The Trapeze- Safety Net Please

On the Santa Monica Pier there are many activities. There are many things to buy, food to eat, an aquarium, and even an amusement park. Basically any time of the year the weather is great and the view is amazing.  The Trapeze School on the boardwalk caught my eye. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to try it. Since childhood I have been fascinated with acrobats. A lot of children are when they first go to the circus, it's amazing to see people twist and contort their bodies in the air.  Flying around on really tall swing sets and accomplishing death defying stunts.

I went over immediately, the people in my group followed behind, probably curious as to what I was thinking or wondering if I would really go through with it. I had already paid and filled out the paper work before a couple of them noticed. "You're really going to do that?" and "That's really high".  Derek, one of my friends in the group, offered to take the video with my camera.

First, I was suited up with what felt like a corset, but it was more like a big belt. It surrounded my middle and had hooks on it. I put it on eagerly. I was given chalk for my hands, like a gymnast and then I was instructed. They explained to me the words they used were Romanian words to describe the way I stand, when I jump off, and when I let go.  The ladder was really high, it didn't seem like it at first, but as I climbed the ladder I realized it was like being on top of a house or small building. It must have been at least 20-30 ft in the air. The ladder was rickety and it was secured to the side of the platform. Once on the platform I looked out and I could see the beach and the ocean. It was beautiful. I also looked down and could see the safety net below me, which scared me a little, but made me feel safer at the same time.

The instructor hooked up my corset to the safety lines. Then after given my instructions again, she pulled the bar to me and I grabbed it.  I hopped off the platform and dangled in the air from the bar. As I swung back and forth on the bar I realized it wasn't that scary, but gravity was a tough lady. I could not bring my legs up. I felt extremely heavy and I had to use every muscle in my body to even try to lift my legs.  It was hard. The harder part was letting go, even though the safety net was below me, it was frightening. I knew it was time and I let go of the bar and fell into the net. I didn't do it the way she told me too, I couldn't just fall into it, I felt out of control and fell into in forwards instead of backwards.

I did the trapeze twice, I would have done it a third time (cause I paid for three) but the group was in a hurry to leave and I was getting sore. It was amazing how many muscles in my stomach I didn't know that I had and how awful it felt for several days. I probably should have only gone once. If I ever find another one or I go back to Santa Monica, I will go again.


See the video and learn more about the Santa Monica pier:

http://www.santamonicapier.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5U7IxTUX7k

Ollantaytambo - Peruvian Ruins

When I visited Peru last year I was lucky enough to see a variety of Incan ruins and ancient structures. They were all amazing. One that I found particularly interesting was Ollantaytambo. This particular ruin was very close to the sacred valley of the Inca. This glorious spot is located near the Urubamba river, flowing through Peru, . This river was used by the Incas a great deal and was considered sacred because of the water which sustained the lives of the people.

The Incas had a masterful way of moving water around the mountains and keeping it from destroying what they built. They had channels that ran all through out the mountains, creating vast irrigation systems. This way even though the river was a way off they could still use the rain water for the crops. The guide on our tour explained to us the use of astronomical bodies in the harvesting of the plants. The seasons are so similar, there is the wet season and the dry season essentially. There was a fountain at the base of the structure that the sun shines directly upon for the summer equinox, this marks the beginning of the rainy season in the summer, because it's below the equator it begins December 22. I was there towards the end of the Dry season in the end of October, but the land still looked green and bright. 

 In Ollantaytambo there were great storage houses on the mountains. It was interesting how it was strategically located in between two mountains. The Incas built into the mountains instead of around them. Their way of working with nature instead of against was how they sustained themselves and built these great structures that have survived today, long after earthquakes, weather, and time have eroded many "modern" buildings. The terraces that they carved into the mountains were magnificent. They were so tall, at least six feet and this was a great way for them to grow the potatoes, corn, and Quinoa, staples of the Incas. These terraces were built by people that were a little over 5 feet in height on the average, the fact that the terraces are so tall was quite an accomplishment. The storage houses were a great deal up in the mountains and they were easily seen by the people working on the terraces or living the villages below. This keep the supply safe from possible invaders. 

This was a place I would return to in a heart beat. Everything about it was amazing. The entire structure when seen at a distance is shaped like a female llama and a baby. The Incas were famous for revering three animals, the snakes, representing the underworld and knowledge, the puma, representing the earth and the way we live in the present, and the condor, representing the heavens and the next life. So, why a llama? My theory is, the llama helped them build this structure and they owed a great deal to these creatures. After all, they didn't have the wheel or an alphabet, so who else would help them, aliens?

www.trip-peru.com 

Peter Island- Prepare to be Pampered

On a ferry, in the Caribbean sea, I traveled to an island with my husband. This island was a beautiful place, but it was very special to my husband because he worked there at one time and had not returned in about 15 years.

The name of the resort is Peter Island. It has 32 ocean front rooms, 20 Junior suites and 3 giant villas. I don't believe there was more than a hundred people staying there when we were on the island. It was truly a chance to be pampered and relax.  Much of the staff was the same as when Randy had worked there and they were all really friendly, it was nice for him to be able to talk to all those people.

Peter Island is an amazing place. They have a dive shop and you can take a resort course and SCUBA dive for a day. They will take you 30 ft underwater and you get to see a lot of marine life. I did not do this, I chickened out. The people that run the dive shop were fantastic and had great stories about the sea and things that they have seen. We did go on a snorkeling tour with the dive shop and it was a lot of fun.

Peter Island also has sailing trips where you can take a boat out for the day and sail with an experienced sailor and if you wish they do offer overnight trips. We got to visit with Judy, the woman that runs the sailboat, and her daughter while we were there. They were extremely interesting people and I was fascinated with how they live life on the sea.

They also have a variety of things to do on the beach, like wind surfing, paddle boards, and little paddle boats to take out. Our room was right next to the beach so it was nice to be able to walk right over, try these things, get a couple drinks, and lay out in the sun. It was paradise on earth. We also had a really great hammock right outside our room. We got to take a tour of one of the villas, which was a spectacular place. The pool looked like it was part of the sea, even though we were really high up on one of the island's small mountains.


The beach, the food, the people, it's silly but my favorite part were the cookies. I became addicted immediately. There is this wonderful person that works there named Jean and she kept giving me more and more. She was truly a gem. The entire island was amazing and I am so grateful that Randy was able to book such an amazing trip.

http://www.peterisland.com/index.php

The fireworks store

These particular fireworks take several minutes to go off 

In Michigan it recently became legal to set off fireworks and firecrackers. Previously the law had not allowed anything that left the ground or blows up, without a proper license or city approval. Now a myriad of fireworks are available to the public in Michigan and it has literally turned some people into "kids in a candy store". As a result stores are popping up everywhere they can find a vacant building. It reminds me of the Halloween USA stores that begin popping up in September each year.  Even though some of the fireworks are being imported from other states, it is creating some jobs here in Michigan, which is nice, although most likely temporary. 

I usually am not real excited about fireworks. It seems like people are always getting hurt or starting things on fire. As a kid my dad would always get the fountains, sparklers, and snakes. He would take us out to the nearby lake and set the fountains off on the dock. Then we would all watch the fireworks from over the lake, the big -city approved kind. 

A selection of our purchases 

The new stores that are showing up and selling all these, now legal, fireworks are very interesting. We went to a few different locations here in town, Jake's Fireworks was my favorite. Upon entering "Jake's Fireworks", I felt the energy. The people shopping were excited. The building had been vacant for a long time before Jake's Fireworks entered and now it was bustling with people looking for deals. The store had a feeling of a discount store, with only fireworks. The irony that they were using Wal-Mart shopping carts and home depot baskets was not lost on me, it was truly a discount store.  

Snake residue 

Surrounded by packages named "widow makers" and young men who were excitedly explaining their products to customers, it was hard not to be excited. They even used an old TV display room to show what they sell and how the fireworks look after they are set off. Even the overhead music, testosterone filled rock of AC/DC, pumped a special kind of ambiance.  Sadly, I fear for many of the people buying the fireworks because the directions on the boxes weren't really clear and some of them look extremely dangerous. Especially the Tannerite, this can blow up a piano or half a car. I see no reason to sell this, it goes above and beyond celebrating with fireworks. 

As a child my favorites were sparklers and snakes. My nephew and nieces had a lot of fun with these, the smoke comes in different colors and some of them glow in the dark, but they do leave awful charcoal messes on the pavement. Some times the simplest things bring us the most joy in life.