Peace

 

Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring – it was peace.”

-Milan Kundera

 

Emergency distraction!

This nasty weather we’re having this weekend has required the following post.  Take a look, imagine yourself there and then take a nap:

This incredible place is called Zama Beach & Lounge and is located on the tiny island of Isla Mujeres off the coast of Quintana Roo, Mexico, just opposite Cancun.  We visited it for the first time a few years ago and then made a return visit the year before last. 

 

It’s the kind of place that you drive by on a rented scooter or a golf cart while investigating the nooks and crannies of this small island and almost don’t stop because you think it must be a private club or something.  But, ever hopeful of finding that perfect spot on the perfect beach, we parked our scooters across the road and wandered in. 

A waiter approached us and we asked, brushing the hair out of our eyes, “May we come in?” 

“Of course!” he offered and I joyfully led poor Kent to a table for a cold drink and lunch.

We discovered that the only catch to staying and taking advantage of all the amenities here is that you must spend a certain amount at the bar and/or restaurant — I think it was the equivalent to $40 per person.  But this was NOT a problem, since the beach was lovely, the drinks were cold and the food was really good.  I ordered something like a marguerita (above) and a ceviche plate.  Surprise — I think K had a burger.  All was really, really good. 

The second time we visited, there were two lovely women set up with massage tables over to the left in the shade of the palm trees and I took advantage; it was one of the best massages I have had.  I’m sure the location helped. 

There are beautiful open air washrooms and changing rooms, lots of different areas in which to sit, even a small pool if you prefer that to the ocean and no one hurrying you.  The perfect spot to spend a lazy Mexican afternoon on a fairly undiscovered part of Mexico, just a stone’s throw (ferry ride) from Cancun (which you can see across the water and be so relieved to be where you are instead). 

Shhh.  Don’t tell anyone.

 

Spring brings the light

What a difference a few weeks make! 

This is the majestic elm I pass almost every day while walking my Skye-dog.

But recently, it has started looking like this:

Spring is truly around the corner! 

 

 

Provocative public art: Is that a reptile in your sewer or an artichoke on your fire hydrant?

The recent news that an Egyptian cobra is on the loose somewhere in the Bronx made me think of this:

From the "Life underground" series of sculptures, installed in the New York City subway. Image from: http://www.tomostudio.com

These provocative and fun sculptures are the work of Tom Otterness, who is clearly a product of the same wonderfully warped imaginary world as Far Side cartoon creator,  Gary Larson.

 When you travel in New York City, you’ll find Otterness’ sculptures everywhere.

This is one of his art pieces in Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City overlooking the Hudson River.  It shows a cat stalking a bird who is eyeing a worm — that appears to be shielding a very small person.

This piece reminds me of Gulliver’s Travels…

Don’t ask me!

What I think makes these sculptures so compelling is their ability to personalize such a vast and impersonal landscape.  New York City is the biggest city in North America but through these whimsical and strange creatures, visitors and New Yorkers alike are instantly perplexed, amused and ultimately thrown off guard.

And if you think that New York is unique, look at what’s just happened along Wellington Street in Ottawa’s Westboro neighbourhood …

Photo: Eric Darwin

 These marble fire hydrants are the work of Ryan Lotecki and Marcus Kucey-Jones, who laboured for two years in their warehouse studio outside Almonte creating these weird sculptures.  Read more about this provocative public art in our own backyard here.

 

Nutella crepe anyone?

In honour of Easter, which is fast approaching, I present you my idea of a chocolate bunny:

Image from: www.italianfoodnet.com

The classic recipe can be found here …

 

 

What do you do when it’s snowy & grey outside?

Okay, so yesterday it snowed (a lot) and today it’s still grey :c(

Before when it was sunny and you could see larger and larger patches of grass, I thought we had turned the corner to spring, but now, WITH THIS SNOW, I need to see some sun and feel some heat again. 

Here are some wonderful moments from our trips down south over the last several years as well as some secret places that I thought I’d share (shh!  don’t tell anybody else…) 

So here you go — and make notes to visit these heavenly spots yourself.

This image is wonky because we’re on a small motorized fishing boat that ferries people back and forth from the St-Martin mainland to this small island, called Isle Pinel.  This spot is a nature sanctuary:  electricity is supplied with generators and there are no roads, cars or motorbikes (the island is not big enough!). 

Image: http://www.sint-maarten.net

        

You can see the ‘ferry’ fishing boat docked at the island.  You can also see the gently sloping sand into the impossibly blue water. 

Go in the morning when you’ll be able to spend the entire day.  But avoid weekends; the crowds are just too large then! 

http://www.sint-maarten.net

 

This is the view from one of the palapa-covered picnic tables right on the beach at the Karibuni beach bar restaurant.   If you order fresh lobster (don’t get the idea it will be cheap, even though they’re kept fresh in a wire crate off the side of the dock), you’ll be offered a choice of large or larger :c)  But don’t ask for half; you’ll have to share!  And if you’re squeamish, ask them NOT to bring it LIVE to your table for you to confirm its a-o-k.

Yes, I know it’s raining here but better that than snow! 

This is a restaurant up in the tree tops, also in St-Martin; the chef creating the wonderful meals is a woman from Toronto (anyone who knows me knows that food is an essential part of a holiday!).  This area is the lounge section where you can sit and look out at the surrounding views.  The spot is on one of the most elevated areas of the island called Pic Paradis (or Paradise Peak), so it’s quite tropical looking in contrast to the arid landscape you see everywhere else.  This worthwhile destination is called Loterie Farm; read about it and its history here.

 

St-Martin (or Sint-Maarten) is in the French West Indies, even though the island itself is divided into two definitive national halves:  the north is French, with spectacular restaurants, cafes, bakeries that always carry baguettes and exquisite pastries, older or smaller ’boutique’ hotels and a European attitude — and the south is Dutch, with casinos, golf courses, American-style restaurants and a number of large chain hotels.  It is also the side where more cruise ships dock and crowds gather.  I favour the French side.

The island is quite small and somewhat hilly, with much of that land relatively dry and heavily grazed mainly by goats.   As a result there is not a lot of lush and tropical vegetation to experience.

But if tropical rainforest is what you’re looking for, then Costa Rica or Jamaica might be your destination of choice, neither of which I’ve been to yet … or the Flower Forest in Barbados (which I featured earlier…) 

 But let’s get back to St-Martin.

Although many of the restaurants in the sleepy town of Grand Case have gourmet (aka expensive) French cuisine, others are right on the sand and offer less sophisticated fare.  I chose it because I could have a beautifully prepared salad and fish, while my travelling companion, Kent, could have a burger!

Anything barbequed is also an option at the so-called ‘lolos’ that cluster around the centre of town in Grand Case.  Oil drums have been cut in half and elevated on spindly legs to act as make-shift grills for a wide variety of fare:  spareribs, burgers, steak, lobster, fish of the day … Add some corn on the cob, fried plantain, rice and beans, and a slew of other side dishes and you’ve got dinner or a generous lunch for a very reasonable price. 

What could be better than this?  Of course, this is how these hotels snag you.  You book a room that is affordable, with a questionable view, and when you arrive, they tell you that you’ve been upgraded to an ocean-view one bedroom suite!  With a balcony overlooking the ocean!  Yoo hoo!  And there’s a bottle of wine in your room for free…

Excuse me while I go to my happy place again…….