Men in Vancouver

Recently I read a blog written by my friend's coworker about Vancouver Men a.k.a. Douche Bags. Now please bare in mind, this was written by a straight man (who also happens to be a Scotsman) and in some ways, I think he's got most Vancouver men dead-to-rights. He sums up most single men in Vancouver to what I refer to as "a man-child". Men who are ungrateful, selfish, rely on handouts from their parents and do not behave in any manner close to chivalrous. I think this is true of some, but not all men.

I suppose the same could be said of single women in Vancouver. Personally, and according to a handful of my male counterparts, I find a good majority of women in Vancouver are snobby, high maintenance, gold digging princesses. Mind you not all of us are like that. I am not any of these things although at times I do like to be a little bit of a princess... but only sometimes.

As a single women in my 30s, I think there are three very important things every women must always live by:

1. Always stand up for yourself. If you want something, speak up. If you don't want something, speak up. Having an informed opinion is a powerful thing so don't be ashamed of it.
2. Believe in yourself. Know you can achieve anything you put your mind to. You can do anything a man can do... even pee standing up if you want!
3. Have your own money. The days of relying on a man to support you are over or at least they should be. Women can contribute more than just in the kitchen, barefoot and preggers. Own your freedom.
   

So is chivalry dead because of Women's Lib and Women's Rights? Does the equality that women demand these days excuse men from acting like douche bags? I say HELL NO!

I appreciate it when a man opens the door for me or picks up the tab every once and a while. I don't expect it every time but it's very courteous and just simply nice. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't do the same.

I think some men these days are intimidated by strong women. And what I mean by strong woman is not a bitchy cunt but rather a woman who knows what she wants. What's wrong with a woman that knows what she wants? I think having goals and going after what you want is a good thing. That's what makes the world go round. So why is it that when a man knows what he wants he's seen as decisive and driven but when a women knows what she wants she's perceived to be a power hungry bitch?

Personally, I think it's hard for men to accept that women want more and are capable of more. Men are, by nature, hunter-gatherers and being able to provide is ingrained in their genetic make up. Just as women have a tendency take on the role of the homemaker and/or caregiver. There are some things in nature you can't simply undo. Men are men and women are women. We are not the same and we are not physically equal. Regardless, none of this is a good excuse for being ungentlemanlike or unladylike.

Men in Vancouver aren't a bunch of Douche Bags, they're just a bunch of pussies who can't man up to recognize and accept a good thing even if it hit them square between the eyes. So to all you pussy Vancouverite men out there, "Grow some balls!"

Germs & Congee

I have a cold of some sort and I'm feeling a little bit crappy. I'm sneezing, coughing and I'm all stuffed up. I blame this on all the germs I probably pick up riding on the SkidTrain.... er I mean SkyTrain. Honestly, if people are sick, they need to quarantine themselves. Some level of self quarantine will reduce the spread of airborne bugs. With the way technology works these days, you can work from home and not get others on your commute and in your office sick.

I've been avoiding taking anything for this cold because I'm confident that my immune system can kick this bug sans drugs. I figure, I keep myself well hydrated and get plenty of rest and I should be back on my feet in no time! Of course one other part of that remedy is good ol' traditional congee. Now for those of you who are not familiar with congee, it's basically watered down, cooked rice.... a sort of rice soup/porridge. This is Asian comfort food. Much like chicken noodle soup is comfort to some of you white folk. I managed to peel myself out of bed to make Vietnamese style congee. And to my surprise I'd have to say, I did a pretty damn good job. *pat myself on the back* Deeee-lic-ous!

Well back to the movie watching and vegetating that will hopefully leave me well rested over the weekend.

Happy, happy, joy, joy.

The Right to Discriminate Against the Stupid

*DISCLAIMER - The use of the word stupid is extremely excessive in this post. However, no other word would do justice.


I don't know if you would call what I'm writing about tonight a blog. It's more a rant. I'm feeling edgy and although I have been told that pointing the finger of blame is unproductive and wrong, I don't give a shit. I blame the wrongs of this world on stupid people. We are on the brink of a "world recession" because of stupid people and making stupid policies. Stupid people like George W. Bush. Stupid is as stupid does I guess. And hence those who voted for him are stupid. Those who voted him in for two terms are even more stupid.


I hate stupid drivers. I hate it when people can't park their cars properly. I especially hate it when that same stupid driver is in a brand new $95,000 car and can't drive or park. And it's not because I'm jealous they are shitty drivers in cars they don't deserve to drive. It's because they don't deserve to have a driver's licenses period. A menace to society really. If you see someone parking like an asshole, I recommend you download this infraction and leave it on their window. I figure it's either that or ship all stupid people off to stupid people island where they can fraternize among themselves.

I know "they" say there is no such thing as a stupid question. I beg to differ. If there are stupid people, there are bound to be stupid questions. Given that I believe 95% of the world is stupid (I'm being conservative with this number), the probability for stupid questions are extremely high. I would say 100% of stupid people ask a lot of stupid questions.

Stupid people are annoying. Not only do they ask stupid questions, they waste my time and waste clean and valuable air for the rest of the non-stupid.

You should always discriminate against the stupid. When someone says something stupid, be sure to let them know they are stupid. If someone does something stupid, take a photo to remind them of their stupidity. Hell, use the photo to mock them.

Jill's newest "man dilemma"

This blog is for my good friend who we'll call "Jill". I consider Jill a close and dear friend. Jill, however, is unlucky when it comes to matters of the heart. There is nothing "wrong" with her. She is beautiful, intelligent, sweet and thoughtful. She is a person that would pamper a man and let him know that he is "king of the castle". So what's the problem? She often asks me why she has no luck with men. Don't get me wrong, she can get a date. In fact, there are a handful of guys out there pursuing her but she's simply not interested in those guys.

You see, I think one of the problems is that she tends to be attracted to guys who are unavailable; either emotionally (commitment-phobic) or physically unavailable (living somewhere other than Vancouver). The question is why? Let me get back to this point in a few paragraphs.

So, Jill has a new "man dilemma". She met a fellow about a month ago who is eight years young than her. She says that they have a lot of sexual chemistry and have fun when they spend time together. On her most recent birthday, the two of them exchanged a few steamy kisses and she thought that this would be the beginning of their dating future. Well, she was wrong. He, we'll call him "Jack", has a few hang ups and one major one is that he will not date his friend's relative. In this case, Jill is a cousin of one Jack's friends and he has told her that it is against his good judgment to date a friend's cousin. He simply will not pursue her because of that. Of course, Jill thinks this is just plain stupid.

Jill has since put herself out there and let Jack know that she wants to pursue something more than just a friendship. Jack is only interested in a platonic friendship.

Jill tells me that at this point in her life (she's in her early 30's), she has enough friends and doesn't really need more friends. She questions why should she pursue a friendship with him. I think this is a very interesting question.

First thing's first, friendships are by choice and never imposed. Friendships are about having a healthy balance between give and take. Actually that's the case for any relationship you have, whether a friendship, a best friend, a boyfriend/girlfriend or a husband/wife. Balance is essential for happiness. In your life people will come and go. Whatever relationships you have, it is important from time to time to ask yourself the following questions and to answer them honestly:

1) Ever since she/he came into my life, how has my life improved?

2) Am I a better person now than before?

3) How about my outlook on life? Has it been affected?

4) What habits have rubbed off on to me? Are they good? Bad? Have I started partying too much? Do I spend more? Have I acquired bad habits, etc?

5) What have I learned in this relationship? Anything new? Anything valuable?

6) What have I contributed to his/her life? What does he/she value about my friendship?

7) Is this relationship a "two-way" street?

Ok, so these questions are fairly intense. I know. But I think friendships are valuable and shouldn't be taken for granted. Personally, I think boyfriends/girlfriends can come and go but real friendships last a lifetime. True friends are the ones that are there for you when you feel your world is crashing down on you and they give you the support you need to get through it. No matter what happens, real friends are the ones you can count on. Everyone else is just an acquaintance or a jackass.

So after I ask Jill the questions you have just read, she decides to cut him loose. She does not see any value in pursuing a friendship.

Honestly, Jill if you are reading this... listen up, I think the real reason you don't want to pursue a friendship with him not because of the questions above but because you want to be more than "just friends". He rejected that idea and your ego is bruised. Frankly, I think if you two were dating, you'd eventually get bored of him anyway. With him, it's just the thrill of the chase. The fact is that he is mentally and emotionally too young for you. If you are honest with yourself, you want a something that will grow into a long-term relationship. And honey, this is not it.

So now, back to my initial question, why is Jill attracted to guys that are unavailable? It's the chase. There is no end game with these guys. She can't get bored of a guy she can't really get to know on a deeper level because he's simply not there. The "chase" is kept alive and well because you'll never catch him.

So my question for Jill is: Do you think you can get beyond the thrill of the chase?

If you answered yes, then maybe you should consider dating one of the guys pursuing you. If not then, "happy hunting".

I feel screwed over by my caulking this week.

Ok people, I would not call myself a handyman per say but I can do basic general maintenance and little projects like painting, laying down engineered hardwood and laminate flooring, put in new faucets, bathroom sinks and the like. As long as it's not overly complicated electrical rewiring or building a house, I'm pretty sure I can figure things out and manage when it comes to general home repairs. This is why I feel screwed over by my bathroom caulking experience of late.

I have not once, not twice but three times re-caulked my bathtub. I had a feeling when I first starting this caulking mini-project it was going to be a bit of a headache. Mind you that is mostly because I will not be able to use my shower for 36 hours and fear I would feel like a dirty, homeless bum. Actually it's worse, I fear I will smell like a dirty, homeless bum. When I went to Home Depot to buy caulking, this would be the first attempted caulking, one of the stupid orange smock wearing Home Depot helpers could not resist saying, “I know where you can get a good caulking”. Dude should seriously get fired for saying that. This was truly a sign that the caulking would go bad. And it did.

I have to admit, the first time I caulked the tub, I didn't follow the instructions to the tee. I only waited 26 hours and then had a shower. I thought this would be ok. Well it was not ok. All of the caulking bubbled and peeled off. So I waited 18 hours for the tub to dry and then re-caulked. I was feeling somewhat dirty and was in desperate need for a shower. But I knew the last time I screwed up by having a shower too soon. Instead, I was convinced having a non-splashy bath was the way to go. Wrong again. The caulking peeled off the next day. Screwed again!

So I think to myself, perhaps the tub was not completely dry when I caulked it so I used an electric heater to dry out the entire bathroom and rid of any and all moister I can possibly remove. I leave the heater on for 12 hours. I know everything in that bathroom was bone dry because of the heat. My toothpaste even felt warm and had melted into the consistency of Aunt Jamima's pancake syrup. I was almost positive that this time I had done a good caulking job. This time the caulking would be successful. The bathtub area was bone fucking dry and I let the caulking cure for 38 hours. They don't say “third time lucky” for nothing. I was convinced my caulking days were done. Well... I was wrong yet again! While I was showering today, the caulking peeled off for the third time. Fuck. Who knew I would despise caulk so very much. I am bitter and when I see caulking I want to spit at it.

So today I headed back to Home Depot, convinced I had purchased the wrong caulking and low and behold I had been using the WRONG CAULKING. Who knew there was such a thing as a bad caulking? Hmmm, now THAT sounded dirty. Anyway, I now have in my little hands a very good caulking with a silicone base. No more of that latex shit for me. I'm bring out the big guns now! So tonight I will dry out the bathroom again and put this new caulking to the test tomorrow. This new caulking better be worth it otherwise I vow to never caulk again!

Ninja Cat

I found this funny YouTube video and thought I'd share.... my cat could never be so stealth like... check it out: Ninja Cat

BC Fashion Week

I attended the gala opening of BC Fashion Week last night at the Chinese Cultural Centre in Chinatown. The runway show opened last night with local designer RozeMerie Cuevas' tribute to the 70's with boho chic dresses, cropped halter tops, jumpers and wide bottom pants for her new Spring 2009 Jacqueline Conior line. As always, the fabrics and designs were very feminine and beautiful. Also back by popular demand, RozeMerie designed some fabulously feminine and figure flattering suits for likes of the working professional women.



I'm sure the first thing that comes to mind before you attend a shin-dig like this is, "what am I going to wear?". It's funny because it seems every one's idea about what is fashionable is just so very different. There were women wearing very odd outfits in an attempt to be "haute-couture" I suppose. I saw all kinds last night. There was even one women dressed in serious 80's clothes. At first I thought it was a joke but it was not. She came styled in a crimped coif with teased power bangs and everything. For a moment I thought it was Fast-times at Ridgemont High. I guess not everyone can be a fashionista.


Other than the beautiful clothing at the show, the opportunity to sneak a glimpse into the world and culture of fashion is interesting to say the least. I have been a couple of these shows in past and well, I'm not sure if I'm suited to mingle among the likes of fashion divas and the superficial "I'm too chic for my sneaks" crowd. My sentiments were confirmed as we were escorted to the VIP area where we were amongst the who's who in Vancouver's fashion scene. Some were arrogant and there were others who just seem insincere. Not to say everyone was like that but there were a good handful. For me, it's nice to see the designs and experience a good fashion show, but I could do without the snobbery and the sense of elitism. I just don't roll like that. But on a positive note, I did manage to get some great photos. I'm going to try and add a slideshow feature to this blog so I don't have to upload 100+ photos on this particular post.

** Here's a link to an article on Vancouver.com where my photos are referenced: http://www.vancouver.com/get_article?article_id=144

WTF?

Who ever had this stamp made is a fucking genius! I want one!

Anyone who has ever worked in an office has probably dealt with some paperwork at some point or another. I know in my job, there is a lot of paperwork and I KNOW that is stamp would have been so very helpful in some jobs I have had in past.

I can see how this stamp would be very helpful for teachers as well. You get a student that submits homework that is a total piece of shit and you can send it back with this stamp. It's so much better than grading it as a "C-", "D" or even an "F". I love it. I think it would send a very clear message to the student that his/her effort (or lack there of) was complete crap and basically ungrade-able.

This stamp is so versatile that you could literally use it every day. Like when you are eating out and the bill comes and it's completely wrong. You call the server back and hand him/her the bill with the stamp.

I think I'm going to get myself one right NOW!

Purging My Life

Today was a day of purging. I'm still on a quest to rid of things I don't need. I'm not quite there yet but I'm getting there.

3 more bags of clothes and crap that I've kept for years and I have no idea why I had these things.

I don't even want to own that much furniture. Maybe it's just pure laziness. I simply don't want to move a lot of crap around. I hate moving as it is. Why make my life harder than it already is? Right? I mean really, how many t-shirts does one person really need? Shoes? Well shoes are different. I think a person can't have too many shoes. Call me Imelda but I thinks shoes can tell you a lot about a person. Shoes are a reflection of someone's personality.Old, worn and beat up shoes can tell you that a person is a) too lazy to go get new shoes, b) too cheap to get new shoes or c) maybe they are a little bit of are both.

My sister owns a hell of a lot of Aerosole shoes. They are somewhat stylish and, according to her, very comfortable. To me, her shoes tell me that her lifestyle revolves around comfort. That's the same reason she refuses to wear bras. They are too uncomfortable. If she feels any discomfort in her life, she is snappy, impatient and an all around super beeatch.

Even with all the purging I've been doing, I still have too much crap. I'm going to have to purge again tomorrow.

8 more days and I'm going to be in my new home. After almost a year of couch surfing, I have a new lease on life and it's friggin' GREAT.

A Culture of Impatience - I am an Impatient Asshole

Since being exactly 9 days into my new job at a media/technology company I’ve been thinking a lot about technology but more the pace of it. But before I start this “rant” of sorts, I’m going to bring you into Nancy’s thought process…

… at lunch today I had to run a handful of errands. I had to go to the bank, get a prophylactic (aka – phone condom or protective casing) for my iPhone, pick-up tickets and get some food for my gullet (which is uber important because I turn into a raging savage when I’m hungry – also known as a “Super Beeatch”). So I had a crap load of things to do in the time frame of 60 minutes or less.

I first head to the bank. There is a HUGE, motherf*cking lineup. I normally bank via the interwebs or via bank machine but my card is on the frits and I needed to talk to a real person to fix it. I wait for about five, maybe ten minutes. I think to myself, “I can’t waste my time waiting in this ridiculousness. Why on earth would a bank have only two tellers working during one of the busiest times??? - I will never know. And why banks charge a “service charge” for this kind of crap is beyond me.” I guesstimated it would take me over an hour to finally get some help. I look at the time and I leave. Time’s a tickin’…

I head over to the Apple store and check out a bunch of iPhone prophylactics. Some are nice but way too expensive for a piece of plastic or silicon. I debate whether I should by one. I quickly think about getting one for cheap at the Night Market or at some cell phone accessory kiosk. I then think, “shit Nancy you don’t have time to run around to do that! You’ll probably drop your phone and smash it to smithereens beforehand.” So I fork up the cash to buy what I think is very expensive hunk of plastic. I’m a sucker.

I now run to the Ticketmaster booth which happens to be in the food fair. I am hungry and getting grouchy. There are two people waiting in front of me. I look at the time and see that I only have 17 minutes before I have to get back to the office. I see the lady being helped is signing for tickets so I feel better knowing that she is almost done. One more dude in the lineup then it’s my turn! But when the dude gets to the counter he has a billion friggin’ questions about BC Lions tickets!!! OMG I was going to lose it! I think this partially has to do with the fact that my stomach was eating itself because I was ever so hungry. Besides that though, the guy was asking the most stupid questions I have ever heard. For example, “Do you know if I can get tickets somewhere else for cheaper?” or “If I spend more money on better tickets, do you think it will be worth it for me?”… but my favorite was “Where do you think all the hot chicks are sitting?” My patience was wear very thin at this point. I need to eat.

So while this moron in front of me is flirting with the saggy boobed ticket lady, I am debating on whether I should grab some tacos from the Taco Time right next door and hope that no one else jumps in the Ticketmaster line. I look over at Taco Time and there is virtually no lineup. But I then hear “OK, I’ll take the tickets here in the lower bowl.” Praise the Lord the man finally bought his tickets! So I decide to stay in line and get my tickets. I get my tickets and head over to the Taco Time but by now the lineup is HUGE. Damn! I am so hungry now I start to think like a cannibal. But miraculously a second cashier opens and I push people out of the way to get there. I order two hard shelled (I only like the hard shell because I think the soft ones taste like dough) beef tacos and mexi-fries to go. Mexi-fries are really just tater-tots but when dipped in hot sauce they become mexi-fries. Anyway… I now scramble to get back to work while trying to eat my lunch on the run. Of course, eating hard shelled tacos is very messy when you’re on the move. But I manage to pour on hot sauce and stuff every crumb and morsel of food into my mouth. My tummy thanks me for shutting up the growling. But of course all of this does not go without casualty. I manage to drip hot sauce all over my boob. Yup, a big, red, nasty stain. I looked like I was in a knife fight and my poor boob was the victim of the maiming.

So when I finally got back to the office, all I could think about was what an impatient asshole I was. I can’t imagine what I was like to the people behind the counters serving me. I must have been a complete dick. I think to myself, is this because I, as do others I’m sure, am used to things happening faster now a days? I know that if my web browser or any application on the computer does not respond instantaneously I click incessantly and lose my patience very quickly. Has our culture become one of instant gratification? Does everyone want things now? Where has our patience gone or did we really have patience in the first place? Were we just used to things being slower and simply accepted that we had to wait?

I have no answers to these questions. All I know is that I’m hungry again and need to eat before I gnaw off my own arm.

P.S. - on my way home from work, I go to London Drugs to pick up some toiletries and this lady at the checkout in front of me is paying in coins! ALL COINS! $11.34 worth of coins! I wanted to grab her little change purse and chuck it out the door! I am an asshole aren't I?

Krazy Glue and Smoking

Note to self: do not pack Krazy Glue in your toiletries bag if you are traveling by plane.

I am clearly an idiot because I thought it would be very efficient of me to take some Krazy glue with me to Calgary. I have some jewelry that needs a quick repair and a little Krazy glue should do the trick. Besides, I wanted to wear this pendant for a wedding this weekend but I didn't have time to carefully glue it back together before leaving Vancouver. Needless to say, the Krazy glue exploded in my toiletries bag and well everything is stuck together! Toothbrush, toothpaste, eye cream, nail clippers, tweezers, contact lens case, etc. all stuck together like white on rice! An Asian person would say "Aye-ya!" to that!


When I landed on Calgary, I waited for my girlfriend Aryn to pick me up. While I waited, I noticed some smokers getting twitchy for a cigarette. They must have come off a long international flight, either that or they're just hard core chain smokers. Anyhoodles, I watched these walking chimneys head over to the outside smoking area and I started laughing hysterically! Personally I think smoking is disgusting. Really. It's gross. We all know it's bad for your health - it makes you stinky, ages you ten fold (and no amount of anti-wrinkle cream will help your leathery catcher mitt like face), gives you bad breath, yellow teeth, yada, yada... not to mention it can kill you. Well it looks to me that the Calgary Airport Authority doesn't think much of smokers either because their designated smoking area is shared with the latrine of man's best friend. I actually feel sorry for the dogs there.

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: Brew Pub Style

When people use the expression “small world”, I now believe it to be true. It’s not that I didn’t believe it before. Many times when I have spent time with friends, acquaintances, co-workers, etc. we find out that we have mutual friends or acquaintances in common. I’m sure this experience is not uncommon and these sort of things happen more often than we think. However, one recent Saturday night in Yaletown takes the cake for my “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” encounter.

Let’s start from the beginning of the night shall we??? My friend Deanna and I started the evening off hanging out at her place having our trusty Gin and Sodas shooting the shit. Even though her defective “Made in China” hair dryer literally singed chunks of hair from the top of my head (seriously, I lost enough hair that it resembled a small animal in her waste basket!), we were have a good time and laughing our asses off. At some point we thought we should head out some where and be a little social… so off to the Yaletown Brew Pub we went!

When we arrived at the Brew Pub I had an itching to play some pool. Deanna, on the other hand, declared her dismal pool handicap and I had to find someone else to play with. There were a couple of guys playing the table and they came across as a couple of “dudes” who thought their “shit don’t stink” if you know what I mean. Picture this: They were dressed in white, un-tucked, button up shirts with jeans and white shoes resembling Diesel sneakers and the like. Apparently there was a group of them out on a Stag, dressed in white and they called themselves “The White Knights” - how gay is that????

Nonetheless, I wanted to play a round, even if there were fools at the table. So I immediately put my twoonie on the edge of the pool table to hold my spot. Besides, I was feeling confident that I could kick at least one of their asses off the pool table. Apparently a little bit of gin in my system and I think I can make miracles happen. Anyhow, these jack-asses somehow convince me to play doubles with their buddy Shane. I reluctantly agree and we play. Fortunately, I was on my game and Shane and I won the first round! We continue to play another game when a couple of other ladies come by the table. We all stop for a small chat and introduce ourselves. One of the ladies introduces herself to me as “Zilya” and I immediately ask her “Did you used to be married to Travis?”.

Zilya smiles but looks at me puzzled as I say “I’m Nancy. I’m a friend of Simon’s”.

Zilya grins and says to me, “You’re the one with the Ninja!” We both laughed.

And that was the beginning of my world becoming smaller. As the night went on, I find out Zilya’s friend Sarah works with a friend of my sister’s, Linda, whom she will be the maid of honor at her wedding in a few weeks.

I later run in to a guy I went to school with named Cam. I also run into my friend Karen who happened to also be there with a few of her co-worker/friends. It turns out one of Karen’s friends went to high school with Cam. Anyhow… to try and simplify this Yaletown “small world” social network ordeal, I have included a diagram to illustrate the bizarre experience.

The bubbles in “blue” are the people who were actually at the Brew Pub that night. Those in “yellow” were not there but were the connection between the groups of people. Craziness!

So the moral to this story is: Don’t burn your bridges; especially not in this city because it may come back to bite you. Vancouver is a small city and it seems everyone knows everyone. Well, at least they did in Yaletown this one Saturday night!

Advice for Single Ladies

To my single girlfriends: Some dating advice to those of you who relate to shopping.

• Think of dating like shopping.
  
• You can window shop if you are not ready to buy. However, keep in mind that wandering the stores can get tiring so you will eventually have to buy something. Besides, if you just keep looking and not try anything on for size, when you finally do decide, your merchandise may already be sold.
• Try things on for size. You won't know what you like and don't like unless you give it try. Look at things like fit; is it flattering or does it make your butt look big? Maybe you are just looking for accessories and not a whole outfit. Does it compliment you and bring out your personality? You won't know until you try it.
  
• When you are ready to buy, make sure there is a good return policy just in case you change your mind or if the merchandise is defective.... and we all know that there is a lot of defective merchandise out there! - too many things made in China these days (just kidding - that would be my bad sense of humour).
• Remember that store credit is a load of crap. Merchandise attached to this sort of return policy is just around to mess with your head. If you can't take it back, just ditch it. Give it away to someone more in need.

Did that make sense? I think it's perfectly logical :)

ATV in Mexico

Senga and I thought we should try and get off the beat ‘n path and do something fun so we decided to rent an ATV and take a trail into the jungle. It’s the dry season so the riverbeds we travelled along were mostly dried up and there was a hell of a lot of dirt and dust! The ATV trail was pretty fun! Good terrain with steep areas and some rough patches to manoeuvre around. I drove the ATV as Senga’s wrist was sore. She kept saying to me that this was an exercise in trust for her. Mostly because I didn’t believe in using the brakes when we were going down the hills. She kept saying to me “Nancy, brakes are our friends!” as I barreled down the hills. She will fully admit that she has some control issues so being a passenger while I was driving like a maniac probably didn’t help. Never have never I lost such blood circulation in my arms and legs from someone hanging on so, so very tightly! It was like someone gripping on to a thigh-master!


Here are some photos of where we arrived... at a river bed in the jungle. There were a whole lot of lizards, vultures and a few donkeys around… and a little puppy we ran into after the tour.

Photo Blog - Huatulco

So for this blog I've decided to post a bunch of photos instead of writing a lot of crap.

Turtles

Sunrise

Some Photos before Dinner

Huatulco, Oaxaca

Las Brisas Resort Huatulco is a beautiful property! Apparently it used to be a Club Med. It’s much, MUCH better than the flight. I mean what could be better than toilets that work! The resort is very lush and green with well kept tropical gardens. I would venture to say that it feels like a tame jungle. Very beautiful!

The photo is the view from our room.


Huatulco is in the state of Oaxaca and situated 286 kilometres from the colonel capital of Oaxaca city. The bays of Huatulco are located along the coast at the end of the southern Sierra Madre mountains. The clear, turquoise water of the 36 beaches are spectacular! Over11,000 acres in and around Huatulco were declared national parks by the Mexican government in 1998. Important to sustaining the natural ecology and sea life, many of the bays are considered protected areas with development prohibited. Some of the bays are also the spawning grounds for variety of marine (sea) turtles.

The state of Oaxaca, among Mexico's 31 states, is known for its diverse culture with 16 different ethic groups. As such, Oaxacan culture combines the history of many of these groups. The native tribes ruled by the Aztecs in the city's earliest years were the Zapotec and the Mixtec. Both tribes still influence Oaxaca culture to this day, and the informed traveler will note that separate accents representing these different tribes can still be heard in Oaxaca today. Spain and colonialists from Europe also influence Oaxaca culture. Together, this mix of cultures and peoples creates a modern day Oaxaca that is full of history and fascinating people and traditions.

Nowhere are the differing sides of Oaxaca culture seen as prominently as they are in Oaxaca food. Oaxaca food is famous throughout the world for its unique flair and combination of spices that are found almost nowhere else in Mexico.

Senga and I signed up for a few low key tours. Here are some photos from a natural, fresh water lagoon and crocodile habitat! We also went on a snorkeling trip visiting 7 bays.