Havana...sneak peek....

My long weekend in Havana was an amazing escape into years past. I can't say enough good things about this wonderful city. There is an indescribable charm as you walk through the decaying districts.

Just a sneak peek, more to come.....
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gratitude....

grati.tude/noun the feeling of being grateful or the desire to express one's thanks. [French gratitude or medieval Latin gratitudo from gratus thankful] - Canadian Oxford Dictionary.

....for my enriched life having shared it with Cayman!

I had originally thought that to mark the one month passing of Cayman, I would dedicate a blog to all the great memories that he has instilled in me over the past 12 years. However, the best laid plans can always change. So instead, I am blogging about gratitude and in particular my Daily Expressions of Gratitude project that I have been working on in the popular Instagram application. I can't believe it, but today will be day 86 (only 279 days to go)!

....for joy.

I have always loved the idea of journaling, but when it comes to practicing it, have never enjoyed it. Gratitude journals are not new, and after having read The Happiness Project, I was inspired to figure out a way to give thanks for all the things in my life (big & small), in a way that made sense to me, and in a way that I enjoyed - photography!

....to live in an illuminated city with arts & creativity.

Life is always going to be filled with pain, sadness, joy, jealousy, pride, passion and a slew of other fantastic emotions. It is whats makes life meaningful. Cayman may not be in my day-to-day life anymore, but the past 12 years of uncountable memories will always be. And I will be eternally grateful for that!

....for the music that keeps my soul groov'in.

So, here is a snippet of a few more of the things I have been grateful for on a daily basis. Instagram has been dose of photographic inspiration and I look forward to the next 279 days.

....for incredibly supportive friends & family.

....for road-trips.

....for life in its purest form.

....to witness the incredible outpouring of love & support for Jack Layton and family. Reminds me of one other political movement that I was honoured to be a part of.

....for continually having food for thought.

....for long weekends, the open road and singing at the top of your lungs en route!

....for self-expression.

....for being a "glass half full" type of gal.

world is a small and wonderful place....

Travel changes you and for me that is one of the many reasons that I love it. "Many a times" I feel myself craving a travel adventure when my day to day life becomes too routine, or when I find that I need to challenge my own thoughts and behaviours.

Travel challenges you to think differently, to embrace diversity and to cherish the little details that have a tendency to get overlooked when you are going from one day to the next.

The world really is a small place and once you begin to travel and see all the beauty it offers, the countries you visit seem to stay with you - their people, culture, landscapes and unique personalities. With respect to my recent trip to Morocco, it is the artisans and their work that will always resonate with me.

The Moroccan people take pride in their work. There is something to be said and cherished about harnessing creativity and the beauty in the creative process - whether it be the creation of exquisite fabrics, to intricate pottery, to the stunning and time consuming efforts in the presentation of olives.

This past weekend, Morocco held their "Day of Dignity" - calling for the end of poverty, illiteracy and the abuses of human rights. The Arab world is seeking change and freedoms that many of us in the west take for granted. It is both exciting and saddening at times to watch as individual citizens are harnessing their individual and collective powers. Having only been in Morocco 2 months ago, the streets that I walked and the people I met and photographed are permanently in my thoughts and well wishes.

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

t.i.a.....this is africa!

If I had to summarize my Morocco trip in a few words, it would have to be medina's, mint tea, organized chaos, camels and bread! Of course that is not all, this country is a rarity. How many countries can you go to where in a span of a day, you can go from sunny ocean side beaches, to snow-capped mountains, to a sea of sand dunes in the desert? Not many I would think....

Two weeks is definitely not enough time to try to cover this vast country, so the itinerary was tight going from city to city in an attempt to see as much as we could. If I could do it all over again, that would not be the case.

For me, Morocco was a bit of a surprise in the food department. I expected a bit more variety, however, there are definitely a couple of food experiences that stick out in my mind. First, was in Essaouira. As a seafood lover I was in heaven. Not only was the food exceptional, but the entire process was an adventure - from purchase to last savory bite. Step one - purchase your fresh fish of choice from market. Step two - take to local tajine cookery (for lack of a better word). Step three - enjoy!

For the ultimate sidewalk grilling experience, Marrakesh's Djemaa el fna is the place to go. Almost overwhelming actually. They have perfected the art of cooked street food!

This is only a first glimpse of my Moroccan adventure. Definitely more to come, but 25 GB's of photos to cull through and process is quite time consuming when I should be diving back into school work after a 3 week vacation.

www.jenniferreynolds.ca