Thursday, May 29, 2014

THINK YOU CAN CHANGE A LIGHT BULB?

Not so easy...in fact downright dangerous! Why would anyone install such a crazy light fixture? I asked myself in frustration yesterday as I tried to change a lightbulb in our condo bathroom. In fact it would be a brilliant challenge for the 'Amazing Race' contestants. The light fixture had been bugging me for ages. There were four bulbs missing and I could see why; it takes a good hour to change one. Firstly, I had to balance myself precariously near the sink, then remove two side panels and 8 screws. After that was done, I had to wipe the sweat from my palms, and one by one remove more than 20 delicate crystal wands to finally reach the burnt out bulb. As I was doing it, I wondered what the heck the previous owners were thinking when choosing such a complicated fixture.

Suddenly I had a light bulb moment! The problem wasn't the light fixture; it was me. I was too darn impatient. In fact since I arrived in Vancouver on Monday, I've noticed the whole world - not just me - have been galloping around like headless horses. Have you noticed the impatience? On the roads - especially on the roads!! In the shops, waiting to be served, waiting for food (4 mins is the max people are prepared to wait for fast food), waiting for that phone call back, waiting for traffic to move. We were stuck in heavy traffic yesterday. I noticed the young woman in the car behind me had a look on her face that would curdle milk. Why so angry? The roadworks were unavoidable. 

So twenty years ago when my bathroom fixture was installed, the world was obviously a calmer place, and the people who chose it, clearly enjoyed crosswords and sudoku.

Who's at fault? The light fixture? My impatience? or the world that's rushing me?

Have a peaceful day,

Luv,

Polly P xxx 

Monday, May 19, 2014

POLLY IS BACK!!

I brought Polly with me on holidays to Vegas, and since our return she will not shut up!! No, she's as high as a kite; must have been all those cowboys we met in Fremont. We are already planning the next trip...

We returned to a beautiful sunny Victoria, which compares favourably to Las Vegas...though for very different reasons. Instead of cowboys, we have gigolos here. What's the difference? Good question. 'Cowboy' is a negative term used in Ireland for men of ill repute. Hope that explains... Though I know the song "Save a horse ride a cowboy" does not do justice to the honourable cowboys who make a living rounding up cattle, and toiling in the great outdoors.

I love living in a  tourist destination. Last night Kevin and I became tourists in our own town. We dined in Earl's and later strolled down Government Street, along with the hundreds of visiting tourists.

We stopped for ice-cream in our favourite cafe, and sat in our own special seat, with a bird's eye view of the Empress Hotel and inner harbour. Licking our yummy ice cream cones, we enjoyed observing all the holidaymakers with happy smiles and cameras. The horses and carriages were kept busy with blushing brides and contented grooms.  Cash registers were busy cha-ching...ing, and the world was at peace.

The city was thronged because of the long Victoria Day weekend. Today there will be the annual parade, and we could not have had nicer weather. Luck is on our side. Kevin and I went to our beloved flea market yesterday, and returned with the car full of hanging baskets and flowers of every hue for the garden. While Kevin was busy getting the garden ready for summer, I had a ton of ironing to catch up on. The joys of life...

Energised by Vegas, I bulldozed my way into the wardrobe; banished all my winter clothes into the basement, and brought up all my bright, sunny, happy summer clothes. If the truth be known, I do prefer the summer colours. I spent hours and now my wardrobe is looking as happy as Pollyanna!

Colours of the same hue hang out together. My wardrobe is now a riot of colour  - lime greens, hot pinks, sunshine yellow, fuchsia, tangerine, midnight blue, snow white and flattering blacks. I did the same with the shoes, scarves and bags. I've never been this organized, and boy does it ever feel great. I just love the time it saves in the morning, and the joy it brings seeing everything look so cheerful. At the same time, I did a big clear out, and maybe that too will bring a smile to somebody's face.

That's it for now! Better fly to get the bathroom cleaned, and the bed made, and Lulu her walk, and the ten washes into the washing machine, and the dishwasher emptied, and the supermarket for tonight's supper, and the post off to mum, and...

Love you lots!!

Polly P xxx

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

VIVA LAS VEGAS!!

If you've never been to Disneyland and feel a tinge of childhood deprivation, dry your tears. A trip to Vegas will put everything right. My belief in the kindness of strangers was completely validated and my happy tank fully charged! Along with Hawaii and Disneyland, it has to be one of the most entertaining places on earth. I was there for a week, but left wanting more...

Sure, the Vegas stereotypes were all on view - sleazy fellows with hairy chests donning '70's attire, showgirls, strippers, bright neon lights, quickie-wedding chapels, feathers, pictures of naked women floating in the air like confetti, brides-to-be wearing wedding veils and making noise, casinos, and bars opened 24/7. I expected all that. After all 'Sin City' didn't get the title for nothing!

The billboards warned "Before going to Las Vegas you need your physician's approval, before leaving, you need your Psychiatrist's".  Who would have thought that on a Vegas bus, I would have had a deeply spiritual conversation with a complete stranger. As they say - anything goes. Vegas variety is the spice of life! Talking about transport, a three day bus pass costs $20, and is the cheapest and most interesting way to get around the city. They also had the monorail which seemed too complicated in the heat. It's hard to get out of a taxi for less than $15. $20-$30 is their preferred amount. Some will offer free t.v.'s

Everything in LV seems to be 'super sized'. The hot dogs are twice the size, chickens, boobs, fries, diet yogurt - even the blessed eucharist! We went to mass on the Sunday and what an eye-opener. Before the ceremony began, the priest asked us to turn to our neighbour and introduce ourselves. "Say hello Folks and tell them where you're from". Music helped ease the initial awkwardness.

We were royally entertained by a seven piece orchestra, complete with violins, drums, trumpet, piano, and a tenor, who was a mix between Elvis and Daniel O'Donnell. His heavenly voice would bring tears to a stone. When it came time to receive the host, it was so huge I gagged on it. Twice the size. My neighbour couldn't take his hand off his wife's thigh, and with the other hand was massaging her back. I found it distracting. It must have been the singing. He slithered off before the second collection.

Everybody likes to party in Vegas. People are happy just being, and want to share their happiness. As a tourist, we're all included in the big Vegas party. If you want to experience some hands-on-fun, take a bus to Fremont, the original 'Vegas' where it all began some sixty years ago. You'll see all the original storefronts and neon signs. In addition, you can join the revellers for some groovy dancing. Scantily clad Show Girls dance on the tables, but ordinary tourists do it on the streets. It was charming to watch all the generations dancing, from tiny tikes to grannies, and every age in-between. We took our cue from a cowgirl who doubled as a DJ. Her favourite song was "Save a horse, ride a cowboy". I couldn't stop singing it.

Our Vegas vacation got off to a great start when our hotel, the Hilton holiday suites (Las Vegas Blvd.) superceded our expectations. It was voted the most luxurious place we had ever stayed. May is a great time to travel, as it is considered low season, and you can snap up fantastic deals. For less than $4,000 our 5 flights were covered, plus the accommodation, and free breakfast each morning. The breakfast was available any time you wanted, and there was a choice. We opted for the toasted bagels filled with cheese, ham, bacon, eggs to your taste. Vegetarians were also catered for. You had bottles of juice, as well as tea or coffee. It kept you going. They had a Starbucks from where you received your specialty coffees and teas. Fantastic deal all around.

Our accommodation comprised two large bedrooms and bathrooms, plus a queen pull-out couch in the living room. Three large flat screened t.v.'s (more than we have at home!!) The master bedroom had a Cleopatra-style sunken jacuzzi tub, walking distance from the cavernous bed. Bathrooms were dripping in marble. The master shower had all those faucets that come at you from everywhere, giving a real luxurious feel. Kitchen had marble countertops, huge fridge, microwave, gorgeous shiny plates and glasses, and big generous dining table. It's too bad we couldn't find decent food to put in the fridge. Finding shops that sell healthy food is a challenge. If we never ventured outside our hotel, we could still have a great holiday.

The swimming pools were divine, (S-shaped pools), surrounded by large, shady palm trees. We'd hit the pool in the morning, breakfast in hand, before the dry desert air got too warm. Temperatures some days were 29 degrees, though in July and August, it can soar up to the 40's and higher!! I am comfortable in the low to mid 20's, so would prefer May or September/October for visiting this desert paradise.

The Hotels were a destination in themselves. Fabulous, glamorous, larger-than-life opulence. Unfortunately, you cannot avoid the thousands of casinos housed within them. They pay the Vegas taxes, so are a big part of the Hotel scene. The marble floored boutiques sold many of the luxury brands, such as Prada, Dior, Stella McCartney, Dolce & Gabbana, and Louis Vuitton, to name but a rich few. If you can believe our taxi driver, Las Vegas has 19 of the largest hotels in the world!! I believe him.

Our top five favourites were Caesar's Palace (free Atlantis shows there on the the hour), Bellaggio (fab flowers and butterfly garden), Wynns (Steve Wynn is Donald Trump's biggest competitor in the luxury hotel department), the Cosmopolitan (for its sleek modern architecture), and last, but certainly not least, the Venetian. You need never visit the real Venice. The Vegas version, along with the gondola rides was equally impressive - well maybe a tad tacky. Tacky is party of the Vegas charm. They do it in a charming, lovable way. The Eiffel Tower is also pretty impressive, and a lot easier to climb than the original version in Paris.

If you went to Vegas hoping to see some culture, the charm of the place will offset your disappointment, as well as a few good shows. We sent to see 'Vegas the Show' and Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil, both of which were excellent. A trip to the desert was another culturally rich experience. We spent a day in 'Death Valley about two hour's drive from the city. Long ago when the gold prospectors went in search of gold, one in five never returned, due to the heat. That's how they came up with 'Death Valley'. Temperatures recorded in the summer are the hottest in the world, rising up to 51 degrees. Dubai would be similar.

Due to the winding roads, large buses cannot drive there, so you can only get a smaller bus which fits 12 people max. This makes for an expensive day trip at approx. $200 per person, which includes breakfast and lunch. In retrospect, it was worth the visit, and very interesting landscape to see. At times it felt like you were in a spaceship on Mars, or extras on a Western movie. Especially when our driver played the theme song from 'The good the bad and the ugly'. Such a contrast to lively, buzzing Las Vegas next door!

En route, we passed some interesting ghost towns. Our last stop on the way home (to put gas in the bus and use the facilities at the 'Tumbleweed' pub) was in a one-horse town called 'Pahrump'. The driver warned us "the toilets are scary". When you walked in, everybody at the bar turned and stared. The two Australian guys on our tour ventured in first "there's four men in there and three teeth". I'll not easily forget 'Tumbleweed' and Pahrump.

And for that matter, I'll not easily forget Las Vegas. I'm in love and I'm all shook up!

Love and kisses,

Patricia xxx