Bye Bye, So Long, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu...

Life can be extremely tricky at times. Sometimes, it unexpectedly brings great surprises, sometimes disappointing situations and sometimes it starts by bringing completely undesired surprises which later turns out to be quite cool. That is what we have just experienced!

After many emails back and forth, plane tickets were reserved and bought LAST AUGUST. We knew Christmas is a time of the year when everybody in the Western world goes somewhere so as we really wanted to celebrate Christmas here in Panama with the girls and David, we started it all very early. Joel and I were over the moon, it had been five whole years since we last spent Christmas together as a family of five. I had announced to all my friends that "The girls and David" were coming, Joel and I had already planned to do all sorts of things with them around the city, had made reservations to go to one of the Pacific Ocean beaches to spend New year's eve there, had made plans to spend Christmas Eve at a friend's house, had tickets to the Christmas Cantata... we thought we had it all under control and well planned. All we needed to have it happening, were the safe landings of all three of them.

However, that was not as God had in His almighty plans... thus new plans were layout before us.

The first one to land was Anna. She came from 40ºC Rio de Janeiro, so Panama's 29ºC was not bad at all. She arrived on December 14th. As she was the one to stay longer, she was to participate in a couple of year–end parties we were attending.

Then it was time for Alice to land from freezing England. She was to leave the UK on the 18th very early. Joel and I, as we always do when they are traveling, were keeping track of her whereabouts through the internet, using the "Flight Status" on the company's website or chatting using "BBM" or "WhatsApp" (amen for those, free and very useful!). It was all good, she had arrived safely at Heathrow, had checked in, was happy to have been given access to the lounge, had boarded the plane and had sent us a last BBM saying she was now seated on her seat, the plane's door was already closed and kissed us good bye, looking forward for our next chat as soon as she would land in NY after crossing "the Pond". Life was good... one daughter already here, another one on her way here and son in law closing his "to do list" before taking off on the 23rd... or so we thought...

A few minutes after Alice's last BBM to us, she comes in again to let us know that ... after reaching the "take off" point on the runway, her plane was going back to the gate for the snow that was falling had turned into a blizzard!!

Oh no, we really didn't need that... was she for real or just testing our humor at 2AM Panama time? We rushed to the company's web site and voila, the flight was indeed going back to the gate and was to wait for the blizzard to be over, therefore at that point, it was just a "delayed flight". Her connection to Panama in NY was slowly slipping away... slowly slipping away... probably was going to be missed and yes, it was missed.

My dear readers, we were just facing the beginning of an incredible long saga of a mother nature angry show of global warming with early winter blizzards in unexpected places and all the rest you can think of.

Making a VERY LONG story short, Alice and David were able to finally land in sunny Panama City, after THREE canceled flights, on December 28th. From the airport, we went straight to the beach and celebrated our Christmas on that same night. Surely, somewhere in this world of ours, it was still the 25th, right?

Their respective bosses, were very understanding and agreed to change their return dates, so oba, all good once again. It was awesome to be a family of five once again, with loads of chats and stories, loads of all reading together, cooking together... you know... just loads of togetherness.

This Christmas, we started a new tradition in our family: once a year when we are together, we will watch one of the traditional films out there.  The one chosen to start this tradition was "Sound of Music". Some of us had watched it endless times (some in days when VCRs nor DVD were available, which meant actually going to the movies accountable times, ha ha ha). The next movie to be watched has not been fully decided, but "Mary Poppins" has a good chance to win the election.

The cute thing of this new tradition (apologies for not been humble about our tradition, LOL) was the fact that in the film, at a certain point, Maria taught the children a good bye song to be sung to guests at their mansion and later at the end of the movie, at the festival the family took part of. So, suddenly, when we were waving good bye to Anna, the first to leave Panama, who was at the immigration line, the four who stayed behind (Joel, myself, Alice and David) sang "Bye Bye, So Long, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu..." for her, imitating the choreography they did in the movie. A few days later, the three of us (Joel, Alice and myself), sang it to David (also repeating the choreography) who was the second to leave Panama, and this morning, Joel and I sang it to Alice as she disappeared into immigration...

Driving back home, Joel and I were simply cherishing the memories of how it had all been so great in spite the endless negative surprises we faced. Amen amen.

The girls

 The boys

 

Togetherness

Happy New year to you!

 

Revivals

Joel had to go to Asia on business and our good old friends, the Appels, invited us both to participate of an old tradition they have established in Hong Kong; Thanksgiving on the Saturday that follows the real Thanksgiving in the USA. Hong Kong, of course, does not observe this American holiday, but the Appels, Americans who have been living in Asia since forever, have established the Saturday to be the day they invite friends to come and celebrate Thanksgiving. As Brazilians that we are, we did not have this habit, but after 9 years being very good friends with the Appels, we have kind of "incorporated" this holiday. Of course that for us, Joel and I, it has nothing to do with the tradition of the first British settlers in the US, but rather a time to stop and be officially thankful for the uncountable blessings we've received.

Needless to say that Joel hadn't finish his sentence and I had my bags packed. Planning was all very quick but in a way ok, because my reason for going was really to be there for Thanksgiving, to hug and kiss old friends and re-see HK, this place that we have called Home for almost a decade.

Due to Joel's other traveling schedule, we didn't fly together, therefore I had freaking 24 hours of flights and lay-over, thus loads of time to think about what would the next ten days be like for me. I confess that, although we have left HK only 1.7 year ago, I had forgotten what it's like to sit for 15 hours in a plane... ouch that was no fun... one sleeps, watches movies, reads and when you check, you still have 8 hours to go, ha ha ha.

But anyway, after so much thinking, I realized that although VERY excited to be going back for a visit, I was a bit concerned about the "revival" part of it all. Our life in HK has been very special, very blessed, very cool so half of me wished it stayed that way, sort of a "freeze the moment" type of thing. The other half was full of plans, full of excitement to have succeed in "booking" friend's rushed year end life for lunches, dinners, teas, coffees and so on.

All these thoughts came to an end when the Captain broke the silence on board announcing our descend into HK, the weather was hazy (tell me something new!) and already dark when we landed... "ouch I've really arrived", I thought... no going back now... here I'm... and voilá, BEAUTIFUL 10 days were unfolding right before me, amen!

It was easy easy to arrive, go through the "HK residents" immigration empty line, luggage came out promptly, knew exactly where to buy my express train into town ticket, which by the way, was costing the same as it has cost in the past 10 years, the journey lasted exactly what it used to last, on the HK side of the train trip, the last taxi line to the right was still the shortest line, Chinese taxi drivers were still almost rude, as only they can be, traffic organized and flowing as it always did, buildings decorated for the Christmas seasons and loads of street light... yes I had arrived in Hong Kong and the "feeling of belonging" was right there in my heart and that felt good and comfortable!

It was deliciously good to be at the Appels for Thanksgiving, thank you for the invitation and for having us over. I loved being with my scrapbooking girl friends (and their husband too) who managed to also repeat a tradition we had of going for a Christmas High Tea. I had an awesome time with my church girl friends with loads of chatting and yet another repeating habit, massages! Joel and I were taken for lunch and dinner by dear friends, coffees with loads of photography conversations, local phone call conversations... all very good!

My "revival" ten days came to an end when, yet again, the Captain announced we were descending into Panama City and as always, I looked out onto the window and the sense of belonging was there once again... the Bridge of the Americas was lit, ships lining up to enter or exiting the Canal were lit, the Causeway strip was lit... I was back to Panama City, our Home Sweet Home and that also felt very good!

So, should you be facing a revival in the near future, do not hesitate and go for it!

Eat Pray Love

Have you seen the movie, Eat Pray Love? Joel and I went the other day and you know what? In spite some not so positive comments about the movie, I liked it. For sure my eyes were happy with what they were seeing; Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem, strolling on roads already traveled by me, all in the same package does make life much smoother, doesn't it? On top of that, Javier plays a Brazilian man, so yet another touch to my heart.

But in fact, these were not the reasons that really got my grip, but rather the "re-inventing her self" aspect of the movie and in that, Julia's character and myself have quite a bit in common. In this life of ours, we kind of design a path for our professional lives when we reach the age of college. In most cases, we'll carry the skills learned at university throughout life. But sometimes, life presents us innumerous challenges or opportunities to change this path and when we embrace it, life really becomes a thrill and I love it! It's not like we are loosing our original line of work, but rather gaining, adding, new skills and with them, broadening our horizons.

Our life in Panama is completely settled, amen to that and I'm gearing my time to becoming an official photographer. The only thing that is still holding me back a tiny little bit is the thought: will turning photography into a business harm my passion for it? Let's see.

October was a cool month. We went to Rio de Janeiro for my niece's wedding. Alice and David were there too, as they were both part of the wedding party and it had been a few months since the five of us were together... so all good!

Alice and I on a "Thelma & Louise moment".
Later I realized that the groom's building is reflected on my sun glasses.

Alice & David ready to accompany
the bride and groom
Rio's Botanical Garden - 1
Rio's Botanical Garden's - 2
Two generations crossing the street - mom & Alice
The cousins together.
Fernanda, the bride, is in the middle.
Actually, without any planning, they are in order
of birth, Ana, Fernanda and Alice.

Shots around Panama City

Yesterday I spent many hours shooting different corners of Panama City. This meant coming back home with many shots and of course, super dupa happily exhausted! Some of the results are here. Enjoy them.

Taken at Punta Culebra right below where
Noriega used to have his library.

An iguana hanging around the
Smithsonian Institute Research Park.
Please understand that we don't share
the streets with iguanas.

Entrance to the Smithsonian Institute Research Center

The Causeway

Just a Tree with its resident.

Smithsonian Research Center

Cinta Costera Avenue

Sun-set at Punta Culebra

Photos from Cusco and Machu Picchu

You know what? I am loving being back in the Americas. It's my first deep experience with the culture of my own continent. Every time I go out, I meet people from all the different nations that comprise Latin America and in meeting them, I not only have the pleasure of making new friends, but also, get to know more about my neighbors habits. I am seriously enjoying this experience! For example, in this picture below, where Peru is clearly on the right track for recyclingAnyway, some of you have been asking to see some pictures of our recent trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu, so there you have it. Repeating what I have already said, decent photo shooting at 3,000 + meters high was a huge challenge and I did not cope with the challenge at all times... learning curves of life...

... and off she went to have tea watching the sun set.

Late afternoon chat

I'm going through a phase of doors and windows.
So voila, my Cusceño version for you.

and now, my Machu Picchu version for you

windows and doors version' from
ruins around Cusco

are they cute, completely cute,
totally cute or all the above?

Snapshots at Valle Sagrado for you!

Maeasal salt pan

Gorgeous pueblo of Chinchero, the highest point
I have ever been to. 3762 m (12.342 ft) high

A colorful parade for the Virgin Carmen

chatting away while the parade was passing by

No matter where you are in the world,
grand-mothers always enjoy the
company of their grand-children.

Could this picture be more global?
I think it's a good one for UN's ads.

Colors of beautiful Peru

Flowers up at the Inca's Sacred Mountain

Stairway to heaven at the Sacred Mountain

Ladies and gentlemen, Machu Picchu for you!Sun rising right on the Inca's Sacred Mountain

How was you day?

Sun Temple near Cusco

Cusco, can you hear the bells ringing?

Cusco main square by night