Farsighted Fly Girl

Farsighted Fly Girl Has Moved!

2009-03-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

I've got a newly designed blog and a new post waiting at:

http://www.rosalindcummingsyeates.blogspot.com Please come check it out!

Taste Trippin'

2009-03-02T15:41:00.000-08:00

Although most of my trips are scheduled, sometimes I like to fly off with spur- of -the minute jaunts. This weekend, I dashed off to Jamaica, Cuba and Peru with a quick detour to Spain. Instead of feeling strangled with jet lag, I feel full, very full. That's because my trips involved a visit to my favorite Nuevo Latino/Caribbean eatery, Cuatro. I started out with a visit to Spain, sipping on a white wine sangria sprinkled with berries. I'm a lightweight drinker and it almost knocked me out so I traveled to Peru, for a devine ceviche with hearts of palm, avocado and whitefish. For my main excursion, I tripped over to Jamaica and Brazil for jerk chicken drenched in tamarind sauce and spicy morros y christanos accented with plantanos. Meanwhile, my traveling companions ventured into Brazil for my favorite moqueca, which I was too stuffed to sample. It was a satisfying journey that almost completely transported me, except for the good old Chicago house music that blasted a reminder that I was still at home.

A Traveler's Secret

2009-02-26T10:46:00.000-08:00

I travel a lot. I love the whole experience of travel, from packing to hanging out in airports, but I have a secret. I'm prone to motion sickness. Fortunately, it never happens on planes but boats, trains, cars? Big worries. I know every old wives tale and trick to prevent it. Don't read, make sure your eyes can see the horizon, eat salt, eat ginger, stay in an upper level cruise cabin. Sometimes these work, sometimes they don't. This poses a nasty little problem for a travel writer. I refuse to miss an experience because there's a chance I'll get sick. That means that I have clutched the railing of a sailboat, reeling with nausea as I gazed at a sublime St. Lucian sunset. I have curled up into a ball on a stunning Belize beach because I was retching from the big cruise ship(I hate cruises, this is just one reason) that brought me there. I barely made it through the 2 hour car trip through Brazilian coffee plantations before I was overcome with dizziness.

What I have learned is that it makes a big difference if you prevent motion sickness rather than try to cure it. So I purchased two acupressure bands that press on the points in your wrist that prevent nausea. They work if I remember to put them on before I get sick. I rarely do. Partly because they are ugly, dirt-colored bands that never coordinate with my ensembles. But I've just discovered a fly solution to my problem. Psi Bands are acupressure bands with style. They are waterproof, sleek and adjustable bracelets that come in bright colors and graphic designs fit for a fly girl. You can get them at Rite Aid or at PsiBands.com. Somehow, I think I'll remember to wear these before I get sick. What motion sick remedies have worked for you?

A Taste of Gullah

2009-02-22T14:42:00.000-08:00

Gullah food wraps the richness of the culture into dishes heaped with flavor. As descendants of skilled rice planters, the cuisine focuses on rice, rice and more rice. A typical Gullah restaurant will serve at least three kinds and I'm not taking about white or brown rice. There's red rice, a mixture of tomato sauce and pork, a mini meal of rice, chicken, shrimp, sausage and vegetables called Gullah rice and the famous Hoppin' John, which blends rice with field peas. At Gullah Cuisine Restaurant, just off Highway 17 in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, owners Charlotte and

Frank Jenkins (pictured above left) serve up country charm along with the rice.

The extensive menu offers okra gumbo, shrimp & grits, fish head stew, oyster salad, fried flounder, collard greens and macaroni and cheese. Charlotte hovers over customers like an indulgent mother and the eatery envelopes guests with friendliness. I couldn't finish all of my flounder and Charlotte whisked it off to put in a to-go bag, making me promise to finish it all the next day. The spices are what distinguish Gullah food and I couldn't quite put my finger on what they were. Charlotte shot me a demure smile when I asked her about her recipes. "Why, there's good stuff in there, history and things."

At Gullah Grub Restaurant in St. Helena, South Carolina, the chef, affectionately known as Mr. Bill (above right) is just as particular about his dishes. Mr. Bill explains that the preparation and natural seasonings is what separates Gullah cooking from traditional soul food. After spending hours in the restaurant, which resembles a quaint Southern living room, with shelves of knick knacks, I understood what he meant. The fried whiting, collard greens , corn bread and rice that I sampled looked like typical soul food but didn't quite taste like it. It was less heavy and greasy and the spices left a tingle in my mouth. I bought some of Mr. Bill's packaged spices to cook fish with and it transforms my seafood with a melange of flavors that I can only identify as Gullah.

Of Pigeon's Blood and Rose Gold

2009-02-17T10:01:00.000-08:00

I write about most lifestyle and arts topics, including travel, fashion, art and culture but they don't always connect to each other. Occasionally, they relate in ways that are mind-boggling. I was assigned to write a designer profile for the jeweler's trade publication, JQ International. When I cover fashion, I expect to focus on the designer's artistic process and inspiration. For Miami-based designer J.R. deBellard, travel, art and culture turned out to be all a part of his process. Born in Venezuela and raised in Paris, J.R. mixes fascinating elements of his interests and background into his jewelry. His Ghana collection, featuring Adinkra symbols, sharks teeth, bear claws and rubies, blew me away. I studied the necklaces for a long time, trying to figure them out but I never did.

J.R. had to break it down for me. He only designs in yellow or rose gold because that's what he remembers elegant ladies wearing on the French and Italian Riviera when he was growing up. He has followed African politics for a long time so he chose Adinkra symbols, which are ancient Ashanti designs from Ghana, to adorn each piece. J.R. also loves English Victorian history and how aristocrats would bring back mounts and animal pieces like bear claws and sharks teeth and wear them engraved with flowers. Finally, he's also interested in the Brazilian candomble religion, which uses talismans like the figa, a clenched fist image, to ward off the evil eye. You'll see the fist all over Brazil but it's usually carved from dark wood. He dangles the pieces from black leather and often highlights his favorite stone, the Pigeon's Blood ruby.

So you have representation's from three continents and three different culture's --Ghanaian, Victorian and Brazilian, all in a striking and unlikely mix. It's sensual and deep jewelry that goes way beyond pretty. "I try not to design for a simple mind," I'm making jewelry with meaning," says J.R.

Chocolate Travels

2009-02-13T14:39:00.000-08:00

From salsa-tinged Humboldt Park, to jollof rice-scented Uptown, Chicago offers some great cultural experiences. You don't have to hop a plane to absorb some of the sensations of India, Mexico, Puerto Rico or Nigeria. Although I love the neighborhoods that supply these escapades, I have to admit that one of my favorite Chicago cultural experiences doesn't involve an actual area or just one culture. Katrina, the genius/diva behind Chicago-based Vosges Haut Chocolat, combines her love of world travel and sustainable chocolate so seemlessly that I swear I didn't notice that I was munching on candy that represented my favorite places until last week. I stop into the purple swathed (always a good sign) Vosges boutiques about once every 6 weeks to stock up on my fave $7-$8 chocolate bars. They happen to be deep milk chocolate and smoked almonds sprinkled with fleur de sel grey sea salt, for the Barcelona bar. Then there's the dark chocolate spiked with Mexican ancho and chipotle chillis, topped with Ceylon cinnamon for the Red Fire bar. Last week, I discovered the addictive crunch of Ecuadorian plantain chips in deep milk chocolate of the Habana bar. Each bar conjures up a heady, sensual explosion of flavor. Each bar also represents places that I either already travel to frequently (Mexico) or have longed to visit (Barcelona, Havana). A coincidence? I don't think so. Traveling through chocolate is one sweet escape that I can't stand to miss.

Gullah Speech and Spirit

2009-02-09T13:54:00.000-08:00

Sunset over Hilton Head Island

My first introduction to Gullah culture came with Julie Dash's seminal 1992 film, Daughters of the Dust. The film showcases the languid beauty of the land and the language. Set at the turn of the 20th century on St. Helena Island, the movie tells the haunting story of three generations of Gullah women. Since the tale took place in the early 1900s, it never occurred to me that the culture was still alive until I stepped onto the dusty roads and marshy landscape of St. Helena myself. The lyrical dialect of the Gullah people floated around me and it drove me crazy. I have a pretty sharp ear for language and what I heard sounded like Jamaican patois, but not quite, like Nigerian Yoruba intonations but not completely, like the sing-song melody of St. Croix Cruzan speech but not totally. When I was told that it was Gullah language that I was hearing, a light went off. I had heard Gullah semi-recently but never realized it. My daughter loved to watch the Nick Jr. children's TV show, Gullah Gullah Island during the mid to late 90s. Somehow, I never connected the snappy songs and amusing folk tales that the show's creators, Ron and Natalie Daise, used to illustrate Gullah speech and customs with the ancient culture I had glimpsed in Daughters of the Dust.

Penn Center Ron Daise with Gullah Bible

But as I explored more Sea Islands, including Hilton Head and Beaufort, I discovered that Gullah culture is vibrantly alive on many levels. One of the highlight's of my trip was meeting Ron Daise

and witnessing Gullah culture firsthand. Ron is one of the leading experts on Gullah culture and dialect and he acted as the dialect coach for Daughter's of The Dust. Hearing Ron roll melodic Gullah words and sing Gullah songs brought everything to life for me. We visited the Spanish moss draped campus of Penn Center, the first school opened for freed slaves in the South.

Founded in 1862, Penn was also where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came to strategize and meditate in the 60s and where Daise's parents and grandparents studied and became educators.

The school closed in 1948 and changed its focus to community service. The site now hosts dorms, homes and a museum, whose small gift shop is full of plaques with Gullah sayings, handmade quilts and calendars by prominent Gullah artist Jonathan Greene.

Whenever I asked how to sum up Gullah culture, spirituality was always the first response. So it makes sense that the most significant representation of Gullah culture is the Gullah Bible. Called "De Nyew Testament," the bible was translated by the Sea Island Translation Team, of which Ron Daise was a member. The team translated the bible in 2005, entirely in Gullah with translations in the margins. Here's a verse:

"Dem Wa Bless Fa True. Wen Jedus see all de crowd dem, e gon pontop one high hill. E seddown dey, Jeddus staat fa baan um. E say, dey bless fa true, dem people wa ain hab no hope een deyself."

Don't recognize the passage? It's Luke 16:20-23. In the five Gullah Baptist churches on Hilton Head alone, the singularity of the language flows through the pews. (I visited one but didn't quite make it through the required 3 1/2 hour service.) That lyrical dialect also represents the spirit that sustained the Gullah culture for over 200 years in tact.

Gullah, Sweet Grass and History

2009-02-05T12:50:00.000-08:00

Learning about a destination's culture and history are important aspects of the travel experience for me. I enjoy gathering insight into a place from a cultural perspective. One of the most fascinating culture's I've ever encountered is Gullah culture. This week, I have a feature story about Gullah culture in Travel Muse. The piece focuses on Gullah history in Hilton Head and St.Helena, South Carolina but the culture extends way beyond that.

The Gullah trace their heritage directly to the skilled rice farmers of Sierra Leone, West Africa. They were enslaved specifically because of those skills and were transported to work on rice plantations in South Carolina, Georgia and parts of Florida. The swampy conditions and malaria that went with it, made it uncomfortable for the plantation owners to live so they left the Gullah people to work the plantations mostly unattended. The isolation allowed Gullah dialect, customs and art to survive undiluted for 100 years. One of the hallmark's of Gullah culture is sweet grass basket "sewing" which mirrors Sierra Leone's centuries-old basket weaving tradition. Jery Taylor, pictured above, represents the fourth generation of her family to create sweet grass baskets. Jery has had her creations displayed at the Smithsonian and I quickly bought one of her designs, not just for the beauty but for the significant culture and history that it symbolizes.

St. Croix Colors

2009-02-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

All of my favorite places host some kind of arts and cultural scene. If there's no art, museums or music, I'm not going. One of the reasons why I love St.Croix is because of the vibrant art work that fills most spaces in Christiansted and Fredericksted. Colorful landscapes, smiling children and kinetic carnival scenes jump out of St. Croix artwork, the best of which can be found in Christiansted art galleries. One of my favorites is Twin City Coffee House and Gallery, which showcases a host of St. Croix artwork every month. Cozy and blazing with color, from the tapestries on the tables to the woven pillowcases on the couch, the bi-level gallery is run by local artist Diane Butler and Theresa Calpano. "African Dance," a striking portrait of a kneeling naked woman with a scarf on her head and a background of dancers by Kendi Peguero captured my attention as soon as I walked in. I didn't walk out until I bought two hand-painted ceramic tiles

that portray St. Croix scenes.

Twin City Love

2009-01-29T15:30:00.000-08:00

When I mention that I love Twin City, I'm not talking about Minneapolis and St.Paul although I'm sure they're lovely in their own way. Twin City is the nickname for the U.S. Virgin Islands' St.Croix and it's one of my favorite Caribbean islands. It's called Twin City because of it's two major towns, Christiansted and Frederiksted. Brimming with quaint, jewel-colored houses and fragrant bougainvillea, ixora and hibiscus everywhere you turn, St. Croix is packed with charm and culture. The capitol of Christiansted sits serenely on a waterfront square surrounded by butter-colored, neo-classic buildings dating from the 1700s. The city also boasts rows of art galleries, which I'll explore in my next post. What I love about St.Croix is that it offers the beauty and lush environment that you'd expect from an island but it also supplies lots of culture and history. Cruzans are a laid-back, brainy bunch and there's nothing better than hanging out in a Christiansted cafe, talking to artists and makeshift politicians. As the largest of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix attracts an urbane mix of people from across the Caribbean region as well as the U.S. In fact, I once considered moving there after I got an offer from the local St.Croix newspaper. The crime rates and faltering medical facilities deterred me but it still remains one of my beloved island destinations.

Zipping Through The Air

2009-01-26T13:56:00.000-08:00

Zip Lining is one of those travel activities that intimidates a lot of people. I guess pairing sky-scraping heights with jungles and a single rope to hang from does sound scary. But it doesn't have to be. I sailed through the St.Lucian rain forest with not a flicker of fear. I glanced at the tops of palm trees and touched oversize ferns. A light sprinkle of rain started to fall and the experience was even more magical, even though it was hard to see after awhile. It was exhilarating because I'm tall and I could see the floor of the forest just a few feet beneath my legs. It's not so upsetting when you can imagine jumping from the rope and safely to the ground. St. Lucia is a small island and accordingly, it's zip line tour is relatively small.

On the other hand, I have known the gripping fear that comes from facing a true zip line. By true, I mean a zip line strung atop tree canopies of at least 20 feet. A few years ago in Costa Rica, I forced myself to do the zip line as a way of forcing myself out of my comfort zone. I don't typically gravitate toward many things that require athletic shoes and special equipment. But there I was, trudging through the yawning Costa Rican rain forest and climbing tower after tower of mind-numbingly high platforms, which I was pushed across. I was petrified. I vowed never to do it again but the thing about zip lines is that you can't turn back. You're in the middle of the jungle and the platforms are placed so that only the very last one is near the exit. So I didn't have much of a choice but I have to admit, I didn't love it. Especially when I got stuck hanging in the middle of the next to last platform. The velocity wasn't great enough and I hadn't listened when the guides said I'd have to use my hands to move the rest of the way. Right. A guide had to swing out on his arms and guide me back. So I was thrilling and brave on the St.Lucia zip line only because I'd already lived through the horrors of Costa Rica's. But I would recommend the zip line experience anyway. It's a great way to face your fears.

Obama Forever

2009-01-20T13:58:00.000-08:00

Yvonne over at the Rest of Yesterday supplied the alert that you can make these great Obamicons over at Paste Magazine's site. After fighting to keep back the tears as I watched the inauguration,( I was teaching my journalism class and historical or not, I don't think it's a good look for the prof to break down in tears.) I made this one to represent the feeling of hope and pride that the ceremony inspired in me. Words can't even begin to express all the emotions that are swirling, especially when I see familiar Chicago faces like Desiree Rogers and Jesse Jackson Jr. right there with him. It's a special day, a piece of history that I'll never forget.

Devil's Bridge

2009-01-18T21:16:00.000-08:00

Although it's not the prettiest island in the Caribbean, tiny Antigua (108 sq. miles) is one of my favorites. The people exude the most genuinely warm spirits that I've ever witnessed and it's the birthplace of one of my favorite authors, Jamaica Kincaid. I spent my first hours in the capitol of St. John, scouring the streets for the library that Jamaica writes about so vividly in A Small Place. I found it in much the same cramped glory that she described almost a decade before but that wasn't one of the island's most memorable spots. That honor goes to Devil's Bridge.

Located on the northeast side of Antigua, covered with sloping hills and luxurious vegetation, you'll find the eerily popular attraction called Devil's Bridge. A natural limestone arch carved from Atlantic Ocean breakers looms up from the water. Blow holes and whipping waves add to the daunting effect of the place. Screaming over the bridge delivers not just excitement but a watery reward; the ocean responds to the kinetic energy and the waves rise in response. It's a splash that I'll never forget.

A Rosy Outlook

2009-01-15T15:00:00.000-08:00

So it's 10 below zero in Chicago. My forehead feels immovable from being exposed to the skin-slapping wind. People always expect Chicagoans to be used to the weather but you never get used to brutal temperatures. You just adjust. Adjustment for me means focusing on my many tropical travels. I've gazed at tons of gorgeous beaches but the most unforgettable was Barbuda's pink sand shoreline.

Stretching for 10-miles non-stop, with nary a beach towel or umbrella stand in sight, Barbuda's beaches resemble true paradise. I keep two bottles of the blush-colored sand on my bookshelf. Today I've been staring at it hoping it will transport me to Barbuda or at least transmit a bit of the tiny island's heat. It hasn't worked. At least I have my memories. The most vivid of which is spending hours in postage-stamp-sized Codrington Airport. The waiting area and outside yard serves as Barbuda's socializing mecca. Women lounge around to discover who's flying in or leaving and kids play cricket with homemade bats. People pass out food and ask about your family. It's like the warmth of Barbuda's people is reflected in the rosy sands of its beaches.

Wicked Rhythms

2009-01-11T14:39:00.000-08:00

A colorful Barbados memory that will always stick with me is winding down craggy country roads with the lovely resort town of Bathsheba as a backdrop. Only my attention wasn't on Bathsheba and its milky waters splashing the shores. I was singing a clever calypso led by art historian and musician Trevor Marshall and trying to figure out the punch line. A good calypso tune bursts with double entendres but it's not always immediately apparent. Trevor introduced me to this famous hit by Dave Martins and The Tradewinds and I'll always associate it with Barbados, even though the group members also represent Guyana, Trinidad, Grenada and the Cayman Islands. It's quite wicked, which is how I like my calypsos!

HONEYMOONING COUPLE

A honeymooning couple was in a bedroom/ packing up to go away/in the middle of June/

Well all of a sudden/ a big argument break out/listen to the bridegroom/ listen what he shout/

You get on top/ that's the way it must go/I am your husband you know/ you get on top/

don't make any noise/ shut your mouth/ that's the only way/ it will work out/

Chorus: Bettah get on top/ ting a ling /a ling/ Bettah get on top/ting a ling/ a ling

Next ya hear a commotion/ behind the door/ somebody fall down/ boop on the floor/

and somebody shout out/ hey ya squeezing me hard/ now this time it's the lady/ she telling the

man/you get on top/ that's the way it must go/ I am your wife now you know/ and it's 50/50/

you get on top/ don't make any noise/ shut your mouth/ that's the only way it will work out/

(Chorus)

Don't talk about how they grunting/ and they breathing hard/ imagine me outside/ man I going

mad/ quiet as a church mouse/ listening to this thing/ now this time the lady/ she start to sing/

and if you hear she says/both of we on top/ that is the way it must be/ and the husband says

yes I agree/ definitely/both of we on top/ don't make any noise/ shut your mouth/ that is the

only way/ it will work out.

(Chorus)

Now I am no peep man/ ask anybody/ but two of them on top/this I got to see/ so down by the

keyhole/ I put me eye/ and what I saw man/made me laugh til I cry/it was a man and his wife/

and the two of them on top/ if you see them in this funny pose/well the two of them sitting

down/on top a suitcase/it's a suitcase they trying to close/

Both of we on top/ ting a ling/ a ling/ both of we on top/ ting a ling /a ling/ both of we on

top/close the blasted thing.

If you want to hear Dave and the Tradewinds sing the bouncy melody, check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQP-YvcGcF8

Playing in the Clay

2009-01-08T16:14:00.000-08:00

You can spot piles of clay all over Barbados but especially in Chalky Mount, a little village in St. Andrew famous for its potters and rich clay reserves. I didn't make it to Chalky Mount but I did witness the three generations of artistry at work in Fairfield House. Perched on a rocky incline in St. Michael's, Fairfield House Gallery and the adjoining Red Clay Pottery factory, three generations of the Bell family have molded Bajan clay into terra cotta pots and unique pieces like the mermaid mirror above.

I watched Maggie Bell, the main Fairfield designer, whip up bottles and bowls on the homemade machines that fill Red Clay factory. Her father Peter, had originally designed it as a clay processing plant. Now Fairfield is the largest pottery maker in Barbados and all of the wares are created from local materials and then individually painted. The Fairfield House has been in the Bell family for 70 years and I could feel all the history seeping through the walls. When I was searching for authentic Bajan souvenirs, I discovered that besides rum, hand-crafted Bajan clay items are a great reflection of Barbados culture.

Snow on the Mountain and the Christmas Candle

2009-01-04T14:20:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I'm not over Christmas yet. I just started feeling it last week and now it's over. Blogger was also not cooperating during Christmas week and I couldn't post these lovely pics. So this will be my last holiday post.

Silver bells and twinkling lights might signal the holiday season up North but in Barbados, the vibrant blooms of yellow Christmas Candle pants means that the season has started. The island doesn't get any snow but the delicate white blossoms of the Snow on the Mountain plant cover the hills just as prettily. Both plants bloom only during the winter months when temperatures drop into the cool low 80s.

Tuk Band Celebration

2008-12-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! It's a season of celebrations and in Barbados, that usually means the raucous sounds of a tuk band will be streaming through the streets. Tuk bands produce Bajan folk music that truly represents the offbeat mix of African and British culture. Since traditional African rhythms were outlawed during slavery, enslaved Africans learned the music of British military and maritime bands, along with classical waltzes. After emancipation, a sound that merged all of these rhythms surfaced. The band plays a kittle drum also known as a snare drum, which was originally made from animal skins, the bass drum, a penny whistle and a triangle.

The Tuk band rhythm moves progressively from a slow waltz, to a fassy or march beat and explodes into a frenetic African rhythm. Typically, the performers are a trio of roaming minstrels accompanied by a stilt walker, a moco jumbie or masquerade figure called Shaggy Bear and a man dressed as a woman with big bosoms and behind called Mother Sally. Both moco jumbies and stilt walkers can be traced directly to West African spiritual rituals where an egungun or masked figure representing ancestor spirits parade through festivals and initiations. Both figures appear throughout the Caribbean region but only Barbados joins them with such a distinctly British influence as military rhythms. Although Tuk Band music is a forerunner of Trinidad's calypso and Jamaica's reggae, combining similar elements of Western and African sensibilities, I can't say that I've ever heard anything like it on any other island.

A Sweet Retreat

2008-12-20T13:50:00.000-08:00

Sugar in all forms generally makes me happy. I refuse to patronize restaurants without dessert menus and have been known to start dinner with a decadent dessert and end with a small appetizer. Life's too short to always leave your favorite thing for last. So I was especially struck by the symbolism of this sugar mill converted into a house. Tucked onto a hill in St. Peter, this sugar mill house represents Barbados' history as a major sugar producer. It also reflects my sweets obsession in a major way. What would be cooler than living in a structure that used to create sugar? I'm sure just the sugary walls would provide creative inspiration and a jolt of psychic energy.

Chillin' In Little Bristol

2008-12-16T19:02:00.000-08:00

A cricket obsession, a pub culture centered around rum shops and the people's reserved manner, have helped earn Barbados the nickname of "Little England." The island definitely exudes a singular quality that blends Caribbean spirit with a British sensibility. I found the best example of this in the quiet village of Speightstown, on the Eastern coast. Founded in 1653, Speightstown is the second biggest town in Barbados, after Bridgetown. It's a sleepy place filled with crumbling, historic buildings and serene beaches. I found the town charming, from my first stop at the iconic Fisherman's pub, which serves flying fish burgers and a spray of sea water if you sit too close to the beach side windows, to the outdoor market spilling over with papayas, plantains and pudding & souse. I have scary childhood memories about souse, which is a gory mix of pig parts, that my grandmother would make but it's a popular Bajan ritual to buy the stuff on Saturdays from a market stall. I discovered that the pudding is made from pigs intestines stuffed with sweet potatoes and seasonings. I did not sample it.

Speightstown is called "Little Bristol" because it was once a major port, shipping cotton and tobacco directly to Bristol. The harbor is mostly used by fishermen now but the beach offers tranquil, turquoise waters and gorgeous views.

Besides a laid back stroll down Queens Street, a visit to the Arlington Museum is a Speightstown must do. The museum is headquartered in a single 18th century house that's the architectural model for the houses that Bajan settlers built in Charleston, South Carolina. The entire museum uses high tech, interactive displays to tell the stories about Barbados' culture and history. For me, the most memorable display was about the pirate Stede Bonnet. He's apparently a famous swashbuckler, nicknamed the gentleman pirate but I had never heard of him. Bonnet was born on a Barbados plantation to a wealthy family, hence the gentleman moniker. He was a justice of the peace and married with three children when he up and decided to become a pirate. It's insinuated that marital squabbles drove him to it but women always get blamed for everything, even pirates. Anyway, he sailed a ship called Revenge, stocked with his beloved library. He's the only pirate who actually purchased his ship, instead of stealing it. He met up with Blackbeard and let him take over his ship since he was an incompetent sailor and joined him during the infamous siege on Charleston, where Bonnet was eventually jailed and hung. The exhibit feature's Bonnet's signature pirate flag and a talking model of the pirate that was quite creepy.

Bajan Street Signs

2008-12-11T15:34:00.000-08:00

Wandering through Barbados, I was struck by the wit and color of the street signs. Humor and welcoming vibes seemed to ring out from these brightly colored placards, in ways that I never see in the U.S. Even the dollar store sign looked inviting with a wash of sunny hues. The City Woman sign caught my attention because it captures the basic Caribbean sensibility of living practically but with joy. Fish frys are a cultural constant on the island but I was partial to the red sign above because it's my name, minus a "d" at the end. My favorite of course, is the Barbados Jack sign, nothing beats booty!

George Washington and Barbados

2008-12-07T11:40:00.000-08:00

I certainly wasn't expecting to learn about American history or George Washington while I was in Barbados but that's exactly what I did. I was surprised to discover that the Eastern Caribbean island played an important role in the course of American history. Besides supplying the settlers who founded North and South Carolina and about seven of the first governors for these states, Barbados was the only country visited by George Washington and the experience left a major impact on his life. The 18th century, two story, Georgian style house where George Washington lived in Barbados for seven weeks, has been restored into the George Washington House and Museum in Bridgetown.

Enveloped by lush gardens and balmy sea breezes that blow through the house, the museum presents a huge amount of information in an unlikely place. The rooms where George Washington lived are bare and utilitarian but the second floor boasts a life-size Washington that reads from his diary at the push of a button. George Washington was 19 when he journeyed to Barbados with his older, half-brother Lawrence, who was sick with tuberculosis. Barbados was known as a health spa and Lawrence's doctors recommended a stay in 1751. Although Lawrence had been educated in Europe, George had never left their Virginia home. Their father had died and George never got the education or exposure that benefited Lawrence. In Barbados, George witnessed his first fort, first theatrical performance and visited his first big city in Bridgetown. From the late 17th century until the mid 18th century, the major cities of the English speaking world were Boston, London and Bridgetown.

George also contracted small pox while he was in Barbados, leaving him immune to the disease. Small pox decimated the American Revolutionary army but George was unaffected and was able to organize the first mass inoculation against small pox for his troops. Bajans like to say that they saved George Washington for the presidency and the American Revolution. The museum's director also likes to say that not only did George Washington sleep in Barbados, but he woke up there. His small, provincial world was expanded and he was able to make contact with influential people in Bridgetown that would later guide his career. He never would have traveled in their circles in Virginia. This reminds me of the elitism debate that surfaced during the 2008 election. No matter what the party or platform, it's a fact that every 20th century U.S. president either came from affluent families or were educated or trained at elite institutions.

The museum also explores the history of slavery on Barbados and how the system has influenced history. A sculpture of Olaudah Equiano, the famous African who had been enslaved on Barbados and bought his own freedom, holds a prominent space on the second floor. Equiano moved to London and published his autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Eqiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African, in 1789. It became a bestseller and a touchstone in the slave narrative literary genre. It also kicked off the British abolition movement, of which Equiano was one of its most notable figures. Slavery was an issue that posed a moral dilemma throughout Washington's life. The exhibit examines Washington's position as the man who helped fight for America's freedom but who never gave freedom to the 300 enslaved Africans that he owned. According to the display, he considered it but decided that the undertaking would be too expensive. So "he left the question of slavery for another generation to solve."

A Taste of Harlem and Passports With A Purpose

2008-12-01T14:01:00.000-08:00

Today marks the first day for the Passports With A Purpose fundraiser. Four Seattle travel bloggers decided to rally the travel blogging community to raise money and awareness for Heifer International, which is a charity that combats hunger by teaching sustainable farming methods and donating livestock. I couldn't pass up a chance to help so thanks to a generous donation from A Taste of Harlem founder Jacqueline Orange, my raffle prize is two tickets to the Taste of Harlem Food and Cultural Tour. This three hour tour features six restaurants, tours of an art gallery, a historic bed and breakfast, shops and landmarks that reflect Harlem's storied history.

I grabbed a chance to experience this whirlwind excursion last year and it opened my eyes and taste buds to parts of New York history that I never knew. Nestled in the Manhattan borough, Harlem holds some cultural tidbits that might fascinate you. The neighborhood hosts a huge Dominican population, for instance. I sampled savory arroz amarillo (yellow rice) and rabo (oxtail stew) dishes pictured above at El Tina Dominican restaurant, as well as chicken and waffles (which were first joined together in Harlem, not LA) at Amy Ruth's. I heard Apollo Theater history from Mr. Apollo himself and cruised the legendary Sugar Hill area that was home to notables like Thurgood Marshall and Paul Robeson. Jackie is a lively and gracious guide who will make sure you have a memorable Harlem experience.

The tickets are good for the entire 2009 year so if you plan on visiting New York or already live there, please consider buying a raffle ticket for the tour. Raffle tickets are $10. That's a $190 value for two tour tickets. You can purchase raffle tickets at First Giving as well as view the list of all the great travel-related raffle prizes. For each ticket you purchase, you'll be entered into a raffle for the prize you select. Don't forget to enter the prize code in the donation form! You'll get a receipt from First Giving as well as good karma. The raffle will be open until December 29 so please remember Passports With A Purpose during all of the holiday hoopla. Winning tickets will be drawn on December 30 and winners will be contacted through e-mail.

Mama Africa

2008-11-29T16:14:00.000-08:00

Three weeks ago, I woke up feeling very edgy and unhappy. All morning, a cloud seemed to cling to my spirit and I couldn't shake it. Then I saw the day's headlines. I understood. Miriam was gone. Miriam Zenzi Makeba died of a heart attack on November 10 after a concert performance outside of Naples, Italy. To her fans she was Mama Africa and the Empress of African Song, an icon of African political activism and the high-flying spirit of African music. To me, she was a comforting , lyrical presence throughout my life.

Miriam Makeba started performing in the 50s but a lot of younger Americans were first introduced to her in the 80s, when she appeared on an episode of the Cosby Show. I had the good fortune of experiencing a live Miriam concert before the Cosby episode and that performance will stay with me for the rest of my life. Her voice was at once overwhelming with a range that swooped from the sky and back, as well as intimate and soothing, scatting and swirling with a rich and melodious tone. She sang in her native Xhosa as well as Zulu, Swahili, English, Portuguese and Yiddish. Miriam truly represented global awareness before the term was even created. Her most famous tunes are "The Click Song" and the rollicking "Pata Pata" but the songs that touched me were the gentle love song "Malaika" and "Mbube," a traditional Zulu song which was adapted by Pete Seeger and popularized by the Tokens as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."

During my wedding ceremony, I walked down the aisle to "Malaika." When my daughter was born in a cozy birthing room with low lighting and music, it was Miriam's "Sangoma" that was playing. My daughter came out smiling, with her thumb in her mouth. I'm convinced that being greeted with Miriam's caressing vocals had something to do with this. Whenever I'm feeling excited or introspective, I reach for a CD by Miriam. Her music has provided the soundtrack for most of my life.

A lot has been written about Miriam Makeba over the last three weeks. It's taken me all this time to absorb the cultural loss. As a music critic, I know that Miriam holds a significant place in music history. She was the first African woman to win a Grammy. She performed at Kennedy's famous birthday celebration in 1962. She was the only performer invited by Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie to sing at the inauguration of the Organization of African Unity in 1963. She also sang at several marches for Martin Luther King Jr. There are few contemporary r&b singers that I've interviewed, from Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, to Les Nubians and Zap Mama, that don't cite Miriam as an influence.

But her impact stretches much further than music. Although she always insisted that she was not a political activist, her very life was a work in political activism. She was exiled from her South Africa home for 30 years because she spoke of the brutality and injustice of apartheid. She never recorded a protest song technically but her refusal to abandon her culture and her attention to traditional African folk singing, supplied enough protest. Her songs were banned in South Africa and she became the voice and the personification, along with Nelson Mandela and Stephen Biko, of the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

Fittingly, Miriam's last concert was also an act of political protest. She was performing at a concert in Southern Italy in tribute to six Ghanaian immigrants who had been murdered in the region in September. The mafia is accused of carrying out the killings and the concert was to promote anti-racism and anti-mafia activity. She collapsed after performing her signature "Pata Pata" tune. She died as she lived, protesting injustice and spreading the joy of African music. Miriam Makeba is gone but her spirit lives on.

Thankfulness and Passports With A Purpose

2008-11-26T19:26:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving always helps me remember how fortunate I am. My life has been graced with much joy and opportunity, qualities that may be fleeting for people struggling for daily survival. Although I don't always remember to be grateful for every benefit I'm granted, this year has been a magical time of mind-blowing accomplishments and fulfilled dreams for so many. It makes me believe that despite the economy and the wars and the suffering, the world will get better.

An example of this rush to kindness and hope is Passports With A Purpose. Last month, four Seattle travel bloggers decided to organize a fundraiser for Heifer International. As travel bloggers, we often witness the crushing inequities of poverty around the world. Heifer International is an inspiring charity that helps to end hunger and poverty while caring for the earth. The organization provides livestock and sound agricultural training in 57 countries, including the U.S. Their programs develop self-sufficiency for families, through food and income from livestock products. I'm honored to join this wonderful cause and spread the love. The raffle prize that I'm offering are two tickets for the culturally and gastronomically filling Taste of Harlem food and culture tour. Anyone living (that means you Wendy and Anja) or visiting New York in the next year should consider buying a $10 raffle ticket for this rich experience. I'll post the specific details for the fundraiser and raffle on December 1. The raffle runs through December 30 so please keep it in mind during the holiday season.