Our trip to Aspen last week was absolutely fabulous. I really don’t have the words to describe the breathtaking scenery, so just enjoy Fab Photo Friday in Aspen, CO!
Fab Photos Friday: The Natural Beauty of Aspen, CO
Amazing Women Wednesday: Suzanne Simone Stavert
I am a great admirer of Suzanne Stavert! She is the author of Adventures of Empty Nesters, a thoroughly enjoyable blog! I often have her on Travels with Tam as a guest blogger, especially her yummy foodie posts! She loves food and wine and travel accordingly!
Adventures of Empty Nesters was created from the idea that empty nesters needed a place to share adventures, as well as inspire others to go out and find adventure. Suzanne believes the second half of life can be the best ever! I agree with her when she says it is time to focus on our dreams instead of carpooling and soccer practice. She has grown her blog tremendously in just a couple of years, and loves the fact that empty nesters are a community of people who are talented, creative, adventurous, enthusiastic, loyal and are ready for the next adventure. She has created an exciting community online! I admire her for creating adventure for herself and others instead of mourning for her chicks. They all fly eventually, and we need to fly as well.
Suzanne travels the world with her husband, Craig, and blogs about their adventures. One of the most interesting things, especially in the 21st century, is that they were high school sweethearts! They have been married for thirty-one years, and have two amazing adult children, Alexandra 27 and Nicholas 22, (funny, I have an Alexandra, 28!). Travel has always been a part of their lives, but when the nest was finally empty and Nicholas was in college at UCLA, they turned it up a notch!
I asked Suzanne what was happening in their active lives right now, and she replied, “Our biggest personal adventure to date is we downsized and moved away from our home of 27 years. We wanted to live closer to our families and so we took this huge step in January of this year. We purchased a 1937 Spanish Colonial, fixer-upper home in Pasadena, California. Wow – a huge change, as well as an exciting, scary adventure. We start the project today after months of planning, hiring an architect, contractor and city permits. While our home was renovated, it was imperative that we live somewhere else, we decided to take on one more adventure. We drove 1200 miles to Seattle, Washington where we have rented a very small apartment on the 18th floor of an urban high-rise building in downtown Seattle! Our daughter lives in Seattle and it was always a dream of ours to live an urban lifestyle. This is just temporary and so far we are really enjoying this location. Our young dog, Rocco is having a little bit of trouble adjusting to this cement jungle, but we are finding many parks to take him to play. We can fly home every couple of weeks to check on the project and see our extended family. With very competent contractors, face time and cell phones, it simplifies the process of this long distance. Our little dream house in Pasadena should be finished in March of 2016 and we can’t wait to invite our family and friends to our first open house.” How exciting to move to a different city and live a totally different lifestyle! That truly is an adventure!
Be sure and follow Suzanne’s adventures, I always do!
Fab Photos Friday: I am ready for Autumn!
I am off to Aspen on Saturday, hopefully to see gold Aspen trees! I will photograph the trip and share it with you all! In the meantime, as it is 100+ degrees in sunny Texas, I will post photos of beautiful Fall…
and dream about 70 degree weather!
Stay tuned for reviews on Aspen, Colorado!
Monday Musings: Aspen
Aspen, Colorado! How often I’ve heard of that small ski town. I’m finally going to see it next weekend. Randy and I are headed off for a week with friends, and hope to see the Aspen Trees turn gold.
We’ve planned a float trip, a backroads Jeep drive, dinner at Justice Snow…is there anything we are missing that is a “must do” for Aspen? It will be interesting to see a town where selling weed is legal. I’ve watched several shows about the dispensaries, now I will see for myself.
I bought a new GOPRO with an LCD on it for our float trip and the Jeep ride. I’m really quite excited about seeing the mountains! We are staying at the Ritz Carlton Club residences…and I look forward to reviewing it!
So, folks, what do we need to see and do? What restaurants do you recommend? I really want your advice!
Fab Photos Friday: the Colorful and Necessary Parrot Fish!
The Mesoamerican Reef in Mexico is curiously short of Parrot Fish…necessary for eating algae so corals aren’t smothered! Algae is a true enemy of coral reefs, and the Parrot Fish is essential to keep it in check. Besides, they are quite colorful and engaging fish!
- Parrot fish come in every size and color you can think of! Blues, oranges, reds, blacks, whites, greens….it goes on and on.
- They have a lot of tiny teeth, necessary for cleaning the reef. Parrots live on the reefs, or the sea bed grasses.
Check out the beaklike mouth with lots of teeth! 
Small Redtail Parrot has a lot of little teeth! - There are over 90 species of Parrot Fish!
Stoplight Parrotfish, terminal phase. 
Key Largo Stoplight Parrotfish Initial Phase - Parrot Fish are born female but can change sex several times during their life spans…the genders of the fish are kept in balance by this amazing ability.
A Redband Parrot 
Socorro Islands…Bumphead Parrotfish - Their beaklike mouth has sharp teeth which pulverize rocky coral areas while they feed on algae. By pulverizing the little rocks they break off, they create sand for the reef.
A big smile! 
Cozumel Blue Parrot 
Mozambique Tricolor Parrot - Parrot Fish hide at night and cover themselves with mucus to hide from their predators.
A Parrotfish hiding at night 
Hiding 
Camo…can you spot the Parrotfish? - Some types of parrot fish form large shoals, or “schools”.
Schooling….ready to mate in the shallows. 
Beautiful Princess 
Princess Parrotfish 
Cozumel Bluelip Parrot - They mate and spawn in shallow water, and baby Parrot fish are often found in the shallows of the reef system.
- People should not take Parrot Fish from the water, they are needed for the health of the reef. Most “eating” fish are found in deep water.
It is quite fun to watch the larger Parrot Fish smashing the coral…you can hear it underwater!
5 Reasons to Get off your Keester and Travel!
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.
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!
