Monthly Archives: January 2015

SNAPSHOTS

SNAPSHOT #5

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20141008_185947Sometimes a moment lingers and the memory it produces is like a snapshot.

The B and Q train travel between Manhattan and Brooklyn on the Manhattan Bridge. This bridge may not be as pretty nor as popular as the heralded Brooklyn Bridge but the view it offers is just fine.

The Statue of Liberty and skyline are seemingly within reach. The boats below and the sky above vary each hour and day.

A number of years ago I made a promise to myself.  While the train made the crossing, I would stop whatever I was doing to peer out its window.

I’ve kept my promise.  I never tire of the view.

THOUGHTS ON ONESELF

SETTING LIMITS

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P1050366Two men recently “free-climbed” a 3000 foot (915 meter) granite wall known as El Capitan. This was an outstanding feat by anyone’s standards and many considered it impossible.

Discerning folly from fortitude is not always feasible.

Giving our lives meaning, fulfillment and joy often involves taking risks, but the limits we impose are set at different measures. Comparing ourselves to others need not serve any purpose, except to inspire us and contest our restrictions.

THOUGHTS ON ONESELF

TALKING TO STRANGERS

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P1050169My father had a knack for speaking with people-anyone, anywhere. Probably as a result, I too engage freely with strangers. These conversations enrich my travel experiences immeasurably and the multitudes of enthusiastic responses to my queries and greetings continue to inspire me.
Recently a security guard, watching over Pablo Neruda’s living room, was delighted to be noticed as visitors traipsed through. I had asked him a question and his vast knowledge and enthusiasm was evident in his lengthy response. It far exceeded the scope and details offered by the audio guide I was given at the entrance to the home.
And of course, conversations with both locals and fellow travelers can provide me with travel tales and tips, companionship and an opportunity to practice a foreign language.
Think twice about being shy.

week end break

STILL THINKING ABOUT THE DAYS

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P1050452Thank you subscribers and readers for taking the time to visit my blog!!

If this is the first time you are visiting the site, welcome to the tales of a woman solo traveler and thoughts to make today the start of something new.

Although I take a break during the weekends, I’ll be back on Monday and would be delighted, in the meantime, if you would look through my previous posts. Perhaps you missed a few or will reread one with a new perspective.There is a list of all the previous posts by title and date.

Since the configuration of the site may differ on your browser, perhaps you have not noticed the tabs which offer some additional information:Why this blog?, Images, How I Began, etc.

You can search certain posts by category: Practical Advice, Thoughts on Oneself, Snapshots, etc.

All of these may be at the very bottom of the posts.

While traveling I may not be posting each day. To be notified when I have written a new post please subscribe-of course its free.
I would be delighted if you would sign up.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post! Welcome to the tales of a woman solo traveler and thoughts to make today the start of something new. I hope you find information and inspiration in the text and images and join me in my quest for growth, wonderment and self-improvement.

Here’s to new discoveries near and far!

Enjoy the day.

week end break

THINKING ABOUT DAYS PAST AND NEW

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P1050709Thank you subscribers and readers for taking the time to visit my blog!!

If this is the first time you are visiting the site, welcome to the tales of a woman solo traveler and thoughts to make today the start of something new.

Although I take a break during the weekends, I’ll be back on Monday and would be delighted, in the meantime, if you would look through my previous posts. Perhaps you missed a few or will reread one with a new perspective.There is a list of all the previous posts by title and date.

Since the configuration of the site may differ on your browser, perhaps you have not noticed the tabs which offer some additional information:Why this blog?, Images, How I Began, etc.

You can search certain posts by category: Practical Advice, Thoughts on Oneself, Snapshots, etc.

All of these may be at the very bottom of the posts.

While traveling I may not be posting each day. To be notified when I have written a new post please subscribe-of course its free.
I would be delighted if you would sign up.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post! Welcome to the tales of a woman solo traveler and thoughts to make today the start of something new. I hope you find information and inspiration in the text and images and join me in my quest for growth, wonderment and self-improvement.

Here’s to new discoveries near and far!

Enjoy the days.

THOUGHTS ON ONESELF

TRAVELING ALONE

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P1050426Conveying my experiences as a woman solo traveler is a primary goal of this blog but not the only one. However, since my last trip to Chile is only days and weeks in the past I am tempted to draw upon my time and experiences there.

The countries may differ, but the reactions to my traveling alone rarely do. Many people I meet say I am brave, for some, I suspect this is a euphemism for crazy. Others will speak of similar desires-I wish them well. Traveling alone is simply a choice and not much more. I am often reading about people undertaking far more adventurous and dangerous exploits; in comparison my travels are rather ordinary.

Choosing to travel solo is prompted by various desires; freedom is most likely at the top of the list-it is for me. Seeking lessons in self-reliance, self-confidence and getting to know oneself likely follow close behind.

I met, by chance, a number of people traveling alone for the first time. They spoke of their initial fear (that doesn’t necessarily go away) and their joy. Perhaps the greatest revelation of traveling alone is that you are rarely by yourself, unless you wish to be.

TRAVEL TALES

COMING HOME

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P1050127I left for Chile almost two months ago. Returning home means seeing loved ones and taking care of everyday things. Images of Chile fleet through my mind or I indulge in recalling places and moments with as many details as I can muster. It already seems far away but the conjuring of these images brings the past near.

It has been an extraordinary trip and adventure .

Perspective and time will undoubtedly alter my memories but I look forward to revisiting  and recounting  the  days spent beneath a different sky.

 

TRAVEL TALES

SANTIAGO DE CHILE

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P1050166Jan3-5  DAYS 46-49
My return to Santiago after almost two months, was familiar and welcoming except for the excessive heat. I ate divine ceviche and drank perfectly paired wine. I wandered through one more of Pablo Neruda’s magical homes and met a photographer who had just shown in New York and drove me around her town. These were my last days in Chile before heading home. It was a time to pack up one last time. It was time to say farewell to a land with exquisite beauty and its people who welcomed me with an abundance of warmth and kindness.

TRAVEL TALES

VALPARAISO CHILE

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P1060241Dec 29-Jan3
DAYS 40-46
Valparaiso is justifiably a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The multi-colored dwellings perched on steep hills, the century old funiculars, maze-like streets, passageways and parks with magnificent overlooks, fine dining, abundant art and graffiti covered walls all add to its charm. People flock to the town by the thousands to see the dazzling display of fireworks which begin, annually, at the new year. Accommodations rise to exorbitant prices, the locals mostly leave to more peaceful environs, and the riff-raff come out in droves to prey on the tourists. The town was an exciting place to bring in 2015 although I will opt for a different season the next time around.P1060244