Farsighted Fly Girl

From the food, to the music, fashion and wellness, I've admired Indian culture for a long time. This week, I get to experience one of my top bucket list items by visiting Gujarat, on the Western coast of India. I'll be hosted by Gujarat Tourism  and they have compiled an exciting itinerary, including witnessing  and participating in the annual Navaratri Festival, shown above. The nine day Hindu celebration is one of the most popular dance festivals in India, which celebrates the nine forms of goddess. Gujarat is also Gandhi's hometown so I'll be visiting his ashram and exploring ancient  stepwells, temples and small towns. I know it will be a life-changing journey so please look out for posts and pix!

The year of 2016 was unrelenting on so many levels. It seems like unexpected scenarios and challenging situations just kept piling up until everyone was numb by the year's end. I felt torn for most of the year. I was heartbroken about the glaring racism, injustice and brutality that kept sprouting up and I fought to keep my spirits and expectations positive. It wasn't easy. On the other hand, I received more invitations to travel than ever before--I took 15 trips in all, exploring 9 countries, three continents and five states. I loved it and appreciated the opportunities but an undercurrent of sadness clung to me. How could I be happy and wander around glorious beaches and mountains and deserts when so many people, especially my people, were suffering? Through a process of  discussion, analysis, meditation and observation, I learned that traveling with intention, and being present instead of caught up in taking photos, notes and posting to social media, revealed the import...

Japan is filled with so many arresting sights. There were a lot of special experiences, so it's hard to choose where to start but I think it's always good to start with nature. One of the most iconic images of Japan is the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. The grove towers with bamboo trees that play against the light pouring through the slender trunks. It would be the perfect place to meditate and take in the sound of the stalks swaying back and forth but I was there on a national Japanese holiday. It was culture day, which meant masses of locals were in the grove, strolling and taking photos. I saw loads of kimono clad girls and saffron robed monks but it was hard to focus on the magic of the experience. The glimpse of serenity that I found was when I stood in front of this graveyard on the other side of the grove. The crowds just headed down the path as I paused and looked at the tombstones. I think that being buried near a bamboo grove is probably one of the most peace...

For my latest adventure, I'll be exploring the beautiful and complex culture of Japan. I'm excited to be hopping the ANA Airlines inaugural flight from Chicago to Tokyo. My base will be the historic Imperial Hotel Tokyo , which has ties to Frank Lloyd Wright and my Oak Park neighborhood, so I can't wait to see another perspective of his architectural style. The hotel is noted for its elegance and service; I'll  even be assigned an attendant!  I'm looking forward to experiencing a  Japanese tea ceremony as well as a Shinto wedding. I'll also visit Kyoto and tour some of the city's famous shrines and landscapes. In between, I hope to visit Harajuku, a Kabuki theater performance and stroll the Imperial Palace gardens, pictured above.  Please stay tuned for posts and videos, maybe I'll even make it to one of those crazy pet cafes!

One of the fascinating things I discovered in Macau was the seamless mix of Chinese and Portuguese culture. It shows up in every aspect of daily life but I found seeing Cantonese and Portuguese languages side by side particularly interesting. The mural above instructs on recycling in Macanese style, using both Cantonese and Portuguese. However, I guess not everything translates into both languages. The funny mural below urges dog owners to clean up after their pets but there're no Portuguese words to be found!

Spirituality laces through every aspect of Asian culture and connects areas of daily life. So I was really excited to visit the oldest and most famous temple in Macau; A-Ma Temple. Perched halfway up Barra Hill, the temple incorporates the natural landscape as well as Chinese symbolism.  A-Ma Temple attracts so many visitors that I had to wait for about 20 minutes before they filed into the entrance and I could view the gateway adorned with lions and red lanterns. The temple dates back to 1488, during the Ming Dynasty and includes six different pavilions constructed at different times. Inside the temple, clouds of smoke from incense fill the air. Offerings, like the ones pictured above, are for sale throughout the pavilions. I didn't take many photos because I wanted to be respectful of worshipers but you can get an idea of the serenity of the temple from some of these images. Incense represents different deities and can be burned for different purposes, such as b...

Macao is a peninsula with two islands connected by land fill bridges. Yes, two islands. So you know where this is headed. Taipa is the island north of Macao but Coloane, the southernmost island, really grabbed me. I've never met an island that I didn't love and Coloane is no exception. Check out the green landscape and Maco's highest point, Alto de Coloane.  The island offers a striking contrast to bustling, densely populated and developed Macao. What captured me were the ocean views, quiet beaches and salty air. With tiled paths and Portuguese shops,Coloane really reflects Macao's European influences, even though the Portuguese didn't occupy the island until 1864. Coloane's sea caves and heavily forested hills made it a favorite pirate hangout for most of the 19th century. I don't know about the pirates but I'd gladly hole up in Coloane's hills, as long as I have beach access!

I'm still absorbing the whirlwind of sights, sounds and tastes that encompass the allure of Macao. It is unlike anyplace that I've experienced before and I think it will take a little time for me to completely translate my perspective. When I think about what stood out, it's definitely the unusual blend of Chinese and Portuguese cultures. I experienced them separately and together in the special Macanese style, beginning with a stunning Chinese cultural dinner at the Sheraton Macao, Cotai Central . It started with the Qin dynasty warrior pictured above. There were two of them, silently guarding the the dining room. And why would a room need guarding you ask? I thought the same thing until I walked into this; a spectacle of sumptuous red fabrics, orchids and fine china, complete with a stage. A six-course feast awaited us, starting with slices of sucking pig, marinated cucumber and wasabi-infused jellyfish, pictured above. The dishes represented traditional Chi...

I'm not a huge fan of Las Vegas but I'm excited to be traveling to Macao, Asia's answer to Vegas and the world's largest casino mecca. Perched on the Southeastern coast of China, Macao is a peninsula that offers much more than gambling. I'm most interested in  Macao's unusual  blend of Chinese and Portuguese cultures. It was a Portuguese colony until 1999, when it was released back to China and became a Special Administrative Region. The Portuguese legacy is everywhere, from the Unesco World Heritage Cite of the Historic Centre of Macao , including the 16th century St. Paul's or Sao Paulo ruins, pictured above, to the egg tarts and golden codfish drenched in coconut milk and saffron, that typify Macanese cuisine. I'll be exploring Macao's cuisine and history as well as the highlights of Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central,  the sponsor of my media trip. Please stay tuned for posts and pix!