August 3, 2023 ~ Thursday (HOT afternoon, chance (again) of thunderstorms)
Despite the forecast stating we were to be in the low 80s these past two days – we are in the high 80s/low 90s with humidity, instead. I’m sticky, grumpy, and hot. Again.
I fry in the sun if I’m outside … shrivel and melt, at best, even on the deck in the shade. So, what do I do when I need to get away from the heat? I stay inside … window a/c unit cranked up/blinds down/fans going full speed/dogs lying around like the limp watches in that Dali painting. The last thing I want to do is even think about my to-do list.
So, I travel.
I lie down, put my feet up. At my fingertips, on the chairside table, I have a glass of something iced … and I travel my afternoon away.
Yesterday, after some too-hot errand running, I came home and went on a Seabourn cruise – where I spent some time in the cool, clear, aqua waters of the Caribbean – indulging in a floating champagne and caviar bar – a mere few flutter kicks from a private beach. It was exquisite.
I could have gone to Cairo next – but it sounded too hot/too dusty. So, instead, I opted for Menorca, Spain … where I sat, under a spreading palm, on the terrace at Santa Ponsa, a luxuriously restored 17th-century farmhouse hotel a few miles from the island’s southeastern coast, and sighed and lingered. This was NICE! I watched two parrot-like birds with tangerine breasts and lime green backs coo to one another. Love birds. How sweet. And NOT the love birds from the movie The Birds as Tippi Hedren was not in sight. Good thing – as we all know how that went. Looking beyond the birds and down across the stone walkways into the sunken terraced gardens, I could see the orange, lemon, fig, and pomegranate trees – their leaves fluttering in the breezes. Bliss.
I could have followed that loveliness by boarding a luxury, private jet for a tour around the world … but I had to be home soon to feed the dogs.
So, next, I opted not for Switzerland, where a friend of mine is currently traversing the Alps (ala Maria von Trapp), nor for the lobster on the Holland America cruise lines served with a blush wine so perfectly delicate, I was sure it would be just kissing my lips. I didn’t go to Tel Aviv, Amelia Island, the Channel Islands National Park, or the Amalfi Coast. I also didn’t opt for the fjords of Norway, the untouched, pristine beaches of Bahrain, or to go losing myself in Istanbul’s palaces, mosques, museums, or Grand Bazaar. Though I could have, I also decided to forego animal refuges and resorts in Africa – missing out on seeing Victoria Falls as well as fat, watery hippos grazing at twilight.
Instead, I walked in my son’s recent footsteps and lost myself in the majestic lakes, lava-spewing volcanoes, and unparalleled beauty of Guatemala. I spent a lovely piece of time in Antigua, the capital, taking in its food and art scenes, enjoying dinner at one of the many exquisite restaurants … grilled snapper and purple cabbage floating in a broth so sinful, if he knew about it, the Pope would have blushed. All the while I breathed in the fragrant air while soaking up the idyllic beauty of the surrounding landscape.
After that, I took a boat ride across Lake Atetlán, passing Mayan villages that dotted the shoreline, with the breezes whipping my hair and the water’s surface glittering like a million diamonds in the waning sunlight. The jungle and the lavish estates seemed to call my name but, they would have to wait for another day as I was off to watch the volcano and its evening display. I can tell you – climbing the summit to see that was grueling but worth it!
Anyway, I had quite the few hours. What a trip! All those places and delights, and more to come … and all from the comfort of my sage green living room chaise. If you’d like to roam the world, opt for a subscription to Travel + Leisure magazine. No passport required.