The last time I wrote about cruising we were enduring, OOPS, I mean enjoying the wind and waves from Hurricane Michael. We probably were somewhere below Cuba (in red). Sometime late Monday night we started sailing around the western end of Cuba, then east towards Havana, yes-yes-yes! Welcome to Havana Harbor! Look at this map carefully. Feel free to come back to it. I’ll use it to give you some bearings for what you’re seeing.Do you see Central Havana? I think that’s where my pictures start as you head towards shore. Follow the coastline towards the 2 points of land. That’s your next landmark. Between those 2 points there’s a channel that leads to Old Havana. There where you’ll see more pictures. The last stop are those 3 rectangles to the right of old Havana. They look like an E sticking out in the water, and that’s where our ship docked. Now, climb aboard! Let’s cruise into Havana YES-YES-YES!! This is my first view of the city. How can I tell? The city looks modern with tall blockish buildings. One of the things I remember was the sea wall. Water flies up and splashes over it. My sister-in-law said that movie makers use this backdrop for scenes set in Havana. One of the most famous…007...James Bond. We’re getting close to the channel that leads to Old Havana. How can I tell? Do you see the 2 points of land? That's the channel that leads to the heart of Havana. This is an old Spanish fortress that’s on the eastern side of the Havana Bay. It’s in this picture and the next two. Here's its story: The Spanish arrived here in 1514. They named their settlement after an Indian chief, San Cristóbal de Habana. By 1538 they’d built a fortress, the Castillo de la Fuerza. The Castillo wasn’t strong enough. In 1555 French pirate Jacques de Sores attacked and plundered Havana so the Spanish built a bigger, better fort. It took 40 years to finish. It looks pretty good to me. But that fort still wasn’t strong enough. English ships raided Havana in 1622, 1623, and 1638. Here’s the link for my information: http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/funfacts/havana.ht This is the western side of the harbor. It’s been settled since 1514, During its early years, it had to be moved repeatedly because of mosquitoes, and the diseases they carry. In 1519 the settlers found this spot away from those darn mosquitoes. They stayed! This is the oldest part of Havana. I love the beautiful old buildings. Can you see the cruise ship in this picture? This is where our ship docked, by the E in the map of the channel. Much better! BTW, this wasn’t our cruise ship. There was another one when we arrived, and a different one when we left. I’m glad people like to visit Havana! I took this picture from the back of the boat looking across the harbor. It looks like wilderness, but it’s a special piece of land. Can you tell what’s in the middle of the picture? It reaches towards the sky. Try the next photo. Now it’s on the left side of the picture. Can you tell who it is? Our cruise director said it’s Fun Jesus. I called him Party Jesus. Why? One hand looks like it’s holding a Cuban cigar. The other is holding a mojito, a famous Cuban drink. That’s not how Jilma Madera planned it. Jilma is the Cuban woman who designed it, and it’s the largest statue created by a woman in the world. Jilma has girl power! I’m glad she designed her Cuban Jesus! PS- click on Jilma's name to read more about her. I looked toward another part of the harbor to take these 2 pictures. It shows where the local boats go to work. I’m guessing they’re fishing boats, but I didn’t get close enough to see. PS- I actually took all these pictures as I was leaving Havana. When we arrived, I couldn’t take any pictures because a bunch of ladies blocked my shot. On the way out, I was determined to get these pictures so when people, ladies, started coming to the back of the boat, I moved my chair forward so no one blocked my shot. Sometimes you have to be assertive, and polite, to get what you want and need. I’m glad I got the shot! A Night on the Town We finally got into Havana around 5, and we got off the boat by 5:30. It was so much easier in Havana than in Cienfuegos. There was a line, but it moved FAST! Customs was quick! Havana has newer equipment. The old stuff goes to places like Cienfuegos. We had money leftover from Cienfuegos. Time to see Havana! We hit the streets, and this is what we saw! The building above is the Terminal Sierra Maestra San Francisco, the boat terminal where people come and go from the ship. Look at the picture to the left. This is the terminal again, and the street in front of it. It was busy with cars like this one. The Terminal San Francisco is named after this church. Its full name is the Basilica Menor de San Francisco de Asis. It’s across the street from the terminal.The bell tower is about 138 feet tall and contains the remains of important Havana citizens. The church also gave its name to the square, the Plaza de San Francisco. That’s where we went when we left the boat. We looked around the plaza then took a walk down a street looking for a few souvenirs. No souvenirs yet, but this is the inside of a hotel. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the outside. We went in because my husband and his brother were determined to buy Cuban cigars. While they talked prices, I took pictures. This place is beautiful! Unusually so. I saw so much poverty in Cuba, but not here. Someone has enough money to renovate, redecorate, and keep this place up. BTW…we didn’t buy cigars…they were too expensive…I’m sure some of the cost keeps this place looking great. We kept exploring the streets of Havana, but I didn’t find any treasures. Either the shops were closed, or nothing called me. Nothing! My sister-in-law’s bucket list wish for this trip was to visit the places in Havana where Ernest Hemingway hung out. This is one of them. The man in the stature is Ernest. The pictures on the wall are of him too. Ernest is a famous writer. His books are for adults. He wrote The Old Man and the Sea, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Sun Also Rises, and A Farewell to Arms. This is one of Ernest’s hang-outs, Floridita. Can you guess what it’s named after…the state of Florida. Cuba reminds me of Florida. Ernest had a house in Florida and one near Havana. When he was in Havana, this is where he came for a good dinner and a daiquiri. That’s a slushy adult drink. The outside doesn’t look like much, but the inside has the most gorgeous woodwork, and it was packed with tourists! While we were there, they had a trio of singers. They were fantastic! When we got to Floridita, it was still light, but it was getting dark when we left. We hurried back to the boat, in time for dinner and a good night’s sleep. Back to Square 1 We got into Havana a day late, but we were lucky. We could reschedule our tour. We met our guide at the Plaza de San Francisco, that’s where we went for our first night in Havana. The Plaza is the oldest square in the city. The basilica was started in 1580 and finished in 1591. It’s been in use ever since, for over 400 years. The next building is on the square, just down from the church. Sorry, I can’t find its name. I’m guessing it’s one of the museums that are spread across the city. Look down, and I'll introduce you to José María López Lledín. He was also known as El Caballero de París. In English he was called the gentleman of Paris. He looks pretty dapper to me. Would you believe he actually was a homeless man who had saw things that weren’t there? Poor man! It’s said his mind snapped when he was unfairly imprisoned. Jose doesn’t sound like statue material, but legend says that he was kind and generous, perfect for a statue. Look up to see an aqueduct from Cuba’s colonial days. When Spain colonized Havana, they needed water. They brought it to the colonists, through stone channels built under the city. The aqueducts aren’t used anymore, but it’s nice to find history at your feet. Look what else I found on my walk! Nestles! Something from home in Old Havana. When I explore another country, I look for what’s new and interesting, but I also look for pieces of home. Yum! OOPS! I didn’t get get much of a shot of the outside of this building. It’s still in the old part of Havana, close to the next square. Something else caught my eye. Do you know what it is? (Hint-- it's not Darth Vader!) This building once belonged to the monks who lived and worked here. They dressed in long robes with hoods. The statue of a monk stands guard outside Inside is a beautiful painting of another monk, and now this building is a hotel that remembers its history. I'm glad! To Square Two, Plaza Vieja This is the Plaza Vieja. It means Old Square in Spanish, but when it was built in 1559 it was called the Plaza Nueva, the New Square. Really! Do you remember the Plaza de San Francisco? It was the original square back when Spanish galleons first sailed into Havana. The Franciscan monks from the Basilica wanted a new square because they had trouble celebrating Mass. They said the shopkeepers made so much noise they needed to move. I didn’t know there was noise pollution in the sixteenth century. I thought it was a modern problem. Plaza Vieja is pretty colorful. That’s something new. In the 1980’s Old Havana became a UNESCO cultural heritage site. People found money to renovate and repaint the old buildings. Our guide said the building in the next picture is in the old Spanish style. I love it, but I wonder how they made arches out of stone. This is the last picture from the plaza. I couldn’t find the name of the sculptor, but our guide talked about the French influence that dates back to Napoleon. He was short but powerful, like a bantam rooster. Did you know there's a rooster on the French soccer uniform? The 2nd picture is the street that leads to the next square. It’s all cobblestones and buildings. The only trees are in pots. Down the street is the Hogar Materno Infantil Doña Leonor Pérez Cabrera. Translation: It’s the hospital for women who are pregnant and expecting babies. It’s named after Dona Leonor Perez Cabrera. That’s Jose Marti’s mother. Remember him, from the park in Cienfuegos? Farther down is the CIA. Armera De Cuba. S.A. Efectos De Caceria Y Explosivos. I thought it was a fireworks place. Nope! It started as a private gun shop, but on April 9, 1958 some of Fidel Castro’s revolutionaries broke in to get guns. Four guys died that night. Years later it became a museum for guns and knives that date back to the 1700’s. This is another Hemingway favorite. It’s the Hotel Ambos Mundos, which means both worlds. Hemingway lived here for 7 years during the 1930’s. It was cheap, $1.50 a day!. This picture and the one below are from the ground floor. It looks pretty nice! The last picture is the hotel elevator. When Ernest stayed in Room 511 on the top floor, he would have used this elevator. Room 511 is no longer available. It’s a mini-museum, but you can book other rooms in the Ambos Mundos. Meet the working dogs of Havana! They look much better than the dogs of Cienfuegos. They wear name tags. That means they get fed every day. Then they take a nap on the warm pavement. They may have skin problems like fleas and the mange, but having food, a place to sleep, are 2 very good things for my canine friends. Welcome to the Oficina Del Historiador De La Ciudad. I think that translates to the Office of History of Cuba. It sounds like another museum. We didn’t go inside. We kept on walking. Three Squared, The Plaza De Armas This is the Plaza De Armas. Today it’s a park where you can relax in the shade of palm trees and tropical plants. The edges are lined with beautiful old buildings. Like the other Plazas, it once had another name, the Plaza de la Iglesia. Iglesia was a small neighborhood church. In the 1600’s the Spanish government built the governor's palace and an armory in this square. The name was changed to the Plaza De Armas, which means ‘Weapons’ Square or Parade Ground.’ The rich people of Havana came here to enjoy carriage rides and military parades. It was the place to be and to be seen! The building in the background is the Palace of the General Captains or the Spanish governor. The Spanish started building in 1776, the same year America declared its independence from England. The west side of the plaza has a wooden floor because a governor’s wife got tired of carriage wheels waking her up. She got her husband to get rid of the stone and replace it with wood. From 1791-1898, it was the home for the Spanish governor of Cuba. It later became the presidential palace. Today it’s Havana's Museum of history. BTW- The Iglesia church was destroyed in 1741 when the HMS Invincible blew up. Its mast flew into the church and destroyed it. This statue is at the center of the plaza, at the center of the park. It's another Cuban hero, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes. The park is named Parque Céspedes. Carlos freed his slaves, started the Cuban wars for Independence, and is considered the Father of the Cuban Homeland. The statue’s base is inscribed with Carlos’ name and his service to Cuba. It’s protected by a gate and decorated with flowers. The ribbon’s inscribed with a message, but I can’t read Spanish, and I couldn’t find anything online. Sorry! This is El Templete. It was built in 1827 to honor Queen Josefa Amalia. It commemorates the 1st mass and the first town council that was held at the foot of a ceiba tree that once grew there. The square eventually grew into the Plaza de Armas. BTW—Queen Josefa’s husband was King Fernanando VII. In 1834 his statue was moved to make room for Carlos Manuel de Céspedes. The Plaza De Armas is full of history, but it’s also a park where you can relax under a shade tree and enjoy the view. If you want to stay here, try the Hotel Santa Isabel. It’s a 5 star hotel, and, it used to be a palace, the Palacio de los Condes de Santovenia. When I go back, I want to stay at the palace! Just down the street is the most beautiful old house, the Casa del Conde Jaruco. It was finished in 1737 for the Countess de Merlin who was a countess and a Cuban novelists. It’s famous for its meiopuntos, those gorgeous half-moon stained glass windows. It doesn’t house people anymore. It houses art exhibits. These painting are not in the Casa del Conde Jaruco. They’re photographs outside another building, the Cuban Museum of Natural History. All these plants and animals are native to Cuba. I didn’t see them inside the museum, but I’m glad I caught them on the outside. I took this picture but couldn't confirm its identity. I googled but couldn’t find the statue. I can’t read the plaque either, but I’m pretty sure it’s Miguel de Cervantes. Our guide pointed him out, and I remember taking his picture. Here’s his story… Miguel was born in 1547 in Madrid, Spain. He became a poet and a soldier who published his first book in 1569 at age 22, but he didn’t become famous until 1605. That’s when he wrote Part 1 of Don Quixote. Miguel was 58. He finished the 2nd part in 1615, at age 68. Thanks, Miguel, for the encouragement. I still have time to write and publish a story. Don Quixote fits Miguel, the poet-soldier. Don is an old man who’s so fascinated with the knights of old that he sets out in search of adventure. Miguel fought against the Turks and lost his left hand. Then he spent 5 years in a Turkish prison. Miguel went on to write the world’s first best seller. He died in poverty but never gave up. In Miguel’s most famous scene Don thinks he’s fighting a giant. It’s really a windmill, but he keeps fighting, determined to fight the impossible battle. Miguel wrote this story in 1615. It’s now a classic that’s been translated into 60 languages. It’s also been renamed The Man of La Mancha and turned into a Broadway play, and into a movie. Its best song, To Dream the Impossible Dream. Miguel has 3 statues in Havana, Cuba. I wish he knew how powerful his words are, 400 years later. Talk about an impossible dream! This mural is incredible. It covers over 300 square meters on Mercaders Street (360 square yards). It’s made of 52 panels that depict 67 famous figures from Cuban history. Andres Carrillo is the artist. He researched all 67 people to find out what they looked like, how they dressed. It’s amazing! Andres also used a new material to paint his mural. He picked a natural rock from Cuba and soaked it in acrylic resin. It came out as small tiles. He picked 4 colors (brown, coral rose, black, and beige) and mixed them together to create his 13 shades. It is incredible to look at this huge mural and to know how much work is in it. It is so life-like that I felt like I could step out on a balcony or open a window. They look like they’re physically there. Andres is incredibly talented! I had to work to report on this! I blew up the picture and copied its name: Correspondencia Interior Y Peninsular. That meant nothing to me so I went to Google and pasted in that name. I hit pay-dirt! That is the oldest mailbox in Cuba. It’s part of the original stonework for the old mansion of the Marqueses deArcos (some rich guy). It’s in the plaza of the Cathedral of Havana. I didn’t think we’d made it to the next plaza, but I guess we did. The stone mailbox is the Greek mask of tragedy. Its mouth is where you put your letter. The inscription is a nod to the colonial era when mailbox was made. Who knew mail could be so tragic! I googled, but couldn’t find anything about this, so I enlarged the sign, and here’s what it says, in English…Invitation to the people of Havana and foreign visitors to discover the new shop and manufacture of miniature tin soldiers. Placed at Number 164 Muralla Street, Havana. I don’t remember anything about tin soldiers because I would have bought a couple. (I love to shop!) I thought it was something about soldiers mustering for duty back in the 1700 or 1800’s. I googled once more and discovered it really is a shop! A tiny one on a side street. Each soldier is 3 inches tall, dressed in period costumes, and made of solid lead. The price, as little as 8 CUC a soldier. If you decide to visit, bring the address with you, 163 not 164 Muralla. Even the locals don’t know about this place. You can watch from the window as each soldier is painted, under a magnifying glass. When I go back to Havana, and I will, I’m visiting Muralla Street! The link for this information: http://www.visitcuba.com/2014/12/big-battles-tiny-soldiers/ 4 x 4, Plaza 4, The Plaza de la Catedral Sorry! I wrote so many posts about Havana and Cuba back in 2018 that I got tired of it, and I thought you might be tired too. Now time has passed (2021) so I'll just leave these pictures, and leave you to wonder about what they are. If you research it, let me know! I love sharing names!
0 Comments
I got this email from my friend Mark when I wrote last year's post about Veterans Day. I thought it’d make the perfect post for this year. Thanks, Mark! This post will write itself! "Thank you Rinda, it was a perfect reading for me none of us do this looking for appreciation. You met me after I had already served 3 years in the Marines, but I remember at Lima Senior looking around after Graduation wondering what do I do now? The Marines found me and kept hounding me for months I’m Thankful I listened, and earned the rights to be called a Marine. The most important life skill I learned was self-esteem trust me before than I lacked that, but becoming a Marine I learned these 14 Marine Corps Leadership Traits that I used throughout my lifetime:" 1. JUSTICE Definition: Justice is defined as the practice of being fair and consistent. A just person gives consideration to each side of a situation and bases rewards or punishments on merit. Suggestions for Improvement: Be honest with yourself about why you make a particular decision. Avoid favoritism. Try to be fair at all times and treat all things and people in an equal manner. FYI- Lady Justice is an ancient symbol that goes back to Greek and Roman mythology. She’s pictured blindfolded to show she’s fair and impartial. She holds a scale to show that she balances the strengths and weaknesses of a case. Finally she carries a sword to show her authority, and to show that justice should be swift and final. 2. JUDGMENT Definition: Judgment is your ability to think about things clearly, calmly, and in an orderly fashion so that you can make good decisions. Suggestions for Improvement: You can improve your judgment if you avoid making rash decisions. Approach problems with a common-sense attitude. FYI- You don’t have to be a judge to make good decisions. If you don’t want to make rash decisions, slow down! Breathe. Sleep on it. Talk to friends and family. Do any or all of these, and you’ll make better decisions. Don’t worry. If you do your best, that’s enough. There is no more, plus, you can learn from your mistakes. 3. DEPENDABILITY Definition: Dependability means that you can be relied upon to perform your duties properly. It means that you can be trusted to complete a job. It is the willing and voluntary support of the policies and orders of the chain of command. Dependability also means consistently putting forth your best effort in an attempt to achieve the highest standards of performance. Suggestions for Improvement: You can increase your dependability by forming the habit of being where you're supposed to be on time, by not making excuses and by carrying out every task to the best of your ability regardless of whether you like it or agree with it. FYI- If you’re dependable, you're like solid gold. You will never be the weakest link. 4. INITIATIVE Definition: Initiative is taking action even though you haven't been given orders. It means meeting new and unexpected situations with prompt action. It includes using resourcefulness to get something done without the normal material or methods being available to you. Suggestions for Improvement: To improve your initiative, work on staying mentally and physically alert. Be aware of things that need to be done and then to do them without having to be told. FYI- When you take the initiative, you could be raising your hand or sharing an idea. You’re being brave because you’re daring to be wrong. Think about this...you’ll never be right unless you dare to be wrong. 5. DECISIVENESS Definition: Decisiveness means that you are able to make good decisions without delay. Get all the facts and weight them against each other. By acting calmly and quickly, you should arrive at a sound decision. You announce your decisions in a clear, firm, professional manner. Suggestions for Improvement: Practice being positive in your actions instead of acting half-heartedly or changing your mind on an issue. FYI- Sometimes it’s hard to make a decision. When that happens, I write down the pluses and minuses. Then I decide, and I give it time. If it’s a bad decision, no problem! I look at the new facts and make a better one. The worst decision...is no decision. Then life will choose for you. Decide! Be brave! 6. TACT Definition: Tact means that you can deal with people in a manner that will maintain good relations and avoid problems. It means that you are polite, calm, and firm. Suggestions for Improvement: Begin to develop your tact by trying to be courteous and cheerful at all times. Treat others as you would like to be treated. FYI- It’s hard to say that just right thing, especially if you’re angry. Don’t be afraid to take your time to breathe, to think, to plan. Sometimes in tricky situations I even write down what I want to say. It’s worth taking the time to keep a friend. 7. INTEGRITY Definition: Integrity means that you are honest and truthful in what you say or do. You put honesty, sense of duty, and sound moral principles above all else. Suggestions for Improvement: Be absolutely honest and truthful at all times. Stand up for what you believe to be right. FYI- This Venn Diagram explains it perfectly. If your beliefs, words, and actions match, you have integrity. It’s something to hang onto. If I had to lose everything, but could keep only 1 thing, I’d keep my integrity. I hope you do too. 8. ENTHUSIASM Definition: Enthusiasm is defined as a sincere interest and exuberance in the performance of your duties. If you are enthusiastic, you are optimistic, cheerful, and willing to accept the challenges. Suggestions for Improvement: Understanding and belief in your mission will add to your enthusiasm for your job. Try to understand why even uninteresting jobs must be done. FYI- Be a cheerleader! Find a cheerleader! I did this for my 2nd graders…I cheered them on, but you can be your own cheerleader. Say words that build you up. Do your best because there is no more. Go, go, go! 9. BEARING Definition: Bearing is the way you conduct and carry yourself. Your manner should reflect alertness, competence, confidence, and control. Suggestions for Improvement: To develop bearing, you should hold yourself to the highest standards of personal conduct. Never be content with meeting only the minimum requirements. FYI- It’s not about the bear, but look at both pictures. Each girl is telling you something with her body. Here's a tip, if you get up on the wrong side of the bed, put on your favorite outfit. Sometimes when you look good, you'll start to feel good. I always do this on bad days. 10. UNSELFISHNESS Definition: Unselfishness means that you avoid making yourself comfortable at the expense of others. Be considerate of others. Give credit to those who deserve it. Suggestions for Improvement: Avoid using your position or rank for personal gain, safety, or pleasure at the expensive of others. Be considerate of others. FYI- This is what you learn in preschool and Kindergarten, how to share, whether it’s snack, a toy, or a game. It’s one of the most important things in life to learn. 11. COURAGE Definition: Courage is what allows you to remain calm while recognizing fear. Moral courage means having the inner strength to stand up for what is right and to accept blame when something is your fault. Physical courage means that you can continue to function effectively when there is physical danger present. Suggestions for Improvement: You can begin to control fear by practicing self-discipline and calmness. If you fear doing certain things required in your daily life, force yourself to do them until you can control your reaction. FYI- Being brave is hardest when you’re afraid. The first step to more courage, slow down your breathing. Inhale and think ‘I breathe in courage.’ Exhale and think, ‘I exhale fear.’ It helps! Really! Last week I was struggling with self-doubt so I breathed in faith and exhaled hope. It helped me, and it can help you too. Really! 12. KNOWLEDGE Definition: Knowledge is the understanding of a science or art. Knowledge means that you have acquired information and that you understand people. Your knowledge should be broad, and in addition to knowing your job, you should know your unit's policies and keep up with current events. Suggestions for Improvement: Increase your knowledge by remaining alert. Listen, observe, and find out about things you don't understand. Study field manuals and other military literature. FYI- Knowledge is power. The more you listen, observe, read, and discover the world around you, the better you’ll do now, and in the future. 13. LOYALTY Definition: Loyalty means that you are devoted to your country, the Corps, and to your seniors, peers, and subordinates. The motto of our Corps is Semper Fidelis!, (Always Faithful). You owe unwavering loyalty up and down the chain of command, to seniors, subordinates, and peers. Suggestions for Improvement: To improve your loyalty you should show your loyalty by never discussing the problems of the Marine Corps or your unit with outsiders. Never talk about seniors unfavorably in front of your subordinates. Once a decision is made and the order is given to execute it, carry out that order willingly as if it were your own. FYI- This image reminds me of the 3 Musketeers, not the candy bar, but the 3 French soldiers from a classic movie/novel. Their motto…all for one, and one for all. I’m loyal to my friends and family. Who are you loyal to? 14. ENDURANCE Definition: Endurance is the mental and physical stamina that is measured by your ability to withstand pain, fatigue, stress, and hardship. For example, enduring pain during a conditioning march in order to improve stamina is crucial in the development of leadership. Suggestions for Improvement: Develop your endurance by engaging in physical training that will strengthen your body. Finish every task to the best of your ability by forcing yourself to continue when you are physically tired and your mind is sluggish. FYI- This is a real military training exercise, the Teamwork Log Training Exercise. It looks hard, but if you have endurance, you can lift that log off the ground and move it into position. How do you develop endurance? By training! Each time try to last a minute/half minute longer, and you’ll build endurance. When Marines recruit, they say “They’re looking for a few good men.” They call themselves, “The few. The proud. The Marines.” When I look at Marine values, I can see why they’re so respected. They build good character. I also think it’s interesting that those are the same values I tried to instill in my 2nd graders, and that my school guidance counselors worked on with them. Most of my FYI comments came from the things those counselors taught me and my students. I’m not a Marine, but I’m a proud retired elementary teacher of 33 years. This is a map of Cuba. Can you see Cienfuegos? Look for Cuba in red. Cienfuegos is right above it. Welcome to Cienfuegos! This is a shot of the harbor as we sailed in, but that is not my ship. The Empress of the Sea is much bigger. This is another shot of the harbor. Can you see the boats up front? The mountains in the distance? I didn’t know Cuba had mountains. When we sailed around the island on the way to Grand Cayman, we saw them in the distance. It was my first view of Cuba. Here’s one last shot. It looks beautiful from the boat, not touristy, Just land and water and nature. Beautiful! Let’s Go Ashore This is the tender we took to ferry us into Grand Cayman and back. It took about an an hour or two for everyone to get off the boat. Easy peasy! Cienfuegos wasn’t! Imagine that Grand Cayman tender cut in half. That’s the boat we climbed aboard. It had one deck that held about 40 people. It took 35 trips (3-4 hours) to unload everyone from the ship. The first 15 trips took forever! Really! But we weren’t in any rush. By the time we slept in and ate breakfast we were waiting for Tender 28 out of the 35. Sleeping in is always a good thing! This is a paper reminder that you need to get a special Cuban passport before you can set foot on the island. It’s $75 a person, $150 for my husband and me. We paid for it before we even climbed aboard the ship in Miami. In return we each received two documents to fill in. One was from the American government. We had to pick a reason why we wanted to go to Cuba. We marked we were there to support the Cuban people. Correction- we took a third party tour from a local group. The other document was from the Cuban government. It was much shorter and asked for basic information like our names, address, birth-dates, passport numbers, and why we were there, at least that’s what I remember. We were told that we’d have to show that document at Cuban customs, and that they would take it from us either in Cienfuegos or Havana. When we landed in Cienfuegos, we went into the old customs building. We were packed in like sardines, waiting our turn with the customs officers who’d look over our paperwork. My husband and I each carried an American passport, a Cuban passport, a key card from the ship, and a questionnaire for the American government. The official looked over my documents and sent me through the gate. I waited for my husband to follow. Next up, getting some Cuban money! They don’t accept American dollars or credit cards in Cuba. On to the next line! At the next gate there were 4 sets of cargo containers that worked as bank offices. We waited in line, again, to exchange our money. It was a great deal for the Cuban government. They got 13% when we traded our dollars into CUCS, and then another 13% when we trade the CUCS back into dollars. That’s 26% total, or like $26 out of every $100 in American money. Like I said, a great deal for the Cuban government. Look at the money carefully because there are 2 kinds of bills floating around Cuba. One kind has people on it. The other has places. You want places on yours because it’s worth more. Be careful when you buy from a street vendor. Make sure you get back bills with places, not people. I took a picture of the front and back of my bills and coins. I had a 1, 5, 10, and 20 in CUCS. Those were the bills we used. Thank goodness they were all places! I’d hate to have money troubles…I have so much fun spending it! The coins above were hard to see so they got a close-up. Sorry, I didn’t have a 1 cent coin left, but I still had 5’s, a 10, and 25’s. The coin on the top left is worth 5 cents. The bottom left coin is worth 25. The middle one is worth 10 cents. Look at the coins on the top and bottom right. They always have the same picture, on the back, the Cuban coat of arms. Once we finished exchanging money we headed out for an adventure. This is the 1st thing we found was a train, like the ones you find at an amusement park. It costs 5 CUCS a person to ride the train. I’m in the middle with my brother-in-law on the left and my husband on the right. We’re ready to take a tour down Main Street of Cienfuegos, Cuba. All aboard! Main Street, Cienfuegos Style When we climbed aboard, I had no idea where we were going, but I soon discovered that we were taking a trip down Main Street. Time to explore, Cienfuegos style! This was the 1st building to catch my eye. It was built in 1920 as someone’s house. Later it became a hotel. Ready for the name…The Green Hotel. Really! In the states, it’d probably a bed and breakfast. Take a look at the cars parked in front. They look like they’re from the 50’s and 60’s. That’s because Cuba used to be an American territory, like Puerto Rico. In 1959, Fidel Castro started a revolution, and the US and Cuba became enemies. The Americans put an embargo on products going in and out of Cuba. It’s still in effect today.
The picture beside the red car reminds me of a road in Florida with its palm-lined center strip and 2 lanes on either side. The difference…in Florida the road would be packed full of cars. Both of these buildings started as private homes. Both were built in the early 1900’s, The first, the Cienfuegos Yacht Club now sits next to the marina and houses a restaurant. BTW…I didn’t remember all of this. I googled it to write this post. The second, the Palacio de Valle was designed and built by a wealthy Spaniard. It’s a little small for a palace...only 8 bedrooms. In the 50’s someone wanted to turn it into a casino, but the 1959 Revolution stopped that. Now you can take a tour and stop in for lunch. The building above is the Palicio Azul, The Blue Palace. Why? It’s painted powder blue. I love blue! It was built in 1921 and was owned by a rich tobacco baron. Cuba is known for its tobacco and its cigars. In 2004 it was renovated and became The Hotel Encanto Palacio Azul. With only 6 bedrooms, book early to stay here. Beside the Palacio is a more modern hotel, well modern for the 1950’s. The Hotel Jagua is one of the most famous hotels in Cuba. It looks like a great place to stay! Let’s Go to the Park…Parque Jose Marti Look where the train dropped me off at…Jose Marti Park. Jose was a Cuban poet and journalist who fought for independence. He died on the battlefield, a hero. Today Jose has a park in the heart of Cienfuegos. It’s a great place to sit, relax, and enjoy the greenery. For the Cuban people it’s where they remember a hero. I had an hour to take pictures and shop before the train returned. There are statues scattered throughout the park. The lion, above, caught my eye. He’s on a marble pedestal. When I googled, I discovered lion statues mark the entrance to the park. Find a lion, and you’ll find a statue of Jose Marti nearby. If only I’d known! As for the other statue above, I don’t know who it is. I searched google and found this same silhouette facing the Ferrer Palace. If you visit this palace, please look up this statue and send me its name. This building, the Antiguo Ayuntamiento, is across the street from the park. Antiguo means old, and Ayuntamiento means municipal council. It doesn’t look old, but it’s still the home of Cienfuegos provincial government. Cienfuegos is both a city and a province. The only thing I could learn about this building is that it’s supposed to look like the Capaitolio in Havana. The Teatro Tomas Terry is also across from the park. Tomas Terry Adams owned a sugar factory back in the day. Later he became Cienfuegos’ mayor. Sorry, this wasn’t his house, but it was built after his death all because Tomas put aside to money build an Italian-style theatre in Cienfuegos. Here it is! Famous singers like Enrico Caruso performed here. I wish Tomas could have seen and heard it during his lifetime! Here’s the last building I captured on camera. It’s the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. It’s old, finished in 1819. Next year will be its 200th birthday. The Cathedral was the first church built in Cienfuegos, and it’s now a national monument. It’s a beautiful old building with its 2 bell towers, 3 arched doorways, and French stained-glass windows of the Twelve Apostles. I found several factoids when I was googling information for this post. Cienfuegos means100 fires, but I didn’t read anything about fire in its history. The true story— it was named after Jose Cienfuegos who was the Captain General of Cuba from 1816-1819. Maybe someone in his family lit 100 fires. I hope not! Cienfuegos is also called the Pearl of the South, and it’s the only city in Cuba founded by France. The rest of the island belonged to Spain. Shopping, Street Style This is the only picture I didn’t take. It’s the street market off Jose Marti Park. The vendors stretch 3 or 4 blocks down the street. When I was there it was sprinkling. I shop by walking from booth to booth scanning for treasures, but a treasure must call me back. There was a toy jeep made out of recycled Coke cans that made me laugh. I was planning to go back for it. A block or two later the rain poured down, and I’d somehow wandered away from my family. That’s scary when you’re in a foreign country, even if you’re an adult. I found my sister-in-law, who said my husband was looking for me. Ruh-roh! I’d hurried past him. I walked back slower, heart pounding, rain pouring down. Thank goodness we found each other! By then the vendors closed up to keep things dry. The Coke Can Car, gone! We waited on a covered porch till the rain stopped. We boarded the train, and luckily back at the dock, I found shopping and something to buy! I found these booths in front of customs when we got off the train. They’d closed up for the rain and were reopening again. This time I took pictures. No Coke Can Car, but souvenir cars for kids were for sale. Next door was a booth of wooden things like statues, drums, and fans. They were touristy-cute, but nothing called me. Next up jewelry. I glanced at the necklaces and earrings, but nothing called me here nor next door at the leather stand. Shoes, purses, baseballs, and wall hangings. When I wrote this post I thought I missed something to the right of the Chevrolet Legendario, I thought it said Buckeye, and I was wishing I’d bought it. Happily it says Bucanero so nothing was missed after all. Finally, a treasure, something that called me back! It was a necklace made from seeds. I’d never seen anything like it so I walked back again. The newspaper was my shopping bag. Cienfuegos is a very poor place. The street vendors don’t buy bags. They make them from recycled newspaper. One last thing I remember from Cienfuegos were the dogs. They were thin like Greyhounds, but they were Mutts. I didn’t take a picture because I didn’t want to remember. I'm not used to seeing animals who aren't cared for. Leaving, on a Tender This is where I waited to leave. I was bored so I tried to take a picture of our ship. It’s not the big cruise ship. It’s off in the distance. Can you see it? Look at bow and follow it back. I can barely make it out, but I blew it up for you. Look! See! Hello, Empress! Good-bye, Cienfuegos! Here’s to a one day sail tomorrow. Then it’s Havana Na Na Na! The 1st map shows the Caribbean. It’s hard to see The Caymans on it. They’re inside the red circle. Cuba is above them to the north, and above Cuba is Florida. We sailed southwest from Miami, around Cuba, then southeast to Grand Cayman, Island. We left on Thursday, sailed Friday, and landed at George Town, Grand Cayman on Saturday. This is a shot of George Town’s Harbor. You can see the boats and the buildings that hug the coastline. The Cayman Islands are a British territory. They belong to the UK, the United Kingdom. The UK is made up of Great Britain (England), Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. This part of George Town's harbor is for shipping. Big ships bring in cargo to supply Grand Cayman. Because everything is brought in, whatever you buy is more expensive. This is the inside of a small boat docked beside our cruise ship. It’s called a tender. Its job is to ferry people back and forth between George Town and the cruise ships. This is a pretty big tender. It holds about 200 people. The shot you see is from the bottom level. We climbed down a gangplank from our cruise ship, then downstairs to this level. A tender isn’t comfortable. It doesn’t have to be. You’re only aboard for a very short time. I took this shot from the dock at George Town looking back at our ship. Can you spot the tender? It’s the small boat under that blue square. We had about 1600 people on-board the ship. With 200 passengers per tender, it didn’t take long to empty it. We still waited in a line that threaded through the one of the decks. It reminded me of a fast-moving roller coaster line at Cedar Point. This is a final shot of a tender from the George Town dock. This one’s pretty empty. It’s waiting for more people before it heads back to the ship. Did you notice the fencing? It’s supposed to control people so they go where they’re supposed to, and not where they shouldn’t. Pirates of the Caribbean Perhaps you’ve heard of the pirates of the Caribbean. I’ve seen a movie or two about them, but I found their ship in the harbor, and a few statues around town. I googled this link and found out the truth about the pirates on Grand Cayman https://www.caymancompass.com/2015/11/13/the-real-pirates-of-the-cayman-islands/ Sadly it was not a pirate hotbed. Why not? The island wasn’t on the main shipping routes for the Caribbean. Port Royal in Jamaica and New Providence in the Bahamas, those were the places a pirate should be. Back in the days of piracy the Caymans were a quiet home to fishermen and turtlers, not pirates. Can you guess what a turtler does? But one turtling ship had a run-in with Edward Teach, AKA Blackbeard. He and his crew captured it, and its crew. Two other infamous pirates, Captain Ned Low and George Lowther took a meeting on Grand Cayman. They signed a treaty to pillage and plunder the Caribbean together. It’s good to share!. Later Neil Walker visited the neighborhood to plunder the wrecks of two Spanish ships. He liked to recycle! But back in the day the Caymans were just a place for pirates to replenish their supplies or find a retirement home. They could earn a living by plundering and salvaging the shipwrecks along the coast. This was my kind of plunder, a Wedge Salad and Nachos from Margaritaville. That, and three T Shirts. I knew MARGARITAVILLE from a Jimmy Buffet song, but I didn’t know he turned it into a restaurant AND resort. Who knew? Not me, not until I googled Margaritaville when I got home. The 2 pirate pictures above came from Jimmy’s restaurant. I bet you know where I found the one below. The resort! When I took this picture I thought it was cool to find a water slide that took you into the middle of a restaurant and shopping area, but I never dreamed of this slide…hotel to pool to restaurant and shopping. Wow! I’m glad Jimmy thought of it! Take a Walk, and What do You See? Talk a walk through the main drag of George Town, and it’s nothing like Ohio. Pirates, open air buildings, a mural like this. Look at the painting, the colors, the animals. They all have a Caribbean vibe. Keep walking, and you’ll find the locals pecking out a living. In Ohio chickens live on farms,sometimes in a backyard, but never on Main Street. On the way back to the boat I found a fish market right next to the road! In Ohio, fish is sold in grocery stores. They’re either frozen or on ice. In George Town you can buy them fresh, right off the boat, right next to the street! Shopping in the Caymans I spotted this sign on my way back to the ship. If you read about the pirates, then you remember that turtles were once important to the Cayman Islands. I don’t think people hunt them anymore for food, or shells, but you can meet them at the Island Wildlife Encounter. It was a rainy day in George Town so my husband and I passed on it. I didn’t see turtles in the wild, but I found a lot for sale in the souvenir shops. I didn’t buy one. I was hunting t shirts. Unfortunately mine doesn’t have a turtle, but it does have a beach and a couple starfish. I’m all about the beach, for obvious reasons! I also found a lot of jewelry. I love ear rings and necklaces! They call me. Really! They say buy me, but I didn’t listen, not this time! I love the crosses in the picture. Look closely. Do you see seashells? Yes, from the seashore, LOL! I didn’t buy them, but, I have a lot of seashells from all my favorite beaches. I think it’s time for a shell project. If you have some from vacation, or the store, you can get crafty too. Good luck! I don’t think they make t shirts, turtle souvenirs, or jewelry on the Cayman Islands. It’d be too expensive. I think those products are made in China and arrive by boat. Boats bring in everything that people need for survival. I thought maybe the islands produced goods to sell, but they don’t. The citizens of Grand Cayman make their living with service industries like tourism. The islands are also tax free so a lot of financial service providers decided to make their homes in the Caymans. Financial services deal with money, and the Caymans are are home to 70,000 companies and almost 600 banks. Wow tax-free, and great weather…sounds good to me! The down side to living in the Caymans? Everything has to be shipped in. So when you pay for a hamburger, a soda, a toy, it’s going to cost more. Ouch! I took this picture to show you the cranes, shipping containers, and boats sitting at one dock. This is where the products are unloaded for the people of the Cayman Islands. Leaving Grand Cayman You must follow rules to enter or leave a foreign country. I didn’t take pictures going into Grand Cayman, but I did when I left. I went through 2 security gates. One was outside this buiding. The other is where the the people are standing. I showed my ship’s key card to both sets of guards. It proves that I belong on the ship. If you don’t have proof, you don’t get through. If you lose your card, I think they pull you aside and call the ship to check on your identity. When you leave a country, it’s important to follow the rules, and to hold onto your key. Remember the tenders that took me to Grand Cayman? They took me back to the ship. The last tender was at 5:30. What happens if you miss it…you miss the boat! At 6:00 the cruise ship sails to the next port of call. Being on time is important! In this picture I made it aboard ship. I showed my key card to someone who scanned it like the clerks scan packages at Walmart. A picture of me pops up on a screen so security can check that it’s me. If it is, you head onto the last security gate. Security’s important aboard a ship. This is the next security scan. You put all your belongings on a belt. It runs your stuff through an x-ray machine. It checks to make sure you’re not carrying anything you’re not supposed to. As your stuff is scanned, you walk through a human scanner. It makes sure you’re not carrying something you’re not supposed to either. Then at last, you’re finally free to head back to your room and relax! Manuel's Story This is Manuel Bartsch. He discovered he was a DACA kid when he was a high school senior. Then his story got worse, much worse. Read on…and discover how something like this could happen. Manuel’s story started with two Americans, his grandfather and step-grandfather. His grandmother was German. She had a baby girl, who had Manuel, but he wound up living with his grandmother. She had another baby, Manuel’s uncle. Life was good…until his grandmother was killed by a drunk driver in 1993. Arriving in the US In 1997 Manuel’s step-grandfather brought both boys to the US, to Gilboa, Ohio. Manuel was about 7 years old. He came legally, with a 90-day visitor pass…it never got renewed. Uh-oh! Then his grandfather forgot to legally adopt him. Double Uh-oh! Manuel grew up in Ohio, as an American kid, doing American things like playing football until December of 2005. That’s when he discovered the truth. Manuel tried to get his driver’s license and register for the ACT, a college entrance test. Manuel learned he didn’t have a social security number, that he wasn’t a citizen, or even a legal resident of the United States. Pretty bad…but it gets worse, much worse. Meeting Immigration Manuel didn’t know what to do when he got a letter from immigration in Ohio. He asked for advice from his girlfriend’s father, who’s in law enforcement. They went into the immigration office together. Officials confirmed Manuel’s entry date with his step-grandfather. They came into Newark, New Jersey on August 21, 1997. Manuel had just turned 10. After that meeting, life got worse, much worse. Arrested before Christmas Those officials couldn’t find any paperwork, for either an adoption or a visitation. Without them, they had to arrest and charge Manuel as an illegal alien. It’s the law…so in December of 2005, Manuel found himself stuck in jail for 17 days. He was18 years old. I can’t imagine how scared he felt to find himself in jail as illegal alien. He had no idea what happened, no idea what to do. But that’s when things got better, a little better. Manuel Finds Help Manuel’s story made news around the US, and in Germany too. It got him a lawyer, David Leopold, who accepted the case pro-bono. He didn’t ask for a dime. Back home in the Pandora-Gilboa school district, friends, teachers, administrators, and school board members needed to help. They traveled to Cleveland to speak for Manuel. They told the court they were upset, that they wanted Manuel back in school, back in Gilboa. Their words worked! The case was dropped. Manuel was released, but it wasn’t over. He didn’t have citizenship, and he could be deported at any time. He might not even be allowed to finish high school. WOW! The Fight Goes On Mark Painter, father of Manuel’s high school girl friend, said, "Right now, he still has a chance. It's not a definite no…The fight goes on." Then life got better, a little better, thanks to help from lawyer David Leopold, Congressman Paul Gilmore, and Senator Michael DeWine. In April of 2006, Senator Mike DeWine joined Manuel’s fight. He wanted to see Manuel’s status changed. He believed Manuel should be legally allowed to stay in the country. Mike took the fight to the US Senate. He asked for a report on the case. It made a difference! The report said Manuel couldn’t be deported, even if a judge ordered it. High School Graduation Manuel went on to graduate from Pandora-Gilboa High School, but he didn’t know about college, even though he’d been accepted at Ohio Northern University. He sat in limbo, waiting to hear back from his legal battles. His lawyer, David said Manuel grew up a lot his senior year. The Fight’s Not Over Manuel found another champion in Ohio Congressman Paul Gilmore. In January 2007, he introduced a bill into the US House of Representatives for the relief of Manuel Bartch, to give him permanent resident status. It never passed so the bill died. Paul died later that year, in September of 2007. College, at Last Manuel made it to college. Yeah! He went to Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio. Manuel was an achiever! His professor, David Hogan, said “He was in the top 2% of his students,” and that he couldn’t believe Manuel’s problem had no solution. Me too! Manuel didn’t just have great grades in college…He was a leader too. His fraternity voted him president for 2 terms. It was a perfect fit for a political science major who dreamed of a future in government and politics. Graduation In college Manuel was considered an undocumented immigrant, but someone believed in him, enough to give him tuition money. To this day Manuel has no idea who helped him. He has a guess, but he’ll never know for sure. On May 4th, 2012 Manuel graduated from Heidelberg with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He couldn’t understand how America could give him a great education, yet send him back to Germany, a country he hadn’t visited for 15 years. He also didn’t know what to do with his degree. A lot of college kids have trouble getting jobs. Not Manuel! He couldn’t get a job. He couldn’t go to graduate school. He couldn’t get clearance to work in state or local government, and he still couldn’t get a driver’s license. All because of a piece of paper. Imagine! A piece of paper! Manuel was stuck, in limbo, because of a piece of paper. This is Manuel’s step-grandfather and Manuel’s diploma from Heidelberg. Can you imagine how proud his grandfather was of Manuel? I also imagine he was frustrated…frustrated to see Manuel stuck through no fault of his own. That’s when life got better, a little better. The Dream Act The next 3 pictures show Manuel speaking in support of the Dream Act. This first one is in Washington D.C. The Capital Building stands in the background. Did you know the Dream Act was originally introduced Aug.1, 2001 by Democrat, Dick Durbin, and Republican, Orrin Hatch? It was bi-partisan, with senators from both of our major political parties. It’s been discussed in different forms ever since, but never been made into a law. Not ever. In 2012 it was one small clause of a huge Immigration bill. It was supposed to give citizenship to kids like Manuel who’d arrived in the US before they were 16. Back then Manuel said, “I’d like to get out there, and be in the fight for things, especially on immigration. I would love to advocate for immigration and reform and passage of the Dream Act – just the passion I have for that kind of thing.” It made sense for the kid who was interested in government and politics to get involved. And he did…he testified in front of Congress. He tried to convince them to dream, but Congress said no to the immigration bill, no to the dream act. It must have seemed like the worst of times to Manuel, but then that same year, things got better, a lot better. Time for a Cover In 2012 Time decided to produce an article and cover to support the Dream Act. This is that cover shoot. It featured 35 students from different backgrounds. Each student represented a country whose kids have been caught in the US without legal citizenship. Some people think it’s just a South and Central American problem, but it’s not. Manuel’s from Germany. Someone brought these kids here illegally. It wasn’t their choice, it wasn’t their fault, and something needed to be done. Time decided to help, with this cover, and its matching article. After it was shot, Time’s editors worked on computers to make the picture just right. They added words, in the right colors, in the right sizes. Lots of work went into the cover below. The magazine came out June 25, 2012. Two weeks earlier, on June 15, 2012 President Obama signed the Dream Act as an executive order. It didn’t grant kids like Manuel citizenship, but it halted deportation, temporarily. It allowed them to work and go to school. Manuel said, “I’m excited, and I thank Obama for stepping forward. I hope it’s more than election year politics. I hope there’s more behind it than that because it’s so important for so many of us.” So where does Manuel stand now, in 2018? Is life better, or worse? Ever After The pictures in this section come from the last 6 years. Life looks pretty good. Manuel married his high school sweetheart. They have good jobs, a house, and an 18-month-old cutie! Life is good, but something’s missing…US citizenship. When I started this post in January, I remember Manuel’s father-in-law saying the law is black and white, no wiggle room. Manuel’s married to a citizen, and he’s the father of one. I thought if you married a citizen, you got citizenship automatically. Evidently not if you came illegally. Thanks to DACA, Manuel can drive a car, and he has a job, but not in government. That’s where his passion, talents, and degree are. Manuel can’t cross the border into Canada or Mexico for vacation. He can’t visit family back in Germany. Why not? He’s afraid he wouldn’t get back in again. Some people think that he should leave the country and wait his turn to come back. That’s hard to do with a wife and a child. It could take as long as 8 years to return, the right way. His son would be 9 by then. That’s a huge price to ask of anyone, especially a little boy. So what’s the answer? Compromise, somehow. Everyone knows this situation is wrong, and it should be fixed. The question is how. Manuel’s father-in-law thinks our government should come up with a plan that asks these kids to do things like finish high school, finish college/higher training. Manuel has done both. Others think the DACA kids should pay a fine in money and/or time. I’d support a plan like that, if it was reasonable. I’d write my Congress people, and I think others would too. I wish our leaders in Washington DC would come up with that reasonable plan for these DACA kids. It’s been discussed since 2000 by politicians on both sides of the aisle. Why can’t they make it happen? Sources: 1. My interview with Manuel’s father-in-law, Mark Painter 2. The Cleveland Plain Dealer http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/06/ohio_youth_manuel_bartsch_thri.html http://www.cleveland19.com/story/37324589/ohio-man-says-immigrants-arent-just-hispanic 3. The Toledo Blade http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2006/01/05/Judge-refuses-to-release-deport-Putnam-student.html http://www.toledoblade.com/frontpage/2006/01/07/Pandora-teenager-back-in-school.html http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2012/05/04/Heidelberg-grad-seeks-a-normal-life-in-U-S.html 4. ABC News http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=1982618&page=1 5. The Lima News http://www.limaohio.com/news/289721/german-immigrant-works-for-better-life-in-america 6. Congressional Record https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/hr738 Do you ever feel like you’re losing your marbles? Been there, done that, and occasionally I still do! Thank goodness I’m retired! It's so much easier to keep track of things. Sometimes, I still lose things, especially when I’m under stress. In late April my mother fell and went to the hospital. She broke 3 ribs and her shoulder. Ouch! I was also taking a writing class. Double ouch! I was losing my phone and my kindle at least 3 times a day, every day...URGH! The breaking point was the night I couldn’t find my phone. It was 11 PM, and I'd looked all over the house, repeatedly. Finally, I went to my mother’s to see if I'd left it there. I was scared I’d be arrested for breaking and entering, even though I used a key, and turned on the lights. It wasn’t there, I wasn’t arrested, and the phone was by my kitchen sink, where I’d left it when I was doing dishes…URGH!!! My daughter's fiancee got her tiles as a birthday gift in March. She told me how wonderful they were, but I didn’t buy a set, not till that night in May. My tiles came in a set of 4, and they ARE wonderful! This is my kindle. Now when it’s missing, I don’t look for it. Really! I click the Tile app on my phone. Then I click on the kindle icon, and it makes my kindle tile sing. I follow the song straight to my kindle. Heaven! Have you ever lost your phone and had someone call it for you? Tile does the same thing, except you don’t need a friend with a phone. It saves me so much stress. Now I can focus on important things, like healing my mother, or reading my kindle. Life is good! Do you see the tile in my clutch? It’s my purse tile. If I can’t find it, I click the purse on my app and follow the song. But what if I can’t find my phone? Do you see the silver circle on the tile? Push it till it chirps. It’ makes my phone sing until I can find it. Tile is a great thing! Have you ever lost your keys…in your purse? I hate that, pulling everything out till I find them. With tile, no need! I click on my phone or on another tile, and VOILA! Keys found! It’s so easy! And, if I leave my keys somewhere else in the house, tile will find them too. I had a tile to spare, from May till July. I saved it for my husband, but he didn’t want it so I found the perfect place…my clutch. In the summer it’s in my purse, but when I sub, I carry it where ever I go. Why? It’s my survival bag. Inside are mints and Kleenex for my nose and throat. Last year I left it behind several times. I had to retrace my steps and look for it. This year I’ll retrace my steps, but I’ll just listen for the Tile song. Lovely! Yes, I’m doing it again! Sort of, but this time it’s all about the NEW YEAR. For the last 11 days I have been taking an online class with author, blogger, 12 x 12 founder, Julie Hedlund. Every day I click on a link, listen to a video, and do homework. Now that I’m almost done, I’d thought I’d share some of my homework with you, and invent a version for you. Day 1 was an introduction, a quick taste of what Julie will be teaching. Sorry, no song this time, but you can google and play it yourself. When you write a paper, you start with an intro. You tell what you’re going to write about. In this class, you’re going to be putting ideas together, taking some away, to learn from 2017, and to make 2018 the best year ever. AKA you’ll be writing your own New Year’s resolution. You might even write more than 1. Tip, it’s fun, when you do it Julie’s way! This ends Day 1. See you tomorrow! For this paper, days 2-11 are the middle. It’s where I’ll tell you about those New Year’s Resolutions, Julie Hedlund style. Day 2 Surprise! Julie’s video was about surprises, and so was her homework: Writing 3-5 from this year. I had to think back to the unexpected, the good and the bad this year. 1. Cutting words can be easy with the right tool! Michelle Houts taught me how to use Ann Whitford Paul’s, Writing Picture Books. 2. My words are powerful…I had 2 authors look at me with fear because of my story plot. It was too strong for my audience. 3. Nothing more to edit? Shock! Usually I’m bummed with edits, but this time I was bummed without them. I felt like I’d failed, till another author gave me an idea to “weaken “ the plot for my audience. Now it’s your turn. How were you surprised in 2017? Day 3 Success! Julie talked today about recognizing and building from your own success Homework: write as many as you can. I had 28. I’ll share 4. 1. Wrote 1st new PB in 5 years. Cut over 700 words from it. 2. My website started with 25 visitors per week. Now I average about 500. My best week was 800. 3. I learned how to use Scrivener, which is a great word processing program for writers. 4. I submitted my safety story to 2 agents. That doubles my submissions up to 4. Now it’s your turn. What were your successes?. Write down as many as possible. It’s a good thing! Day 4 Disappointments! Julie said this was the hardest day, and she was right! She asked us to write 3-5 disappointments. Then go deeper by writing a judgement, your inner critic, on why you “failed.” You end on a hopeful note by writing the truth, why your disappointment was unachievable. I did 3. Here are 2. 1. Disappointment: My dog manuscript didn’t get picked up by an agent. Judgement: It’s not good enough. It will never be good enough. Truth: She saw potential in the manuscript and gave me ideas to push it. She thought I could handle the criticism and would use it. 2. Disappointment: I only submitted 3 manuscripts this year. Judgement: I’m too afraid. I’ll never believe in myself. I’ll always be watching the success of others. Truth: I knew my books weren’t ready yet, and I also know they’re getting closer. Now it’s your turn to write your disappointments, judgements and truth. Day 5 Learning! Today was easier! Julie defined learning as the positive knowledge you can take away from the things your heart knows to be true about your challenges, disappointments, and failures. Here are 2. 1. Learning from dog manuscript: If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. The agent didn’t say delete the manuscript. She gave me ways to improve it. I already have, then had it looked at, and re-edited from feedback. It’s going out this week. May the force be with it! 2. Learning from submissions: I’m finding my community, my tribe, my support group. They’ve helped me with manuscripts. They’ve cheered my baby steps forward. Your turn...write what you've learned from those challenges, disappointments, and failures. Day 6 Next Step, Building from Success, Erasing Disappointment. 3 parts today. Let's do one at a time. STEP #1: Look at yesterday’s learning. What’s your next step towards your goal? Here are 2. STEP 2: Look at your successes. Pick your favorites to build onto. I did 7, but I’m showing you 3. STEP 3: Delete, shrink, or burn your Disappointments and Judgements. Truth: The agent saw potential in the manuscript and gave me ideas to push it. She thought I could handle the criticism and would use it. Learning: If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. The agent didn’t say delete the manuscript. She gave me ways to improve it. I already have, then had it looked at, and re-edited from feedback. It’s going out this week. May the force be with it! Next step: Keep editing and critiquing Dog story till it’s ready. Now it's your turn! Day 7 Gratitude! Julie said this was her favorite day of the whole 12 days because it involves the most sustaining element of all…gratitude. I had a list of 20. Here are 3. 1. For the development of my blog, for those who helped me to build it, and for those who read it. 2. For SCBWI where I found friends and mentors. 3. For the gifts God gave me, the bat, the ability to write, to focus and persevere, to take suggestion. How about you? What are you grateful for? Day 8 Book Cover! Julie suggested taking the pages from this class in order and turning them into a book. I did my work on computer pages so I turned this project into this poster. Please do what fits you! Here’s how I’ll use word power Keep us going: Scrivener, My Blog, My Reads Revise and submit us: Ant, Safety, and Dog stories Write something new: Bat, Duck, and Mary/Martha Try something new: 12x12, Writing with the Stars, Story Storm Thank you: To Julie Hedlund And her 12 Days of Christmas Day 9 Fun! After working hard for 8 days, Julie did a video day featuring Rockie Hedlund’s rules for writing. Rockie is the family dog. I can’t share her video, but I can do something similar. This is a border terrier who looks like my Leia. I matched her favorite things to rules for writing. Enjoy! 1. She always laid at the top of the stairs. Rule: Be observant. You won’t miss a thing. 2. She also loved to sit/lay on my feet. Rule: Stay close to those you love. 3. She loved clothes on the floor. They were perfect to lay on. Rule: Sometimes jobs like laundry can wait. 4. Leia loved walks and would go crazy if she heard our code words. We started with: Time for a walk. Then changed to WALK before our last try, the “W” word. Rule: Always be ready to learn. 5. She’d pull my kids down the street, choking all the way, huge doggy smile on her face. Rule: Don’t forget to have fun! Day 10 Pause! Julie took today to pause, reflect, and affirm. I’ve been doing that all week with this class. Today’s assignment was to come up with a word or phrase of affirmation. Here’s mine: Day 11 Writing Prompt! No video! Julie sent writing prompts today. If you want to be a writer, improve as a writer, then you need to write! So I did! Prompt: It's 1504 in Florence, Italy. You get lost and stumble upon Leonardo da Vinci painting the Mona Lisa. What happens next? Here are 2 scenes I played around with, just for fun! I stumbled through the door of the time machine. It worked! I was in an alley, in 16th century Florence, Italy. I looked down at my clothes. They fit the time period. I strolled out of the alleyway and down the street. My research said this neighborhood where I’d find Leonardo da Vinci’s studio. I followed my map to the studio, opened the door, and tiptoed inside. Leonardo called, “Sit, watch, and wait.” He continued painting. A lady sat like a statue. I knew her face, but not her name. I watched Leonardo paint. I wished I could paint like Leonardo. ***skip ahead to art lesson**** After dinner, I sat down beside Leonardo. He said, “Draw.” “I can’t.” Leonardo smiled. “Try, for me.” I did, a stick figure. Leonardo said, “That’s how all young artists begin, with lines, with sticks. Watch me.” Research how by drawing lines, check with an art teacher Day 12 Conclusion! Time for a finale. In the intro, I gave you the main idea. In the middle, I gave you the details. It’s time for a conclusion, to sum up the post and Julie’s final lesson. First thank you for taking your time to read this post. I hope it helped you set the stage for the New Year. Congratulations! You looked back at 2017, and you’re armed with the truth. You know what you learned, and best of all, you set up steps to take towards your goal. Ready, set, go! Julie’s final piece of advice is from Jane Yolen’s Take Joy. Basically, it’s that simple, take time to take joy. Enjoy the view. Stop and smell the roses. All synonyms, all clichés, and all true. Enjoy your journey through 2018! Here’s to the voyage! It’s the end of an old year, the beginning of a new one. It’s a good time to look back and see how things have changed. This picture is from my first post, Swimming with Dolphins, 11/16/16. I had 25 visits back then. Last week I had over 600. My best day was over 300, and my best week was over 800. Wow! Thank you, readers! You are so appreciated! This picture is from my post, My Achy Breaky Ankle or A Tale of Two Machines, 6/3/16. It was all about what happened when my ankle swelled, and I had trouble walking. After using 2 machines, I would up with no diagnosis, but we’d eliminated DVT (deep vein thrombosis) and broken bones. It flared up again in July. My husband got me to check for Lyme disease. I did, no Lyme. Only a suggestion to see a Rheumatologist. Two x-rays later, I had the answer…osteoarthritis…arthritis in my knees. There’s nothing tp do about it, but, it’s nice to know what it is. Now I avoid stairs as much as possible. In December, I got a tip from my family doctor—use shoes with arch support. That I can do that! Here’s to living with osteoarthritis! With today’s medicine, maybe they’ll come up with something tomorrow to make my knees ache less. Here’s to hope! This post is from 7/10/17, Tracing Rinda’s Roots. I wrote about never seeing a picture of my grandmother and namesake, Rinda, till middle school. Last July a cousin sent me this picture. I had to guess who’s in it. From left to right, Grandma Rinda, Leo, Mary, Grandpa Richard, Opal Lee, and Grant. My mother and her next-older brother aren’t there…they haven’t been born yet. The only one who’s still alive is my Uncle Leo. Seeing my grandparents so young, and my uncles/aunts as children, it’s priceless! But…it gets better! After posting this on the website, the most amazing thing happened, and it’s been happening ever since. Can you guess? The picture is your clue. If you guessed this picture shows up every time I turn on my computer, you’re right! I think it’s amazing, after spending so much of my life never seeing my grandmother, now I see her every day. It feels like a miracle, from Rinda 1.0 to her granddaughter 2.0. It’s lovely! This is the most recent post, 12/4/17, DIY Your Own Crafts. It was a show-tell-and-teach you how to DIY some of my favorite crafts. My favorite crafts were in Christmas boxes, and I knew I wouldn’t get them out for a couple weeks…So, yes, I planned to do this update! These crafts mean the most to me because they were either done for my kids, or made by them. My son Alex made the Christmas tree in 1st grade (it’s on the back). It was a simple school project, plastic frame, paper tree colored by my son, and his picture. Simple, timeless, precious! My kind of craft! I made the red-and-green stocking for my 2nd class of 2nd graders. I didn’t do it for my 1st class. I was pregnant and didn’t know if it was a boy or girl, so it HAD to be my 2nd class. My colleagues talked me into painting. I…HATE…PAINTING! They said it’d be easy-peasy. I was so scared, but I did it! I got the wooden sock from a craft fair. I did all the painting and lettering. I practiced on Alex’s. So if you got a stocking from me, it was Christmas, 1987, and you were my 2nd set of 2nd graders. It was the only year I dared to paint, no LOL! (Obviously this isn’t my kind of craft, LOL, this time!) These are 3 class projects. The top one is my favorite. Ashley made it at school. I love how they recycled the puzzle pieces, but I was never willing to paint with 2nd graders. YUCK! I made the other 2 with my class. These were my samples. They came from Oriental Trading. Their projects are individually packaged, easy to make, and look great. Even the messiest kid can make a neat one. That’s why I made the switched. Easy, simple, and always neat. My kind of project! These are my favorite ornaments. My mother made them with my kids when they were little, and she was their babysitter. I loved it so much I made it with my classes. It was easy! My kind of project! I used a basic bell pattern. The kids traced the pattern onto cardboard and covered it with foil. We took pictures and glued them down. We added glitter, punched holes, and added a string. The only drawback was is the mess. Glitter + Kids = A Mess…but you wind up with projects the kids are proud of. That’s priceless too! PS- Do all glitter in a cardboard lid, and there’s only a teeny-tiny mess. This trick also works if you let kids decorate cookies with sprinkles. Kids loved it too! 1. What is the author’s purpose? 2. Which visit would you like to have? Why? Answers are at the end of this post. Would you like a new language arts lesson for December, or for those short weeks in January and February? It’s hard to run your regular routine. Why not take a break, and do something different? Sit, relax, and I’ll teach your class about writing from my pre-published/retired teacher perspective. I offer variations in classroom visits, and I can tailor one for you. The pictures in this post are from grades K-3. I love seeing kids interested in learning! I hope to visit grades 4 and 5 this year. I sub in grades PK-4. After 33 years in second grade, it’s fun to go someplace new! Options for Classroom Visits: 1. This is from the slideshow of my writing journey. It starts when I met a bat, the mammal kind, in Germany. Really! If interested we can act out the true bat story.That experience gave me my first two books. They’re both in my computer, waiting for me to return for them when I have other books published. Why? An editor told me that bat stories don’t have legs. No LOL! They sell best before and after Halloween. After that they just take up shelf space. Now I’m spending my time primarily on 3 stories that have legs and will sell anytime. 2. With grades 1-4, we can transform my journey into a common core writing lesson. As I tell my story, I’ll pause for your students to map out what they want to remember. They can do an opinion about my visit or write informative/explanatory/narrative passages about my journey. I can match common core expectations for your grade level to each kind of writing. I’ll tailor my visit to fit the needs and interests of your students. 3. Want a different focus? I can introduce you to the authors who’ve critiqued my work. They helped me grow as a writer. I’ll bring along their autographed books and pictures to share. 4. I can also show you what a real, live critique looks like on paper, and what “getting pages” looks like. I meet once a month with a critique group in Tennessee. I’ll show you how they look at my work. My conference critiques look a little different. I also have two full critiques of my middle grade chapter book. I’m glad to show your how students constructive criticism benefits me. I’ll link it to what you do every day. You, are their best critic. 5. Would your class like to visit another culture? I can bring in my German or English journals. They have words, pictures, even money. If interested, we can complete a Venn diagram to compare/contrast the two cultures. You can stop there, or turn it into a writing opportunity. If you look closely at the slide above, you’ll see a monument called the Hermannsdenkmal, or Herman monument. I didn’t think my own bat story was enough, so I dragged in Herman and discovered two things…I overshot the mark and wrote a chapter book, not a picture book. I also learned that I am enough. The second book is my mostly true bat story, embellished to make an early chapter book for young readers. I also have books I’ve brought back from Germany. Most are translated and will show your students German grammar structure, pronunciation, and meaning. Who knows, maybe we’ll even speak a little German before I leave! How about a German Christmas? I can refresh the lesson I did for my second graders. I’ll double check my accuracy with a German teacher who’s one of my Beta readers to see if I missed anything. I’m hoping they’ll do a Christmas post for me. Fingers crossed 6. Do you have students who don’t want to edit their writing? They won’t listen to you. Let me do a lesson with them. Sometimes hearing the same words from a stranger makes a difference. I just need a draft. We’ll read through it and look for errors. I critique my own work this way, and I got this strategy from an agent at an SCBWI conference. (SCBWI- Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) This picture is from a lesson I did with third graders. They were brave about sharing their work and taking constructive criticism. They also received a small prize from me for sharing and correcting mistakes. Every student improved their final copy. I hope they remembered my advice for their next draft, and eventually for 3rd grade testing, where proofreading/editing are critical skills 7. For older classes, would you and your students like to see how I edit? I used color last year to push a middle grade story I’d worked on for 6 years. I was told it was flat and couldn’t believe it! 6 years! My Nashville critiquer in September said it was missing sensory and emotional information. Highlighting helped me find what was there, and what was missing. It worked! The same author reread my first two chapters in May and said it was right on track. Hurray! She also showed me how to shrink a manuscript down to1 page per chapter. It’s another way to find those holes in your work. It’s better to find and correct my own work. If I’m querying an editor or agent, I’ll get a polite thanks, but no thanks! I could reverse this strategy to help a reader understand a chapter book. I’d be glad to give it a whirl with your class. If interested, let me know. I have some ideas on how to do this with a published books. 8. This is my blog. I can do a reading lesson for you on any post. They come with questions before, and answers after each one. In presentations, I can target author’s purpose, main idea, supporting detail, whatever skills your students need to practice. To see available posts, check my Pinterest boards. My blogs are posted for Social Studies, Science, and Language Arts. I also matched each post to Ohio science and social studies strands. If you live outside of Ohio, I hope they’re similar for you. 9. Would your class like to build a post with me? We can use any topic you’ve studied. I just need pictures for the post. We can work together- before/during/after my visit- to edit words and pictures. When done, I’ll post them on my web page. I’ll list your class and your school as my co-authors. No matter which visit you choose, I’ll talk to your students about persistence like no one else can. I’ve been on my writing journey for 10 years, and still no published books, yet. To be a writer, I’ve learned not to be discouraged with critiques. I take the advice that makes sense to me, and I use it to grow. I also make sure I enjoy the journey. Stay tuned a for future post, A Little Help from My Friends. I’ll introduce you to my writing friends from SCBWI who’ve helped and encouraged me along the way. They’re the best! I also make sure I enjoy the journey. Stay tuned a for future post, A Little Help from My Friends. I’ll introduce you to my writing friends from SCBWI who’ve helped and encouraged me along the way. They’re the best! What Can I Do for You? Think School Visit! 1. What is the author’s purpose? My author’s purpose was to convince you and your teacher to schedule an author visit with me. 2. Which visit would you like to have? Why? Example: I’d like to have Rinda help me edit my writing. I want to learn how to catch my own mistakes, before my teacher can. 1. What inspired Jesse to serve in the military? 2. Name two ways Jesse is living the stories of the men and women from the VFW hall. Eleven are listed in the post. 3. Name one way you can serve your school or your community. Answers are at the end of this post This is my Facebook friend, Jesse. He’s a West Point grad, army lieutenant, and Afghanistan veteran. For Veteran’s Day I wanted to do something from a military point of view, so I asked Jesse. This is Jesse in action, on patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He paused for a photo with 2 other soldiers, but he said there’s more to a being a soldier than going on patrol. I googled military jobs. There are 150, ranging from cook to dentist to mechanic. When I interviewed Jesse, I was surprised to learn he never wanted to be a soldier. That sounds like me. I’m a principal’s daughter, and I never wanted to be a teacher. Jesse and I should never have said never. Everything changed for Jesse when he competed in the Voice of Democracy contest in high school. You can compete too. Contact your local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) for details. You start at the local level. If you do well enough, you go to nationals and can earn up to $30,000 for college. That’s a nice chunk of change! When Jesse competed in 2010, America had been at war for 10 years. He wasn’t interested in a military career, but, listening to local veterans inspired him. It changed him, forever. I had to ask how. How could talking to a bunch of old men/women change your mind? Jesse answered, that as he listened, he heard a common thread, that military service was the defining point in their lives. Not only did these people come of age, they became civically aware in a way he’d never seen before. These veterans were actively involved in their communities, finding problems and solving them. They were leaders in their communities. They made a difference, and for Jesse, this contest was a defining moment in his life. I wanted this to be Jesse’s story so I asked what he’d like to say. He answered, “Being a soldier is more than wearing 60 pounds of body armor and carrying an assault rifle. It’s a commitment to others, to the left and the right, to the idea of America, and the ideas that make America unique. This commitment stays with you after you’ve served and takes on a different form. The veterans you see in your community, are inspired by their service to continue serving others.” Then he said, “I’m living the stories of the old men and women in the VFW hall.” I asked how. How are you like those men from WWII, Korea, or Vietnam? He answered: - Those veterans talked about tough times spent away from home. - Time spent navigating army bureaucracy to get the things you or your men needed. - In dangerous settings, looking out for the guy to your left, and your right. - Jumping out of planes to complete a mission. - Marching towards an enemy you’ve never seen or met, because you are committed to the mission, and to the people around you. - Riding in an armored vehicle that opens to a blast of sand and mud huts poking up out of a desert. You see fields where villagers eke out a living. You’re here because your commitment required it, whether you’re welcome, or not. - You meet kids who might throw rocks at you one day, then ask for candy and pens the next. They use limited English and their hands to communicate. - You return to the base to talk with your buddies about what you’ve seen and heard, happy to see another day. - You’re rudely awakened by rockets attacking your base. - You eat poor army food, disgusting but edible, whether they’re from a cafeteria or MRE (meal ready to eat). BTW, they even come with a heating element. - Some nights you sleep in the open air, looking at the stars, but ready for action. Wow, I can’t imagine living this life. I always thought teaching was hard, at least the way I did it. I gave of myself every day for my students. Looking back, it was the only way I could be the teacher I wanted to be. But, as tough as teaching was, it does not compare to what our military does every day. So today, and all days when you see a soldier or a veteran, please think why you’re thankful for their service. Be specific. If you’re in doubt, pick a fact from this post that means something to you. So, I’ll finish by saying, “Jesse, thank you for your service, for giving your time and talent to the mission, instead of taking an easier route.” There’s More to a Soldier, More to a Veteran 1. What inspired Jesse to serve in the military? He was inspired by meeting and talking to veterans while competing in the Voice of Democracy Contest. 2. Name two ways Jesse is living the stories of the men and women from the VFW hall. - Those veterans talked about tough times spent away from home. - Time spent navigating army bureaucracy to get the things you or your men needed. 3. Name one way you can serve your school or your community. Example: I can help at school by working with students who’re having trouble on a paper. I can help my community by cleaning up trash I see in my neighborhood. |
AuthorWhen I write, I can only have one voice in my head, mine. A little noise is fine. But too much, or worse yet, WORDS, and I must change rooms or pull out headphones. Then I can write on! Categories
All
|