What Do You Know About America’s National Parks?

They Are Our Greatest Natural Treasures

What is a petrified forest? They look like trees, but when you touch them they're cold. Transformed by minerals in sediment, volcanic ash, and groundwater, the trees have become fossilized. No longer wood, these trees tell the story of the climate and ecosystem millions of years ago.

You've got a lot of stuff, you're tense, you're tired, you're waiting for a plane, and you have a 4 year old (or a 6 yr old or a 9 yr old - they're all restless at the airport).  Maybe you have one hour to relax before the first flight or, perhaps, you have 4 hours to enjoy on a layover.  Yes!  "relax" and "enjoy".

Thanks for reading the next article in my series on traveling outside of London during your time abroad. If you didn’t get a chance to start at the beginning, make sure you read my first post here.

Lately I’ve taken notice of language - the words people choose to use and those that show up time and time again. If you listen, regardless of the situation involved in the discussion, you begin to hear patterns, synonyms, and repetition of emotions wrapped in very specific verbiage. Why do these words appear? Are they always those that are conscious choices, or are there underlying factors at work? Do those factors come from our experiences, our fears, our upbringing, or our lifestyle choices, or do they sneak up out of nowhere and we will never know the ‘why’?

If you're flying through the UK, there's a good chance you'll have a layover at London Heathrow airport (LHR). Layovers can be dull, but they're an unavoidable part of modern travel and we all just have to put up with them. If your layover is more than the usual few hours though, the delay can turn into an opportunity. There's lots to see and do in the area around Heathrow if you have the time to explore.

A two-day trip to a mega city, with a preponderance of excellent attractions, can be overwhelming. With jet lag slowing my pace, coupled with intermittent rain dissuading outdoor activities, I set aside one day to learn about Hong Kong’s history. The best place to begin my adventure was at the Hong Kong Museum of History. This museum was established in 1975 “to preserve and promote the historical and cultural heritage of Hong Kong.” 

This past fall, while watching the costume contest at Grand Rapids Comic Con, I was weary. I was sitting up front near stage left, so that I could get a glimpse of the incredible costumes as they exited the stage. However, as you know if you have seen a costume contest, they take a while.

On Thursday, April 26th, 2018, I spoke at one of my favorite places, talking about one of my favorite things, in my favorite thing. It was truly amazing - I cannot say that enough. I thank the good amount of sugar in my bloodstream that day for helping me get through it, thank you Canada dry ginger ale. 

For the ancient Mayans, chocolate acted as currency. As a food for the gods. As a drink reserved for royalty and rituals.

Thanks to the Mayans, the rest of the world came to know the power – and appeal – of chocolate. It's a story that's told from start to chocolatey finish at the Ecoparque Museo del Chocolate (Eco Chocolate Museum) in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.