete's sake, if you count the Romans. America, a fledgling 200+ years old, by contrast is just a wee little thing.

So our ammassment of historical places is a bit thin.

And mostly on the East coast. Because, Philly, DC and VA are pretty much where everything got started for us Americans.

In contrast with my wily youthful days, I now really enjoy historical tours of places. (Especially things of ancient Roman historical value... but I digress)

Being that my Grandmother lives in Virginia, one of the history-rich places in the US, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do a bit of exploring on my last trip out there. As a child, I spent some wonderful summers in Virginia with my siblings and Mother. It was always inevitable that Mother would need to leave the farm at some point, after all, contrasting city life with country life is sometimes an unsettling thing and may leave even the mellowest city-folk a bit bored. So Mother would take us to tour battlegrounds in Petersburg and War Museums in Richmond and the Capitol in Washington, DC. We went to the Smithsonian and the Whitehouse and learned about General Lee and Pocahontas. It was all... very memorable and at the same time, quite boring for me as a child/teen. I would have rather been playing in the sweet Viriginia mud and rivers than face those long car rides and arduous, monotonous tours... But anyway, I do remember that they weren't always boring. Or rather, I remember my Mother's excitement for the subject matter. Her eyes would open wide and she would tell us about those historical sights in hushed, fervent whispers and ask us what we thought about them. Her excitement was what made the trips bearable.

So now that I understand that excitement for things ancient, or in the states, newly decrepit, I feel that excitement myself as I explore. So one day during my visit to Grandma's farm, I hopped in my favorite little gold Ford Ranger (my car of choice for driving down Virginia back roads with the windows down) and hit the road. Down the backroads and out to the freeway I went. Around Richmond and off toward Colonial Williamsburg.

On my way, I noticed signs for a place called the Shirley Plantation. And then signs for the Virginia Plantations. And I knew I would not be getting to Colonial Williamsburg straightaway. And it was a good choice.

A bit of background from Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Plantation):
"Shirley Plantation is an estate located on the north bank of the James River in Charles City County, Virginia. It is located on State Route 5, a scenic byway which runs between the independent cities of Richmond and Williamsburg. Shirley Plantation is the oldest active plantation in Virginia and is one of the oldest family-owned businesses in North America, dating back to 1614 with operations starting in 1638.^[3] The plantation was added to the National Register on 1969-10-01 and declared a National Historic Landmark on 1970-04-15.
The lands of Shirley Plantation were first settled in 1613 by Sir Thomas West, 3rd Baron De la WarrHundred. The land was cultivated for growing tobacco to be shipped around the colonies and England."

 
 1613!!

The LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG Drive up to the Plantation... through 5,000 acres.

 The Residence

 One of the workhouses - for processing Cotton

 Smokehouse