Again, Thankful

Wow! Good to Go just finished our annual “Willamae Branson Trip” and what a hoot it was! We spent a couple days visiting Branson in which we laughed, ate, saw some shows, laughed a bunch more, ate even more and saw even more shows! As I reflected on the genuine friendship, kindness and helpfulness of the 54 travelers that joined us, I paused several moments thinking how thankful I am.

Let me fill in the blanks, just in case you’ve never been on a Branson Christmas trip with Willamae. Our tours depart the Grove Senior Center where the good folks there allow our travelers to park their vehicles for the trip duration. We then take off for Branson Miz-er-y, a three-hour trek to a favorite, group-friendly destination located in the Ozarks. Long-time travelers know the drill and after some homemade goodies, then it’s time to deck the halls or in this case, the bus, with tinsel, garlands and Christmas ornaments.  This year’s theme was “Willamae’s Star Gazin’ Christmas in Branson” so we made our own big stars for decorations. The  Good to Go Gang was laughing, taping, and working on the stars. It’s fun to make new memories with new friends, and of course, remember stories from years past.  I’m thankful for a great group of travelers we call “friends” but really are more like our travel family.

Eating our first of several meals immediately on arrival, I was thankful to see how quickly the handful of new travelers were engaged in conversation and made to feel welcome by those who’ve taken the Willamae Branson Christmas trip year after year after year. I’m also thankful that we have so much fun, travelers want to go… year after year after year!

As we watched the Pierce Arrow show, I was reminded how fortunate we are to have the talented musicians, singers and comedians… without resorting to off-color jokes, innuendos and inappropriate 4-letter words. Good, clean wholesome entertainment that had our gang clapping, laughing and singing along. We all got a bit nostalgic at the Andy William’s Christmas Show as they showed video of their 60 years(!) in show business.  We were impressed with the seemingly ageless Lennon Sisters, and Merrill Osmond, all of whom are still wonderful entertainers. Age is so much about one’s spirit and not the birthdays. I love bringing out the “kid” in people. We had quite an age range on the trip. Knowing the entertainment and trip choices would be appropriate for everyone is another thing for which I am thankful.

I’m thankful for good friends in the travel business from all over the United States and on this particular trip, we got to see a good friend and have some fun. Laura Hollingsworth with First Partners out of South Dakota were also on a Branson trip. We were pleasantly surprised to see her come running over to say hello before the show “Wonderland” at the King’s Theater. Willamae had entertained in South Dakota for their travel club several years back and, well, it’s kinda hard to miss Willamae when she’s around! During the show, the much-older-sister Julia and I went out to their bus and since friend Gina Casey had bought us some brand-spankin’ new decorations, we used our leftover decorations to decorate their bus. Swearing their bus driver to secrecy (for awhile, at least), we got to giggle and enjoy watching their travelers return to a festive atmosphere onboard their motorcoach. I’m thankful we were able to, in such a seemingly simple gesture, “make their day”.

And Laura made our day, too. She called and said they were wondering what they could do to repay our kindness. The Good to Go Gang beamed with pride when it was revealed that Laura’s bus had decided to “pay it forward” and use those decorations to adorn another bus before heading back to South Dakota. I’m thankful when people take the time to brighten the lives of others.

As we head into the final four weeks of the holiday season, culminating in the celebration of Christmas and ringing in the New Year, I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve been blessed with, the many friends I’ve made along the way, and a great group of travelers … the Good to Go Gang.

Thankful

Our tour of Peru ended too soon. The camera in my mind and my physical camera are overflowing with images that I will enjoy revisiting. Though I won’t remember a hundredth of what I’ve experienced, I will forever remember how I felt. The majestic beauty of ruins of ancient Machu Picchu, the bizarre life of living on floating reed islands in Lake Titicaca, the simple, sweet gesture of a momma opening up the outer folds of her wrap to show us her tiny babe. The people are always what I remember. The passion they exhibit when showing us their city or corner of the world makes me wonder if I could display the same emotion for a foreign visitor.

Son Caleb and I had the chance to “recover” from our tour of Peru with a mini vacation to Dominica Republic. Niece Jena Beth was celebrating her one year anniversary at a resort in Punta Cana. Her husband Jared had to depart for work, and since we were “in the neighborhood”, we flew in to do some sun and sand time before returning to the real world. It was a perfect plan.

Sprawling on lounge chairs with palm trees waving overhead, we discussed alpacas and Incas and the merits of powdery soft beaches. Our resort seemed to have a million employees and each one made me think they were happy to have a job. Remember this island suffered a huge blow during the hurricanes this fall. When I asked taxi drivers and hotel staff about the damage, they were proud to report that the repairs had been done quickly and tourists weren’t inconvenienced. This is an island coming into the world in a big way with old and new literally across the street from each other. Driving into Punta Cana, a tiny home caught my eye. More of a shack, the blue abode had laundry dangling on a wire from the roof to a tree limb. There were a couple of goats tied under the same tree. I glanced in other directions around this tiny home and saw several giant retail box stores looming a stone’s throw away. The contrast was hard to wrap my mind around.

Hopefully we travel to experience a different world; otherwise it would be easier to stay home. I was reminded on this tour of a few things we take for granted everyday of our all American lives. One, hot water. Just to expect hot water to be available from any tap is a gift. The bonus is soap and a towel. #Thankful Two, being able to flush toilet paper. Maybe TMI, but much of the world does not have the septic systems that we enjoy. Waste bins are overflowing and someone has to handle that trash removal. Before you gag, remember to be thankful for your sewer. #Thankful Three, money. I try to follow my own advice and use my debit card in an ATM to get some local currency for “walking around money”. I withdrew over 600 Peruvian Soles to stick in my wallet. It hit me that was about half a local teacher’s monthly salary. It was about $200 US. Walking around money for most of us. #Thankful

I saw the world through my son’s eyes. We laughed and got tears and experienced something that had purpose and meaning. We planned it and made it happen. It was wonderful. In this season of thanksgiving, I’m blessed to travel and hopefully I can share my experiences with readers, for this I’m thankful. #Thankful

Waterfront property in Peru

We are still packing around Peru. It’s hard to describe the changing landscape as we wind throughout the country, but I’m going to try. The big bucket list check-off is Machu Picchu, of course. We all want to see that majestic mountain shrouded in clouds and we will get there.  But there is a way to approach this world of high altitudes and thin air and the key is: slowly. Getting acclimated is the toughest part and tourists are wise to work their way up the altimeter and then come down to do the strenuous mountain for the sake of adjustment. We did just that and spent some fantastic days seeing lesser known areas in this remote part of South America.

Are there llamas and alpacas running everywhere? Yes… and no. They do look wild roaming the rocky fields and occasionally on the roadway, but they are owned by someone and are attended to. Look a bit closer and you can spot the shepherdess close by, a gathered felt skirt decorated with colorful embroidery and a hand-made sweater. The ladies head wear changes from area to area. Historically one could identify the community a woman was from and her position in it based on her hat. All seem to be several sizes too small and just perch on the top of their heads. Doesn’t look too practical or comfortable but it’s traditional. Peruvian men also have a traditional look wearing brightly knitted caps with long ear flaps that cover the cheeks and end in yarn tassels. Motifs from the   Incan world such as snakes, pumas and, of course, llamas decorate their woven wear.

It might surprise you to know Peru is an entire country engineered with terraces. We will get to those steps at Machu Picchu but we will see them every day and everywhere. Miles of raised beds for agriculture marching up slopes and hillsides. Families are still tilling the earth with primitive tools. We see men walking behind oxen making a furrow that another family member will come along and drop in a corn seed or potato eye. One of our tour members volunteers to do a bit of cultivating with the pair of bovine. We think he might be getting it until the plow comes out of the ground and the bulls feel the slack and head toward the house. Someone will have to re-plow that row. Not many tractors here but I spy one in a shed built onto the front of the house. In fact, the shed is bigger than the house.

The area of Lake Titicaca is the stuff National Geographic is made of. By sheer volume of water and the surface area it covers, this “highest navigable lake in the world” is also the largest in South America. We are 90 miles from Bolivia on a 3305 square mile fresh water lake at an altitude of 12500 feet. Farmers cultivate the shallows as the water is low. Native fish are small here but they have begun trout farming using Canadian trout. We enjoy the prosperity that tourism can bring for a family hosted lunch. We eat outdoors dining on fresh foods from the garden while overlooking the lake. This was more than “farm to table” this was “table on the farm.”

We made our way to the shoreline where our charter boat would cruise around some of the 92 floating islands.  These indigenous people have created their own waterfront properties by using the reeds that grow in the water. They constantly replace the stalks as their  homes sit atop these tiny isles. They bundle the porous plants in long logs that become beautiful boats for transportation. The houses look like illustrations from a fairy tale book. We see some solar powered lights but cooking is done over an open fire. I can only wonder how they keep the babies from crawling off the edge. There are even schools and markets floating along in the system. Life is definitely different here at the top of the world. But that’s the wonderful thing about traveling and enjoying the many cultures we humans have created on this earth. One can experience all the differences while being simultaneously being reminded of our similarities as well.

There is so much to see, hear, smell, taste and experience here it can tend to overwhelm your senses. When you decide to visit, plan on spending more than a day or two. You’ll want the time to fully absorb those differences and similarities.

Peru in My Passport

I’m in the same time zone with you, but I’m worlds away. Son Caleb and I are on a long overdue trip together. We have stamped a few passport pages down though the years and this time it was his pick of destinations. So we landed in Lima, Peru and joined other travelers on a two-week discovery tour in Peru. Yes, it’s true, even when I’m on vacation, I do what I do for a living, that’s how much I believe in the value of group tours!

While in Lima we visited one of the top museums in the world, the Museo Larko. Started by a young man of 25, his personal collection of over 45,000 artifacts is impressive. The items were recovered from his family’s land and the discovery led to the development of a timeline of history from the Incas. I know a lot of people don’t get too jazzed over museums, but the sheer number in this collection is overwhelming. On display in a glass case was several ceremonial items that were used in the belief it would gain favor with their Inca gods. It’s a bit hard in the 21st century to think of a culture that believed in the cult of the dead.

They communicated with the underworld and the world above where the gods lived. Elaborate funerals included offerings and sacrifices. Rites for the passing must be performed in order to ensure that their dead leaders would be transformed into ancestors that would secure a better life for them. Fancy drinking vessels and woven fabrics were placed with the dead. Of course there are many cultures that practice preparing their deceased with “stuff” they might need in the afterlife. The Chinese included an army (Terra Cotta Warriors), the Egyptians packed a lunch (Pyramids). I stared into that display and realized the only ones that benefited from the lavish send off were the grave robbers that looted the tombs.

Another fact stirred my imagination. Looking at ancient dress of a wealthy ruler, the garment was covered in squares of gold the size of business cards. There were golden earrings, and a nose ring, and mouth piece that hid expressions. A huge impressive headdress topped it off. We’ve seen images of these great Incan gods, but the small description placard noted something I’d never considered before. It said that in our present day, brightness comes as no surprise to us, we are surrounded by things that shine like lights and mirrors.

Over two thousand years ago, the only shiny things to be seen by an ordinary person was the moon and the stars. With the discovery of gold and silver, the governing elite took control of the mining production. Jewelers enjoyed a very important place in the society as they were commissioned to decorate the ruler to look like heaven. Addressing the people in a shimmering gown from the top of a pyramid must have been very awe inspiring. Only the stars in the heavens did this, and the ordinary people couldn’t understand how one could shine so brightly, they must be gods on earth. They bowed to their power. Throw in the element of sound like pounding drums, and it demanded attention.

Fine metals and precious stones went from being things dug from the dirt of the earth to status symbols. The placard stated the European inhabitants have (and still do) place a great value on precious metals in the terms of economic importance. But if we can put aside our western world understanding to see how in Peru, in this ancient time, natural elements that had no economic worth, they were shiny and bright, came to be valued.

I’m way over simplifying, but it seems we still make gods out of the bling and bright, the ones that pull our attention and get us to bow to their perceived greatness. Deep thoughts huh? Tomorrow I’m going to go look at llamas.