For God's Sake!!! When in *insert country here*, do as the *insert country here* do

Hey all,

~~~One last recycling of blogs and I'll be back next week with some amazing pictures of our trip up the Amazon River.  This blog is one of the highest read blogs I've had, and though it was done in another country, it applies here in Brazil as well.  Enjoy!!!~~~

I haven't had a rant lately, so I'm due. LOL

As I've lived my life I've learned to let a lot of things go and only save the fighting for the things that are truly important and I feel need to be said. Most of those have to do with someone else. Jonathon says I'm all about causes. If I believe in something, God help anyone who gets in my way. If it's important enough to me I'll just mow you over to get there. LOL

But at the same time, I'll do everything on the planet to make sure you have the right to choose your own destiny. Even if I think that destiny is the most ridiculous one on the planet!

So, as you can imagine, it really upsets and frustrates me when I see others not giving people the same courtesy.

Take living here in Singapore for instance. Now, I've been fortunate in that in my life I've traveled a great deal. I've met a lot of people, both American and foreign, so maybe my outlook is a little different than someone who hasn't traveled as much. But for God's sake...why do tourists act like the country they are in should adapt to them instead of the other way around???

This is a huge pet peeve of mine.

I see it all the time and it drives me nuts. For example, Jonathon and I were at the Singapore Zoo the other day. (More on that wonderful day in my series starting next week.) We are in line at the food court to get something to eat. In front of us are these two men. I think they were German, but it was hard to tell. They were European for sure. Anyway, this one guy is trying to order something but he and the gal behind the counter just aren't communicating. As we listened we discovered it wasn't the gal, but the dude who wasn't getting it right.

See, over here at a lot of restaurants, they have what are called "set meals". That means you order a #1 and you get a #1. This isn't Burger King...you can't have it your way. If you tell them something different, which is what this guy was doing, it just confuses them because it's NOT THE WAY ITS DONE HERE!!! So, after several long minutes of trying to change the menu, the dude finally let's out a few swear words and ungraciously takes what he should have be given in the first place. And he's complaining and swearing about how stupid these people are and why can't they do things the right way.

That's when I lost my temper.

Seriously? The right way? Dude! Who the hell gave you the right to change an entire culture's way of doing things. You're a tourist in a zoo cafe, for pity sakes! It's just a meal. It's one thing to be irritated because it's not the way it's done back home, but to pitch a fit and yell at the person because you don't get the exact piece of chicken you wanted?

After I gave him what-for and Jonathon had dragged me away to eat our own meals--which we did NOT ask to have changed, even though I hate curry--we talked about the ridiculousness of tourists who come to experience another country and it's culture, then insist that the people of that country change to meet their needs.

We spent the next half hour sharing sharing what we'd seen tourists do over the years we've been traveling. It was fun and made most of my mad go away. LOL

So here are in order the ten most ridiculous things we've seen and heard during our stay here in Singapore.

10. "For God's Sakes...Why don't they talk English?" One of the things I hear most and I just shake my head. Here in Singapore most people DO speak a smattering of English at the shops and restaurants. It's part of the job, but regular people, those who don't deal with foreigners on a daily basis may not know more than a few basic English words. Why should they? This is their country. For God's sake...Why don't you speak Mandarin or Malay?

9. "This bathroom is disgusting. Why don't they have toilet paper in it?" Now, I have to admit, this is one I THOUGHT to myself when I first got here. But after being in Singapore for a while, I realized that not having paper in the toilets is just part of the culture. And most of them in malls, MRTs and places that cater to foreigners, do. But for those that don't, it's really very simple and I've thought of two reasons why they don't. a) they clean a lot of the toilets by hosing them out frequently. Paper in the stalls would get wet. And I have to tell you, most of the bathrooms cleaned that way here are a lot cleaner than the one at Ghirardelli Disney World where I used to work! b) Older Singaporeans and the disabled make their living selling tiny packages of tissues. If the toilets all had paper, they'd be out of work!

8. What do you mean, there aren't any napkins?!!!!" Another one easily solved and one I've seen elsewhere, not just Asia. Serviettes or napkins aren't used in other countries like we use them in America. Right or wrong aside, that's just the way it is. And since I doubt bitching about it will change an entire country's way of thinking, why not just keep some napkins in a little bag along with TP in your purse? Problem dealt with!

7. "I'm so thirsty. Why don't they have any damn water fountains?" Why? Because they just don't. While I don't understand it either--you'd think a hot and humid country like this would have a plethora of the things--you get used to carrying a bottle of water or buying it cheap at a food stall. You can whine or you can hydrate. Deal.

6. "Get out of the way, you doby!!!! Why aren't you driving on the correct side of the road?" Seriously? And just what is the correct side? Doesn't it depend on what country you're in? Australia and England drive on the same side as Singaporeans, but Americans, the French and Germans drive on the right. So yes...it may be a bit weird at first, but get used to it. Or please...don't drive!!! And for God's sake, look the correct way BEFORE you cross the street!!!

5. "But that's not football!!! You said we'd be watching football. Turn the channel!!!!" Okay, this is more aimed at American's, but still holds true. Here, football is what we call soccer and they are rabid for it. Every Friday and Saturday night in the courtyard below great crowds of people come to watch the games. They shout, they boo and they cheer! So don't diss their game, please. You can either turn off the TV or do what we did. Reluctantly become involved with the game. LOL  And now, we love it!

4. "Bloody Hell! Get out of the ^$% way!!!" A common cry heard from tourists, it usually follows when said tourist is queuing up on the right side of the platform or on the escalators. Since the rule is to ride on the left side or move to the left on a platform, it's easy to spot the new people to the country who are fighting it out for space where they shouldn't be. Just learn the pattern and adapt. Unless you're a real idiot, it isn't that hard.

3. "Whadda ya mean you don' t have _____? (insert food stuff here)" For me it was my coffee chocolate from International Foods. I just can't enjoy a coffee without it. But it was too heavy to carry so I did without. But you can't believe how many times I've heard a tourist snarl at a clerk because they didn't have the exact thing they wanted. Part of the fun is figuring out what you can have instead. Make it a game, people, and don't get cranky that they don't have Wisconsin cheese here just for you.

2. "Leave me the #%$% alone, I don't want to sit down and eat. No, I don't need a tailor! And no, I sure don't want to come in and buy something!!!" Now this one is one I struggled with a lot. Here in Singapore when you walk by a restaurant or shop they have greeters out there who try their best to get you into their establishment. They have no personal space bubble as we American's do and will literally attack when you walk by. I feel like a gazelle down by a waterhole! There are days I just want to stand and scream...LEAVE ME ALONE OR I WILL HURT YOU!!!!

But, as I said, this is the way they do it here so it's my place to let it go. It's not easy and I do avoid the streets that are really bad, but once I was able to deal with the personal space issue--just ease them back, they don't take it as hostile--I can at least shop without feeling like a slug for saying no thank you a hundred times! But this one, of all the weirdnesses, is one I have the hardest time with.

1. "Oh my God, John! That man just touched me/looked at me/gave me the finger/said something nasty! Do something!!!" Well, John, if you do do something you just might be doing it for the wrong reasons.

Let's start with touching. Believe me, I have a VERY big personal space zone and as I mentioned before, getting past this was difficult. But most people (cretins not withstanding) don't understand that touching you is a violation of that PSZ. A lot of people here touch each other socially. Girls and guys both. In fact its been one of the hardest places to tell straights vs gays unless I really watch them close. I've been bumped, pushed, stroked and even had one old Chinese dude feel me up as he walked by. (It wasn't personal. My boob was in the way of his hand.) So if they don't mean anything by it, why let it bother you so much?

Now the looking part. Here in Singapore we have many different cultures and beliefs. And each has their own way of dealing with things. An older Chinese man rarely meets my gaze, but an Indian man not only will meet it, some of them have a leer down pretty damn well. I have to be careful in Little India because my natural gregariousness plus blonde hair makes for some pretty interesting visits. I've had whole groups of men stop dead and stare at me. If I wasn't so creeped out, I'd be flattered. But when I asked about it, I was told that it was just the way they showed their appreciation, and that it was normal as long as they didn't touch. So I guess I'm pleased???

Hand motions. We all know how easily misleading a hand gesture can be. The wrong movement can a war start. In this country if someone is using their hand to show they want three bowls of rice, or three smelly durians, they use a single middle finger. And we all know what that means back home. But remember...this isn't home. That gesture you think is so horrible and insulting just means he wants to charge you three dollars for a rickshaw bike ride. Don't get your knickers in a twist.

And finally speech. This one actually makes me laugh a lot. Since I don't speak any Malay or Mandarin other than Thank you, Toilet and How Much? when someone says something to me, it's pretty much guess work as I figure it out. But I've had some comments tossed my way that I KNOW were insulting by the tone, just as I've had other comments that were obviously flattering. But the one that sticks in my mind most was when a man growled at me.

I'm still not sure what he meant. (I picked a bird's nest off the ground. No birdies...just the nest) When I saw him watching, I showed him the nest and he nodded, then growled. I kid you not. Growled. I have no idea why. And I was actually afraid to ask. LOL

Another time I was in a cafe and the clerk asked the customer (European) if she wanted Coke or Coke Light. The customer frowned and said neither, she wanted a diet Coke. The clerk nodded and said Coke Light. And again, the customer--a little more irritated this time--refused it, saying she wanted diet Coke. I stepped in at that time to explain they were the same. The clerk looked relieved, the European still irritated. She looked down her nose at me and said, "Why don't they just call it by the real name? How silly!" To which I responded, "How silly to expect them to rename it just for you!"

She left with her nose still up in the air. I got a free Coke Light from the clerk.

So, there you have it. Ten of the things I'd dearly love to strangle stupid tourists for. Not the mistake or the thought, mind you. But how they handle it. We are in someone else's country. Not our own. So rather than spend your time moaning about how it should be like home, embrace the differences and enjoy.

Or stay home!!!

Do you have a story you can share? Either something you've done or something you saw another tourist do? Share it below and give us all a laugh.

See you next week!

Hugs to all,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams

Sexy Toys and Lovers

Hey all,

I figure since I'm on vacation it's time to bring back one of my favorites. Today's entry is on my bestselling book, Don't Spank the Vamp. The idea came from a discussion I had at an RT conference with Linnea Sinclair and a group of other panelists about one liners and blurbs. Linnea tossed out the name Don't Spank the Vamp and jokingly challenged us to write a book with that as an idea.

Well, I went home and took her up on it. It started out as a short story and was so well received, when I moved it to Samhain, I revamped it, making it 2/3rds longer and even hotter. It was a bestseller at two publishers and has gotten great reviews. Check these out...

Emotions pour out on every page and DON'T SPANK THE VAMP makes one believe in the supernatural power of love.~~~Ecataromance Sensual

One heck of a spicy romance. CJ England takes readers deep into the very sexy and emotional world of vampires. A Recommended Read~~~Ck2s Kwips and Kritiques

Hot, Hot, Hot! This book was steamy and sexy from the start to the finish.~~~Literary Nymphs 

A hot sexy story with characters to die for. Soul stirring, yet with a fast paced storyline that will melt your heart.~~~Love Romances & More

An instantly addictive book. Be sure to have a fire extinguisher handy~~~Romance Junkies

Felt pretty good about all those. And what was supposed to have been a single book, evolved, as so many of mine seem to do, into a full fledged series. Once you meet the characters, you'll become instantly invested, just like I did. I had to write more about them because I wanted to know who they were!!!

But let's start with Don't Spank the Vamp... Here's the blurb, followed by a Hot excerpt! X rated, so shoo the kids away!!!

Dawn is so focused on making a name for herself in the art world, her personal life has fallen into a rut. She spends far more time with her hands in clay than on a man. Then her friends liven things up by taking her to a toy shop for her birthday. A very different kind of toy shop for special sexual games. And there’s more than sexy entertainment on the shelves—a fortune teller says Dawn’s destiny awaits if only she will reach out and take it.

Aidan is a vampire who has existed for over a century searching for his one true soulmate, his twin-flame. One look at Dawn takes Aidan’s breath away. One kiss later, he knows she is the one woman who will sustain him forever—if he can convince her to walk with him on the wild side.

Dawn responds to his inspiration better than he could have hoped. 

Then she goes one toy too far…

Excerpt

“What are those for?”

He gave her a sexy smile and climbed onto the bed. “Lesson one.” He pushed her onto her back and kissed her lightly. “Do you trust me, Dawn?”

She began to tremble. “I think so.” She searched his dark face. “I want to.”

“That is a good beginning,” he said quietly. He took one of her wrists and tied a colorful tie to it. Then, keeping his eyes on hers, he carefully attached her wrist to one of the bedposts.

Dawn’s heart pounded in a mixture of dread and excitement. She’d never done anything like this before. She wasn’t sure how to respond. But she did know her quim was throbbing, and the thought of being tied up wasn’t nearly as frightening as she thought it would be.

“Obviously, this is something new to you, so let me tell you how it works.” Aidan spoke softly as he affixed her other wrist to the post by the headboard. “After I tie you up, I am going to do things to you that will make you scream with pleasure. I will not hurt you, but some of the things will be different, and at first, some may even be frightening to you.”

He continued to watch her as he moved down the bed and gently spread her legs apart. Wrapping a tie around one ankle, he secured it to the post at the foot of the bed. “But you will always be the one in control, even tied up. I want you to choose a safe word. If you use it, I promise I will stop whatever I am doing to you.”

Dawn’s nerves were jumping, but the very care he was taking gave her the security she needed. She thought quickly. Could she do this?

Aidan fastened the last knot and then leaned back on his heels. “Give me your safe word, Dawn…if you want to continue.”

The look of desire in his eyes decided her. “Palette,” she whispered. She trembled with the enormity of her actions. “My safe word is palette.”

He smiled. “Perfect. If at any time you want to end what we are doing, just say the word. But understand, once you do, everything will stop.”

“Everything?”

Aidan chuckled. “I will release you from your bonds, and we can continue, if you wish, with a more accepted form of lovemaking.”

Dawn gave her hands an experimental tug. She couldn’t move. “I thought you said we were going to use some of your toys. I didn’t see these downstairs.”

Surprisingly, the big man’s cheeks reddened. “Ahhh…it has been a long time for me. And you are the first woman I have wanted to play with in a very long time.” He bent and dropped a kiss on her flat stomach. “I don’t usually keep handcuffs up here, so I had to improvise.”

She giggled at his embarrassment. It was endearing. “So you don’t have any toys, huh?” she teased. “All smoke and no fire?”

His eyes darkened. “I didn’t say I don’t have toys. Just not handcuffs. I always keep a selection up here to show to buyers. I won’t disappoint you. That…I can easily promise.”

She wriggled in nervous excitement. “Then get on with it.”

Aidan laughed. “So curious. All right, love. We will start with this.” Leaning over, he took the last tie and lightly placed it over her eyes.

Dawn’s mouth went dry. He was going to blindfold her too? Her heart pounded faster at the thought. She said nothing as he tied the silk securely over her eyes.

“Too tight?”

She shook her head. She didn’t know if she could speak. She felt him leave the bed, and she could hear a rustling sound. Then the bed sagged again, and she held her breath, waiting. What would he do to her?

It seemed like forever before she felt a gentle touch on her chest. It was fleeting at first, but it made her whole body tighten in reaction. Then she felt it again, a longer, more erotic touch as it circled her nipples and traced across her soft curves.

She moaned and arched her body upward. The touch was so soft, so erotically sexy, she couldn’t help herself. Over and over again, it traced around her nipples, sensitizing her breasts, before finally flicking across the tips themselves. She cried out, the feeling shooting through her like a tiny bolt of lightning.

He moved then, tickling down her stomach then up her sides, touching under her arms and then circling her neck. It fleetingly touched her lips, and when she instinctively licked at it, she realized Aidan was teasing her with a feather.

She moaned again as the feather moved back down her body. It made one more stop at her breasts before tracing down past her bellybutton, to the hair between her legs. Dawn cried out in surprise when the feather flicked gently through the curls and touched her moist lips. When it teased her clit, heat began to coil in her stomach.

“Aidan…” she moaned.

“I’m here, love.” Aidan swallowed hard as he watched her wriggle on the tangled sheets. He stared down at her spread-eagled body, and his own tightened dramatically. Her swollen nether lips were exposed to his gaze, and his mouth watered at the sight. A mixture of his seed, and her own juices dribbled down her thigh.

Touching her this way made him want to explode, and he was very glad they’d already made love once. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to handle it. He took a deep breath, wanting her again, as much, if not more, than he had before.

Carefully, he drew the feather through her exposed lips, seeing it gather the wetness pooled there. Unable to help himself, he bent and replaced the feather with his tongue.

She cried out and lifted her hips instinctively. He groaned aloud. She tasted of woman and heat, along with his own essence. It was the most delicious thing he’d ever had in his life. He sucked and nibbled until her movements signaled her climax was close. Abruptly, he lifted his head.

“Not yet.”

Dawn groaned. “Aidan…please.”

“There is more. Much more.”

She whimpered and strained at her bonds. “But—”

“Shhh…” he whispered, dropping a kiss on her pouting lips. “Just enjoy.”

He moved again, feeling her stiffen as his hand traced down the cleft of her rear to the small wrinkled hole of her backside. Gently, he massaged it, carefully covering it with slippery oil.

“Aidan,” she said uneasily.

“Give it a chance, love,” he urged. “Everything is all right. Remember, you always have your safe word.”

She nodded and took a deep breath, knowing he’d promised he wouldn’t hurt her. Something pressed against the rim of her anus. It was cool, smooth and about the size of a man’s thumb. It went in easily at first, the lotion he’d massaged into her easing the way, but then she felt it spreading her, as whatever he’d inserted in her rectum, widened at the bottom.

“This is a butt plug, sweetheart,” he said hoarsely. “It will add to your pleasure, this I promise you.”

What he was doing was exciting to him, Dawn could tell by the sound of his voice. All at once she relaxed again. She loved knowing she could do that to him.

“What does it do?” she panted out. The fullness took a little bit to get used to, but it wasn’t unpleasant.”

“Wait.”

*end of excerpt*

I wanted my hero to be sexy, generous and totally in love with his lady. I got it. Aidan is every woman's dream. So what if he nibbles on your neck once a day!!! *smile*

Buy this hot, hot story at by going HERE. And enjoy!!!

Hugs to all,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams

A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action

Hey all,

This will be my last new post for a while.  We're leaving on our "Up the Amazon River Trip" tomorrow so I'll not have access to a computer.  That's okay with me.  I need some time away just to enjoy the quiet of the rainforest and the company of the man I love most in the world.  Getting back to basics is so very important sometimes.

I'm dreaming of laying in a hammock with my sweet baboo, watching the river dolphins jump as the rainforest slips quietly by.  Relaxing, reinvigorating, and delightfully fresh and new, it's exactly what the doctor ordered!

I'll do a blog or two on our vacation in October.  You'll get lots of pics, maybe a video or two, and a few adventures.  I plan on basing my Brazil book in this area IF the inspiration hits.  Which I'm pretty sure it will.  How could it not?

Meanwhile, I thought I'd share a few pics of the first week we've spent in Belo Horizonte.  It's been a busy week trying to get all the last minute stuff done, but I've been able to see a few things here in town.  I love wandering, and sometimes I find some amazing and wonderful surprises.  Enjoy!

This first pic is the view from outside our hotel window.  Not too shabby!  We have a bunch of bars right below us and ALWAYS know when there is a soccer game on!  :-)

Next we have one of the palaces here in Belo.  This one is called Palácio da Liberdade or Liberty Palace.  The first pic is of the outside.  Lovely!  And very similar to many places we saw in Germany.

And this pic of the staircase.  Absolutely gorgeous!  Done out of melded steel, it was designed by a German artist and brought here to Brazil.

One of my favorite things to do is wander through street markets.  They have one in Belo that is very similar to what we had in Singapore.  The different merchandise is so interesting.

And this beautiful picture is of the park closest to us.  Praca d Liberdade, surrounded by several of the city's museums.  Not huge, but quite lovely.  The building in the background is another done by Oscar  Niemeyer.

And this picture is one I took of one of the cultural events during the weekend.  Called "The Caffeine Trio", they do 1940s music.  I enjoyed them very much (looking for a patron if you're interested!), but I have to admit it was odd listening to women with a Brazilian accent doing do wop music! :-)

Anyway, I'll be back next week with a previously blogged blog.  Keep me in your thoughts and prayers as we brave the Brazilian jungle!  LOL  

Hugs to all!

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams

It's Road Trip Time - On To Belo Horizonte

Hey all,

Well...we're here in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.  Another new place, this one the sixth biggest city in Brazil.  It's VERY different from Brasilia.  That city was in the middle of the cerrado,  (tropical savanna) and quite flat.  

But while this city is also in the cerrado, it has lots of hills.  It's a bit like San Francisco in that way.  

Yesterday was Jonathon's first day setting up, and I put together our new home (aka hotel room).  That's the fun part for me, making each new boring, ugly hotel room into something special.

The trip here was enjoyable, too.  We headed out of Brasilia south to a small town called Cristilina-- where the claim to fame is the huge mining operations that used to be there.  Now, it's not the most interesting place, in fact, the part I liked best was that they drove tractors around town, and parallel parked them, just like they were a car.  LOL

But we did go to a factory and wandered around the showroom and area where they cleaned up the crystals.  I bought a beautiful chunk of amethyst which is a power stone for--you guessed it--dreaming!  Then we went and bought some white crystals on strings from a vendor on the road.  I have no idea what we said to each other, but he was older than dirt so I just had to buy something from him.

Then we traveled on to Caldas Novas, the biggest hot spring complex in Brazil.  We were hoping for a a more primitive area, more wild, but all the springs are made into waterparks, so we enjoyed a dip in the thermal pool and played on a few of the slides.

From there we headed on to Belo Horizonte.  From Brasilia, the journey took two days, and we enjoyed it thoroughly.  We saw our first giant anteater (it was dead on the side of the road, but hey...it counts!!!)

We also drove through some interesting areas, there were several detours that we had to take that took us out into some pretty uninhabited and wild country.  Birds everywhere.  We saw our first wild Brazilian toucan fly overhead and quite a few emus.  Yeah, emus.  Or at least something close to an emu.

We also ran into several wildfires.  Apparently they are common, we saw the aftermath all along the roads here.  But we drove right into one with flames flying high on both sides of the road.  Pretty scary and not a firefighter in sight.  And I don't think they come for them.  We could see the flames and smoke for miles.  Seemed nobody but us cared at all.  Weird.  In the USA we'd have ten trucks filled with firefighters racing to stop it.

But anyway, we finally got into Belo, found the hotel and then dropped off the car.  We found a great restaurant where you pick your own shush-kababs of meat and they grill them in a big wood stove.  Totally yummy!

So, it's a new town and new adventures.  We're here for another week, then we're off on our Amazon trip!  Woohoo!  Will be back with more news about that next week!

Hugs to all,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams

Ooops, I Almost Missed One -- So Here's Some Fun

Hey all,

Sorry this week's blog is late.  It's been crazy since we're moving on to Belo Horizonte on Tuesday.  But I wanted to touch base.  I'll have another blog next week, but it will be on Friday instead of the usual Thursday.

I've been doing a lot of sewing, writing and jewelry making here in Brasilia.  Not a whole lot else I want to do.  Some things I think I should do, but I can't get myself all excited about them, so I've finally decided to shrug them off and wait until Belo to do anything touristy.  LOL

Once in Belo, I'll have ten days before we're off on our next big adventure.  I can't remember whether I've mentioned it here or not, but we're taking a seven day cruise up the Amazon river.  I'll be doing a blog or two on that in October.

But today's blog is just a fun one.  As I've been doing research I found some things I thought I'd share with you.  I hope you enjoy them.

This first one is something I did one Saturday here in Brasilia.  I met this great group of people through Cirque and was able to take an hour to play with them.  They are called Batala Drum Group and they are in a word... AWESOME!!!!  Here's a pic with me and following it is a link to a news video they did with Cirque last week.  

 

http://videos.r7.com/grupo-batala-toca-para-artista-do-cirque-du-soleil/idmedia/5220b0ac0cf2d89895110240.html

This next link is one my friend Pat sent me.  I giggled like a school girl when I used it.  Silly fun for everyone.  http://img0.liveinternet.ru/images/attach/c/5/3970/3970473_sprite198.swf  Seriously, the people that do this stuff have a lot of times on their hands.  *grin*

And one last treat.  Jonathon took me to a restaurant the other night.  Delicious food and we had a great time.  But while we were eating, they had a video running.  One we'd never seen.  Have you ever heard of The Piano Guys?  According to the media, they started making videos for fun and became a world-wide sensation.  I enjoyed them so much I immediately got their albums.  Perfect background music, but the videos were even better.  Take a look at youtube and see them all.  But this one was my absolute favorite. 

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Is that a hoot or what?  And great music, too!  I love finding things like this.  Remember serendipity?  

Anyway, you all have a great week.  I'll be back on Friday with a note about upcoming events in Belo Horizonte!  

Hugs!

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams

What Do You Like In Art?

Hey all,

As you know, one of the things I enjoy doing most on our tour is to visit museums and see different art.  Especially art that is done by local artists.  I do love the masters and get so jazzed when I see a painting done by one of my favorites.

I've seen Joan Miro's work in Sao Paulo and Rembrandt's in Brasilia.  But what I am really enjoying is finding Brazilian artists and the different art that just screams..."I'm all about Brazil!!!!"

When I look for traditional Brazilian art, I look for the tropical scenes, cityscapes done with geometrical designs, or sculptures, usually in wood.  I know what I like and I'm drawn to those types of work.

So, when we went to the National Museum here in Brasilia, I was expecting to see that sort of thing.  There were a couple pieces I really liked, but instead of traditional Brazilian art, there was only a modern art exhibition.  So, I shook off my old expectations and decided to try to enjoy what I saw instead.

There were all kinds of pics, some I liked, some I could only scratch my head over.  I thought I'd share some of what I saw and see what you all think!

This first one I really liked.  Very much what I consider Brazilian art.  The colors, the style...just everything about it.  I'd probably hang it on my wall.

And this one I truly scratched my head over.  Why exactly does this artist think condoms are something to use in art?  Or is it just my naughty brain that sees something that isn't really there.

This one I liked, though I'm not really sure why.  Sometimes that happens.  I see something that just touches me, even when I can't explain why that is.

And lastly, I thought I'd share this picture.  I really, really liked it, but what I found most interesting was what I saw in the picture was totally different than what Jonathon saw when he looked at it.

I guess that's what true art is all about.  People see, feel and enjoy a picture so differently.  The same painting, photograph or sculpture can make different people feel different things.  One may hate it, and gets creepy ugly vibes from the same painting another might go into raptures over.

I think the worse thing that can happen when viewing art would be indifference.  To look at a painting and feel...nothing.  To shrug and move on without feeling or caring one way or the other.  It happens all the time and I find it sad when I just walk by a painting that does nothing for me.  Because I know the artist put his/her heart and soul in the piece.  But it is what it is.  Some touch your heart, others make you laugh or cry and others...they do nothing at all.

So, to end today's blog, I've got a final question for you.  Look at the last painting above.  And in the comments tell me what you see in this art.  Then next week, I'll tell you what Jonathon and I saw in the painting.  We'll see if you are for Team CJ, Team Jonathon, or if you started your very own team!!!  LOL

Until next week...

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams

Brasilia - A Pretty Cool City

Hey all,

I thought I'd give you a quick look at what I've discovered here in Brasilia.  Overall, the city is pretty cool, though there isn't a whole lot to do once you'd done the "tourist thing".  I've managed to keep busy and we have a few things more to do in the last couple weeks we're here, but I've spent more time working inside, then out and about.

Here's a few pics of things I've seen.  I hope you enjoy them!

The National Congress Buildings - Very interesting design

The JK Memorial Building - Everything is underground.

The National Museum - I am still wondering what the outside swirly ramp thing is for.

The following pics are from the Brasilia National Park.  We loved the time we spent there.

The Natural Spring made into a swimming pool.  Just one of several in the park. Water is so very clear.

 One of the park trails.  We saw marmosets and many kinds of birds on this trail.  This is the drier portion of the area.  Very scrubby.  A little way down the trail is a rainforest.  Right next to each other.  You take a single step and then you're in a different climate.

A family of coati!  Very much like a USA raccoon.

This beautiful bird we saw on the walking trail.  Awesome.  Anyone know what it is?  I've looked and can't find it online.  Help!!!!

Brasilia has many things to see and do, and I hope you've enjoyed this brief glimpse.  If the internet was better, I'd put up more pics, but I think you can see a little of what we've been able to visit while living here.  Have a great week!

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams

A Taste of Brazil - Yum!!!

Hey all,

I'm back today with something I thought you'd all enjoy.  As I've mentioned in the past, one of my favorite things to do in a new country is to try all the wonderful new foods and drinks that are available.  And so far, Brazil is no different.  There are many delicious taste sensations, each very different from the other.  In fact, I'd have to move here permanently to get to eat them all!!!

In today's blog, I thought I'd share a couple of recipes I've discovered her in South America, as well as one of the best drinks I've ever tasted!  I hope you enjoy them as much as Jonathon and I have!

So let's start with a cocktail, shall we?

Caipirinha – Brazilian National Drink

Ingredients

4 generous Tablespoons of sugar (or to taste)

5 lime wedges

7 count pour of Cachaca (Brazilian alcohol make from distilled sugar cane)

Ice

Directions

Muddle (crush) sugar and lime together in shaker using pestle.  Add Cachaca and shake well.  Pour into proper container for serving, or individual glass with ice.

**CJ says it's awesomely delicious just as is, but you can also use strawberry, kiwi, pineapple and other fruits in the muddle.

* * * * *

 One of the dishes I've discovered in Brasilia is called Pamonhas, which is the Brazilian version of a tamale.  I'd seen them in Sao Paulo, but never had a chance to try fresh ones.  Here in Brasilia, near the hotel is a weekend craft fair and they have a large food area there as well.  And one of the vendors sells these delicious treats.  They aren't easy to make, but if you like tamales, and want to try something a little different, you should give these a shot!

Pamonhas come in two basic varieties in Brazil, savory and sweet. Savory pamonhas are often filled with chopped meat or chicken, but can also be made without stuffing. Sweet pamonhas are generally unstuffed, but can be flavored with coconut milk. The ones I tried were sweet and had a bit of cheese in them like the picture above. (I liked that one the best.)

Ingredients  (makes 12)

12 ears very fresh corn
4 Tbsp. sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup cold whole milk

Directions

Cut off the bases of the ears of corn, then carefully shuck them, taking care not to rip the husks if possible. Reserve the husks. Remove all the silk from the cobs, then trim them.

Grate the ears of corn over a large container. Put the grated corn into a blender or food processor. Add the sugar and salt into the corn mix and blend, then add the milk. Blend it all together so that you get a corn paste.  (add coconut milk instead of regular milk if you want a sweeter pamonha. Or half and half, depending on taste.)

The next step is the tricky part: stuffing the husks with the corn paste. Using a corn cob as a mold, wrap the cob in at least four husks, remove the cob, and tie one end of the package of husks securely with kitchen twine. Carefully fill each package with the liquid corn mixture. At this point you can add stuffings of your preference to the middle of the corn paste: try ground beef, sausage, cheese or shredded chicken. Don't add to much, or it will get messy.  Then tightly tie the other end of the package with twine.

Bring a large quantity of water to boil in a stockpot or other large saucepan. Lower heat, then carefully place the packages in simmering water to cover. Partially cover the stockpot or pan, and let the pamonhas simmer for one hour. When done, remove the pamonhas from the water and let them drain thoroughly. Serve hot or at room temperature.

* * * * *

Now of course to finish up our meal, we have to have some sort of sweet.  There are several ones I could choose from, but my all time favorite so far is a yummy little treat called Pacoca.  The first one I had was made by--I know it's odd--Hershey's!!!!  And from that moment on I was hooked.  I tracked down the recipe and it's easy enough to make in my hotel room with my little blender, so anyone can make it.  So if you like Reese's Peanut Butter cups, or Peanut Butter and Chocolate Christmas Balls, you'll adore this new desert candy.

Ingredients  (makes 20 - 30 pieces of candy depending on size and shape)

1 1/2 cup peanuts, lightly salted
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup manioc flour or manioc starch (can't find?  Use corn flakes from the ethnic food aisle)
pinch of salt
1/4 cup condensed milk 


Directions

Blend the peanuts with the sugar, salt, and manioc meal until very finely ground.

Add a tablespoon of condensed milk and blend for 30 seconds. Check if mixture is starting to come together by pressing some into a ball with your fingers.

If the mixture will form a ball that stays together well, it's ready. If it is still too crumbly, add more condensed milk and blend.

Now is the time to form the candy.  You can do this in one of several ways.

A) Press mixture firmly into a square 8 inch by 8 inch pan lined with wax paper.  Once done, remove candy from pan by lifting out the wax paper, and cut into smaller squares.
B) Roll into 1" balls.  Arrange on pan lined with wax paper.
C) Roll into 2" long by 3/4" wide logs.  Arrange on pan lined with wax paper.
D) You can also use greased cookie cutters (simple shapes) to cut pieces out of the candy, or press the candy into molds to shape it.  Arrange on pan lined with wax paper.

If you want the chocolate variety, melt semi-sweet chocolate in microwave or on stove in double boiler and carefully dip candies.  Arrange on pan lined with wax paper. Put in refrigerator to cool.

Store in airtight container. (IF you haven't eaten them all!!!)

* * * * *

I hope you've enjoyed this taste of Brazil.  Have a South American recipe you'd like to share?  Put it in the comments below!  I'd love to hear from you!

Hugs and see you next time,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams

CJ's Back and Doing Much Better!!!

Hey all,

It's been awhile since I last blogged--as you know I have had some surgery done, and I'm finally getting back on my feet.  It was a slow process, and I made sure I took the time I needed to get healthy before coming back.  In the past I've tried to do things too early and paid for it, so I was determined to be a good girl this time.

Without going into gory detail, I had reconstructive surgery done to my mouth and jaw.  Unfortunately, I have a degenerating bone disease and no matter what I did to take care of myself, things went from bad to worse.  We'd been trying to get the thing done for over a year, but with traveling, it wasn't easy.  But the long time in Sao Paulo, plus the excellent doctors in Brazil for this type of procedure made this the perfect place to get the surgery completed.

I'm well on the road to recovery, but I still have at least one more procedure to do.  I'm hoping to get that done in September and then--if all goes well--I'll be completely finished.

So, what with the surgery, the crummy internet in Sao Paulo and life in general, I was offline for much of the last few months.  I'll be taking more time online while here in Brasilia, but I've learned to take things a day at a time and not push myself so hard.

Traveling is great for story ideas, inspiration and fodder for blogs, but to do those things AND enjoy life in general, THAT isn't so easy to schedule.  

Don't get me wrong, I'm blessed and grateful that I have the opportunity to do this.  This is a dream come true!!!  But it's taken me awhile to get over the guilt that I can't do it all.  The superwomen complex you know.  I've got it in spades and I'm not good at failing.  LOL

Anyway, sometimes it takes a bit to get things straight in your head--for me it's an ongoing process--but I'm closer to a resolution than I was a day ago.  And I'll be closer still tomorrow.

That means you will be seeing me do things a little differently in the future.  I still will be writing--can't stop doing that.  As for publishing, while I have many avenues for that, I despise the politics in that area, so I will be very discriminating to who I choose in the future.

I'll be blogging once a week to start, maybe more later, but I want to keep my hand in.  I'll be spending most of my time getting the stories I've done ready for publication as well as finishing up several I have in process.

Add that to enjoying my travels and I think I'll be plenty busy enough!!!!

So keep your eye on my blog, read my newsletter and watch my chatgroup for daily deets.  I may not be as prolific as before, but I think my books will be of better quality and I know I'll be happier!!!

And after all I've been through, I've learned life is too short and too beautiful to allow myself to be unhappy!

Until next time!!!

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

A Brief Note From CJ

Hey all,

I'm sorry I haven't been around.  Things down here haven't been so easy lately.  I've been sick and finally got into a doctor.  Upshot is I'm going in for surgery today.  I can't go into detail, but it's not life threatening, just painful and irritating.  I'd appreciate any prayers, good thoughts and vibes you can send my way.

I'm not sure when I'll be able to get back online.  The doctors say it can be up to two weeks before I'm able to get back to normal life, but I'll have Jonathon come online and let you know how things are going so you don't worry.

I've missed you guys.  Between the crummy internet and now this, I feel like I've been forceably retired!!!

Hope to be back again soon.  And mucho better!  LOL

Hugs to all,

 

CJ England