Travels
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Ecuadorian Poetry
Plane tickets to Quito have been bought, and in my ongoing cultural exploration of Ecuador this week I came across some of Ecuador’s most illuminating poets. I’ve picked a few Ecuadorian poems that I’ve read so far to share here, with translations when I could find them. Here are poems by David Ledesma Vásquez, Alfredo Gangotena, and one of Ecuador’s most famous poets, Jorge Carrera Andrade. In addition to these poets, Nelson Estupiñán Bass, Jorge Enrique Adoum, Efrain Jara Idrovo, Francisco Granizo Ribadeneira, and poets of the Generación decapitada literary movement Medardo Angel Silva, Ernesto Noboa y Caamaño, Arturo Borja, and Humberto Fierro, are also considered to be exceptional Ecuadorian…
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Planning for a Trip to Ecuador
This April I plan to go to Ecuador with a couple of good friends with a photography group and want to create a checklist of things to do to get ready for it. South America will be a new continent for me, and one I’ve wanted to see for a long time, so I’m very excited! We will get to see the Amazon jungle, volcanoes, a flower plantation, Ingapirca ruins, and visit the town of Misahualli which is famous for its monkeys! Here are some things I want to do in the next two months in preparation: 🇪🇨 Ramp up my Spanish language lessons 💉 Check in with my doctor…
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Photos: Manchester, England, December 2011
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Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks
With the beginning of the year, I find myself going through my wish-list items, taking inventory of which of those I reached in 2026, and one of the most enriching ones was a summer vacation in the American southwest. In August, 2025, a friend and I set out on a road trip to visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park and Guadalupe Mountains National Park, where I attained two of my national park wish list items and took in so many beautiful views. Carlsbad Cavern, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located about 18 miles southwest of the city of Carlsbad in the Guadalupe Mountains and Chihuahuan Desert of southern New Mexico. Visitors…
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Big Fun in Little Tokyo
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A Rainy Day at the Santa Monica Pier
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Sister New Year
I’m in California for the new year and today my sister and I spent numero uno driving through the Santa Monica Mountains until we reached our destination of Malibu Beach. It had rained on New Year’s Eve and the hills were verdant and a little foggy. At the beach the air was misty with ocean spray and lingering wetness from the rain. We got calamari and fish for lunch at the famed restaurant, Neptune’s Net, where the salty air married with the scents and flavors of fresh seafood, lemon, and vinegar. We talked about the power of intentions and decided that one of our resolutions would be to set more…
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Misty Morning in the Ouachita Mountains
This is one of my favorite views from this morning’s hike and drive through the gorgeous misty blue Ouachita Mountains in Oklahoma.
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Weekender in Atlanta
Last month I had the pleasure of exploring Atlanta, Georgia over two weekends and here are my highlights. Atlanta Museum of Contemporary Art The Atlanta Museum of Contemporary Art was a small space but a gem where the staff was very friendly and informative, and the art was incredible. In the room shown below, and strings piece played as you explored the art, and as you approached the walls at the far end, two pieces of video art were shown, all to be experienced with the music. Atlanta Aquarium The aquarium was massive and sublime. In fact, it is the largest aquarium in the U.S. and in the Western Hemisphere!…
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A California Halloween
Almost every year I go to California to visit family, however I had never been there at Halloween, until this year. During my visit, I got to see my sisters and nieces and enjoy lots of great food, shopping, and fun, including seeing my niece and her fiancé perform in Haunted Hollywood, don our bug costumes at a truck or treat at the school where my sister teaches, and celebrate my other niece’s birthday at Disneyland during Halloween week! I have to admit that I love the original Disney park in all its California glory! It was really cool seeing it decorated for Halloween, and especially experiencing the Nightmare Before…
