December 2018 - Womens Post

Living December 25, 2018

All I want for Christmas

Christmas is upon us, so I’m making a list of everything I want. I want everything I want and I want it, now. That’s what I want.

I want peace; at home and around the world. Some people love acrimony. I want to cure that. Intermittent Fasting helps. I want everyone to try it.

There’s nothing like exfoliating. I want a new luffa brush. Bill O’Reilly, who’s on a long list of Irish-American / Canadian uber-conservative idiots, told an associate-producer he wanted to watch her scrub herself with a “felafel thing.”

I want Bill’s hero, Donald Trump, arrested and sent to prison, in Mexico. Trump makes George Bush look a stable genius. I want to ask our good neighbours, “Why did you vote for that foul, awful thing?”

I want a cure for Histiocytosis, a horrible, rare disease, which has afflicted my niece, Julia. I want to thank and praise the medical community, in Hamilton, for miracles. Another beautiful, young girl I know is in a fight at McMaster Children’s Hospital, where Julia was. I want all children to be healthy and happy.

I like to do home renovations, but am leery of electrical jobs. I want to take a course. I like my old house. I want to die in it, then be buried in the garden. I want to be compost.

I want my daughter to stop bringing home animals. I love them, too, but I want a break. Having said that, I want to walk Doug, our great dog. I want Doug to be happy, all the time.

There’s window, where I sit to write. Much of the time, however, I watch squirrels. If there’s reincarnation, I want to join my rodents.

Action Entertainment

Across a thin wire

Then down a tree

One’s in pursuit

One tries to flee

 

They cut to the left

Then to the right

But the aggressor still follows

The one that’s in flight

 

Back up a tree

Across a long fence

This racing rivalry

Is really intense

 

It’s pure entertainment

A wonderful sight;

There’s nothing quite like

A good squirrel fight

I want my car to start. I want my computer and furnace to work. I want my heart to keep ticking, my legs to keep kicking, and my heels to keep clicking. I want to watch TV, because I love channel flicking. I want to rhyme, a lot of the time.

I want to curb some appetites.

Sometimes, I want to save the world. Most of the time, I want to lie on the couch, in track pants, comfy clothes, leisure wear, or quitters and save myself.

I Want, I Want, I Want

I want to be famous

I want to be rich

I want to be idle

I want perfect pitch




I want a place in the countryside

I want beachfront 2 miles wide

I want to be handsome and hazel eyed

I want to be purified, glorified, and beatified

 

I want servants at beck and call

I want my very own shopping mall

I want to be thin and I want to be tall

I dare say I want it all




I want I want I want

Write this down in your biggest font

Like a spoiled debutante

I want I want I want      

 

I want the beach house and the shore

I want Candy and her store

I want everything, heretofore

I want it all and then some more




I want to be famous, celebrated, cheered

I want to be loved, admired; completely revered

I think I want to be internationally known

But really, I think I want to be left alone




I want I want I want

Write this down in the biggest font

Like a spoiled, rotten debutante

I want I want I want

I Want song lyrics: I want to know what love is. I want you to show me. I want to feel what love is. I want you to know, I want you to know, right now, you’ve been good to me, baby; better than I’ve been to myself. The best things in life are free, but you can give them to the birds and bees. I want money. That’s what I want. I want to wish you a Merry Christmas, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas, from the bottom of my heart. Feliz Navidad.

Feliz Navidad, indeed.

What more could I want?

Entertainment December 22, 2018

The Philosopher Kings regain their throne

As a kid of the 90s, the 80s and before then if I am being honest, I have always felt the urge to go back in time when it comes to music as this is closely tied to collective as well as personal memories. Although, I am always open to discovering new musical talent through my streaming platform of choice, Spotify, I am prone to revivals of music that I listened to in my teens and late teens because those are the ones that feel timeless and hold a special place in my heart.

With that in mind, I could not miss the soulful performance of The Philosopher Kings at the Mod Club in Toronto on December 20.

After a break of two decades, The Philosopher Kings returned with their new album Return of the King. The Toronto-based group captivated their long-time fans with its unique combination of funk and pop sound. In a recent interview for ET Canada, to the question “At what point are you on a break and at what point don’t you exist anymore?” Gerald Eaton, lead vocalist answered, “We will always be making albums.” It sounds like a promise!

I love their music as much as I am drawn to their moniker. The Philosopher Kings evokes the best form of government according to Plato’s Republic, one in which philosophers rule with wisdom and intelligence, and forge a society to their image. In times where some of the rulers of the world, score low in the knowledge of philosophy, not as in abstract academic discipline but as in its original sense, as a way of thinking about the world, mankind, nature, existence, and the ability to make connections among all of the above. The name is certainly a timely reminder that we need more of such enlightened rulers in the world.

Juno Award winner in 1996 for Best New Group, climbing the charts with the hit single Charms the same year, The Philosopher Kings became one of the most popular bands in the country and worldwide during the 90s until they took a break in 2006 to pursue individual music careers. Gerald Eaton continued to sing as a solo artist under the pen name of Jarvis Church, and collaborated with Nelly Furtado, Esthero, and K’naan. He and fellow band member Brian West are part of the duo Track & Field.

Return Of The Kings is a medley of their most memorable pop and alternative rock songs, including I Am the Man, Cry, Hurts to Love You, and Castles in the Sand as well as brand new material that holds the sign of a natural musical evolution towards new and current elements of pop music. Nevertheless, “It sounds like the Philosopher Kings.”

The performance included a cover from another very popular 90s band: Linger by the Cranberries. It was also a tribute to the vocalist of the group, Dolores O’Riordan, who died last January at the age of 46. The performance turned into a sing-along when the audience joined the chorus of ‘Do you have to let it linger’. The whole performance felt timeless. Maybe a song that is 20 years old is not that old yet, if it still sounds fresh and current. Or maybe it is the timeless power of good music that stands the storm of the years that go by.

As I reflect on the music experience of last night, I can’t help but wonder, how lucky my generation is to have had so many outstanding bands which made memorable so many stages of our life.

Editorial December 21, 2018

The Narcissist Apocalypse

Hollywood has given us numerous scenarios, wherein zombies try to take over the world. A zombie apocalypse makes for great fiction and comedy. However, not funny, nor fictional, is the increasing number of people with a narcissistic personality, or who have narcissistic characteristics.

As well as growing in numbers, our culture favours narcissistic qualities, so narcissists are, increasingly, in positions of power. With an abundance of self-confidence, narcissists make a great first impression and present themselves as capable, obedient workers and natural leaders, ready, willing, and able to run the show. Donald Trump demonstrates how effectively a self-serving narcissist, even a vile, dumb, unqualified one, slithers up ladders.

Although the Internet is awash with information on the condition, narcissism is not well understood. There is a lot of misinformation. I lack professional qualifications, but am a recreational researcher, armchair psychiatrist, amatuer profiler, weekend psychoanalyst, Monday morning quack, and barstool philosopher. As well, most critically, I’ve had lifelong relationship with a narcissist.

Spotting a zombie is easy: a stumbling gait, stunned, open-mouthed countenance, poor complexion, failing wardrobe, and questionable hygiene make one obvious. Narcissists are a different entity. A narcissist looks “normal,” walks, talks, and, to the touch, feels normal.

A narcissist, however, doesn’t feel, like others. A defining characteristic of a narcissist is a lack of empathy. Although they have grandiose opinions of themselves, and a need to be recognized, narcissists don’t care about others.

Relationships with a narcissist are, therefore, one-sided and toxic. Even children are valued, only, for what they can provide the narcissist: respectability, status, cover, bait, income, accessories, props… Children of narcissists grow up with the challenge of being unloved.

A narcissist can’t be cured or changed, so don’t try. A relationship with a narcissist doesn’t end well. There are signs.

If you meet one, run. You are better off alone.

Contrary to popular belief, narcissists are not putting up fronts to mask insecurities. Narcissists, truly, believe they’re superior. An inflated sense of self contributes to a narcissist’s arrogance, dismissiveness, and / or cruelty, as well as their charisma and self-assuredness. There is never a lack of self-confidence, even in a failing narcissist.

In fact, narcissists are most dangerous when reality doesn’t mesh with their opinion of themselves. This is termed Narcissistic Injury. Rather than reflect on their behaviour, a narcissist will blame others and lash out, often, cruelly. A friend is divorcing a narcissist and his behaviour is dreadfully sadistic. Despite declaring himself a Christian, he is a cruel (injured) narcissist.

Competitiveness and a drive for recognition push some high achieving narcissists to great work and accomplishments. However, most narcissists prefer soft targets and gravitate to middle management and public service.

There are different ways to create a narcissist and our society is establishing perfect conditions for their proliferation. A neglected child can become a cold, reptilian survival-machine, indifferent to anything and anyone, but themselves. On the other end, children who’re overly-indulged and told, from conception, they are better than everyone, believe it.

Celebrity can trigger, latent, narcissism.

We are all born narcissistic. As infants, the moment we are uncomfortable, we squawk. Fortunate babies have their needs catered to, immediately. Ideally, as time goes by, and we grow up and realize there are others, who have needs and feelings, we become less self-centered and more community minded.

One of the most critical factors in the development of a compassionate, caring citizen is unstructured, unsupervised play. By playing with others; siblings and friends, children learn to share and care. A selfish child loses playmates and the joy they bring, quickly. Throughout history, people have learned to give and take and see things from another’s perspective, by playing.

As family sizes shrink, children have fewer siblings to play with. Unstructured play, with a group of similarly aged children, is, also, a thing of the past. Parks, fields, trails, all over Canada, sit empty, while youth stay home and play video games by themselves, for hours. Even in a group, children play alone.

Media and social media contribute to the narcissism epidemic. While sitting with friends and family, people stare at their phones. An obsession with celebrity, likes, and views undermines and overrides a drive to behave well or do good work.

Single occupancy vehicles breed narcissism. A hyper-competitive culture contributes to unhealthy, self-centered behaviour. The disintegration of family and community creates individualistic behaviour. Decades of giving everyone a trophy and declaring losers winners hasn’t helped. Self-esteem, once earned, is now conferred upon every Tom, Dick, and Narcissist.

Narcissists deserve sympathy. With insatiable appetites for material goods, recognition, admiration, fame, and prestige, a narcissist can never be content; never be happy. Their self-centeredness means they will always be alone, even within a relationship.

I worked with a cruel narcissist, who went out of her way to make people miserable. It seemed her only joy. When she died, prematurely, I wrote a 50-word poem-obituary.

Karma And The Narcissist

Breaking spirits, cutting throats

Spreading lies, taking notes

Entirely without remorse

Every day, she stayed the course

 

She got her castle and her throne

But sat up there all alone

And when they threw her in the ground

No one came and stood around

To mourn, or cry, or say, Good-bye

From climate change and terrorism, to mass migration and poverty, humanity is facing a litany of challenges, many self-made. The proliferation of narcissists is, to me, another indication our species is driving down a dangerous road, lost.

Eventually, people will have to go back to compact, compassionate communities, or we’ll perish. As with a zombie apocalypse, flourishing narcissism is inimical to humanity.

Featured December 12, 2018

A recipe for mass murder

With the release, last week, of detailed report on the tragedy, the Sandy Hook shooting is back in the headlines. On December 20, 2012, 20 year old, Adam Lanza, shot his sleeping mother in the face four times, drove to the elementary school, slaughtered six women and 20 children, aged 6 and 7, then killed himself.

What drives boys and men to monstrosities, massacres, and mass murder?

The inordinately affluent, dysfunctional Lanza’s have been put under a microscope and the whole world should look thorough it. The Office of The Child Advocate, in Connecticut, said of Adam Lanza, “…. his severe and deteriorating internalized mental health problems… combined with an atypical preoccupation with violence… (and) access to deadly weapons… proved a recipe for mass murder.”

Millions of parents follow a formula hoping to create the next Mozart, Gretzky, Einstein, Fung…, but few are successful. Their children, hopefully, have, at least, learned discipline and developed a work ethic. If you want to make a mass murderer, however, get the Lanza’s cookbook and follow their recipe, to a tee.

Pitiful Adam Lanza was disadvantaged right out of the gate. Adam was on the autism spectrum, had OCD, anxiety, depression, he was anorexic, germaphobic, ostracized, and obsessed with violence. Perhaps, however, Adam’s biggest challenge were his parents.

With better circumstances, Adam Lanza, and his victims, may have been saved.

Raising Adam was challenging, no doubt, but his problems were exacerbated by home life. His father was distant, then absent, and his mother over-indulgent. Adam’s parents brought him to several specialists, hospitals, and schools. It seems they were looking for an instant cure, silver bullet, magic potion… to fix their son, which was impossible. Never did they follow through on therapy, or medication, always giving in to their obstinate, difficult boy.

Overly indulged children are not happy. They don’t know it, but children want, need, and crave structure, rules, order, and learning. Children thrive when they are challenged, encouraged, and taught that life is hard, but working harder sets you free.

There is no joy without discipline.

Adam Lanza, who got whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it, was miserable.

Adam was born in 1992 and his parents separated in 2001, when he was nine. His father, Peter, a successful accountant, was living with his second wife in Manhattan, at the time of the massacre. When he died, Adam had not seen his father or older brother in years. Peter didn’t talk to his son, just sent money.

Adam lived with his mother, but, by the end, they, mostly, communicated via email. Adam didn’t go to school or work, he stayed in his basement all day, everyday, playing video games and researching massacres.

Had anyone taken an interest, they would have seen, easily, his dangerous rage. In school and at home, Adam wrote fantasy stories about murder and violence. In his bedroom, he spent years creating a 7 X 4 spreadsheet of hundreds of mass murders and the weapons used to commit them.

In the last months of his life, Adam’s only real human connection was going to a shooting range with his gun-loving mother. Nancy legally, wantonly, gratuitously, gluttonously purchased pistols, rifles, and ammunition; amassing a home arsenal Pablo Escobar would have admired.

Nancy allowed her profoundly disturbed, violent minded, angry, undisciplined child unfettered access to the weapons cache.

Adam was as proficient with real weapons as he was with video ones: in less than five minutes, he fired 156 bullets, in the school. All his victims, but two, were shot multiple times.

After two years of silence, Peter Lanza, Adam’s father, spoke to the New Yorker, in 2014.

It is easy to pity a man, who is wracked with guilt and shame. Peter Lanza wishes his son had never been born. Adam’s suicide tells us he wished likewise. Adam Lanza was also a well-armed, well- trained killer, dying to lash out.

Twenty sweet, little kids and six brave women, from Sandy Hook Elementary School, are dead.

Whose fault is that?

The Chicken Comes Home to Roost - by Kevin Somers

There was always a roof right over my head

I was well-dressed and sufficiently fed

But, my childhood was not exactly ideal

You brought me up as though I were veal

At that time in your history

I wasn’t, at all, a priority

I was displaced by a precious career…

It was power and money you, really, held dear

I came unto you at a terrible time

There were palms to grease and ladders to climb

So you bought me a gadget that looked like a gun

And taught me that slaughter is the best form of fun

I was left all alone like uncommon litter

With violent video games as my sitter

Tethered to screens, like a calf to a pole

I was dragged right into a dark violent hole

Before I was ten, I knew it was best

To put one in the brain after two in the chest

And you wonder why my mind is messed

I must say, dear Parents, I’m not impressed

Shooting, slashing, blasting, clashing, cutting, killing…

I learned that murder is awfully thrilling

I spent all my youth with a big blinking screen

It seems, looking back, entirely mean

You raised me up in a freaky war zone

I was saving the world, but all on my own

I killed and I killed and I killed some more

It was, I was taught, it was how I keep score

Day after night and night after day

I swivelled my thumbs and you called it play

My body went soft and my brain of no use

Quite clearly that was a form of abuse

The kids at my school call me a freak

They say I am awkward, useless, and weak

They speak of me often, with so much to say

But, it was you, dear Parents, who made me this way

But, hey!

You bought me a pistol, without a trifle

Then another, then a rifle

I’ve fallen in love with the cold, killing steel

No longer virtual, these things are real

I’m finally filled with requisite fuel

The rage and the means to shoot up a school

Mother and Father, from bad news to worst:

I am going to kill you two, first

Cluck cluck

Featured December 5, 2018

Intermittent Fasting

Dr. Jason Fung is diabetes and obesity expert from Toronto. His work is transforming people’s lives; making them healthier and happier. Dr. Fung is a proponent of intermittent fasting (IF). I changed my lifestyle and began intermittent fasting the day I watched this video of Dr. Fung explaining his research.

I knew this was what I had been looking for.

I’m fascinated by intermittent fasting and Google it, regularly. Weight loss is the most obvious, desirous, and prominent result of IF, but temporary caloric abstinence helps everything; body, mind, and soul.

There is a growing body of research discovering how and why IF performs miracles, such as anti-aging and cancer curing. CNN asks if fasting is the fountain of youth.

The concept is simple: fast for, at least, 16 hours, each day. Eat. Stop eating. Simple. While your body is in fast mode, great things happen. When I started IF, weight loss began, immediately. It was freaky. I sleep better, breathe better, feel better, and, most importantly, look better.

Inflammation issues have been resolved, as well. I recently asked my family, “When was the last time I complained about my arthritic hips?” No one could remember. There’s plenty to complain about, but my hips have been cured.

In this podcast, George St Pierre, one of Canada’s finest athletes, explains to Joe Rogan, how meeting Dr. Fung and beginning intermittent fasting has changed his life.

As St. Pierre explains, his diabetes and colitis are better, his muscle density has gone up and his body fat is down. He feels ¨better, sharper, lighter…¨ Like George, I wish I’d known about intermittent fasting, years ago.

Fasting slows the mind and leads to contentment. It is not just food consumption, being re-evaluated. Thanks to IF, I have more time, more energy, I’m more productive, and I spend less money. I feel empty; less bloated and bogged down. ¨Oh, God, I´m hungry,¨ is now, ¨Oh, good, I´m hungry.¨

I like fasting because it is free. Almost, anyone can fast. Fasting is simple. There is no need to see an expert, buy supplements, record, count, restrict, exclude, follow a plan…. just stop consuming calories, for 16 hours. Unlike a diet or weight loss plan, the end of a fast is never far away. Each day, when I break fast, there is a sense of accomplishment; a sense of pride.

Food tastes better and is more satisfying, after a fast. For years, everything I ate or drink came with a sliver of guilt. Now, whatever is consumed feels earned and I enjoy eating and drinking, more than ever. As well, since I only have one or two meals a day, I prepare them better and eat healthier.

The eight hours of consumption is to each his or her own. I’ve read you shouldn’t eat before bed, but my feeding window is 4 pm to midnight, because I enjoy social time with friends, in the evening.

My new routine is get up, shower, and go to work. Not having to prepare and eat breakfast, then make a lunch, streamlines mornings and I leave earlier. I work or exercise during lunch break. A little water during the day is all I need. When I get home, in the evening, I enjoy a meal.

My 21 year old daughter, like many people, fasts from 7pm to 11am the next day. She doesn’t snack after dinner and skips breakfast. She feels better, has lost weight, and is, especially, happy her skin has cleared up.

Fasting is gaining in popularity, but it can’t be dismissed as a trend, fad, or craze, because it has been part of many cultures and religions for centuries. According to the infallible Internet, the Buddha said, ¨I, monks, do not eat a meal in the evening. Not eating a meal in the evening I, monks, am aware of good health and of being without illness and of buoyancy and strength and living in comfort. Come, do you too, monks, not eat a meal in the evening. Not eating a meal in the evening you too, monks, will be aware of good health and….. living in comfort.¨

Fasting is simple and effective, but it is not easy. A friend, who has been trying to lose weight for years, has started IF several times, but can’t see it through. By his own admission, he lacks the will power. Curiously, fasting, for all it offers, can’t cure that.

History December 4, 2018

6 holiday traditions from different parts of the world

What does Christmas mean to you? This holiday is celebrated all over the world. For some, it’s all about the brightly lit streets and crowded stores, with people all looking for presents to share with their loved ones, but for others the holiday can be more about tradition or spiritual guidance. The interesting part is that the commonality is family, gift-giving, and myth.

Here are six Christmas customs from around the world:

Japan

In Japan, Christmas is not a national holiday, but it is still celebrated by many people in the country. There is no Santa Claus. Instead there is Santa Kurohsu. Santa Kurohsu takes after a Buddhist monk in Japanese culture, who would travel to peoples homes to leave gifts and was said to have eyes at the back of his head to observe if children were being naughty. Strangely, the Japanese tend to eat a lot of KFC during the week of Christmas, thanks to clever marketing dating back to the eighties. Their unofficial ‘Christmas cake’ is strawberry shortcake.

Norway

Christmas in Norway is known as Jul and is celebrated on Dec 25. However, the gift-giving is done on Christmas eve. One of the most interesting customs is that all brooms are hidden on Christmas eve. This way, it can’t be stolen for use by evil spirits or witches.

Venezuela

Residents in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, adore Christmas. Venezuela is a predominantly a Catholic country so going to mass on Christmas is necessary, but it’s just the method of getting there that’s odd. Residents in Caracas can be seen roller-blading to church mass in the earl morning hours, and it’s so popular that the roads are often cleared of traffic and a special path is provided. Venezuelan’s celebrate Nochebuena, which is seen as the night before Christmas, where families exchange gifts and eat a full christmas dinner.

Italy

Christmas celebrations start eight days before Christmas in Italy, with many families headed to mass. Families offer special Novenas (prayers) and typically gather on Christmas Eve for a midnight celebration. On Christmas eve, no meat is eaten with the exception of a light seafood dish. More importantly, in Italian tradition, children await Befana, a friendly witch that travels to children’s homes to fill their stocking with gifs. This night is known as Epiphany or feast of the Three Kings, which is celebrated 12 days after Christmas, on Jan. 6.

Czech Republic

One of the most interesting Christmas traditions is reserved for single or unmarried women. An unmarried woman must stand with her back facing an open door and throw a shoe over her shoulder. If the front of the shoe lands facing the door, she is to wed within the next 12 months. It also signifies possible love in the new year. In the Czech Republic and other European countries, they also celebrate St Nicholas Day, on Dec. 5, where children wait for St Nicholas to arrive with angels and with devils. The devil might give you a lump of coal while an angel will give you sweets or fruit once a child sings a song or recites a poem for St Nicholas.

Ukraine

The Christmas trees tend to look a lot different in Ukraine, as they are often decorated with artificial spiders and webbing. Instead of the colourful balls and happy tinsel, the tree might look like a scene out of a Halloween tell. However, the story behind this Ukrainian Christmas tradition is rather fascinating. As the tale goes —an old woman was once unable to afford decorations for her tree, but when she woke on Christmas morning, she instead found a spider, who decorated the tree with it’s shimmering web.

Do you have a Christmas tradition or custom you know about? Comment below

Featured December 4, 2018

The Best Warm Weather Spot in Europe: Lisbon

In the past few years, Portugal has started to top the list of European travel destinations. It’s unique, budget-friendly, has tasty food, great weather, and even better people. When I visited Lisbon for a weekend at the end of April 2018, I was so excited for the warm weather after 4 months in London’s cold, cloudy, and rainy climate. It was one of those solo travel experiences where I was able to explore everything at my own pace, met great people along the way, and really saw why everyone falls in love with Portugal on their visit.

I flew from Madrid to the Lisbon and found their public transportation easy to navigate. Lisbon has a unique tram system which is worth experiencing, but most of the sights in the city itself are walkable. I stayed in a youth hostel during my time in Lisbon, and of all the hostels I’ve ever experienced, this is my most highly recommend of them all: Good Morning Lisbon Hostel. It provides a hot breakfast every morning, had the most attentive staff, and featured lots of activities for travelers.

On my first day, I went to Belem Tower is a fortified tower and UNESCO World Heritage Site a little way outside the city. I took the historic tram to get there. Near Belem, I was also able to indulge in a pastel de nata which is an egg tart.

This is an absolute must eat when you’re in Portugal, and the line out the door indicated that this, in particular, is the place to eat them.

That evening, I participated in a Portuguese cooking class where I deboned Bacalhau, a local salted codfish, a fascinating experience to say the least. Luckily, the hostel’s nightly happy hour of all-you-can-drink free beer and sangria was shortly after the cooking class.

The next day, I woke up and head on a Sintra day trip. Sintra is a resort town located in the foothills of the Sintra Mountains and possesses a ton of awesome sights. The warm weather made seeing Quinta de Regaleira, Azenhas do Mar, Almoçagema, Adraga Beach, Cabo da Roca, and Pena Palace absolutely divine. The action-packed day left me exhausted, but the opportunity to romp around at the beach isn’t one that you get in every destination. I was thrilled with the richness of Portugal’s countryside in addition to its history and culture.

For the third and final day of my trip, I spent the morning on a walking tour which covered the remaining parts of the city I had yet to see. Free walking tours are one my largest travel hacks and Lisbon certainly didn’t disappoint. Some of the most memorable parts of the tour were the Alfama Neighborhood, Santa Justa Lift, Barrio Alto, Praça do Comércio, and Rua Augusta Arch. The views of the city during the tour were spectacular, and it reminded me of San Francisco, CA with the hills, trams, and large red bridge.

I left Lisbon finally understanding what all the rage was about. Not only did the city have a lot to offer with its gorgeous weather and landscape, expansive history and culture, but the food was also incredible and every person I met was nothing but kind and gracious to me. (Oh and bonus: Lisbon is in fact far less expensive than any of my other favorite spots in Europe!)

Featured December 3, 2018

Top 5 most beautiful places

It isn’t easy coming up with a list of the most beautiful places in the world that I’ve personally seen. I live in a city surrounded by concrete and tall buildings, and I often miss what mother nature has to offer. So my top 5 places visited are pretty remote, but well worth seeing.

The first beautiful location I would recommend is Blue Lagoon, in Iceland.

It is full of man-made ponds fed by waters rich in minerals, that many believe can cure certain diseases. In the winter, the hot steam coming from the pond is surrounded by snow and ice, creating a tense atmosphere.

2. The next beautiful spot would have to be Haleakala National Park, on the island of Maui in Hawaii.

Haleakala attracts 1.5 million visitors every year and with a summit at 10,023 feet attracts “skywatchers” from around the world. The name Haleakala comes from the Hawaiian language, meaning house of the sun. According to legend, the demi-god of Maui would have kept the sun there to extend the time.

3. I am drawn to warm destinations and the next beautiful location would be St. Lucia in the Caribbean.

The Piton mountains are breathtakingly beautiful with so little built up around them they have a natural majestic beauty that is well worth seeing. We rented this beautiful home with a perfect view near Soufrière, Saint Lucia

4. Another beautiful place to visit is the Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, USA.

Native Americans witnessed its formation 7,700 years ago, when a violent eruption triggered the collapse of a tall peak. It has a remarkable purity: fed by rain and snow, and it is the deepest lake in the USA …and perhaps the most pristine on eart

5. Number 5 on my list is Cappadocia, Turkey

Cappadocia is located in Turkey with unique rock formations called “the despair of fairytale chimneys.” Cappadocia is formed by geology and volcanic activity, including weather and erosion, which took place in Islam about 60 million years ago. In 2000, Christians built the first church in one of the unique rocks of the region. And not to be missed is a balloon ride to capture the beautiful views the area offers.