Transitional Nadia

Happy 2012!

2011-12-31T20:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, 2012 everyone! I've been perusing the web to find photos from around the world of the different New Year's celebrations and here are a few of my favorites:

A Sri Lankan traditional dancer performs in Colombo on December 31, 2011.
The ceremony was conducted to ward off bad spirits in the 2012 New Year.
Source: www.globalpost.com

...

Fireworks over Sydney Harbour Bridge. Photo: Chrissie Thoo

bbc.co.uk

...

Russians celebrate the new year on Red Square in Moscow,

with the Kremlin in the background to the right and St. Basil's cathedral

in background to the left. Tens of thousands of people gathered

in the square to celebrate the new year and view the

fireworks as the clock on the Kremlin's Spassky Tower,

right, struck midnight.

Mikhail Metzel / AP {washington post}

Around here...

2011-09-05T13:27:00.000-07:00

If you're a beach lover you will definitely enjoy the Longboat Key/Bradenton area beaches as pictured in these photos I took a few months back...

It's a beautiful area when vacationing! To see more of the Longboat Key photos and the Bridge Street ones visit my photography page on facebook: Perez Liscano Photography.

Travelling through postcards...

2011-07-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

In this difficult economy it is hard to find the means to do a lot of travelling and so for me, and many others, travel must be done by other means. Some of us travel through shows, others through books and some of us through post cards and pen-palling. I've been doing all three and thought what a better way to share a little bit of my virtual travels than by sharing the post cards I've received lately and some tidbits about these "travels". So, without further ado, today we go to Holland, Michigan. I received this beautiful postcard in the mail today through the postcrossing initiative, a project which gets people all over the world to send each other postcards in a cycle.

Holland, Michigan--postcard from Sue via Postcrossing.com

The postcard is a fitting representation of the city being that it is home to the Tulip Time festival and the windmill a fine representation of its deeply rooted Dutch history. To learn more about the city of Holland and vacation opportunities there you can visit their website: http://holland.org/.

If a nice family vacation without having to go overseas (for those of us in the US) is what you're yearning for, Holland is a great place to see with beautiful scenery and a rich history. Hope you get to visit it soon!

Florida....

2011-05-24T15:07:00.000-07:00

View of a coming storm from our balcony...

Hello friends!

It has been quite a long while! I was in the State of Washington and now I am back in Florida, ready to bring you more interesting glimpses of the places I frequent and live in. Every day is an opportunity to travel and explore if you dare to think outside the box.

A little bit of exciting news: My 365 Magazine, an online publication that my friend Kiki Smith created with our friend Cory Wright's help and my own, just launch yesterday and is looking quite good! I suggest you check it out and let us know what you think. The magazine has a facebook page and also a twitter profile (@my365mag) so don't be shy and check them all out! I hope to start bringing you more about the places I visit here in South Florida soon! For now though, please check out our lifestyle magazine and tell others about it.

Cheers!

Nadia

At home...

2010-12-14T22:51:00.000-08:00

I've not done much travelling of late but here are some photos from walks this autumn...enjoy!

All photos are my own personal work so PLEASE do not steal or use without permission. If you would like to use one of my images please e-mail me and let me know which you would like to use so the proper credit may be given. Thanks again!

Cheers!

Travelling through Etsy....

2010-09-27T22:12:00.000-07:00

Trying very badly to get back in the swing of writing now that I am back here in Cheney! As I was looking for Parisian lovelies to share on Mes Petites Creations I came across a few lovely images of Paris that got me started on a new virtual travel to the City of Lights...I hope to go there this coming August for my 30th birthday! Check these photos out:

The Red Balloon by TCaponePhoto

Pensive by TCaponePhoto

French Lollipops-Paris by magalerie

Paris Rooftops by rebeccaplotnick

There are so many gorgeous Paris themed items on Etsy but these are my favorites that are just purely images...I cannot wait to go to Paris!

Cheers!

Places to See: Northwest Trek

2010-09-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

I really want to go to Northwest Trek Wildlife Park which is in the Seattle area. Being that I am back in the State of Washington I see it as a very big possibility. So, here are some of the things that I want to see while there:

Favorite Places: La Colonia Tovar

2010-07-17T21:53:00.000-07:00

I love to travel and see new things but every now and then there are a few places that I absolutely love that must be visited every chance one gets and La Colonia Tovar is one of those such places. I love that village! I cannot get enough of it and someday I will own a house there. Anyway, today I just want you to travel there through my photos from my latest trip there back in May. Enjoy!

A view of the Colony from a top a hill...

Another view of the centre from said hill...

Typical dolls from the Colony....

The Kaiserstuhl, one of many hotels and inns in the Colony...

Scenes from the local weekend market...

Fresh fruits and veggies...yum!

Gorgeous carrots and beets, among other things on display....

The church yard....

Homage to the Virgin Mary and Christ Child...

Strawberries and blackberries...

A pathway at the Selva Negra Hotel....

Strawberries and cream...typical dessert....

Not so typical souvenirs...matryoshkas and little buddhas...

A gorgeous doorway in the Colony...

A view of many house in the Colony....

For more photos from this trip please visit my photography page on facebook, the album is La Colonia Tovar 2010. I hope you enjoy them!

Earth Day Special: Buying and Living Locally

2010-04-22T14:34:00.000-07:00

First let me begin by saying that this post is dedicate to Kiki Smith of the blog Kiki Nakita which I have mentioned on here before. A few weeks ago in response to one of my last posts, Kiki asked me to take photos of markets here and publish them in the blog so I thought what better way to show what comes here locally than writing about it for Earth Day? In the spirit of sustainable living there is no better way to shop than to shop locally. During our short stay in Princeton, NJ my parents and I were able to do a little local shopping and as a result of that I bought a bag at Terhune Orchards which I used today while shopping at the market with my grandmother and father.

Every Thursday is market day here in La Candelaria and while in the US we have a strong campaign going on for buying locally, here in Caracas most of the produce comes from local farms in the surrounding area and has always been thus. There are, of course, certain things such as apples which often come from the US or Chile which are also sold at the market but most of the produce is local and fresh which makes it more appealing. Here are just a few snapshots of the market in La Candelaria:

My grandmother and others shopping for eggs...

Beautiful fresh brown eggs...

Egg stand and other stands beyond...

Meat & Cheese stand + Veggie stand across the street...

Another stand with fruits and veggies + motorcycle to boot...

Folks doing their shopping in the morning...

Ahhhhhh...limes...limones!

Fresh papaya...

One of the many vendors with his crates and sacks full of goodies...

Pineapples...

Lady shopping and lots of goodies...

Hand-written price list at one of the stands...

Fresh sausages and cheese...

A vendor talking to a customer...

I bought some of the red grapes...

My Dad buying the grapes...juicy!!

So, remember, a sustainable life on earth also depends upon a sustainable economy and what better way to contribute to the sustainability of your own country than by buying locally grown and produced foods? Happy Earth Day!
Cheers!

Venezuelan Journey II: My Return...

2010-04-03T14:23:00.000-07:00

Greetings to all from Caracas! Yes, that's right, I am in Caracas watching People + Arts and reading about Missing Goat Blueberry Farm in Canada. It's Holy Week here so everything is quiet, most business are closed and people are eagerly awaiting tomorrow's Resurrection Sunday masses and services. Those who are in the city will usually go to church and spend the day with family, the rest of the people are all along the coast and other tourist areas enjoying the long break. I arrived here on Monday night at around 11pm and was exhausted from all the flying I had to do.

I flew out of JFK to Toronto, Ontario and then from there to Caracas. I was in Canada almost 6 hours and wished that I had been able to see Toronto but it really wasn't a trip of leisure to Canada it was just a stop along the way (a weird one at that but a stop non-the-less). Someday soon I will actually go to Toronto though Montreal appeals more to me than Toronto. All I saw of the city was the aerial view when you fly into it and out of it. I flew LAN from NY to Toronto and Air Canada from Toronto to Caracas and I actually enjoyed Air Canada's service. It was quite good and it was the first time I heard English and French instructions as well as Spanish (normally I would fly LAN directly to Caracas and hear only English/Spanish).

I am very happy to be in Caracas and look forward to all that I will do here in the future. I took a few photos but have not edited them yet. Perhaps tomorrow I will post them. One of the things I am really glad about is that being able to read the blogs I've followed for quite some time now is still a possibility and I will be able to continue to be connected to friends and family. Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers!

Venezuelan Journey: The Parents

2010-03-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

My parents embark today on a three and a half week long journey to their homeland which will undoubtedly be both joyous and overwhelming. My mother was there with me last in 2007 for about 6 months and my father has not been since 1994. Clearly, there will be some culture shock for him (not too much for my mom except for the obvious recent hike in the prices of certain consumer products) but it is, afterall, his home and there is a definite attachment in the heart of each and every individual to their home no matter how far they roam. My mom and dad get to have an interesting trip (they've been travelling since Thursday), they were able to secure a more or less economic flight on Orbitz with only one stop between Miami and Caracas: Lima, Peru! They have an 8 hour layover there! Isn't that crazy?

I am so excited for them and will be waiting in anticipation to hear from them when they have arrived at my grandmother's house! As a result of my parents' trip I began googling some of my favorite stores and shops in Caracas and found that quite a few have websites (some don't, I am sad to say, but it will probably not be long before they do): Beco, El Principito Kids, Tecni-Ciencia and a few more. I love Caracas! It has a lot to see and, like any big metropolis, has everything you can't normally get in a small town. Not that I love it for what I can get though. I love Caracas mostly because it is such an active city both culturally and politically as well as socio-economically. Locals are friendly and eager to help you find a place if they know where it is, the weekly neighborhood markets and impromptu fruit and vegetable stands are a sight to behold.

I want to leave you today with a few photos I've taken over the past 4 years during my frequent trips to my second home! Enjoy!

Graffiti-like play advertisement outside of what was the Ateneo de Caracas

Raja Tabla Theatre and Cafe advertisement

The Teresa Carreño Theatre Complex

View of La Colonia Tovar, a Bavarian colony in Venezuela

One aspect of the view from atop my Grandmother's building in La Candelaria

Looking up my Grandmother's street...

La Cita, La Candelaria's most famous restaurant

Typical laundry scene in Caracas...

View from my friend's window in sepia

A view of Caracas from the Avila Mtn. cable car...

**Photo at very top of page from Flexijourney Blog**

Socks for Happy People Launch Video, check it out!

2010-03-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

Hey all! Today let's travel to London, England to check out the announcement of Socks For Happy People's March 26th launch! Watch the video and don't forget to check out the website!

Happy Belated Birthday, Einstein!

2010-03-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

Hopefully most of you know that yesterday, March 14th, would have been Albert Einstein's 131st birthday had he lived that long. My father began a tradition for celebrating the famed physicist's life and work on the anniversary of his birth when we lived in Princeton and although we are all grown up and all in different places at present, the memory of this tradition is very much alive. I had wanted to include this post yesterday but had not had a moment to sit down and write. Being that this is a travel blog I wanted to go back in time to the place of Einstein's birth and take a look at what the city now looks like.

Albert Einstein was born on March 14th, 1879 in the German city of Ulm to Hermann Einstein and Pauline Koch. The house he was born in, Bahnhofstrasse 20, was erected in 1871 and in 1944 in the midst of the war was destroyed during one of the heaviest bombarments to take place in Ulm. Einstein was not, it seems, too particularly attached to his birthplace (the family moved in 1880 to Munich) but through letters it seems he may have visited Ulm a few times later on in life as a sort of passing through.

The house where Einstein was born, photo credits follow:

Ulmer Stadtarchiv - Vorlage Stadtarchiv Ulm, G2 Einstein

Though Albert Einstein spent little time in that city, Ulm today has honored the physicist in many ways. The first honor bestowed upon the famed scientist was the naming of a street after him in 1929 called Einsteinstrasse (renamed during the Nazi regime Fichtestrasse after a German philosopher and then changed back to Einsteinstrasse in 1945). Many other honors ensued and on his 125th birthday in 2004, a ceremonial act took place in the Congress Center in Ulm in his honor. You can read more about Albert Eistein and Ulm here.

Let us now take a look at Ulm today.

Ulm, by ATXTraveler

What a beautiful city to have been born in! Here is an Einstein Memorial bust in the city of Ulm:

Einstein Memorial Face from deutschlanduberelvis.com

That photo totally made my day! You really should check out the rest of deutschlanduberelvis' other photos on his post: The Einstein Memorial Turd. The post is amusing but informative. Here are a few more photos I found on ysfine.com from the 2004 commemorative exhibition and a few of the places around town:

McDonald's is everywhere, even in Ulm! Wonder what Einstein

would think of that....

Well, you get the picture! Thanks to Einstein we are able to do many things with only the flick of a switch! Happy Birthday, Mr. Einstein!

Blog Surfing...Coast to Coast!

2010-03-13T19:12:00.000-08:00

If you're anything like me you love to get ideas and get inspired by other bloggers around the country! I travel through blogs, movies and television! My two favorite blogs to read are A CUP OF JO and {frolic}. I have found so many great blogs through these ladies which has made my feed list grow exponentially! Joanna and Chelsea have taken me to NYC (which is my favorite city in the world and had I been following Jo's blog before the last time I went there I'd have visited with her), Portland, San Francisco, Paris and beyond. I lurve them!

Today Chelsea took me to London to check out this fabulous children's shop called Caramel, located in Notting Hill.

photo from Sarah Berry's blog quintessentially b

Joanna is taking a trip to Los Angeles and Palm Springs which will no doubt be fun! I loved checking out the hotel she and her husband Alex will be staying in while in Palm Springs. It's called the Ace Hotel, check it out! The images on the home page are so inviting!

Another place Joanna mentioned via the English Muse was San Francisco. It really is a gorgeous city! I had such a great time there when my friend Martina and I went! I need to go back!

For me no travel experience is complete without music! As I travel through the blogosphere I'm listening to The Debonaire's Mix Vol. 2 which can be found on her blog! I came across The Debonaire through A CUP OF JO and I am so glad I clicked on that link! I think you will too! I ♥ the soulful mix of songs!

I also travelled back in time to the Willamette River through A Victorian Passage and got a free download of a stereo card depicting three little girls from the Edwardian timeperiod enjoying flowers and sunshine in Oregon.

Close-up of Edwardian Girls from A Victorian Passage

You can travel all over through blogs! I love it! I hope you have many happy travels this weekend!

Cheers!

The United States: Land of the Same

2010-03-04T07:27:00.000-08:00

During the 2008 elections it seems that this little word was being used quite a bit, whether it was referring to the policies that were being introduce by one candidate or whether it was name calling, the word same was being used a lot. Senator John McCain was unpleasantly tagged McSame as many thought his line of politics to be just another copy of the Bush policy but we won't focus on that today but rather on another "American" reality, that is, the sameness of the United States. Since this is a travel blog we will talk about mainly the US landscape and what has become of it, sadly.

About a week or so ago, my father sent me an e-mail linking to an article called The Sameness of the American Commercial Landscape and it got me thinking. The article is from The Strange Death of Liberal America blog and focuses on what the author calls "Gasoline Ghettos", that strange yet familiar cluster of hotels, motels, restaurants and gas stations that all seem to creep up on every town like a stalker that won't ever leave you alone. The truth is that everywhere you go in the US everything looks the same and if you are lucky enough to visit the small villages trying to resist this "sameness" trend you'll realize that even then the Wal-Marts, Best Buys, Pizza Huts and other "sameness" proliferators are not far off.

About a day or two after my father referred me to the article, my brother and I watched the movie The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, and within the first few minutes I was reminded of what I had read in the article. Unwittingly, this film portrays just how "same" the landscape of America really has become. From the car lot to the checking in at the Hacienda Courts scene (think checking in to a Days Inn, Comfort Inn or La Quinta and you'll know what I mean), everything is something that immediately reminds you of one or another town or city in the US you've been to because they are all the SAME! Just check out this shot of the car lot on the movie set:

That looks like any of the millions of lots you can find virtually anywhere in the United States and guess what folks, they all look the same. I couldn't find a picture of it but on the film they even had the blow-up gorilla doll like the ones I've seen at some of the car lots in Bradenton, FL right on the main strip, otherwise known as Cortez Road. Let's not stop there though, take a look at housing in America and that's another "sameness" battle come to life. No more gorgeous and unique houses or buildings in mainstream America today! The new homes being built lack uniqueness and beauty, they all look...the same! Check out where I used to live in Florida:

Palm Cove in Bradenton, FL

The apartment complex I lived in where everything looked exactly the same. Now look at this:

The Springs at Palma Sola

Not exactly the same but there is an odd familiarity to these places that makes me believe that going inside one of the condos will prove that the layout is pretty much...the same! Many more places and houses can be found like this throughout the US and the saddest part of it all is that we are becoming so conditioned to seeing them that they are now like second nature. It's disheartening to see the lack of creativity we have in our country nowadays and the corporate mentality. Seeing these things makes me think of the propaganda people were fed here during the Cold War about how the housing and everything in the Soviet Union for the Soviet man, woman and child was...wait for it...oh, that's right, THE SAME! Ironic, isn't it?

There are still some places here and there (mostly along the East Coast) that have tried to maintain their unique identity but it is almost impossible not to have those big corporations muscling their way into these towns and cities. I hope that more places will start rescuing their landscape and restoring it to the uniqueness that was once treasured in this land but it will be a difficult and costly battle. Even so, with community meetings and good planning things can change. Let's see what happens in the future! Still, let's have no more of that same stuff, it can get quite boring!

Cheers!

Dreaming of New England...

2010-02-26T15:54:00.000-08:00

Everytime I watch the Gilmore Girls I suddenly want to go to New England. I lived in Vermont once as a little girl and have never forgotten the beauty and charm of this region of the United States but beyond Essex Junction and my one trip to Boston back when I was in fifth grade, I've never really seen all that much of New England and there are a few places I would really like to get to know. So, today we will look at a few places in Massachusetts to get into the New England spirit!

The first place I want to look at is Salem. Everyone knows Salem for the witchtrials which occurred there in 1692 but people do not realize how rich in history this city really is. A city since 1626, when Roger Conant arrived with the first settlers, Salem has been drawing in crowds for centuries and continues to do so today. Being a fan of history myself, I would love to go to Salem and I've heard it is actually a great place to live in so, who knows? Perhaps some day I will move to Salem. Here are a few images from that most "haunted" of places:

Grave stone of Rebecca Nurse, hanged for witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.

Scenes of Salem from Woodard & Curran

Salem Witch Museum, from Kwaree Blog

Another gorgeous place in New England I would love to visit and shouldn't mind living in is Nantucket Island in Massachusetts. I have been in love with Nantucket ever since the show Wings popularized it back in the early 1990s. I was looking at a few photos of Nantucket a few nights ago and really think I may someday either live there or in Salem. Here are some of my favorites:

Photo taken by Bobak Ha'Eri, August 2004, Shown in Wikipedia.

Nantucket Island by Amy England

A Nantucket Island seaside wedding, as seen on Snippet and Ink

Please click on "Snippet and Ink" for photo credits..

I just love Nantucket and the wedding photo montage is simply gorgeous! I think sometime soon there will have to be a trip to New England in order. Perhaps for my birthday....

Cheers!

San Diego: Happy Happens!

2010-02-19T21:57:00.000-08:00

After seeing this commercial a thousand times I really think I need to go to San Diego! Who wouldn't?

Blog Surfing...

2010-02-12T19:59:00.000-08:00

Part of the reason I began keeping blogs is because I would read other's blogs and they were so inspiring that it made me want to have a space where I could share my thoughts and share images with others as well! It's a whole new brand of writing and certainly a whole new brand of reading as well. I have a ton of blogs I follow and read and was recently working on organizing them all into feeds for easier access. Today, after posting on my other blog: Mes Petites Creations, I began to "surf" through my feed list to see what other bloggers have been up to and found so many great things and links to other blogs that my feed has grown exponentially!

One of my favorite blogs, Abby Try Again, has excellent off-shoots (Abby's main blog is mostly about her photography which is amazing! You should check out her shop--> http://abbytryagain.bigcartel.com/) and this one, entitled Portland Places, inspired me to want to check Portland out one of these days! Since I will soon be going West I think a trip to Portland is in the not-so-distant future! If so, I will meet up with my good friend Kiki (whose blog I featured in my other blog LatiNadia) and see if we can check out some of these places together! One of the places Abby mentions in her blog is the Pittock Mansion. Her photos of the house are spectacular! Here are a few I found doing a google search:

from portlandrevealed.com

from Oregonlive.com

from diditmedia.com

I cannot wait to go there! I really would love to check this mansion out! I think it is well worth the $8 admission fee.

Another place mentioned by Abby is Flutter, a shop that has everything- including these Gibson Girl tumblers which I absolutely love and want:

I saw those on the online shop and hope to go to the actual shop which, judging from Abby's photos, looks quite colourful, a feast for the eyes! The shop even has a blog! I must go to Portland! Thanks to Abby for opening my eyes to this amazing city and its great places!

I love blog surfing!

Cheers!

New Year, New Blog Design, New Hopes for Travel!

2010-02-09T21:18:00.000-08:00

It is indeed a new year and to celebrate that I have changed the blog template and added this beautiful Scottish scene which I found to be quite appropriate for a travel blog. Since my last post back in October of 2009 I have travelled Upstate and back to NYC a couple of times but not really been anywhere else and I am really wanting to get some travels in! As much as I hate to leave the New York area I think a trip out West is coming my way! A trip out to Spokane, WA to be exact! I miss good old Spokane and am also dying to be able to go and visit Seattle again since my little sister now lives in that area!

This winter has been pretty mild over there while the Mid-Atlantic has been slammed with snow, according to my family over there. The photo above is an old photo from 2006 that I snapped when I was living in the area. The complex is the RiverPark Square Retail Center (I worked there one summer). I spent many great times in that place. I hope that my trip over there will take place very soon! Here are a few more snapshots from Spokane and Cheney (where I lived and was born).

Looking toward Macy's (the old Bon Marche)

Tracks going through Cheney.

NY Frame of Mind

2009-10-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, October 18th I went to New York City after having been away for 10 years (not by choice but by circumstance). It was so exciting to be there again! I love Manhattan for many reasons but one of the things I love most about it is its architectural landscape. There are so many interesting buildings and monuments in that city. I would like to share some of the photographs I took with you in this post. Such a bustling city deserves to be written about, photographed and raved about by whomever has had the privilege of going there or living there. I have seen so many books written about Manhattan and I am making a list of the ones I would like to have for my collection.

My favorite building in Manhattan is the Flat Iron building (orginilally called the Fuller Building). The building was considered to be one of the first skyscrapers ever built. It's located at 175 Fifth Avenue. The building was designed by Daniel Burnham and the neighborhood surrounding it is named for the building. Of this amazing building it was said: "I found myself agape, admiring a skyscraper — the prow of the Flatiron Building, to be particular, ploughing up through the traffic of Broadway and Fifth Avenue in the late-afternoon light." – H.G. Wells (1906).

I really enjoy the fact that the building does indeed look like a flat iron and it has been my favorite building in the city for quite some time. It was fun to see all the tourists photographing this iconic building. The day was cold, wet and windy but I was in my element and eager to be in the City that doesn't sleep. I was able to meet up for coffee with a good friend I hadn't seen in about 2 and a half years and got some good photos in while waiting for her and then afterward while walking toward Rockefeller Center. My parents and I went together by train from Princeton, NJ into NY Penn Station--it took 85minutes total and was very comfortable.

There were people all over the place that day! Our first stop, after having pizza at a Famiglia's on 8th and Broadway, was Strand Books on 12th and Broadway. This place boasts 18 miles of books, as stated on their slogan, and is one of the most popular bookstores in Manhattan. A major purveyor of rare and used books for the city, this store is truly a gem in Greenwich Village and is a store that I remember from my childhood and somehow a visit to Manhattan never seems complete without going to Strand.

Not far from Strand is the famed Union Square which is where I was waiting for my friend who was getting out of the subway station there on her way to meet me. It was a fun walk to Union Square from Strand, very short and full of interesting buildings which I photographed. You can check out my all of the photos I took that day here: October in NYC (the good ones, that is). While I was waiting for my dear friend in Union Square I saw some folks holding signs with their arms wide open. Their posterboard signs said, "FREE HUGS" and I was watching as they approached people coming out of the subway station or walking by to give them a free hug. As I watched one of the guys started walking toward me and at the same time a girl was walking up so I met them halfway for a free hug! Altogether I received 4 free hugs while I waited for my friend.

The free hug crew, as I like to call them, were quite amusing! I asked one of the girls why exactly they were giving out these awesome hugs and she shrugged and then said, "Just to make the world a happier place." I am all for love and happiness and giving of ourselves to others around us. It's part of loving one another as we would love ourselves and that is a beautiful thing. After meeting with my friend and catching up for a couple of hours I met up with my parents for a brisk walk down 5th Avenue toward Rockefeller Center and saw some really great things along the way! A very cute pumpkin stand not far from the Flat Iron Building, a really cool wagon by the small market, a gold topped building and much more. All of these you can see following the link above!

Stay tuned for more posts about the Tri-State area!

Cheers,

Nadia Marie Perez

Princeton University

2009-10-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

I've moved from Florida to New Jersey and am enjoying every minute of the autumn that surrounds me! I have been snapping up pictures and posting them on Flickr and Facebook of all the autumnal beauty I see and the architectural beauty of Princeton University as well as building in Manhattan. My favorite is the Flatiron building which if you click on the links above you might get a peak at. Since I have been here I have gone to many places but for today's post I just want to take you on a pictorial tour of Princeton University because it is just so beautiful that one must take note of it.

These walkways were once courted by great minds like John Nash and still inspire a collegiate spirit in all who walk through them. They seem to beckon you to higher learning, to discovery, to a desire of knowledge. It is incomprehensible but true, to walk through Princeton University's campus seems to compel you to want to go back to school and learn more. Doing it at this institution of higher learning is no easy task but is well worth the effort if you are up to it. Challenging and inspiring it is truly a beacon of light in a rather dark educational age in which we are living.

The structures at Princeton University are awesome and wondrous, full of exquisite detail. To the right you see Richardson Auditorium. It is a very intriguing structure, very intricate in detail. I had the privilege of singing here years ago when I was in high school. There have been many notable persons who have attended this beautiful university, people such as James Madison and Woodrow Wilson (both US presidents), John Fitzgerald Kennedy attend Princeton his freshman year--later transferring out and attending Harvard due to illness. Most recent noteworthy graduate is First Lady Michelle Obama and many more have come and gone through these hallowed halls.

I sincerely hope and desire that you will check out the rest of my photos on facebook and on Flickr. There are just way too many to post on here but I do think that you will enjoy them. I am soon to acquire a Flickr Pro-account and will be including a Princeton University set on there for your viewing pleasure. If you want to know more about this great institution of higher learning or are considering sending your child there in the future, wikipedia has a great write-up on the general topics of the university: Princeton University on Wikipedia. Of course, you can also go to the Princeton University website to know even more about what is currently going on in and around the university. I hope you will visit these sights to learn more about such a wonderful and gorgeous place. Visiting the university is something I recommend even if you are not planning on attending, if only just to admire the architecture and drink in the university life and atmosphere!

G20 Summit Videos: A Call To Climate Action

2009-09-26T07:07:00.000-07:00

I am not going to write too much right now, just please watch the video. It is of great importance!
Thanks!

Nadia

Let's Go to Pittsburgh today...

2009-09-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

I want to share with you all a video by Greenpeace and why, today, September 24, 2009 they are in Pittsburgh.

It is very important that you watch this video and consider how we can make a difference in our everyday lives. I wish I were in Pittsburgh today but unfortunately I cannot get over there so quickly. Still, there are other ways we can help. I want to take a moment to share with you some initiatives I have taken and pledges I have made over the past few days which you can also join in order to lead more sustainable lives.

One of the first things I came across which called my attention was the 10:10 initiative being taken in the UK. I signed up (even though I am not in the UK, obviously) because I wanted to be kept informed of what they were doing and also for the great resources and tips they give you on how to cut your carbon emissions. I found out about this initiative through my friends at Socks For Happy People's blog. They had become part of the initiative and I went to the website to check it out (it was only after I had signed up that I realized the effort was UK-based [LOL]--it didn't say I couldn't be outside the UK, so why not?) and was inspired. They have been such an inspiration to me because they are more than just a sock company, they are great people, conscious people and that inspires me!

As I continued on my quest I found links to websites that led me to more links and to involvement in many other organizations and projects even right here in the US. :-) Yes, there are people like you and me who are concerned about sustaining life on earth and while we have lived quite comfortably here in our country that comfort has caused major damage and needs to change. I found Socks For Happy People on twitter and like them I have found scores of other people and organizations who are committed to reducing carbon emissions, to promoting a more sustainable lifestyle and getting the word out because we are quite close to losing what we have if we do not take immediate action. One of the sites I have most recently visited is oneclimate.net which is an international social networking site where people have gathered to discuss and share information on climate change and sustainable living.

Through this site (which is based in the UK as well--the UK is rocking on climate change initiatives right now and I think they are definitely the major leaders in this effort right now. Go, UK!) I was led to another great site for a project on sustainable living called the No Impact Project from here in the US. These initiatives are people led, not government led --a point to note because the behavior of so many of our world leaders does not reflect what the people are calling for--change in the way we live so that we can go on living. One of the leaders I am currently admiring is Sarah Brown, wife of British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown who has taken many initiatives in helping mothers around the world and is in Pittsburgh with her husband as we speak, at the G20 Talks on Climate Change. Read her blog: http://sarahbrowng20.wordpress.com/ and also become familiar with http://www.millionmums.org/ which is championing the awareness of speaking out against needless deaths of women in childbirth. Sarah Brown is a person that I can admire because she is open with what she is doing and is involved in. I follow her on twitter, so should you!

So, in conclusion, I encourage you to get out there on the worldwide web and start checking out ways you can change your lifestyle by joining local organizations that can help you get started on a more sustainable lifestyle. People, we need to change our ways soon, before it is too late! Join us! Together we can make a difference but we are in crunch time! If you have not already seen The Age of Stupid, you should! I am including a widget at the end of this post for easy access to information about the film. Thanks for reading now let's go out and DO SOMETHING!

Cheers,
Nadia Marie

Jay's France...

2009-09-20T12:38:00.001-07:00

Enter,
originally uploaded by Smacktastic.

I think I am officially loving flickr! I have added a few friends and can now travel virtually through their pics! Today I am blogging about my friend Jay Swanson's most amazing picture from France. It looks like a sidedoor into a quaint little church and he supposes it is in Gourdon, France.

If there is one place in the world that romances more than any other it's France! Everytime I see a picture from that gorgeous country I go ga-ga. Really, I do! This photo caught my attention more than anything, so thanks, Jay for posting such fun pictures! I will be uploading some pics on flickr soon and hope to blog more about them but in the meantime I wanted to share this amazing photograph with you all!

Cheers,

Nadia

Happy Birthday, Bruno! A Little Greeting from Padova...

2009-09-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

In honor of my friend Bruno Calore's birthday I want to share the postcard he sent me the other day in reply to a letter I wrote him earlier! The postcard he sent me is of Padova, or as we call it in English, Padua. Padova is in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. My friend Bruno studies in this gorgeous city. It is also known as the city where Shakespeare's Romeo flees to after having killed Tybalt in Verona and is also the place of setting for his Taming of the Shrew.

So, as a tribute to my friend's 25 years of life, I share this postcard with you in hopes of peaking your interest in visiting this most lovely of cities situated not far from Venice! Enjoy! Tanti auguri, caro Bruno!

Un bacio per tutti,
Nadia

Argentine Tango

2009-09-05T18:18:00.000-07:00

Here is an image that a friend of mine sent me in an e-mail the other day which I thought would be interesting to share in our "travel conversations"!

Northern Ireland with Rick Steves

2009-08-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

Here is "The Best of Northern Ireland" with Rick Steves. I love this set of videos and watch it every now and then on youtube. Just an idea to whet your appetite for the UK! Enjoy!! The videos are in chronological order so you can watch one right after the other. I recommend that you watch them, I am sure you will enjoy them!

Wimbledon

2009-08-26T20:12:00.000-07:00

Last night I virtually traveled through the movie "Wimbledon," starring Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany, to England. I think I have seen more movies and television shows that take place in that glorious country than I can count on two hands and two feet! England has been a long time dream for me which I hope to realize sometime soon. It should come as no surprise then that I have virtually traveled there many times through many different films such as Notting Hill, What A Girl Wants, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice (yes, the 5 hour BBC/A&E version), The Holiday, A Good Year (which include Provence as well), The Wedding Date, and many more! Also been there through a host of television shows such as Absolutely Fabulous, Keeping Up Appearances, Mr. Bean, The Vicar of Dilbey and my favorite of all, Coupling.

I travel virtually all the time and have been to many places. One of my most memorable "trips" to England was through Mira Nair's adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's "Vanity Fair." While it did not ring so wholly true to the book, which is far better than the film, the sights were amazing and the use of color was great! Mira Nair is notorious for adding flair to her films. If you are not so attached to word for word "book adaptations" then you will enjoy this film. While I tend to like adaptations that are more closely related, I made an exception with this one because of the cinematic quality (I love both books and films and sometimes for the sake of compromise and condensation one must get over ones fussiness and enjoy a good film).

If you want to go for the London sites, "What a Girl Wants" is pretty good at showing modern London. I must go there myself someday and I hope that day will come very soon! Well, I better get going but wanted to share this little tidbit with you! Enjoy the pic!

Virtual Travels

2009-08-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been traveling virtually through movies and television shows. It's the next best thing when you do not have the money to go an experience these places for yourself. It is a small glimpse into places you may yet be able to see. Last night I traveled to Montana with "The Horse Whisperer." I have actually been to Montana so it was more of a remembering moment. The night before I "traveled" to Rodanthe, North Carolina with the film "Nights in Rodanthe." The scenery was spectacular and made me want to go there and explore it! I love movies that take place in different places. The last few I have watched have all taken place in various different places. Not too long ago I traveled to London, England with "Last Chance Harvey" which was also a pretty good film.

If you want to travel virtually and do not have cable like me I suggest you tune into shows on PBS such as "Rick Steves' Europe" or "Smart Travels with Rudy Maxa." Also, on some channels you will find "Globe Trekker" and shows like that which are also very good for virtual travel. What to watch them whenever you want and not have to keep up with a tv schedule? By them online. You can usually find all of these and more on http://www.amazon.com/ or http://www.pbs.org/. Well, now I leave you with a few scenes from these lovely places I have visited this week. :-) Enjoy!

from Nights in Rodanthe, Richard Gere and Diane Lane

from Nights in Rodanthe, house on the Outerbanks of NC

For those of you who live in Venezuela....

2009-08-19T14:07:00.000-07:00

¡La Tienda de Amaltea Abre sus Puertas!
El pasado jueves, 6 de agosto, abrió sus puertas La Tienda de Amaltea en la mezzanina del nuevo mercado libre de Chacao.
Una quincalla de artículos seleccionados con buen gusto en el que pueden encontrarse objetos para regalar y para regalarse.
Desde carteras (grandes, pequeñas, sobres, monederos), camisas, vestidos, chales y bisutería con el toque especial de lo que está hecho con las manos y materiales nobles.
No todo es artesanal pero todo lo que está en venta es único en su tipo. La Tienda de Amaltea es un rincón para darse un gusto en el centro de Chacao.
VISÍTANOS:
La Tienda de Amaltea
Mezzanina, Nuevo Mercado Libre de Chacao
Abierto de miércoles a domingo
De 8 AM a 2 PM
Más información: 0414.119.9677
info@latiendadeamaltea.com

Lessons from a friend...

2009-08-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

I opened up my myspace today and found this in my comments:

"Aug 18, 2009 4:07 PM
Gambia is a country in West Africa. The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, bordered to the north, east, and south by Senegal, and has a small coast on the Atlantic Ocean in the west. Its borders roughly correspond to the path of the Gambia River, the nation's namesake, which flows through the country's center and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Its size is almost 11,300 square kilo miles with an estimated population of 1,700,000. On 18 February 1965, Gambia was granted independence from the United Kingdom and joined The Commonwealth. Banjul is Gambia's capital, but the largest conurbation is Serrekunda.
The Gambia shares historical roots with many other West African nations in the slave trade, which was key to the establishment of a colony on the Gambia River, first by the Portuguese and later by the British. Since gaining independence in 1965."

Thanks to my friend Alieu, I now know a little more about Gambia and so do you! :-)

Where Am I Going To?

2009-08-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

I want to go somewhere, not just anywhere though. I want to see the marvelous wonders of the Earth and say, "I have been there." I think we all dream of doing that but this is something that I cannot shake, something that is inside me saying, "Go! Explore! See!" Who will join me on this quest?

Visiting Sarasota

2009-08-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

I was able to visit the Sarasota Marina and the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens on my birthday this past week. I had a great time and wanted to share the slideshow I made of that day on slide.com with you all! Enjoy!

La Candelaria: A Photo Biography

2009-08-15T20:00:00.000-07:00

La Candelaria is always one of my favorite subjects for photography. Here are a few of my recent pics from this last trip to Venezuela:

Tasca Las Burgas

Men talking outside below my window

Bar/Restaurant Moderno

"La Cita" the most famous restaurant in
La Candelaria.

Artesan necklaces from Pto La Cruz

2009-07-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

Very colorful necklace bought from an artesan at Isla de Plata...

Beautiful and colorful artesan necklace...

Cross close up....

Artesan cross necklace from Pto. La Cruz

A week and a half in Venezuela...

2009-04-01T20:29:00.001-07:00

I am officially in Venezuela and loving it! More soon...

Favorites Pics from Florida

2009-03-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

Autumn scene outside our complex in
Bradenton, FL

Cafe Americano, Sarasota, FL

Outside our apartment, Summer 2008
View from the porch

Holmes Beach, June 2008

Happy Birthday, Mr. Albert Einstein!!

2009-03-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

Today would be Albert Einstein's 130th birthday if he were still among us. Even though he is not physically with us his legacy lives on through the countless contributions to our modern technologies that would not exist were it not for his theoretical work. Below is a short biography of Einstein for those of you who know little about the man.

Albert Einstein was born at Ulm, in Württemberg, Germany, on March 14, 1879. Six weeks later the family moved to Munich, where he later on began his schooling at the Luitpold Gymnasium. Later, they moved to Italy and Albert continued his education at Aarau, Switzerland and in 1896 he entered the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School in Zurich to be trained as a teacher in physics and mathematics.

In 1901, the year he gained his diploma, he acquired Swiss citizenship and, as he was unable to find a teaching post, he accepted a position as technical assistant in the Swiss Patent Office. In 1905 he obtained his doctor's degree.During his stay at the Patent Office, and in his spare time, he produced much of his remarkable work and in 1908 he was appointed Privatdozent in Berne. In 1909 he became Professor Extraordinary at Zurich, in 1911 Professor of Theoretical Physics at Prague, returning to Zurich in the following year to fill a similar post. In 1914 he was appointed Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Physical Institute and Professor in the University of Berlin. He became a German citizen in 1914 and remained in Berlin until 1933 when he renounced his citizenship for political reasons and emigrated to America to take the position of Professor of Theoretical Physics at Princeton*.

He became a United States citizen in 1940 and retired from his post in 1945.After World War II, Einstein was a leading figure in the World Government Movement, he was offered the Presidency of the State of Israel, which he declined, and he collaborated with Dr. Chaim Weizmann in establishing the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.Einstein always appeared to have a clear view of the problems of physics and the determination to solve them. He had a strategy of his own and was able to visualize the main stages on the way to his goal. He regarded his major achievements as mere stepping-stones for the next advance.At the start of his scientific work, Einstein realized the inadequacies of Newtonian mechanics and his special theory of relativity stemmed from an attempt to reconcile the laws of mechanics with the laws of the electromagnetic field. He dealt with classical problems of statistical mechanics and problems in which they were merged with quantum theory: this led to an explanation of the Brownian movement of molecules. He investigated the thermal properties of light with a low radiation density and his observations laid the foundation of the photon theory of light.In his early days in Berlin, Einstein postulated that the correct interpretation of the special theory of relativity must also furnish a theory of gravitation and in 1916 he published his paper on the general theory of relativity.

During this time he also contributed to the problems of the theory of radiation and statistical mechanics.In the 1920's, Einstein embarked on the construction of unified field theories, although he continued to work on the probabilistic interpretation of quantum theory, and he persevered with this work in America. He contributed to statistical mechanics by his development of the quantum theory of a monatomic gas and he has also accomplished valuable work in connection with atomic transition probabilities and relativistic cosmology.After his retirement he continued to work towards the unification of the basic concepts of physics, taking the opposite approach, geometrisation, to the majority of physicists.Einstein's researches are, of course, well chronicled and his more important works include Special Theory of Relativity (1905), Relativity (English translations, 1920 and 1950), General Theory of Relativity (1916), Investigations on Theory of Brownian Movement (1926), and The Evolution of Physics (1938). Among his non-scientific works, About Zionism (1930), Why War? (1933), My Philosophy (1934), and Out of My Later Years (1950) are perhaps the most important.

Albert Einstein received honorary doctorate degrees in science, medicine and philosophy from many European and American universities. During the 1920's he lectured in Europe, America and the Far East and he was awarded Fellowships or Memberships of all the leading scientific academies throughout the world. He gained numerous awards in recognition of his work, including the Copley Medal of the Royal Society of London in 1925, and the Franklin Medal of the Franklin Institute in 1935.Einstein's gifts inevitably resulted in his dwelling much in intellectual solitude and, for relaxation, music played an important part in his life. He married Mileva Maric in 1903 and they had a daughter and two sons; their marriage was dissolved in 1919 and in the same year he married his cousin, Elsa Löwenthal, who died in 1936. He died on April 18, 1955 at Princeton, New Jersey.

Enjoy the pics I am posting!!

Einstein's 130th Birthday Celebration

Pictures from Past Einstein Celebrations

Getting a new laptop!!!

2009-03-13T09:11:00.000-07:00

Folks, I am getting a new laptop to take with me to Venezuela and I am so excited about it! Finally I will be able to document better the things I see and do there and get in touch with my family which is always a plus! I will be acquiring it soon so as to be able to rip my CDs onto it (traveling with CDs is a hassle--I did this twice before and never again will I do it), organize and save some final pics from FL and make sure it is well equipped before going down to Venezuela!

I hope that more of you will read my blog and leave me comments! I hope to be able to publish a lot of what is going on there and let you know how things are! This is all for today but more will follow, I am sure! ;-)

It's Official!!!

2009-03-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

Well folks, it is official! As of yesterday I am officially heading out to Venezuela on the 23rd and I am so excited! Never has there been a place of more warmth and love to me than Venezuela. You can say what you will of this country but I absolutely love it! The people are great, the scenery spectacular and the food is amazing! I LOVE THE FOOD! Especially the cheese! Yes, I said it! I love the cheese.

There is nothing better than eating fresh cheese, not the processed stuff you get here in the US that often makes you wonder if it is really cheese when you read the ingredients on the label. I mean take a look at the label on a box of Velveeta Cheese for example. The ingredients list contains the following:

Milk

Water

Whey

Milk protein concentrate

Milkfat

Whey protein concentrate

Sodium phosphate

Less than 2% of salt

Calcium phosphate

Lactic acid

Sorbic acid as a preservative

Sodium citrate

Sodium alginate

and tons more stuff...why do we need all that in cheese??

Something else that I love about the food there is the fact that when I eat there I begin to lose weight, rather than gain it. Hmmmm...could it be the fact that most of the food there does not have hormones and I don't know what else added to it? The food there is an enjoyable part of the experience but there is so much more to Venezuela!

I love the natural beauty of Venezuela, it has so much to offer for those who love nature. That is why I am so glad to be going back because I want to explore more of that wonderful country. For now though, I am content to say that I will be in Caracas enjoying life and happy to see my old friends again!

Cheers!

2009-03-11T22:28:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Einstein

By: Nadia Marie Perez

Traditions, traditions, traditions! That is what this note is about. Many of you may not know that this coming Saturday, March 14th is Albert Einstein's birthday. This is a date that is very memorable in my household. For the past 11 years we have commemorated Einstein's birthday and I would like to tell you how this tradition got started.

It all began back in 1998 when we were living in Lawrenceville, NJ a town just outside of Princeton which is where Einstein spent the rest of his life. My father had just finished reading The Private Albert Einstein and this section at the end of the book sparked the idea of celebrating his life:

"We list now a number of items in ordinary use that depend on Einstein for their theoretical basis. Naturally, a number of other scientists and engineers carried these items through to their present state, but they are all based on Einstein's theories."

HOUSEHOLD

Flourescent lights (photoelectricity)

Television (photoelectricity)

CD disc players (photoelectricity)

Air Conditioning

etc.

CAMERAS

Automatic Exposure Cameras (photoelecetricity)

Exposure meters (photoelectricity)

Photographic film (photochemistry)

etc.

...and much, much more!

After having read all of this my Dad got to thinking, "This man contributed so much to our lives and the way we live them and yet no one celebrates him. We celebrate the presidents who have led us, we celebrate people like Martin Luther King, Jr., we celebrate St. Patrick's Day but this man whose work has contributed so much no one really remembers." Thus began the tradition of celebrating Einstein!

Since it is on his birthday that we celebrate him we naturally make a cake to cut in his honor! Now this is no ordinary cake! This cake is decked out with Einstein and everything, caricatures drawn in icing by my Dad himself! Along with the cake we normally read a few quotes by Einstein from "The Quotable Einstein", present a paper about his life and look at some of the old pictures of the man. It varies each year but the general theme is the same!

While living in New Jersey we also included taking a stroll at the Institute of Advanced Studies where the great man spent the rest of his life doing research on the Unification Theory; walking around the grounds behind it where there is a lovely wood and creek with trails running alongside. We went there for picnics as a family, I with my sketch diary in tow and my siblings with their toys to explore with. For my Dad it was like a sanctuary, so peaceful...

And so, once again we prepare to celebrate once more this Saturday and eat cake to honor this great man!

Non-Aligned in Caracas

2009-03-10T16:03:00.000-07:00

In a recent image search my father discovered this picture and it a sparked a conversation between us. Since I am soon to embark on yet another trip to Caracas on March 23rd for work purposes I thought I would take the opportunity to share with you the insight my father gave me on this image. The picture you are viewing is a shot of one of the many slums there are all over Caracas.

Caracas is a fairly large metropolitan city complete with a metro system to get around on, taxis, buses and all of the things any modern city has to offer. Yet there is major poverty in this city as well, as reflected on the picture. Now, it is interesting to note that many people during the last ten years seem to enjoy blaming this extreme poverty on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias. Yet these slums are a direct result of the last 60 years of the so-called democracy prior to Chavez's election in 1998.

The oposition in Venezuela, and mainly in Caracas, seems to have forgotten about these thousands of inhabitants that daily work in humble jobs and live in these humble shantytown shacks called in Venezuela, "los cerros de Caracas." These people have lived marginalized during the last 60 years of "democracy" up until now. The opposition likes to ridicule the current government regime saying that their programs don't work, that they have not irradicated the poverty and the slums but let me ask this: who in ten years can irradicate what was built up over 60 years of a government catering to the imperialist North's every desire and whim while forcing its people into extreme poverty? Only a few people in the private sector and high ranking government officials from that time benefited from the revenue of Venezuela's petroleum production and now that this industry has been nationalized where are they now? Many are part of the opposition complaining because for the first time the people are calling the shots and not a select few of the oligarchy (sound vaguely familiar?). For the first time in the history of Venezuela the revenue from the petroleum industry is actually being used for the benefit of the people as opposed to lining the pockets of the greedy oligarchy who saw themselves as the righteous owners of Venezuela.

What would happen if the opposition, instead of pointing fingers here and there, began to actually become actively involved with the people of the slums themselves? Afterall, it is a condition of their own making. How different things might be if all tried to help one another instead of being self-serving like the majority of the oligarchists usually are. These shanty shacks will not be irradicated in the next 4 or 5 years but at least there is someone thinking about those who live there and the entire country in general. The success of the programs implemented by the government has been well documented and can be found in many great websites that point to these success. The following websites are worthy of checking out: http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/, http://www.rethinkvenezuela.com/index.html, http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org/joint_meeting_against_imperialist_intervention_latin_america.htm. I cannot include them all here so that this post is not too long but facts are facts and cannot be ignored. Those who do not want to recognize this are blinded by their own selfishness and ought to examine their hearts and remember that we come into this world with nothing and leave it the same way! Lessons that one must learn in life.

If we want to better the living conditions of our communities and keep our cities beautiful we need to start by really caring for those who are in need and giving accordingly. That is what the government programs in Venezuela are for and we could learn a lot from the sense of community that is given through these programs instead of complaining and playing the blame game. Power to the people!

PS: For those of you who want to be informed about what is actually going on in Venezuela, as opposed to a burgeois view from the likes of El Universal and El Nacional and etc., please check out the links above and others like them.

A New Blog

2008-10-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

I was forced to create a new blog seeing as how my old one was somehow terminated...(could have something to do with the fact that I rarely used it and had quite forgotten my password as well as my blog name). Anyway, here I am in Florida in transition...again! It seems I am always in transition until my next big or not so big adventure! Anyway, I am not going to bore you with the details of my seemingly boring life in the past 4 months until I have found something semi-interesting to rant about.

Ok, so next time I will actually post something mildly interesting...in the meantime enjoy the photo....