tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65285074904903381442024-03-05T06:54:48.525-08:00Toulouse on the LooseNina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-34619094394976442932018-08-07T22:27:00.000-07:002018-08-07T23:11:26.433-07:00Getting Salty in Point Roberts<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy22J43rKY00RvqYDVCQwfeAyePJLx6PVW0bYBhRAwKCLaW99bVJMzdiek3G8UBNi0iqWi_tOPxExxUWrN4w_LUqgdcmjmQ0pashM9xifAPfsYvnKnSpZ8j5Xk9_zccy3ADvfBFMhFGew/s1600/Point+Roberts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1159" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy22J43rKY00RvqYDVCQwfeAyePJLx6PVW0bYBhRAwKCLaW99bVJMzdiek3G8UBNi0iqWi_tOPxExxUWrN4w_LUqgdcmjmQ0pashM9xifAPfsYvnKnSpZ8j5Xk9_zccy3ADvfBFMhFGew/s320/Point+Roberts.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Point Roberts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 13.5pt;">I managed to make it out to Canada’s west
coast the same time good friend and writer Nina was visiting with her friend
Anne in Ladner. I joined them and we weren’t there long when Margaret, another old
friend and </span><i style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;">voyageur</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 13.5pt;">, called us to
adventure.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did we want to cross the border? she asked.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nina and I shared a knowing glance. Was Margaret referring to that intellectual hinterland that declared an environmental blitzkrieg? Nina asked. She is an ecologist and strong proponent of the environment. Nina also writes eco-fiction and climate fiction. The current rapacious U.S. administration's disrespectful and ill-treatment of the environment has driven her out of principle to boycott that country.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRi7tU0blhW0jJApMdkX9DugfZxTD-yvQUWXhUtNaM8NPel3ZPI4B4Uw3mfWvGpVmuSaiNg2XAkP9X8ogoPtTjpqzCB3lKoGjGDELAHb6Ocs3tIZBLqs8IxEiY-vBpD88J0grm23Z2MY0/s1600/point-roberts2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="520" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRi7tU0blhW0jJApMdkX9DugfZxTD-yvQUWXhUtNaM8NPel3ZPI4B4Uw3mfWvGpVmuSaiNg2XAkP9X8ogoPtTjpqzCB3lKoGjGDELAHb6Ocs3tIZBLqs8IxEiY-vBpD88J0grm23Z2MY0/s320/point-roberts2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;">"No," Margaret answered. "Point Roberts."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;">We exchanged another look; cute off from the rest of the United States, Point Roberts was practically Canadian, given that it was an isolated peninsula off Canada and once even considered seceding from the U.S. to join Canada. Wikipedia describes it as a "pend exclave" of United States, located on the southernmost tip of the Twawwassen Peninsula, south of Vancouver, B.C. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQdDmfLze5WXqYMXeHU2V-DcxsSK3OmfxOG9FO-1xGJlQj6j03_yGKJsm3Sl1wh6v78Qx7UejPAxTjKEEJkqcCvI-8NIfKNF9lQ-kdWTlJQUl_HpFnBcJzOyFTy0dQeanWkfPOZPAiRk/s1600/SeabrightFarm-stairs-ocean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQdDmfLze5WXqYMXeHU2V-DcxsSK3OmfxOG9FO-1xGJlQj6j03_yGKJsm3Sl1wh6v78Qx7UejPAxTjKEEJkqcCvI-8NIfKNF9lQ-kdWTlJQUl_HpFnBcJzOyFTy0dQeanWkfPOZPAiRk/s320/SeabrightFarm-stairs-ocean.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabright Farm Stairs to the ocean</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;">Point Roberts gets its name from Captain Vancouver, who named it after his friend Henry Roberts. It was officially declared part of the United States in 1849, when the Oregon Treaty extended the 49th parallel as the boundary between the U.S. and British territory (which Canada was at the time) from the Rocky Mountains to Georgia Strait.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;">After thinking it over, we replied, "Sure!" We were eager for adventure, after all. Something that might get our feet wet or us lost then found. Something big ... or small. Something outside then inside...</span><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi452dIAd-U-70q_5Lk6WwLBbRjAqDOrEfYd7Uop47cLz_XGW9o3o61XfKS9UuaWNrz7lfYQrCmphdCjcQmlWyzCTj2bM5WeNGZlF4joqTMkI9_s69b6lg33iC-AjmuB2-vicD9YfO4FuA/s1600/point-roberts-street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="550" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi452dIAd-U-70q_5Lk6WwLBbRjAqDOrEfYd7Uop47cLz_XGW9o3o61XfKS9UuaWNrz7lfYQrCmphdCjcQmlWyzCTj2bM5WeNGZlF4joqTMkI9_s69b6lg33iC-AjmuB2-vicD9YfO4FuA/s320/point-roberts-street.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boundary Bay community</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;">So, we went on walkabout ... well, drive-about, to be precise. We drove into that sleepy American community of 1300 or so people, looking to discover something or someplace.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;">After an uneventful border crossing, we drove along Boundary Bay Road through a sleepy community of cottages that faced the bay. From there we drove to Lighthouse Marine Park for a walk along the ocean shore, where we picked up whelks strewn on the pebble beach and watched a purse seining boat put out its net. The day was sunny but not overly hot. A cool sea breeze brought the smell of brine and seaweed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBcCuFKa8Lhafs2khUHr9bGsDio5v7UWrZXYwe74Du-0EI2Kf5JqXiiwPOEW6ZXw56l-WmMVZSqKi5Rz3vpbR0W_7RyFrDiveNO6Mm_1Q9Xp-OuOx7cbQlz6ifpiC0XUXidBT2CPZlwg/s1600/SaltwaterCafe-TamraHansen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1311" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBcCuFKa8Lhafs2khUHr9bGsDio5v7UWrZXYwe74Du-0EI2Kf5JqXiiwPOEW6ZXw56l-WmMVZSqKi5Rz3vpbR0W_7RyFrDiveNO6Mm_1Q9Xp-OuOx7cbQlz6ifpiC0XUXidBT2CPZlwg/s320/SaltwaterCafe-TamraHansen.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tamra Hansen, owner and chef</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;">I was soon peckish from the sun and sea air. We retraced out steps to a charming cafe with outdoor patio for lunch and settled on the back patio. Saltwater Cafe has been around for a while; long enough to have plenty of character both inside and outside. The current owner has been there over 17 years. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;">We decided on two platters to share: the Wedge and the Charcuterie Plate. Both were exquisitely presented and thoroughly enjoyed over Moscow Mules (Vodka, spicy ginger beer and lime juice) and lively discussion that excluded politics.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;">Owner and chef Tamra Hansen--also a Canadian--uses local ingredients for the rotating menu based on what's in season. We know, because when Nina entered to get two coffees, we overheard Tamra instructing on of the servers to being in some lavender from their garden (for the Lavender Mojito--one of their signature drinks). That's fresh!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;">The Saltwater website tells it this way:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DFGaRiTNwGtJNGugNbxoB1K0WahSU8rHXS7I78_FWPlQ80JxFd5sj6VoWT2ggrFCkjx6PVt7TB_Vk-rM1Sf7Fti_HGi8jSlTGvAd2D3OihYNX6VpWlG1yXbn1orAsDnwJ77CudKqYuw/s1600/charcouterie01close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="883" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DFGaRiTNwGtJNGugNbxoB1K0WahSU8rHXS7I78_FWPlQ80JxFd5sj6VoWT2ggrFCkjx6PVt7TB_Vk-rM1Sf7Fti_HGi8jSlTGvAd2D3OihYNX6VpWlG1yXbn1orAsDnwJ77CudKqYuw/s320/charcouterie01close.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charcuterie Plate</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;">"Located on Gulf Road, in Point Roberts, Saltwater Cafe is the establishment we've longed to create. After starting and operating a large number of successful restaurants both locally and nationally, we decided to settle back in Point Roberts and open something close to our hearts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;">"Out menu is inspired by authentic cooking and the diverse flavours of the Pacific Northwest, made utilizing local ingredients gathered by Chef and owner, Tamra Hansen. We have a huge range of rotating specials depending on the season, featuring BBQ, wood fired pizzas, sandwiches and more! In addition to our specials we have tons of delicious cakes, muffins and pastries. Find them all lined up on the bar as you walk in. We also have a 'pick your own' sweet counter, great for kids and big kids alike."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;">Here's what Nina, Margaret and I had from the menu that day:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcqxn25ben2nG1BYnrDPXx6KBIa6lApMOsBOSnaaqixDqrhm1r6AggMN0k_xt78OSGsuaebj2duQkqBDNLxS3tgSpo7YhqL3dWYRg64F3ZZ4chF21ie6qTv0jQX0GAxSgsADPdCA9Bq6g/s1600/MoscowMule+drink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1402" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcqxn25ben2nG1BYnrDPXx6KBIa6lApMOsBOSnaaqixDqrhm1r6AggMN0k_xt78OSGsuaebj2duQkqBDNLxS3tgSpo7YhqL3dWYRg64F3ZZ4chF21ie6qTv0jQX0GAxSgsADPdCA9Bq6g/s320/MoscowMule+drink.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moscow Mule</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><b>Moscow Mules:</b> vodka, spicy ginger beer, fresh squeezed lime juice and mulled lime.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><b>Charcuterie Plate: </b>assorted gourmet cheeses and meats, served with nuts, fresh figs and other seasonal fruit with a side of freshly baked bread.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: medium;"><b>The Wedge:</b> iceberg lettuce wedge, crispy apple with bacon, grape tomatoes, blue cheese crumbles, garlic vinaigrette, blue cheese drizzle and asiago cheese.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqzk6buv55Seys2luccrf7XivUa22wYpXlF1mmAHHsuUqmGWisDTxG7miIuOWHhKBY0ZTM7ERozjzCSFhp1WVQRyTJJ7SlDsA96zvJxJlT1miNZtrM6r6Hsbuu2OCjtQlk33vKEhtnw4/s1600/SaltwaterCafe-outside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1404" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqzk6buv55Seys2luccrf7XivUa22wYpXlF1mmAHHsuUqmGWisDTxG7miIuOWHhKBY0ZTM7ERozjzCSFhp1WVQRyTJJ7SlDsA96zvJxJlT1miNZtrM6r6Hsbuu2OCjtQlk33vKEhtnw4/s320/SaltwaterCafe-outside.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">part of Saltwater Cafe garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Cafe is Open:</b><br />
Tuesday-Sunday, 8pm-4 pm<br />
Monday closed<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm;">
<b>Contact: </b><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0cm;">
1345 Gulf Road,<br />
Point Roberts, WA 98281<br />
T: 360-945-7258 (SALT)<br />
E: info@thesaltwatercafe.com</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; mso-outline-level: 4;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica"; letter-spacing: 1.5pt; text-transform: uppercase;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="382">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Hyperlink"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-87560725924577609112016-05-25T11:38:00.000-07:002016-05-25T11:38:54.049-07:00Zaza Espresso Bar & the Best Cannoli in Hillcrest Village<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRFN1Fm1SDfYmjllgFNR5sowrqoHtyZrXuWVcnVpWfZ6idh_XLTxCYkgmDnKzQiroeKv_PZnhSMMeEEprDwGeVvPXYRORyOlQt9pjMgKmDWmskF9F6detGcIDJueGblzBl3RGJDpW_ec/s1600/lunch+at+zaza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRFN1Fm1SDfYmjllgFNR5sowrqoHtyZrXuWVcnVpWfZ6idh_XLTxCYkgmDnKzQiroeKv_PZnhSMMeEEprDwGeVvPXYRORyOlQt9pjMgKmDWmskF9F6detGcIDJueGblzBl3RGJDpW_ec/s320/lunch+at+zaza.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lunch at Zaza</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was recently passing through Toronto on my way to
Vancouver and found myself at writer-friend Nina Munteanu’s current house-gig
(she is an insufferable gypsy) in the heart of Hillcrest Village—not far from
the University of Toronto, where she is currently teaching.<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She was so happy to see me. “I’ve got a nice surprise for
you,” she offered. “Well, it won’t be a surprise for long, because I’m going to
tell you about it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I nodded. She never could keep a surprise to herself for
long. This one took all of thirty seconds.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Listen to this,” Nina said, picking up a postcard with that
rather infamous eager smile of hers. I glimpsed a picture of an espresso and
cannoli—very promising indeed! “Zaza Espresso Bar,” she read to me, “is a place
where you can enjoy the warmth, energy & passion of a typical Italian
espresso bar in your own neighbourhood!” She winked at me. “I thought of you
right away. And now, here you are!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve always had impeccable timing. I’m Toulouse, the Cool
Travel Cat, after all. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People underestimate a stuffed cat. They think we exist
outside the parameters of time. In a way, they’re right and that’s why our
little stuffed insides and outer shells tap very nicely into the quantum energy
entangled in the network of all that was, is, and will be. :-3<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvG-v7GKGsFbwktO8jsF8jD5x2oQZ7tCMqq-NpHxcDszN1Onk9ancZcQDIdtoEnp88jKSbc0igdyiDY1fBNBgfttoiyDarsMekQepg1_RMsKTLWE6KWp4hcVy8q8oIZVNgMWcc4pRLpk/s1600/lilac-close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvG-v7GKGsFbwktO8jsF8jD5x2oQZ7tCMqq-NpHxcDszN1Onk9ancZcQDIdtoEnp88jKSbc0igdyiDY1fBNBgfttoiyDarsMekQepg1_RMsKTLWE6KWp4hcVy8q8oIZVNgMWcc4pRLpk/s320/lilac-close.jpg" width="307" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lilacs blooming in Hillcrest Village</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was Victoria Day in Canada—the queen’s birthday—and
everyone was enjoying the warm sunshine and pleasant breeze outside. We walked
through a lovely residential area, along Davenport Road, through Hillcrest Park
then up a gently rising slope, along Turner Avenue, past stately brick and
stone homes covered in ivy, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>then up
Arlington Avenue to the top of the hill at St Clair Avenue. The walk had taken
us past small yards and gardens, some rioting with colour, others more sedate
and subdued by order. All presented a mosaic of beauty and a celebration of
Nature. We passed several lilac shrubs in full bloom. My nose twitched with
glee at the delicate scent that wafted into my very being. Robins, sparrows and
wrens chirped in a kind of chaotic harmony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0n6V0jf5YSD5uL1OMThB15UFpc_R2DHQA1Nu-wEGr8zzuQ-dSO-PtM-ZK8Okgp4KrT5Xs52GvCJWJzTmc_mThRxMmaiSIUamTf0OrcDQ3sXcis8JIUu_yso24ILKLW9ZIFnyrKDstmEk/s1600/zaza+in+patio01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0n6V0jf5YSD5uL1OMThB15UFpc_R2DHQA1Nu-wEGr8zzuQ-dSO-PtM-ZK8Okgp4KrT5Xs52GvCJWJzTmc_mThRxMmaiSIUamTf0OrcDQ3sXcis8JIUu_yso24ILKLW9ZIFnyrKDstmEk/s320/zaza+in+patio01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zaza patio</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then, like a sudden wind, we were there. Zaza! On our
approach to St. Clair, we passed a wooden fence and beyond it a
flower-festooned patio greeted us. Zaza occupies a red brick building on the
corner of Arlington and St. Clair. Fine Italian music flowed out from
inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I smiled. This is what Toronto
is famous for: the surprising little gems nested in the heart of a community
with the promise of genuine Europe. In this case, Italy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Their promotional material describes Zaza as providing “the
highest quality & decadent products in a comfortable, warm & inviting
space with attentive, accommodating & welcoming staff.” It was as if they
had little <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">moi</i> in mind! Anyone who
has the courage to juxtapose the promise of highest quality with decadence
earns my respect—if they can pull it off. And Zaza does. </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4slgi05UYODH0UvdRnd5oegEuCGZZ5oLP-mBeo82iR_reAnjlI1XraU330ig7xTG2IOKCyTKGkDQVwRKD7OOIKQzWfX2uBaeMJwg0ZRf4z2C5hNI8nitiP4SGxig8mJyu4KSitNW6fUg/s1600/Tina+and+Bojana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4slgi05UYODH0UvdRnd5oegEuCGZZ5oLP-mBeo82iR_reAnjlI1XraU330ig7xTG2IOKCyTKGkDQVwRKD7OOIKQzWfX2uBaeMJwg0ZRf4z2C5hNI8nitiP4SGxig8mJyu4KSitNW6fUg/s320/Tina+and+Bojana.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owner Tina and staffer Bojana</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tina, the current
owner has made this franchise her own with friendly competent staff and
original interior design. Zaza beans, she told me, are roasted in Italy with a
company that has more than 40 years of experience. Good beans make good coffee,
she added, but to make great coffee it takes passion, patience and experience.
Amen!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A well-stocked display of excellent gelato ice cream
beckoned as we entered. Bojana told me that it comes from Woodbridge, where
Italians make all things wonderful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over
30 enticing flavours included <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ciliegia</i>
(cherry), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fragola</i> (strawberry), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mojito</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cioccolato</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nocciola</i>
(hazelnut), nutella, and tiramisu—Ooh! La! La!</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPHqtVbmPeDH88kqx9yMxnraWGSKRfYoOngVUY4N0r7Qz14kRI4cKvPjxf0eOqy70DSe8BfibWkcm_s-H_vFxcCcRHR2bLA697daSxfkPB5hti38LBQdgHcBn4wI7TYEhrlKwrXf5TP8/s1600/canoli-creaming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPHqtVbmPeDH88kqx9yMxnraWGSKRfYoOngVUY4N0r7Qz14kRI4cKvPjxf0eOqy70DSe8BfibWkcm_s-H_vFxcCcRHR2bLA697daSxfkPB5hti38LBQdgHcBn4wI7TYEhrlKwrXf5TP8/s320/canoli-creaming.jpg" width="287" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bojana adds the filling in my cannoli</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We ordered two espressos and croissants (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cornetti</i>) with prosciutto, cheese and
arugula.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After eyeing the ice cream, my
sights landed firmly on the cannoli and I knew I would save some room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cannoli, which means “little tube”, is an
Italian pastry dessert that originates from Sicily. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Filling is piped fresh into the sugar-dusted
shells for that perfect contrast of creaminess and crispness. Fillings are
traditionally made with ricotta but can also be custard or mascarpone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We sat outside in the shade of an umbrella in the patio that
faced Arlington and watched the pedestrians come and go with flowers or daily
supplies from the grocery store across the street. Old men in hats had a
friendly argument on the street corner. Bicycles led by running dogs sped by. A
large man ambled by with a black chiwawa. Streetcars clanged along St. Clair. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nina did some crazy dance moves in her chair to the upbeat Italian music.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we finished our croissants, our eyes met
conspiratorially. The cannoli. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5izESJnY-QPvSGl9TxzM-8W4v1i3Dr-3yLjxNHefUD5h03MY2U7kOiZIclcEoxdKFO8_ordV0Pwv8pcVMaN5j2Yk9s5dgQv7hoElDwNIhq8Dk2yFiIBOsxmVJf2sXOB2131t1Ov3LOjk/s1600/canoli-dusting-bojana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5izESJnY-QPvSGl9TxzM-8W4v1i3Dr-3yLjxNHefUD5h03MY2U7kOiZIclcEoxdKFO8_ordV0Pwv8pcVMaN5j2Yk9s5dgQv7hoElDwNIhq8Dk2yFiIBOsxmVJf2sXOB2131t1Ov3LOjk/s320/canoli-dusting-bojana.jpg" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bojana dusts my cannoli</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chairs slid back and bodies moved forward and we made our way back indoors. After making me a fresh cannoli, Bojana shared that their
filling is made with ricotta cheese, lemon, sugar and chocolate chips … and
magic—perhaps it’s love. Because one bite into the pastry and cheese filling
and I was embraced with that kind of euphoria that makes you silly. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cannoli is a staple pastry in the best Italian bakeries in
Toronto. If you live in or are visiting Toronto, like me, and are looking for a
classier tour destination than all the Tim Hortons, here is a list of some of
the best Italian bakeries in the GTA that feature cannoli: Rustic Bakery; North
Pole Bakery; Francesca Italian Bakery; Bar Buca, Messina Bakery; Tre Mari
Bakery; Riviera Bakery; Nino D’Aversa; and LaManna’s Bakery.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWI0dwERd1WC1-dlIEcrDF387iY3_QHH_hAZNr3cDeilQbChc5XSMWoY9kveI2wIv0AhMJZMH6yN94Iw7OjvXS7oGPDXQiA6heqiva6LBQrSuXJZTm_UCTms1wzMDW2Ynd9I_uj3SAiw/s1600/Toulouse-Mouse-canoli01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWI0dwERd1WC1-dlIEcrDF387iY3_QHH_hAZNr3cDeilQbChc5XSMWoY9kveI2wIv0AhMJZMH6yN94Iw7OjvXS7oGPDXQiA6heqiva6LBQrSuXJZTm_UCTms1wzMDW2Ynd9I_uj3SAiw/s320/Toulouse-Mouse-canoli01.jpg" width="289" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse shares cannoli with his friend Mouse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well sated on excellent espresso and cannoli, we were about
to leave when Nina suggested that we get more cannoli to share with my good
travel friend, Mouse. I happily obliged. And Mouse was very happy I did. What
are good friends for?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.zazaespressobar.com/index.html" target="_blank">Information on Zaza Espresso Bar </a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-16296356415659196092016-05-09T19:32:00.001-07:002016-05-09T19:32:56.175-07:00The Mint Julep and the Kentucky Derby<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHCFZew8i_otips8IbsOeyiTIG8gYg4r68fkbQX3oW71HMKYnaotOgU0v4362PmLQup75P8fEmRT-D4PuXkmetxwKGTApzcNxqKeKmvPwUjBFDuufFXexkGjkjenRsJd_z7l8LlPhSKA/s1600/toulouse-pours-bourbon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHCFZew8i_otips8IbsOeyiTIG8gYg4r68fkbQX3oW71HMKYnaotOgU0v4362PmLQup75P8fEmRT-D4PuXkmetxwKGTApzcNxqKeKmvPwUjBFDuufFXexkGjkjenRsJd_z7l8LlPhSKA/s320/toulouse-pours-bourbon.JPG" width="277" /></a></div>
Kentuckians know how to enjoy a horserace. Get a good seat
at the Derby and order one of their signature mint juleps. The refreshing aromatic
spice of mint and complex bourbon whiskey rouses the palate with sunshine and
song. This “sort of snow cone for grownups” according to Ann Limpert of <i>The Washingtonian</i>, has kept Derby fans
cool since Churchill Downs racetrack opened in 1875.<div>
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The mint julep is a signature part of the Southern States
cuisine and it takes four ingredients to make it: mint, bourbon, sugar and
water. They’re usually served in a classy silver or pewter cup or tall
old-fashioned glass like a Collins glass or highball glass with a straw. The
key to a great mint julep lies in two things: decent bourbon whiskey and fresh
mint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in the right state for
bourbon (clever smile at my pun). Kentucky brews 95% of the world’s bourbon and
is, after all, known for two things: its Derby and its Bourbon. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just prior to the Derby, my good whippet friend Sparky took
me to Lynn’s Paradise Café on Barret Avenue in the Highlands. We enjoyed a
gourmet sandwich with a superb mint julep inside this funky retro-fifties
restaurant from another dimension. For a whippet, Sparky sure gets around. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Enchanted with this festive icy cocktail, I suggested that we
go back to Sparky’s place and make our own. He readily agreed and took me to
his favorite friendly liquor store on Bardstown Road to buy a good bourbon. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kentucky Bourbon<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4eCFSm2Mf1mqaWghMXNmbEdgGwOV2fnBQs4iYC-zcWyKyijBQ70MrYdn_6xVuZkN4nd_hiSbFiW3RD1cNSkyeg_cK2ManVJ1rg3f9AtVN18CMjSacnJrySuWzz2CKgkXYyf-rC9Xx_M/s1600/stills+kentucky+bourbon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4eCFSm2Mf1mqaWghMXNmbEdgGwOV2fnBQs4iYC-zcWyKyijBQ70MrYdn_6xVuZkN4nd_hiSbFiW3RD1cNSkyeg_cK2ManVJ1rg3f9AtVN18CMjSacnJrySuWzz2CKgkXYyf-rC9Xx_M/s320/stills+kentucky+bourbon.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copper pot stills of Woodford Reserve</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bourbon is a barrel-aged American whiskey made mainly of
corn since the 18<sup>th</sup> century. Like Champagne, Bourbon is named for
the area it was first conceived, known as Old Bourbon (now Bourbon County in
Kentucky) and after the French House of Bourbon royal family. The typical
bourbon grain mixture, called mash bill, is 70% corn mixed with wheat and/or
rye and malted barley. Yeast is added to a sour mash of ground grain and
fermented. This “wash” is then distilled into a clear spirit, which is aged in
charred white oak barrels. Bourbon gains color and flavor from the wood as it
ages. Straight bourbon has aged at least two years and received no additional
color or flavor. After aging, the bourbon is taken out of the barrel, diluted
with water and bottled to at least 80 US proof. Whiskeys up to 151 (and higher)
proof exist; they’re called barrel proof because they weren’t diluted after
they were taken out of the barrel.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The store was well stocked with fine bourbons, mostly
single-barreled. I gravitated to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buffalo
Trace</i>, drawn to its nose with a complex procession of vanilla and citrus,
and an elegant finish of sweeter vanilla joined by a dry toasty oakiness.
Meantime, Sparky was eying the 15-year old <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pappy’s
Van Winkle Family Reserve</i>. Going for $37, this complex and smooth bourbon
has an intensely fruity nose, buttery palate with complex sherry and vanilla
notes. We ended up agreeing on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Maker’s
Mark</i> for our mint julep (favored by Louis Rice and recommended by the
Washingtonian for a bourbon julep); this amber bourbon is a smooth and mellow whiskey,
with sweeter tones of honey and vanilla. And it’s perfect for sipping.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOKZc1Jgt1RaZG0-3Xcgo9V8FwsPiomTmhPs9hfSbO8azoAi9jklu3mrG-QaTJO-CELEz5uTU5xoCL8HCtlfiywKl_aBaOQZpQVzmEX0u9W_K4RwSFZpO5jGnXJR0IaGLgZJ0xdNm3qs/s1600/kentucky+bourbon+barrels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOKZc1Jgt1RaZG0-3Xcgo9V8FwsPiomTmhPs9hfSbO8azoAi9jklu3mrG-QaTJO-CELEz5uTU5xoCL8HCtlfiywKl_aBaOQZpQVzmEX0u9W_K4RwSFZpO5jGnXJR0IaGLgZJ0xdNm3qs/s320/kentucky+bourbon+barrels.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Look for a premium class sipping whiskey that is a Kentucky
Straight (aged at least two years and made entirely in Kentucky) and a single-barreled
bourbon (e.g., the bottle comes from an individual aging barrel; not a blend
from various different barrels to provide uniformity of color and taste). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon</i>, whose
bottle top is an exquisite brass jockey and rider, makes a great souvenir for
anyone traveling through. It boasts a very deep and satisfying nose, with a
start of caramel and vanilla and a “soft pepper” aftertaste. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you’re driving through Louisville Kentucky in September,
take Bardstown Road all the way to the town of Bardstown (the Bourbon Capital
of the World) for the annual Kentucky <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bourbon
Festival</i>. Sparky says he’s going. Like I said, he gets around. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kentucky Mint Julep<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiZqtr6RSkvyepu1rxmuD1bIza_JJM2pHYmjETIKy8VSP8r1bsohMFvuiH_mGfbEG0dp-NMc25WhbujZdpqjmcMwWTiOUApzYEbVrLtrg3OuUNhvDgBmWa8dhNua5yc3-d_OMIfOgNpo/s1600/toulouse-mint-julep-outside_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiZqtr6RSkvyepu1rxmuD1bIza_JJM2pHYmjETIKy8VSP8r1bsohMFvuiH_mGfbEG0dp-NMc25WhbujZdpqjmcMwWTiOUApzYEbVrLtrg3OuUNhvDgBmWa8dhNua5yc3-d_OMIfOgNpo/s320/toulouse-mint-julep-outside_edited-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The recipe for mint julep varies quite a bit among avid
julep drinkers. One of the variations is in how much the fresh mint is handled.
Some recommend that it be only lightly bruised, if at all. Others treat it like
a “smash” (as in the brandy smash and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mojito</i>),
in which the fresh mint is crushed or eagerly “muddled” to release essential
oils and juices into the bourbon and sugar to intensify the mint flavor.
Whether the mint is simply added as a garnish or crushed outright, the
intention is to introduce its flavor and aroma through the nose. This is
particularly important for those of you who are human—we can’t all be cats or
dogs, after all!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No one is certain how the mint julep came about. People
suggest that it originated in the southern United States during the eighteenth
century; Kentucky Senator Henry Clay introduced the drink to Washington, D.C.
at the Round Robin Bar in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Willard
Hotel</i>—a fitting and splashy intro for this festive cocktail. Known as the
crown jewel of Pennsylvania Avenue, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Willard</i> is Washington DC’s most celebrated historic hotel, having hosted
political and social events of consequence since it opened in 1818 and enjoyed
such notable guests as Charles Dickens, Buffalo Bill, David Lloyd George, and
Mark Twain. Clay’s mint julep was in great company! Juleps, says Jim Hewes,
bartender of the Round Robin Bar “evoke an era of hospitality and geniality,
when you were offering the best of what you had: whiskey, ice—which was hard to
come by—mint, and time.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The word “julep” actually comes from the Persian word for
rose water and is generally identified with the notion of a sweet drink. While
some people use gin in their juleps, I highly recommend bourbon-based juleps.
If you’re in Kentucky why would you miss a chance to drink this state’s most
exquisite signature spirit?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s the recipe that Sparky and I used to prepare our mint
julep:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ingredients for one
drink:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->About 20 mint leaves, plus more for garnish<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->2 tsp. sugar or 2 tsp. mint simple syrup (you
can google to find out how to make it)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->2 to 3 oz. bourbon<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Plenty of crushed ice<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Preparation:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3TM63BVSIT6GIK1Bnb55b8sNdxDAgpMOZdx26HrbxY4lbA4TJ5iit1uroJ9mhvaEVUd6oDnbuhrXH9gGTrmbfKM61ib8jRwhs6Ck5MOX-IyNjh1nXBNwspmkjePgYY_yCMMEs4XtSI0/s1600/toulouse-muddling-mint.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3TM63BVSIT6GIK1Bnb55b8sNdxDAgpMOZdx26HrbxY4lbA4TJ5iit1uroJ9mhvaEVUd6oDnbuhrXH9gGTrmbfKM61ib8jRwhs6Ck5MOX-IyNjh1nXBNwspmkjePgYY_yCMMEs4XtSI0/s320/toulouse-muddling-mint.JPG" width="317" /></a></div>
<!--[endif]-->Put mint leaves and sugar (or mint simple syrup)
in a Mint Julep cup or old fashioned glass.<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->You have two choices: 1) muddle or crush the fresh
leaves and sugar until the sugar dissolves. This will take a few minutes. Don’t
be discouraged; the sugar and mint will comingle in an exquisitely fragrant mash
worth the effort; 2) or you can infuse the leaves in the mint simple syrup, and
still muddle if you wish. We went with muddling (because we like the word).
Many suggest that you let it stand and steep for a bit to allow the broken
leaves to release their flavor. We were ok with that. We needed to rest our
tired little paws anyway. Some recipes further suggest an overnight stay in the
fridge to further infuse the mint with sugar water. O<span class="summary">nce
you’ve prepare the mint simple syrup you can store it in the fridge for several
months prior to completing steps three and four. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Fill a glass with crushed or cracked ice. Add
bourbon and stir until an icy frost develops on the outside of the glass. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Garnish with additional mint leaves (or a whole
sprig) and serve immediately.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sparky and I then settled in his back patio-deck and kicked back
this zesty sunny drink with sllloooooowww sips. I recommend good company, a
shady place outside on a sunny day where birds and the gentle rustling of the
trees can mingle with your joyful discussion over this zesty and extremely
satisfying drink. Amen!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Kentucky Derby<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Kentucky is best known for two things: its horses—with possibly more
per capita than anywhere else in the world, accordi</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ng to my Kentucky
friends—and its world-class bourbon. There is </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">no better
place or event that combines these two icons than the Kentucky Derby, called
“the most exciting two minutes in sports</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.”</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The mint julep became the official drink of the Kentucky
Derby in 1938, keeping wide-brimmed and well-heeled track-goers loose-limbed
and happy every since. Every year over a hundred thousand juleps are cheerfully
imbibed at the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks over a two day period,
virtually all of them in specially made Kentucky Derby collectible glasses,
like the one pictured here. You can, of course, escalate the derby experience
by augmenting your mint julep with a meal out of Kentucky Hot Browns and Derby
Pie. YUM! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Some Great Kentucky
Bourbons:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here are some of the best bourbons according to
BlueKitchen.net, and Greatbourbon.com: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Maker’s Mark</b>
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: an amber-colored 6-year old 90 proof
bourbon. The rye-less recipe of this mellow bourbon smooths its edges,
revealing its soft and gentle spirit. This bourbon celebrates a subtle, complex
yet clean nose with vanilla and delicate floral notes of roses, lime and cocoa
beans<a href="" name="top"></a>. This delicate and circumspect bourbon (compared to some
of its more redneck cousins) makes it perfectly suited for sipping neat or
pouring over rocks.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Buffalo Trace Straight
Bourbon:</b> a 90 proof well-rounded bourbon with initial aroma containing
elements of spice, sautéed butter and old leather gloves; sweet and almost
fruity, with sweet oak, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey tar and beeswax, ending with a
spirited and feisty finish. A good sipping bourbon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Evan Williams S.B</b>.
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Single Barrel Vintage</b>: a 9-year old
86 proof bourbon that is extremely aromatic and slightly sweeter than most.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">W.L. Weller Special
Reserve:</b> a 7-year old deep bronze 90 proof bourbon with aromas of lanolin,
almond oil and creamed corn with a long sweet oaky finish. It is most noted for
being the first “wheated” bourbon, which, like Makers Mark, removes all rye
from the formula and replaces it with wheat, making it a smoother ride down the
throat. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Woodford Reserve</b>:
a classy 90 proof bourbon that flows mellow over the tongue with a soft and
satisfying burn down the throat.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1792</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ridgemont Reserve</b>: a deep amber 8-year
old 94 proof bourbon with distinctly smooth, rich and velvety taste and complex
aromas of honeyed fruit cake and chocolate covered cherries followed by a soft
caramel, nuts and exotic peppercorn notes. This bourbon finishes with a nice
ginger and spice accented face with noticeable heat.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Basil Haydens
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey:</b> an 80 proof 8-year old bourbon that is
less heavy on the palate, owing to its lower proof.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Knob Creek:</b> a 9
year old 100 proof bourbon that, according to BlueKitchen.net, “is just what
the doctor ordered (or asked you to stay away from)”. A rich, dark and dense
bourbon that commands your mouth’s attention with every sip.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Elijah Craig</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey</b>: a 12
year old bourbon from Bardstown. Considered one of the oldest bourbons on the
market, it starts nice, with caramel and rye being most noticeable, then
finishing with a punch.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pappy Van Winkle’s
Family Reserve</b>: a 15 year old 107 proof bourbon with a fine copper color,
intense fruited nose with tantalizing citrus zest note to a long and elegant
finish. As the first drops roll over your tongue, you taste caramel and spice.
The taste evolves into a slow burn as it warms you up inside. Great straight
up. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Baker’s Kentucky
Straight Bourbon Whiskey</b>: a 7 year old 107 proof bourbon with oaky tones
that is slightly sweeter than most; good for sipping.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Fighting Cock</b>: a
6 year old 103 proof bourbon with a noticeable “rye” kick.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Booker’s</b>: a 126
proof completely uncut and unfinished bourbon; a “dangerously good” bourbon!<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-13777067618246625312016-01-19T10:45:00.000-08:002016-01-19T11:06:58.864-08:00“Poutine is one of Canada’s Blessings!”<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OI7gYrHKVjkeJhvO0dr2UeolQ0ndz_lBgnfo-oVp45fhdgRRIq_bovf8T2cV-SbiUM7vPoQCDxai4KyYdH0BoYTsNMDVXSM6aQfyQQ6ZJk8rnOM1SY8BRw2I0NCz6Faho-w0DGNrxbE/s1600/ayman-uoft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OI7gYrHKVjkeJhvO0dr2UeolQ0ndz_lBgnfo-oVp45fhdgRRIq_bovf8T2cV-SbiUM7vPoQCDxai4KyYdH0BoYTsNMDVXSM6aQfyQQ6ZJk8rnOM1SY8BRw2I0NCz6Faho-w0DGNrxbE/s400/ayman-uoft.jpg" width="328" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ayman with his poutine treasure, UofT</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">That’s what Ayman, a PhD
grad student in metallurgy at the University of Toronto (UofT) shared with me
as we huddled in the chilling cold at one of the many roadside food wagons along
St. George Street. Clutching his prize—a large container of steaming
poutine—Ayman confided that he had first discovered poutine about 6 years ago
when he came to Canada from his homeland of Egypt to study engineering at UofT.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I was on campus, located
in downtown Toronto, visiting my writing friend Nina Munteanu, who also teaches
at UofT. “Come visit me and we’ll have lunch!” she’d blithely said to me and
then proceeded to get caught up in meetings with students as I scampered around
campus in the chilling minus 20 degree cold. That’s when I spotted one of the
many food wagons that line St. George Street with steaming aromatic foods of
exotic nature—from BBC pork and vegetable on rice to Halal to hot dogs and …
well … poutine…</span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Poutine—made with French
fries and cheese curds topped with a light brown gravy—originated in Quebec.
It’s sold across Canada in small “greasy spoon” type diners (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">casse-croûtes</i> in Quebec), pubs, and
roadside chip wagons (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cabanes à patates</i>)
and is popular in hockey arenas. The dish supposedly originated in the rural
Eastern townships of Quebec in the 1950s—where and when I was born. Which may
explain my affinity for it.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0BdWE7BxUOPSsCD_G0aWMNmjPT9dCbjN0EVATkgCeUGhNwDGqpCgZ-IZWzmcPQKkt8x5Q8UWnxX2geiL4Fk53EmXFIXjEIOKb7PsIAA0EbR_eHUQ3KrAYevSa9K5126ssqoQt7fszck/s1600/Poutine+classique+at+La_Banquise_montreal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0BdWE7BxUOPSsCD_G0aWMNmjPT9dCbjN0EVATkgCeUGhNwDGqpCgZ-IZWzmcPQKkt8x5Q8UWnxX2geiL4Fk53EmXFIXjEIOKb7PsIAA0EbR_eHUQ3KrAYevSa9K5126ssqoQt7fszck/s320/Poutine+classique+at+La_Banquise_montreal.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poutine classique of la Banquise, Montreal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The most widespread story
is that poutine originates from a restaurant formerly called <i>Le Lutin qui
rit</i> in Warwick, in the Arthabaska region. In 1957, a trucker named Eddy
Lainesse asked the owner Fernand Lachance to mix some cheese curds in with his
fries. A Drummondville restaurant called <i>Le Roy Jucep</i> registered a
trademark stating that it is the inventor of poutine. Jean-Paul Roy, owner of
this restaurant in 1964, is the first one to have served poutine as we know it
today, i.e. "French fries, cheese and gravy." Poutine could also come
from the region of Nicolet, in Centre-du-Québec or from Saint-Hyacinthe in
Montérégie. The high number of cheese dairies producing cheddar cheese curds in
these two regions could explain the phenomenon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRskGBtzE-LvSbAL0CvHENI1xLAEmGa7Vg19xZr4qfcp8RK1hWXvDj3eycQVteXa2L28njx9ztF4bCo1xPXIVyC7_K0UqYClj-RGojngcgNZfaxHuwxaWy8U3rb5hc6llu-rvV8GMoiU/s1600/french+poutine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRskGBtzE-LvSbAL0CvHENI1xLAEmGa7Vg19xZr4qfcp8RK1hWXvDj3eycQVteXa2L28njx9ztF4bCo1xPXIVyC7_K0UqYClj-RGojngcgNZfaxHuwxaWy8U3rb5hc6llu-rvV8GMoiU/s320/french+poutine.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poutine Parisienne</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Outside of Canada, poutine
is still considered exotic, where it has appeared on menus in Europe and Asia.
In Paris, where I’m originally from, poutine is served in two Canadian pubs,
the “Moose Head” and “The Great Canadian”. In New York and New Jersey it’s
served as a late-night side dish at clubs and called disco fries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The
Dictionnaire historique cites the Provençal forms <i>poutingo</i> "bad
stew" and <i>poutité</i> "hodgepodge" or "crushed fruit or
foods"; <i>poutringo</i> "mixture of various things" in
Languedocien; and <i>poutringue</i>, <i>potringa</i> "bad stew" in
Franche-Comté as possibly related to <i>poutine</i>. According to
Merriam-Webster, a popular etymology is that <i>poutine</i> is from a Quebecois
slang word meaning "mess”.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5v51TaMYL2mbkW-QxzFPMbZJ5_1klo94zmjY40SkC5tKwIhLxWw4PRL1-lPJFLO2y98G_0gE3fyXGiL36e36z2lpqio4Rwygu6SNGaftSBjHU5z4U3VQ7OFHzHPWpXJSS3qrWXi3rQI/s1600/food+wagon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5v51TaMYL2mbkW-QxzFPMbZJ5_1klo94zmjY40SkC5tKwIhLxWw4PRL1-lPJFLO2y98G_0gE3fyXGiL36e36z2lpqio4Rwygu6SNGaftSBjHU5z4U3VQ7OFHzHPWpXJSS3qrWXi3rQI/s320/food+wagon.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Poutine contains a lot of calories and cholesterol. So, it's not exactly healthy. For instance, an average male would have to jog 2.5 hours to burn off the 1,500 calories in the country-style poutine (bacon, chicken, gravy, fries, onions and mushrooms) available at Smoke's Poutinerie. It's salty. It has fat. It's "junk" food. Having said that, it is made up of potatoes and fresh cheese.</span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKI0xXlFFshK5ZSsd_cSXCy1kjePz018CBeDK_oOqUXfEndnJ1ilPYb8ZkbTGO341WqX_veDRnr-oQtUNXmXWr8YJwv8dEUU-OspZUCwNbjz3qe6iZ3BP_0XlqJvqUr0A4adsW4wEoZFw/s1600/Toulouse-snow-close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKI0xXlFFshK5ZSsd_cSXCy1kjePz018CBeDK_oOqUXfEndnJ1ilPYb8ZkbTGO341WqX_veDRnr-oQtUNXmXWr8YJwv8dEUU-OspZUCwNbjz3qe6iZ3BP_0XlqJvqUr0A4adsW4wEoZFw/s320/Toulouse-snow-close.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Ultimately, it comes down to moderation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">When you’re briskly
scampering from one end of campus to the other on a winter day as the wind
chill blows the temperature to 30 below zero and chafes your little furry
cheeks bright red, a steaming dish of poutine looks and tastes like ambrosia! And,
as Ayman said, a blessing! <span style="color: #1c1c1c;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">En vous souhaitant le meilleur cette saison! Je suis Toulouse, le COOL Chat voyage!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-77457455273903039962015-12-26T13:30:00.003-08:002015-12-26T13:30:41.538-08:00Christmas Day Hike...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbR1msBORPwNOgl8GH0NidT_9UdZcQyK1NG66PxrSE3buJqMzdZVNEkU_k372vORRsqAqMctPIlFW14dz-Yb_74YnzBI-7B4eqZr2LFlUQslMJO0yf1aEYAJ0xBQDM8yTEAFjZHcnes0/s1600/Toulouse-Mouse-Credit+walk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbR1msBORPwNOgl8GH0NidT_9UdZcQyK1NG66PxrSE3buJqMzdZVNEkU_k372vORRsqAqMctPIlFW14dz-Yb_74YnzBI-7B4eqZr2LFlUQslMJO0yf1aEYAJ0xBQDM8yTEAFjZHcnes0/s320/Toulouse-Mouse-Credit+walk.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse and Mouse go "walkabout"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Merry Christmas, fellow felines and others!<br />
<br />
When I was briefly in unseasonably balmy Toronto, visiting with writer friend <a href="http://www.ninamunteanu.ca/" target="_blank">Nina Munteanu</a> for the Christmas season, my friend Mouse and I decided to take a break from the city and find some Nature on Christmas Day.<br />
<br />
We jumped into the TolouseMobile and ended up in Mississauga, where the Credit River flows eventually into Lake Ontario. Mouse spotted a small park near Streetsville and we went on walkabout.<br />
<br />
Originally named "trusting creek" (<i>Missinnihe</i>) by the Mississauga First Nation people, the salmon-bearing river drains about 860 square kilometres of Ontario and flows some 90 km from its source at Orangeville, over the Niagara Escarpment through several suburbs and eventually into Lake Ontario at Port Credit.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMOddBrSHmcxnJuAZTDg3NoQarQo2yHK2gdYch3BaPo7c21Y0IwI8tVjIyNSSi7YD_b3qAj_q9ZFf5DMnnpUcc4-ICG36r1knaYPuH_V5leTpsH0rTpSLin5Kcntms29vN7W5YDZRmgwA/s1600/Toulouse-Mouse-Credit+River.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMOddBrSHmcxnJuAZTDg3NoQarQo2yHK2gdYch3BaPo7c21Y0IwI8tVjIyNSSi7YD_b3qAj_q9ZFf5DMnnpUcc4-ICG36r1knaYPuH_V5leTpsH0rTpSLin5Kcntms29vN7W5YDZRmgwA/s320/Toulouse-Mouse-Credit+River.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Mouse and I walked a good length of this river park. We observed and discovered many things on our Christmas Day walk:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>thriving aquatic life like water striders, caddis flies, mayflies and others</li>
<li>the chewed up log-remnants of very active beavers</li>
<li>an old gentleman in bathing shorts who announced to us that Christmas Day is for swimming and then proceeded to pour icy Credit River water from a bucket all over himself</li>
<li>shy squirrels gathering food</li>
<li>plenty of bright green moss for tardigrades (moss piglets) to live in</li>
<li>friendly people and friendly dogs (and they didn't even want to eat me either!)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Best Wishes for a joyous holiday season, wherever you are.<br />
<br />
Toulouse LeTrek<br />
<br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 13.6pt; margin-top: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-16219887155380485042015-06-05T14:54:00.000-07:002015-06-05T14:54:31.570-07:00Summer Drinks by Toulouse: The Corona-Orange<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDCS_AvQvF31UDndDWZUSmjMmaXdudJrJWjuAyj-OzIzIivfT2wG_hzmhctagPrMbJwEWjJoed-iPPwIk-JjcSD2C2iUU1bVNC7jUo4iSlWw_3E7PspW7wY6M9_hF2ZgPgOBv3WKXPhg/s1600/Toulouse-Corona-orange.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDCS_AvQvF31UDndDWZUSmjMmaXdudJrJWjuAyj-OzIzIivfT2wG_hzmhctagPrMbJwEWjJoed-iPPwIk-JjcSD2C2iUU1bVNC7jUo4iSlWw_3E7PspW7wY6M9_hF2ZgPgOBv3WKXPhg/s320/Toulouse-Corona-orange.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Toulouse...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The days are getting warmer and as I anticipate the coming of the first day of official summer, my summer is already here, with the first of my summer line of Toulouse-original drinks.<br />
<br />
Following my discovery of Mama Chia (see previous post) thanks to writer friend Nina, here is a Toulouse original to take the edge off those hot summer days when the humidex promises to glue your shorts to your ... well ... you know ... (I don't have that problem, but I'm always thinking of you)...<br />
<br />
Here it is:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Toulouse's Corona-Orange</b></div>
<br />
<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
3 bottles of Corona beer (one for now and two for later)<br />
1 pitcher of pure freshly squeezed orange juice (a carton of your best orange juice will do in a pinch)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXbUmpVRr46DU628cCEHi2b3okrGEKNLHIUR6Gfayijss45_mUwiGHNpERM8wQoX6Ltl_Q3bvDL727maITlCC_hDlvIVxd37wzyaYXb8mYELCxdUWn9xbxpxC9s4ZlUkivMt684Bts50/s1600/corona+ad.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXbUmpVRr46DU628cCEHi2b3okrGEKNLHIUR6Gfayijss45_mUwiGHNpERM8wQoX6Ltl_Q3bvDL727maITlCC_hDlvIVxd37wzyaYXb8mYELCxdUWn9xbxpxC9s4ZlUkivMt684Bts50/s320/corona+ad.png" width="243" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Procedure:</i><br />
Mix the Corona with the juice in a half-half ratio or to your taste, mix, then savour by sipping slowly. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
I'm Toulouse, the cool travel cat!<br />
Ciao Baby!Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-4143861605901061252015-05-20T21:09:00.001-07:002015-05-20T21:09:22.595-07:00Adventures with Chia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPm9aN5igEI6OVPzCstfN1283_NMCwP30gmUBDLCG5wekkBaSZbudz_U0q19XtCPG7NUo_avJ9mu3acdcBONFg1I-wlLCphhl75aqPqIrfmTHUfPz0q5b0kGJWczAcMuwnxw0SNxP8AOg/s1600/mama-chia-closer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPm9aN5igEI6OVPzCstfN1283_NMCwP30gmUBDLCG5wekkBaSZbudz_U0q19XtCPG7NUo_avJ9mu3acdcBONFg1I-wlLCphhl75aqPqIrfmTHUfPz0q5b0kGJWczAcMuwnxw0SNxP8AOg/s320/mama-chia-closer.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
I was recently visiting SF author <a href="http://www.ninamunteanu.ca/" target="_blank">Nina Munteanu</a> who is
currently teaching how to write science fiction in Toronto Canada’s <a href="http://ecp.engineering.utoronto.ca/workshops/" target="_blank">UofT</a> and
<a href="http://coned.georgebrown.ca/owa_prod/cewskcrss.P_CrseGet?subj_code=LIBA&crse_numb=9351" target="_blank">George Brown</a>. It took a while to track her down—she is a true Romanian—a
wandering itinerant, like me, with a gypsy heart that yearns for fun and
adventure.<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The day was pleasant: sunny and warm. Nina took me to one of
her favorite places in the city and we walked for hours along the Credit
River—well, she walked and I scampered. Meow! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We walked right beside the river. It rushed and swirled over
the rocks, sounding like a joyful crowd spilling from the theatre. I scurried
over litter and dirt and glanced up at the overhanging trees. They reached
their arms out as if to greet, leafy canopies trembling like green and gold
glitter in the warm breeze. At my level, the ground was a carpet of dark
textures, home for a bazillion little creatures that stirred and rustled there.
Squirrels and birds foraged, ignoring me as though I was just a stuffed cat.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4KQ8YCFtKkbrfngPtXF6da3SVkcKErJHnYAHLRSqeSyXtFVGDlC_wDSqnPy5q3A0ezE2MdZ43nGs6iytj6zlT4a4thWoRzB7xsVtFeMIBWbxiWtfwHSQ0y5m6w9CPHuocCKdCxfTF9I/s1600/Credit-River.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4KQ8YCFtKkbrfngPtXF6da3SVkcKErJHnYAHLRSqeSyXtFVGDlC_wDSqnPy5q3A0ezE2MdZ43nGs6iytj6zlT4a4thWoRzB7xsVtFeMIBWbxiWtfwHSQ0y5m6w9CPHuocCKdCxfTF9I/s320/Credit-River.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit River</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Credit River is a fish-bearing river that flows through
mixed forest for about 1,500 km from Orangeville and empties into Lake Ontario
at Port Credit, a charming village in sprawling Mississauga (part of the GTA). Chinook
salmon and rainbow trout live in the river and its headwaters are home to brook
trout and introduced brown trout. A long linear park system with natural paths
and dominated by a woodland of Manitoba and Sugar Maple runs pretty much the
full length of the river.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After scampering for hours, I rejoiced at the sound of:
“Hey, let’s stop for something to eat and drink!” Nina had read my little
mind—or had I sent her my thoughts?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcimhrxy9AS0ZUIICwIv7K27fuI-TY9SeLl8cNqGbkkP5qUx6SYrjex1P9eWCqKStJzzRZJ-zElAd4rDDrL5XYwtfNxEhsymmwWnV5G2GSMLUB39A6V0HYWq_DK4UC4hYXRe9RTLHI7o8/s1600/Toulouse-glass-CHIA2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcimhrxy9AS0ZUIICwIv7K27fuI-TY9SeLl8cNqGbkkP5qUx6SYrjex1P9eWCqKStJzzRZJ-zElAd4rDDrL5XYwtfNxEhsymmwWnV5G2GSMLUB39A6V0HYWq_DK4UC4hYXRe9RTLHI7o8/s320/Toulouse-glass-CHIA2.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse sips pure happiness</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She surprised me by not driving to a funky but sophisticated
café—our usual habit. Instead, she parked in front of a grocery store! I peered
up at the Starbucks-like green sign: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Whole
Foods Market</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What the MEOW?...<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nina grinned—the kind of sideways grin that told me that
this was still part of our adventure. I faithfully followed her inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you haven’t been to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Whole
Foods</i>, this organic slow-food grocery store also provides an amazingly
tantalizing food and juice bar with excellent coffee and a bright open area to
eat and visit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Deciding on a refreshing drink instead of coffee, we both
chose the cherry-lime chia juice made by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mamma
Chia</i>. Chia seeds are tiny black seeds from the plant <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Salvia Hispanica</i>, which is related to the mint. Native to South
America, chia means “strength” in ancient Mayan.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszbWvZYXl-MeTXqDw0IrVwx9BDRuQGIXC_cq4G5_wR2qzfKTApGGjodx28BAW818CXLvq4p7r5fMBV8W8Agt5XIV0sT3q0BaURYlZ9PdoSCdCzmivtpG0NbRM3DTeBb3JwxU43Y_wEbo/s1600/chia-seeds-in-a-bowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszbWvZYXl-MeTXqDw0IrVwx9BDRuQGIXC_cq4G5_wR2qzfKTApGGjodx28BAW818CXLvq4p7r5fMBV8W8Agt5XIV0sT3q0BaURYlZ9PdoSCdCzmivtpG0NbRM3DTeBb3JwxU43Y_wEbo/s320/chia-seeds-in-a-bowl.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chia seeds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My first gulp was a burst of surprise. Composed of mostly
hydrated chia seeds, the drink is like a refreshing explosion of bubble-tea—without
the tea. You don’t so much drink it as swallow down the refreshing
gel-enveloped seeds that crowd the drink with solid happiness. The refreshing cherry-lime
tickled my palate with fresh joy and the chia “bubbles” played on my tongue. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now here’s the best part: chia seeds are oh-so-good for you!
In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Authority Nutrition’s</i> article,
entitled “<a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-health-benefits-of-chia-seeds/" target="_blank">11 Proven Health Benefits of chia Seeds</a>”, Kris Gunnars gives us the
skinny of chia happiness:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Chia seeds deliver a massive amount of nutrients
with very few calories (the calories are mostly locked in with the fiber, which
the body excretes—along with the calories). “Chia seeds are among the most
nutritious foods on the planet, loaded with fiber, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids
and various micronutrients,” says Gunnars.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Chia seeds are loaded with antioxidants, which
protect the sensitive fats in the seeds from going rancid. Antioxidants, fight
the production of free radicals, which can damage molecules in cells and
contribute to aging and diseases like cancer.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Almost all the carbs in them are fiber, which is
a win-win situation. Fiber doesn’t raise blood sugar and because of the fiber,
chia seeds can absorb up to 10-12 times their weight in water, becoming
gel-like and expanding in your stomach. Fiber also feeds the friendly bacteria
in the intestine. Chia seeds contain 40% fiber by weight.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Chia seeds are high in quality protein (about
14%) along with essential amino acids, which makes the proteins more usable by
us.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Chia seeds can help you lose weight, mainly because
of the high fiber and protein, both of which increase fullness and slow the
absorption of food. Protein helps reduce appetite and food intake.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Chia seeds are high in Omega-3 fatty acids,
although the form is not the most beneficial (ALA vs. EPA and DHA).</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Chia seeds may lower the risk of heart disease
and Type 2 diabetes, potentially reducing LDL cholesterol and triglycerides
(with an increase in HDL “good” cholesterol and reduction of inflammation).</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Chia seeds are high in many important bone
nutrients, such as calcium, phorphorus, magnesium and protein. The calcium
content, at 18% of the RDA in a single ounce, is higher than most dairy
products.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Chia seeds can reduce blood pressure and help
balance blood sugar levels.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Chia
seeds can improve exercise performance. Apparently the Aztecs and Mayans used
chia seeds to fuel performance.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Chia
seeds are easy to incorporate into your diet; they can be eaten raw, soaked in
juice, added to porridges and puddings or added to baked goods. People sprinkle
them on cereal, yogurt, salads, vegetables and rice dishes. They can thicken
sauces and be used as egg substitutes in recipes.</span></li>
</ol>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, I like that! MEOW! I’m Toulouse the COOL Travel cat!</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7O0hWJvCZKhyphenhyphenRKrK-E_4yIG4LQ47sMZxmJsv9Mfb0tbVcU4bPCsn4IsMjF_viXZIck8o9Yy2blBdSrUOssJ-qhu67KQocwfGAwgL0xYvpKzTTWgo9j6a1SJFR90X4QoO4CoKCXkb0SQ/s1600/Toulouse-Mouse-CHIA3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7O0hWJvCZKhyphenhyphenRKrK-E_4yIG4LQ47sMZxmJsv9Mfb0tbVcU4bPCsn4IsMjF_viXZIck8o9Yy2blBdSrUOssJ-qhu67KQocwfGAwgL0xYvpKzTTWgo9j6a1SJFR90X4QoO4CoKCXkb0SQ/s320/Toulouse-Mouse-CHIA3.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse introduces Mamma Chia to his friend Mouse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-50731981106251399232015-03-21T09:01:00.000-07:002015-06-06T09:07:26.032-07:00When Snow Looks Like Plastic...When I was travelling throughout the Greater Toronto Area and ended up in Scarborough, visiting friend and itinerant writer Nina Munteanu who was cat and housesitting near the Scarborough Bluffs, I fell upon a very strange phenomenon. I call it "plastic snow"...<br />
<br />
I went to bed one night and the following morning the snow on the ground was enveloped in a layer of very thin ice that had congealed. It looked as though the world had been plasticized!<br />
<br />
The effect was very cool ... but slippery for a light stuffed cat like me... I had to be careful!<br />
<br />
Here are some cool shots I took...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhue5dknFe5Nrqj-vU09P0fv0nn2eUcql2PZ2cheuJwrVBAjWO74x5ZBRH8HSgQf1H_5_n4hYyY0tHZDOYRYMbqdsMNhkNiu7gVnemPkIAuQc5T6S9Jo5sBGY-r46QwMZ5NU_jS29tRm5g/s1600/plastic+snow03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhue5dknFe5Nrqj-vU09P0fv0nn2eUcql2PZ2cheuJwrVBAjWO74x5ZBRH8HSgQf1H_5_n4hYyY0tHZDOYRYMbqdsMNhkNiu7gVnemPkIAuQc5T6S9Jo5sBGY-r46QwMZ5NU_jS29tRm5g/s400/plastic+snow03.JPG" width="291" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUhyyWJCDnLYFrvlyo_Vd33VYWlOcpn1VngN4umznSat8yCG94cxMq_FpDy3Ifq4I-hJZfdgdff7USqIG9ugF5j7W1XFJukXIqW1xPQtKwHdyn4ufgd2kEg-Fng-aNu1m7L6mzat-4Hc/s1600/plastic+snow02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUhyyWJCDnLYFrvlyo_Vd33VYWlOcpn1VngN4umznSat8yCG94cxMq_FpDy3Ifq4I-hJZfdgdff7USqIG9ugF5j7W1XFJukXIqW1xPQtKwHdyn4ufgd2kEg-Fng-aNu1m7L6mzat-4Hc/s400/plastic+snow02.JPG" width="281" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpV3LehOnQvU9dy6XOZemF_-li8Ot5sVJu3rdd1yq87ehCHlt7c4_6SS4GSnIxYOiy9BifQJ2sdbKSnaGgfkvQKjTn_O08_YSctiDBchTJOLSTn1po0MoacPb8diqaMIaO3TJMFN8bHp4/s1600/plastic+snow01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpV3LehOnQvU9dy6XOZemF_-li8Ot5sVJu3rdd1yq87ehCHlt7c4_6SS4GSnIxYOiy9BifQJ2sdbKSnaGgfkvQKjTn_O08_YSctiDBchTJOLSTn1po0MoacPb8diqaMIaO3TJMFN8bHp4/s400/plastic+snow01.JPG" width="308" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZAbpy7Y_NLFCOhpzW2xg7ltqwaYYCAFan9gtO_U4PH0BayQ8gvbeycZ8qZuACNtSbaRbNWyO6ch31ZP4rrWXZrL40ki5GrXQk4A2piXIPnHl731-ltkq-kDIzxtfgyGkIpCn6HWpVyA/s1600/plastic+snow04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZAbpy7Y_NLFCOhpzW2xg7ltqwaYYCAFan9gtO_U4PH0BayQ8gvbeycZ8qZuACNtSbaRbNWyO6ch31ZP4rrWXZrL40ki5GrXQk4A2piXIPnHl731-ltkq-kDIzxtfgyGkIpCn6HWpVyA/s400/plastic+snow04.JPG" width="347" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaFlscd1sxH0AKRd4euDsf70Wpt_UlB5HqozWca6rmnoU-RoGAtNfSOnYp9mMMjRdDdy0QAAY_G3LyKqmC07LxOIZF4oTN5yrWITAXGTWEjDXnU91npmhPAeM-bWEqHwSnwvE5kfroeg/s1600/plastic+snow05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaFlscd1sxH0AKRd4euDsf70Wpt_UlB5HqozWca6rmnoU-RoGAtNfSOnYp9mMMjRdDdy0QAAY_G3LyKqmC07LxOIZF4oTN5yrWITAXGTWEjDXnU91npmhPAeM-bWEqHwSnwvE5kfroeg/s400/plastic+snow05.JPG" width="277" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoERmpcLIPOfVJ0RPddAwFVagzb9P7j8In3LvAwsEbZeFN3YbeffF02N9Wl60gGv9mhfibtF5v-WSBnAGOKHc5UVH3-1-d2vEMrC7CKlqSAJ4lh_g2mhacJWj78VsG6at4aJeYZ9TWmM/s1600/plastic+snow06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoERmpcLIPOfVJ0RPddAwFVagzb9P7j8In3LvAwsEbZeFN3YbeffF02N9Wl60gGv9mhfibtF5v-WSBnAGOKHc5UVH3-1-d2vEMrC7CKlqSAJ4lh_g2mhacJWj78VsG6at4aJeYZ9TWmM/s400/plastic+snow06.JPG" width="255" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8jXngJsy8p4Ce3_6Sq5FJHUMf8VV2MSr9FYETBYAcjMFbVJbCD_erQ40WQFICIGsO9uy3wqNj-AQBPmE2eDwLVHUe_xbojloKN3FtcbMvo0elmPshRM_qJgnbypX3RFN8eAHASV6Acbc/s1600/plastic+snow07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8jXngJsy8p4Ce3_6Sq5FJHUMf8VV2MSr9FYETBYAcjMFbVJbCD_erQ40WQFICIGsO9uy3wqNj-AQBPmE2eDwLVHUe_xbojloKN3FtcbMvo0elmPshRM_qJgnbypX3RFN8eAHASV6Acbc/s400/plastic+snow07.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXW73LL9DQ2Zxt-R3AZ0wH66DsytV3j0Cy1zscq3m406hx75dTWLBAOsKtbk1yY3QCKeixWoZ2GVfbB1mJUETjKapQcCA_hFPSJ1pmfvYLiL6SzNisben8QBxV-s_y6XlhRGvvOOarA0/s1600/plastic+snow08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXW73LL9DQ2Zxt-R3AZ0wH66DsytV3j0Cy1zscq3m406hx75dTWLBAOsKtbk1yY3QCKeixWoZ2GVfbB1mJUETjKapQcCA_hFPSJ1pmfvYLiL6SzNisben8QBxV-s_y6XlhRGvvOOarA0/s400/plastic+snow08.JPG" width="330" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclOko_UWh35w_2GP0Pwrw9MjTQ9jYfzRxSAdQTffLznyRr_hRN1CxDCUr5NfVpvXPhBUNH9n1E4WGXhNvq_2Oh0qVBNkicF3GCWj_a6j9ExA1PZzajnd5i8OumGgwUXAwDRN69aWpxqk/s1600/plastic+snow09.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclOko_UWh35w_2GP0Pwrw9MjTQ9jYfzRxSAdQTffLznyRr_hRN1CxDCUr5NfVpvXPhBUNH9n1E4WGXhNvq_2Oh0qVBNkicF3GCWj_a6j9ExA1PZzajnd5i8OumGgwUXAwDRN69aWpxqk/s400/plastic+snow09.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-HaPjeV2YO93xjZGxMeFeATZHKhl-_C6KGPX9PvWztnVPrOD7fpFrbtkTYJEdbm875R_qYgWzgxLHwebvVQ-Sv5QNNh7mxm9UcdQAlgfJBm_ptNOr_v6lQCpo3ybmNzATJ4Gj5oPsnI/s1600/toulouse-mouse-snow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-HaPjeV2YO93xjZGxMeFeATZHKhl-_C6KGPX9PvWztnVPrOD7fpFrbtkTYJEdbm875R_qYgWzgxLHwebvVQ-Sv5QNNh7mxm9UcdQAlgfJBm_ptNOr_v6lQCpo3ybmNzATJ4Gj5oPsnI/s320/toulouse-mouse-snow.JPG" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse and friend Mouse enjoy the ice-snow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-24658355747048932462015-03-10T21:59:00.000-07:002015-03-10T21:59:20.518-07:00Ice Fishing in Scarborough OntarioToulouse and old friend Mouse go ice-fishing in Scarborough, Ontario, after freezing rain has coated the old snow in a magical sheet of mottled glistening ice...<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPmFS_UZW6q0oq_pfP_Tm9ne7YzNO3bbMk4qBVZiqiT0W8mRPLGnuZ90QuleKhItPT6KDLsJfaGSpHZoAveD01DvtUryV82n9TLCTGookC40yA1j96J8_Hauc1_bGnev1ULh-XKJayXA/s1600/Toulouse-Mouse-fishing01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPmFS_UZW6q0oq_pfP_Tm9ne7YzNO3bbMk4qBVZiqiT0W8mRPLGnuZ90QuleKhItPT6KDLsJfaGSpHZoAveD01DvtUryV82n9TLCTGookC40yA1j96J8_Hauc1_bGnev1ULh-XKJayXA/s1600/Toulouse-Mouse-fishing01.JPG" height="308" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse and Mouse ice fishing in Scarborough</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
"Let's go ice-fishing!" Toulouse said.Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-20097870986603835962015-02-14T21:27:00.000-08:002015-05-20T21:29:04.258-07:00Exploring Guildwood Bluffs When I invited Mouse, my good friend from Kentucky, to accompany me on a hike to Guildwood and the Bluffs in Scarborough, we had no idea it would be this wet!...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3T9_gcVKUm3nacG_g4WHJqFxrGBmZvSnARcSPCNIuH1sAdI0pHmfFolEpNlSwyTXsK_VY0uDlH1n75JyMbtBsS_Uuzj4MemY3h895mS63EngT1ri0kzI6pgxs2zonQcAoaNsWYK8dcU/s1600/Toulouse-Mouse-bluffs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3T9_gcVKUm3nacG_g4WHJqFxrGBmZvSnARcSPCNIuH1sAdI0pHmfFolEpNlSwyTXsK_VY0uDlH1n75JyMbtBsS_Uuzj4MemY3h895mS63EngT1ri0kzI6pgxs2zonQcAoaNsWYK8dcU/s400/Toulouse-Mouse-bluffs.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-13150671822827770532015-01-08T20:54:00.000-08:002015-05-20T21:10:50.602-07:00Zermatt: The Ultimate Swiss Experience<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCF7ewqTWr_xiOKjvX5iWazBcLDSENbUKxZHhPHTzaJnlCu89ETcWPOprtIshNUP-QPfpnuiK2kuvVJ3VHwQ13dt07fd4N7OwSacTUFIhyphenhyphen_6WR5_P1D-jdlPm4eJUThGpAyWPQc9mBbg/s1600/karen-sun-zermatt-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCF7ewqTWr_xiOKjvX5iWazBcLDSENbUKxZHhPHTzaJnlCu89ETcWPOprtIshNUP-QPfpnuiK2kuvVJ3VHwQ13dt07fd4N7OwSacTUFIhyphenhyphen_6WR5_P1D-jdlPm4eJUThGpAyWPQc9mBbg/s1600/karen-sun-zermatt-web.JPG" width="279" /></a></div>
Imagine Switzerland in January…<br />
<div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Montreux—the jewel of the Swiss Riviera, where I was staying
in the Vaud—was enjoying a very civilized winter: just a mild dusting of powder
snow to excite the senses. But I was seriously craving snow. You know the kind:
the deep soft stuff that an adventurous stuffed cat could get joyfully lost in.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, in search of serious snow, breathtaking scenery and a resort
atmosphere, I packed up and headed southeast to the alpine village of Zermatt
in the Valais. This resort town nestles in the shadow of the majestic Matterhorn
in some of the most stunning scenery on this planet and my stuffings were
itching to taste its bounty. Probably best known as a centre for skiing and
mountaineering, Zermatt’s surroundings are truly breathtaking any season. But
the high season—as in scintillating “get a high”—is winter. And I was right in
the middle of it. This comes at a price; accommodation in Zermatt is among the
most expensive in Switzerland. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PkGonWxQRNejf35iFjUCjJ9A0Yo3_MYFNf3n4K6Cg8kd3WUOaMPAM914-af_P6GNJWKcC9kIxqNtnmoCCJVaaFTOL0985B2O35wSA34pV3fPxyvz2f7-8ni1YXTXYRp5CUUmfodOMM0/s1600/zermatt-hut01-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PkGonWxQRNejf35iFjUCjJ9A0Yo3_MYFNf3n4K6Cg8kd3WUOaMPAM914-af_P6GNJWKcC9kIxqNtnmoCCJVaaFTOL0985B2O35wSA34pV3fPxyvz2f7-8ni1YXTXYRp5CUUmfodOMM0/s1600/zermatt-hut01-web.JPG" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Matterhorn from Zermatt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, if you’re a cool cat like me, there are ways … and
there are lots of options. All the inns, hotels and guesthouses in Zermatt are
locally owned: these range from cozy guesthouses and hostels to large full
service hotels with five star ratings. All, of course, feature the signature Swiss
hospitality and excellent service known worldwide. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Depending on your budget, you can visit Zermatt in true
style and stay in one of the five-star hotels and get picked up at the train station
by a horse and carriage. Some of Zermatt’s luxury hotels include <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Mont Cervin, Monte Rosa, Hotel Schweizerhof,
and Hotel Nicoletta (now <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Le Petit Cervin</i>),
all located near the village center and on or near Bahnhofstrasse, the main
street. The Monte Rosa is considered the “grande dame” of Zermatt hotels and is
where Edward Whymper stayed when he became the first person to climb the
Matterhorn. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can rent a suite in one of the chalet-style condos, like
I did, and be greeted by a friendly local who will not only show you to your
cozy avant-garde suite but give you the low-down on the cool things that locals
do in Zermatt. If you don’t mind something a little less posh, you can get very
reasonable hostel accommodation right in the heart of Zermatt and on the
surrounding foothills through Hostel Europe. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmVj6itAiKs57wbSQPMeqPlBYs1jiYxbxH-_w4WJngPe2uxMPf8O7WvdUSfZCLm4HZ2p_kaCKdx6lyq70eblfril41TEb4SosXy8-iyVN2jjtuNghPbb1XDKXI15Oz6pVMHFokJspZI8/s1600/hut-matterhorn-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmVj6itAiKs57wbSQPMeqPlBYs1jiYxbxH-_w4WJngPe2uxMPf8O7WvdUSfZCLm4HZ2p_kaCKdx6lyq70eblfril41TEb4SosXy8-iyVN2jjtuNghPbb1XDKXI15Oz6pVMHFokJspZI8/s1600/hut-matterhorn-web.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ski hut on the Matterhorn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you’re a skier or mountaineer, you can also rent a “hut”
on the outskirts of town or up the hill toward the Matterhorn. There’s nothing
quite like skiing into and out of your place. The Riffelalp is a luxury alpine
hotel up the mountain from Zermatt that you can get to via the Gornergrat
Railway cog rail. The Kulm and the Romantica are two other chalet-style
mountain hotels accessible by cog-wheel railway from Zermatt. Overlooking the
Gornergletscher on the Gornergrat, with its two domed towers—one is a working
observatory—the Kulm provides a distinctive “summit experience” at 3100 m.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Trip to Zermatt<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzXbpkihXyvuYkmYuqf8i7VKFy-EK6eurSKCGFGahn-UGGm2qcG4T0U3zL29m7i-liaQgvehqWEFn1pfR5pPdyQm4QqsPAeYB8xlk87iQUkngAOq3iPo_B2VRBjg-zkoc2X69VyE8wbA/s1600/zermatt-night01-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzXbpkihXyvuYkmYuqf8i7VKFy-EK6eurSKCGFGahn-UGGm2qcG4T0U3zL29m7i-liaQgvehqWEFn1pfR5pPdyQm4QqsPAeYB8xlk87iQUkngAOq3iPo_B2VRBjg-zkoc2X69VyE8wbA/s1600/zermatt-night01-web.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zermatt in the evening</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a three-hour drive from Montreux along excellent freeways
and snow-lined mountain roads. Looking for adventure, I drove my ToulouseMobile
past the wine-growing towns of Martigny, Sion and Sierre to Visp, where I
turned onto a narrow road that wound its ascent out of the Zermatt/Visp Valley
past mountain villages and eventually to T<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">ä</span>sche, where I parked my mobile. A
major snow dump had just occurred here and I’d been informed that Zermatt might
be closed. Fortunately for me, the train up to Zermatt—a car-free village—had
just begun again. And I was about to head into a paradise of freshly fallen
snow!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7L61Xb0YhucVnAMN2MU41Px4dKZUUoM4a_-RBDxzutxALmAVNwwT1AcwboMCVRGhYDJ02gTycS3nGRNwxvKqBkqTenw9GnXkABQjyGlHvntw_F6UW72ebvQff0VbzDBAxEURPv4xWrxM/s1600/Zermatt-alps01-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7L61Xb0YhucVnAMN2MU41Px4dKZUUoM4a_-RBDxzutxALmAVNwwT1AcwboMCVRGhYDJ02gTycS3nGRNwxvKqBkqTenw9GnXkABQjyGlHvntw_F6UW72ebvQff0VbzDBAxEURPv4xWrxM/s1600/Zermatt-alps01-web.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ski run at the foot of the Matterhorn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Zermatt nestles in the foothills of the Matterhorn and
surrounding mountain range, among which are the highest of Switzerland (Monte
Rosa at 4634 m). To visit or stay in this Matterhorn village, you need to take
a train from Brig, Visp, or T<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">ä</span>sche. The 7-km shuttle train ride of the
Matterhorn Gotthard Railway runs every 20 minutes from T<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">ä</span>sche to Zermatt. I parked the
ToulouseMobile in the Matterhorn Terminal T<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">ä</span>sche, and enjoyed a relaxing 12
minute ride on the shuttle train to the Bahnhofplatz in the heart of Zermatt.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Living, Playing &
Eating in Zermatt<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjceImchnVxvst4ODgUhFI7EJzMwX4FRu8ZOmsNieM-vawESKy8lSvYSYRhav-xjB36o4uOYV6fwm7CBzKZiPWQgTEOB0NV_kVcNrpsnXHeDpnJlZBl_ELK0PXxaCXNIJyCUJ_bnzCrjkM/s1600/zermatt-alps03-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjceImchnVxvst4ODgUhFI7EJzMwX4FRu8ZOmsNieM-vawESKy8lSvYSYRhav-xjB36o4uOYV6fwm7CBzKZiPWQgTEOB0NV_kVcNrpsnXHeDpnJlZBl_ELK0PXxaCXNIJyCUJ_bnzCrjkM/s1600/zermatt-alps03-web.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alps near the Matterhorn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From the train station it’s at most a twenty minute walk
along the snow-packed Bahnhofstrasse, the main pedestrian street that runs the
length of the resort town along the banks of the Vispa River, to any accommodation
in the town. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lined with festive shops, restaurants and cafés, I strolled Bahnhofstrasse,
experiencing the best of Switzerland. I checked out the classy souvenir shops
(there is hardly anything “tacky” in Switzerland—even its souvenirs), featuring
Swiss Army knives, watches, and clothes (I purchased a pair of Swiss cow socks
for a friend); gourmet <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">chocolatiers</i> like
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Laderach</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fuchs</i>; patisseries; shops selling fashionable outerwear, sweaters
and ski apparel; and others selling top quality ski and boarding equipment;
and, of course, bistros and cafés featuring savory Swiss food from fresh
oysters, chocolate fondants, mushroom and ham crepes or exquisite open-face sandwiches and hearty soups to the best filet mignon or truffle ravioli. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The family run <i>Le Mazot</i> is one of Zermatt’s less
expensive and most welcoming small eateries. Located in the village centre near
the river, it specializes in lamb fed on pastures under the Matterhorn and grilled
on an open wood fire.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiAcO0O6G3g9soc7KyHY8YII84oyssrod9rAv_OrgIUq6P82CDIa9Gqok5YNR5UMD-DJepHjz0AHp7ak4kVKVnKTQlb37Kpir4DKAIM1ZlKSd39-cdZn2IZDJt_JyKBPSG55ySxhBbYoA/s1600/petit-royal-toulouse-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiAcO0O6G3g9soc7KyHY8YII84oyssrod9rAv_OrgIUq6P82CDIa9Gqok5YNR5UMD-DJepHjz0AHp7ak4kVKVnKTQlb37Kpir4DKAIM1ZlKSd39-cdZn2IZDJt_JyKBPSG55ySxhBbYoA/s1600/petit-royal-toulouse-web.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse in Heaven: Petit Royal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
My favorite lunch places included the <i>H</i><i>örnli B</i><i>äckerei-Konditorei</i>
and the newly established <i>Le Pont Royal </i>across
the street. I just had to return to the Hörnli several times to sample
their savory crepes and excellent café crèmes. <i>Es war ausgezeichnet! Wunderbar</i>!<br />
<br />
They also feature excellent
desserts but the attractive window display of <i>Le Pont Royal</i> drew me in and next thing I knew I was savoring an
exquisite marzipan genache almond torte with vanilla custard. Topped off with a
gourmet hot chocolate, it made paradise into heaven.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">During high
season (in winter), Zermatt welcomes nearly 20,000 visitors who live and play
amid its 5 or 6 pedestrian streets and lanes and, of course, its spectacular
mountains. There are virtually no internal combustion vehicles except the
occasional outside delivery and specialist services (most service vehicles run
on batteries). This helps against air and noise pollution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidGuN4tEuKb4M24dUr7iUJzH7mr1aJjdOtdG6OZchQUjyeCJkrXAKvreFbyyqbF9Wm4fjffdRIhZ1YJ6x-YNXSyAoqPYcXO33OTbNjwYhb7ojgARJA7zo1BuddE-2OemSqsvDPQbEemhs/s1600/zermatt-le-petite-royal-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidGuN4tEuKb4M24dUr7iUJzH7mr1aJjdOtdG6OZchQUjyeCJkrXAKvreFbyyqbF9Wm4fjffdRIhZ1YJ6x-YNXSyAoqPYcXO33OTbNjwYhb7ojgARJA7zo1BuddE-2OemSqsvDPQbEemhs/s1600/zermatt-le-petite-royal-web.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Petit Royal Confiserie in Zermatt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">As I wandered
down Bahnhofstrasse, poking into narrow Medieval-like alleyways that led to
adventure, I pondered how I could find myself in utter tranquility within a few
steps from the main street bustle. You can sit on a hotel balcony and listen to
the songbirds as you watch the sun set on one of the most striking mountains in
the western world. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">In Zermatt you can wake up in a four or five-star room or a
canvas tent to the sound of birds, church bells, and children's laughter. The
name "Zermatt" does, after all mean “to the meadow”; it’s a
contraction of the local dialect words "zer", which means
"to", and "matta", which means "field" or
"meadow". <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">During the
summer, roads and hiking trails take you up to a number of year-round
restaurants. In the winter you can ski to them and enjoy a Swiss beer and
raclette or roesti. I stopped in several of them on my cable car tour up to the
Matterhorn via Furi, Schwartzee and Trockener Steg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Intrepid off-piste skiers shared my car into
snow heaven then bid me adieu to negotiate the steep back-country slopes of
deep powder in search of untracked snow. On my way down just past Furi, I was
alerted by the huge litter of skis laid out like match sticks in the snow: a
lively après ski crowd was partying at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zum
See</i>, celebrating a good day of powder hounding. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Majesty of the
Matterhorn<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkv5IQb4OD5CdYIENY1loWjoAhogGaYkhp2KoQ9NU3aBhFWHo9dbD6Qd8ZRxgwDxyEuL0VNH3YFaSb8GEJvxRCx_WcMhcSPvaDTfhPPcPv74DZKK1_114k6xR5UxKD5jmzrZeswo1_Vw/s1600/zermatt-matterhorn02-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkv5IQb4OD5CdYIENY1loWjoAhogGaYkhp2KoQ9NU3aBhFWHo9dbD6Qd8ZRxgwDxyEuL0VNH3YFaSb8GEJvxRCx_WcMhcSPvaDTfhPPcPv74DZKK1_114k6xR5UxKD5jmzrZeswo1_Vw/s1600/zermatt-matterhorn02-web.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ultimate Matterhorn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Straddling the Swiss and Italian border, the Matterhorn
attains a height of 4,478 m. Though not Switzerland’s highest mountain (it’s
actually Monte Rosa in the same range), its splendid pyramid-shape has earned
the Matterhorn a place as one of Switzerland’s most enduring symbols. It was
one of the last alpine mountains to be climbed to the top, by British explorers
in 1865. That first expedition unfortunately ended with tragedy; only 3 of the
7 climbers survived the descent. They are buried in Zermatt along with others
who lost their lives climbing the challenging mountain.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyway you look at it, the Matterhorn's majesty is worth beholding any season and any time, from bright sun to the shrouding mists of sunset. The best views can be found in the cozy posh resort town of Zermatt.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC33XzuSb1mCYvVzywmqDELSqFSzF_J1ObHHSJmcVFPTqptfyzAsVQL_bIVTlioa6MivmPwgTPiO8XeSxUrlvatP7zWlZKa_9II0ptjr-aZlyLIkXQphDOhsPBGpxBvXuXAndxIWq0kQQ/s1600/matterhorn-sunset-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC33XzuSb1mCYvVzywmqDELSqFSzF_J1ObHHSJmcVFPTqptfyzAsVQL_bIVTlioa6MivmPwgTPiO8XeSxUrlvatP7zWlZKa_9II0ptjr-aZlyLIkXQphDOhsPBGpxBvXuXAndxIWq0kQQ/s1600/matterhorn-sunset-web.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset over the Matterhorn </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'll be back ... with my skis! I'm the COOL Travel Cat, after all!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-81979061102692118562014-12-13T09:23:00.000-08:002014-12-14T09:41:46.517-08:00Christmas Yoga with Toulouse LeTrek<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2Pcf9A3rdOWAfOFqaj_gKTO_CarV9Z-ew5oMdjtEmBFC8FXnharUzNb1H78oYqONINHesDvaC3EutwMryUYXu6RWnLdlSj_BE4qwe3lRPSnFCP4xjx_TN4tMsOVvMkdOp_nUuIK40DE/s1600/Toulouse-snow-close2+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2Pcf9A3rdOWAfOFqaj_gKTO_CarV9Z-ew5oMdjtEmBFC8FXnharUzNb1H78oYqONINHesDvaC3EutwMryUYXu6RWnLdlSj_BE4qwe3lRPSnFCP4xjx_TN4tMsOVvMkdOp_nUuIK40DE/s1600/Toulouse-snow-close2+copy.jpg" height="316" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse LeTrek enjoys Ontario snow...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
Well, it's that time of the year again... Time sure flies when you're ... well ... flying--all over the world, that is...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Here is my 8-pose Christmas Yoga Exercise to help
you gear up for all that Christmas cheer. It’s just the thing for a body
bloated on Christmas pudding, turkey and baking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Did you know that the word yoga means “union”. Yoga
creates harmony by controlling your breath and holding your body in steady
poses called “asanas”. Five key elements include proper breathing, proper
exercise, proper relaxation, proper diet, and positive thinking and meditation.
Yoga should be supervised by a qualified teacher. Don’t worry. That’s me.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7R8zZQNuyMZWS_ubGfPsc91vU0BATlSFL5Cf2ZcRqWZMCA_Q6Tts00g5RAlgbfD1Vh4vNGsik10u6f-D7XhYhvXlHsuyiT32LksXmYXI7P-CEioTexP0gvsqUnvDb4rpklSLBrOFoIo/s1600/yoga-more-stretchingA+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7R8zZQNuyMZWS_ubGfPsc91vU0BATlSFL5Cf2ZcRqWZMCA_Q6Tts00g5RAlgbfD1Vh4vNGsik10u6f-D7XhYhvXlHsuyiT32LksXmYXI7P-CEioTexP0gvsqUnvDb4rpklSLBrOFoIo/s1600/yoga-more-stretchingA+copy.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse stretches</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">So, first off, choose a pleasant, peaceful and
spacious setting for your exercises. You might like to turn the lights down and
light some candles and put on your favorite Christmas music (so long as it isn’t
“I am Santa Claus” by Bob Rivers or “Takin’ Care of Christmas” by Randy
Bachman). You can use a mat for extra comfort and give yourself lots of room.
Then you need to do some stretching exercises …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBihuXiToKTWUy6lcpLxaqY9RUQwPq5jkYiodtYcoU1WAyc3XSX43s1DeXxkSIwVj9YiBuQeBnf20DObi8n9y9-ODk28jYvYrPGxNy6M8TzHjkrDiT5qFyZTS9_FyeT-uUb9ugiQAquKg/s1600/yoga-headstandA+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBihuXiToKTWUy6lcpLxaqY9RUQwPq5jkYiodtYcoU1WAyc3XSX43s1DeXxkSIwVj9YiBuQeBnf20DObi8n9y9-ODk28jYvYrPGxNy6M8TzHjkrDiT5qFyZTS9_FyeT-uUb9ugiQAquKg/s1600/yoga-headstandA+copy.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse doing headstand</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The purpose of <b>the Headstand</b> is to rest the
heart, which usually has to work against gravity and will likely do some extra
laps this Christmas with all the cholesterol coursing through you from figgy
pudding, turkey stuffing and eggnog. Some people think headstands heal
everything. Well, it sure gives you a different perspective on things! And
that’s gotta be good for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #951119; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #951119; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Dolphin pose</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> strengthens the arms and
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqHM9l_NXJgQhZ0F3q7b8w6Bh6SR4q9KNQlEVEK2yb5W9qUsNRgAv0Nd3KEAXsOhcCrHRO__dlvOQPDJZuSxPtkDL1iKF-TD1r88f1PyhEqOVMECZ2UqMsIHzguv8ShZdy9Ft-agvHmE/s1600/yoga-dolphin-poseA+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqHM9l_NXJgQhZ0F3q7b8w6Bh6SR4q9KNQlEVEK2yb5W9qUsNRgAv0Nd3KEAXsOhcCrHRO__dlvOQPDJZuSxPtkDL1iKF-TD1r88f1PyhEqOVMECZ2UqMsIHzguv8ShZdy9Ft-agvHmE/s1600/yoga-dolphin-poseA+copy.jpg" height="302" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse does the dolphin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
shoulders. It kind of prepares you for the headstand. I’m doing a great job,
aren’t I? Did you know that this pose calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression? It also improves digestion and relieves headache, insomnia, back pain and fatigue. Lastly, it's therapeutic for high blood pressure. Of course, it's called the dolphin pose because of the sinewy wave-like nature of the pose and the fusiform streamlined dolphin body and movements. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Dolphins are one of Earth's smartest life forms. They are also known for their pure altruistic behaviour, practicing not just reciprocal kin-related acts, but selfless acts for all life. Methinks these two go together... :-3 </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqp9WpRtJC0E8sXz1XPmTjFi7E8om28soU1Ai0b7gG6F793Pd_qFGK9gjHPpR1xrA36ODUDsWvDt-DxhLsaM9zbUwTr133eCS-hv7pLLGhxlGGAKe0tB9-IF3xPjz-XmmsYms8LDsrlM/s1600/yoga-plough-poseA+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqp9WpRtJC0E8sXz1XPmTjFi7E8om28soU1Ai0b7gG6F793Pd_qFGK9gjHPpR1xrA36ODUDsWvDt-DxhLsaM9zbUwTr133eCS-hv7pLLGhxlGGAKe0tB9-IF3xPjz-XmmsYms8LDsrlM/s1600/yoga-plough-poseA+copy.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plow pose</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Plow pose</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> (halasana) increases overall
flexibility, but it’s particularly effective for relieving tension in the upper
back and shoulders; especially after you’ve been with the relatives for over
two days... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The pose gets its name from the plow, used to prepare the soil for sowing crops. Like the plow, the pose prepares the body and the mind for deep rejuvenation. Besides strengthening and opening the neck, shoulders, abs and back muscles, the plow helps calm the nervous system and reduces stress and fatigue. It stimulates the thyroid gland and strengthens the immune system. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiu1KOj4sshAx0YR92YQScl1w5H2G0mZHmLzcqgA-lMmt7dC-AP0hEJrijhOUr0gu3hP3pRcvLRipswxvX8Ebhf8Bjdxp23a8Y75cQY1rX4rKJthswODZIZryCtSGo60FX57bcGXEPhE/s1600/yoga-cobra-poseA+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiu1KOj4sshAx0YR92YQScl1w5H2G0mZHmLzcqgA-lMmt7dC-AP0hEJrijhOUr0gu3hP3pRcvLRipswxvX8Ebhf8Bjdxp23a8Y75cQY1rX4rKJthswODZIZryCtSGo60FX57bcGXEPhE/s1600/yoga-cobra-poseA+copy.jpg" height="227" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse does the Cobra pose</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Here's <b>the Cobra</b>, one of my favourite positions. This asana resembles a serpent with its hood raised; hence the name of the pose. The cobra pose does tons of good things like toning and strengthening the superficial and deep muscles of the back and abdominal regions. The pose reduces stress and fatigue and is a useful pose for people with respiratory disorders like asthma (don't practice the pose during an attack, though!). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The cobra also increases backward bending flexibility--something a cat like me does lots--and it relieves tension, especially in the lower back. Good for after you've been shovelling the driveway... </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 17px;"> </span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-3ei5ZBkyT_232K3z_mKJjX6HNJRrsFlzihM9VPIx_JlIarS63t1JWcfESV_KAoape6hqGBFI8WuKlpkAUyKk55wRjOFrKmm16R5D6DPQVdlpk3j0WDm5b5JSI8htD11KPe1W2crMAs/s1600/yoga-locust-poseA+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-3ei5ZBkyT_232K3z_mKJjX6HNJRrsFlzihM9VPIx_JlIarS63t1JWcfESV_KAoape6hqGBFI8WuKlpkAUyKk55wRjOFrKmm16R5D6DPQVdlpk3j0WDm5b5JSI8htD11KPe1W2crMAs/s1600/yoga-locust-poseA+copy.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse does the Locust pose</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Locust</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> (Salabhasana) is a backward bending exercise
that increases flexibility of the upper back and strengthens the lower back and upper leg muscles. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Holding the pose also massages the internal organs and makes them
frisky—which you will be too; good for combating the “big meal” doldrums. </span>The pose relieves fatigue, flatulence, constipation, indigestion and lower-back pain.<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The locust, or grasshopper, is a springy kind of creature, so the pose is well named for the "springy" energy it provides. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGK0BdY6jB-LJth5HSrqExASi7RbW15f6JHvhQ2skm77yyNShnPqXcLuAGqT0_3tXcPZq7KahOFiL5MnZs8XeQ2jH6MyOZhZycmRH4pnRJR3HMHnCuxxhRXPNQSjNZjYMGf_t-oUOmKw/s1600/yoga-camel-poseA+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGK0BdY6jB-LJth5HSrqExASi7RbW15f6JHvhQ2skm77yyNShnPqXcLuAGqT0_3tXcPZq7KahOFiL5MnZs8XeQ2jH6MyOZhZycmRH4pnRJR3HMHnCuxxhRXPNQSjNZjYMGf_t-oUOmKw/s1600/yoga-camel-poseA+copy.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse doing the Camel pose</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Camel pose</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> (Ustrasana) I’m doing here…well, I
might have gotten
carried away… lets you exercise all your back muscles and
extends your spinal column by bending your back fully. It’s useful for
increasing spinal and hip flexibility. The camel pose helps relieve respiratory ailments, mild backache, fatigue and anxiety. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Doing this pose also helps improve your posture! Just in time for all those Christmas pictures with family and friends... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUwn06hFtB16oVEqEQyWPa1AwQ6ijnvc8KFT72DgpflJi1DI6kHZSDQmq2PY6FDLl0VLxoGqP6ol_kgsaOJEzj-sI-99D0xhkSnawypd3cpXmnu2ixp3X-yXFDUTmyMuUh-qY5t0h_mE/s1600/yoga-spinal-twistA+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUwn06hFtB16oVEqEQyWPa1AwQ6ijnvc8KFT72DgpflJi1DI6kHZSDQmq2PY6FDLl0VLxoGqP6ol_kgsaOJEzj-sI-99D0xhkSnawypd3cpXmnu2ixp3X-yXFDUTmyMuUh-qY5t0h_mE/s1600/yoga-spinal-twistA+copy.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse does the Spinal Twist</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Here I am doing <b>the Spinal Twist</b>, which stretches
the spine and helps the vertebrae regain their mobility. The roots of the
spinal nerves and the nervous system get toned and provided with increased
blood supply.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This pose will make your back feel sensational! It relieves tension and elongates the spine, which also improves posture (for all those pictures!) and improves breathing. Lastly, the spinal twist helps you digest that huge Christmas dinner, dessert and midnight snack by helping ... well ... move things along. It'll have you twisting and shouting with the joy of the season. Meow! :-3</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">You need a lot of strength, flexibility and
concentration to <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgbF5f40CFvlOTiRJ1FwAUfgSDvaAFdZSqjxY3y5VTcWqc3q0ZIlfOApAzZvYWklk2L7x2DPU9NVux2vrRGJ7apzSZ7EVSMzAtsffFDeW5iX4gBTGZ1kA41i4_WDPNXu8NV6qMslprCU/s1600/yoga-peacock-poseA+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgbF5f40CFvlOTiRJ1FwAUfgSDvaAFdZSqjxY3y5VTcWqc3q0ZIlfOApAzZvYWklk2L7x2DPU9NVux2vrRGJ7apzSZ7EVSMzAtsffFDeW5iX4gBTGZ1kA41i4_WDPNXu8NV6qMslprCU/s1600/yoga-peacock-poseA+copy.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse does the Peacock ... well, sort of...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
do <b>the Peacock</b> (mayurasana).<b> </b>As you can see, I have a lot of it!
When the pose is held, your elbows press into the abdominal region, drawing
fresh blood to the area and nourishing your internal organs. If you watched the movie, <a href="http://sfgirl-thealiennextdoor.blogspot.ca/2014/07/the-angel-of-verdun-and-edge-of-tomorrow.html" target="_blank">The Edge of Tomorrow</a>, this is the pose that the Tom Cruise character finds soldier Rita Vrataski (played by Emily Blunt) performing. It's not unlike flying; there you are, balancing on your hands with legs stretched out, head and body lifted, defying gravity. The peacock pose not only resembles the peacock; it also invokes the peacock's special powers. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf0DB4bT-HVKjSgF06ySZCQQBOcYZbzXR9QD8o9HysvKEMb6HxeonxMWQ_0BOi4NzImg0oRWBW05vxB1YLakeSl5EREKWwJTEEiCnS6M9FHmVKHSMM6hc1m8xoWelCLA5WOejx6IAbaA/s1600/yoga-relaxationA+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf0DB4bT-HVKjSgF06ySZCQQBOcYZbzXR9QD8o9HysvKEMb6HxeonxMWQ_0BOi4NzImg0oRWBW05vxB1YLakeSl5EREKWwJTEEiCnS6M9FHmVKHSMM6hc1m8xoWelCLA5WOejx6IAbaA/s1600/yoga-relaxationA+copy.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse does the Final Relaxation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Did you know that in Hindu lore, the peacock symbolizes immortality and love?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Last but certainly not least, is <b>the Final
Relaxation</b>, my favorite part and I do it well, as you can see… Relaxation
is important because it leaves you with a calm mind and relaxed muscles. It
allows the body to absorb the energy released by the asanas. You need to relax
this way for at least five minutes. I’m so good at it that I do it for … well,
hours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Have a safe, joyous and meaningful “giving season”</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0w1TA8hTemhTDHnsInORSTenPx5z3K5Ke9ipHbZqHWarYGTZ_lSvSa8YhuvpFiBrocJy7s7GFLWpXmMWyGFD7pCuJTpCj0gHFv-kL5sVofJWHOzeXgnz9yOOj1DAe1JBObzLiafHru68/s1600/yoga-introduction_close-1A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0w1TA8hTemhTDHnsInORSTenPx5z3K5Ke9ipHbZqHWarYGTZ_lSvSa8YhuvpFiBrocJy7s7GFLWpXmMWyGFD7pCuJTpCj0gHFv-kL5sVofJWHOzeXgnz9yOOj1DAe1JBObzLiafHru68/s1600/yoga-introduction_close-1A.jpg" height="320" width="318" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Merry Christmas, everyone! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Peace on Earth, good will to all Life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-48716958312203266332014-12-07T10:08:00.000-08:002014-12-07T10:09:43.778-08:00Getting the Most Out of Your Flight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFJBgQxKD6xOugtB4lZjfdE9BbyFZKUn8y0nzZfHJTUSj4Dium96cMtGOIdwFnhfUiueOeZarUNlLaNjebfVpMQr59GrDwQMJvR0DrIcCPjq1zMP2rGSQN-gSmbANY9GbHdFOPM9L7fE/s1600/toulouse-backpack-travel_close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFJBgQxKD6xOugtB4lZjfdE9BbyFZKUn8y0nzZfHJTUSj4Dium96cMtGOIdwFnhfUiueOeZarUNlLaNjebfVpMQr59GrDwQMJvR0DrIcCPjq1zMP2rGSQN-gSmbANY9GbHdFOPM9L7fE/s1600/toulouse-backpack-travel_close.jpg" height="320" width="286" /></a></div>
Who’s seen “Up in the Air” with George Clooney (who makes
Nina’s heart go pitter patter)? It’s about a man whose business has him
constantly travelling and living his life out of a suitcase in apparent bliss.<br />
<div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All in all, it’s a cynical man’s take on travelling. Sure,
it served as a good metaphor for the journey of life, and as such made some good
commentary on life-values (though I’m not sure how much Nina got out of the
story—she watched the entire film on the plane without any sound. She didn’t
care; she got what she wanted…). And lots of what Clooney’s character shared
with his apprentice made sense for efficient travel. But, travelling doesn’t
have to be so hard-boiled. So mechanically efficient. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And, if you’ve seen the movie and how it ends, this is not
the most satisfactory way to travel. When it comes to travel, efficiency
shouldn’t take precedence over fun. Remember, fun is always at the root of a favorably
memorable trip. I’m the cool travel cat, after all, the wizard of travelling.
The master of the journey. So, let me share with you what I’ve learned…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nina and I travel a lot, whizzing from one side of the
country to the other or to exotic places abroad, by plane by car by boat or
even on tender foot and paw…We’ve caught flights from the airport at totally
uncivilized hours, when nothing—not even the Starbucks—was open. We’ve
weathered day-long delays—and not just because of weather. One flight in
Tanzania didn’t go until enough people signed up to fully populate the plane!
Ok… just kidding, well, sort of. We’ve slept on airport benches using Nina’s
carry-on as a foot stool. We’ve gotten lost going from one terminal to another
and then back again, when the plane decided to dock at another gate—just for the
heck of it (I’m sure they have hidden cameras broadcasting the mad scurry of
harried travelers to some planet in the Omega system). We’ve been searched and
scanned while the officials laughed (ok, Nina was telling them a joke; she was
rejecting rule number one again—never smile or cavort with officials who have
power over you. At the age of 50+ she’s still amazingly naïve—maybe that’s why
I like her so much… :-3 ).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ok, I promised you some tips on how to enjoy your travels to
the fullest, from airport to airport—what you do after you get to your
destination is up to you. Well, actually, I have something to say about that
too, but that’s a whole other post.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Getting the most out of your travels is a little like magic.
It combines safety and security-smarts with having fun. The magic comes in how
you mix these, so you don’t sink into the sweaty doldrums of paranoia on the
one hand or get into trouble with security and miss your flight altogether on
the other (I have stories about that too, actually—not the end of the world…).
Here are some “Toulouse Rules” (well, “Toulouse Guidelines”, then): <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
</div>
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;"></span><br />
<ul><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b style="text-indent: -18pt;">Dress
comfortably</b><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> so your body can relax. Leave those two-inch stilettos at home
or in your checked baggage. Wear loose clothing and comfortable shoes, in case
the unmentionable happens and you find yourself racing down the hallway to
catch a tight connection. When your body is relaxed then your mind relaxes too.
You’re less likely to get flustered and piss off airport officials this way.
There is such a thing as being too relaxed, though. On a flight to Halifax from
Dulls Washington, Nina lost track of time over a lively breakfast chat and
missed her flight by 2 minutes. The up-side was that she wasn’t penalized and
was able to rebook a flight next day, relaxed in a wonderful hotel and had one
of the best experiences in what became a leisurely trip.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"> Travel
safe and travel smart.</b><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> Be aware of your stuff. Be smart about keeping your
stuff near you, with you and on you at all times. Part of having the freedom of
having fun is to make sure you and your stuff are safe. Once they are safe, you
can relax and enjoy your surroundings. Part of this is to be organized about
where your various important items are housed. Keep your precious things close
to you, preferably on you, and your travel documents (like passport, boarding
pass) even closer. Have a designated place for each of these and preferably use
the same traveling bag. This will establish an inner-safety net for you so that
you can be smart, safe and relax at the same time. It’s a little like Tai-Chi:
achieving a fine balance of relaxed-tension that lets you focus outward and
enjoy the road ahead. :-3</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"> Give
yourself enough time</b><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> to check in, get your bags checked and go through
security, but also to relax at the airport bar. Now, you might laugh at the
last part, but I’m not kidding. Airports are places too and each one has
character (usually associated with the place). I enjoy lingering at airports.
They serve as true gateways to world travelers and provide wonderful opportunities
to meet interesting people in a relaxed setting. Sometimes this is only the
bartender or waitress, but they are people too, and locals who can often share
some information gems you’d never find in the local travel brochure. Nina
really knows how to work a place. She usually parks at the bar, where people
are more likely to chat, and brings her “cute” tools: her highly popular
notebook computer and ME, both of which are guaranteed to elicit conversation.
:-3</span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">So, come early and enjoy the
airport. It’s a place too. For instance, Nina has her favorite airports and so
do I. Nina really likes O’Hare Airport in Chicago and John F. Kennedy in New
York City. She tells me that they scintillate with energy and the bustle of
world travelers. I’m partial to the cosmopolitan energy of Charles de Gaulle
Airport in Paris, and the spacious and more relaxed airports of Orlando, FL and
Phoenix, Arizona.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"> Pay
attention to airport layout and practice. </b><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">When you do, you soon</span><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"> </b><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">recognize familiar paradigms and
systems that most airports share. This can range from terminal location for
airlines to dining places, signage to bathrooms. Knowing your way around an
airport—even if you’ve never been there—is not just the mark of a seasoned
traveler but the sign of someone who is truly enjoying every aspect of their
journey.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"> Enjoy the
ride, every part of it</b><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">. A wise man in India once told me that the key to
happiness is simple: “choose to be happy.” Yup. That simple. Choose to enjoy
every aspect of the journey, even the “humdrum” part of it; and I mean the security
line ups and searches, body scans, delays, gate changes, etc. By adopting this
attitude, you tend to relax, focus on the adventure and open yourself to
experience. Ironically, people will react differently to you. They will treat you
as an explorer and respect you as a person, because you’ve compelled them to
see you as one. Believe me, this works. I’ve seen Nina in action time and
again. I don’t know how she gets away with it all, but next thing I knew, one
customs official was singing her a song he’d written; at the body scan, she
attracted a whole pod of security people and even held up the line, as they
eagerly shared her pictures, her writing and me! Now, I happen to know that it
was partly because she chose not to see their rifling through her stuff as an
invasion but an opportunity to share. :-3 … Which leads me to…</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"> Take it
all as it comes and open yourself to the experience</b><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">. Here are my last two
cents—well two dollars, then—on Toulouse’s Zen of Travelling. You might call me
an existentialist. I’m the cool travel cat and I believe that everything has a purpose
and what happens to us—how we react and what we create—is all part of our
realizable path. So, when you miss that critical flight or get lost in a
strange city or end up stranded in some foreign airport or ferry terminal, open
yourself to the experience that you weren’t expecting. The likelihood is that
you are about to have the adventure of a lifetime, the one you were meant to
have. On our last trip through Detroit, we ended up “stranded” at the bar of
the Westin Hotel at the airport (sad, but true :-3). One over-coiffed lady
swept in like a winter storm, wailing, “They’ve got snow-hurricanes in
Pennsylvania!” (her home). She was beside herself (well, I could practically see
her twin there) and paced the bar, looking for sympathy—and, I think, on some
level enjoying the attention . Next thing you know the whole bar was buzzing
with what a “snow-hurricane” was. Another time Nina and I were stranded at the
Halifax Airport due to Hurricane Bill. We just hunkered down at a hotel and
enjoyed the fierce winds from our comfortable sanctuary inside, drinking the
local beer. “Accidents” are often moments of opportunity. If you see them that
way, you are a true explorer of the strange and new. And isn’t that what every
traveler ultimately strives for?</span></li>
</span></ul>
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;">
</span><!--[if !supportLists]--><o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay… so go out there
and travel! And tell them that Toulouse sent you! :-3<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tags: Toulouse LeTrek, travelling, travel, world travel,
flying, traveling by plane, jet-travel, travel safety, travel tips, fun travel<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-89277473243319747182014-11-16T16:16:00.003-08:002014-11-16T16:28:24.881-08:00Go to the Hot House Café For the Love of Garlic<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv51Y6zGG68Ih6nmoDE0UmA6n16rN2KrJB6CnocACMZnI-UHFh5orrbZFIhS_pUEC8yXM515DVYsEx8K0_-C1dTmswiDfPF1bKXCRtglAP5RJ5S7W18m3ehupNTGPS0JZUL8k0THNN13E/s1600/roasted+garlic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv51Y6zGG68Ih6nmoDE0UmA6n16rN2KrJB6CnocACMZnI-UHFh5orrbZFIhS_pUEC8yXM515DVYsEx8K0_-C1dTmswiDfPF1bKXCRtglAP5RJ5S7W18m3ehupNTGPS0JZUL8k0THNN13E/s1600/roasted+garlic.jpg" height="282" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">roasted garlic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Bard said it himself: “I’d rather live with cheese and
garlic in a windmill, than feed on cakes…”<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When Shakespeare wrote that line, was he tapping into an age-old
alchemy wisdom or was he just being ornery about the habits of the aristocracy?
Either way, I must agree with him. Which is why I was at the Hot House Café on
Church and Front Streets in Toronto a few days ago. They are celebrating the
Garlic Festival there until the end of the month and if you are a garlic lover
or a Romanian like my friend Nina (which is the same thing), then you will wish
to mosey over there for a real treat! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just don’t play a game of squash right after—unless you
intend to win by default, that is, you stinker! (meow)…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The café features a varied menu of exotic dishes enriched
with garlic. Dishes include, among others:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Fusilli Salsicce: tender fusilli, tossed with
Italian garlic sausage, leek, rapini, roasted garlic, sundried tomato and
roasted garlic tomato basil sauce.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Roasted Garlic Penne: fresh cremini mushrooms,
green peas, and prosciutto simmered with roasted garlic and rich Alfredo suase
then tossed with penne and topped with parmesan.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Grilled Garlic Sirloin “Rubio”: 8 oz New York,
char-grilled to order, marinated in garlic and pepper, topped with a sauce of
sliced garlic, butter, fresh oregano and basil, and served with a medley of
steamed vegetables and your choice of HotHouse fries, baked potato, rice pilaf
or leek and chive mashed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Barramundi: lightly floured and pan seared
barramundi filet topped with a roasted garlic Bernaise butter, served with
steamed vegetables and choice of HotHouse fries, baked potato, rice pilaf or
leek and chive mashed.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic: supreme of
chicken baked with garlic and finished on the grill. Topped with<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a roasted garlic, tarragon, white wine and
cream reduction. Served with steamed vegetables and your choice of HotHouse
fries, baked potato, rice pilaf or leek and chive mashed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Each dish comes with a whole bulb of roasted garlic cloves.
These are exquisite! And simple to make: the tops of the cloves are exposed by
cutting their tops, then lathered with olive oil and baked under tin foil for
half an hour in a 400 degree oven. Voila! You then simply pop the cloves out of
their little skins with a gentle squeeze of the paw and enjoy a truly sensual
delight! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, what is it about garlic that impels poets, philosophers
and artists alike to extol its virtues? Gustave Coquiot wrote of garlic:
“Garlic all powerful, marvelous seasoning, you impel, you cheer, you are the
only condiment, you are the glorious one!” Those are strong sentiments, indeed!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
Along with leeks and shallots, garlic (Allium sativum) is a member of the onion family and one of the world's most ancient cultivated plants. It was known in China over 6,000
years ago. The ancient Egyptians used it for pregnancy tests and to cure headaches. The builders of the ancient pyramids ate garlic daily for enhanced endurance and strength. The Romans considered garlic an antidote to poisons, which were very popular in certain circles of the time. Garlic was used by some as a love potion and by others as the
opposite. The god Mercury gave Ulysses wild garlic to keep his men safe from
the feminine charms and wiles of Circe. Garlic was used for centuries as
protection against evil and was hung in doorways to ward off the demons and the
dead. It figures centrally in ghost and vampire mythology. It’s name in
Sanskrit means “Slayer of Monsters”.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7Pzzi63KkmH5j0kM61fae9AJJwNIVlMUXmmJRUFR1hFqoa5lTEfgMYQ4XrD9V-vhuIbMQn_YwjoohBhPnMa09dlVPLH1KffK-V5es8isFxpYvQTcG_M7vhbB5_GFh-Ux0GBKsAvSRxI/s1600/Roasted-Garlic-Olive-Oil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7Pzzi63KkmH5j0kM61fae9AJJwNIVlMUXmmJRUFR1hFqoa5lTEfgMYQ4XrD9V-vhuIbMQn_YwjoohBhPnMa09dlVPLH1KffK-V5es8isFxpYvQTcG_M7vhbB5_GFh-Ux0GBKsAvSRxI/s1600/Roasted-Garlic-Olive-Oil.jpg" height="201" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">roasted garlic in olive oil</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fantastic history aside, this powerful herb is now proven as
a natural antibiotic. It promotes the well-being of the heart and immune systems with antioxidant properties and helps maintain healthy blood circulation by lowering blood pressure. Garlic can also enhance the body's immune cell activity. It reduces cholesterol and helps regulate blood sugar levels. And it's packed with vitamins and nutrients.<br />
<br />
Garlic is one of the ten superstars for cancer-prevention, sharing this distinguished position with berries and citrus fruits, cruciferous vegetables, onions, green tea, omega 3 essential fatty acids, olive oil, tomatoes, soy products, red wine and dark chocolate. Meow! I like that list! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For some cool and surprising garlic home remedies go to this
site: <a href="http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/garlic-benefit.shtml">http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/garlic-benefit.shtml</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh by the way … if you are a cat NOT of the stuffed variety,
don’t partake: garlic and onions are toxic to cats and dogs. I'm the cool travel cat... :-3<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-6425333484792676072014-11-08T18:47:00.001-08:002014-11-08T18:49:17.230-08:00Toronto Adventures: The McMichael Art Gallery and the Group of Seven in Kleinburg<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNR8aB-hD5FJXPR1I1dmsK8lk4G5Ui8gWl76348ltldvM8PGt_G0FPhIGi4UsMO8yHpM_h6HtOpCBeNzC8w38quZgSZKM06fNHJXxzxDx-6HILPDSlnTRPvWWJsxP4ZPr7e-AAdatswY/s1600/tomthomson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNR8aB-hD5FJXPR1I1dmsK8lk4G5Ui8gWl76348ltldvM8PGt_G0FPhIGi4UsMO8yHpM_h6HtOpCBeNzC8w38quZgSZKM06fNHJXxzxDx-6HILPDSlnTRPvWWJsxP4ZPr7e-AAdatswY/s1600/tomthomson.jpg" height="294" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack Pine by Tom Thompson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>Are these new Canadian
painters crazy?</i>—Augustus Bridle, Canadian Courier 1920<br />
<div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was looking for adventure off the typical tourist route
and borrowed a ride north on Islington Avenue all the way to the village of
Kleinburg, about 50 km northwest of Toronto. This charming tourist destination forms
a pleasant lacework of outdoor cafés, bistros, and ice cream parlors guaranteed
to taunt, titillate and treat. I decided to taste my way along Main Street,
ambling from café to gift shop and café again. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The village nestles amid rolling hills between two branches
of the Humber River and is surrounded by agricultural land. John Kline, a
German/Canadian settler, founded Kleinburg, which translates to "small town."
In truth, Kleinburg could equally be named after its landscape (in which case
it would have to be spelled "Kleinberg" for “small mountain"). Kleinburg’s
annual fall festival called Binder Twine has its roots in the town’s
agricultural history and draws 25,000 people each year. The village has
attracted many affluent visitors and residents, including Canadian author
Pierre Burton and Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. Kleinburg is also the home
of Toronto International Film Studios and a popular location for shooting films
and TV shows.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the south end of town I steered off Main Street along a
winding road through lush forest to the cloistered McMichael Art Gallery. The
gallery is devoted to Canadian art and is the spiritual home of the Group of
Seven. It was founded by Robert and Signe McMichael, who began collecting
paintings by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries in 1955.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYDduvSg4J7VmuMGJKq_XVjRuFfrlGWzZWR2JjPH4DLxrDuKvh_kFSogPZhDl7D3ATpHycaMG9DbkJBPxUgq-JolI8lE3kLJvmOAXH37ByjTRGKopVAZ6PxrZicbrT2k-Wmgs1EfUqsc/s1600/Lawren-Harris-mountain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYDduvSg4J7VmuMGJKq_XVjRuFfrlGWzZWR2JjPH4DLxrDuKvh_kFSogPZhDl7D3ATpHycaMG9DbkJBPxUgq-JolI8lE3kLJvmOAXH37ByjTRGKopVAZ6PxrZicbrT2k-Wmgs1EfUqsc/s1600/Lawren-Harris-mountain.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountain by Lawren Harris</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I entered the high-ceilinged lobby where master native
carver Don Yeomans had created an eclectic totem pole entitled “Where Cultures
Meet”. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that he’d carved a laptop as the
“foundation” of the totem. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whiskers tingling, I passed the glass doors into the Group
of Seven exhibit and stilled my breaths: I was in the presence of magnificence.
There they were: the sweeping, bold strokes of Lawren S. Harris, J.E.H.
MacDonald, Arthur Lismer, Frederick Varley, Frank Johnston, Franklin Carmichael
and A.Y. Jackson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ClDyNMpnsAAkwj2dwwrQoBQsoh-TvAXs9KAaRpXI0CtHzZ6KSJd0uDu8JuSbdzUYvTV-HoceIOMOBmGnuliuWlt1FXDQWVAkAVWpxT_Tbq2aBDgROQ6W0mp8uNGoyDoBpZqYnsn7SS4/s1600/Lawren-Harris-red-maples.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ClDyNMpnsAAkwj2dwwrQoBQsoh-TvAXs9KAaRpXI0CtHzZ6KSJd0uDu8JuSbdzUYvTV-HoceIOMOBmGnuliuWlt1FXDQWVAkAVWpxT_Tbq2aBDgROQ6W0mp8uNGoyDoBpZqYnsn7SS4/s1600/Lawren-Harris-red-maples.JPG" height="320" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Maple by Lawren Harris</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Group of Seven contributed significantly to the identity
of “Canadian Art” during the early 20<sup>th</sup> Century. They clearly helped
define the Canadian “persona” and its rugged landscape when their “exotic” art
exploded to equal applause and condemnation in a May 1920 exhibit in Toronto—not
unlike the reception received by the French Impressionists in the late 19<sup>th</sup>
Century when their art first appeared in Paris. The Group was initially drawn
together by a common sense of frustration with the conservative and imitative
quality of most Canadian art at the time. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As with the European <i>fin de siècle</i>
symbolists and post-impressionists, the Group rebelled against the constraints
of 19th-century naturalism in Canada.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
as with the Impressionists before them, The Group shifted their emphasis from
the conservative imitation of the natural towards the expression of their
feelings for the natural.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRS5ge3bxwovqAqgh_EHB1QqmgUwtLGMxwhNw3KNBGMbhc-Frggi_qrRzfDTfeMcZpvFmyQW2XAhLiiFNKCBraoiBBcx7Emy-qk6ZnL3aM_F_YFw9iUCnRpLiSkTR8L149R4ga3BeBGuM/s1600/frank-johnston-sunset-in-the-bush-1918.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRS5ge3bxwovqAqgh_EHB1QqmgUwtLGMxwhNw3KNBGMbhc-Frggi_qrRzfDTfeMcZpvFmyQW2XAhLiiFNKCBraoiBBcx7Emy-qk6ZnL3aM_F_YFw9iUCnRpLiSkTR8L149R4ga3BeBGuM/s1600/frank-johnston-sunset-in-the-bush-1918.bmp" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset by Frank Johnston</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Group of Seven blended the palettes of Art Nouveau,
Neo-Impressionism, and Fauvism into a genuine celebration of the unique
Canadian wilderness. It was a kind of “primitive” style that matched the equally
primitive landscape they had chosen to capture. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They used broad brush strokes with
liberal application of paint to portray the wild beauty and vibrant color of
the Ontario landscape. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the art of Tom
Thomson, who died in 1917 (before the inaugural Group of Seven exhibit) but who
has remained synonymous with the Group of Seven. An avid outdoorsman, Thompson
incited A.Y. Jackson, Frederick Varley and Arthur Lismer, to paint the unkempt and
unruly part of Canada with bold displays of feeling. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With time, Harris, MacDonald, Carmichael and even Varley
simplified their colors and layouts, using thin pigment and stylized designs.
By the mid-1920s Harris had simplified his paintings into monochromatic forms
and ventured into abstraction soon after. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I celebrated my tour of the Group of Seven with a fine lunch
on the patio of the Gallery Café, where <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbJVfwgbah0tn2eWkTHC0kgmse7mx-iOcUsxvCFCTYwM0iKtDkEjGO0YPq6Pg4KqHjI2R9YCVxg7nB_Q3In5AM_HF3Q7cr-HMecNu6OcpC7Wyuv03qbGUptYvS-safriC6kkrPlC98sg/s1600/McMichael-Galery-Cafe-Sayima-toulouse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbJVfwgbah0tn2eWkTHC0kgmse7mx-iOcUsxvCFCTYwM0iKtDkEjGO0YPq6Pg4KqHjI2R9YCVxg7nB_Q3In5AM_HF3Q7cr-HMecNu6OcpC7Wyuv03qbGUptYvS-safriC6kkrPlC98sg/s1600/McMichael-Galery-Cafe-Sayima-toulouse.JPG" height="320" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse discusses good food with Sayima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
waiter Sayima Kaya served me a tender
and flavorful maple-pommery glazed Atlantic salmon, served on buttery mashed
potatoes and garnished with roasted green beans.<br />
<br />
I selected a Santa Margherita
Pinot Grigio, whose intense aroma and sparkling taste of Golden Delicious
apples danced a wonderful tango with the wild salmon dish. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From the gallery, I strolled along Main Street and something
made me stop at <i>Desserts of Distinction</i>.
Well!... Of course, my superior nose and whiskers had steered me right. Maria
Montinaro, the owner of the café, served me a decent Americano and a raspberry
and chocolate mousse tart with cassis (blackberry) nappage gélatine. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Black
currant topping was drizzled with white chocolate drops and fresh berries. I
sipped my Americano and savoured the cassis tart, which had my whiskers stand on
end. The tart was not overly sweet, which allowed the vivacious notes of black
currant and fresh raspberry to emerge through the creamy chocolate. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mgvR9U6FmjhKRsMG12_nseIEjWk9Xn94IL8jD_2fxSYqqXPzSikKlBjzoGrZWWa9lUibER24Xet4KLjKiwjtG2dlU791eJO3J0cg2d3_BeH2nFVhMZeJ3T_D8oG2jhfmKMABrvwRzaM/s1600/Kleinburg-Dolcini.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mgvR9U6FmjhKRsMG12_nseIEjWk9Xn94IL8jD_2fxSYqqXPzSikKlBjzoGrZWWa9lUibER24Xet4KLjKiwjtG2dlU791eJO3J0cg2d3_BeH2nFVhMZeJ3T_D8oG2jhfmKMABrvwRzaM/s1600/Kleinburg-Dolcini.JPG" height="320" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kleinburg in the summer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
chocolate mousse tart was only one of many delectable pastries, tarts and pies
offered at <i>Desserts of Distinction</i>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All in all, a fine day was had in Kleinburg! Come for
yourself and see. And tell them Toulouse sent you!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPLIGf4-BefbEAOzePKn3poAhtOoof7ZlBEsUYj8uRUyZ5x3xipQtHaEs6XAjamv-V4rHH-IVnrj5jNCRp_JH3kJvizlQ3Bo22UrEsF0l-fq78hUW6teg8H1L34mK9QpEWOuRzlJyHAY/s1600/kleinburg-dolcini-toulouse-pastries.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPLIGf4-BefbEAOzePKn3poAhtOoof7ZlBEsUYj8uRUyZ5x3xipQtHaEs6XAjamv-V4rHH-IVnrj5jNCRp_JH3kJvizlQ3Bo22UrEsF0l-fq78hUW6teg8H1L34mK9QpEWOuRzlJyHAY/s1600/kleinburg-dolcini-toulouse-pastries.JPG" height="178" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse beside himself...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-37958962403277689432014-10-24T21:56:00.000-07:002014-10-24T21:56:53.469-07:00The Lipscani District of Bucharest<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGsReubCpMpZP0ClnwHgBuNOnXPWfNa9Fd5A20h5yx58JKZeUKgXIUGw8XAi-_7Z_ZSf6jgxNdNIHG6yImpGmdgBnpBH9SBu74INptCq9uecfYKtAyQVlS75vEBChIf-d6HYpKaEVTCw/s1600/bucharest-old-downtown02-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGsReubCpMpZP0ClnwHgBuNOnXPWfNa9Fd5A20h5yx58JKZeUKgXIUGw8XAi-_7Z_ZSf6jgxNdNIHG6yImpGmdgBnpBH9SBu74INptCq9uecfYKtAyQVlS75vEBChIf-d6HYpKaEVTCw/s1600/bucharest-old-downtown02-web.JPG" height="233" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strada Smardan in Lipscani District</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">Thanks to my Romanian friend SF
writer Nina Munteanu, I found myself flying into </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Henri Coandă International Airport
</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">in Bucharest last week. We came to attend the Gaudeamus Book
Fair at Romexpo where Editura Paralela 45 was launching the Romanian version of
Nina’s writing guidebook <i>The Fiction
Writer</i> (<i>Scriitorul de Fictiune</i>).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr. Florin Munteanu, respected
scientist in Complexity Theory, picked us up at the airport and took us to the
Phoenicia Grand Hotel, a rather posh spacious hotel that lived up to its name.
We relaxed in the lounge, discussing fractal geometry and the Fibonacci Golden
Ratio over café crèmes. It was a very civilized introduction to this eclectic
“city of joy” (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bucurie</i> means joy in
Romanian) and I felt strangely at home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Alexander Lobrano of the New York
Times heralded Bucharest as “one of the last European cities that hasn’t been
pasteurized by gentrification or lost its soul to mass tourism. It’s an odd but
lively mutt of a city—one that’s clearly seen better days but where something
is also suddenly stirring. The locals love to have a good time, and the
Romanian economy is chugging along pretty nicely.” I’m not sure I agree with
calling Bucharest a “mutt of a city”; although Bucharest does exude eccentricity
in style and form, spanning the baroque to neo-gothic style of the Lipscani
District to the eclectic opulence of the CEC Bank building to the insane
self-indulgent extravagance of Ceauşescu’s Casa Popurului (House of the
People). Parisianne-inspired Arcul de Triumf and the Odean Theatre are reasons
why Bucharest is sometimes referred to as Little Paris of the East. The historic
Lipscani District in Old Town Bucharest (in the heart of the city), provides an
authentic medieval setting — complete with pedestrian cobbled lanes — that
includes stunning baroque, renaissance and neo-classical architecture dating
back to medieval times. It is all that remains of a previously vibrant
commercial centre (much of which was destroyed during Ceauşescu’s reign).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Long before the official founding of
the city of Bucharest in 1459, the Lipscani area was already an important
commercial centre. It got its name from the German town of Leipzig, because
during the 1600s and 1700s many traders from Leipzig came to sell their wares
to the locals and the Turks. Lipscani flourished in the 1600s after Vlad Tepes
(the Turk impaler) chose it for his Princely Court. Craftsmen and merchants
from all over settled there and many of Lipscani’s streets still retain the
names of these trades. The diverse mix of </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romanian, Greek, Bulgarian, Serbian, Armenian,
Jewish, Albanian and Austrians mingled and clashed in a vibrant mix of culture
and contrast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
general decay of the historic centre following successive bombings by the
Allies and the Luftwaffe during World War II, then a devastating earthquake in
1977, rendered it vulnerable to communist leader Nicolae Ceauşescu's maniacal
vision of a concrete, communist Utopia. Ceauşescu ordered Bucharest's historic
centre demolished to make way for his Civic Centre project, which included the
massive Palace of Parliament, and replaced a section of the historic district
larger than New York's Central Park with unimaginative grotesque imitations of
palatial elegance. Somehow, the Lipscani District managed to survive to see the
1989 Romanian Revolution and Ceausescu's execution.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">George Kudor, one of Dr. Munteanu’s brilliant
students, took me to the Lipsani District where we wandered the pedestrian
cobbled streets, along Strada. Smardan, the first street to be completely
repaved and renovated, past sushi bars, shops, Irish pubs, nightclubs and cafes
like the Dutch-owned Grand Café Van Gogh, which according to Lobrano serves
awesome coffee. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I found us wandering down
Stavropoleos Street. George led me to an old monastery built in the </span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Brâncovenesc style</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> where he said he often came to listen to the Byzantine
music of the small choir. The church holds the largest collection of Byzantine
music books in Romania. Built in 1724, the Stavropoleos monastery was dedicated
to St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel. The name Stavropoleos is a Romanian
rendition of a Greek word (Stauropolis), which means “the city of the Cross”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDM9O6SbWSr8HS96ROIei0HmCVTYotX8N_WFdJfVkh891XkkpaP6x1i6vwVt9nqTjTGx43Sbb4rHlz-zy1f9oN0gZwKFUUzXKMyjemQflCbrdQeUETX2IXV9Y7yGgXDtU7sOacWUC1mX0/s1600/caru-cu-bere-bucharest-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDM9O6SbWSr8HS96ROIei0HmCVTYotX8N_WFdJfVkh891XkkpaP6x1i6vwVt9nqTjTGx43Sbb4rHlz-zy1f9oN0gZwKFUUzXKMyjemQflCbrdQeUETX2IXV9Y7yGgXDtU7sOacWUC1mX0/s1600/caru-cu-bere-bucharest-web.JPG" height="226" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caru cu Bere on Str. Stavropoleos</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We continued down Str. Stavropoleos with
a view of the CEC Palace Romanian Savings Bank, an eclectic building with a
monumental central dome and entrance archway supported by pillars. We walked along
neo-gothic facades to one of Lipscani’s best known and popular restaurants,
Caru’ cu Bere (cart of beer), which brews its own beer in a stunning Bell
Epoque cathedral-like setting of high vaulted ceilings with painted ceilings,
balconies, chandeliers, stained glass, and frescoes and ornate woodwork. One
patron from London remarked, “It was like having a meal at Cardiff Castle!” The
decadently opulent neo-gothic interior was designed by the Austrian architect
Zigrid Kofczinsky in 1875 as a beer hall (they certainly had interesting ideas
of what a beer hall should look like then!). The service has apparently vastly
improved from its former Sovietsky days. Our waitress was friendly and prompt.
Caru’ cu Bere has a menu the size of a newspaper and celebrates a diversity of
traditional Romanian food like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mamaliga</i>
(polenta-like dish), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">carnaţi şi fasole</i>
(sausage and beans), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dovlecei umpluţi cu
carne </i>(squash stuffed with minced meat), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">varzǎ acrǎ cǎlitǎ cu cǎrnaţi bine afumaţi</i> (sauerkraut with smoked
sausage) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sarmale</i> (cabbage rolls)
to a juicy T-bone steak. The banner outside the restaurant proclaims in
English: “Possibly the Best Restaurant in Town.” For its combination of
atmosphere, good local food and price, they might be right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSY2w5F1tpysZI0-PYcJC-T9gPo_SwTEmfkv3TKlqY5DDXLdN81NssLnK8bPzdzK8k-NnBhLZCFnP-GNeoXZEp_rQ03PnzoCQJh6LmdUyLwlN4kYdaZ16LiH8vjUOX5dY2Uqc2bm4IUI/s1600/caru-cu-bere-bar-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSY2w5F1tpysZI0-PYcJC-T9gPo_SwTEmfkv3TKlqY5DDXLdN81NssLnK8bPzdzK8k-NnBhLZCFnP-GNeoXZEp_rQ03PnzoCQJh6LmdUyLwlN4kYdaZ16LiH8vjUOX5dY2Uqc2bm4IUI/s1600/caru-cu-bere-bar-web.JPG" height="301" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neo-gothic interior of Caru cu Bere</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">George then took me through the
Macca-Villacrosse Passage, an odd little U-shaped passageway linking Streets
Lipscani and Eugen Carada with Calea Victoriei. This jewel of 19<sup>th</sup>
century architecture is a year-round haven for coffee drinkers and shoppers
beneath amber-tinted glass roof. Named “Valley of the Kings”, the passage was
renovated in 1989 and contains small stores, a bistro, Chinese restaurant and cafes.
Among them is the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cafenea Egipleana</i>, an
Egyptian-themed café and hookah lounge, where patrons share <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shisha</i> or flavored tobacco from a
communal hookah or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nargile</i>, placed at
each table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After meeting Dr. Munteanu at the
Centre for Complexity on Jean-Louis Calderan, we walked to Burebista Vanatoresc
(Str. Batistei) a local medieval-themed restaurant where we enjoyed another
hearty traditional Romanian meal (Romanians like to eat—my kind of people!) to
the piano music of a local artist. I saw dishes like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">carnati de oaie </i>(mutton sausages) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mititei</i> (grilled links of mixed ground meat seasoned with garlic,
thyme and anise). Specialties include bear paws and civet; spicy crispy pork
ribs, filet of wild boar in red wine and brandy sauce. I had <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ciorbă de perişoare</i> (meatball soup),
which came with hearty bread and a bracing Romanian beer. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAAVq4BApuRp-VAhk9BpZZX99a4kZZgp0bqA9sItKLF7I-pch3i2nnjL6B_8GPyq98LbwJE61U7JrjEKA-Lzk8snG85hxboq5zSYUzqbcz9WCWNvSkZ2dLZ0oWq2fh0_UyxBuHsHGUGjk/s1600/bucharest-old-downtown04-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAAVq4BApuRp-VAhk9BpZZX99a4kZZgp0bqA9sItKLF7I-pch3i2nnjL6B_8GPyq98LbwJE61U7JrjEKA-Lzk8snG85hxboq5zSYUzqbcz9WCWNvSkZ2dLZ0oWq2fh0_UyxBuHsHGUGjk/s1600/bucharest-old-downtown04-web.JPG" height="320" width="196" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macca-Villacrosse Passage</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bucharest is Europe’s sixth largest
city and a three-hour flight from most western European capitals, adds Lobrano.
I saw obvious influences of western (particularly North American) consumerism
and pop culture (e.g., apparel, modern architecture, fast-food places like KFC,
Pizza Hut; English spoken everywhere)—no doubt a visceral reaction of a culture
emerging from the oppressive Ceauşescu reign. I also recognized the influence
of the east in the foods, dress, Byzantine architecture, music and comportment
of the locals. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Florin Munteanu said it perfectly: “Romania is the corpus
callosum of the world,” where east and west converge, mingle and learn. It’s no
wonder that Romania is one of the leading countries in work on complexity
theory, a science that embraces the “collision” of different “worlds” to create
more than the sum of its parts. I look forward to coming back to this vibrant
city and its countryside. When I return I will make sure to visit Bucharest’s
excellent museums, particularly the Muzeul Taranului Roman (Peasant Museum) and
the Muzeul Naţional al Satului Diminitrie Gusti (Village Museum). Both are not
far from the Lipscani District. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-20014409012322379402014-09-21T10:37:00.000-07:002014-12-07T10:38:25.820-08:00Adventures in Toronto: Brunch at Whitlocks in The Beaches<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGISgLaW5LxAqepIpky7OI158BE1KDm5MhDjkqAYGixHe-S0dCZ73OtVYB6HQcLg50-0d5bo1cTUQTjn1STWUKxa3WSYCUd5WuUWJMXtZP3ezG2XiedNTL2dKnqjk3SrHd9H-SNb2_SY/s1600/whitlocks-outside-front-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGISgLaW5LxAqepIpky7OI158BE1KDm5MhDjkqAYGixHe-S0dCZ73OtVYB6HQcLg50-0d5bo1cTUQTjn1STWUKxa3WSYCUd5WuUWJMXtZP3ezG2XiedNTL2dKnqjk3SrHd9H-SNb2_SY/s1600/whitlocks-outside-front-web.JPG" height="208" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whitlocks Sunday Brunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was a splendid September late Sunday morning and I felt
rather peckish for a fine brunch. Winking at me rather roguishly, Nina said, “I
know just the place, Toulouse! Besides, ‘Life’s the Beaches’.”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You mean ‘Life’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a
Beach’</i>,” I corrected her, stressing the singular.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No, I mean THE BEACHES,” she returned—rather forcefully, I
thought. “Come on, you’ll see,” she added and grabbed the ignition crystal to
my ToulouseMobile. She dropped it in my paw. “Let’s go!” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I guess she was feeling peckish too. I grabbed my beret and
sunglasses. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Never argue with a hungry woman.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dqQopdUNh2Cd_csJHF1PFlOmIYqsVQwBgaTmTmwttQbQP_unZUiqaws8sN8aMWSSz0s9B8lYy9yoZeM3NQwD_CkXRqjI3qPryhNSaLolQCC88cKTLBP09qUUOmZMpGFYYvSapqJHGpE/s1600/Whitlocks+brunch-buffet-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dqQopdUNh2Cd_csJHF1PFlOmIYqsVQwBgaTmTmwttQbQP_unZUiqaws8sN8aMWSSz0s9B8lYy9yoZeM3NQwD_CkXRqjI3qPryhNSaLolQCC88cKTLBP09qUUOmZMpGFYYvSapqJHGpE/s1600/Whitlocks+brunch-buffet-web.JPG" height="255" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serving Sunday Brunch at Whitlocks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The drive down Toronto’s Queen Street is itself a
sight-seeing trip. This commercial street runs east-west through many ethnic neighbourhoods,
reflecting international influences of funk and glam with old and new
architecture and original niche-style shops and cafes. We headed east on Queen through
Leslieville then eventually into ‘The Beaches’. Where I had a little epiphany.
Ah…. THE BEACHES… meow…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Beaches is, in fact, a bohemian-style neighbourhood in
Toronto’s East end. Dominated by tree-lined streets and turn of the Century
Victorian/Edwardian houses turned into cafes and shops, The Beaches is a
popular destination for locals and tourists like me. It gets its name from the
expansive sandy beaches that line Lake Ontario just south of Queen Street. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nina directed us to Whitlocks Restaurant on the south side
of the street, just across from a very inviting pub-style bistro called Lion on
the Beach (I took note for another time).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjr0eeSTFLgR_VJzN5yNmoHRUxgOpcZkvnkilIL3gmIAPA1t0XDxVX2-r3pIewOUIF2Gq7nxaLrFEy-fFDHE_IYT38PTeg42zgsmtC9AaCwPcvsbsB3YbuNMeuQSvsn_hUHHqdNeTHjEo/s1600/whitlocks-patio-front-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjr0eeSTFLgR_VJzN5yNmoHRUxgOpcZkvnkilIL3gmIAPA1t0XDxVX2-r3pIewOUIF2Gq7nxaLrFEy-fFDHE_IYT38PTeg42zgsmtC9AaCwPcvsbsB3YbuNMeuQSvsn_hUHHqdNeTHjEo/s1600/whitlocks-patio-front-web.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patio of Whitlocks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whitlocks invited with its side patio dining and original historical
turn of the century storefront. Wood-framed windows opened up Italian-style to
the breeze, providing indoor-eating with an intimate link to the outdoors. One
set of windows had been converted into a buffet-style serving area for an
elaborate brunch. Two chefs prepared savory custom omelets to a bevy of
customers milling on the street and holding out their plates in anticipation.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We entered and seated ourselves in the outdoor patio beneath
the blue and white awning, where Jose our friendly and attentive waiter took
our order. He directed us through the restaurant to where the buffet spread out
all the way to the front. There, we stepped back onto the street to order our
custom omelets from Kunam and Suthan through the window. Kunam was pretty handy
with the pan as he flipped his freshly made omelet into the air for a customer with
the panache of a seasoned chef (I think he was showing off in front of us)… <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLFEm8yIVvs42LPiQI-APlITPA5eP3xBhxRS3rXB2yuQRNzmTXh7e_eLiSYHy5wB66zIe_wngSN12upkZ7LtlBRyVYO1h0qhkzHPqrzZFoLLuuyToV5U6jj9AzME1bcYGRWELlZZjPk0/s1600/kunam+and+suthan-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLFEm8yIVvs42LPiQI-APlITPA5eP3xBhxRS3rXB2yuQRNzmTXh7e_eLiSYHy5wB66zIe_wngSN12upkZ7LtlBRyVYO1h0qhkzHPqrzZFoLLuuyToV5U6jj9AzME1bcYGRWELlZZjPk0/s1600/kunam+and+suthan-web.JPG" height="238" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kunam and Suthan serving hot Brunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whitlocks serves its Sunday Harvest Brunch Buffet between 9
and 3 pm. For $20 you get all you can eat (kids half price), which includes a
rich variety of delicious savories, meats, egg dishes and sweets that vary from
week to week. Today Whitlocks offered: shepherd’s pie, eggs Benedict and eggs
Florentine, custom omelet, roast beef, mussels, mixed vegetable rice, sausage,
pancakes, tasty home fries, and renowned waffles, complete with fruit sauces
and real whipped cream. And that was just the beginning! They also served Greek
salad, chick pea salad, potato salad, coleslaw, fresh fruit, aromatic
fresh-baked brownies, banana bread, and oh-so-exquisite tiramisu. Juice and
coffee were included. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The food was tastefully
cooked to perfection. And it filled my little belly to perfection too! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLyKyPRyWAbWYbuT-VxfEniUslcHK_RIXYzwXA4Ww9EomlO9s_SgX5D6cT6k4vYETF1_GF086AT3nwkqJgjbzfJDhN0_9jNYaUNZ_03RHOTN-F8E1usMjrnHB9Eqxr6uG1bIW5SexyGM/s1600/kunam+flipping+omelet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLyKyPRyWAbWYbuT-VxfEniUslcHK_RIXYzwXA4Ww9EomlO9s_SgX5D6cT6k4vYETF1_GF086AT3nwkqJgjbzfJDhN0_9jNYaUNZ_03RHOTN-F8E1usMjrnHB9Eqxr6uG1bIW5SexyGM/s1600/kunam+flipping+omelet.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kunum showing us the art of omelet-flipping</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sitting in the patio, I leaned back and drank the richly
brewed coffee over my Tiramisu and watched the trees rustle in the invigorating
wind. Within a few minutes, it began to rain. A typical Toronto thunderstorm
was brewing. The rain swiftly turned into a deluge and pelted down hard,
pounding the awning and umbrellas like a drum roll. The wind gusted and the
rain decided to fall sideways, soaking patrons who laughed gleefully—we were in
The Beaches, after all! Jose ushered us inside out of the misbehaving rain. Nina
giggled and pointed to one young couple, who were crawling inside through the
open window, plates of food precariously balanced in their outstretched hands. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We rescued our desserts and settled inside with a view of
the refreshing downpour, and glad to be dry. The wood and brick walls and funky
1960’s lamps of Whitlock’s high ceilings provides a relaxed and cozy atmosphere
inviting friendly chats over coffee or a main meal.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaQ7zVqD9ruv0dka0nPAsOlQySUabQbQScaW_SEMNdTYhKaT6vnhrRxL61fAc3huz9_DusB0llMXHNQNwJltrW3NPLqZwuDce1WwP3SpM858Gq1abu3_6dDgx3nzUmrQEAu6gv4jse5U/s1600/whitlocks-interior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaQ7zVqD9ruv0dka0nPAsOlQySUabQbQScaW_SEMNdTYhKaT6vnhrRxL61fAc3huz9_DusB0llMXHNQNwJltrW3NPLqZwuDce1WwP3SpM858Gq1abu3_6dDgx3nzUmrQEAu6gv4jse5U/s1600/whitlocks-interior.jpg" height="249" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whitlocks interior</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The building remains close to its original form when Philip Whitelocks,
a clergyman from England, constructed it in 1891. The clergyman ran a grocery
store and post office in the front and a Baptist church in the back. In 1925 it
became the first Black Diamond Cheese Factory. Then in 1985 it grew a “Famous
Nose” and ten years later it drew the attention of Dimitri Panayiotou, son of
master chef Yianni, of the late King Farouk. The current owner, Radha from Sri
Lanka, is also Whitlock’s main chef (“The Peoples Chef”), cooking up a storm of
wonderful international dishes to an equally international clientele. During
the short time that I was there, I recognized French, German and Italian, among
more exotic languages spoken among the patrons. Whitlock’s serves quality food and
drink with an international menu of soups, appetizers and main dishes, complete
with friendly service and a relaxed cosmopolitan atmosphere, conducive to
lingering. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was reminded of Ramsis Café on the World in Louisville, KY,
another bistro-style restaurant that showcases international cuisine of
impeccable quality.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.whitlocks.ca/" target="_blank">Whitlocks</a>: go for the brunch; linger for the dinner.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Contact: 1961 Queen Street East, The Beaches (Toronto);
647-260-0604<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment-->Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-6812920988838181642014-08-15T23:25:00.000-07:002014-10-31T21:33:32.117-07:00Cruise with Toulouse: Riding Harleys in Cozumel<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBiEQdM1CqsiT-_sy-4PYMYwNYzT8wLVQN_7pZoO3fJjO8ntU1T4U32jCTWW1FrM3bfdXWHcsNBhwCchTV4wiM159nKxVbmUB_eeEjpKBgA710t6JgPg7DuRGp5lmePMUnODsDbI2oRA/s1600/cozumel-carnival-dream02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBiEQdM1CqsiT-_sy-4PYMYwNYzT8wLVQN_7pZoO3fJjO8ntU1T4U32jCTWW1FrM3bfdXWHcsNBhwCchTV4wiM159nKxVbmUB_eeEjpKBgA710t6JgPg7DuRGp5lmePMUnODsDbI2oRA/s1600/cozumel-carnival-dream02.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carnival Dream docked in Cozumel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
“Get up, you lazy bones! Time to go onshore!” In her
exuberance, Nina grabbed me by the tail (she isn’t always considerate when
she’s excited) and cheerfully shoved me into her daypack. “We’ve landed in Cozumel!”<br />
<div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Docked!’ I corrected her from inside the pack, as she
blithely rushed out of our stateroom and rode the glass elevator twelve stories
down to where we would disembark. The word is docked! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good thing I’m her editor, is all I can say.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we got off the ship, Nina gave me a glimpse of the huge
pier. Our first stop on the Carnival Dream cruise was Cozumel, an island in the
Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Cozumel
means Island of the Swallows in Mayan and it’s the largest Atlantic island of
Mexico with a low, flat and densely vegetated topography, based on limestone.
The limestone has created some cool karst formations. For instance, Cenotes are
deep water filled sinkholes formed by water percolating through the soft limestone
over thousands of years; if you’re a qualified cave diver – and foolishly
adventurous – you can get permission to explore Cozumel’s Cenotes. About twenty
years ago some of those foolish adventurers discovered what is now recognized
as the 5<sup>th</sup> largest underwater cave in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbTiJnHJk-kGWI0uPlwmZ60OfjTDEQOWGmOhcZsGN5aB8cZOWB9aifAZrjaqo8Dd68mDzP9DTXETjPOb1e9dLkPjSBdrG3yFLmV_VTM2uPG6qUNxX6TQEguIgLAPNmI4UH5f-4s88d6Y/s1600/cozumel-toulouse-harley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbTiJnHJk-kGWI0uPlwmZ60OfjTDEQOWGmOhcZsGN5aB8cZOWB9aifAZrjaqo8Dd68mDzP9DTXETjPOb1e9dLkPjSBdrG3yFLmV_VTM2uPG6qUNxX6TQEguIgLAPNmI4UH5f-4s88d6Y/s1600/cozumel-toulouse-harley.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse checks his Harley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Maya first settled Cozumel in the early part of the 1<sup>st</sup>
millennium AD. It was a place of pilgrimage and considered sacred to Ix Chel,
the Maya Moon Goddess. In 1518 Hernán Cortés and his fleet swept in like a dark
storm, destroying a bazilion temples and eventually wiping out the locals with
smallpox. Those were tough times for the Mayans. According to some researchers,
by 1570 only a meager 30 people survived from the original 40,000 Mayan population.
Those were the dark years, when the deserted Cozumel became a hideout for
pirates and refuges and other interesting eccentrics. Did you know that Abraham
Lincoln almost bought the island as a place to send the freed slaves of the
United States? But the drawn-out war in the Yucatan changed his mind. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cozumel finally entered its golden years when
Jacques Cousteau “blessed it” by discovering and popularizing its spectacular
scuba diving in Cozumel’s coral reefs at Palancar. Even the destruction by
Hurricane Wilma hasn’t slowed down Cozumel, which remains a popular tourist
destination and currently boasts over 90 restaurants. The locals, a wonderful
mixture of Mayan and Spanish descent, are friendly, optimistic and cheerful
people with a great sense of humor and healthy outlook. Nina tells me they
remind her of the cheerfully adaptive Thai people of Phuket, who after the
devastation of the recent tsunami, just picked up the pieces and built it all
up again within a short few years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cozumel is a popular charter fishing destination and offers
some of the best scuba diving and snorkeling for our “Joe Tourist”. But Nina
and I aren’t “Joe Tourist”… Besides, you may recall from my last post that I’m
not particularly fond of water (I am a cat, after all, free to exercise the
inalienable rights of my species). We did something far more exciting – and
exotic: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we toured the island on Harleys!
We saw the “wild side” of Cozumel.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYGt0iDR3B5BunbkSpSTZeIZ0a019vGQT6QJtwi1owe7g_jW8Mtkd1nAzs2pI95lWHSNBh0moMROfdJp3N7bIfYuhsuOjg23hQ3NoiFs827Uk-1RUzIqB9rSOOAQ6BNPnRlrNaudaL7o/s1600/cozumel-willy-carlos-toulouse01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYGt0iDR3B5BunbkSpSTZeIZ0a019vGQT6QJtwi1owe7g_jW8Mtkd1nAzs2pI95lWHSNBh0moMROfdJp3N7bIfYuhsuOjg23hQ3NoiFs827Uk-1RUzIqB9rSOOAQ6BNPnRlrNaudaL7o/s1600/cozumel-willy-carlos-toulouse01.JPG" height="291" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse chills with Willy and Carlos</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the pier we met our guides, Willy and Carlos, two regular
guys in black leather jackets and tattoos. Smiling like pirates, they led us to
a lonely back parking lot, where we found our bikes. Nina chose a red 1200cc Sportster
and I chose a blue one. What? You don’t believe I rode one all by myself? Take
a look at the picture of me on the bike at Punta Sur, one of our stops!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The tour was an exhilarating fur-raising ride along Cozumel’s
cracked and warped roads with a view of its scenic shoreline. We took off from
Sunset Beach and headed south through the ancient Mayan town of Cedral then
continued south, salt air whipping through my fur, to Punta Celerain and the
historic lighthouse at Punta Sur Ecological Park. Nina panted and huffed after
me as I scampered up the 100-some steps to the top for a breathtaking view of
the island’s surf and vast beach. I don’t know what her problem was: the stairs
weren’t nearly as narrow, crooked, and worn as the crumbling Tower of Pisa (but
that’s another story…). It was in the park that I met Charlie, the resident
crocodile. Charlie’s presence in Cozumel, let alone North America, is an
oddity. If you know anything about natural science, you know that crocs are
normally restricted to the “old continents” of Africa and Asia. North America
and South America support alligators. The way I remember it is: “Nile” rhymes
with crocodile and “Amazon” starts with an “a” like “alligator”. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It must have been the fresh sea air, because my stomach
started to growl. Nina’s followed soon after and Willy got the message. We
quickly mounted up and he navigated us along a windy back road to the main
highway and the “wild side” of the island to “Coconuts Restaurant and Bar”. We
dined on authentic Mexican cuisine at this funky seaside eatery and watched the
locals cavorting and laughing. The open-air restaurant resembled something from
an old James Bond movie, thatched palm-leaf roofs decorated with t-shirts from
across the world and support poles tattooed with business cards. Fearing the
retarded dog that decided to park itself near us, I wandered off to the beach
below, lured by deep sea-green surf, lava-shaped rocks and the sweet aroma of
local herbs. Of course, no one told me that the beaches here allow partial nudity!
Bonus for me. Nina was “put out” though; she’d panicked when she couldn’t find
me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After she found me on the beach, she shoved me back into her
backpack where I stayed as we continued the last leg of the tour through
Mezcalitos, and west toward the main town of San Miguel, where Willy showed us—well,
Nina (I was still socked in the backpack)— where he lives. We then rode through
San Miguel’s bustling downtown and finally returned to the pier’s back parking
lot.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nina relented (she can never stay mad at me for long) and
let me out of the pack when Willy produced two bottles of Corona Beer to
celebrate our cool 5-hour tour. It was a blast! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can book your Harley Davidson Tour with Willy and Carlos
through Sand Dollar Sports. <a href="mailto:sds@sanddollarsports.com">sds@sanddollarsports.com</a>
From Canada call: 972-966-0616; from USA call: 1-888-737-6399; from Cozumel
call: 987-872-0793 or 987-872-1884; fax: 987-872-6158.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-1567896768595771022014-08-12T23:39:00.000-07:002014-10-31T21:32:59.000-07:00Cruise with Toulouse: Climbing a Mayan Temple <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSqMvSPs0Bp5H7TusllmXorhLXDX3VsHOpk0RYI6JSnXZJ_-NA4T0Zf2lcaGD2-0MpaIyiywiRlhhUBqe1VLl-S0cG0IMrY8Y5M_5vmxK0Jgs1Xk0o20bWHaDTTb-Y_SwPDcNGZRfDJw/s1600/costa-maya-13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSqMvSPs0Bp5H7TusllmXorhLXDX3VsHOpk0RYI6JSnXZJ_-NA4T0Zf2lcaGD2-0MpaIyiywiRlhhUBqe1VLl-S0cG0IMrY8Y5M_5vmxK0Jgs1Xk0o20bWHaDTTb-Y_SwPDcNGZRfDJw/s1600/costa-maya-13.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mayan Temple of Chacchoben Mayan site</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">There’s
nothing like the end of the world to motivate your holiday plans.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">So, when Nina roused me out of bed aboard the cruise ship Carnival Dream for a shore excursion to the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins of Costa Maya, I thought, "why not?"</span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">I always wanted to get a closer look at the place where those nasty "end of the world" rumours began...</span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">Costa Maya is located on the Yukatan Peninsula, a limestone tableland of forests and mountains in southern Mexico, where the Mayan civilization colonized some 3000 years ago. The Mayans built incredible cities, particularly between 250 and 900 AD, when they advanced astronomy, math, and calendar-making equal to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. They were doing all they, I might add, at the time when Europeans were struggling in the pre-chivalry stage of the Dark Ages. Serfdom and Feudalism reigned at the expense of creativity, learning and innovation. And let's not forget that back then the Iron Maiden wasn't the name of a rock band and dudes made a legitimate living in the torture business. There's a reason it was called the Dark Ages. In the meantime, the Mayans were cutting out the hearts of children to sacrifice to Quetzalcoatle (Kukulcan), a bird-snake god, or Chac, the rain god.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj334Xe1dE8BlsVCcXiCVSjnVDy1NXr38V3ktv0X7badx9PDeB_ubJ9v0f1iUP1ic9cVzeLnjPHf6ZkvKUT8MwF6Q54wRRDcqrfa_kmu_nc1dUHdgXlWSW2dR6llXXFWig-yRto_hqmPbY/s1600/costa-maya-shipsalley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj334Xe1dE8BlsVCcXiCVSjnVDy1NXr38V3ktv0X7badx9PDeB_ubJ9v0f1iUP1ic9cVzeLnjPHf6ZkvKUT8MwF6Q54wRRDcqrfa_kmu_nc1dUHdgXlWSW2dR6llXXFWig-yRto_hqmPbY/s1600/costa-maya-shipsalley.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ships Alley, Costa Maya</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">OK. Here's the cool bit: the Mayan Long Count Calendar provides a set period of cycles encompassing a 5,125-year era from the Gregorian date of August 11, 3114 BC. The winter solstice of 2012 marks the end of an era (paralleling the Greek's cycle of catastrophe, the End of the Age or Suntelia Aion) when the "wrathful father Sun will eclipse the dark rift at the centre of the Galaxy." Okay... this is cool too: the mythical serpent of light resides in the heavens (the Milky Way) and viewed at the galactic central point (near Sagittarius) the serpent eats its own tail (the Ouroboros). In the mythical cycle of catastrophic change, the Suntelia Aion occurs when the sun rises out of the mouth of the Ouroboros, predicted to occur on the winter solstice of 2012. The movie "2012" capitalized on the hysteria that solar, seismic, volcanic electromagnetic and/or military activity will spark a physical catastrophe and destroy our world. Others believe that this "end of an era" symbolizes the ushering in of a new era of global consciousness and new respect for the planet. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_e7foCPVY48XwoWxJhrt3HOXN1R8QbEIaJSt4puTfNIV96IGCJQYRvg2aqlh3K2bFRle5y0G2sa5soIPoiLp011nSYwsfOTyc197neFMYLxJCwfj7u8lU987oPZJjf_WApPi_QE5_KDg/s1600/costa-maya-09-close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_e7foCPVY48XwoWxJhrt3HOXN1R8QbEIaJSt4puTfNIV96IGCJQYRvg2aqlh3K2bFRle5y0G2sa5soIPoiLp011nSYwsfOTyc197neFMYLxJCwfj7u8lU987oPZJjf_WApPi_QE5_KDg/s1600/costa-maya-09-close.jpg" height="320" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant Kapok buttresses embrace ancient ruins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">Nina and I joined a bus tour to the Mayan ruins of Chacchoben, which means "place of red corn". Once the tour group disembarked, we sidled away (sly grin) in search of adventure in the sultry jungle of Quintana Roo. Nina and I wandered among the huge buttressed kapoks, acacias and palms, inhaling the pungent aromas of epiphytic orchids, hanging moss and other exotic plants. The jungle yielded her secrets grudgingly, I thought, as we picked our way through the chaos of tree trunks and roots--locked in a twisted embrace around stone stairs and other ancient remnants. The ground was littered with kapok seed pods. They reminded me of something else; this is jaguar country... Nina (in her Goggle-wisdom) informed me that the finer inside is used as an alternative to down as filling in mattresses, pillows, upholstery, and stuffed toys. I know what you're thinking; don't even go there... </span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">The jungle yielded three temple pyramids, all perfectly aligned. The main temple stood on the grassy terrace of El Gran Basemento, at the top of a huge stone staircase. I glimpsed no eerie serpent statues or bas-reliefs of jaguar god-men. But I experienced something far more dangerous...</span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ua_yGr7NDjsGYa8GG6Qiinf5625CmxKBENBPA4fqmLXItGZRRYsOOHxYbaIrDKC9V8Bl9GcRJ4dhh22y1Srh3gqeVD5Vm4S5KWJVrYcop_rH7Vfe9MEvtoa1DX9V772DW47MSbKla1w/s1600/costa-maya-11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ua_yGr7NDjsGYa8GG6Qiinf5625CmxKBENBPA4fqmLXItGZRRYsOOHxYbaIrDKC9V8Bl9GcRJ4dhh22y1Srh3gqeVD5Vm4S5KWJVrYcop_rH7Vfe9MEvtoa1DX9V772DW47MSbKla1w/s1600/costa-maya-11.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mayan Temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">I was climbing the steep pyramid face of the third temple to catch a glimpse of the top, which was used to track the sun's path. Then I froze. A bright red snake slithered out from a dark crack in one of the stairs just inches in front of me. Luckily, he didn't feel like snacking--most snakes this size typically eat small reptiles, lizards, frogs and mammals (that's me!). Instead, he wandered up the stairway, perhaps looking for a quiet place to sunbathe.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;"></span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;"></span>
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">Nina gasped. She snatched me and stuffed me in her bag.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;"></span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;"></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"No more adventures for you!"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
When we rejoined the tour, Nina described the snake to our guide. He also gasped and informed her that she'd come within inches of Costa Maya's most deadly snake, the Coral Snake. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As Nina returned to the bus, jostling me in her backpack, I pointed out the haunting "meowing" notes of the Quetzal bird. Nut Nina was mumbling something to herself about knapsacks and didn't hear. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
By the way, the Quetzal bird was prized by the Maya for its feathers and it symbolizes freedom (Nina isn't the only one who uses Google).</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirBEAJsqcBX4TmUI4i4UxkPHYyOJE0xt42efFqIQRmPokB0yj57oeLdYfJTPF4G2OI8IY-ebTpN9N6mPKy94Yck73F4Eh20N26oXu-GHqtqxCrwopcYASwwqgITlzJK5YAvWIJ287gjw/s1600/costa-maya-snake-toulouse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirBEAJsqcBX4TmUI4i4UxkPHYyOJE0xt42efFqIQRmPokB0yj57oeLdYfJTPF4G2OI8IY-ebTpN9N6mPKy94Yck73F4Eh20N26oXu-GHqtqxCrwopcYASwwqgITlzJK5YAvWIJ287gjw/s1600/costa-maya-snake-toulouse.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse escapes deadly snake!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Well, I'd done a little reading myself and I blithely informed Nina that while I had been in mortal danger of getting eaten, she hadn’t been in any danger at all; the snake I almost bumped into didn’t have the distinct bands of the venomous Coral Snake (they are known for their colorful red, yellow and black bands). With the exception of no obvious black “collar” neck and dull yellow/orange face, the colorations of our snake resembled Yukatan’s Red Coffee snake, often mistaken for the coral snake but perfectly harmless—unless you’re a small mammal (like me), that is. <span style="text-align: justify;"> I suggested that my little snake “friend” might also have been a non-venomous Red Coachwhip snake, which also has a reddish braided body and tapered whip-like tail. In any case, all this is truly moot to me: any of them would have been happy to eat me, if they were feeling at all peckish. I am, after all, very good looking.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;"></span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">Nina then pithily informed me that not all coral snakes show banding. </span><span style="text-align: justify;">And it was the right size (typically 20-30 inches long).</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">As we made our way </span><span style="text-align: justify;">back to the boat, I recalled something Drunvalo Melchizekek, Mayan spokesman, said in a presentation about 2012: “…The world you know, that you live in, is not what you think it is. We modern people think the world is solid and real, and that nothing can change it…The Maya wish to inform you this is not true. The world is really images that can be controlled by consciousness, especially consciousness that is connected directly in the human heart.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">I guess that's why I didn't get eaten by the snake... "<i>You don't want to eat me</i>..."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;"></span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">I'm the cool travel cat...</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 2.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 101.8pt; margin-top: 2.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 2.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 101.8pt; margin-top: 2.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 2.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 101.8pt; margin-top: 2.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 2.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 101.8pt; margin-top: 2.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 2.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 101.8pt; margin-top: 2.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 2.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 101.8pt; margin-top: 2.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 2.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 101.8pt; margin-top: 2.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 2.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 101.8pt; margin-top: 2.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 2.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 101.8pt; margin-top: 2.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-29146929521104678752014-08-10T23:48:00.000-07:002014-10-31T21:26:10.176-07:00Cruise with Toulouse: Cave Tubing in Belize<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iNo7611QpKhoz2TiaDn3_MVzimbWPHidY2W6flebtS9ROT7H0v8VqAlDrxDgdK4ZevyvjboC7ke7RDeDWlyUkkSsGXp8LlSabzdPP_8-fIJ5TTag7iToFvb8QGfg9zyaWF_yFMdlOOs/s1600/cave-tubing.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iNo7611QpKhoz2TiaDn3_MVzimbWPHidY2W6flebtS9ROT7H0v8VqAlDrxDgdK4ZevyvjboC7ke7RDeDWlyUkkSsGXp8LlSabzdPP_8-fIJ5TTag7iToFvb8QGfg9zyaWF_yFMdlOOs/s1600/cave-tubing.bmp" height="253" width="320" /></a></div>
“Belize has some of the best cave tubing in the world!” Nina
said gleefully to me in our stateroom aboard the Carnival Dream. That was
supposed to make me feel better? Can you visualize me—the cool travel
cat—roaring down some underground river, getting soaking wet, fur a tangle and
not even seeing where we’re going? I gave her my best scowl but she wasn’t
looking; she’d dropped her gaze to study her papers.<br />
<div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There was no way out of it. I knew. She’d booked us on what’s
become the “most popular shore excursion in Belize” and the ship had just anchored
off the port of Belize City. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Come on!” she said. “You don’t want to miss the adventure
of a lifetime!” That’s what I was worried about. I wasn’t ready for my life to
be over just yet. Nina seized me by the tail, like she always does when she’s
excited, and stuffed me into her day pack. Maybe she’d have the compassion to
leave me inside the backpack that would be left behind in the bus. That was
wishful thinking. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We left our sanctuary behind and met our bus near the pier
at Belize City. Our tour guide was a native Rastafarian, who looked far too
cheerful and whose first words were, “Are we flexible?” My little pile stomach
turned. This wasn’t going to be my day, I thought.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyM5WQDXo8SseG4eLs6Pm3BYAdMf9BDsMKRrzg2HdB2p3AZtYEtNwaQvWd-aIMoQGElqde7gx5TUKf8gnBHl30F5FeUNM1_fi3auV5JAnrpUYXka3dD-4tpnoOhxi9J-fLbQMRj0r4Kss/s1600/cave-tubing-belize-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyM5WQDXo8SseG4eLs6Pm3BYAdMf9BDsMKRrzg2HdB2p3AZtYEtNwaQvWd-aIMoQGElqde7gx5TUKf8gnBHl30F5FeUNM1_fi3auV5JAnrpUYXka3dD-4tpnoOhxi9J-fLbQMRj0r4Kss/s1600/cave-tubing-belize-03.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the bus wove through the milling traffic of Belize City,
Jack cheerfully described the rather turbulent history of this major port and
financial and industrial hub of Belize. Belize City was once a small Maya town
called Holzuz. Because of its location by the sea and because the Belize River
empties there, the British found Belize City ideal for shipping logwood and
mahogany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The city was real popular with
hurricanes too, it seems. One came through in 1931 and more recently Hurricane
Hattie swept through the city in 1961, destroying huge portions. “Are we
flexible?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The bus parked at the Caves Branch Archeological Reserve. Grinning
like a fool, Nina pulled me out of her pack and stuffed me into her pocket. I
had one last longing look at her blue backpack before she leapt out of the bus
to join the others.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After we received our giant orange tube (of death) Nina
joined the rest of our party on a hike through Belize jungle in the Reserve. I
didn’t see any naughty monkeys, poisonous snakes, or jaguars thankfully. That
didn’t mean they weren’t there. We climbed stone staircases that wound into
deep caves, known to house hundreds—if not thousands—of bats. I didn’t look up.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1H868aBNzNukjMieKY4OMOyebK80Z9AT8Cg3bWJ931b0RkgcKT4Yk6Z0TsIJYx_Dv_cRP1C_Tm54tf9QwwABIx_xoxXHKvm-XGpMHnCLO7UkeDU_qfNE5eunkAdRZw5YeK3i535-f3U/s1600/cave-tubing-belize-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1H868aBNzNukjMieKY4OMOyebK80Z9AT8Cg3bWJ931b0RkgcKT4Yk6Z0TsIJYx_Dv_cRP1C_Tm54tf9QwwABIx_xoxXHKvm-XGpMHnCLO7UkeDU_qfNE5eunkAdRZw5YeK3i535-f3U/s1600/cave-tubing-belize-01.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That was bad enough… then Nina decided to check out the
acoustics inside the cave with her signature Olympic Elk call. No one should be
subjected to that kind of torture, especially a poor cat about to get drenched.
A few blazing stares from fellow adventurers soon quieted her down.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I saw my first glimpse of the Sibun Caves Branch River,
my tiny heart went pitter patter. I knew it was even worse when I caught sight
of a rope tautly stretched across the river at human hip level. “No problem,
Toulouse!” Nina assured me as she plunged into the river and waded across, tube
slung over her left shoulder and rope clutched in her right hand. My heart raced
like a Ferrari at an Indi race when she slipped on a slippery rock and wavered.
But she recovered with a giddy laugh and patted me on the head. “Are we
flexible?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUVNov3p7c6Lr9CkH74Pp3mwYGJkMH8oG3Y_sFb1YtI8XtuwGClGd9djJJqPcy9UOZaYiPjdCpH4J66ARotAlahL0WwQUo4vJeRYL5klBcneXTatpfo1qGZtjt2BdP4KOmvDQfykJ19s/s1600/belize-cave-tubing010_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUVNov3p7c6Lr9CkH74Pp3mwYGJkMH8oG3Y_sFb1YtI8XtuwGClGd9djJJqPcy9UOZaYiPjdCpH4J66ARotAlahL0WwQUo4vJeRYL5klBcneXTatpfo1qGZtjt2BdP4KOmvDQfykJ19s/s1600/belize-cave-tubing010_edited-1.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We wove around tangles of buttressed roots and vines, rich
with the pungent scents of exotic flowers, to our final destination: a
quiescent bend in the river before it narrowed and churned toward the yawning
mouth of a cave. The cave entrance dripped with Spanish moss and epiphytes
harboring snakes and heaven knows what else. My little heart beat like a tiny drum.
If stuffed cats could scream this was the time to do it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nina grinned down at me and jammed me further into her
pocket. Once she’d determined that I was safely tucked inside, she slapped her
tube into the water and waded in, poised over it. Then, in a rather ungraceful
halting move she let herself “fall” into the tube with a bounce and we were
launched. Hulario, our guide got a dozen of us to link together, intertwining
feet and elbows, into a long snake that would meander down the river through
the inky blackness of these sodden caverns. Everyone wore a little headlight on
their head. It’s not what you think. The light they give off in the black
cavern is too miniscule to make a difference to the bearer, Hulario informed
us. The purpose of the light was so he could see us (in case one of us got
separated from the human “snake”. Sweet, as Nina would say (it’s all in the
tone of voice).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUVtdrC4QMZ5x5NGveBoYLHQnJ4npNyuXhd1TyWoD9bBVUJrx6o2R1S27nJ-mAcNCdxjPpHkAGsgX3SX1P_oKsaEyplKnl9rHScQuCOwC2-EzNLfv_30IxpNB_jDd8NhGjjCj6f4b4gs/s1600/toulouse-bath06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUVtdrC4QMZ5x5NGveBoYLHQnJ4npNyuXhd1TyWoD9bBVUJrx6o2R1S27nJ-mAcNCdxjPpHkAGsgX3SX1P_oKsaEyplKnl9rHScQuCOwC2-EzNLfv_30IxpNB_jDd8NhGjjCj6f4b4gs/s1600/toulouse-bath06.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse dries off...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then, we were off, careering down the river, the spray of
turbid grey-green water splashing my lovely fur coat, and Nina hollering with
glee (I hate it when she gets like that). The first cave yawned ahead like giant
jaws of Hell as the tube pitched over foot-high standing waves toward it. In no
time we were sucked into the cave; we’d entered the bowels of hell. I noticed
that the lights made absolutely no difference to our ability to see. The cave
was pitch dark and the currents pulled us here and there on a whim.<br />
<br />
Hulario's voice echoed in the watery cave: he told us that these spectacular cave systems were regarded by the ancient Mayans as a sacred underworld and home to many powerful gods. I sighed as we emerged into the daylight toward the last leg of our tubing adventure.<br />
<br />
"Butts UP!" shouted Hulario, as we glided over the shallows. Several tubes shoaled up on gravel shallows and one of the human snakes broke up.<br />
<br />
A few renegade tubers, who'd broken off from the human snake, found themselves flying into the fast part of the river (Nina called it the "thalweg" of the river--smart aleck limnologist!) where the current pulled them effortlessly into the thorny bushes. I heard a POP! One young "genius" seized an overhanging thorny branch to slow him down and cut his hand: "OW!" Followed by a POP! It was a Three Stooges show for the rest of us as we glided by the mayhem of wet sods as they negotiated the river's challenging shoreline, carrying their deflated tubes and egos.<br />
<br />
Our tubing adventure was over at last. Back onboard the Carnival Dream, Nina dried me off with her hair dryer then consoled me with several French martinis.<br />
<br />
Ah, the life of a COOL travel cat...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-23914812059954775332014-06-12T20:16:00.000-07:002014-10-31T21:17:15.259-07:00I Love New York in the Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCrd0wzroxn-kPOGtYwOG8bOsS9d94UmS9Kg2C7WPDYNk1taqulCQ3fNMKwSGGFkCtDwHo-VYmYnZgg_BGXEF7rCIi7yx17VlKIQiw0vsULmfjp0u9anH9VI8Lv_Z6rNDaVqkPb_boyI/s1600/NYC-times-square-crowds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCrd0wzroxn-kPOGtYwOG8bOsS9d94UmS9Kg2C7WPDYNk1taqulCQ3fNMKwSGGFkCtDwHo-VYmYnZgg_BGXEF7rCIi7yx17VlKIQiw0vsULmfjp0u9anH9VI8Lv_Z6rNDaVqkPb_boyI/s1600/NYC-times-square-crowds.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 115%;">Nina and
I began our New York experience with Manhattan and Morgans Hotel. Designed by
Andrée Putnam in 1983, the hotel celebrates a retro-contemporary/faux-industrial
visual and tactile experience that starts with the lobby’s elegant “3-D” design
carpet and the Spartan somewhat oriental-style furniture and reception desk. We
got a room on the twelfth floor and as Nina made herself comfortable in the
soft Paris sheets, I negotiated the bathroom with difficulty. As I did the
water slide down her sink—WOO! Splash!— I realized that I’d become submerged in
Putnam’s world of French subversive design.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Putnam
says that, “To not dare is to have already lost. We should seek out ambitious,
even unrealistic projects…because things only happen when we dream.” Ah, a lady
after my own heart…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Morgans
Hotel lies in the heart of Manhattan, on Madison Avenue with a view of the
Empire State <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKEXWnX0iIhUZfDbupK7Wn8Bi1vs9Ky5A5A276_ct4syKlpBKs5fuzIVXleGqkEERW30XJYy_IlPsBi6yeLpi4caVeQo3nwstnwQAQWgCOIwTX2CepVZ91pR8VfKfRCYgcRIPAO7Rb2M/s1600/new-york-morgans-hotel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKEXWnX0iIhUZfDbupK7Wn8Bi1vs9Ky5A5A276_ct4syKlpBKs5fuzIVXleGqkEERW30XJYy_IlPsBi6yeLpi4caVeQo3nwstnwQAQWgCOIwTX2CepVZ91pR8VfKfRCYgcRIPAO7Rb2M/s1600/new-york-morgans-hotel.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lobby of the Morgans Hotel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Building and blocks away from New York icons such as Saks Fifth
Avenue, Grand Central Station, Times Square, Broadway and 42<sup>nd</sup>
Street, Rockerfeller Centre, Radio City and the United Nations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">We
wandered the streets, rather aimlessly—letting New York reveal herself in
vignettes and catching glimpses of character, texture and history wherever we
turned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">We started with the Empire State
Building, whose tiered Egyptian-like Art Deco structure reminded me of Fritz
Lang’s “Metropololis”. Towering 1,250 feet, the Empire State Building was the
tallest building in North America when it was built in 1931 and is now again
the tallest building in NYC. The spire at the top of the building was designed
as a mooring mast for dirigibles (anyone remember the cool scene in Sky Captain
and the World of Tomorrow?). They abandoned it because of too high winds. Kind
of burst their bubble, I guess…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsG-iMr6uPSMEbNO_ibWAGhFCvtjeVm2sP9z4X3nELAAUycQDk6hCQTJVRFi45a5oyxPWvzAl2dPfS8piOIAxAwrhYEaqHqynF5we760XOg0d-V77oMIMjz4VK5vtUCjQ3gNf1STvzuc/s1600/NYC-bryant-park-04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsG-iMr6uPSMEbNO_ibWAGhFCvtjeVm2sP9z4X3nELAAUycQDk6hCQTJVRFi45a5oyxPWvzAl2dPfS8piOIAxAwrhYEaqHqynF5we760XOg0d-V77oMIMjz4VK5vtUCjQ3gNf1STvzuc/s1600/NYC-bryant-park-04.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bryant Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">New York
bustles with an intense mercurial energy and New Yorkers are a multi-cultural
melting pot of genuine, forthright people on the move. In other words, you need
to move to keep up! They bluntly let you know if you’re being stupid and lose
patience with you if you lack the confidence and direction that they have come
to accept as a given in this city of the self-made man, woman and cat. But, if
you earn their respect by demonstrating genuine motivation and intent, they
will go to great lengths to help you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
loved their clean honesty and straightforwardness. You get what you see in New
York. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">When we reached Times Square, we were
greeted with an interesting sight: row upon row of lawn chairs filled the
square. The lawn chairs in Times Square form a new initiative of the city (just
in time for us!) to open up parts of the town to pedestrians with a traffic ban
between 47th and 42nd Streets, turning the once bustling crowded sidewalks and
honking horns of thick traffic into a giant urban picnic. The city placed
brightly colored lawn chairs along the street to encourage pedestrian traffic.
It worked! <br /><br />
Says one New York blogger: “Everyone sits there in haphazard rows facing the
Jumbotron, like they <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xs2Tdie7-GxdUyTdIA7QU4W6CDqylatBesvSNvCoUS5wzl5zrsJD4mpMOR-cTxU1G0plP3rr6cD-jFCfugL-lFgBiEAXDzgCn7Mn6e_oqWU1rqbs5HgUXYAwBgzoca_2WsjSZf7fkyY/s1600/NYC-times-square-lawn-chairs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xs2Tdie7-GxdUyTdIA7QU4W6CDqylatBesvSNvCoUS5wzl5zrsJD4mpMOR-cTxU1G0plP3rr6cD-jFCfugL-lFgBiEAXDzgCn7Mn6e_oqWU1rqbs5HgUXYAwBgzoca_2WsjSZf7fkyY/s1600/NYC-times-square-lawn-chairs.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Times Square in the summer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
were home in Toledo watching their wide-screen TV. They
turn the City That Never Sleeps into The City That Ever Sits."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Our
unguarded wanderings led us to one of New York’s hidden gems: Bryant’s Park, a
green oasis nestled amid towering buildings in the heart of New York City’s
Midtown, located just behind the New York Public Library on 40<sup>th</sup> and
42<sup>nd</sup> Streets and 5<sup>th</sup> Avenue and The Avenue of the
Americas. I felt immediately at home as w</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">e
strolled along the twin promenades, lines by London plane trees (Platanus acerifolia). The plane tree is also found at le Jardin des Tuileries in Paris, and contributes to Bryant Park's European feel. Did you know that these trees can grow up to 120 feet in height? NewYorkFirst.com shares that "Bryant Park is a remarkably peaceful space in one of the most urbanized parts of the planet."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYa7oYB8hArNdvt4aAr95a9SQP0xVj6KW02j12VaqcxW3c6j7AP2b5-O3QbFegGtkDtLIMq2o28aALUT52zf4zI7WG6mkyCNeKst2gkfgQPZ7H4jwIC9GjEJ1a90fRYUYJWRQdnPqk1c/s1600/NYC-bryant-park-01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYa7oYB8hArNdvt4aAr95a9SQP0xVj6KW02j12VaqcxW3c6j7AP2b5-O3QbFegGtkDtLIMq2o28aALUT52zf4zI7WG6mkyCNeKst2gkfgQPZ7H4jwIC9GjEJ1a90fRYUYJWRQdnPqk1c/s1600/NYC-bryant-park-01.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bryant Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">As we rounded toward the south south side of the park, Nina practically shrieked and ran toward an old carousel. As she spun around--thankfully leaving me unscathed on the bench--I reflected that le Carrousel at Bryant Park complemented the park's French classical style. The rounding boards, inspired by the park's elegant baroque-style torcheres along 40th Street, blended rather nicely into the levy canopy of the park's plane trees.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">After a
few dizzying turns, Nina bounded back, face flushed with joy, and settled us on
the outside patio of the Bryant Park Grill. We ordered a wonderful spread of
cold meats, cheeses, salads and baguette at The Grill, and topped our feast
with an exquisite Merlot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The New
York Public Library on Fifth Avenue was showing the exhibit “Between
Collaboration and Resistance: French Literary Life Under Nazi Occupation”. We
entered the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building to find a stately interior attended
by art deco-style receptionist (complete with sculpted hair!). As Nina stood
engrossed in some artwork, I glimpsed a mass of New York’s finest in blue from
one of the windows. They’d <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ho8jntjwBTgTS8_mnSXw9bMfCIsX5Rchugi-EAbe803iUF3TVXPtXu6JmO5kKQeeMC7hCZd9oFhcqPB7_7JeNS8oMsIUelFAnEHiWdqvdrSRytyPOLsEyYuUS0LWo9LkQsfBQ2pVXsw/s1600/new-york-toulouse-officer-montalvo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ho8jntjwBTgTS8_mnSXw9bMfCIsX5Rchugi-EAbe803iUF3TVXPtXu6JmO5kKQeeMC7hCZd9oFhcqPB7_7JeNS8oMsIUelFAnEHiWdqvdrSRytyPOLsEyYuUS0LWo9LkQsfBQ2pVXsw/s1600/new-york-toulouse-officer-montalvo.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Officer Montalvo gives Toulouse a ride...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
surrounded the library! Leaving Nina gawking at a
painting, I slipped outside to see what they were about. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Officer
Montalvo, a smart cop with a penchant for small animals, befriended me and told
me that they’d assembled to form security for President Obama’s cavalcade,
expected any moment. It was quite a while before Nina finally flew out of the
library, looking for me in a panic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Ah…It’s
nice to be loved. And speaking of love…I love New York. :-3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-6827243075569248362014-05-31T09:30:00.000-07:002014-12-07T09:53:15.633-08:00Historic Distillery District<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclp8QUe7SA_sHTueR6_YrFzEoXAjJKR_pFW6v5snCreIxiuHT1sRrlRwFIZ0BoVD383g3YxjZGYfdbtCF5bAvaUWqKGJoRTHpyyPBnUpkaGIBIjAi4t1rvmOs3mBcgVRutHkFEAuyJLY/s1600/toulouse-coffee-porter-mill-pub-close-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclp8QUe7SA_sHTueR6_YrFzEoXAjJKR_pFW6v5snCreIxiuHT1sRrlRwFIZ0BoVD383g3YxjZGYfdbtCF5bAvaUWqKGJoRTHpyyPBnUpkaGIBIjAi4t1rvmOs3mBcgVRutHkFEAuyJLY/s1600/toulouse-coffee-porter-mill-pub-close-web.JPG" height="258" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse enjoys his Mill St Coffee Porter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
“<i>The pleasant aroma of baked food seemed to permeate my
soul</i>.”—InOntario<br />
<div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wasn’t long in Toronto, when Nina—who understood my
penchant for fine dining, great coffee and culture in unusual settings—took me
to the historic Distillery District.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Set on 13 acres in the heart of downtown Toronto, The
Distillery District is the single largest collection of Victorian Industrial
architecture in North America and one of Toronto’s hottest “gastrozones”. I was
in COOL Travel Cat Heaven. Wonderfully restored to retain its funky
retro-industrial setting, The Distillery features a wide and eclectic tapestry
of shops, cafés, restaurants and galleries including: chocolatiers who produce
artisan chocolate directly from the cocoa bean itself; cafés that micro-roast
Fairtrade beans; Canadian fine cuisine in industrial chic settings; and
galleries and shops that embrace original funk-chic.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Founded in 1832 by brothers-in-law William Gooderham and
James Worts, the Gooderham and <o:p></o:p><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4DPLrLHcV3f8fgjRSUhvxs0xY_PSHssyvEEkyT9mpBvnBHzGpi0uLhezAu1b-PeZ1KFjtC2bkDcBzS00I4DddtzXgsS7gorBrnM4k4Uhz9Ec-Df_rDhYMhjXKGASLV0Sjxjsh5BNIgk/s1600/distillery-district-distillery-lane01-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4DPLrLHcV3f8fgjRSUhvxs0xY_PSHssyvEEkyT9mpBvnBHzGpi0uLhezAu1b-PeZ1KFjtC2bkDcBzS00I4DddtzXgsS7gorBrnM4k4Uhz9Ec-Df_rDhYMhjXKGASLV0Sjxjsh5BNIgk/s1600/distillery-district-distillery-lane01-web.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Historic Distillery District</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Worts Distillery grew into the largest
distillery in the world. They exported spirits and whiskey to ports around the
world from New York to Rio de Janeiro and Montevideo. After 153 years of
continuous production, the plant distilled its last drop of rum in 1990. Resident
beer gardens, wine bars, an award-winning microbrewery (Mill Street Brewery) and
even a sake distillery (which opened a few months ago) have amply filled the
gap. The Ontario Spring Water Sake Company is the first and only sake brewery
in Ontario. It’s prepared in the “Junmai” (pure rice) style, freshly pressed,
unpasteurized and unfiltered. They have a lovely tasting room and several sakes
to try along with Japanese food. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uW_rqg0lCSW-SAioNVhhFMxg0T_WQAhnrzeVhKFGJmufuen9tEQ5E2wsph9WvHuw-baagHP78-hrDOssgW53FBSCwATTCBo7ZBJl_LiUjPvWfPoM0oTXwfzmMOBaQbV8tNDFg-sScAA/s1600/potters-shed-044-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uW_rqg0lCSW-SAioNVhhFMxg0T_WQAhnrzeVhKFGJmufuen9tEQ5E2wsph9WvHuw-baagHP78-hrDOssgW53FBSCwATTCBo7ZBJl_LiUjPvWfPoM0oTXwfzmMOBaQbV8tNDFg-sScAA/s1600/potters-shed-044-web.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Potter's Shed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Distillery was restored and developed into a pedestrian-only
cultural “Victorian Industrial chic village”, opening in May 2003 as Toronto’s
new centre for Art, Culture and Entertainment. Pigcat and I strolled along the
brick lined promenades and European piazza-style squares in what the Globe and
Mail calls “a picture postcard draw”. Where ever I turned, a paradox of hip
sophistication and retro-industrial funk greeted me. I was reminded a little of
Soho in New York as my senses feasted on a range of motion, color, texture and
fragrance: an old roadster parked in an alley overlooking the industrial punk
sculpture of Dennis Oppenheim; <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a
collection of clay pots, dried lavender and ferns adding colorful texture to a
red brick road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we strolled past
eclectic shops and avant-garde galleries—once a distillery complex, flour mills
and cooper shop—I inhaled the pleasant aroma of baked food and freshly roasted
coffee. The Distillery, like a fine distilled spirit, is a feast of the senses.
If Hemmingway was a Torontonian, he might have reserved his famous quote for
this place.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgj892l3EiA_FSWMxTBYF8d_zbV5M67qYtBNarkA6ut9SEIqmnonAkVTZMDgUmbJN_oF9BBgtdHKTofll1IdtRvPS0uiILxzF1Rqm9joPN1z8JKaOzoVg21l0f7vnXPkpC9ree2lSSWPU/s1600/soma-fleur-de-sel-caramel-cclose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgj892l3EiA_FSWMxTBYF8d_zbV5M67qYtBNarkA6ut9SEIqmnonAkVTZMDgUmbJN_oF9BBgtdHKTofll1IdtRvPS0uiILxzF1Rqm9joPN1z8JKaOzoVg21l0f7vnXPkpC9ree2lSSWPU/s1600/soma-fleur-de-sel-caramel-cclose.jpg" height="200" width="165" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fleur de Sel chocolate caramel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Nina took me to Soma, where we savored a provocatively
delicious Mayan hot chocolate over a Sparky chocolate (named after my good
friend, Sparky, no doubt! LOL!)—a dark chocolate “half-moon” covering a “genache”
of gianduja laced with paprocks. Eugenia served us our Mayan hot chocolate,
made with ginger, Madagascar vanilla, orange peel, and their secret blend of
spices. HA! I know that chili is one of them. The hot chocolate ran smooth over
my tongue, rich with chocolate and a touch of heat.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.somachocolate.com/SOMA_home.html" target="_blank">Soma</a> is one of the few artisan chocolatiers in North America
who make small batch chocolates <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Veni,
vidi, vici</i>! <o:p></o:p><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7o8UD_y03xfLZrotDPJILHarqnDevE0yYdHIXxY9IMyYygJiJ-253mpZ6nebEQdjSzKXPlWYJuY5eWqynQupq0aI6rpAtrr_-c6ADCkz-GrtKq5OjYlU09bKiHYys4nElwbmJgQaEoQ/s1600/soma-gelato-close-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7o8UD_y03xfLZrotDPJILHarqnDevE0yYdHIXxY9IMyYygJiJ-253mpZ6nebEQdjSzKXPlWYJuY5eWqynQupq0aI6rpAtrr_-c6ADCkz-GrtKq5OjYlU09bKiHYys4nElwbmJgQaEoQ/s1600/soma-gelato-close-web.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrons of Soma enjoy exquisite gelato</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
directly from the cocoa bean (which they get
from plantations around the world including the Dominican Republic, Madagascar,
Costa Rica and Panama—with a preference for Fairtrade, Organic and flavor
grade. You can see them making their chocolates in their micro-chocolate
factory through the display window! Toronto Life Magazine and Now Magazine
voted Soma chocolates as the best in town. And why not? Their exquisite
chocolates are lovingly made by dedicated and friendly staff (probably
intoxicated with chocolate-induced endorphins). You can’t go wrong with names
and elegant ingredients like fleur de sel caramels, almond cluster dark
Peruvian, Arbequina Spanish olive oil, cherry bomb, Gooderham and Worts
Whiskey, Douglas Fir and Bergamot. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Soma’s gelatos and sorbettos are also extremely popular. We returned
later to savor one of their 14 flavours. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75P-EaOkxn2r_FsjluSph3ObEx_9_-R93lkR0o9D0YvTRPOH0-j2yd5COSYUIPgOSIOjvr77sp4kDpYm_yRBMNIpjUAS7gWzf-RWBWrdRWLoc22qgDhoP0mpVxSFHla1sZ_6jsMRLyE0/s1600/mill-street-brewery-pub-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75P-EaOkxn2r_FsjluSph3ObEx_9_-R93lkR0o9D0YvTRPOH0-j2yd5COSYUIPgOSIOjvr77sp4kDpYm_yRBMNIpjUAS7gWzf-RWBWrdRWLoc22qgDhoP0mpVxSFHla1sZ_6jsMRLyE0/s1600/mill-street-brewery-pub-web.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mill Street Brewery Pub</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We stopped for lunch at the <a href="http://www.millstreetbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Mill Street Brew Pub</a>, a place to
eat with character and its own micro-brewery. Mill Street Brewery is East
Toronto’s first commercial brewery to open in more than 100 years, home to
Ontario’s first certified organic lager, producing handcrafted beers and ales
in historic Corktown area of the city. The pub was built around their
open-concept brewery beneath 18 foot ceilings and huge skylights, successfully
preserving the character and ambience of the century-old distillery district.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
We sat in their patio facing Tank House Lane. Nina decided
on their English Tea Beer and I asked Natalie, our friendly waitress, for their
Coffee Porter. The Coffee Porter features roasted beans from Balzac Coffee,
down the street, and delights the palate with complex lingering flavors of nuts.
With 100% certified ingredients in their stock ales, tank house ales, and
porters, who can go wrong?<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Brew Pub opened in 2006, serving exceptional pub-style
food that use the Mill Street brews, brewed on site. I ordered a Drunken Butter
Chicken (the name somehow appealed)—an organic lager marinated chicken simmered
in the Mill’s own butter sauce and served with basmati rice and naan bread. I
found large chicken pieces bathed in a delicate “rose” sauce with complex
flavors that lingered with a mild heat. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along with their cob salad, which Nina smartly
chose, and their signature fish and chips, it is a favorite among Brew Pub
patrons.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8zI6GtlAJZRrJjVESZLTjfK2-rzuGEZ0WcZ4-whMXAxLssESG1l4gjvxeKz7G2xLu7U5nJAEDWL07H4ggMqcJx97a6gGsRTyXkrFTnN4sxewhsHofHOZZ4iLwbmF51IkzTvwidb0Tts/s1600/potting-shed-distillery-district02-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8zI6GtlAJZRrJjVESZLTjfK2-rzuGEZ0WcZ4-whMXAxLssESG1l4gjvxeKz7G2xLu7U5nJAEDWL07H4ggMqcJx97a6gGsRTyXkrFTnN4sxewhsHofHOZZ4iLwbmF51IkzTvwidb0Tts/s1600/potting-shed-distillery-district02-web.JPG" height="229" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Potter's Shed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then it was time to exercise some of that butter chicken
away. A little ways down Tank House Lane we felt drawn to the magic realism of
The Potter’s Shed, whose earthy artworks looked like they’d spilled out from
the tiny shop in artful chaos among the brick pavestones. Clay pots and
gardening implements lay scattered among dizzying sprays of lavender, hydrangeas,
and ferns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside, Behar, in her rainbow
sarong, added to a setting out of a classic fiction novel. When we finally
stepped back into the sun, Pigcat asked me if I’d seen all the ferries sitting
among the pots.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We ambled farther, poking inside eclectic shops, and ended
up on Trinity Street. I highly recommend Cube Works Gallery, a fun shop that
features original works created from Rubik’s cubes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLNTd80MXRzpUhDSYXuhH_ju9EloScfXkO237h-TkQ2H6TL6u-QlqGU-BzHkXDmCvm9a7yfdASdP3jEFuxx6UN807Psy0CNLy197IoAKi8Bvus543GtBat8sdBzKw8tQCG6U8Wj8kmv4/s1600/Balzacs-distillery-trinity-street01-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLNTd80MXRzpUhDSYXuhH_ju9EloScfXkO237h-TkQ2H6TL6u-QlqGU-BzHkXDmCvm9a7yfdASdP3jEFuxx6UN807Psy0CNLy197IoAKi8Bvus543GtBat8sdBzKw8tQCG6U8Wj8kmv4/s1600/Balzacs-distillery-trinity-street01-web.JPG" height="224" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balzac's Coffee</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We followed our discerning noses to Balzac’s Coffee, the
very establishment whose roasted beans provided the basis for my Coffee Porter
at the Mill Street Brew Pub. The inside looked like the set of an old Bogart movie,
with tall mirror, high ceiling, chandelier, staircases that lead nowhere
and—what convinced me that this was a serious coffee establishment—an original
nickel Elektra espresso maker, complete with soaring eagle. Although it was no
longer used for espresso-making, according to the barista (they only used it
now for frothing milk), its presence on the counter signified serious coffee
intent. I wasn’t surprised when my single-shot espresso tasted exquisite, with
a deep coffee nose and an attractive natural crema. We sat outside the coffee
shop in the square that featured a kind of space-retro-industrial punk sculpture
by Dennis Oppenheim. Called “Still Dancing” Oppenheim described it as “a
combination of sculpture, architecture and theatre.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We took Case Goods Lane, past several galleries, toward <a href="http://www.purespirits.ca/" target="_blank">PureSpirits Oyster House & Grill</a> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Toronto Life</i>—for
an exquisite dinner of fresh oysters and salad. Ben, out waiter—who recognized
me, because he is from Toulouse, France!—offered us Fanny Bay oysters from
British Columbia and Beausoleils from New Brunswick. They came on the
half-shell with shredded horseradish and several shallot vinaigrettes. I showed Nina how to throw the oyster to the back of the throat and savor the full
flavor of the creamy-sweet, sea-salt meat. Pure Spirit oysters are considered
“the best” in Toronto by OurFaves.com. We slurped them down with panache,
licking our little pink tongues, along with a refreshing baby spinach and arugula
salad. <o:p></o:p><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVDsGInqSx9i78XmVL__G5yw6keibSn98cKmBVRwwFnY4RC8g3TsLSN4VpV8XsIAIps6rzmaaVwXGI58r3ZEinPC3EpPW18rVXdFuD33sRhuOjB1coYIaqO5gpnTI_3TIStrz3TE-tg4/s1600/luis-shucking-contest-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVDsGInqSx9i78XmVL__G5yw6keibSn98cKmBVRwwFnY4RC8g3TsLSN4VpV8XsIAIps6rzmaaVwXGI58r3ZEinPC3EpPW18rVXdFuD33sRhuOjB1coYIaqO5gpnTI_3TIStrz3TE-tg4/s1600/luis-shucking-contest-web.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oyster shucking contest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
decided to have an early supper of fresh
oysters and beer. Ah, the life of a Cool Cat… We settled on the outside patio—called
“Toronto’s Best Patio” by </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was the last Tuesday in May and Pure Spirits was
launching its “Topshuck Patio” shucking contest at 6pm. Of course, we stayed
and watched them shuck their little hearts out—well, actually their little
oysters out …hehe… It turned out that all of Toronto’s best had come to compete
for money and a huge bottle of Sky vodka. Contestants from Rodney’s Oyster
House, Oyster Boy and Big Daddy’s, and Starfish (to name a few quality establishments)
shucked as we gorged on oysters (Pure Spirits donated the shucked oysters to
its patrons. Bonus!). Head chef Tim Miles put on the shindig. Contestants were
timed on their ability to successfully shuck a dozen oysters. The fastest shuck
against the least demerit points for quality won. Tim and his assistant Carlier
Morejon (the “Cuban Missile”) judged each shuck. They added to the time if: the
oyster wasn’t severed, the gut was still in the oyster, the shell was broken, the
meat was out of shell, it was a bad oyster, it was scrambled, the count was
wrong, and on number of parts. We didn’t leave until very late that night and
we had actually had our fill of oysters. We felt a little like the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Walrus and the Carpenter” </i>as we ambled
home, bellies full and happy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDUIdkMafRzqLMtGrXiLFHoyXlvXq5zQ-pff1VtHSc2eHlOy8sC9MtX-yah2A-BRDbfCNSwH7lyKAv4gGO6NROIdSceP6wo_FXS1ynN7sYRhym-LMeXywefxy-G6_kzC_jGs7xheIjFQ/s1600/judging-shucking-contest02a-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDUIdkMafRzqLMtGrXiLFHoyXlvXq5zQ-pff1VtHSc2eHlOy8sC9MtX-yah2A-BRDbfCNSwH7lyKAv4gGO6NROIdSceP6wo_FXS1ynN7sYRhym-LMeXywefxy-G6_kzC_jGs7xheIjFQ/s1600/judging-shucking-contest02a-web.JPG" height="284" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judging the shucking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With more patio space than any other Toronto location, The
Distillery is a favorite hangout among thirsty locals in search of a little bit
of European flair. I was told that The Distillery District is destined to
become the epicenter of the largest waterfront redevelopment in North America.
The Pan Am Games athletes village is currently being constructed just east of
the Distillery with accommodation for 6,000 athletes. Right after the games in
2015 they will be transformed into residential units along with others in the
West Don Lands. Old Corktown and The Old City environs between St. Laurence
Market and The Distillery are being revitalized in the old heritage vision that
has made The Distillery District so chic. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
World-class theatre and entertainment thrive in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">X-Men</i>,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chicago</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Long Kiss Goodnight</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Recruit</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cinderella Man</i>. <o:p></o:p><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXevqTy4grAYq1RYMRrfc5CUlxCOYFu6l9-Yl9LT4ZRRjZjjjKtaTo47JzZw32_-lEBorgCdsYvrbebA5ZDl5DZR4OY7cWhugj9fFGi6j1fQ9A0TMKkBUyDc5ieuMN7qybxe53w6y0QU/s1600/distillery-district-filming-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXevqTy4grAYq1RYMRrfc5CUlxCOYFu6l9-Yl9LT4ZRRjZjjjKtaTo47JzZw32_-lEBorgCdsYvrbebA5ZDl5DZR4OY7cWhugj9fFGi6j1fQ9A0TMKkBUyDc5ieuMN7qybxe53w6y0QU/s1600/distillery-district-filming-web.JPG" height="218" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Filming in the Distillery District</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The
Distillery District. I noted that several theatre companies have made The
Distillery their home, including The Soulpepper Theatre Company and George
Brown’s Theatre School, housed in the Young Centre for the Performing Arts. The
Toronto Star calls it “Toronto’s new cultural hotspot.” Nina informed me that
over 1000 movies, television shows, commercials and music videos were shot in The
Distillery District; some include </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXFxyxMO7rsnBMnzQUjjW8w8p13czMOxOBkzNggj32IdUE-_hg7bDe9flF5pMZkAz-cCD7_ABdalsf7Q63MUr9MHADK8tdZKuOIMs-krW3kAppAM6UUkIbC2dQ0kBLmYGmK7CG5p5F24/s1600/potting-shed-distillery-district01-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXFxyxMO7rsnBMnzQUjjW8w8p13czMOxOBkzNggj32IdUE-_hg7bDe9flF5pMZkAz-cCD7_ABdalsf7Q63MUr9MHADK8tdZKuOIMs-krW3kAppAM6UUkIbC2dQ0kBLmYGmK7CG5p5F24/s1600/potting-shed-distillery-district01-web.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
The Distillery Historic District, 55 Mill Street, Toronto,
ON, Canada; 416-364-1177<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-43818804786878187632014-04-18T22:18:00.000-07:002014-11-08T19:43:47.944-08:00Montreux and Chateau Chillon et La Chasse aux Sorcières<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchn9DmGXReWHC16n3vjOW3CzZnhjjPUjJ-jcymQ2aHxKYH-YKBDvKwvQpxinqHHWmlD8WExeg0I-hOSCFxFaNLbxxhppUFdL1cfKGuLq-5fxD0iUmYK3U3pM4fhLQBzcc8rVlwEqIo1g/s1600/montreux-panorama-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchn9DmGXReWHC16n3vjOW3CzZnhjjPUjJ-jcymQ2aHxKYH-YKBDvKwvQpxinqHHWmlD8WExeg0I-hOSCFxFaNLbxxhppUFdL1cfKGuLq-5fxD0iUmYK3U3pM4fhLQBzcc8rVlwEqIo1g/s1600/montreux-panorama-web.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Montreux</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My travels through Western Switzerland naturally took me
through vineyard country and the breathtaking shores of Lake Geneva. And
finally to the resort town of Montreux.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Attractions in Montreux<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Surrounded by undulating vineyards, Montreux is an
unpretentious though charming upmarket resort town gracing the shores of Lake
Geneva. Often described as the jewel of the Swiss Riviera, Montreux comes alive
in a big way every July for its annual jazz/rock festival. This is the
best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in
Europe, being the second largest annual music festival in the world (after
Canada’s Montreal International Jazz Festival). The festival has attracted names
like Marianne Faithfull, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, Deep Purple,
Prince, Eric Clapton, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Santana, and Van Morrison. Freddy
Mercury of Queen made Montreux his second home. Deep Purple’s <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">song “Smoke on the Water” tells of the
events of 1971, when a Frank Zappa fan with a flare gun set the Montreux Casino
on fire and destroyed it. The Casino was reopened in 1975.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzv79VZHA2WlplC50mJx3nh3ffK2iIGsRWUZOx4MjGhzmvcKhM6uu6nRs0qT86m_aCuDEFrBSUN32E1yOJucC2YaYpTQyPKPGY7NMKGX-WxDO5ptelwznhb3EVlmT8qOrzlwBFi2Z_uEQ/s1600/montreux-road+from+b&b-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzv79VZHA2WlplC50mJx3nh3ffK2iIGsRWUZOx4MjGhzmvcKhM6uu6nRs0qT86m_aCuDEFrBSUN32E1yOJucC2YaYpTQyPKPGY7NMKGX-WxDO5ptelwznhb3EVlmT8qOrzlwBFi2Z_uEQ/s1600/montreux-road+from+b&b-web.JPG" height="223" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Long before it became known for its international music
festival, Montreux had already become an international tourist resort since the
early 1800s. This charming lake-shore town with its stylish Belle Epoche hotels
and cobble windy streets captivated artists, writes and musicians over the
years. Some that bear mentioning include Lord Byron, Mary Shelley, Leo Tolstoy,
Ernest Hemingway, Victor Hugo and Hans Christian Anderson. The Empress
Elisabeth “Sissi” of Austria also enjoyed strolling the streets of Montreux.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The most famous of the Belle Epoche hotels is probably the
Montreux Palace on Grand Rue. The Centre des Congr<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">è</span>s across the street houses a
concert hall dedicated to Igor Stravinsky who composed his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rite of Spring</i> in Montreux.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bed & Breakfast Accommodation
in Montreux<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9v8-jizpits646NV53VhdVVFGXwDQnBIIeIk2lrD9rso73AWxJjNbltxjJEtZ2AdncwXWu0255il_GhUPrQ_OjJcPdK2Ka23yNZ-CQUA9jRZGZxscX0spFyTWxlcEZHSQSOnsJS6rKs/s1600/Castel+Les+Che%CC%82nes-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9v8-jizpits646NV53VhdVVFGXwDQnBIIeIk2lrD9rso73AWxJjNbltxjJEtZ2AdncwXWu0255il_GhUPrQ_OjJcPdK2Ka23yNZ-CQUA9jRZGZxscX0spFyTWxlcEZHSQSOnsJS6rKs/s1600/Castel+Les+Che%CC%82nes-2.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Castel les Chenes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I decided against the mad bustle of downtown and opted for a
different experience. I chose a charming bed and breakfast in the residential
quarter of Montreux (Territet) at the foot of Mont Fleuri and above the bay of
Territet. Originally built for a French countess in 1928, Castel les Ch<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">ê</span>nes
became the home of <span style="color: #520000; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Hermann
& Ulla Schusterbauer</span>, who used it as a language school (it still
functions as one) and currently operate it as a bed and breakfast. Set in the
midst of a beautiful terraced garden, the charming castle perches over a steep
cobblestone road that winds its way above the town. Castel les Ch<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">ê</span>nes<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"> enjoys a splendid 180 ° view that spans
the Alps of Valais and Vaud, Lake Geneva, Chillon Castle, Montreux, Haute
Savoie (in nearby France) and the Jura. This bed and breakfast is</span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">barely a 10-minute walk from the Lake,
Territet station, the bus service to Montreux and the funicular railway to
Glion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Rooms vary from
the stylish chambers on the ground floor to the cosy beamed rooms on the top
floor. Each bedroom (1 to 3 single beds) has its own wash-basin and most, like
mine, have a balcony with a panoramic view. Communal shower and toilet
facilities are available on each floor.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a warm bath and one of Ulla’s signature hot
chocolates, I was ready for adventure. The Chateau de Chillon—possibly the most
visited castle in Switzerland—lay just southeast of Montreux in the charming
town of Veytaux. I could see it from my balcony on the second floor. I fetched
my hat and scarf and was scampering out the door.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chateau de Chillon<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOJjAdQyiyB07FJECqn0mRj9Ld55DSorVd_ISpmPcc5fxXzwXpLsH9Lzj_99qThlgd1ZOyAwetdDakSfjzca8NDIXHPu1-ICQUw9P8o1vnemzSdHZx5iot3wF439InI73T_Zr1wJnpFY/s1600/chateau-chillon-lake-geneva-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOJjAdQyiyB07FJECqn0mRj9Ld55DSorVd_ISpmPcc5fxXzwXpLsH9Lzj_99qThlgd1ZOyAwetdDakSfjzca8NDIXHPu1-ICQUw9P8o1vnemzSdHZx5iot3wF439InI73T_Zr1wJnpFY/s1600/chateau-chillon-lake-geneva-web.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chateau de Chillon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Easily one of Switzerland’s most majestic medieval castles,
Chateau de Chillon is set on a rocky spur on the eastern shore of Lake Geneva. The
castle ramparts command a marvelous view of the entire lake. Although it
originated around the 11<sup>th</sup> century, its present structure reflects
its 13<sup>th</sup> century renovations. Chillon was built for the Dukes of
Savoy, who once ruled this region. The duke built a number of castles to guard
the verdant valleys from the Bernese to the north. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I overheard one tourist attest that the castle was, “<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">romantic, beautiful, fascinating and with
the most impressive and scary outside toilet I have ever seen, 50 meters free
fall and with strong ventilation.” Hmmm… There are many paths to exhilaration,
I suppose.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnQG4Ji7zUBB5wde5GlugnhQ6VpTvIcpHemyE8fBnA8uHHAdhlCsjRLdeYzgX1H1KGLooXia5SIgx6oRNN2oTA7u0HuXki5PdSbP7AeaIN6yDg9q0ZNkJci3yD9OKGYhQt1c8uZE9l00/s1600/chillon-inner+courtyard-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnQG4Ji7zUBB5wde5GlugnhQ6VpTvIcpHemyE8fBnA8uHHAdhlCsjRLdeYzgX1H1KGLooXia5SIgx6oRNN2oTA7u0HuXki5PdSbP7AeaIN6yDg9q0ZNkJci3yD9OKGYhQt1c8uZE9l00/s1600/chillon-inner+courtyard-web.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inner courtyard of Chateau de Chillon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While it was the centre of court life for the dukes of
Savoy, the castle also served as a prison. Its most famous captive was Francois
de Bonivard, imprisoned there for six years in the 1530s for political
incitement. Lord Byron immortalized him in a poem called “The Prisoner of
Chillon”. Francois Bonivard was imprisoned in the underground cellar,
previously used as a storeroom for supplies and weapons. Bonivard was held
captive there for over xx years before he was liberated by the Bernese. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">La Chasse aux Sorci</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">ère</span>s<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipe26RKFiRtefMfzAghlVW3184A37kE4Sq8PHWUfSthbIzQT0dbUNA-IpEunNkoXiUePeFQTct-ti0yFz-UAUxqacJ3CNN7jrnvwFjVvKeEd4pSkTcaMHpY37Y3n20X7JiHcpWm2srUAg/s1600/chateau-de-chillon-dungeons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipe26RKFiRtefMfzAghlVW3184A37kE4Sq8PHWUfSthbIzQT0dbUNA-IpEunNkoXiUePeFQTct-ti0yFz-UAUxqacJ3CNN7jrnvwFjVvKeEd4pSkTcaMHpY37Y3n20X7JiHcpWm2srUAg/s1600/chateau-de-chillon-dungeons.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dungeons of Chillon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chateau de Chillon was also the epicenter for witch hunts during
the 1400s through to 1500s and many “witches” were kept there. I toured the
castle during a witch-hunt exhibit and learned that the Pays de Vaud <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">was the site of major witch-hunts between
the 15th and the 17th centuries. During that time, more than 2,000 “witches”
were burned there. On an aside, did you know that</span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Switzerland holds not only the record for
the longest-lasting repression of witchcraft but also for the largest number of
people persecuted as witches, in relation to the population. Chillon Castle became
an important detention centre for individuals suspected of witchcraft, either
awaiting trial or execution.<span style="color: #3c3c3c;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">G</span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">ö</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">lden Anna was
the last person in Europe to be condemned as a witch. She was executed in 1782
in the Protestant canton of Glarus, Switzerland. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcUwlXNXCctBx-98WmhXNwVPLjK2dhmPzNxSOxIZNJcRSgvHgiMQ44-0c__46UguErGezd5oVWFH8KrLWpZZITkVr0HPw5GsdUmYMONPDsPJIvdbf7ao4gxXH-_j3aD3IgKquCa5XMGg/s1600/chillon-rampart=web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcUwlXNXCctBx-98WmhXNwVPLjK2dhmPzNxSOxIZNJcRSgvHgiMQ44-0c__46UguErGezd5oVWFH8KrLWpZZITkVr0HPw5GsdUmYMONPDsPJIvdbf7ao4gxXH-_j3aD3IgKquCa5XMGg/s1600/chillon-rampart=web.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outer rampart of Chillon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nina Munteanu explores the “witch-hunt” in her historical
fantasy “The Last Summoner” (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Starfire</i>),
which takes place in Poland and France. The main character, a young baroness living
in 1410, discovers she has strange powers and is hunted as a witch.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Charm of Villeneuve<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Feeling rather peckish after scampering all over the castle
grounds and dark dungeons, I leapt into my ToulouseMobile and drove in search
of a place to eat. Within five minutes I found myself driving along one of old
Villeneuve’s narrow cobbled lanes and spotted an attractive looking restaurant crowded
with patrons—always a good sign. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Bienveillance, avec Specialities Chinoises, is a gem
inside this quiet old town. I walked into a rather exotic setting of high
ceilings, old lamps, jade dragons and palm trees. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I started out with hot and sour soup, which was a perfect blend
of hot and sour soup and full of goodness like seaweed, tofu and other
vegetables. It was a hard choice between the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">canard aux germes de soja </i>and the chicken with red curry. The curry
won; and so did I. I ended my delicious meal with a wonderful signature Swiss
café crème. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Magnifique!</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgc-ZarQkSub_vQ6yoscsRjB40lZqADkw9ZrSuzXijjHPhPqiqZBuChc-WFP8qSStstNpA6XbORZsJh28XCnexVt55lHd46RbpAmtSM9J_QpGYqyZ-OVEWDsUwfCtnhqC9HuAhAHzgT4/s1600/cafe-creme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgc-ZarQkSub_vQ6yoscsRjB40lZqADkw9ZrSuzXijjHPhPqiqZBuChc-WFP8qSStstNpA6XbORZsJh28XCnexVt55lHd46RbpAmtSM9J_QpGYqyZ-OVEWDsUwfCtnhqC9HuAhAHzgT4/s1600/cafe-creme.jpg" height="272" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Montreux and its nearby villages is its own destination; but
it also provides a strategic centre for adventurous forays to other places in
Western Switzerland like Geneva, Lausanne, Neuchatel, le Mol<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">é</span>sons,
Gruy<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">è</span>res,
Aigle, Sion, les Diablerets, Glacier 3000, Mont Blanc, and Zermatt. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Contact Information: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">B & B: Résidence Castel Les Chênes
Hermann & Ulla Schusterbauer Avenue de Naye 15 CH 1820 Montreux-Territet;
tel: +41 (0)21 963 0880; fax: +41 (0)21 963 7334; email: </span><a href="mailto:residence@castelchenes.com"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">residence@castelchenes.com</span></a><u style="text-underline: #520000;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">;
website: </span></u><a href="http://www.castelchenes.com/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">www.Castelchenes.com</span></a><u style="text-underline: #520000;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">. <o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-91079324094451841552014-04-16T22:46:00.000-07:002014-11-01T11:09:40.659-07:00Swiss Cows are a Cat’s Best Friend<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4Cyv86Rbn8tHVAvsh-RaNGfI9BaBZ6kH-MUJXt4-jizuzngw7xUVo1AMzDPYHPkxrin36Vhbe0FsClldTSjZjJoWiCpps85ChWcuLusZKDZdEJMqa_u-S3fvxJyOwrG5vl8oWumdwfk/s1600/cows-arth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4Cyv86Rbn8tHVAvsh-RaNGfI9BaBZ6kH-MUJXt4-jizuzngw7xUVo1AMzDPYHPkxrin36Vhbe0FsClldTSjZjJoWiCpps85ChWcuLusZKDZdEJMqa_u-S3fvxJyOwrG5vl8oWumdwfk/s1600/cows-arth.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swiss cows in Arth Switzerland</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Think of it: milk, cheese, chocolate, butter, cream…café crème! I was
in Toulouse heaven when I toured Zurich and the countryside of Central
Switzerland this spring. As the Swiss would say, <i>es war ausgezeichnet! </i>I
feasted on the best that cows can offer. That had a lot to do with the Brown
Swiss cow. And here’s why…<br />
<div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Brown Swiss</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"> is
the breed of dairy cattle that produces the second largest quantity of milk in
the world. The milk contains on average 4% butterfat and 3.5% protein, which
makes it ideal for cheese production. The Brown Swiss is a large cow with long
gestation, large furry ears, and a lovely docile temperament. They are also
hardy and need little care or feed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Known as <a href="http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/braunvieh/index.htm"><i><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Braunvieh</span></i></a>
in German, the Brown Swiss originated on the slopes of the Swiss Alps, which
made them resistant to heat, cold and many other common cattle problems. The
Brown Swiss, as we know it in the United States today, originated in several
cantons I traveled through: Schwyz, Zug, St. Gallen, Glarus, Lucerne, and
Zurich of Switzerland. Here’s what the Brown Swiss cow offers so happily and impeccably:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgexpiB4C_t_CEsEH_bW7Xk6NU6fZc1p9hbYjfzdLzkU1ogXsFWc3Ww2d7elPiXBMysQBX1HwFhpJ1qtVGfjbMMbrVb2-vOlYXi2V-8QAN0a4eE29j17KD-rRI5tUHyR1OWvX3m28kQCV4/s1600/cows-seelisberg01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgexpiB4C_t_CEsEH_bW7Xk6NU6fZc1p9hbYjfzdLzkU1ogXsFWc3Ww2d7elPiXBMysQBX1HwFhpJ1qtVGfjbMMbrVb2-vOlYXi2V-8QAN0a4eE29j17KD-rRI5tUHyR1OWvX3m28kQCV4/s1600/cows-seelisberg01.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swiss cows in Seelisberg, Lake Lucerne</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">BUTTER:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"> In
Switzerland, butter is more of an experience than a condiment. Its fresh and
bold taste carries with it the fresh smell of alpine meadows. Swiss butter
makes one incredible escargots bourguignon baked with <i>Café de Paris</i>
sauce like the six I “inhaled” at the Swiss Chalet in Merlischachen. Swiss
butter melts in your mouth with a delicate nuance of the Swiss countryside. It
is tasty plain on bread, croissants or butterzopf in the morning for breakfast.
As I scarfed down the tenth piece of light rye with herb-tomato butter at the
Rossli in Schonenburg, I pulled contemplatively at my whiskers and decided that
its exquisite taste is “because the cows are happy”. Most Swiss cows
graze freely outside in small family farms, benefitting from the fresh air,
good food and pleasant pastoral setting. The Swiss are very proud of their
cows, after all. Spring festivals abound around the Swiss cow, complete with
regalia and huge intricately decorated bells.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEgC57iTX8I3_HapyZulm5PzGIBbg8i2v-xQPhEI_9LlGbGL8prAbx4R6MqDHaK9BOxjwOCd49mEtyEpTLL68pAhSJsONi1ZavtkX6vsrAO4-BI4oVL0bInG117W_xEeCSWatCqBWSuI/s1600/cows-seelisberg03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEgC57iTX8I3_HapyZulm5PzGIBbg8i2v-xQPhEI_9LlGbGL8prAbx4R6MqDHaK9BOxjwOCd49mEtyEpTLL68pAhSJsONi1ZavtkX6vsrAO4-BI4oVL0bInG117W_xEeCSWatCqBWSuI/s1600/cows-seelisberg03.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">curious Swiss cow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">CHEESE:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"> Cheese
permeates and forms an integral part of Swiss life. As with my compatriots in
France, the Swiss consider it both an everyday food item and something ideal
for a feast. The Swiss will commonly serve a platter of six or seven different
kinds of cheese, along with fresh bread, dried meat or cervelat, and fruit,
along with a generous amount of good red wine. I partook of many cheese
platter picnics, accompanied with wine, and cervelat salad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Switzerland is home to about 450 varieties of cheese. Ninety-nine
percent of Swiss cheese comes from cows milk with the remainder made up of
sheep and goat milk. This is considerably different from France, where goat
milk cheese is very popular.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Here are some of the popular Swiss cheeses from extra hard to soft:
Sbrinz; Emmentaler; Gruyere/Greyerzer; Berner Alpkaese; Schabziger;
Appenzeller; Bundner Bergkaese; Mutschli; Raclette; Tere de Moine;
Vacherin Fribourgeois; Tilsiter; Vacherin Mont d’Or; Formaggini; and Gala.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Two great warm-cheese dishes, usually served right about now during
the cold winter months. Fondue is cheese melted in a wine-kirsch mixture, into
which you dip chunks of bread. (I’ve never encountered other dipping stuff here
like apples and so on.) And there is raclette, a big chunk of cheese held close
to the fire until it starts to melt, and then the melting cheese is scooped off
with a knife onto a plate, and eaten with bread, boiled potatoes, cornichon
pickles, and sometimes some dried beef.Swiss milk is also unique. People new to
Switzerland would describe it as richer tasting, more creamy with a hint of
countryside meadow in its aroma. Some need to get accustomed to the vollmilch
(whole fat milk), and I’ve heard that they cut it in half with low-fat milk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcio0H1b5Lt0f7P9bijdFwztUdr9upFrbMdrtArlEnmi4KzbltJZ-tc5MmpMYX4PIkw6EK_sIIHlM9j-jaE5OqxOE2ch7zwNft_Wj76UnKj3E4OHb9yjTtefW5FU9MERT4FUDAbJY8pk/s1600/cafe-creme.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcio0H1b5Lt0f7P9bijdFwztUdr9upFrbMdrtArlEnmi4KzbltJZ-tc5MmpMYX4PIkw6EK_sIIHlM9j-jaE5OqxOE2ch7zwNft_Wj76UnKj3E4OHb9yjTtefW5FU9MERT4FUDAbJY8pk/s1600/cafe-creme.JPG" height="278" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse's cafe creme</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Think of all the things you drink and eat that use milk. Now you know
what I’m getting at. And then there’s café crème. My pure enjoyment of this
simple beverage was surely a function of both the Swiss fresh water, fresh air,
fresh mountain crème and excellent espresso coffee. Not to mention the awesome
setting and view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">My take home message here is this: when you go to Switzerland, keep
your diet at home and savor the exquisite palate-thrilling tastes that the
Swiss Cow offers, in all aspects of your fine dining experience, from elegant
creamy morel sauce over <i>rahmschnitzel</i> to a simple café crème.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">I’ll be back to
see my friends!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528507490490338144.post-84488729690093180572014-04-14T22:07:00.000-07:002014-11-01T11:09:09.766-07:00Castles, Cobbles and Coffee in Sion<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkXiXzvYq01tnxi5ACZT3OHEirutGSrygvPHMkHGFYA8uTUc6WsKAhhyphenhyphenYYcJXODKDQ8I80ynQu92NWT1BuL719l0cnItC78zQLMjnChIPYmfKOT78hFt5fRvmUuKikGjPuIlu8Q-IhBSQ/s1600/sion-cobble-street03-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkXiXzvYq01tnxi5ACZT3OHEirutGSrygvPHMkHGFYA8uTUc6WsKAhhyphenhyphenYYcJXODKDQ8I80ynQu92NWT1BuL719l0cnItC78zQLMjnChIPYmfKOT78hFt5fRvmUuKikGjPuIlu8Q-IhBSQ/s1600/sion-cobble-street03-web.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rue des Chateaux</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was the name originally given to the stronghold captured
by King David of the Israelites and where a temple was built on the hill above
it. It also means “an imaginary place considered to be perfect and ideal”.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In
Switzerland, Sion is the capital of the Canton of Valais but otherwise fits the
description well. Like the original one, this Sion (pronounced See-ohn) is also
overseen by a fortified church, Notre-Dame-de-Valère. In fact, there are two
hills with fortified castles that rise above this charming medieval town,
nestled in the fertile Rhone Valley and surrounded by vineyards and orchards.</div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Sion is an
attractive town of 27,000 with a long history. Archeological evidence suggests
that the site was inhabited during Neolithic times. People came to the otherwise
flat valley floor, attracted by the two jutting rocky hills, visible from afar
and now adorned with the medieval castles Valère and Tourbillon. “They are an
odd sight, which matches the common Swiss notion that the locals (named
Sédunois, after the town's Latin name Sedunum, meaning Place of Castles) are
themselves a bit odd, impenetrably taciturn and clannish,” says one Swiss
website. Sion enjoys a beautiful climate: dry, mild and consistently clear; its
afternoons are bathed in bright sunshine, and I could imagine myself in rural
Spain – warm, dry breezes blending the aroma of dusty pine needles with the chittering
of thousands of cicadas. Sion's wines are outstanding.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuz14nKvdLXxnaXOWrDgNi__Hj_Kd_s2T2EQFUvVfImgY24rEtL4hP0nuvmWumYx5Do1i2QzEZj5bIlTd8sqoGF1ftH_QeDf82C3zLxQTUPCRkrlTQivenJuxf7E8VFREffsMncspxvIk/s1600/sion-cobble-street04-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuz14nKvdLXxnaXOWrDgNi__Hj_Kd_s2T2EQFUvVfImgY24rEtL4hP0nuvmWumYx5Do1i2QzEZj5bIlTd8sqoGF1ftH_QeDf82C3zLxQTUPCRkrlTQivenJuxf7E8VFREffsMncspxvIk/s1600/sion-cobble-street04-web.JPG" height="320" width="168" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Attracted by the two medieval castles that crowned the two
hills above the town, I steered my ToulouseMobile from the highway and took the
narrow cobbled Rue des Chateaux up a steep incline to a parking lot from which
I could scamper to either castle. The late 13<sup>th</sup> Century Chateau de
Tourbillon with its crenulated walls is now in ruins. On the other hill, the
Chateau de Valère is a 12<sup>th</sup> or 13<sup>th</sup> Century fortified
church and houses the world’s oldest playing organ (made in 1390). No, I didn’t
play it like Inspector Clouseau’s mad boss, but I did feel rather peckish after
that long walk up the hill. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In search of a good food and coffee experience, I drove down
the windy cobbled lane that spilled out onto Rue du Grand-Pont, the wide
tree-lined and cobbled main street of the old-town. There, across the street
from the Hotel de Ville, with its 17<sup>th</sup> century clock tower, I found
what I was looking for: La Croix <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Fédérale,
a restaurant and brasserie with arcade windows in the Valais tradition</span>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its sign looked as old as the medieval town
itself and invited. As soon as I entered, I knew I had hit the jackpot. The
place was filled with locals, lingering over wine and roesti, and discussing
philosophy and politics. The smell of fondue permeated. Perfect, I thought. It
was a cat’s paradise.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sjgZKTYFC4575EpuCICllSVCus-NYjsmhobnTbEwontvt6cxO3K4PGZvfShWBJX-PvUUn6PswHI7xDobVKbOb4XtKElNOKI-bG53ZKEXN2QJrw9BqXM6Tda7nBugPuW7NK68uuowe64/s1600/sion-croix-federale-patrons-toulouse-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sjgZKTYFC4575EpuCICllSVCus-NYjsmhobnTbEwontvt6cxO3K4PGZvfShWBJX-PvUUn6PswHI7xDobVKbOb4XtKElNOKI-bG53ZKEXN2QJrw9BqXM6Tda7nBugPuW7NK68uuowe64/s1600/sion-croix-federale-patrons-toulouse-web.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrons of Croix Federale get friendly with Toulouse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I sat down by the window and nodded to the two gentlemen lingering
over a carafe of white wine. They nodded back. I ordered <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Roesti d’Alpage and a Salade Bruschetta de
Gambas <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>from the waitress. She gave me a
strange look, like she’d never seen a talking French stuffed cat before; but to
give her credit, she took my order. To accompany my Valais meal, I chose a
local white wine from Sion; a 2010 Hurlevent Petite Arvine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found it light yet wonderfully expressive
in subtle fruity notes. It was the perfect companion to my savory meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Roesti is a simple farmer’s leftover dish. Essentially roesti
consists of shredded potatoes cooked then baked with cheese and other things, representing
a gourmet version of “hashbrowns”. This dish was lovingly baked with mushrooms,
cheese, onions, ham and a fried egg on top. The subtle flavors had married
wonderfully in the baking dish and I feasted happily with puffy cheeks. The
salad was its own feast. Presented in a colorful arrangement of pickled beets,
carrots, and greens accompanying the bruschetta and sweet shrimp, it ate
itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, it’s just an expression; I
did the eating, of course! Don’t forget that great walk I had! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRbHZvuGcDJLvdvDyecehmIOIqFhotuuOlUErwGjj3S2dr7NU3ugyHo5ZOA1LRPg_i8kcY3nQKzrjAHlvJt3QvOkK-uC1oWrPs2093eK9cXomsN5dxCpiVQjVvU7WET3bFr3nNoWDQmk/s1600/sion-croix-federale-toulouse-roesti-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRbHZvuGcDJLvdvDyecehmIOIqFhotuuOlUErwGjj3S2dr7NU3ugyHo5ZOA1LRPg_i8kcY3nQKzrjAHlvJt3QvOkK-uC1oWrPs2093eK9cXomsN5dxCpiVQjVvU7WET3bFr3nNoWDQmk/s1600/sion-croix-federale-toulouse-roesti-web.JPG" height="252" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse and his Roesti</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dalia, the manager, later joined me with drinks and we
shared stories of travels, good food and animals. I showed her a picture of my
whippet friend, Sparky in the USA, and she showed me her two dogs on her
iPhone. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Contact Information:</b>
La Croix Federale, Pub, Bistro, Brasserie; <span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Grand-Pont 13,1950 Sion, Valais, Suisse;
telephone: 027 322 16 95<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOjF7NxO2ln2O882ptZUxFkMhqftaBQlVi6erXecruGMbtob5uEnz_8eYl0xXawEIdAEsVYqtO65yMYxM_ewq_4q1wBmT0aCLb4eRCTwBXaRCsaITQshXAMJ_Ctl7ZpEAicqJETaYOJo/s1600/toulouse-cafe-creme-web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOjF7NxO2ln2O882ptZUxFkMhqftaBQlVi6erXecruGMbtob5uEnz_8eYl0xXawEIdAEsVYqtO65yMYxM_ewq_4q1wBmT0aCLb4eRCTwBXaRCsaITQshXAMJ_Ctl7ZpEAicqJETaYOJo/s1600/toulouse-cafe-creme-web.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulouse with his cafe creme</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.com0