On the Blacony of El Fuerte Hotel
After a 35 minute delay in Dallas we arrived in Guadalajara, Mexico around 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 20th. The flight was uneventful; i.e. we didn’t have to use the oxygen masks, emergency slides nor the life vest. I’m always thankful for that.
The taxi ride to the Hotel Hacienda del Sol was short and sweet. It had been a long weekend and we were tired. We also had to sleep fast since our wake-up call would be around 5:45 a.m. Unfortunately we saw very little of Guadalajara since most of our time there was in an unconscious state.
On the morning of Oct. 21st, with sleep still in my eyes, I dragged myself to the shower. Our group piled into the bus around 7:00 a.m. to check in at the airport. A very quick breakfast got our brains functioning. Our Valoris Airlines flight to Culiacan was only one hour and five minutes long and extremely uneventful
It was time to board another bus for a 4 ½ hour ride up the coast to El Fuerte where we parked ourselves for the rest of the day. It was very dry on the way and we got to see many fields of agave which are the main ingredient for tequila.
It was incredibly hot outside which made walking around a challenge. Our late lunch at the Meson Abundancia Restaurant made us sleepy so Erica and rested for a little bit.
The El Fuerte Hotel was originally an authentic Spanish hacienda which is more than 350 years old. It had been remodeled quite well and you got the feeling of Old Mexico while walking the courtyards and balconies of this quaint place.
View my other photos for the day (7 photos).
Tomorrow is a train ride from El Fuerte to Bahuichivo with our final destination of the day being Cerocahui. Our journey The Copper Canyon of Chihuahua, Mexico has finally started.
Until tomorrow…….
Michael
I’m on my way to Mexico. Strange as it seems, I have never visited Mexico even living in California for all those years. I’m not really sure why except that I was traveling to other places.
This is will be country #16 that I have visited which is very exciting for me. I only have 84 more to reach my goal. 
Erica and I are definitely going on an adventure. Our destination is The Copper Canyon (Barranca del Cobre) area in the state of Chihuahua. It’s been dubbed as the Grand Canyon of Mexico. It is rich with history, has unusual and dramatic geology and a variety of flora & fauna.
I always love to go to new places because it brings out the explorer part of my personality. Most places have been explored and photographed by thousands or millions of people. When it is new for me, I get to interpret what I see and experience and add my unique perspective to the whole.
I look forward to meeting new people, eating new food, see things I’ve never seen, learning more about the colorful culture/history of Mexico and of course having a good time.
When internet access is available, I’ll make sure to post some photos and a bit about what I see and do.
Have a good day,
Michael
It was great to be surrounded by a plethora of artists here in the Houston, Texas Bayou City Arts Festival for two days. The amount of creativity was extraordinary. Paintings, sculpture, photography, glass works, jewelry, wood works, textiles and mixed media were spread out over several city blocks.
I was really inspired not only in my own creative pursuits in photography but in other areas of my life. The large number of vendors opened up my mind to new ideas and concepts. They were a catalyst in shifting my perspective about what is possible and more importantly what I am capable of accomplishing.
I’m always amazed at what the human mind can think and create. The possibilities are truly endless. Seeing the evidence crammed into a small geographical made for an exciting weekend.
I’m looking forward to seeing what will happen.
Look for creativity and you will find it. Practice creativity and you will become it.
Michael
Don’t look back. You’re not going in that direction. – Unknown
While touring the Bayou City Arts Festival in Houston, Texas, I saw this quote that a photographer was using as his motto for living. I really related to it and thought that it had important messages for the rest of “us.”
Looking back can imply a questioning of our decisions. It makes it easier for us to judge the actions we have taken. When we look back, we take our attention and focus away from where we are going.
The past is done. The past can’t be changed. The past is…..Well the past is the past. That’s why they call it the past. It’s complete. It’s over.
If we continue to look at our past actions, decisions and directions we took, there is a good chance we will repeat those things we didn’t like.
A much better course is to focus on what is going on right now, how we are feeling, how we can be happier while keeping an eye on where we want to go. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the present moment is where you have all your power. It’s the only point where you can change, make other decisions, go in different directions. It’s the moment where you have all possible choices. It’s the place where infinite potential exists. That’s the present; a much more powerful place than the past.
Don’t look back. You can’t really get it wrong. Your life is a journey and where you are right now is the best place to be.
Michael
Today I live in the quiet, joyous expectation of good. – Ernest Holmen
Today I choose to live each minute with a smile.
Today I choose to go with the flow.
Today I choose to live moment by moment.
Today I allow myself to release all expectations for the day.
Today I reach for the feeling of freedom.
Today I choose to see experience the world in all its detail.
Today I look for good things to think about.
Today I decide to laugh as many times as I can.
Today I deeply cultivate the feeling of hope.
Today I can really start to live.
Have a great day!
Michael
Hold a true friend with both hands. – Nigerian Proverb
The friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you. – Elbert Hubbar
For some reason today, I was thinking about how rich I am with the friends that are in my life. I don’t talk to some for weeks and others I talk to almost every day. It really doesn’t seem to matter. With this core group of friends, time and distance doesn’t have any meaning. It only takes a few minutes to re-connect, catch up and get on with our conversation as if it had just ended 5 minutes ago.
True friends accept you as you are, regardless of your quirks, eccentricities or opinions. They are the ones that support you when times are tough and the ones who help you celebrate when everything is going great in your life.
The sense of trust I have with my friends is a big factor also. They can be counted on for their integrity, honest words and ability to adapt to change. Plus their sense of humor is something I can count on.
I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
Thanks to all of you. You know who you are.
Michael
Most people can do extraordinary things if they have the confidence or take the risks. Yet most people don’t. They sit in front of the telly and treat life as if it goes on forever. – Philip Adam
Everyone and I mean everyone is capable of doing extraordinary things, but for many reasons we choose not to. Some of us sit in front of the television, hide behind our “responsibilities”, do only the ordinary like cleaning the house, talk about our potentials without acting on them, live in our past successes or allow fears to dictate our personal direction.
Each one of us is made up of a plethora of creativity, drive, skill, ambition, potential and a host of other attributes that make us unique. It also means we can contribute greatly to our own personal growth and others as well. All we have to do is make a choice to break out of our mundane habits.
Try some of these to help shake up your world:
- Learn a new skill.
- Take an art or crafts class.
- Read a different genre of book than you typically do.
- Take a continuing education course.
- Learn to play a musical instrument.
- Take a trip to somewhere you have never been.
- Go take a walk in a forest.
- Watch a sunset at the ocean.
- Do some community service.
- Take a cooking class.
- Don’t watch the television for an entire day.
- Meditate.
- Exercise.
- Learn about your family history.
- Learn a new language.
- Speak in public by taking a Toastmasters workshop.
- Take a dancing class.
- Learn and practice yoga.
- Explore different cultures either by traveling there or researching them on the internet or library.
- Play with children; i.e. learn to let go and be in the moment.
Have a great day!
Michael
Sometimes you just have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down. – Kobi Yamada
These are the moments where you stop listening to your mind and follow your heart. These are the times where you fall into your fear. These are the flashes of inspiration that propel you forward. These are the pivotal points in your life where trust dominates and reason is left to the side.
Leaps of faith can be terrifying moments for some and exhilarating or freeing moments for others. I have experienced the most personal growth when I have made a leap of faith. I have also found it hard to do as I have typically stayed the conservative road in my life. I’ve changed dramatically over the last few years in this regard; i.e. I take more leaps of faith.
Generally, the pressure to take a leap of faith is accompanied by internal dialogue in the form of a small inconspicuous voice. It quietly prods you along to make the leap, the change in direction. It’s the quiet voice amidst your mind’s rabble. It’s the first voice you hear when you ask yourself a question. It’s the voice that pulls at your stomach letting you know that something is up and needs your attention.
Listen to the voice.
Michael
Looking Out from Mt. Holyoke
I was up in Northamptom, MA today doing some geocaching, hiking and photography. It was a nice overcast day which meant that the colors were evenly lighted and the trails were cool.
Most of the morning was spent on Mt. Holyoke which is in Skinner State Park near Hadley, MA. The mountain itself is a little over 900 feet high but rises very quickly, so the trails to the summit are quite steep.
What a great day to be walking through the deciduous forests of New England. Color was everywhere. Squirrels were busily getting ready for the winter. Hawks circled looking for prey. The sound of leaves falling was everywhere.
Fall continues to be my favorite season. I typically start up in New Hampshire to see the color and then get to enjoy it for several weeks as it slowly moves down south as the cool air becomes the norm.
Please view my other photos for the day (4 photos).
Hope your day was nice!
Michael
We all have “problems”. Typically we have a barrage of issues and challenges to deal with everyday of our lives. Almost all of us view problems as external to ourselves. A little known fact is that not one problem is truly outside of ourselves. They are all internal.
Many problems are generated because of failed expectations, disappointments, unrecognized fears, judgments, beliefs, opinions and etc. All of these have to do with ourselves. If we can start to realize that all problems are really internal, then we can quickly see that we ultimately have all the control to solving them.
Accepting the fact that all problems are internal may be challenging. This automatically means that we are ultimately responsible for our lives and all that entails. No one can affect us unless we allow them to.
This is a different perspective than how we may have been raised, taught or experienced. But, if you start to truly examine every problem that comes your way, you will see that when you pull back all the layers, you have a direct influence on the problem. Sometimes it can be as simple as an attitude adjustment or more complicated when strong beliefs are involved.
So, as you go through your day and encounter various problems, start to examine how you are responsible for them. You may be surprised and even better, will now have a solution in hand to solve it.
Michael
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