Day 520 - At Sea

Jaco & I both had a little lie-in this morning. Jaco didn’t have clinic until 1000 & of course, I, too, had to work. On my tan. 

Jaco & I had a little visit over the lunch hour & he went back to do some office work & I headed up on deck. I was intent on finishing my book today. I had 50 some pages left & I did 15-minute rotations as I laid in the hot sun. I managed to finish it up in 1 hour & 15 minutes. Wow. I’m a little pink now. I’m not sure how swell the wetsuit will fit tomorrow!

As for the book, I finally finished Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s The Caged Virgin. It’s a compelling read about women, Islam & how women are treated within the religion. It is fascinating, to say the least. I am amazed at how the women are suppressed – no opportunity to educate themselves & advance & CHOOSE their future. Of course, I’m sure there are ‘westernized’ Muslim women who have taken advantage of the opportunities available to them, however, the vast majority of women in Muslim countries do NOT have these opportunities. Topics like genital mutilation, rape, incest, abuse, illiteracy, honour killings, etc., etc., were discussed. It is an atrocity. So many of these women have arranged marriages, are subjected to abuse because they brought ‘dishonour’ to the family name & the Koran deems it appropriate to the men of the family to restore honour to the family name in whatever method they see fit – abuse. It is disgusting. Any religion that says it’s okay to harm another human being, regardless of their beliefs or religion has plenty of problems. I did not know what genital mutilation was until I read this book. I am 31 years old. How many others out there are unaware of this? Sick. The book is a mere 177 pages. Educate yourself. Please.

Jaco & I watched a few BBC Life episodes in HD. They were incredible! The details & the cinematography are absolutely astounding! We both became tired & as I have a dive tomorrow, I’m off to join Jaco for some well-deserved slumber…

Lekker slaap,

xxxxMaria

 Just READ IT!!!

 I love the blues in the wake

Making the most of every day!

Day 456 - And We're Off! Well, I Am!

I was quite happy that I decided to drive to the city last night & stay at Mom2’s. It was a lot less stressful & I actually slept in a little! I was happy to have one last snuggle with the girls before I left them behind. **sniff, sniff**

My flight was at 1300, so we left for the airport shortly after 1000. Mom2 is getting the hang of picking me up & dropping me off at the airport. The first time it was $18 in parking charges, so now she drops me off & has made friends with the security fellows as to when to pick me up.

The first leg of the flight was to Houston. I was mildly upset, as Mike, Jenn’s husband, was in Houston for training & I couldn’t even get out to see him! Drat!

I spotted some fellows with plenty of pelican cases & assumed they were photographing/videoing something. Sure enough, I questioned them when we got to Houston & they were working for the BBC doing a documentary on extreme weather patterns around the world. They had just left Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories & were headed for Buenos Aires, Argentina.

I also met another couple that never had children & were traveling to Antarctica, Chile & Argentina for 6 weeks. (!!) They had been to South America previously & loved it so much they decided to go back. I LOVE to hear of people’s decision to travel to Antarctica. You can’t help but fall in love with Mother Nature when you travel there. It stirs something in your soul & never lets go completely. Of course, Africa is the same. As is Europe. As I type this in the Caribbean, there’s something about the blue-green waters & white sand of the tropical regions of the world. Leave me in Bora Bora or Yasawa or Barbados any day. Sigh. I do love to travel… That said, I’m grateful for the safe & uneventful flights I took today!

The flight to West Palm Beach wasn’t too long. Before I knew it, I was collecting my bags & heading outside to look for Alessandra. Who? Alessandra. She is the amazing young woman I met on the Star Princess back in 2007 when we sailed across the Atlantic, throughout Europe & up to the Baltic. She was onboard with her absolutely adorable son, Gianfranco, her parents & her uncle. We ended up on several tours together & I got to know & love them. Alessandra & I kept in touch via email over the years (although miserably on my part!) & this summer, she found me on Facebook. I told her of my health issues & she immediately suggested I come to Hippocrates. When she said it was close by, I didn’t question how close ‘close’ really was. Turns out she lives in Miami & it’s a 2 hour drive! I felt terrible when I realized the distance & I’d asked her if I could stay with her & Gianfranco!

Sure enough, she met me outside the airport & away we went to their home 2 hours away. We had a wonderful visit en route & a chance to catch up on what we’ve been missing these past few years.

Before I knew it, we were turning off the freeway & into a residential area. It was now nearly 0100. We were both tired. She showed me around the house & I tried to be as quiet as possible. Gianfranco was sleeping & her Mother was visiting.

Their home was beautiful! I LOVE her style – but then, I loved her taste in fashion from the day I met her… Of course I’m going to love her home! When it comes time to decorate Jaco & I’s home – WHEN – I know whom I’ll call to help with the décor!

 My head hit the pillow & it was lights out.

xxxxMaria in Miami

Only in Calgary will you find a bootjack at security. I found this hilarious. When I asked if I could take a photo of it, security didn't understand my sense of ha-ha. What's up with that?

Houston Airport.

Day 379 - Film Roll A & HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BABY!!!

I think it goes without saying that Jaco & I aren't morning people. This morning we had to be at the recital hall by 0830 if we wanted to get a seat. As usual, we were about 15 minutes late. Luckily we were still able to score decent seats. The morning of films were incredible. We watched:

1. As It Happens - 16 minutes long. 2 young fellows climb a massive peak in Nepal & put together video segments that were uploaded online via satellite & viewers from around the globe could watch 'live' as their expedition unfolded. (We saw the after effects blended into this film)
2. Tibet: Murder In The Snow - 51 minutes long. Wow. This was a shocking film. A Romanian videographer captured horrifying events as they unfolded. 75 Tibetans attempted to cross the border through a high mountain pass & flee from the restrictions of life under Chinese rule. Unfortunately they were spotted by Chinese border patrol & to the horror of the climbers at the base camp, they witnessed events they would never have expected. The Chinese border patrol open fired on the Tibetans. Injuring several helpless people & killing a 17 year old Nun. The film showed a Chinese Official later saying on the news that the border patrol was simply doing what it had to do in order to protect China's borders. Shocking! I'll think twice the next time I pick up something 'Made In China'. Sad. Very sad.
3. The Fall Line - 13 minutes long. This short film featured a former US soldier whose legs were blown off in an attack in Iraq. Learning to deal with no legs & 2 small children was a difficult adjustment (!), however, he has found life on the ski hill! With special equipment, he has been able to learn to ski & is competing in the 2010 Paralympics in Whistler, BC. What a story!
4. Crossing The Ditch - 54 minutes long. This was our last film before our lunch break. It was one of my favourites. Two young Aussie lads attempt to cross the Tasman sea from Australia to New Zealand. It is a 2200 km stretch of some of the most treacherous waters in the world. They were humourous, despite their serious struggles to accomplish this feat in a kayak. Well done Justin & James!

For lunch we were going to meet up with Karen, but when we did finally meet her, she had met someone who was sitting on the panel with Greg Mortenson. Who's that? The fellow who wrote Three Cups of Tea & Stones Into Schools. Karen is a Teacher & she loves humanitarian issues. You go girl! We'll see you tomorrow for lunch!

Jaco & I were exhausted, but we didn't have time for a nap. We ended up at the St. James Pub & had DELICIOUS turkey, brie, & strawberry sandwiches with hot soup. Luckily they also had big cushy chairs for us to relax in. Those sandwiches were SO YUMMY!!!

We motored back to the film festival & settled in for our afternoon viewings. Here's what the afternoon held for us:
5. Into Darkness - 15 minutes long. The world of caving. Wow. This one was a little claustrophobic for me. A few fellows took us on a journey into the underworld & there were definitely a few tight squeezes! Of course, there were some incredible open rooms with beautiful stalactites & incredible colours & formations.
6. Wolverine: Chasing The Phantom - 54 minutes long. This was also a favourite film. I knew very little about the Wolverine prior to watching this film. They are really amazing animals! Their legs are 10" long & they weigh around 30 lbs. Yet, they can cover distances & climb heights in record time. They also share incredible family bonds. Absolutely fascinating. I hope you get the chance to watch this film.
7. Scottish Ice Trip: Looking For Nessie - 26 minutes long. This film had a fair bit of French & Scottish humour in it. It was filmed in Scotland on Ben Nevis during a snowstorm, which is apparently the ideal condition for climbing. They are not allowed to use bolts, so it makes for an interesting climb. A fun film.
8. Tuzgle - 21 minutes long. Filmed in northern Argentina, one Swiss climber (the only female) & 9 French climbers travel into a remote area filled with giant boulders perfect for climbing. Crazy things happen under the scorching heat of the Argentinian sun!
9. Seconds - 5 minutes long. Similar to the film we saw at the Snow Show, this one features a camera that captures 1000 frames per second, giving you an very in-depth, detailed view of various sports. Very cool perspective.
10. Mountains: Life In Thin Air - 60 minutes long. This was filmed by the BBC as part of their 'planet' series. It was about humans living in remote mountain regions & how they have overcome the obstacles of living in these isolated areas. We saw Kazak hunters who use eagles to help them hunt. We saw an eagle take down a fox! In New Guinea they hunt & eat bats. Yes, I gagged the entire way through that one! In Nepal (I think) they don't have a burial ground for their deceased & in order to avoid disease, they cut up the dead & allow vultures to eat the corpse. This was not a movie for the faint at heart!!!

This was the day of films! We left the recital hall & returned to the hotel room. Jaco rested while I went out to pick up some dinner & last minute presents for the most wonderful husband on the planet. :o) I nearly missed dinner, as we had to head back to the Banff Centre to see the Wild Water program. Yes, more movies! My butt was permanently numb by the end of the day! This evening, we watched:
1. Eastern Rises - 38 minutes long. This was my favourite film of the so far. It was filmed in the Kamchatka region of Russia - Eastern Russia. It was a film about fly fishing. I don't fish. But this film rocked. It had stunning scenery & gut busting humour. I wished it was 2 hours long instead of 38 minutes! Brilliant!
2. The Ultimate Ride: Steve Fisher - 59 minutes long. This crazy South African takes us on a kayak ride of the Zambezi river when it is at a record height. I think he must be insane. I can't stand being in water that's moving, especially if I can't see the bottom! We're talking whitewater, ridiculous rapids & life risking moments. I think I shook for most of the movie!
3. WildWater - 30 minutes long. The final (!) film of the day depicted why kayakers love what they do. Beautiful scenery, being in nature & of course, the odd adrenaline rush every now & then. I'm still not convinced to try it, but it certainly was beautiful!

A little worse for wear, we headed back to the hotel finally settled in for the night. We didn't take long to crash. What a full day! Tomorrow we'll do it all over again!

 Mountain Air!

Justin Beaver spotted in Banff! 

 Big stick!!

Worn & ragged from our marathon of films! Happy Birthday Babe!!!