Port Villa-Vanuatu-Pacific Island

In November of 2012 I was on a business trip to Vanuatu, in the Pacific. It is always such a privilege to see all the beautiful places and to meet all the beautiful people. I am not able to give justice to what I experience, but I attempt to share the stories with some pictures.  Vanuatu is an amazing country. I stayed in the Chantilly on the Bay hotel from where I experienced the scenic beauty of sunsets, cruise ships lying in the harbor the sound of birdsongs and the of rain on the roof.

 

Our hosts from the University of the South Pacific went out of their way to make us experience their beautiful country  when they took us for sightseeing to experience jaw dropping scenes  where the Pacific Ocean meets the land  with the beautiful green background.

Over the weekend I booked a day trip on the Coongoola,  a yacht,  which was used as a mother ship radio relay for the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. On our way to the Sun and Moon Bay, we stopped at the Turtle conservation project at Tranquility Bay. It was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful as we sailed over the blue and emerald  green waters, where at some places, the color of the ocean looked unreal!. When we arrived at the beach I attempted Snorkeling. It was an amazing experience to see the beautiful under water sea life. A note to myself was to seriously consider improving my swimming skills.

One day, I may go back to Vanuatu with its beautiful, serene environment  and I am surely staying at Chantilly on the Bay with its magnificent staff!

Mussoorie,Patna & Gaya

In June I was privileged to travel to Mussouri, also known as Queen of the hills, at the foot of the Himalaya Mountains. It was one of the most beautiful places I have visited. The most amazing sight of this hill station was the different shades of the rising sun just after 5am.It was just awesome! Complementing this beautiful village is the Kenty Falls .Visitors to this area stream to the Kenty Falls for swimming and picnic. One of my assignments took me to the antithesis of Mussoorie, Patna in the Bihar State of India.Like in all other States in India, I was welcomed with warmth and friendliness by the people I have met .

I was highly impressed by the girls involved in the Hunar project, whom I have met. I was privileged to meet the Chief Minister of Bihar, Shri Nitish Kumar during my stay in Patna.

My host took the time to show me around and from Patna I travelled to Gaya where I met many more girls in rural schools. One of My best moments which I will treasure all my life was the visit to the Mahabodhi Temple. It was breathtaking!

The Past Six Months( Part three)

The Bahamas
From T &T I made me first ever visit to another Caribbean Island, the Bahamas. I knew that I would be met by colorful coastlines looking down from the sky, but one’s imagination cannot compare with reality. Seeing it all from the window of the aircraft as we made our way down, was WOW. One cannot explain what goes through your mind when you witness the wonders of this world we live in, but I will forever treasure those special moments and will be reminded of it through the digital images which I captured as we touched down .
I invited my biggest supporter (and husband) to join me in the Bahamas and when I arrived at the airport he was already waiting for a few hours. As we were greeted by a heavy rainstorm upon our arrival in Nassau ,we were detained in the aircraft for an hour .By the time we left the airport it was nearly dark but one could feel the free spirit in the air. I was so glad that my husband could join me, because it is so much better when you can share beautiful memories with your significant other.
We were in awe by the breathtaking scenes and the white beaches. The expression” passing like ships in the night” got new meaning as we watched cruise ships coming in at night and being gone in the morning. While we enjoyed the Bahamian cuisine and friendly people, our biggest appreciation was to have the mighty ocean at our doorstep. We could stay outside until late and enjoy the beautiful sunsets over the ocean while watching some of the biggest cruise ships departing for a next destination and when we go back into the hotel we were greeted by lovely music:-)
The Bahamas reminded me that we have only one life and we have to make the best of it. Carpe Diem!
I will always treasure the special time I had with my husband in beautiful Nassau.

The Past Six Months (Part two)

Trinidad & Tobago
My best experience from Trinidad& Tobago will always be its wonderful, friendly people. They have made me feel at home since my first visits 5 years ago, and this time was no different. Working among the Trinidadians is all inspiring they make you want to stay on! Dedication, patience, respect and hope, are the words that come to my mind when I think of all the good people in Trinidad. This time I made time to go outside Port of Spain to visit a few of the open schooling centres , and I was not only in awe with the beauty of the land I was in awe by the sheer hunger for education amongst the youth who can for one or other reason not access conventional schooling. I reminded me to count my blessings before I dare complain about life’s challenges. Trinidad has warmed my heart and I will always treasure my experiences of T&T.

The past six months (part one)

The past six months I was privileged to visit my Motherland, Namibia, as well as Trinidad &Tobago, The Bahamas, New Zealand, and Tonga. Each of these countries is unique and inspired me in a very special way.
I knew that Namibia is a beautiful country, however being away from it for so long and being deprived of its beauty made me appreciate it even more this time around. Namibia is a “land of contrasts” and I was privileged to visit contrasting places such as a farm in the south and my place of birth. It made me think of the many people who have walked the road with me, some of whom are long gone and some of whom are spread around the globe. The beautiful sunsets, sounds of birds and animals cannot be compared to any other in the world.
Coming from the South we visited my brother and his family on their farm in the Komas Hoch land it was refreshing to drive in the veld and appreciate the wildlife and beautiful landscapes. It was an amazing experience to enjoy the hospitality of family and friends from the south in Mariental and Rehoboth to the north in Windhoek and Swakopmund.
We were treated to Namibian Braaivleis, sitting next to the fire, listening to stories and having loads of laughter, to having dinner while overlooking the Windhoek from Heinitzburg Castle and having the most scrumptious prawns in O'Portuga :-)Our daughters enjoyed the real Namibian Boerewors served on Brotchens with home made sauce, Jam and Peanut butter the most.
Walking alongside the mighty Atlantic Ocean with my beautiful daughters and watching my husband fishing, was an experience which I cherish as I struggle to get use to the cold in British Colombia. I guess the wonderful time in my Motherland will carry me until next time.

Seaplane & Government House

Yesterday I travelled to the city of Victoria the capital of British Colombia. Although I was in Victoria many times, this was the first time that I travelled via a Seaplane.
I regard myself as a seasoned traveller, however, departing from the water surface compared to departing from steady mother earth are two different things. At first I was a bit apprehensive, especially as it was raining when we left, but when we took off I was in awe with the waves, made by the small aircraft, and forgot about my ‘fear’. The flight took us over Vancouver and it was an amazing view from the Sky.
An invitation to make a presentation at the Annual meeting of the Royal Commonwealth Society took me to Victoria. The program included a visit to Government House where we were invited to join the Honorable Steven L Point, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, for lunch. We formed a receiving line and each of us was introduced to the Lieutenant Governor as we arrived at the door.


Government House contains the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the representative of Her Majesty the Queen of Canada. The house has an aura of royalty decorated with pictures of the Queen and her family complemented by beautiful flower arrangements. I took time to ‘drink it in’. Our scrumptious three course lunch was served using the finest china .Each course was complemented with an excellent wine. Unfortunately we did not have time to visit the gardens, which I am told, are beautiful!


My visit to Victoria reminded me (again) how fortunate and blessed I am. As this Blog is my way of informing my beloved family of my travels, be assured that I am immensely appreciative of your love and support.

Chrysopylae," ........"golden gate”.

The last week of March I had the privilege to visit Fort Baker, CA when I attended a meeting of the William &and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Fort Baker is rich in history and a former US army base located in the Marin Headlands. I have visited some of the wonders of the world such as the Taj Mahal, The Great wall in China and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but every time when I travel I am in awe with the many “other wonders “in this world. I always wish to have my loved ones with me to share my experiences, it is unfortunately not possible. However, this time I invited my husband to join me on this journey. We had a blast in between the meetings, and I am so happy that he could join me We stayed in the Cavallo Point Lodge which is a scenic place with a view of the historic Golden Gate Bridge We arrived late at night in San Francisco and took the Air porter Bus to Sausalito from where we were picked up by the Cavallo Lodge shuttle. The days were beautiful. As we were coming from Vancouver where it was still cold, the weather in Fort Baker was a feast, to say the least and we could spoil ourselves to a lovely breakfast on the veranda of the hotel restaurant. True to ourselves to make the best of a beautiful day, we set the day out to hike and explore the Golden Gate Bridge. It was easier said than done, but it was a hike worth doing, the pictures speak for itself The first name of the Golden Gate bridge was Chrysopylae," meaning "golden gate”. The Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world for many years. It is 1.7 miles and you can walk or cycle the entire bridge. After hiking uphill and cognizant of the fact that we had to walk down and all the way to Fort Baker, we decided not the walk the entire bridge. The bridge was completed on May 28, 1937 Joseph P. Strauss who was the Chief Engineer wrote the following: At last the mighty task is done; Resplendent in the western sun The Bridge looms mountain high; its titan piers grip ocean floor, its great steel arms link shore with shore, its towers pierce the sky. High overhead its lights shall gleam, Far, far below life’s restless stream, Unceasingly shall flow; For this was spun its lithe fine form, To fear not war, nor time, nor storm, For fate had meant it so.

Queen of the Arabic Sea

It has been a while since I have written about my travels. Although it happened a few months ago, my travel to India in November 2010 is worth sharing .
When I arrived in Delhi I was pleasantly surprised by the new look of the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The artwork left me breathless and the service at the arrivals counters was first class.I attended a workshop in Delhi at the Habitat center and enjoyed the hospitality of the Indian people and the wonderful Indian cuisine.
From Delhi I travelled to the South West Coast of the Indian Peninsula to the State of Kerala also known as the Queen of the Arabic Sea where I attended the 6th Pan Commonwealth Forum with more than 600 participants from across the globe.The conference was held in Kochi, which is referred to as the Gateway to Kerala, in the beautiful Le Meridien hotel. I enjoyed my morning boat rides to the conference venue as it was a wonderful way to start the day while enjoying the scenic beauty around the hotel. Unfortunately I could not stay on a while after the conference to explore the Queen of the Arabic Sea, and I hope to return to Kerala one day.

Manzini

After Namibia I travelled to Swaziland. It was so good to go back to Manzini after 5years.Not much have changed, especially not the warm and friendly spirit of the people whom I work with.
This time I did not stay in a hotel but in a Guest house nearby the airport. This is one of the most exquisite guest houses, beautiful, and the Butternut squash soup was nearly as good as my Edda’s.
What I valued most of my stay in Swaziland was to wake up to the sounds of running water, birds and most significantly, people talking to each other far away
When I met the young children with the big smiles on their faces, despite the life’s challenges, I felt so blessed!
Going to Africa is a tonic to my soul!

Namibia Land of the Brave

Namibia, Land of the Brave!
It has been a while since I last travelled  and I realized that I did not update my blog on my travels to Africa! I travelled to my motherland in August 2010 and it was absolutely wonderful to be home after a year. As I was on business I did not have much time to travel around in the country, but I was fortunate enough to spend time with my family after hours and part of the weekend.
After having travelled to so many countries I now look at my own country with a renewed interest and appreciation. Namibia is beautiful, a rare gem in the South Western Part of Africa. Her people are friendly, hardworking and very proud of their achievements.
The most memorable time spent home was the evening my husband and I spent out of the city on my brother’s farm. It was so peaceful with the sounds of animals far away in the dark night. I woke up refreshed and wished that I could stay longer.
My brother took us on a short sightseeing and I was in awe with the Springboks and other game on the farm. I will forever treasure this short visit to the farm, it was awesome.
The Namibian cuisine is something special, and it is not always possible to prepare it in Canada. What I love most is ‘Vars rugstring’...very difficult to explain, but I’ll try.It is the freshly cut spine of the goat, cooked just with onions and potatoes, salt, pepper and a dash of vinegar! Prepared by my mother made it more special, because she has a very special way of combining all the ingredients with her love into a perfect meal!

The best part was just sitting and listening to all the updates by my family. Cracking jokes and laughing a lot! But the cherry on the cake was when my brother-in-law introduced me to JagerBombs.Not sure if it is a Namibian invention or something he brought from his time in the USA, but it was a Bomb!
Family is very special, we do not always realize it, but the special times we have with each other should always be treasured and when we are far away from each other, the memories will make us strong. I am so thankful for a loving and caring family.

Mystical Magical India….
From Turkey I travelled to India on Turkish Airlines. This was my second trip on Turkish Airlines and I must congratulate them with their in-flight menu and service
India is a mystical country and it always pleasures me when I visit India. This was my 5th visit to India since I was there in May 2007 for the first time.The first time was very special as I made a special effort to visit one of the EIGHT wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal. I was sure that this time will be special but different from any of the other visits, especially as I was heading for Nainital, a city 352 Kilometers NW of Delhi.
When I arrived in Delhi, just after 5am, on Sunday, I walked into, what felt like a “warm blanket which covered me’”, it was so hot, I cannot explain it I was met by the hotel driver who took me to the hotel where I had just enough time to refresh myself before our journey to Nainital started. Some advise, never visit India during the summer, if you have a choice!
The most important thing which always distinguishes Indian hotels from all the others in the rest of the world (in the 31 countries which I visited) is their friendliness and caring for their guests! It’s just something which I cannot explain to anyone, you have to experience it for yourself.
Our road trip to Nainiatal was wonderful and at times nerve wrecking. The roads were very busy, and this has to be understood in the context of India’s population which 1.15Billion.However, despite the hectic traffic, I always found that the drivers are very considerate, and I must say, I admire them for their skillful driving and patience. Smaller countries with less traffic have a lot to learn from road users in India.
My host and his colleagues were no different from the pleasant hotel staff, they were even more concerned about their guests and we had a road trip which included stops for lunch and teas. Yes, in India you are always treated to lovely Chai, Coconut water, Cookies and fruit! I love the Chai and cookiesI have so much respect for the Indian culture of care and I am trying very hard to apply what I have learnt from them.

Nainiatl is also called Lakescity.It is a beautiful, Idyllic city on the top of hills founded by the British in 1841. Nainital, at 1,934 m above sea level, is a popular resort in the Shivalik Range. Surrounded by forested hills, the town is set around the Naini Lake. “Nainital is a glittering jewel in the Himalyan necklace, blessed with scenic natural spledour and varied natural resources. Dotted with lakes, Nainital has earned the epithet of ’Lake District' of India. The most prominent of the lakes is Naini Lake ringed by hills. Nainital has a varied topography” (http://nainital.nic.in/)
Nainital is a popular vacation resort during summer. The weather is very pleasant in Nainital, reaching the highest of 27degrees C compared to Delhi where it ranges from 25-46degrees Celsius.
Driving into Nainital the last 30 kilometers or so ascended into dangerous narrow turns, but yet spectacular views! Only a skillful driver can take his/ her passengers safely into Lakecity.We arrived in Nainiatl at around 9pm in the evening and I was in awe with the lovely people and beautiful place!!!
Every day after the workshop (yes I was on a business trip) we explored the beauty of the Lake city .It was an amazing experience, and it felt like we were on an exotic island. It was so serene and people were so happy all around. It is not always possible to express myself in words and I will therefore include some pictures to give you a taste of what I experienced in Nainital.Enjoy the reading and add Nainital to your list of “Cities which I want to visit!!!
When we travelled back from Nainital after our three day workshop I was content and grateful for the opportunity to visit such an extraordinary place full of special people. We stopped to buy fruit and did I enjoy the King of fruits? Mango….I did not know there are so many variations of Mango...I will not spoil your fun...you have to go to India to see for yourself
India is an extraordinary country with extraordinary people, I have great admiration for them.

Last thoughts on Istanbul

Turkish Delights, Ice cream and “Geroosterde Mielies”.

There is so much to tell about Turkey, but I have to finish this, as my next stop is fast approaching. The food in Turkey is yummy…I was not in Italy to taste their ice cream and was told that it is good. Well, the ice cream in Turkey is the best ever! It is absolutely fantastic! When I was in my first year in Port Elizabeth I was introduced to Turkish Delights! My mother sent me a parcel, through the post office and one of the items in the box was a beautiful tin with these pink sweets in some sort of powder. I fell in love with it and it always brings fond memories of my college days and my mother.Needless to say, I indulge in all the different types of Turkish delights.(see the picture)
After the conference I decided to find the famous Spice Bazaar. However, as I was also interested to see the Chora museum, I decided to go there first and then return to the Spice Bazaar. Walking towards the busses, at the harbor side which is called Kabatas landing, I bought ‘Geroosterde Mielies” or Corn on the street market. It was so nice and I remembered the first time I ate it. It was in 1997 when I visited Grenada in the Caribbean. It is a delicacy which you have to taste when in Turkey or in any of these countries where it is a practice to sell it on the street.

From there I walked in an effort to find the bus to take me to the Chora museum before returning to the spice bazaar. I was lured into taking a taxi which I refused because I wanted to see the city. I think because I did not want to take the taxi, the guy whom I asked misdirected me or pretended he did not understand me. So, I walked up and down and later decided to eat my stress away.”Kebabs” whether chicken or lamb, forms part of the Turkish Cuisine. So, I bought chicken kebabs mixed with ‘slap chips and tomatoes “inside square bread! It was okay, as those of you who know me closely, know that I am not into burger and pizza type of foods.


I finally found the bus and left for the Chora museum (I made an earlier post about it) on my return from the Chora museum I stopped at the Spice bazaar and found that there are not many herbalists, as they are called, left and that there are also many jewelers in the spice bazaar. The Spice Bazaar was built in 1663-1664 and was first called the New Bazaar or in Turkish Valide Bazaar. It was renamed as the spices came from Egypt. The bazaar burnt twice and it was renewed in 1994.
This is where I bought the “evil eye” anklet requested by one of my daughters. From there I sat outside on the stairs of the new Mosque to finish off my kebab bread!
My highlight in Turkey was to be on a cruise on the Bosphorus Strait. I cannot explain to you how it felt when we sailed under the bridge which connects Europe with Asia. It is something! I will forever treasure my visit to Turkey and wish that one day it will be possible for our children and my beloved husband to visit the historic places in Turkey.

Hagia Sophia,Blue Mosque and Chora Musuem

This post is dedicated to my late father, Eddy Mensah, who exposed his children to so many historic places, despite the fact that we, at the time, did not have any appreciation for it. Today I treasure the gift of travelling and visiting places so much that I want to say to our beautiful children and to my family and friends..'Take time to travel and visit historic places. It is enriching in so many ways, and just as education, nobody can take it away from you”.

There are three highlights in this post:Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and the Chora Museum. Hagia Sophia is also known as Aya Sophia or Holy Wisdom. I never thought that I will see a temple which was later used as a Mosque. More importantly, the mosaics and ceiling ornamentation which reflected Christianity was not removed when it was used as a Mosque. An example of ”Let’s agree to disagree and let’s respect each other’s position”


It was amazing to see Mother Mary and the child Jesus sitting in the middle with the symbols representing Arch Angel Gabriel and Prophet Mohamed on the left and right side ,on top of the Imperial gate. The Hagia Sophia served for 916 years as a church and 481 years as a mosque and since 1935 it has a historical function of a museum.
When visiting Hagia Sophia, I was in awe !I cannot explain to you the different emotions I experienced when I realized that I stood in a place whose construction started with the reign of Constantinius I and completed during the reign of Constantinius II.I always wondered why I had to learn about these people in history
Hagia Sophia with its glory and magnificence has survived until the present time and I was privileged to see one of the greatest examples of early Byzantine architecture.
The Blue Mosque is a masterpiece of architecture .
It is the culmination of two centuries of both the Ottoman Mosque and the Byzantine church development. It has its name from the blue tiles adorning its interior.
The day before I left Turkey I took a public bus to visit the Kharye (Chora)Museum o the outskirts of Istanbul. Altough much smaller in comparison with the Hagia Sophia and the Blue mosque, its mosaics and frescos are unique!

Not much is known about the history of this church but it is told that it was a monastery at the outskirts of the city before the city wall was built in the 5th century. Istanbul was built on seven hills and this museum is built on one of them. I am not surprised because everywhere you walk in Istanbul you realize that you are walking over hills.


I have never seen such mosaics...you cannot describe it...the most beautiful one is where Jesus is in the middle with his ancestors depicted in the inside of the Dome.Breathtaking and it looks like it was painted the other day.



A visit to these places reminds you how small you are and yet how special you are to be able to live to see buildings dating back to the 5th century!!