Category: Uncategorized

A new day breaks in India

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The ABJASS strike has been called off with new talks underway between the government and the group who vowed to shut down the city of Delhi with thousands of protesters if their voice was not heard and action taken. This alleviates some of my tension as I face my first work day in India and brace for the grey pollution that I can taste sitting inside.  Yum.

The ethnic Jat group was campaigning for quotas for Jats in state government jobs and educational institutions.  It’s all about good jobs, diversity, representation and being treated equally all over the world and protests do work. The  U.S. is finding that out too.

After a long nap and on/off bouts of sleep overnight, I am up watching the local neighborhood outside my hotel wake up.  While I am in a gated compound, the hotel is adjacent to a desolate urban scene with trains rumbling by and hard dirt spaces filled with street carts, homeless camps and construction materials.  I see men walking by and students in uniform making their way to school.  The cars are small and white with the 3 wheel Tuk Tuk carts everywhere and scooters/bikes weaving in, out and between lanes.  General chaos with loose rules of the road by the look of it from my fifth floor perch.

Though it is going to hot here today-close to 100 degrees-the men I see walking by are wearing long pants and long sleeve shirts.  No casual shorts and flip flops here despite the heat.  Carts are being set up again on the side of the roads to provide wares and food.  Hard life indeed.

Where are the women?  Are they home with children?  At brunch yesterday with my male boss and female co-worker, the host of the restaurant at the hotel came to our table but only spoke to the male in the group.  “Get used to it” was the comment from my boss as we commented on the snub.  I’m wondering if this discrimination will be prevalent at work today.  But, hey, they had a clown for the kids at the brunch and he was open to a photo op with a female so perhaps all will be okay.  Here’s hoping!

 

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Sunday Brunch at the Westin Gurgaon-I didn’t eat but enjoyed the clown for the kids!

 

India First Impressions

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India.  Never really thought I would travel here but, as with China, life takes you to unexpected places if you open yourself up to the possibilities.  Of course, with these adventures come the acrid stench of pollution so prevalent where the government doesn’t regulate air quality.  Waking up in Delhi, my eyes and throat are already burning at the 200+ AQI “haze” outside which hangs over the bleak landscape of the local neighborhood outside my hotel room.

On the trip leg from Amsterdam to Delhi, the India culture was evident immediately.  Snacks on the plane were nothing I had ever heard of vs. the usual pretzel/peanut offerings.  I’m still not sure what it was as I am following a strict “never eat on plane” routine to protect my weak stomach.  I looked on as people enjoyed their snacks and dinners and I ate my protein bar.  Boring but necessary.

As I travel, the hot beverages I enjoy tend to move to tea vs. coffee with the electric tea kettle always available.  French press for coffee was the option in New Zealand and also offered in India.  I use  only bottled water, of course, for all beverages so that my Imodium stash is not needed.  Milk is not readily available everywhere so powdered cream is the alternative.  I’ve already gone through my supply of bottled water and had to ask for more.  Even when brushing your teeth, you MUST use bottled water or die.  Seriously.

Enjoying a very Western waffle/juice/coffee room service breakfast on Sunday morning, I am watching The Voice.  Seems that India, like China, is in love with music reality shows.  I remember watching endless reruns of the The Voice in Shanghai and Delhi is no different.  Back-to-back episodes are running while I rest up from the long journey to get here.

Entering the hotel compound around 1:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning, the streets were still busy with many enjoying food carts on the side of the road, which would kill me but Thom would have enjoyed.  Rat or cat, Thom can and did eat everything in China and never got sick.  Never questioning the “mystery meat on a stick”, he will miss out on the India delicacies offered.  So sad because I always lived vicariously through his cast iron stomach.

Staying at The Westin Gurgaon, we had to pass through a guarded gate where our car was searched. Upon pulling up to the hotel, we had to have our bags scanned outside just like at the airport and walk through a metal detector and be hand scanned by a security guard.  WOW.  I would imagine a Western hotel like this could be a target for terrorism so high security is appreciated.  I will not be wandering out of the hotel tomorrow as I normally would when I hit a new country.  While I do look forward to seeing more of India, there is some unrest with election results coming out this weekend and other issues so I’m just going to play it safe this time.

Tomorrow, our first day to work in Delhi, should be interesting.  I just received this SOS travel warning:  “Members in the capital Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region (NCR) on 20 March should expect significant travel disruption during planned protests by the ethnic-Jat ABJASS group. ABJASS, which has been campaigning for quotas for Jats in state government jobs and educational institutions, has threatened to block the prime minister’s residence, the parliament building, and all highways and roads in Delhi on the day if its demands are not met. Tens of thousands of protesters are expected to attend the 20 March rally with tractors. ABJASS has threatened to block all lanes and transit points into Delhi if the security forces prevent them from entering the city. A heightened security force presence should be expected around the prime minister’s residence and the parliament building, as well as on all roads into Delhi and near the Jantar Mantar monument.” 

Though I miss him so much already, it‘s probably best that Thom is not on this trip as I can just see him now taking photos of the protests and joining in to get in all kinds of trouble.Good times in India!  Stay tuned.

 

Rocking with Bruce in NZ

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Bruce Springsteen, Music, New Zealand, Travel, Uncategorized, vacationLeave a comment

One week ago, we were THIS CLOSE to The Boss. In Auckland, NZ.  It was AWESOME!

concert

Travelling over 7,000 miles from Seattle to NZ to celebrate Thom’s 60th birthday with Bruce, we enjoyed a week on Waiheke Island off the coast of Auckland before the big day.  On Saturday we boarded the ferry to the mainland, picked up our tickets in Auckland and made our way to Mt. Smart Stadium.  Along the way we dropped off a bag at our roadside motel, hastily booked when we discovered the damn ferry didn’t do a late night run to the island and we would no doubt be stranded sleeping on a ferry terminal bench if we didn’t take action.  Those that have been to a Bruce Springsteen concert know that he has great energy and can play.  ALL. NIGHT. LONG. When we saw Bruce in LA and Seattle last year, he played for four hours straight.  Which is awesome if you don’t have a deadline to cross the ocean to your lovely airbnb cottage.  Not daring to leave the concert early, we decided to grab a few hours rest at the “no tell motel” before going back to the island the morning after.  Wise we are.

For this concert, Bruce had two opening acts which was unusual because he usually works alone with no opener.  Arriving just in time to be one of the first 500 in line, we got the coveted pink bracelets and #’s written on our hands.  The NZ stadium crew were very organized, walking in 100 fans at a time in order to avoid chaos.  We got to know some lovely people while we waited in the shade of the trees outside the gates.  Thom was even interviewed for a NZ podcast.  While Thom’s sign didn’t get Bruce’s attention, it did solicit lots of comments from the crowd as did his “Icky Trump” protest shirt.  My hubby-always ready to discuss politics-is not shy about voicing his opinions.  Luckily this crowd was very anti-Trump so many lively discussions ensued when they asked us, “WTF-how did you elect that wanker?”

Finally inside, we were about three rows from the front of the stage.  WOWOWOW!  As many times as Thom has seen Bruce, this was the closest he would get.  Ever.  Fitting for a journey as long as ours.  When interlopers without #’s on their hands tried to cut in front of us, the friends we made standing around us including a NZ policeman, joined voices in protests and summoned security to move them behind us.  One entitled lady thinking she could just cut in front of me was cussed out by Thom and others, with the cop counselling Thom not to touch her to avoid getting kicked out of the concert. Wouldn’t that have been awful?  But, properly restrained but still giving her what for, Thom did not get ejected.  Standing firm, we “policed” our area and made sure we kept up close and personal with Bruce.

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The openings acts, Jet and Marlon Williams, were good but everyone had come to see Bruce and the E Street Band.  Finally the 40,000+ fans got him as he strolled out in his trademark checkered shirt and belted out Darlington County.  Steve Van Zandt was of course his usual crazy self with his head scarf and floral pants.  When Bruce declared it was “ass-shakin time” they turned and let their bums do the talking.  Impressive.  Interesting, the crowd in the stands were seated and fairly quiet unlike the standing mob on the floor where we were.  Bruce eventually ran to the sides and got them engaged but they were definitely more reserved than the US crowds that danced for 4 hours straight last year when we were in LA and Seattle.

Next to us all night was a couple from Italy who had planned their vacation to NZ to see Bruce at Christchurch and Auckland.  Dedicated.  Another woman also interviewed with Thom for the podcast had taken a 36 hour flight from India.  Crazy.  The gentleman in front of me helping with crowd control in our group was from Poland.  Everyone had stories to tell about Bruce and the impact he and his music had on their lives, making it easy to bond quickly with complete strangers.  I will always remember them fondly.

While he sang hit after hit, the moving rendition of “41 Hands” brought tears to my eyes as I saw everyone raising their hands and feeling the heartfelt lyrics so relevant to the tensions we are all feeling today in our world, whether in the US or NZ.  The Boss ended his three hour jam with an acoustic version of Thunder Road.  Brilliant.  The concert of a lifetime.

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Bruce and E Street Band say good-bye to Auckland and the end of their world tour.

 

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Bruce ends the show with Thunder Road.

 

 

 

 

Wild for Wineries on Waiheke

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, New Zealand, Travel, Uncategorized, vacation, wine, WineriesLeave a comment

I picked New Zealand for Thom’s birthday trip based on Bruce Springsteen’s tour schedule. A bonus was that the beach cottage I selected to be our home for the week was on Waiheke Island, the so-called “Island of Wine”.  Score!  Small boutique wineries abound, a total of 20+ on a gorgeous South Pacific island with only 8,000 residents but lots of wine-loving tourists.  The unique warm micro-climate here is perfect for producing grapes that transform into gentle Rose, fruity Merlot and expressive Syrahs.

Goldie Estate overlooks the bay where we are staying
The tree on the hill-perfect spot for weddings
Victoria serves a fine wine at Goldie Estate

Right next door to our cottage was Goldie Estate.  How convenient!   A popular place for island destination weddings, you can see why when you climb through their vineyard to the top of the hill by the spreading tree overlooking the bay, which has surely been the backdrop of many a wedding photo.  This was our first stop and I was taken aback by the boldness of the tastings. This is some serious kick ass wine. Only 4 short nips and I was ready for a nap afterward.  What is in the fertile soil of this island that packs such a punch?  Damn.

Wild on Waiheke is fun!
Archery after wine? Sure!
Love the bean bags.

Next up, we spent an afternoon walking several miles uphill to three wineries conveniently located in a cluster so you can stumble from one to another.  We were good and ready for a rest when we arrived at Wild on Waiheke.  A destination for tour groups, this winery was like a playland for winos, offering laser skeet shooting, archery (always a good idea when drinking) and lawn chess.  We spurned all activity after our hike and sprawled in the always present and now my favorite furniture in the world-lawn bean bags.  Under a tiki umbrella, we rested in the shade and I tasted their Merlot and Syrah while Thom sipped a non-alcoholic ginger beer made locally.  I don’t care for ginger beer-it tastes like Airborne but that’s just me I guess.

Te Motu Vineyards
Syrah has bite
Ah the beauty of the vineyards

Because the wineries are mostly only open from 11-4 p.m., we reluctantly rolled out of the bean bags and off we went racing across the nearby field to Te Motu Vineyard, which overlooks the Onetangi Valley.  I went for a trifecta tasting of their Rose, Merlot and Syrah.  Not having eaten lunch, I ordered a basket of bread and olive oil (locally made) to soak up the alcohol and Thom enjoyed a  Pear and Basil organic soda.  Very interesting and refreshing.  Their Syrah blew me away-the peppery kick to it that comes natural here plus fruity overtones was devine.  A bottle to take home and savor was safely tucked away in the backpack and off we ran once again through the vineyards to the next winery, Stonyridge Vineyard.

Relaxing at Stonyridge Vineyard
Gorgeous ivy-covered Stonyridge Vineyard
Lay on a pillow and drink wine-how decadent!

Next to a vine-covered brick building, Stonyridge has olive groves and vineyards that surround a large deck with comfy couches.  Best of all, large pillows were strewn all over the hillside with umbrellas inviting you to lie back, enjoy the wine and gaze at the grapes ready to be harvested soon.  Alas, I was at my capacity for the afternoon and I didn’t partake of a tasting there but perhaps another day.  So much wine, so little time.  Cheers!

Another day in paradise!

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, New Zealand, Travel, Uncategorized, vacationLeave a comment

“It’s only a little further.”  Thom’s famous words as we literally walked the entire width of Waiheke Island from Shelley Beach to Palm Beach.  Take a bus?  No way not when we can traipse along for miles on the narrow sidewalk up and down hills exploring by foot.  Along the way we saw beautiful flowers, towering ferns, and a glimpse into local New Zealand life.  One of my favorite memories of our time in China was walking down the hill from the Great Wall.  Not such a happy memory for our son James who was with us and couldn’t understand the whole walking vs. taking the free bus ride.  He thinks we’re crazy.  Probably right but hey we enjoy the journey.

Low tide
Hanging out on beach swing

After exploring Shelley Beach in front of our cottage this morning, we set off on foot for the north side of the island where the beaches were known to be sandy and long.  Palm Beach was gorgeous.  Worth the walk. Families enjoyed the surf as Thom and I walked into the waters of the South Pacific together.  Oh my what a moment.  Strolling down the beach over a rocky section we entered what we quickly realized was the “clothing optional” part.  Goodness, naked bums everywhere!  Mostly older  folks but also some millennials strumming guitars in the altogether.  Walking between two naked groups while trying not to stare at not-so-private parts on full display, we found a path the led us straight up the steep hill for a most spectacular view.  I had read about the history of Waiheke Island as an “alternative” community for hippies that featured naked beaches so I wasn’t surprised.  Researching online when we returned home, I found many references to Little Palm Beach.  About Travel site advised “Remember to use common sense when stripping off at a beach. Only select secluded areas where there are either other naked people or no one at all.” Good advice.  In other words, nudism is tolerated but be discreet.

Little Palm Beach is clothing optionsl
LIttle Palm Beach
Palm Beach

A kind tour guide who was shepherding rich tourists in a motor coach at the top of the hill shared where we could find the nearest bus stop and off we went to the local village for some fish and chips and shopping.  Most people would never just walk across an island and favor public transportation vs. renting their own car like we do.  What we saved in transportation costs though, I gladly spent on shopping.  One shop had local crafts and I picked up another pillow cover, adding to my large collection from around the world, as well as gifts and a gorgeous silver ring for myself.

Fish & Chips

We asked the shopkeeper for food recommendations which led us to The Local,  with fish and chips made to order and truly delicious.  Dessert was a deep fried pineapple ring coated in cinnamon sugar.  Decadent!  After lunch, Thom started wandering to find our bus home.  I made him stop for directions (men!) so we quickly found our stop and home we went to do a little sea kayaking and relaxing.  Another day in paradise!

 

Late Onset Activist

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I woke up at 5 a.m. wondering what bat shit crazy tweets had happened overnight from our POTUS. Had he started WWIII while I tried to sleep?  Thom is hoping for a Dr. Who moment where we wake up in a parallel universe and the biggest news story is a fashion feature on what color pantsuit our first woman President is wearing that day.  It’s nice sometimes to dream this isn’t happening to our great nation.  Retreat to a happy place.  But the reality of daily lies, law breaking, unlawful bans and more from our leader is our new reality.  Holy.  Hell.

Seriously, I have never in all my many years (the exact number cannot be shared) been frightened like this.  Should we have cash on hand to flee the country kind of scared.  Getting all my kids passports just in case scared.  But why should WE have to run away because less than the majority of voters thought it a good idea to place a pathologically lying, self-serving, racist, not-really-smart, dictator wannabe in charge of all our fates?

Unfortunately for me, I AM an informed voter who gets news from many different outlets not just the left or right.  That’s why I can’t sleep because I CAN see what’s going on and it’s a nightmare.  I can understand what is and isn’t fake news because I get the facts.  How do we reach the general population of America and educate them that “alternative facts” are just lies that leaders are using to scare the public to grant them more power?  That’s the question I keep pondering.  Is it too much to ask for our politicians to actually do good work that helps ALL people and not just worry about getting themselves re-elected to keep on doing nothing?

So, what’s a citizen to do besides running to our peaceful northern neighbor for a safe haven?  Get.  Active.  For the first time I marched and protested.  Thom and I took the time to make our voices heard in the Women’s March along with 150,000+ other peaceful Seattle citizens to demonstrate that we care about the rights of others.  I call our elected officials daily and encourage them to stand firm against tyranny.  I will send a post card on 3/15 to POTUS at the White House telling him that he works for me and I think he should be fired for his atrocious behavior while in office all of a month. We will give money to causes that are helping people like Planned Parenthood and the ACLU.  I will back candidates for the DNC Chair like Mayor Pete Buttigieg that I feel will give us fresh leadership and organize the party to gain back the House and Senate in 2018 midterm elections so we can at least balance the power in DC.

I actually have official protest clothing now.  No joke.  I just ordered a “Nasty Woman” t-shirt from the Samantha Bee site that benefits Planned Parenthood.  I reached out to a fellow marcher and got a pink pussy hat for the Women’s March.  Thom’s “icky Trump” t-shirt drew lots of comments and he plans to wear it to the Bruce Springsteen concert in Auckland next week.  If you’re going to make a statement, might as well look good doing it and be a walking billboard for your beliefs.

I will persist.  I will resist.  I will pray.  I will never give up.  What will you do?

Rainy Day in Seattle

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Music, Pike Place Market, Seattle, Seattle Day Trips, Travel, Uncategorized, VinylLeave a comment

The grey skies are endless in Seattle in the winter but that doesn’t stop us from exploring and having fun.  No way does rain deter true Seattlites-wet is the norm.  So hoods up and off we went!wp_20170204_13_25_12_rich

First up, fueling up on Marionberry Pie Greek Yogurt at Elenos at Pike Place Market. Yum with a capital “Y”.  Okay, so not exactly diet food but Thom and I endulged in a small container, perching at the counter at the market with a view of the ferris wheel all lit up in pink.  Too soon the yummy, creamy treat was consumed and it was off to the Seattle Art Museum.  Taking in “Jacob Lawrence: The Migration Series”, this journey illustrates through 60 paintings the mass exodus of African Americans from the rural South to the industrial North in the decades after the First World War.  Stunning.

Artist Jacob Lawrence made Seattle his home and was a professor at UW, actively painting up until his death in 2000.  The MOMA in NYC and The Phillips Collection in DC jointly own his series.  They decided to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jacob Lawrence by coming together for the first time in two decades on the West Coast to present this special exhibit.  Check it out.  Thought-provoking artistic experience.

Reading the story behind each piece, I was struck that our society has not radically advanced from this time in history.  We still see discrimination and the struggle to be treated equally.  We must keep up the fight for equality for all.

After a quick walk through the rest of the second floor, we hopped on the C bus to West Seattle to indulge in another one of our passions, music.  If you haven’t checked out Easy Street Records yet, GO.  Not only for the vinyl selection on the 2nd floor but just to soak up the vibe of good music, good people and good food.  Our old car doesn’t have Bluetooth but it does have a CD player so we have been indulging in buying some music to listen to with the top down this summer should the rain ever stop.  With CD’s from  The Clash and Jonny Lang in hand, we also got a “Greetings from West Seattle” t-shirt for me to wear to the Springsteen concert in Auckland, NZ.  Two more weeks and then we’re off to the South Pacific for rock and beach time.  YOLO!

 

Women’s March Seattle Rocked!

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Seattle, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Everyone now has had a chance to see the phenomenal turnout of passionate protestors at the Women’s March yesterday but let me tell you firsthand what it was like in Seattle.  AWESOME! Families, men, women, old, young, gay, straight, black, white-diverse as Hell-all walking quietly and peacefully to make a statement.  We care.  And what a statement we made with our pink hats and colorful signs.

Yes, perhaps I wouldn’t want small children to read some of the expressions on the signs but our new POTUS forced our hand to have the whole “pussy” and “golden shower” conversations with our elderly parents and our children.  Shame on him.  Not just despicable but deplorable and icky too.

 

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Thom on his soapbox, literally, along the March route.

 

But the March wasn’t about him or even Hillary on the whole.  It was about protecting our hard-fought rights for affordable medical care, the right to make decisions about our own bodies, to offer a safe refuge for immigrants, quality education and support for those in need and so much more.

As far as logistics, with little time and no money, the organizers of the Women’s March did a great job.  I was surprised at the lack of Seattle City support in the way of facilities and the police presence was underwhelming at best.  Thank God there were no incidents because I didn’t basically see any police support until we got to Seattle Center where groups of bike cops played with their cell phones, pepper spray cocked and ready to go.  They didn’t even clear the March route of vehicles-pity those who cluelessly parked on 4th Avenue.  Hope they didn’t need their cars all day as the crowd exceeded 100,000+ and dominated the streets for hours.

Pink pussycat hat purchased from a fellow marcher in advance and Thom resplendent and quite popular in his “icky Trump” t-shirt (people kept taking pictures of him), we made friends along the way sharing advice on how to get involved and encouraging each other to make a difference going forward  As voices raised and the silence ended, sporadic waves of joyful shouting rippled up the route, all of us rejoicing at just being together.  While there weren’t any formal refreshment stations, restauranteur Tom Douglas joined in with his staff by The Dahlia Bakery to hand out free water and cookies.  What a nice guy!

 

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Tom Douglas handing out water and cookies near Dahlia Bakery at the Women’s March

 

This will not be my last protest but it was my first with Thom.  Surprised?  Those who know Thom will not be surprised that this was just one of many protests he has attended through out his life.  Outspoken he is and fearless in his strong liberal ways.   I have been more moderate and less active.  But that all changes now.  It has to because The Resistance has only just begun.  We will not go silently into the night.  Affordable health care saves lives.  Our leaders should not lie or get elected with help from Russia.  People being kind and working together will make the difference that saves us all.  March on!

 

David Sedaris Delights

On By Travels with MelindaIn books, bookstores, Seattle, UncategorizedLeave a comment

“This will be the last decent day we’re going to have.” David Sedaris reflecting on the day before the Inauguration.  Glad Thom and I got to share a fun evening with this smart, diverse, witty guy instead of watching that narcissistic, lying, cheating racist prepare to destroy our democracy.   But enough about the rosy future of our nation…

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Waiting for David Sedaris

 

Billed as a chance to help David Sedaris edit his next book, we quickly bought tickets and looked forward to time with this genius writer and keen observer of life.  Used to seeing David in a large venue like Benroya Hall, it was nice to get cozy with David and about 200 other hard core fans at The Broadway Performance Hall at Seattle Community College.

“Theft by Finding” will end up being 2 books based on David’s 156 volumes of diaries from 1997-2002.  Because “books get ugly when too fat”,  David was editing the 630 pages he currently had for volume 1 before sending it off to his publishers next week with an anticipated May release.  His next book will be coming out a year after that and will be a collection of short essays, a few of which he shared, giving us all a much needed laugh to the point of tears streaming down our faces.  Much to look forward to, at least in books.

David opened his presentation by introducing two locals looking for jobs:  Aaron and Julia.  Peppering them with questions that HR could never ask like “are you gay?”  “how old are you?”, he encouraged the audience to consider helping these fine folks out, including a recommendation that Julia appreciated sexual harassment and would never sue.  Oh, David.

He has broken down his diary entries into categories:  animal, people, drugs, assholes, travel, hard luck, asking for $, IHOP (a place he goes to observe people), etc. Needing to edit clumsy passages if “There’s no music to it”, the book will be a culmination of the best that the diaries have to offer and thus the enormous size of the books as they stand now. More pages are good for me, David, so don’t edit too much!

Looking back on many dairy entries of his travels including his forced visit to a Johnny Rocket diner where the waitresses put smiley faces on your hamburgers with ketchup but David requested a swastika instead and the reaction that elicited, his tales of his family really stand out as both relatable and hysterical.  With a dad who is mostly angry and ridiculing, David related that when he recently fell off a ladder and hurt himself, he was amazed that his dad instantly turned caring after just having an argument prior to the incident.  Family is family.  Or his dad’s aversion to candlelight at the dinner table that his mom favored and his own aversion to the harshness of overhead lighting.  Even a 15-year old David appreciated the softness of afternoon light and favored lamps covered with scarves to reduce the glare.  Doesn’t every 15-year old boy?

Hugh is David’s partner and is featured in many of his diary entries.  Relating when, after many years together, they finally had THE discussion of how many people they had each slept with, Hugh just kept counting, “moving on to a population of a small town”.  David reflected that it was a miracle that they both didn’t get AIDS and when Hugh finally got around to sharing his “total slept with” number, David couldn’t help but state the obvious:  “Whore!”

Always a fashion statement, David favors culottes and modelled a smock from Japan that had snaps up the front AND the back, though he couldn’t fathom why the snaps were needed in the back.  I always look forward to his unique outfits befitting his personality.

In the Q&A, David was asked about his writing process and if he would ever write a book about it.  Writer’s write and the only way to improve is to keep on writing but as far as writing a book about it:  “No, it’s boring.  Writing seems so dull to me” but David takes his observations of the world and shares them with us so we can laugh even in the darkest of times.  Thank you, David.

 

 

Turning my back on politics for a day!

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Museum, Parks, Seattle, UncategorizedLeave a comment

When the craziness of the political landscape is driving me to drink and getting me down (and how could it not?), then I turn to art and music to lift my spirits.  Okay, whiskey and wine work too but art and music are better for my soul AND my health. So, off to the museum we went for a day away from the madness of politics.

After waking up just in time to witness a tweet storm of epic proportions in real time on Saturday morning when “he who must not be named” thought it would be a good idea to take on esteemed Congressman John Lewis, I felt a need to disconnect from the nightmare that is about to begin.  So, taking advantage of a sunny, not-so-freezing day in Seattle, we set out to experience the Seattle Asian Art Museum.

Set in a gorgeous location in Volunteer Park near Capital Hill, we were blown away by the stunning collection in the 1933 Art Deco building.  Originally the site of the SAM, it now houses classic Asian art pieces and special exhibits like the contemporary Japanese artist Tabaimo Homage with thought-provoking video installations.  One made me think WTF but the piece set in a women’s bathroom was interesting and the crows were subtly freakish.  Art!

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The more classic art pieces featured such intricate details that you could look at just one piece all day to appreciate the artistry to make it.  Carvings, pottery, tapestries, etc. from ancient times to contemporary pieces are just for viewing but the cement replicas of Ming Dynasty camel statues that grace the entrance are meant to be climbed on by the kids and serve as a backdrop for fun photo ops.  We didn’t take the tours offered but there were two  on Sunday at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. which would probably be very informative.

While you are there, cross the street and check out the water tower observation deck.  Challenged by Thom, I chugged up the 107 stairs to enjoy the 360 degree view of Seattle.  Gorgeous!

Water Tower Observation Deck

We are SAM members but if you aren’t, the museum is open free on the first Thursday and Saturday of each month.  Tear yourself away from social media, turn your back on politics at least for a day and take advantage of the museum and the park-both gems in Seattle!