I am thinking more and more about my planned Cuban vacation next year. I have this week researched language "live and learn" packages in Cuba and I am hoping to be able to swing a 7 week sojourn maybe as early as next April/May. I plan to stay with a host family so I can immerse myself in Cuban culture and get lots of language practice. I will be at the mercy of my job though, and as a consultant on the whim of client commitments, it may be that I will need to put it off a while if my contract is renewed past that time frame. Whenever it occurs, it will be my next big sabbatical from work.
BTW, still have my novel foremost in my mind... researching and jotting down notes and ideas...
It is the Honda Indy Race Weekend here in Toronto and I get to watch and hear the action from my balcony! Sounds like giant mosquitos are attacking fromPlanet 5. If you are interested in more detail, I will be blogging about this on my Toronto is my Town blog tomorrow. I have a great view of one section by the Main Grandstands - and with my binoculars I I have quite the view!
In about an hour I will be heading uptown to join a salsa crazed crowd to attend "Salsa on St. Clair" - An annual street festival. I might also swing by Afrofest held at Queens Park and celebrating African Music and Culture. Busy weekend in the city!
Thanks to Sheila from BlueGreenEyesYellowButterflies for reminding me about this favourite. She included it as her first track on the CD she made for me and sent in her blog swap package.
It is an R&B tune written and first released by Sam Cooke in 1963. It became an anthem for the American Civil Rights Movement, and is widely considered Cooke's best composition. Barack Obama made reference to it when he won the 2008 Presidential election and proclaimed "It's been a long time coming, but tonight, change has come to America."
It has been covered by many notable singers and this version by Otis Redding is among the best of them.
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What is that silver sphere that I see along the lake shore? It looks like Epcot's Spaceship Earth.
ReplyDeleteIf you make it to Cuba, Peggy, I will envy you. I was there for a few days once but, unfortunately, not as a tourist, and had no opportunity to do any amount of sightseeing.
ReplyDeleteI also envy you your "grandstand seat" for the auto race. That would be a fun experience.
Linda, the sphere is the Cinesphere at Ontario Place. To quote the Ontario Place Website: "Cinesphere was opened in 1971 as one of the world's most advanced theatres. It was built to "create a space capable of housing the existing and the future scope of film", Cinesphere stands as the first permanent IMAX® film theatre in the world." The exterior of the building proclaims this also - even today, more than 25 years later.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by, Linda. My apologies that I have not in the last little bit been able to spend much time browsing your blog.
Fram, yes, I have said more than once that I am grateful for what I have and where I am. I must say though, I am very intrigued by you - there is a huge story behind your 1 sentence comment about Cuba - of that I am sure. Maybe one day I will be lucky enough to hear it.
ReplyDeleteSo, you're going to Cuba? Great. I hope you have fun and that my compatriots behave themselves. Language, very important. We speak fast, as in, really, really fast, so don't be afraid to ask them to repeat the same question ten times.
ReplyDeleteGood luck.
Greetings from London.