Reflection.

It feels like I have spent so much time in the past months in reflection. Reflection of who I am, who I want to be and what I am to do with the answers to all those questions. I am tired, tired of reflecting. Tired of spending incredible amounts of energy trying to figure it all out; I am tired of evaluating every statement, every thought and every impulse. I am tired of coming up with answers that only reflect how far I still have to go.With the arrival of a new season (Spring!!); I have been challenged to try a new season myself. Now I must trust that the answers found in the reflection are right and true. It is in these answers that I wish to change direction. I want to apply what I have discovered, to dedicate myself to new thoughts and new ideas. I want to choose to learn from this time of reflection; to choose to be better and to do better. I am sure it will be just as tiring … I only hope that the exhaustion that comes will be different. Perhaps exhilarating and fun; in the end leaving me with a smile at the memories!

I know that there is often a distance between who I am and who I want to be – I am thankful in that distance there is Christ. He delivers me.

Or Not.

I am still in Kyiv. Me and everyone else ...

Well, not everyone else. According to the update I saw this morning, our visiting professor was able to get on his flight back to America; now we are just hoping he makes it out of Amsterdam with his connecting flight. I am sure his family will be glad to have him back. I hope that all those who are stranded in various airports and cities are able to begin making their way back home. I just cannot imagine. It looks like I will do "take 2" on the visa trip late May. It will be a bit of a waiting game to see what the world holds as the time gets closer ... I am just hoping that this adventure will not involve the statement third time is the charm!

In a positive aspect of my flight getting canceled; I have been in Kyiv to watch the trees bud (and some even bloom), I will get to attend the last two weeks of my favourite English club and I have been enjoying an all around quite week. That is good, right?!

Still A Go ... Maybe.

It is a bit amazing that one volcano, spewing ash can cause so much trouble. My heart goes out to all those travelers stranded at airports, missing major life events, holidays and loved ones. According to all the websites I have been checking ... my flight is still listed as flying. So I am getting ready to head out to the airport. Hopefully, I can get out of Kyiv and into Krakow without any trouble. And if there is trouble - well, that will just make the story more fun later!

I feel like I am pretty well prepared to attempt this visa run. I have all the paper work filled out (fingers crossed that it is right) and I have maps to the Consulate, the bank and just about any other destination I might need. There is a HUGE mall located right around the corner from my hotel and they have a movie theater that plays English language movies! Hehe, maybe I'll get to see one or two.

I will try to let you know if something changes. "To infinity and beyond ..." Hehe.

Portugal In Favourites.

Places. 25 de Abril bridge across the river in Lisboa. It was designed by the same group who designed the San Francisco - Oakland Bay bridge in California.The famous Lisboa yellow trams. Downtown Lisboa.The arch that links the Commerce Square and Augusta Street. Downtown Lisboa. I do believe that gray, black and yellow are my new favourite colours. Haha. The contrast is eye catching - especially in the old buildings.Spots along the road. These just struck me as interesting and beautiful. For some reason I have developed a love for graffiti?! Maybe it is because graffiti in Ukraine is so colourless and boring ... I do not really know. It just usually catches my eye.Laundry hanging out to dry is always fun. I have a grand time trying to catch a photograph of it blowing in the breeze!People. This man and his dog were sitting in the street whilst I was wandering downtown Lisboa. The little dog was to cute to pass up (I even donated to his cause). The dog did not want to keep holding the basket and he would try to set it down. Every time he did his owner would pick it back up and encourage the little guy to hold it in his mouth again. So cute ... but so sad.I can only imagine the stories this woman could tell ... what a delight it would be to have the opportunity to hear them.The local dress code in one of the sea villages. A bit pirate-ish mixed with a short skirt and throw in some argyle. Her personality matched her outfit!Cabo da Roca. "Here, where the land ends and the sea begins ..." This is the westernmost point of mainland Europe. I imagined all the explorers and sea men in history standing on that very spot wondering what happened when you reached the end. There is no doubt in my mind the fear that must have gripped the sailors (and their families) who traveled with Columbus, the unknown can be terrifying; standing there looking out - there was nothing but the unknown. I am thankful that I know what is at the end of that horizon!

Top Ten.

In the life of someone who travels, it is not unusual to hear the questions: “What is your favourite thing you have seen?” or “Where is your favourite place in the world?” I could never truly answer the question about my favourite place in the world; each square meter of the planet is beautiful and majestic in its own way; when places are so uniquely different there cannot be a comparison. I also have the impression that answers to the what question are revolving … you know, ever changing by experience.

That being said … from this moment forward, included in the Top Ten list of my favourite things in the world I have seen - will be The Alhambra. I am not sure I can express why – there was simply something majestic about the intricacy, details beyond my wildest imagination, care and concern for craftsmanship and the melding of use and beauty.
The Alhambra was built in the mid 14th century buy the Moorish rulers. It was built for the last Muslim king of Spain. After the Reconquista in 1492 some portions of the fortress were used by the Christian rulers. Though they chose to build their own palace, The Palace of Charles V, because he felt the Moorish palace was not grand and magnificent enough for him to live in. (Which just meant it was not BIG enough for him … because his palace pales in comparison as far as craftsmanship and decoration … my opinion. Haha.) The whole area was allowed to fall into disrepair until it was “discovered” in the 19th century by scholars and travelers. In 1832, Washington Irving published his collection of essays, verbal sketches and stories titled Tales of the Alhambra. The book was instrumental in reintroducing the Alhambra to Western audiences and allowing for the historical status it enjoys today.
The gardens of The Generalife.Entrance into the Palacio de Nasrid (the original palace of the Moors).If you have made it to the end of all the pictures ... you deserve to know that I almost titled this post "Vomiting Pictures." I apologise for the plethora of pictures, I just really, really, really liked The Alhambra. Yes, top ten for sure.

Semana Santa.

Semana Santa (Holy Week) is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter. I was in Southern Spain during parts of this week and was lucky enough to witness two processions in celebration of this week.

The large city of Granada, Spain hosts a huge celebration of Semana Santa starting on Palm Sunday; the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem. After a long day of walking around the entire city of Granada (I consulted the map at the end of the day ... I nearly did walk the entire city), I was intent on finding some dinner and heading back to the hostel to lay flat for a while. The bus ended it's route short of what the map said and I ended up having to walk back. What my friend J and I could not figure out was why?! When we walked smack into the middle of the procession we figured it out! We happened upon nearly a front row spot to view the procession.

One of two Mary's in the procession.An Order of the Brotherhood preceding the station with Jesus and His disciples.Jesus and His disciples at what looked like the last supper.Refilling the incense.Another Mary. This one was AMAZING. So detailed and beautiful.Each city has its own unique way of doing the processions of Semana Santa. They use different stations based on their own churches so each procession can be very different. J and I did not stay for the entire procession. We watched three of the five stations pass accompanied by their bands. We were tired and hungry ... so food and sleep won out.

I was in Solobrena, Spain on Wednesday and was able to see the town's procession to celebrate and display Christ's suffering and humility. Compared to the procession in Granada, Solobrena's was nearly non-existent. It only had one Order of Brotherhood, followed by one station and then one band. J and I had scoped out a spot to watch the procession and at the starting time we assembled there to wait. We waited and waited. Turns out Solobrenians like to follow the procession along the route. They all went with it from the church; cheering and applauding when the procession was moving and taking in refreshments whilst it was taking a break of its own. After two hours the procession, along with the entire town of Solobrena converged on our little corner. Even though the procession was much smaller - I enjoyed how the station was carried, "danced about" and moved through town.We laughed when we realised that the procession would pass right by our hostel! We could have napped for two hours and then gone out to the street to watch it pass by. Oh well, that is part of the excitement of experiencing new places.