Blue Bee Odysseys

02/11/2024

The impressive Greek Theater of Syracuse, Sicily, was built in the 5th century BC with the ability to seat 16,000 people. The plays, including tragedies and comedies, offered entertainement and the opportunity for Greeks to explore moral and societal issues. It is fascinating to think of Aristophanes plays being performed in the 5th century BC and even now.

Aristophanes' comedies displayed b***y humor, fantastical plots and direct political commentary. His plays offered a way for people to release thoughts and feelings which could be beneficial for any of us now in the American political season. I would like to see his play called "The Birds," 414 BC, where two Athenians try to convince the birds to create a utopian city in the sky called Cloudcuckooland, which obviously reflected his frustration with politics.

29/10/2024

"Life needs pauses," time to slow down when traveling, time to pause and watch a sunrise wherever you are in the world. The "wapples" cafe was found on a cobblestone backstreet in Evora, Portugal on a day when I just needed something simple and uncomplicated to eat. Wandering and discovering a charming cafe is one of the joys of travel. Portugal has a slower, more organic pace to life. I look forward to seeing you on the Spring odyssey to Southern Portugal.

12/10/2024

The yearning to be in a peaceful place is important for many of us. An Odyssey to Bhutan in December 2025 will provide time to hike to sacred Buddhist sites in a very lovely country that seriously values peace and sustainability. Prayer flags are in abundance throughout the country. Take time to slow down.

May you be at peace, May your heart remain open. May you awaken to the light of your own true nature. May you be healed, May you be a source of healing for all beings.

06/10/2024

Palazzo Butera will be part of our next odyssey to Sicily. The new owners have done a beautiful job of transforming it. They honor the history of this part of the world.

An Italian couple turned Palazzo Butera into a repository for the eclectic and largely unseen artworks they had collected over 50 years.

14/08/2024

Step back in time to medieval walled city of Evora, Portugal, a UNESCO site. Enjoy the magic, history and culture in Giraldo Square, named after crusader Giraldo the Fearless who freed the city from the Moors in 1165. The marble fountain dates back to 1570 with the 8 spouts representing the 8 streets leading to the square. Craft shops and cafes surround it now, making it a wonderful place to sit and have breakfast.

05/08/2024

The video below is very informative. Travelers must be mindful of their water usage. It would be very sad to see Sicily become a water desert by 2050.

Sicily is one of Europe’s regions most impacted by global warming. From droughts that devastate local agriculture to punishing heatwaves and more, Euronews travelled around the Italian island to witness first hand what it is like to live on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

05/08/2024

The drought in Sicily and throughout southern Europe is serious. I don't think it will evade tourists' attention in the future. I would hope that lodging establishments would suggest responsible use of water by tourists.

Like many Mediterranean islands, people in Sicily are used to long spells without rain, but human-caused climate change has made weather more erratic, and droughts can be longer and more frequent.

03/08/2024

Fascinating Palermo, Sicily. It has welcomed people of all faiths from all over the world for centuries. The Tamils of India have integrated Saint Rosalia into their pantheon of gods and goddesses. Saint Rosalia was born to a noble family in 1130. Early in her life, she felt a calling to Catholicism, spending much of her life meditating and praying in a cave on Mt Pellegrino near Palermo. She died in 1164. In 1624, the plague came to Palermo, and she appeared to a sick woman and a hunter, instructing them to carry her remains through the streets of Palermo. The plague ended after that and she has been venerated ever since.

The Sicilian capital, Palermo, has a long history of cultural melding. Its new arrivals from Sri Lanka have embraced St. Rosalia.

02/08/2024

The vibrant art and street art of the very old walled city of Asilah, Morocco on the northwest coast is stimulating and fun. It is a lovely and easy city to explore with shops, cafes, and endless varieties of street art that are created every year during the annual street art festival. Another northern Morocco odyssey is being created for the next 2025. Stay tuned, more images to come.

27/07/2024

Ear of Dionysius, located in Syracuse, Sicily has an ominous history. The Greeks first came to Sicily 2700 years ago. The tyrant, Dionysius, used the cave as a prison from 405 to 367 BC. The cave echoed the voices of the prisoners to an opening above where Dionysius spied on them, hearing their anguish and plots. Despots preceded him and failed and he ultimately failed too.

Travel gives us the history of what to avoid in the political realm and the responsibility of citizens to be knowledgeable and diligent with their choices. Plato was an advisor to Dionysius and even he failed to get Dionysius to change his direction and in fact he barely escaped from Sicily with his life.

One of the many enjoyable experiences you can have after having seen historical areas of the world, is the opportunity to talk about the information learned over food and wine with friendly people. Another delightful experience is hearing someone singing opera in the cave with outstanding acoustics, as when my co-leader Diane did. Learn some history, savor the food, listen to Italian opera coming from the depths of a very dark cave, laugh and have fun!

19/07/2024

History is complicated. The Roman Temple of Evora, located in the UNESCO city of Evora, Portugal, was built over 2000 years ago in the first century to honor the Roman emperor Augustus. Barbarians invaded in the 5th century and destroyed the temple. It was rebuilt in 1467 by King Alfonso V who also wanted it transformed into a castle. In the 17th century, a priest incorrectly associated the temple with the Roman Goddess Diana, the goddess of the hunt. The temple overlooks the city and provides a royal view for an emperor or a goddess. Ancient Roman baths have also been found in the city. Our Portugal odysseys explore the ancient history of Portugal that reaches back to the Neolithic era.

18/07/2024

"The Cat and the Wind" walking across the roof of Casa do Turismo in Setubal, Portugal captured my attention while staying in Setubal last year. The artist, Ricardo Romero, describes it as "looking but not seeing." Traveling slowly with intention supports your ability to see more. Travel can be so much more than a checklist experience. See, feel, remember, and smile.

11/07/2024

Sicily is severely suffering from climate change in the summer, with temperatures as high as 119 degrees F. It is tragic to see Lake Pergusa dry up. It is the focal point of the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone. One of the reasons for a focus on slow and sustainable travel is to reduce our impact on climate change.

Lake Pergusa was once described as a place of beauty and ‘eternal spring’

06/07/2024

Bennu, the blue heron, has appeared on my regular walks around Lake of the Isles, demonstrating incredible patience when hunting for food. This inspiring trait has assisted me in redesigning the website with a focus on slow and sustainable travel. The blue heron soothes my soul and reminds me that moving mindfully and with intention allows one to come into the “peace of wild things,” a reference to a Wendell Berry poem. Three slow journeys are listed on the website with more coming soon for 2025. Contact me if you have questions.

The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

22/04/2024

Earth Day, treat her and your self kindly.

"Much of what is posted about Earth Day skips over Mother Earth altogether. A lot of it looks like vague, disassociated commercials. Jean Shinoda Bolen wrote: “Mother Earth” comes back to life again when we perceive ourselves and all of life as children of Gaia.” Without coming home to a deep connection and reverence for Her, we will never survive." -Trista Hendren, new post on Girl God Books Patreon https://www.patreon.com/GirlGodBooks

Art by Elisabeth Slettnes

Art "Earth Mothers" by Deborah Milton and others