Thoughtful Thursday – Travel Makes the World Grow Smaller

The more places I visit, the smaller the world grows. Smaller in a good way. Smaller as in closing the gaps in my understanding of other people, cultures, countries and customs. I love trying new foods, listening to the different languages and music and exploring native locales.

I guess I was born with wanderlust or maybe I inherited it. My grandfather, Antonio, left the province of Galicia in Spain because he wanted to be more than a dirt poor farmer. That’s a picture of grandpa (“abuelito”) with my grandmother and mother during a return trip to Spain from Cuba. Antonio was a small man, but built like a bull and with arms like Popeye’s. He could fix or grow anything and he grew a new life in Cuba for his family.

As many of you know, however, we were forced to leave Cuba and come to the United States. I’m glad that we did, but I think I have my abuelito’s adventuresome spirit that makes me want to travel and see new places.

Here’s some videos from my latest travels. We had a great time and got to see a lot of interesting new things. Also got to relax a bit, something that we rarely do with our hectic lives.

View from our hotel room
We had a great location right near the water and in the mornings, I’d head outside and write a bit on the balcony.

Luau Dancers
I wish I could move my hips like this. I always tell people I’m a Cuban with a genetic defect — I can’t shake my booty or dance!

Maui Fire Dancer
Watch the first moments carefully. The Fire Dancer eats the fire, moves it from his mouth to one hand and then from that hand to the unlit part of the baton which then ignites. He was truly amazing and had thighs like tree trunks!

Underwater shots taken while I was snorkeling (Careful it’s a little jumpy)
My husband was leery of going to Molokini, a nearby crater, to do some serious snorkeling. Good thing since one couple we met mentioned seeing some reef sharks right below them. I would have freaked. Luckily, we had some reefs at a beach right near the hotel and were able to do some snorkeling. Saw lots of fish, an octopus, and sea urchins. Some of the more adventurous types went further out and swam with some turtles.