the little travelers * travel blog

backyard camp-not

Well, it was indeed a toasty night.  The cousins came over and everyone wanted to do the camp out at grandma's house.  She is just filling a pool with water which was definitely the highlight of the night.  This was taken around 10pm!  And yes, that water is straight from the hose and chilly.

There is something so fun about playing outside in the dark!  The harsh flash makes for awful pictures, but fun was had!

We didn't need sleeping bags or a tent here so the digs were on the cushy side!

But somewhere around midnight everyone decided they were way too hot- as it was still around 96 degrees to actually sleep, so they all headed in, except grandma who made it through the entire night.  Ironically, she was the only one who said she didn't want to join us for a night outside.

They still wanted to 'camp' so ended up here on the floor.  I think we may have to wait until fall to start sleeping outdoors again...

I do really love to sleep outside whenever possible and even if not outside I sleep with my windows all the way open for some good fresh air at night.  

           ***********************

I just got this in my mailbox this morning, which I highly recommend listening to.  It is David Wolfe talking on the new scientific information on walking barefoot.  It's really great information!  And well, I like it because it justifies me letting my littles go barefoot all the time- haha!  I mean, it's one of those things where it is the most basic common sense principal in the world, but now we have scientific information to 'prove' that the world is in fact orderly and all of our modern conveniences interfere with the basic nature of the planet and if we would just return to a more natural state we'd be a lot better off.  Just like the sunglasses thing.  Now there are lots of studies saying that blocking UV rays from our retinas contributes to depression because those light rays are what help keep the brain in balance.  I know plenty of people that never walk outside without sunglasses and rubber soled shoes and a whole lot of sunscreen on.

One of the things I love about David's clip is that he mentions Steiner.  For those that are into Waldorf education- and I understand that not everyone is!! (I recently got a really intense hate email by an irate woman telling me I was ruining my children by exposing them to Waldorf- hahaha!!!)- it is a nice confirmation of some of the principals therein.  He talks about EMF fields and how exposure to the natural world eliminates them.  One of the main principals in Waldorf is having all natural materials for young children to play with.  Now again, through scientific research we are able to see the difference between a natural wooden toy and one make from plastics and other artificial materials.  I was recently at a neighbor's house and was again stunned by the toys available for her children.  Everything was made of synthetics and almost all of them were battery operated plastic toys.  Wow, was  the energy in that room toxic!  Plus the air condition running 24/7 here in Arizona - so who knows the last time a window was open.   I could hardly stand to spend the 5 minutes I was there in that room.  And then I'm reminded that most of the children in this country live in very similar environments.  It's nuts.  

I've also recently been turned on the Ringing Cedars series by a friend and can't put them down!  They're pretty out there and poorly written but some of the information in them is just so fascinating!  The basic story is that this Russian guy meets this woman who lives in Siberia in the woods alone and was mostly raised by animals.  It is much debated whether or not she truly exists and all of that- but there is definitely lots of interesting information about how to get along with the natural world.  For example, she says all of the animal and plant kingdoms are here to serve Man but we don't realize it.  Like when bugs crawl on our skin and bite us- it is apparently to help us detoxify and clean and open our pores and where the bug bites is very specific to our individual condition.  Now whether or not this is actually true - who knows!  But I told my kids and now when little bugs crawl on them we just watch to where the bug crawls and whether or not they will bite.  As opposed to what used to happen- a good swat and irritation by being bitten.  She gives info on planting your own garden and says that before planting a seed you should put it under your tongue for a certain amount of time and the fruit or vegetable will grow with the precise nutrients that your body is in need of!  I mean just the possibility of that being true is truly incredible!  Nature is so incredibly intelligent.  She also says that the more children are raised in nature the more they will excel technologically later since nothing that is ever invented doesn't already exist in nature.  There is also a dvd available about a school in Russia that is based on some of her work- the kids built the school themselves, do the entire 10 yr curriculum in one year and graduate at 17 with Master's degrees.  It all looks very fascinating and I can't wait to learn more...

The Great American Backyard Campout

is coming this Saturday, June 27th!  We are planning on participating even though we're in Arizona right now and nights are in the 90's!  It'll be a toasty night with no covers but should be fun.  This is such a great way to add adventure and fun to our lives when at home and not traveling.  We hope many of you will join us and post pictures and stories afterwards.  

Iran

I've received quite a few emails from many of you asking my opinion about what is happening in Iran right now.   I will say that this is exactly what most of the people I spoke with when we were there last fall, had expected.  Obama had just been elected but not yet inaugurated and many of the people spoke of hope for a president they could also respect when their election came next.  I did not meet anyone who was in favor of Ahmadinejad.  Yet everyone I spoke to said they feared that because Khamenei liked him he would remain in office whether or not he won the vote.  This was entirely expected.  They've had a chance to prepare and knew what was in store for them.  I watch in great admiration to those standing up to that regime.  I feel honored to have met many of the citizens there last year and trust that this is the time they've been waiting for to make the change.  

There are a few points I find irritating by the US press- there's been a lot of talk about whether or not Obama has done enough to speak out against the regime and stand with those opposing it.  I've heard a lot about how 'they' are looking to him as the leader of the free world for support.  I find this point of view incredibly ethnocentric and really bothersome.  In that statement, there is an implied assumption that the Iranian people cannot organize themselves or have their own ideas about what they are wanting.  First of all, let's all please remember that democracy is not an American idea!  Keep in mind that the very first recorded model of a democratic society came from Iran thousands of years ago!  Most Iranians I spoke to do not want an American version of democracy.  Yes, they are looking for greater freedoms, of course, however, they are wanting it on their own terms and in a way that suits them.  The chador is a voluntary piece of clothing, yet about 50% of the women choose to wear it.  Many women would like to choose to not cover their head at all, however, many find the dress that American women wear extremely distasteful and vulgar and do not want it to be allowed on their streets either.  There is a deeply moral vein running through the country that 95% of the people I spoke with would like to keep.  It is a very decent, family oriented culture, due in part to their laws.  Most I spoke with do not want to throw the baby out with the bath water.  They are not at all looking to make Iran like the US!  They just want more flexibility to make more of their own choices.  But they are a very old and wise society and realize that with more freedom comes the other parts the US often does not recognize- high teen birth rates, illiteracy, a failing school system, high percentage of fatherless families, high theft and murder rates.  If the US with all of its great freedoms was really such a fantastic system would we top the world in school shootings?

Many Americans like to think that freedom is everything.  The propaganda here tells us that Iran hates America because we stand for freedom and they stand for oppression so naturally they hate us.  I found that most people there do not hate Americans at all but do feel (like I do) that there are many things in this country that have crept into other Asian countries in particular that have decreased the quality of life in many areas.  Again, it comes down to a moral demise.  I don't think anyone that is sober can look at an area like Phuket, Thailand or Kuta Beach, Bali and feel good about what western culture had brought to these areas.  Areas that were immersed in Hinduism or  Buddhism that are now areas full of bars, prostitution and drugs.  There are clinics on every corner for STDs, tons of filthy Western men looking for very young Asian girls fueling the sex trade, lots of women left behind to take care of children born out of these trade or young girls left infertile by multiple abortions.  This is all part of our western freedoms.  This is the part that many righteous Americans do not want to take responsibility for, but it's part of the package.  

In Iran right now, there are many capable, intelligent, great thinkers, philosophers and activists that have a vision for their country.  There are plenty of political activists that have been in jail multiple times, who have spread literature underground for the past 30 years!  Iran has one of the most honorable histories of thinkers in the world.  Hafez is who Goethe read and influenced him.  There is no shortage of great minds and great hearts in that country.  They are by no means an aimless group of people looking to the west for direction.  They have been suppressed and are now taking back control of this country.  I'm watching with great hope and anticipation of what their future holds.  My prayers are definitely with all the people there as they move through this point in their history.  And I am a firm believer in the old adage that, "The greatest tragedy is not death, but rather a life without purpose."   There is a lot of purpose bubbling up to the surface right now.  Let's all join in them in that purpose driven life.  Let's be inspired to do something meaningful with our own day today.  

And let's pray that peace, love, harmony and joy return to Iran asap!!!

family footsteps

Both of my parents are German immigrants.  My dad first came to Canada, then Chicago to Berkley and then down to the LA area.  My mom came to New York and then to LA, where she soon after met my dad.

In Bremerhaven, Germany they have set up a new Immigrants Museum that was fantastic.  It mostly highlighted the immigrant from the early 1900's rather than the 1960's when my parents came but it was great for the kids to see the process of how many immigrants came to this country and how they got here. 

They had some really great luggage around here!

This was 3rd class and I absolutely cannot imagine sleeping in one of these cabins with children for 6 weeks!  Imagine all the vomit that would all over the place.  uh.

Such a different life than the immigrants that came before us...

This was the Ellis Island portion and they had all sorts of personal stories to listen to on headphones that were all quite powerful.  Many having to do with loss and hope for a new life.  It's good to put our current economic 'crisis' into perspective when we think about many of our ancestors who had to come here, build houses, plant crops and work 24/7 to make it.  Many of us today are complaining about not being able to eat out as much these days.  We all really have it so easy compared to generations past.  Thank goodness!!

food

"I feel barfy" is a phrase I've been hearing a whole lot since returning from Germany from the little sister in particular.  She has wheat, soy, dust, mold, egg and a few other allergies and is a lot more sensitive to foods than her sister.  While traveling I try really hard not to get too fussy over food and unless it's going to really wreak havoc on her than just let it slide as much as possible.  In Germany we ate white wheat rolls a lot!  Nearly all meals in restaurants are served with one and while staying in hotels and with my uncle we had them every morning for breakfast.  None of us had any issues with stomach aches or 'feeling barfy' after we ate.  The same goes for Iran- where we ate wheat flatbread with every single meal.  No stomach issues whatsoever.  The first morning back in Cali I ate a half a grapefruit and a glass of water and had a very familiar stomach ache that happens to me often here in the states.  While driving from CA to Arizona we stopped at Sizzler for the salad bar, which is actually the best choice is Blythe!  It's that or McDonald's. Within 15 minutes of eating and back on the hwy I started major stomach cramps, sweating and barely made it to the next rest stop and the little one complaining of feeling barfy.  Ditto after a stop at Subway.  Ditto the next night at Mom's favorite Chinese restaurant.  Ditto after eating a Costco muffin at a neighbor's house... What percentage of our population is now diagnosed with IBS???  

This all leads me to believe that there is something in our food.  To make matters worse I'm reading Omnivore's Dilemma- a very scary book.  For example they took foods from McDonald's and did a molecular analysis of it and found it was primarily corn!  The coke registers as 100% corn, milk shake as 78%, chicken nuggets 56%, cheeseburger 52% & fries 23%!  Because livestock eats all corn and soy now even though it looks like we're eating beef, cheese, dairy and potatoes really we're eating mostly corn and soy at every meal.  

Typically we shop at Whole Foods, Trader Joes and farmer's markets and don't consume a lot of packaged things.  But in Germany we ate whatever  we were offered and particularly the last few weeks while staying with relatives we ate a lot of chocolate, candy, chips, Nutella with breakfast, prosciutto type pork meats, bratwurst and all sorts of stuff that we wouldn't ordinarily eat and none of us had any issues at all.  I know I've just spent 3 months living with my brother the conspiracy theorist- but it does seem really odd to me that our food makes us sick and then pharmaceutical companies come along and design all sorts of 'remedies'  that will solve the problem when the problem is our food to begin with that now also has loads of pharmaceuticals in it.  Germany does not allow GMOs in their food and is much stricter about what it allows livestock to eat.  And we still saw plenty of cows on actual grass!  Something has definitely gone dramatically wrong with our food supply here in the good ol' US of A and it should concern all of us.  Did I mention not a single stomach ache in IRAN???  Iran has better (cleaner) food than we do here.

pirate festival

Up in the north of Germany, in a little seaside town called Cuxhaven, is where my mom grew up.  While visiting up there we had loads of fun learning about pirate lore.  The tide in that area goes way out and many ships were stranded and raided by pirates steering unsuspecting voyagers in the wrong direction.  It is said that there are still mountains of gold hidden away somewhere along the shore here.  

So we thought taking in a pirate festival would be a grand thing to do!  There were so many cute ideas here that would easily translate into a school's festival or a birthday party.

Sword making

I thought roasting bread was ingenious!  Such a great alternative to marshmallows.  And this is a great patience builder as it took about 15 minutes for the bread to bake.  This is why Europeans are so different than Americans!  No American child would be expected to wait a whole 15 minutes while during his bread dough.  (outside of Waldorf schools, that is)

 

We had to exchange out money for pirate money and had to pay for all food and crafts with this currency instead.  Wood money, cloth bag.

Bandana activity

Super fun day of pirating!

what time zone am I in???

After much flying back and forth, packing up a U-HAUL with my Mom and unloading LOTS of boxes and furniture I finally got my computer plugged back in and dug up my little drive with a few photos of the fairy tale tour on it.  We had a really fun time and would not mind one bit if I were Rapunzel for a year or so locked up in that tower of hers!  

The view from that place was so peaceful and restful to me...  just looking at it again after the hustle and bustle of New York and driving across the desert makes me want to say, "Aaaahhhhhhh..."

There were lots of lovely views out of little windows from quaint hotel rooms.

And in this castle apparently answering the question at the front desk during check-in, "Is that Ms. or Mrs.?" with a "Definitely Ms." and a bat of the eye-lashes was the right thing to do since the man asking set up the banquet room downstairs usually reserved for weddings just for us!  score.  The kids had sooo much fun- as did the adults.

'Quaint' and 'picturesque' sum up the entire trip.  We visited Hansel and Gretel's  and Snow White's forests, Sleeping Beauty and Rapulzel's castles, Hameln to see the Pied Piper's town, and the house where the brothers Grimm lived.  

Being back just over a week I miss it already.  Particularly going to New York City right after where I walked by a few schools with not even one single tree or blade of grass growing on the entire campus.  There was so much greenery in Germany even in the big cities- it would be nice if we could incorporate more of that into more of our cities here.

Here's one for the humor files.  Who can imagine a group of moms sitting around in a 'kegel arena'  all doing kegels together!  hahahaha...  Something my midwife would be real happy about I'm sure!  "Did you do your kegels today??"