I’ve started in Tirana, Albania. The country has about 3 million people, 1 million live here in Tirana! Plenty of road construction and traffic, but I found quieter pedestrian-only walkways. I visited the Mosque of Namazgah, where women enter at one doorway, shoes off and head covered. Beautiful interior. I attended a mass at Saint Paul’s Cathedral. I did not realize Mother Teresa was of Albanian descent. Within and outside of the cathedral are statues of her.
My taxi driver yesterday told me Albanians are tolerant of each one’s religion and celebrate all the important dates. I do hear the call to prayer some of the 5 times per day. I appreciate the freedom of religion here.
Mosque of NamazgahSt Paul’s CathedralMother Teresa statue
Another day I walked 35 minutes to Tirana Lake Park to see some birds! I was successful and hope to sketch some since a few flitted away before I could photograph them! Here is a little grebe:
Little Grebe
Everyone was walking at the park and the pedestrian walkways in this city are wonderful. Another stop was at the “Pyramid”. After many steps up, you get a 360 degree view of the city.
Pyramid
The Pyramid served as a museum for the dictator from 1988-1991, but now is an exhibition hall and a viewpoint for the public atop the pyramid! The steps were added on the outside of the pyramid to provide a public space and attempt to erase its history with the dictator.
PyramidA view of the city’s varied architecture.
Today’s post will be followed by two more posts these next 2 days as I visit Albania.
Some of the usual birds were at Agua Caliente Park in Tucson, Arizona these past months. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see a saw-whet owl tucked within leaves at the park one day. Another day the bird, or another one, was tucked within leaves at a different tree. People mentioned seeing two of the owls. Hmmm…I have only seen one at a time, so I am not sure there are truly two owls here. Either way, this bird makes my 709th bird on my life bird list! I got a photo … see below.
The only other unusual sighting was a solitary northern pintail. I love walking at this park, but lately it has been quiet.
Saw-whet owl tucked in those leaves!
Maybe I spoke too soon! One day I saw 10 phainopeplas, a few curve-billed thrashers with 2 of them building a nest in a cactus and one verdin building a nest! Birds are on the move as I saw one cormorant probably just passing through our area as was a western bluebird. Overall a great month.
Did you also know birders record their bird observations for 4 days, minimum of 15 minutes per day, mid- February each year around the world? It’s called the Great Backyard Bird Count. It’s interesting to eventually see how many of the 7,000 birds world-wide are observed within those 4 days as all sightings are tallied. If you missed it this year, check it out for next year. I’m hoping you have some birds to observe right in your neighborhood to report in the future. Happy birding!
Our “Day in the Life” time was on a peninsula of Chiloé Island, in the town of Rilan. Here we visited a couple who opened their home to us. She is a wonderful cook, the homemade bread was delicious with honey butter! He is an amazing woodcarver and fisherman. They both work a huge garden!
We all helped prep our meal. It’s a traditional meal here called a “curanto”. This stew consists of shellfish, meat, potatoes and vegetables all cooked within one pot. We created small balls of cooked mashed potatoes and grated raw potatoes with a bit of pork within. Also balls of mashed potatoes and flour. These golf-ball sized balls were each wrapped in plastic wrap. I diced onion, red pepper and garlic which was sautéed in a huge pot. From there, other food items were added per layer: mussels, chicken legs, pork pieces, those wrapped potato balls, and sausages with plant leaves in-between each layer of food. The pot lid was held down with rocks as the steam cooked the food for at least an hour. Here are some of the layers within the pot.
Many layers of food and plant leaves now to steam to cook!
While the meal cooked, we walked in the garden, saw the wood carved pieces related to the island’s mythology and played “rayuela” which is similar to horseshoes or bocce. Instead one throws a metal disc into a sand box that has a string across the center. Closest disc wins. We had a winner!
After dinner which was a delicious meal, music and dancing … all great fun and perfect opportunity to spend time with this couple. On our return, we had a boat ride to see birds and the houses on stilts. Very interesting how people build their home on stilts and continue to extend their construction into the bay. We did visit one such home.
Other info I learned: 324 varieties of potatoes. Sixteen of 80 churches on this island are UNESCO sites. Last earthquake was in 2010.
Next, the reason I am on this trip, besides Easter Island, is to see Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park! Give me a few days and I’ll be back.
A Chilean mountain bike vendor in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada, years ago shared with me what would be an ideal trip when I some day would travel to Chile. My goal is to see the world and Chile is on my list! I had been holding onto this small piece of paper where he had drawn a map for me. It has been at least 6 – 7 years! I truly appreciated the information, yet I will be joining a tour in South America soon. Unfortunately his itinerary would be for me to wander on my own to cover all that this map details. I’ll see how it coincides with the tour. I’m not going in May, as he had recommended … follow my blog and you’ll see how the trip goes.
A trip to wander through Chile.
“”Chau” or “chao” is “bye” in Chilean Spanish. While spelled differently than “ciao” in Italian which can be used for “bye”, it is pronounced the same! Okay, learning something new every day! Chau!
Our nation sets aside a special day per year to honor all those individuals who served honorably in the military in war time and peace time; it is Veteran’s Day.
This year Veteran’s Day is Tuesday, November 11.
Thank you veterans.
Thank a Veteran every day and especially on November 11.
I’m a mosquito magnet so I did take malaria pills. Despite spraying my clothing to keep mosquitoes away and I put down the mosquito bed netting each night, I was bit by something. Didn’t look like mosquito bites.
I get sea sick so I wore the medicated patch behind my ear, each good for 3 days. Of the 7 nights on the water, only one night seemed a challenge for fellow travelers who did not wear the medicated patch. It was the most western area, the night we rounded the north end of Isabel Island.
Know the difference between wet and dry landings. Wet landings are best with water shoes and legs prepared to be wet. Be sure those shoes are good for hiking. Dry landings are easy in hiking boots or sneakers as you’ll not have wet feet and can walk on! However, any shoes used on Galapagos land must be washed so no soil is brought onto the ship. Our crew did a great job keeping our boots/ sneakers in one area and at the end of our trip spraying them down.
We did enjoy plenty of seafood: fish and octopus, chicken, empanadas, yucca fries, cassava rolls, rice and quinoa, sweet potatoes, avocado, various beans… especially lentils, plantain, bananas and huge blackberries! We had many juices to drink, such as guava and watermelon. The only one I knew for sure was blackberry juice. They farm those berries. They do not farm blueberries so any of those berries were like the wild blueberries in the USA, small!
Empanadas
Ecuador has no mail service! No postcards or stamps to buy. Bills are paid via the bank service or in person. This is the first time I have been in a country with no mail. (Just a note, USA mail is protected in our constitution.)
Some travelers went to Papallacta Hot Springs and enjoyed their day and a couple of us went to Quito Botanical Gardens. There really is so much more of this country to see! A Tennessee couple I met on the plane had amazing photos of numerous hummingbirds. Others talked of seeing more of rural Ecuador. It’s an easy country to enjoy and maybe I will return.
Of course, another easy thing is Ecuadorians use US currency! I did discover though … Ecuador does make a few of their coins to look like US coins, not exactly… but enough to use in country, so be aware of what is in your pocket and use them while in Ecuador.
Ecuadorian dollars
I mentioned wanting to find a snack …. Here it is:
Snickers are better, but not found in Ecuador, so this was my snack!
Here are more photos:
Virgin Mary statue, all aluminum, in QuitoPitcher plants at the Botanical Garden, a few of us visited there.BlackberriesFrigatebirdTortoiseFlightless cormorant Cactus!Marine iguanaBrown pelicanSaddleback tortoiseBartolome Island & notice Pinnacle Peak!Small ground finch on prickly pear cactusSea turtle tracks as they make their way up to lay eggs.Galapagos giant tortoise in the wild
I have many photos, but those at least give you an idea of the variety of animals we had seen. Love wildlife? Then visit Ecuador!
In reality, I am not a tester. However, I cannot help myself when I see a product at a store and am curious about it. You may remember the compostable towels? I am still using them rather than so many paper towels. This week I am trying out Bee’s Wrap.
Bee’s Wrap goals are to reduce food waste and single-use plastic. Each wrap feels waxy. No doubt from the beeswax, plant oil and tree resin in the organic cotton. They are sold in various sized packages. I bought the smaller one for small bowls and sandwiches.
Sold per package
They advertise use of the wraps for fruits, vegetables, cheeses and bread. I wrapped a bowl of mushroom risotto with the Bee’s Wrap. I warmed the wrap with my hands and the still warm risotto added to the shaping of the wrap around the bowl.
Wrapped around bowl of risotto
I also used another wrap around my bagel with peanut butter. Obviously my wrap is not as good-looking as theirs in the photo, but it did the trick to hold my lunch.
Bagel ready to be wrapped
Tied my bagel up
Wow, I did not get that same look with my bagel!?!
Once finished with each wrap, they recommend rinsing it in cool water with mild soap, then air dry. It makes sense to avoid direct heat and hot water with these wraps! Another good recommendation, do not to use them with raw meat.
So I can plan with regular use and proper care for the Bee’s Wrap to hold up for at least a year. When they lose their grip, each can be composted or used as a fire starter. Interesting! Well, I’ll see how this product holds up! Have you seen this product? Have you tried this product? Let me know; I am curious! Thanks!
Recently I read, “the northern mockingbird could be seen as a reminder of the harmony that can be found in the quiet moments and the beauty of being present and in tune with my surroundings”. As I was returning to my van after a hike, I saw a northern mockingbird flitting by my passenger window. Hmmm… is harmony here for me?
It sat on the top of the side mirror casing, then flitted to the window, and back to the mirror perch. I have seen other birds do the same; sort of checking out their reflection in the mirror.
As I walked toward the van, the bird flew off. At first I blamed the bird for the scat on the top of the mirror; however, it was not from this northern mockingbird. Apparently someone else stopped some time ago, unbeknownst to me! Never a dull moment with wildlife!
Photo taken quickly to capture the suspect … a northern mockingbird!
A nonprofit housing organization I have been active with throughout the years in New York State and Arizona is Habitat for Humanity. I was also fortunate to participate in a week-long project in Poland in 2019.
For me, I enjoy helping to build a home, to work side by side with the future home owner and to be present when the family cuts the ribbon and enters their home officially! The homes Habitat for Humanity constructs are solid, permanent homes for low-income people/families. An application is necessary with a process to be completed. If chosen, the adults begin their sweat-equity work towards a home. While it can take time, I have met very happy potential home owners on site putting in their sweat-equity hours after finally hearing they were selected. Many people apply, but unfortunately the need is great and cannot be met by Habitat alone. Once again the excitement of owning one’s home is such a joy to share with another person/family.
One of the best things to happen for Habitat in Humanity in Tucson, Arizona was the construction of the warehouse named the CHUCK Center, or the Connie Hillman Urban Construction Knowledge Center. Beyond those of us volunteering our time building walls for homes in the Tucson area, the CHUCK Center has a workforce development and construction training program. It’s a joy for me to build walls indoors and avoid the harsh summer Arizona heat and winter cold. The 4 house walls are eventually delivered to the appropriate site for installation there. Also at the CHUCK Center, a couple apartments will be available for AmeriCorp workers and the center provides instruction for individuals learning skills to be our future skilled construction workers.
Our local Habitat may also be helping other housing non-profits with construction of their homes to meet their program goals. Here is where I believe the collaboration between agencies/organizations needs to happen to truly solve our nation’s housing need.
Habitat for Humanity is nationwide. You can volunteer and help with construction; no skills necessary … you can learn as you go. Other volunteer opportunities within Habitat are available if you feel unsure about wielding a hammer. Check out your local Habitat for Humanity. For more information, click the links below for the national website and/or the one specific to Tucson, Arizona.
Finally my dream international trip will happen; time to visit Australia and New Zealand! This past year I have been readying myself for this adventure, but my interest in Australia actually began when I read a book in the mid 1980’s. It was Robyn Davidson’s travel memoir: Tracks: One Woman’s Journey of 1,700 Miles Across the Australian Outback. The landscape, especially Ulura, was what I wanted to see someday. As a backpacker at that time, I wanted to see that land.
Now I will have my opportunity to be in Australia, and while in that part of the world, why not visit New Zealand too. I hope in my future blog posts to share my experiences, places worth visiting and foods to try in each country. All I know right now, any trip where Australians had been on an European tour I had been on, I loved the joy and happiness they brought to the day. It’ll be fun to see them in their homeland.
I love tasting foods unique to a particular country; there will be plenty to try in Australia and New Zealand. I’ll be looking forward to some Australian sweet treats: TimTam – a chocolate biscuit, Lamingtons – a sponge cake covered with chocolate or raspberry, then covered with coconut, and Golden Gaytime – toffee and vanilla ice cream, dipped in chocolate covered in biscuit pieces. While shopping in New Zealand, I hope to buy Whittaker’s chocolate. Of course, the dessert to try in each country, Pavlova – a meringue cake with whipped cream and fruit and to wonder was it invented in Australia or New Zealand?
Will I brave tasting Vegemite in Australia or Marmite in New Zealand? I’ll keep you posted. Or how about a Witchetty grub? Apparently Aboriginal Australians have eaten these grubs for years. And why not, as they supposedly taste like chicken with as much protein as steak!
There is no doubt in my mind I will love seeing the landscape in both countries, despite more people telling me New Zealand is simply beautiful! Time will tell and I’ll post photographs for us all to see the beauty in both countries. Will look for a Tasmanian devil, a wombat, emu and kangaroos. May even taste the lean, red meat of kangaroo or barramundi, the Aboriginal name for sea bass in Australia. Rarely am I hesitant in trying something new when I travel. It’s part of the joy of travel along with learning a country’s history, such as Māori culture in New Zealand, and finally seeing Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and New Zealand’s Milford Sound!
I am so excited to get on with this trip. Cheers! Will I see any of these birds during my travel? You know I’ll be looking …
