Friday, May 19, 2023

Calle San José, Viejo San Juan

In my last post I mentioned that Terry is an adventurous, low-budget traveler.
He also is a planner.  He reads guide books and maps, 
and he scours the internet and YouTube for information.

He'll spend days and days researching until he's found the best deals on transportation,
economical places to stay and to eat, and the top things to do.
He'll also know about the local customs, safety, and what to be aware of or to avoid.

Terry really doesn't want a lot of input from me.
He refers to some of my input as "throwing a monkey wrench into the works."

Always "Researching" on His iPhone
Tommy Bahamas ~ A place he knew was highly recommended for its Happy Hour
Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
March 9, 2023
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
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Now that may sound terrible and controlling to you, 
but I consider myself a lucky lady to have a personal planner.
I love surprises, and I like to visit a place the first time without many preconceptions.
Terry's thrilled to work out all the details, and I'm thrilled to follow along.

Exploring Calle del Santo Cristo
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
April 14, 2023
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He always asks if there's something particular I want to see at a destination,
and I typically have one or two things that are important to me.
Otherwise, it really doesn't matter.  I'm spontaneous and open to everything.
You never know what fun people, sights, or experiences might be around the next corner.

A Visual Surprise on Calle de la Fortaleza 
at Its Intersection with Calle del Santo Cristo
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
April 14, 2023
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So when Terry said from the couch at home in Aurora,
"I found a reasonably-priced place to stay in Old San Juan,"
I said, "Cool.  Is it anywhere near the fort?"  
I really wanted to see Castillo San Felipe del Morro.

"We can walk there."

Good enough for me.  I didn't look it up on Goggle or anything.
I just noted the address on my packing list in case we got separated somehow.

Coming in for a Landing
Luis Muñoz Marín International
San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
April 14, 2023
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Exploring Calle de San Sebastian
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
April 14, 2023
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An Uber driver picked us up at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport,
zipped over to Viejo San Juan, and deftly negotiated the maze of narrow cobbled streets.
Every space where someone could squeeze a vehicle in was filled.
Garbage trucks, emergency vehicles, vans, trucks, cars, motorcycles,
police cars, and lost tourists crowded the streets.  Mayhem!

We quickly realized that our driver was discombobulated,
as she searched for Calle San José among
the up and down, one-way and two-way streets.
We were all craning our necks looking for the elusive street. 
Finally Terry spotted it as we drove across it, 
a one-way street going in the wrong direction for us. 

No problem!  Our driver hit reverse, executed a fast 90º turn, 
and floored it, backing the car all the way up the hill, 
heedless of any car turning onto our street or pulling out.
We couldn't find #52, although we were close, 
so we had our driver drop us on the sidewalk 
with our luggage, and we went on a hunt.  

Fortunately, I'm spontaneous and open to everything, and I understand Terry.

Standing on Calle San José with Our Backs to #52 (lower left)
Across the street is the Black Puerto Rican Flag Door (see note below) 
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
April 14, 2023
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#52 Calle San José is the white building flying the black and red Puerto Rican Flags
The black Puerto Rican flag is a symbol of resistance and hope.
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I wasn't expecting the Ritz Carlton, and I was right.
Our "reasonably-priced place" turned out to be funky and fun.
And, as we found out the next day, our room was smaller
than our inside cabin on the Millennium, and it was equally windowless.

The Entrance to # 52 Calle San José
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
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First Flight of Stairs
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Second Flight of Stairs
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The View Out the Door of Our Room
You don't have to look far to see evidence of recent hurricanes.
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A Clean and Comfy Bed
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A Tiny Bathroom with Everything We Needed
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Interesting Architectural Features #1 ~ A Tiny Fence?  Balcony?
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Interesting Architectural Features #2 ~ Nothing Beats a Brick Ceiling!
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Could Be Interesting in a Strong Earthquake!
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A Fridge, Table and Chairs, and Internet ~ But No Windows
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
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Heading Down for the Next Load of Luggage
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
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And Down
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And Down
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This is a good place to stop.
I am wiped out from an hour in the weight room and thirty minutes of laps in the pool.
It feels amazing to be able to really work out again!


Here is a sweet face for Nicole:

Enjoying the Late Afternoon
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
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Have a great weekend!  Take care!  





Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

  My next post will be soon! 🤞



On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
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Note:  The black Puerto Rican flag door is a popular attraction in old San Juan.
           It is a symbol of hope and resistance.

The Black Puerto Rican Flag Door
The door opens to a Spanish colonial structure in ruins.
51 Calle San José, Old San Juan
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved

           The black Puerto Rican flag door is a symbol of resistance and hope.  Originally,
           in 2012 a group of artists painted the door with the Puerto Rican flag in its original red,
           white, and blue colors.  In 2016 the group Artistas Solidarixs en Resistencia painted the
           door's flag in black and white to protest the PROMESA law.  (Puerto Rica.com)
                
             The Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act PROMESA is 
           a US  federal law enacted in 2016 that established a financial oversight board, a process
           for restructuring debt, and expedited procedures for approving critical infrastructure 
           projects in order to combat the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis. (Wikipedia

           The black and white flag represents the death of democratic values and of the three
           government branches (Legislative, Executive and Judicial).  In the original red, white,
           and blue flag, the three branches of government are represented in the blue triangle.
           Around Old San Juan you can sometimes see both flags flying together. (Puerto Rica.com)

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved


47 comments:

  1. You sound to have a wonderful relationship - and to complement each other.
    I would rather stay in funky and fun places than the Hilton any time. Thanks for sharing some of your trip - and those umbrellas are gorgeous.

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    1. Hi, Sue! I'm very fortunate to have Terry! I threw a hissy fit once before we went to Hong Kong and said, "Can't we, just for once, stay in really nice hotel?" So he booked us into the Pan Pacific for two nights. It was gorgeous and boring. I was much happier a week or two later, when I was sleeping on a dirt mound under a mosquito net in a former headhunters' village up a river in Sarawak almost to Kalimantan. The umbrellas are gorgeous. We knew nothing about them, just rounded a corner, and there they were! Delight and wonder can come with small things like the umbrellas, as well as big things like El Morro, the fort. Have a lovely weekend, my friend!

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  2. This is such a great way to travel and enjoy the world. I used to travel like that. Full of envy

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    1. I hope your traveling days return, Roentare! I'm so grateful that we can travel during our retirement. Have a happy weekend, my friend!

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  3. I'm like Terry I think. at least for planning and laying things out. Once I have the basics in order, then spontaneity can happen. I'm glad you shared your photos from Old San Juan. I've only been to the airport there, but it looks interesting. ANd your hotel room looks great also. Small is ok as long as you can have a place for your suitcase and 2 people can move about enough. That's the excitement of travel, isn't it? Have a great weekend. hugs-Erika

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    1. Hi, Erika! Small is great. I appreciate hot water and clean, which we haven't always gotten, but we have fun memories regardless. We had a small inside cabin on our cruise with no balcony or windows. We barely noticed because we were only sleeping and showering in the room. We were too busy! What a waste of money it would have been to book a more luxurious cabin. Hugs to you!

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  4. Funky is a good word for it. I do plan and budget, however, I will always spurge on a quality hotel. Looks like you did get a good one though.

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    1. I love funky, Alex! It was a good thing that I worked so hard in our pool in Hawaii to be able to walk normally again. The stairs in our hotel were challenging ~ lol. Someday I hope to spend several nights at the Royal Hawaiian on Waikiki (in the historical part of the hotel), but it likely be a last hurrah ~ going out in style. Meanwhile I'll continue adventuring with Terry. Have a great weekend, my friend!

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  5. "The black and white flag represents the death of democratic values and of the three
    government branches (Legislative, Executive and Judicial)."


    Does this sound ominous to anyone else? They seem to be ok with it!

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    1. Hi, Sandi! It does sound ominous at first, but the activists who painted it were protesting against the US government imposing rules and austerity on Puerto Rico and essentially allowing a federal body to overrule local authorities. Many locals think of it as the return of colonial rule to Puerto Rico. There was a massive protest (hundreds of thousands of people)in 2019, and Puerto Rico has been battling the US government in the US Supreme Court over PROMESA since 2019. This is a very simplified summary, and I hope I've gotten the essentials right. Have a lovely weekend, Sandi!

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  6. Interesting post, especially the info about the black Puerto Rican flag, which I did not know about!

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    1. I didn't know about it either, Debra, until I saw the door and was curious. That's the fun of traveling, you constantly learn. I think of the protesters as modern day Boston Tea Partiers dumping tea overboard. And then I remember Trump tossing paper towels to Puerto Ricans after the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017. Argh! Have a great weekend. Hugs to you!

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  7. My FH doesn't plan our vacations (mainly because he doesn't travel, so I am on my own) but that said, he does do the books which I am ever so thankful for even if he requires receipts for everything I spend. Good marriages have a way of distributing the responsibilities so everyone can be comfortable. I could have used Terry on a few of my adventures, but so far I have survived my haphazard planning. And, like you, I love those out of the way funky places with the essence of the country I am visiting. So I would think that the stairs would suffice for your exercise ... a weight room and laps in a pool would do me in for the day and all of the touristing would have to wait until tomorrow :) San Juan looks like a wonderful place to visit and the umbrellas are such a delight ... a pleasant surprise, I am sure. Your Uber driver sounds typical ... I have never climbed into a cab or an Uber that I didn't have to hang on to something to keep from going flying. This was a fun post, Louise and I am glad you get to take all of these wonderful trips (all well planned out and safe). New experiences are stimulating and good for the aging brain :) Safe travels my friend ... hope to hear about your next trip soon.

    Andrea @ From the Sol

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    1. I see my reply to your wonderful comment has vanished into the cyber unknown, Andrea. Sometimes Blogger flummoxes me. The stairs at #52 certainly warmed me up for El Morro the next day. I'll be sharing that in a later post.

      I'm really working out hard now that I am able to, and I'm so thankful I can do so again. I want to be able to do pull-ups. That goal was side-tracked by Graves, Covid, osteoporosis and prednisone, but I'm back to pursuing it. I'm doing a lot of hanging from high bars ~ lol!

      San Juan was wonderful to visit. We barely scratched the surface, because we were only there for twenty hours and that included sleeping. But I fell in love with it and Puerto Rico and I want to go back. Puerto Rico has such a fascinating history and culture.

      Your comment about good marriages is spot on. I do the books here, but Terry does the taxes, thank heavens. Somehow it all works, even after forty years. Big hugs to you!

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  8. Wow what a wonderful post. I love th umbrellas and the blue steps and well everything about this post. Thank you for sharing with FFO. Have a lovely day.

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    1. Thanks, Nicole! I'm glad that you enjoyed the post. I was filled with delight when we turned a corner and saw the colorful umbrellas. It was fun to explore Old San Juan, because there were surprises big and small all over the place. We have sunshine today, after a few misty, rainy days, so I'm going to walk along Piney Creek, and it will definitely be a lovely day! Enjoy your day, and take care!

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  9. You two sound very well matched in your travel styles. In our world, it's me being the planner with Rick being the Louise and saying, "Yes, but I also want to do this, and this, and this" and then I juggle to fit things in! Usually they are things we would both like, I just haven't thought of them, and like you, I enjoy being surprised. And, we're flex -- if something comes up that's "better" or special, we are happy to juggle. Boy, that Calle umbrella installation is magnificent! Love the colorful street buildings. I don't think I could have done those stairs, though -- although the room looks very nice.

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    1. Hi, Jeanie! We are pretty well matched. I knew what I was in for when I married Terry, though, because I had no idea where we were going on our honeymoon. I didn't find out until we got to the airport. My mother and sisters piled into a second car and followed us there so they could find out too. We were late, and all six of us were flying down the concourse to get to the gate, so my family could see us off (Me galloping with my carryon packed for Hawaii, but we were headed for Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula ~ lol).

      I don't know how my sister Donnie managed it, but the captain announced that we were just married, and a flight attendant brought us a bottle of champaign that Donnie had bought for us.

      Terry had picked the Olympic Peninsula, because I had remarked to him some months earlier while reading the "National Geographic," that it looked like a wonderful place and that I'd like to see it someday. And it was wonderful! The stairs were challenging, and we did them in stages. All my hard work in the pool in Waikiki in January and February paid off, because I was mostly able to walk without a limp and pain. Hugs to you!

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  10. Hi Fundy Blue

    i'm inviting you to Sunday Smiles at my Lunchbreak blog
    Happy Sunday
    HERE

    Much💖love

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    1. Thanks, Gillena! I'm thinking of adding a second weekly blog post on Monday, and when I do, I'll participate. I think a second post will help me stay more on track. 🤞❤️

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  11. What a fantastic vacation! I'm the planner in our family, Stu is the impulsive one. Going without plans always makes me anxious, but I try once in a while. Nothing on this scale, though. Your photos are fantastic!

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    1. Thanks, Donna! We usually do a few things we haven't planned. I'm anxious if we're driving across country and don't have a reservation or the gas tank is getting low in the wilder stretches of the southwest. But, with forty years behind us, we pretty much know each others quirks. Have a happy and creative week! Hugs to you!

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  12. What a fun surprise! I love all the umbrellas and your hotel looks cute.

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    1. Hi, Diane! The umbrellas were a delight! They reminded Terry and me of a much more costly installation in the lobby of the Bellagio in Vegas: Chihuly's FIORI DI COMO with over 2,000 handblown glass pieces, including over 1,000 glass flowers. If you are ever staying on the Strip, I highly recommend it as well as the Bellagio's conservatory. Have a great week! Take care!

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  13. ...Terry seems to be "The Man." I like guys who get get things done!

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    1. He's definitely the man for me, Tom! Have a good one!

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  14. interesting! I seem to recognize some of it. Think I have to check if I have ben there. :) :)

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  15. Mostly, on our trips I do the planning, book the flights, arrange accommodation etc but beyond that I am not much of a micro planner. Everything has worked out well so far. Fingers crossed that it will continue.

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    1. Fingers crossed that it will continue, for sure, David! I hope it continues for you and your wife and Terry and me. When you're 73 like me, you're less certain of a long time line. Take care!

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  16. You know this is the first time I have had a tour of Puerto Rico most people seem to do the other islands including myself. Thanks for sharing. I appreciate people like Terry, I was like that myself but getting lazy these days. I admire your spontaneity, I tend to not like surprises.

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    1. Thanks, Christine! I have some more photos from San Juan to share on my blog in the future. It is a wonderful place. All of your comments came through, and I posted this one. I frequently wonder if my comment was saved and awaiting moderation or not. Being ADHD, I am usually distracted or too fast. It can be frustrating, so I appreciate your determination to make a comment! Have a good one!

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  17. Fantastic post! Mr. M's parents came from PR, so I was thrilled to get a glimpse of Old San Juan. Those umbrellas are lovely, and I really like the pastel colors on the buildings.

    Your room may have been tiny, but it had all the necessaries. And a lack of windows can be a good thing for those who are sensitive to light.

    You and Terry make a great pair. :)

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    1. Thanks, Sue! I loved walking among all the beautiful pastel buildings that lined the streets in Old San Juan. My next post will share more photos of Old San Juan. Yes, our room was really dark. Our motion detecting light that we bought for the cruise worked very well, so neither of us stumbled over anything. Maybe you and Mr. M. will have a chance to visit PR. I hope so! I'm very lucky to have Terry as my life-partner. All the best to you!

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  18. We only do travel planning when it involves flights and accomodation only if we need that in advance like when we go to Hawai'i. Flights are done by my husband, accomodation sometimes by him, sometimes by me. Most of the time we prefer to be more spontaneous - we have been known to change our originally "planned" destination on the road and go somewhere else. When we do road trips, we almost never book in advance but do that on the road or look where we can pitch our tent. I prefer funky to those boring tourist and business hotels for sure. Our most favorite accomodation was a tree house on the Big Island. We stayed there twice and I wouldn't mind going there again.

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    1. A tree house on Hawaiʻi sounds wonderful, Carola! Funky is so much more fun. We sometimes deviate from our plans. That's what Terry calls "Throwing a monkey wrench into the works," especially when it's because of me. When we visit some place like Pompeii (which I wanted to visit since I was a small girl), he knows all plans are going off the rails

      Depending on where we are road traveling, we may or may not make advance reservations. We've spent some anxious times looking for some place to stay over the years. And open gas stations! Our tent pitching days are over, I think. The last "tent" we stayed in was in Curry Village in Yosemite where you can rent an unheated "tent cabin."

      All the best to you!

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  19. Oh, and I wanted to add that we should start having black flags as well. Death of democratic values is spot on.

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  20. through your story what i have found is that Terry is exactly just like Ali the hubby here lol .though he is less in internet query yet he collects all the data from acquaintance and try to keep traveling in budget and affordable . i am just like what you said about yourself .totally spontaneous though because of my stronger element of faith completely rely on my intuition which hardly has disappointed me ever .But as you said after all these long years together i feel fortunate that i have partner who plans everything and only because of this we could achieve little bit stability in life otherwise if it was up to me my faith in giving is quite bothering actually .
    this room is elegant but being windowless sounds bit uneasy ,we too had to stay once in such room in basement once in Murree ,room had no window and Hubby knows it could have spoil my mood if was not matter of only one night. actually the booking we expected could not be possible and we were already late to look for new hotel due to tiredness and possibility of the demand of higher rent because of night time .planning is good so things can stay neat and relaxed.my eldest son is also a really good example of this .
    concerned about your wellbeing dear Louise i am praying may all go well with your treatment and everything regarding it!
    thank you for amazing and beautiful photos .liked the first photo more ,goes so nicely with your description :)
    loved the one before landing too .
    hugs

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    1. Hi, Baili! Thanks you for sharing in your comment. Sometimes, despite the best planning, we have to take what we can get when we're traveling. I can understand how you wouldn't like being in a windowless basement room. We've had some anxious evenings searching for a hotel, especially in more remote places, when we thought we didn't need a reservation. Also looking for gas! Fortunately, we've never had to sleep in our car ~ lol.

      I'm not surprised to hear that your eldest son is a good planner. He managed to get his Masters in Germany and to live in both Germany and the United Kingdom. And he is traveling at every opportunity. You and Ali must be so proud of him! All three of your sons are fine young men.

      I'm not quite sure what you meant when you wrote "my faith in giving is quite bothering actually." Are you referring to giving to charity and/or helping people? If you are, that's another way you and I are alike. I feel that I am so fortunate that I'm happy to give money to charities and to pay taxes. I go way overboard on tipping, and sometimes Terry and I go round and round on this. That's because he's the one worried about running out of money, whereas I feel we're going to be fine.

      I am doing much better, Baili! Best of all, my mind is clearer, and I'm not forgetting as much. I didn't realize how bad the fogginess in my brain was until it cleared. Physically I stronger and more energetic every day. In a few minutes I'm headed to the gym to meet my trainer. I'll work out hard with her for 30 minutes and then workout on my own for 30. I'm determined to do pull-ups which involves hanging from a bar and pulling my head above the bar by bending my elbows and pulling myself up.

      My regular ophthalmologist will be evaluating my eyes in early June and prescribing new prism glasses for me. The prisms help correct my double vision. I'm going to question him about getting the eye operation my Graves eye doctor recommended. So that's still up in the air. Once that's settled I'll deal with my hearing. LOL! There's always something. So don't worry about me. I'm almost back to normal (except for driving). I appreciate all your prayers, thoughts, support, and encouragement, dear friend! Much love to you and yours!

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  21. dear Louise my whole long comment did not disappeared right ?

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    1. It didn't disappear, Baili! I had a jam-packed day yesterday, and I didn't get all the comments up.

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  22. I'm all for funky and fun unless that funky is in a place where you could end up floating in a river lol But sounds like Terry knows how to research everything and avoid that. I'd rather let someone else research and just go with the flow too. Always something to snap pictures of. And you never know what you'll spot along the way.

    Funny about the driver just going to it and backing up, maybe not so much when you are in the car with said driver though.

    Interesting little place to stay indeed by the pics. We were on a cliff on good old PEI, but other than that it wasn't funky haha

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    1. It sounds like you had fun on the Island, Pat! I've got to go back. I haven't been there since 1976. Unbelievable!

      I was a little hesitant to visit Mexico last fall, but Cabo San Lucas is supposed to be pretty safe. We were in a gated condo development, and there were security guards. It's such a disconnect to think of the wonderful Mexican people I know here and whom I met in Cabo and juxtapose them with the violent cartel members. That's true of all the Caribbean, Central American, and South American hispanics I've met. I certainly don't want to end up floating in a river somewhere!

      I'm with you about snapping pictures. I am rarely without my little Canon and my iPhone. There are lots of interesting things to see everywhere. Enjoy the rest of your week! Terry and I are excited about the Survivor finale tonight! Take care!

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  23. Oh how lucky you to have Teri arrange it all ~ photos are awesome ~ what a great time ~ Xo

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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    1. Yes, I know I'm lucky to have Terry arrange our trips, Carol! It took marrying the wrong person first to learn that Mr. Razzle Dazzle wasn't the best way to go and to appreciate someone quiet and strong and loving like Terry. At least I didn't make the same mistake twice! Your closing line always makes me happy. What more could you want to make your days awesome. Hugs and love to you!

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  24. A great post full of your experience and wonderful photos. Loved seeing all the colours!

    -Soma

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Thank you for your comments! I appreciate them very much.