Funny Things Happened on the Way to Austin

August 22, 2015 By Tam Warner 14 Comments

A Room with a View at the Hyatt Regency Austin

Austin, Texas is one of those places known as “cool”. Austin has always been a cool place to be, whether you are a college student or a Texas politician *(it is the capitol of Texas). It is also a vibrantly active city. The river runs right through downtown (*but it is known as Town Lake, or Lady Bird Lake) and nature exists right in the heart of the city. People are jogging, paddle boarding, kayaking, walking…and there are dogs with their owners. Like I said, a very cool town.

15 kayla ally — Car trouble? Look on the bright side!

My husband and I drove down to Austin yesterday to visit with our son while our daughter and her friends are having her “bachelorette” weekend at Lake Travis, only an hour away. Coincidentally, our daughter’s car full of young women left Dallas about the same time we did. Lucky for them!

I received a call about 20 miles north of Temple, Texas from my niece who was in the car. “Tam, the air conditioning just suddenly went out. It’s not cold air.” Uh oh. That may not sound like a tragedy to people living in more temperate climes, but in Texas it is a calamity! They were driving an older Escalade, so I called the Cadillac dealership in Temple and arranged to meet the girls there.

They needed a new compressor. Did they have the part? No. Could they get the part? Yes. They really went out of their way at Garlyn Shelton Cadillac to help us! We spent 2 and a half hours with the young women (it is hard not to call them girls even though they are in their late twenties…a sure sign of advancing age) and we just laughed and said it’s another Minton adventure. Life is full of the unexpected, and since the unexpected seems to be the norm in my world, we just flow with it.

We ended up late to meet my son for dinner, and we were even later to our hotel, the Hyatt Regency Austin (the view is AMAZING!). We met our son at a delicious sandwich place called the Noble Sandwich Co. which has been featured on Food Network. Delicious? Oh yes, and we were very hungry!

Great meal! They even have a Knuckle Sandwich. Seriously.

So off to the Hyatt where our room awaited, and the view sparkled from our window. I know I am going to enjoy this stay!

5 Reasons to Get off your Keester and Travel!

August 13, 2015 By Tam Warner 10 Comments

5 reasons, travel, keester — A young monk welcoming us to Myanmar.

Do you travel?

Yesterday I wanted to meet a friend for lunch, but my car was in the shop. I called Uber and was quickly picked up by a friendly and delightful driver from Guinea, Africa. We began to talk about Guinea’s location, and he was overjoyed when he discovered that I had actually traveled to Africa and visited several countries there. A story emerged which highlighted, perfectly, why we should all travel. The driver worked on the morning of his daughter’s wedding, and he drove that day in the suit he was going to wear at the event. One of his clients asked him who it was that taught him how to put on a suit. You have to admit, that is a rather odd question. (The inference being, of course, that someone “civilized” had to have explained to him how to wear a suit). The driver, who speaks clear English and has been in the USA for almost 30 years, admitted he was very angry about it. People in America, he said, do not travel often enough, and have no idea about the cultures of other places. I agreed.

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” Terry Pratchett

Since my discussion with him, I have done a little research, and yes, it is true that the vast majority of Americans have never traveled out of the country. I have had people tell me they are not interested in going to other places because America is the “best”. I’m not going to argue about patriotism, but my question is, how do you know? If you have never been to another country, how can you know what is “best”? And does everything have to be rated as good, better and best? Can’t it just be different? I realize that not everyone wants to travel, but there is no question that it provides invaluable experience and insight to the traveler and to the people the traveler knows or meets. “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” I agree, St Augustine, I agree.

travel, 5 reasons, keester — There are over 40,000 Buddhist temples in Thailand! Bangkok is a city filled with wonder. My daughter and I were both blessed by the monks of The Golden Buddha Monastery while we were there.

Here are 5 excellent reasons to see other parts of the world.

Travel takes you out of your comfort zone. Your comfort zone is, well, comforting, but it does not give you the opportunity to stretch yourself or to grow. When you step out into new surroundings you achieve something new…instead of stagnating you are in motion, and you are learning about the world around you. (Your comfort zone really does not exist, you know. It is simply a comforting illusion.)
Market day in Tanzania
Traveling can help you conquer your fears. Afraid of water? Go to the beach, or a lake. Afraid of heights? Climb a hill, or better yet, go to a vista point at the nearest national park. Fear is paralyzing…so get up and move. If not now, when?
Our family in Ancient Rome…the antiquity was mind boggling. And the food was fantastic!
Travel is mind expanding! It gets you out of a routine and makes you use your brain, your ears, and your eyes. When traveling there is so much that has to be taken in…new sights, new flavors, new noises. It takes your complete attention…you are no longer on “auto-pilot”.
Yes, those are swimming pigs! They are in the Exumas, Bahamas!
Travel introduces you to different cultures and new perspectives. The culture you live in isn’t the only one on the planet, you know! Ever thought about doing volunteer travel, especially abroad? These trips are not expensive, and you usually get all of your meals plus a place to stay. Airfare is reasonable to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and many other places from the US. Volunteer travels can be eye opening and have a major impact on your life by showing you how others live, think, and do things. Volunteer Tourism is becoming more and more popular, and for good reason. There are trips for every taste, be it teaching children or scuba diving for research or digging wells or teaching skills to help people make a living. There are many ways to make a difference.
A volunteer trip to Ecuador took me completely out of my comfort zone…and it ended up being a wonderful trip.

Fish Market in Puerto Lopez, Ecuador.
Traveling can be a little scary, and that is probably the best reason to do it. We fear what we do not understand. Travel educates. It challenges us to learn about ourselves, to learn the cultures of other countries, and understanding is the path to knowledge, and hopefully, wisdom.
Oh, it isn’t that scary!!!!

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” Mark Twain

I have some favorite volunteer travel agents and agencies such as All Out Africa, Kaya Responsible Travel, the Giving Lens (a great volunteer program for photographers), Marine Megafauna Ray of Hope Expeditions, Mission Blue….there are just so many opportunities! Get on Google and Google to get away! Seeing the world will make a difference not only in your life…but in the lives of others. And no excuses about being “too old”. I took my first Citizen Science trip when I was 53! Just make up your mind and do it!

Wonderful Wednesday! Three Ways to EAT: Food Markets in NYC

August 11, 2015 By Tam Warner 7 Comments

A Guest Post by Suzanne Simone Stavert of ADVENTURES OF EMPTY NESTERS!

One World Trade Center,The Freedom Tower, NYC

There is never a shortage of amazing food markets in New York City. Picking a favorite is like choosing which of your friends you like best..impossible! Just like with the number of friends, the more markets the better!

When we travel, one of our favorite activities (besides eating) is to visit local and specialty markets in the cities we visit. However, when it comes to markets, we all win the lottery in New York City. You name it, you can find it. In the Big Apple there are specialty stores for every type of cuisine in the world.

There are also extraordinary “foodie” markets, places that make you giddy with excitement if you love to cook or love to eat. On our recent trip to Manhattan, we strolled through the revitalized Wall Street under the shadow of the brand new, magnificent Freedom Tower, to see Le District, a delicious new French-inspired market and food emporium curated by chefs and food experts. The slogan “New York with a French Attitude” sums it up pretty perfectly. However, I did not receive any attitude, only friendly, helpful merchants and so much variety, it will make your head spin. Le District is divided in to four districts: Market, Garden, Restaurant and Cafe.

Le District

Vibrant and bustling, Le District offers gastronomic delights from buttery, french baked goods and rainbow colored candy to freshly caught fish at the Poissonnerie. The stacks of fragrant cheese are piled high at the Fromagerie and you will find walls full of tangy, french mustards. C’est magnifique!

Chelsea Market

Just a quick cab ride away from Le District, is the gritty, urban and ever so busy Chelsea Market, You will find everything from flowers and wine to chocolate brownies and kitchen supplies. The vibe is hip, down to earth and the thirty-five different vendors provide a fantastic variety. Located in the Meat Packing District, next door to the elevated park, The High Line, the Chelsea Market has been in existence for 15 years. Amazingly enough, every time I visit, I find something new and delicious to eat and more intriguing stores to visit.

Old brick patina and repurposed metal are part of the uniqueness of the hallways and building design. This revitalized food retreat, which is a block long and a block wide, offers a entirely unique view of the foodie world and I love it too.

An assortment of brownies — An assortment of brownie flavors at The Brownie Witch

UrbanarchitectureChelseaMkt — This is the wall next to the elevator door – love the design.

After a tasty, farm to table Cobb Salad and stroll through Chelsea Market, we needed to work off the calories. We walked several long blocks over to visit my Italian roots where the intoxicating smells of refrigerated salumi and enormous wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano welcome you. Located in the Flatiron Neighborhood, Eataly is upscale, gorgeous, grand and an absolute must visit in New York City.

Eataly

Fun Fact:

Food markets are such popular tourist destinations that Eataly tops the vacation itinerary for almost everyone who loves food.

Flat Iron Bldg — The Flatiron Building, across the street from Eataly.

Savor antipasti, eat pizza, drink wine, buy olive oil, (if you can manage to choose one of the hundreds available). Just try to decide which fresh pasta, gorgeous produce and imported cheese you want to take home. There are seven incredible restaurants at Eataly: Pranzo, La Pizza & La Pasta, Le Verdure, Il Pesce,La Birreria, Manzo and La Piazza. Then, if you still aren’t quite full enough, stop for a cafe latte and a cup of gelato on the way out.

Each of these specialty food halls warms my heart in a different way and it is nearly impossible for me to choose my favorite. However, after giving it some thought, I do usually put aside an hour or two during each trip to New York just to visit Eataly and soak it all in. I guess perhaps Eataly is my favorite because ultimately I gravitate to the delicious, comfort food of growing up in a large Italian family. My grandma would be happy to hear me say this.

Fab Photos Friday: The Biggest Fish in the Ocean

August 6, 2015 By Tam Warner 9 Comments

Andrea took this awesome photo of me with the Whale Shark! — Field scientist Dr. Andrea Marshall took this awesome photo of me with the Whale Shark!

The incredible Whale Shark is the biggest fish in the ocean! And it is such a beautiful, gentle fish! It has to be said that whale sharks probably don’t have Einstein’s IQ since they have the smallest brain in the ocean for their size, but give them a break …they help keep plankton and krill under control, which is necessary for our oceans and for life on earth. I just returned from the Yucatan peninsula where possibly the largest aggregation of whale sharks occurs, and it was a spectacular trip. Here are some Whale Shark Facts along with the photographs I took!

1. The largest fish in the ocean can grow up to 65 feet and 75,000 pounds. They are as large as many whales, and as big as, or bigger than, a city bus!

I took this photo of the vertical, pregnant whale shark and our Kiwi!

2. The largest fish in the ocean eats the smallest creatures in the ocean: tiny plankton, small fishes, and small crustaceans. They are filter feeders, they gulp the sea water through their gills, and when the water is pushed out, prey gets stuck to their gill plates. Yum!

Andrea photographing. — Photographing and swimming with Whale Sharks.

3. Whale Sharks are sharks and do not have bones, but cartilage. Cartilage does not fossilize as well as bones do, so there is not a huge fossil record of sharks. Most of what we know of ancient sharks come from their teeth.

This lousy photo gives you a sense of the scale of these animals!

4. Female Whale Sharks are bigger than the males and are found in all warm oceans: Pacific, Indian and Atlantic.

Two feeding sharks..the white dots and scatter is food! Tuna spawn draws the Whale Sharks to the Yucatan every year.

5. Whale Sharks are gentle creatures and one can swim right next to the animal with no fear.

6. Each whale shark has a unique spot pattern from it’s gill to over the pectoral fins. When swimming with whale sharks, it is best to take ID photos to upload into a scientific database like www.whaleshark.org.

7. Thanks to tagging and ID photographs much more is now known about Whale Sharks compared to 10 years ago. We know they migrate thousands of miles to opportunistically feed…Mexico is a hotspot, particularly the Yucatan where tuna spawn in the summer. The whale shark may live up to 100 years!

8. It is not common to see pregnant females like the one pictured here. Much of the time one sees juvenile males. A female whale shark has been known to hold 300 fetuses. It is possible that female whale sharks may “save sperm” in order to fertilize their own eggs as they are made, but more study needs to be completed in order to know for certain.

Feeding Series. This is the first shot I took. — Feeding Series. This is the first shot I took of this glorious pregnant female!

Feeding series 2. I swam in front of the shark to get a shot and she buttoned up. — Feeding series 2. I swam in front of the shark to get a shot and she buttoned up! Proof that she knows I am not food.

Feeding series 3. She opened back up when I reached her other side.

9. Sadly, the Whale Shark is “vulnerable” according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Red List. Whale Sharks are protected in most areas of the world but are still killed for their fins (for shark fin soup). Sharks are very toxic to humans so they are not a good food source, and humans have been very toxic toward sharks since we are responsible for the deaths of 75 to 100 million sharks a year.

If you wish to learn more about these fascinating sharks, check out www.marinemegafauna.org. Marine Megafauna Foundation studies large pelagic species in order to understand their ecology and protect them from illegal fishing practices. You can even adopt a shark, manta ray, or sea turtle! The proceeds go toward scientific study of the animals for conservation purposes. Marine Megafauna also offers expeditions (like the one I was just on in the Yucatan) in order to assist scientists by performing citizen science. We are all responsible for the condition of our planet, and we all need to contribute in some way. If you’d like to learn more about sharks and the state of our oceans, I recommend going to www.sharkwater.com and seeing the documentaries of Rob Stewart, or checking the BBC or Discovery Channel.

Amazing Women Wednesday: Citizen Scientists in the Yucatan!

August 4, 2015 By Tam Warner 44 Comments

I wrote this blog in 2015, after a fabulous trip to the Yucatan with an amazing group of women! I have stayed in touch with all of them. I will update you in the blog itself! Enjoy!

Andrea, Elnora and Fin with a Whale Shark

Amazing Women Wednesday: Citizen Scientists in the Yucatan!

Two weeks ago I met a stunning group of women. We were all citizen science volunteers on the Ray of Hope Expedition 2015 to the Yucatan. Our goal was to take ID photographs of Manta Rays and Whale Sharks, and to obtain 30 genetic samples from Mantas. The Whale Shark goal was awesomely met, the Mantas were elusive, but the group of women on the expedition made the trip more than worthwhile. [Read more…] about Amazing Women Wednesday: Citizen Scientists in the Yucatan!

Citizen Science with Marine Megafauna Foundation

August 2, 2015 By Tam Warner 15 Comments

We did two days of diving with Rodrigo Friscione, of Solo Buceo in Cancun. I’m on the far left.

The Marine Megafauna Foundation Ray of Hope Expedition 2015 included a marine biologist (USA), a geneticist (Japan, living and working in the US), a biologist from the Maldives (a Scot by birth), a scuba instructor from the Maldives (a Kiwi, otherwise know as a New Zealander), a Penn biology major (from Mexico), a videographer (South Africa), and those of us, scuba divers and/or photographers, who care deeply about our watery world, both Canadian and US. Our mission was to photograph animals (Whale Sharks and Manta Rays) for Identification, upload to Whaleshark.org and MantaMatcher.org, and to take genetic samples from the Manta Rays of the Yucatan. We were not entirely successful with the Mantas…the elusive creatures, well, they eluded us! We did manage to get 7 or so, but we fell far short of the desired 30 samples.

Scientists and Citizen Scientists at Whale Shark Festival, Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

Whale Sharks, on the other hand, were in abundance. The Yucatan is one of the world’s largest aggregations of whale sharks, if not the largest. We headed out in the mornings for a 90 minute boat ride to the shark area, typically just before sunrise, and seeing the dawn out on the calm Caribbean Sea was a serenely beautiful experience. Once out to the shark area (wherever the whale sharks are gathering and feeding that particular day) it became disheartening to see all the tourist boats. There must have been 50 boats on some days.

Please do not get me wrong. We are trying to conserve and preserve these animals by showing how valuable they are to tourism, and valuable they certainly are. Tourists are out in droves to see and to swim with them. 40 or 50 boats at a time can seem pretty excessive, though. The first day we hung out on the edges, swimming with the sharks who were on the periphery of the tourists. We were on a scientific vessel and had a permit to be in the water with them for study. The first day was very shark rich, and I was able to get several ID shots, as were other members of the group. The best day was ahead, however.

15 tom whalesharks feeding on surface — Whale Sharks feeding on the surface

On the third day of the expedition we headed out looking for mantas, and skipped the whale sharks until around noon. By that time, the boats were gone. We had 30 or so whale sharks to ourselves, and one other boat. It had to have been one of the best animal encounters I have ever had. Without the hoarde of boats, one could be patient, waiting for feeding whale sharks to swim by. We didn’t have to chase them, or even swim that hard to stay up with them (they may look as though they are moving slow, but they are really going much faster than you think) because they were lazily filtering the surface of the water, knowing they were pretty much alone and in no hurry. With several boats, it gets confusing, and the sharks often have to change course to avoid snorkelers, but on this day, they were content and feeding happily on tuna spawn. Every time we got out of the water we had to brush off tuna eggs from our wetsuits and hair.

15 1 looking down — Looking down, into the Big Blue.

I have not been happy with the whale shot photographs I have taken over the years. On this glorious day, alone with whale sharks, I took the best photographs I have ever taken of these spotted, gentle giants. Just incredible! I’m going to save many of those photos for Fabulous Photo Friday this week! My dream has always been to watch a whale shark vertically feeding in the water, and to capture photographs of it. My dream came true with a huge, pregnant Whale Shark who had to be 40 feet long. She was immense, and it was amazing to watch her, vertical and still, while she filtered tuna spawn. Ah, she was such a beauty! And lucky for me, Dr Andrea Marshall (the Director of Marine Megafauna Foundation and Ray of Hope) was in the water and captured an incredible, once in a lifetime photo of me with the whale shark. Yes, I will be framing it! I can’t tell you how thrilling it is to have a photo of this quality! Thank you, Andrea!

15 1 whale shark one ID shot LEFT2 — Whale Shark ID shot: these spot patterns are unique to each individual.

I took several ID photos and uploaded them to www.whaleshark.org. It was exciting to receive a few matches, telling me that I had photographed a shark who had been photographed several times over the past 5 years. It’s also exciting NOT to receive matches, meaning I uploaded photos of sharks who were new to the system. I am thrilled to be able to assist conservation science by being a Citizen Scientist.

“In today’s world, it’s clear that our natural environment cannot be preserved and protected by the few people officially designated with this task. It will take all of us, in all parts of the world. We all need to find ways to help in this monumental task.

Citizen Science offers each of us a path to find special ways in which we can each help protect our part of the world. It’s an elegant, efficient, and engaging solution to the huge environmental problems we face in the 21st century.” www.citizenscientists.com

I cannot begin to express the wonder and the thrill of being next to these ocean pelagics. It is truly awe-inspiring…and I am so grateful I can help in their conservation. Check out http://www.citizenscientists.com/ and check out how many ways there are to help!

EPIC ADVENTURES

Fun Fact:

Food markets are such popular tourist destinations that Eataly tops the vacation itinerary for almost everyone who loves food.

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