Who Put the M before "Bye"?

There is no m in bye, and yet half the time I end a phone call, I hear the person on the other side of the line say, "Mmmbye." It's usually women who do it, and from what I can tell, it is those who were born or grew up here. What's with the m? Is it because they press their lips together in a smile before they say bye? Or is it like a regional accent the way Bostonians add Rs where there are none (idea - idears), to taking away Rs (park - pahk, yard - yahd) where there are? Whatever it is, it never fails to make me smile. It makes me wonder who started it and how it spread to a whole segment of the population. Any idears?

Around the World

Regaled with stories of my Mom's world travels when she was young, I had dreamed of traveling to different places ever since. Her tales awakened in me a keen interest in different cultures and in visiting as many countries as I could. The only problem was, I did not have a rich and doting father like my Mom did. My Dad was doting in many ways and he did well for himself, but he was not a rich man like my Grandfather. So it was not like he could send me on a world tour the way Lolo did with Mom. I often asked my Mom how I would be able to travel as she did. She often reminded me that even if my earthly Dad could not give me that, my Heavenly Dad could and that He will surely grant me my heart’s desire. I remember always responding with a sigh, hoping that she was right but nevertheless resigned to the fact that it may never happen. Me of little faith, huh?

Sure enough, I hit my twenties and found myself flying from one place to another for different reasons. Mom was right, God did make a way and my Dad was there to help me with some pocket money. In that decade, aside from traveling to different parts of the Philippines, I went to Hong Kong, China, United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Israel, Belgium, France, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and Indonesia. After I moved to the US, I’ve been fortunate to be able to visit some of its beautiful sites and cities, as well as see the Bahamas, Mexico and Canada. This summer, Hubby and I plan to hit the road again and head to Europe to see the sights and meet some friends. We are so looking forward to it!

We still have standing invitations to visit friends in Chile, Brazil, Sweden, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, Singapore, Croatia and Scotland. I hope that we will have the time and finances to pull off a tour like that in the future. But right now, it remains a wish. This time though, I will neither sigh nor scoff. I have no doubt that if God wants us to do it, then it will definitely happen.

From His Heart

Hubby wrote this as he remembered his Dad's very recent battle with cancer. The battle that he lost just a few months ago.

A son may never say much, but a son never forgets.

Crumbling Fortress

Memories of a past from long, long ago
Start to race through my mind
I remember you bigger than life, towering over me
I could dangle from your arms
Hang on every branch from your tree of wisdom

You wince
A lifetime of visions and expectations fade away
Reverie evaporates with every flinch of pain
The disease has stolen everything
My dreams will never become memories

My heart used to beat with gladness as you reached out for me in a greeting
It now falls deep into my chest as you reach out in pain
Why does my chest feel like a bottomless pit?

My fortress has begun to crumble
My tree of wisdom has suddenly withered away
Has my heart fallen so deep that I no longer feel it?
You reach out for me, and I find my heart again
Has my heart stopped falling?

Snap Assumptions

Once, a friend and I were in a bus with a garbled, malfunctioning electronic signage. A passenger coming into the bus told the bus driver loudly that it all was Chinese to him. Upon seeing me, his face showed alarm and he quickly apologized. “Oh! I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry!”

My friend and I cracked up. He thought I was Chinese. I did not disabuse him of his assumption. We thought it was a hoot. I know to some people, all Asians look alike. I've been Japanese, Thai, but I've also been thought of as Mexican or Native American. Heck, the most farout was when an Italian guy asked me once, "Italiana?!"

When I tell people my name, some smile and quickly ask, “¿Como está?”

When I say I work for a bank, they inquire, “Are you a teller?”

If my past work in Disney comes up, the inevitable question is, “Were you a character?”

When they find out I am from Manila and that I only moved to the US six years ago, I get “Is your husband in the military?”

I think it's cute when people make snap assumptions. It always leads to a great conversation. :)

Tired of Theo

Bostonians need to get a life. That goes for the whole state of Massachusetts, as well. Every time I turn on the television and watch the local news, they’re talking about Theo Epstein and the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox has already broken the curse and won the World Series. Yay! Yes, Theo Epstein is partly responsible for it. Great! But, my gosh, to hear his name every single day speculating whether he’s going to be Red Sox manager again or not, or what his title is going to be, not only during all the newscasts throughout the day but during newsbreaks too – it is getting ridiculous. I’m sure even he is tired of hearing about how he played the guitar, wore a gorilla suit or picked his nose.

Please, there are more important things in this world than baseball, the World Series, and the supposed manager that has the Midas’ touch to win it. There’s a whole world out there full of people in serious situations that need real attention – more than the sports personas, television and movie stars already basking in the sometimes undeserved fame and wealth we obsessed fans have afforded them.

If we devote even one-eighth of the time we spend obsessing over these people to helping out in some worthy cause, the world would be so much better. Heck, If we devote a small fraction of that time in self-evaluation and improvement, then we wouldn’t need these supposed heroes and role models to look up to, because our self-esteem would be healthy enough to only look up to people whose contributions really make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

I mean – how many people really cared if Brad Pitt called Jennifer Aniston to tell her about Angelina Jolie’s pregnancy before the announcement was made? Come on, people. Enough already.

Sure, we need some entertainment in our lives. It shouldn’t take over our whole lives though. There are other, more important things to think about.

--oOo--

Our latest issue of PINOYexpats is now online. Please stop by and check it out!

Girl With A Lost Earring

I was on my hands and knees, looking at every inch of the floor under my desk hoping to see a little sparkle that would catch my eye. "It's time to go! We'll look for it when we get back from work," said Hubby. Reluctantly, I stood up and walked out the door to go to work.

Yesterday morning, I lost one of a pair of diamond stud earrings. The previous night, as is my routine right after I get home, I took all my jewelry off -- rings, necklace and earrings -- and placed them on top of my desk in front of my computer monitor. As I got ready yesterday, I realized that I was missing an earring.

I lost one of a pair of pearl earrings before. I put it on a counter in the kitchen while I cooked. It was gone by the time I was done. I searched high and low, cleaned, dusted but came up empty-handed. I was afraid that the diamond stud will disappear as mysteriously as the pearl one did.

Someone suggested I dry mop, another said I should vacuum and cover the vacuum opening with a nylon stocking. Both were great ideas, but before I did all that, Hubby suggested I go through the trash can under my desk. I was skeptical since my trash has a swivel cover, which makes it almost impossible for anything to go into it unless I opened it. Nevertheless, I did just that.

I took a plastic bag and started transferring each discard, piece by piece, after intense scrutiny. Torn receipts, candy wrappers, tissues, junk mail, plastic wrappers and cases of things we've purchased, pistachio nut shells -- I went through all of it starting with the biggest pieces. I got more and more discouraged as I neared the bottom. I was thinking that if it fell in accidentally, it surely would have been caught by the bigger pieces of trash that were on top. But I carried on, praying quietly that I would find it. I got to the bottom with nothing left but the pistachio nut shells. I almost gave up as I picked up and looked at the shells, one by one. "Surely, I would have seen it by now," I thought. Determined to be thorough and go through the last 15 shells that were there, I picked up a couple more and -- lo and behold -- hidden under was my earring. How the heck it got there, I do not know. I guess at that particular moment, in one of the few times the swivel cover was up for a second, it somehow fell in. What are the chances? It doesn't matter now, I am just happy I found it, happy enough to blog about it.

Today, I got home and took off all my jewelry and, as usual, put them in front of my monitor. This time though, I put them all in a white ceramic pill box. One that's easy to spot in a dark place and is sure to create a ruckus if it falls.

White on White

Like everyone else, we just had a crazy holiday season. That's the reason why this blog's decor has been white on white in the last several days.

In the last three weekends, we went from skiing in New Hampshire, to Christmas eve in Massachussetts, to New Year's eve in Florida, and to an Orthodox Christmas dinner in New York. And we did not fly, we drove. Hubby and I enjoy driving a lot. We have in each other, a captive audience, when we're in the car together for hours talking about anything and everything. We had a lot of fun but my mind and body is still recovering from it all.

I have been slow in responding to emails, text messages, phone calls and I couldn't really blog. A thousand little thoughts are racing through my mind but I just can't seem to focus on any one topic to write about. I think it's my brain's way of relaxing and recharging. It just seems that it really doesn't want to ponder much on anything right now, no matter how strongly I feel about it. It's almost like all the frantic activities kicked up the thoughts in my mind like a huge cloud dust. As soon as it settles, I think I'll be all set to go again.

Until then, I hope everyone's having a good and meaningful start to the New Year.

Lightheaded

"Take it off. Take it all off!" That's what I said to the hairdresser the other day when I went in for a drastic haircut.

For the second time, I have refrained from having my hair trimmed in the last couple of years so I could reach the 10-inches minimum length for Locks of Love. Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that makes hairpieces for children who have long term medical conditions that cause hair loss. Hairpieces are very expensive and a lot of the parents of these children, who are already burdened with huge medical bills, cannot afford to buy expensive wigs for their child.

When the hairdresser found out that I was going to do with my hair, she whipped out her checkbook and wrote them a check for $40. She asked me to enclose it in the same envelope with the braid that I was sending. I was touched at how she jumped to contribute. I just wished she was touched enough to not charge me for my haircut. Hehe! Just kidding!

I now sport a bob and my head feels much lighter after over a year of wearing it long. My step is lighter too knowing that some child is going to have a wig that they so need, to not be teased by their peers for being bald.

I blog about this not to brag, but hopefully, to inspire some people to think about donating hair or money so a child' s already serious medical condition can be assuaged by not having to bear the stares of people for not having a head full of hair.

If you are so moved, their website has all the instructions on how to donate. Please take some time to drop by.

I hope you all had a great Christmas. Happy New Year to everyone!

Walking on Water

Today, we walked on water -- the frozen waters of the lake in the Boston Public Gardens, that is.

As is our routine on Sundays after church, we take a walk from the Boston Commons, through the Public Gardens on our way to Newbury Street. It was a cold day so we were not doing our usual slow and leisurely pace. I told Hubby that we could not linger in the Gardens for random photos, as we normally do. But then we saw the lake -- completely frozen over. To me, it looked magical. Like the few other people that were there, we "waded" in. We just couldn't resist.

The Lake at the Boston Public Garden

A rare pose from Hubby

Watching and 'Wading'

A Lab and His Master Playing

We watched some parents play with their kids on the ice, a couple of guys brought their iceskates, hockey sticks and puck and started a game, a golden retriever was running, slipping and sliding with his master and three teenagers just being silly and having a snowball fight. We could hardly tear ourselves away from the idyllic scene. But alas, we had some Christmas shopping to do. So before long, we had to make our way to Newbury Street. Of course, Hubby, being shutter-happy as he is, took some more pictures along the way.

It was a perfect winter day in Boston.

Hancock Tower and Trinity Church at Twilight

A Bird resting on a tree branch at Old South Church, Boylston cor. Darmouth Streets

Integrity

I don't think any word has figured as much in our conversations this year. Hubby and I continually discuss about how less and less people seem to have integrity these days. Gossip is a very lucrative business, tardiness is fashionable, running away from financial obligations is more commonplace, lying at the drop of a hat to achieve an end - I can go on and on. So when I read a newspiece in CNN that says the word Integrity is the most frequently looked up word in the Merriam-Webster website this year, I was surprised. It made me wonder if it's because people do not know what it means or if it's because they are just concerned about retaining its definition in their minds.

in·teg·ri·ty
n.
1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.
2. The state of being unimpaired; soundness.
3. The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; complete

Lying politicians, molesting ministers and teachers, easily bribed law enforcers, drugged out sportsmen, philandering movie/tv stars are the headliners of this year. We are inundated with this kind of news every single day.

It's no wonder people have to look up the meaning of this word. It doesn't seem like those who lead our society are great examples of it. Sad.

The Making of a Sports Fan?

I'm not much of a sports fan, but there were a few times I sat in front of the television to see a championship game – between Orlando Magic and the Houston Rockets, World Series games between the Red Sox and the Cardinals, and the first Superbowl win of the New England Patriots. I've seen how much fun people seem to have during games, be it football, basketball or baseball. Heck, I have fun just watching them have fun on TV, so I have always wondered how it would be like to be part of the rowdy crowd.

Last Friday, I stopped wondering. We were given Premiere Club seats to the game between the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls. The view was perfect! You could see every single inch of the court, there was a bit more legroom and someone took orders for food so we didn't have to line up at the concession stands. It was a pretty cozy set-up!

It's amazing how Americans take fun and entertainment to the next level. Aside from the usual crowd-inciting billboard antics, music, light-play and commentator during the play, we got to see a man propose to his girlfriend, a local doctor/clown honored for his charity work, the most awesome little girls' dance troupe do a couple of streetdance numbers, cheerleaders and their death-defying stunts and an adorable dog race during half-time.

The party atmosphere that I had seen before only on television, enveloped me and I was cheering, screaming, stuffing my face like everyone else before long. The crowd reactions, whether to referee calls, missed or successful baskets, were so unified, it was palpable. So was the disappointment when the home team lost by four points to the Bulls. It was a great game though. The teams kept us guessing on who would win until the last 30 seconds.

Needless to say, I had a blast. And now I understand why people keep going back. I certainly would!

On Saturday, I received a call from my neighbor. She asked, "I have great seats to the Patriots Game tomorrow, would you like to go?!"

Methinks New England is trying to make a sports fan out of me.

--oOo--

Our holiday issue of PINOYexpats is now online. Do stop by and check out our fashion and retail offering!

Makin' My List...

...and checkin' it twice. Egad! We have 26 people so far, and that's just M's family! Counting my family and some friends, that is a long enough list for cards and gifts guaranteed to drive anyone crazy in an already hectic holiday season. We do have some of the gifts already but we are so very far from done. We usually do our Christmas shopping all throughout the year. By Thanksgiving, we have all the cards ready to be mailed out and the gifts ready for wrapping. We do this to keep our sanity intact—and our budget. Buying a couple of items each month does not make much of a dent as opposed to getting everything in December. Buying all the gifts then and having to show up wherever the party might be can prove to be an extremely costly affair. You see, M’s family likes to get together for the holidays. So if the party ends up being in a state other than Massachusetts, it’s another expense to factor in.

With that to consider, we have to find creative and frugal ways to get the perfect gifts. Perfect -- meaning it matches the giftee’s personality without breaking our bank. That’s why our hunt for those gifts start right after Christmas. When we see items that are reasonably priced and ideal for someone whom we know will be on our list, we snatch it up immediately. When we see storefronts that have the sign "SALE", we check out their stuff. We also hit online stores like Smartbargains, Overstock, Amazon, Victoria’s Secret and peruse their bargain bins. We’ve been pleasantly surprised at the things that they had on sale before, and they usually offer free shipping to boot!

It's always a great challenge to complete our long Christmas list. The hunt, braving the crowds, long lines at the cash register, the ever-shrinking balance in our bank account--just thinking of these things that make us pray for God's strength and provision as this retail-driven season approaches.

Okay, I gotta stop prattling. We have some shopping to do!!!

Year 5

M and I just celebrated Year 5. It's amazing how fast time flies when you are having loads of fun. Of course, it wasn't always easy, especially the first couple of years. It was a time of adjustment -- two cultures, two independent mindsets, two different upbringings, in one living space. It wasn't always "Home, Sweet, Home." At times, it was a battleground of wills. Through it all, we have learned not how to stop fighting, but how to fight constructively.

He has let me know, in no uncertain terms, that emotional manipulation -- women's usual primary weapon -- through words and actions (or inaction) will never work on him. He hates it with a passion. He appreciates straight and honest talk, in a calm manner and responds better to that. And I've let him know that his propensity to not talk about things may buy him some time, but will not make me back down. I have learned to try and say things plainly sans emotionalism, exaggeration or manipulation. He is learning to not hesitate to say what he thinks and feels as it will not elicit any hysteria from me (or so I hope).

Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." We do continue to sharpen each other. Some times are easier than others, but I'm glad it's no longer a sharpening of claws when we butt heads.

One morning, our daily reading together said, "A Happy Marriage consists of two forgivers." We looked at each other and started chuckling. We both have forgiven each other for many, many things. And being the way we both are, we know we will have to be doing more forgiving in the years to come.

His, Hers & Theirs: Our Family

Ours was never the regular family. We were pretty modern by the standards of Philippine society at that time. Even as a young child, I knew our family was different from a lot of the others. Why? My parents have the "His", "Hers" and "Theirs" --- kids, that is. That was unusual. Both parents were married before and had children with their first spouses. But even if the fact is that 3 of my 5 brothers are half-brothers, I never thought of them as such. I never used "His", "Hers" and "Theirs" as a description, unless we needed to get absolutely technical about the whole thing. I was never fazed by it. I actually liked the fact that we were not like the other families. And despite our differences, we really valued each other. It taught me early on that my self-esteem did not depend on conforming and being like everyone else. It opened my mind to possibilities outside what our hypocritical society dictated.

Our parents were really practical in their approach with us too. We weren't brought up on superstitions, "moo-moo", folk beliefs, Santa Claus, tooth fairies, etc. -- those were things we picked up from our nannies and some friends. If we asked our parents about it, they did not hesitate to tell us the truth. They never used those things to scare or manipulate us into doing things. Those were done by our maids! "The moo-moo will get you if you don't..." I guess our parents believed that respect should be your only motivation in doing something, and asking others to do something for you.

Our fights were settled in the same manner. Each child got their chance to be heard in our parents' "court", and judgement was passed. If we were deemed to be at fault, we had to take our punishment without any complaints, or risked being punished even further. The one at fault HAD to apologize specifically for what they did wrong. Any retaliation was not treated lightly. Excuses and rationalizations weren't tolerated. In fact, we risked getting even more punishment if we resorted to it. That formula seemed to work with us because by a certain age, there were no bickerings and petty fights anymore. If we had conflict, we discussed it openly and tried to resolve it. If we couldn't, we just agreed to disagree and closed the topic unless we agreed to bring it up again.

In the short time that my parents were together, I think they did a pretty darn good job of parenting. We thrived in the way they disciplined us, and we loved and respected them for it. Too bad, it didn't last forever. And even then, we were told the truth with no sugar-coating. I appreciated that, because it gave me a chance to come to terms with the truth, the truth that life is imperfect. Be it as a victim of circumstance or a consequence of a stupid thing I did, I have to deal with life's difficulties as they come along.

My parents' time together was short, but the lessons they have taught linger. I hope to learn by their great example, as well as by their monumental mistakes. They never pretended to be perfect nor demanded perfection from us. The sincerity and strength they showed through their human frailty is the example I will always carry with me.

Thinking the Worst

I have found that thinking the worst of people and situations just makes one extremely unhappy and bitter. I'm glad there were enough events in my life when I made the mistake of doing that and it turned out I was wrong. I started to train myself to stop doing it because of how miserable it made me feel, and how it proved to be baseless at times.

Many times, thinking the worst serves no purpose. You start treating people with suspicion which definitely wins you no love and loyalty. Thinking the worst does not speak well of the thinker, either. Ever heard of the saying, "Thinkers are the doers?" I believe that a lot of times, the thinker just projects the thing they would do or say to the other person, if the situation was reversed. We all do glean from our own tendencies and experience.

Sure, there are times when the suspicion has basis given the track record of some people you deal with. In that case, then it may be warranted. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." I agree with that, although it's difficult for me to live it. I believe in giving people a second chance, giving them the benefit of the doubt. Why? Because I was given the same chance before, and it has built in me the desire to try and do the right thing. I've been told countless times that I am naïve. I think my naïveté will forever remain. I really believe that people will do the right thing if given another chance. And the few that do, are worth those that disappoint me again and again.

Careful The Things You Say

Has anyone ever told you something and then completely deny it later on when it happens to come up in a future conversation? It's the most annoying thing, to say the least. I usually do not make it an issue. I just try to convince myself that I probably misheard and shrug it off. But there are instances when no matter how much I tell myself that I probably heard wrong, the things said were stuff I never would have known if it wasn't told to me, or the empathy and frustration I felt was so strong that even if I can't exactly recall word-for-word what was said, I remember the emotion it evoked in me. There was simply no way my reaction was in error, especially when the empathy I showed was much appreciated by the "storyteller".

"People might forget what you said, people might forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

When I read that quote from Maya Angelou, it just hit home. I realized that your ears and mind may fail you sometimes, but body memory will not. Our body remembers its reactions to all situations. When similar situations arise in the future, you get this gut feeling. Some call it instinct, some call it intuition.

It bothers me when people take me for a fool and deny flat to my face whatever they told me earlier. Yes, sometimes I do mishear things, but there are times I am certain. What's wrong with just admitting that what was said before was inaccurate? I actually would respect that more.

If you're one of those who are in the habit of saying suff and denying it later on, people are not as dense as you think they are. Sometimes they just choose to be non-confrontational. It doesn't gain you any respect though by hoping to make them feel that they've just lost their faculties. The only thing that was lost was probably their trust in you.

Black Hole

I was happily typing away my thoughts just a few minutes ago, and got about three paragraphs' worth of words. I reviewed and proofread what I wrote. After a few corrections and revisions, I finally found it to be blog-worthy. I press the publish button and switched to another window to surf as it was publishing. I go back to the previous window to find the words "Page Cannot Be Displayed". Noooooooooooooo! Arrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhh! I tried refreshing, it didn't work. I pressed the "back" button, nothing happened. Everything I wrote just disappeared into the dreaded internet black hole, never to be retrieved again. Don't you just HATE it when that happens?!?!

Our Anniversary Issue Is Online!

Please check out the anniversary issue of PINOYexpats. Melissa's brainchild is a year old and thriving beautifully with her at the helm. I'm glad to be associated with it. :)

The theme for the anniversary issue is citizenship. Most of you know that I'm going through the steps of naturalization. You will find my thoughts about it under the worldPINOYS section.

Thank you for stopping by!

Being Right and Being Wise

My father once told me, “Being always right is not as important as being wise.” He said that in my life, I will find myself in situations where I know I am right, but that I should have the wisdom to know when to assert the fact. “Having the last say does not necessarily mean that you’ve won the argument,” was another thing. Both statements stuck with me like glue. I am learning, through years of falling flat on my face and putting my foot in my mouth, to choose my battles -- to know when and in what circumstance to put in my $0.02 worth, and when I am just wasting my breath.

I have come across so many seemingly highly intelligent people that just do not have the wisdom and the sensitivity to rein in their tongues. It makes me think that their self-esteem is tied in to the number of words that they utter, whether they believe in what they’re saying or not. The haughty attitude and tone that accompany their statements just add to the aural delight. I don’t think they clue in to the fact that the more they voice out their thoughts in that manner, the less it means to anyone else who has to hear it all the time. What’s sad is, by the time they’re actually saying something that is worth some thought, people have probably stopped listening.

Any statement that comes from such people, I am learning to just shrug off. Venting in any way makes them happy, ignoring them keeps me happy. We’re all happy! After all, that’s what’s important, n’est-ce pas?

Finally Seeing Niagara

Hubby and I got to hit two birds with one stone. We wanted to do was break-in the new car, and we also wanted to go see Niagara Falls before it got too cold. We had been putting it off long enough. So last weekend, we decided to drive to the Canadian border town and have a look around.

The sight of the Falls was breathtaking. There's nothing like seeing something so much greater than us. It truly puts the small stuff in our lives in perspective. It just emphasized to me the evanescence of our circumstances, problems and lives. How the little things that we can be so consumed about are nothing in the light of something that represents a measure of eternity. That was what the Falls signified to me despite the fact that is it "younger" than than many of the natural wonders of our world. It was awesome in its display of power and magnitude. It wasn't quite like seeing the Grand Canyon, but it came pretty close.

We played tourists and got the city's Adventure Pass that allowed us unlimited access to the PeopleMover, which is the bus that brings people from one tourist spot to another. We first went into the Journey Behind the Falls which is a viewing deck halfway down, right next to the falls. It was connected by a tunnel to two openings that allow you to view the Falls from behind.

Our next stop was something that one just has to do when visiting Niagara Falls, going on the Maid of the Mist. It's the boat that brings tourists as close to the Falls as possible. The winds were in our favor and we didn't get as soaked as the ones that went before and after us. I was thankful since the air was quite chilly as it was.

We then had lunch at the Skylon Tower. It's a 55-storey (?) tower that has a window elevator that shoots you up to the restaurant and viewing deck above. A bit pricey for what they had to serve, but I guess they factor in the spectacular view in your bill, more than anything. There's nothing quite like viewing the Earth from above.

The Butterfly Conservatory was a huge greenhouse with 2,000 butterflies flying around freely. Shutter-happy Hubby had quite a heyday shooting the lovely little creatures who landed wherever they pleased. In my case, it was my collar and the lens of the camera. The greenhouse simulated a warm, tropical climate with lots of flowers and plants. They had feeding stations where you can watch them feed, as well as a "birthing station" where they had rows and rows of cocoons at their different stages. At the bottom, there were a number of newly born butterflies that were perched at the little holes in the glass casing, ready to fly out into the greenhouse.

In the evening, we took a stroll along the Falls to see the lights show. The lights are on from 7:00 to 11:00 pm and bathes both the American and the Canadian Falls in different colors. It was pretty cool. We waited for the fireworks show that never came. It usually happened every Friday and Sunday night at 10:00 pm at the American Falls, from the start of summer to a certain date in October. We were erroneously informed that it was still going on. Nevertheless, we still had fun just drinking in the sight as we strolled the riverbanks that evening.

As with most good time, it had to end. We found ourselves driving back to rain-soaked Boston sooner than we really wanted. But I must say that the long drive to and fro in three days was totally worth it. It's another special memory for us. :)