Pirates Plank

Archive for December, 2009

Carl was excited about last summer’s family vacation. He had always wanted to go to Spain and his parents decided to take him and his sister Megan to the Balearic Island of Ibiza. Carl was seventeen and Megan was almost sixteen and their parents didn’t want them to try and get involved in the club scene, which Carl was more than aware of and would have liked to have done, but they wanted to experience the other cultural and scenic aspects of this reputed island paradise. The family had deliberated about which of the islands they would stay on and it came down to a decision between Majorca and Ibiza. They had been leaning toward Majorca due to its larger size and greater range of cultural elements, however the size and population of Ibiza was incredibly attractive to them as they really wanted to just get away from everything.

The family made their reservations in one of the hotels Ibiza and spent a week there last July. They explored much of the island’s mainland and even took a nice family picnic one afternoon. They had incredible views of the Mediterranean and they were able to enjoy great solitude and relaxation. Carl and Megan spent a great deal of time along the coast and enjoyed swimming and scuba diving every morning. Carl was amazed at the number of college coeds he saw and made the decision that he would definitely be back to this island in a couple of years. And on that trip he would bring his friends, not his family though he was having a great time with them at the moment.

One afternoon the family took a short ferry ride to the neighboring island of Formentera. Each of them was amazed at the beauty and pristine quality of the water and sandy beaches. Carl fell in love with this small island and made a mental note that he would come back to it during his next visit. When they were back on Ibiza they went into San Antonio for a day and Megan was impressed with one of its famous landmarks, which also greats people as the enter town. This was the large monumental egg that sits in honor of Christopher Columbus. The family had a great time in San Antonio that day and Carl made a mental note that there were tons of interesting and cool looking clubs there.

Toronto, Canada is one of the finest cities in North America, and if you are trying to decide which neighborhood to move in to, TransGlobe Property Management will be there to help you make that decision.  This company has years of experience in managing rental properties throughout the country and their excellence in customer service comes from a true caring about the proprieties they manage and the tenants they come into contact with.  If you wish to be in the heart of it all, downtown Toronto has much to offer.

In the area of Dundas and Yonge you will have at your door a plethora of people bicycling, skateboarding, riding street cars and limousines.  Punk rockers and businessmen, yuppies and college students will pass by.  The mulitcultural vibe is heavy in this neighborhood, with many people living here from all over the world, and even with all of these people coming from various cultures, countries and religious backgrounds, Toronto is the highest ranked city in North America, number one in fact, as far as the safest city in which to live.

There are many more neighborhoods similar to the downtown energy, but without so much traffic.  Yorkville is a favorite, especially for those with disposable income as it is the city’s shopping district.  This area started out extremely bohemian and hippie in nature, but over the last forty or fifty years it has transformed into an area of high fashion, trendy cafes and loads of galleries and art house cinemas.

Should you be interested in renting a space here, TransGlobe Property Management will find the perfect loft or flat, suitable to your personal taste and well within your price range.  Living in a downtown neighborhood gives life a vibrancy and a pulse that you just simply will not find in the suburbs.  From walking through bustling streets to the open air markets, it is no wonder that those in the city tend to have more contact with their neighbors, giving life just a bit more fun, a bit more variety, and a lot more spice.

It’s a spectacular time to be visiting Singapore.  It’s had a fascinating rise in popularity as a tourist destination over the past few years, and there’s very good reasons for it.  The tourist industry is finally catching on to what the world has known for centuries, that Singapore is a divine place for guests, looking for a bit of East and West in one place.  This splendid urban metropolis is a buzzing hive of activity, and the citizens are enormously productive.  There is a great technology scene here, where scientists and engineers are always hard at work, looking for ways to make the world run more efficiently and with greater interest for the human beings.

There is also a very lively business industry, where high level deals are made, and some of the big decisions are discussed, and this is one thing that attracts a large business class.  When you are done with your meetings, or your entertainments, there is a terrific culture of food here.  Finding a restaurant in Singapore is so much easier than in most places, because it is in the mentality of the people to spend time enjoying a good time eating with close friends.  The food is very much like the place, with heavy influences from many cultures, but all in one exciting city.

There is a trend lately in this part of the world that is catching on, called the knowledge cafe. This is generally speaking a 30 minute conversation among people, some who know each other, and some who may not know each other at all.  People talk in public places about important things, and there is a facilitator who keeps things running smoothly, so that there is a free flow of ideas, and not a lot of conflict.  It’s an idea that has been practiced in parts of Europe, and in the Americas, where knowledge cafes are also big and catching on.  This is a great way to get to air your concerns, and to meet people in Singapore, and you will know why it is such a great place to visit.

Bill and Christie had reached a rough patch in their relationship. When this occurred they both noticed that communication had basically stopped. Along with this they realized independently, of course as they could not say it to the other person, that communication was actually the weakest part of their relationship. Not standard intellectual discussion communication and certainly not the communication of humor. Most of their relationship was built on humor and political and social discussions. In addition, they both happened to be anthropologists so much of their conversation centered on work related topics.

One night Christie returned home from work later than usual and was exhausted as well as completed drained from the toll the stress in her relationship was taking. She just wanted to sit and relax in the couple’s home hot tub and not think about the issues at work or at home that were currently driving her crazy. She grabbed a banana smoothie out of the refrigerator and tried to be quiet as she made her way in the dark to the backyard. She knew Bill would be sleeping by that time and she didn’t want to wake him.

She pulled a towel out of the hall closet and had managed to get her soaking suit out of the closet without turning on the bedroom light. As she walked up to the deck that led to the tub she remembered the day she and Bill had picked it out among all of the available hot tubs spas models. Life seemed so easy that day and she wondered what had changed when she was brought back to the present by realizing the lights of the tub were on. Bill must have been out earlier and left them on she thought as she noticed that he was actually still sitting in it. Surprised to see him she told him she would leave him alone and he asked her to join him. Christie settled into the tub that had provided her a sense of warmth and comfort so many times before and suddenly both of them began to talk about how they felt and the things they were dealing with. Almost as if by magic the waters of the tub drew out the waters of their emotions and the two began to communicate in a way they never had before.

After you buy tires, there are many ways in which you can extend the life of those tires, ensuring proper performance and guaranteed safety.  The tires are one of the most important parts on your vehicle, but for many people, this is the one part that they tend to overlook.  One way to extend the life of your new tires is to make sure that your vehicle is properly aligned.  This not only affects the wear on your tires, but will also serve to make your vehicle a much safer ride and easier to handle.  If your wheels are not aligned, your car will tend to pull to one side or the other.

Also, your car will pull when you put on the brakes, which is extremely unsafe.  Balancing the wheels is another important aspect to take care of on your vehicle, and if the wheels are not properly balanced, you will experience the same types of effects as when the alignment is off.  The vehicle will not only pull to the side, but will tend to vibrate or even bounce as you drive down the road.  If your car has sat for a while without being driven, checking the balance and alignment is important as well as the checking the air pressure.

Tires should be checked thoroughly before driving again, as even if the tires have not been used much, they will still wear out over time, due to environmental conditions and the break down of the rubber and other components.  Once a year too, it is a great idea to have your tires rotated.  This is a great time to fully inspect your tires for signs of damage or of uneven wear.  Keeping your tires in tip top shape will not only save you money and headaches in the long run, but you will be taking care of one of the most important safety features on any car, truck or SUV.

Gas stoves have been in use for hundreds of years, have created a warmth in the home that just can not be outdone.  The original wood burning stove was created by Benjamin Franklin, and they soon became a staple appliance in every house, and serve create a homey atmosphere that all fireplaces seem to do.  My Grandmother lived in a cabin in the mountains just outside of Helena, Montana. To this day, the look of that cast iron, pot-bellied stove signifies to me…”Grandma”.  If I see them in a movie, or in an old restaurant, or now–in a newly designed home, memories of her and of visiting her through the holidays fill my mind and warm my heart.

While those wood burning stoves are romantic in nature, nothing can really beat the convenience of the gas stove. There are environmental concerns with regards to the older wood stoves, and the gas stoves burn much more clean, more efficiently.  For those living in the city, not in close proximity to a field in which to spend hours chopping wood, or carrying the wood up eight flights of stairs, the gas stove is the perfect option.

The ease of clean-up?….well there is none, depending on the model, you may not even need a chimney, which means that too, it will not be necessary to call a chimney sweep once a year.  Not only is this a great way to heat up your home, cooking on a gas stove is like nothing else.

Electric stoves take a bit to heat up, and then a bit of time to cool down.  There is much more control when you are cooking over a gas flame.  These are also very convenient during those winter storms that knock out the power, you will still be kept nice and cozy.  The newer models are equipped with safety controls, which in the event that the pilot light goes out…the gas supply is shut off.  There are many reasons to go with a gas stove, and you will be happy when you choose to do so.

There are no real good reasons not to go to to Malgrat, and no amount of time spent there is ever long enough.  The coastal town in Catalonia has been experiencing some tremendous growth in the past decade, but it’s still a small town that holds many secrets.  It could very well be the perfect romantic getaway, with its spectacular beaches and endless supply of fresh seafood.  Spanish cooking is an exquisite gift to the world already, but if you add fresh fish to the mix, it becomes a taste of near immortality.  There are many exciting things to see and do here, with attractions during the day and a vivacious night life after dark, and it’s rather impossible to be bored.  Likewise, it’s also impossible not to find some beautiful spots for periods of long reflection that can invigorate a tired soul.

The Argentinian writer Cortozar once spoke of traveling as being the opportunity to plan your escape, and he may not have been thinking of Malgrat, but may as well have, because it’s a fantastic place to escape to.  Malgrat de Mar hotels seem to understand the appeal of the place, and help it along by offering an amazing sense of hospitality, and the cafes seem to know that everyone who is here is in a much better mood than they were just a few hours before.  It’s a great place to come to daydream, too, and spend some time contemplating the architecture, and how Catalan modernisme is a thread that runs through everything here, even subtly.

Modernisme may have only been a small blip on the map of time, lasting only a couple of decades at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, but like all movements, it had many ancestors, and has seen many descendants.  There is always something that the new generation finds in common with this relatively small group of decadents and intellectuals, and it’s easy to see the connection these days.  Their indignant response to the intellectual distance of their time, along with their disregard for sentimentality, offered formulas for paving the way to a life lived in deep feeling, and earned through hard experience.  The contemporary restlessness is one that every generation has seen, but always needs to be renegotiated by the new generation, and it will be fascinating to see how it plays out here.

When you start to venture into the world of hot tubs, you’ll find a wide variety of spas to choose from, and choosehottubsdirect.com can help your search be interesting and fun, and their customer service is exceptional.  After this, there is a large community of hot tub owners out there, and you’re entering into this community. You’ll also meet a wide variety of people, with very different ways of looking at their hot tubs.  There are those who see their personal spa as an excellent way to entertain.  Some see it as a place of solitude and relaxation.  And still others take the relaxation much more seriously, and see it as a very special place in their homes.

You don’t have to go too far into the ethereal plane to work with the effects of relaxation, although it can get a little interesting at times.  But it’s very possible to simply learn how your own body relaxes, and use the hot tub as a way of facilitating this very pleasurable process.  The first stage in this kind of work would be the pure relaxation.  Hot tubs make it very simple for the body to calm down, and the massaging jets can soothe tense muscles, and this would very easily approximate the beginning of a true relaxation experience.  It can go deeper, however, just as sleeping can lead to dreaming.

The next phase would be to go deep inside, to experience your own experience of relaxation, as if you were an outsider observing your internal world.  From here, it’s a matter of relaxing more, and focusing, so that this experience gets deeper.  This is usually followed, if you can stay in the moment, by an amazing experience of being connected suddenly, to the world around you, in a profound way.  It’s very difficult to describe, but poets have been trying for thousands of years, and it does seem to be as mysterious as the process that moves the body from sleep cycles to REM.  And like dreaming, it may be possible that we understand more about it some day, but that won’t take away from the mystery.

We had a great time visiting the Miami Beach style area of Hong Kong called Repulse Bay, not a good name for a beautiful beach area. Then we headed to Stanley Market for some souvenir shopping. Like all good Catholics, I introduced my traveling companion to our age old tradition of visiting a Buddhist Temple on Christmas day. I took him to the Big Buddha on Lantau Island. Seeing that December 25th was a holiday for most Chinese people, the buses were packed. However, the wait was well worth it, because we climbed the 300 steps to the top. The local monastery was in the midst of an 8 day prayer service and the monks were having a special prayer for all the chickens that were slain because of the Chicken flu. Buddhists believe in reincarnation, so as it was explained to us, one of those chickens could well be some relative from a past life or even a future life.

Our last day in Hong Kong, we went to see my traveling companions parents’ friends. They took us to an excellent Chinese restaurant that overlooked the entire city. The skyline at night is a sight to behold. All the skyscrapers were lit up with the Christmas spirit. There was even a fireworks display and a laser light show! Hong Kong being mostly Buddhist, I found it so odd how they celebrate a Christian holiday. Chris’s Parents’ friends introduced us to their friends and this was my first introduction to how the Chinese have a tradition of adopting English names for business and social circumstances. Like Vyonne is a version of Yvonne or Rango is a version of Ringo the drummer from the Beatles. We all had a great time eating fish balls, chicken feet and bean curd.

Afterwards, they dropped us off at our airport hotel for the night. We had to catch an early flight to Bangkok, so being next to the airport was the best decision we have made through out our whole trip.

The day before Diwali, which is a huge festival in India commonly known as ‘The Festival of Lights’ and all the offices were closing early for the day. I decided to make the most of this great opportunity and meet up with a new found friend and make them help me explore New Delhi. Incidentally, the story behind this new found friend is an interesting one. It starts when I was a young girl living with my family in the town of MacClesfield. My older brother had made friends with a young girl of the same age and here name is Neena, an Indian girl. Neena and her family moved back to India 7 years later. I don’t have any memory of ever knowing her or her family, I was only 3 years old. Our family managed to keep in touch, but through the years, contact did wane, but through the modern invention of social networking sites, we managed to re-establish contact with Neena. I contacted her when I found out I was coming to India. Neena now lives in New Delhi and I made arrangements to meet up with her.

I’ve now been to Delhi many times and she’s been able to show me some very interesting places to see. Since my company puts me up at a five star hotel India,  offers she actually comes to stay with me! I don’t blame her, the accommodations are wonderful. Now, on this particular day, the day before The Festival of Lights, we decided to visit Humayun’s Tomb, which is in the same area as my office. So, as to not get charged extortionate tourist fees, we asked our auto driver to drop us at the main road close to the entrance, actually, this may not have been the best decision, because crossing the busy road was extremely dangerous, but this road is the main road from Pakistan to Bangladesh! And I got to walk on it. Humayun was Delhi’s first Mogul emperor and because of this, this was the first Mogul garden tomb, then this tomb style was to lead to what the Taj Mahal is today.

Neena has turned out to be our family treasure and dear friend. My older brother missed the boat by not following this one to India!