The Power of Wilful Ignorance

Once again I've been absent from writing. Once again I asked myself why. And once again I caught myself doing what everybody else does, I ignore!

I ignore that, though I have so much to say, I rather don't. Well, only a few might read and it won't really matter ... but if it did?

I ignore that the World around me is turning upside down. That I live in a time were more young people die of homicides than in war! And by the way, in the middle of XXI'st Century and still wars?! Didn't we learn from the past! Well, I ignore the news that tells me all the evil that is happening just next door of mine - actually one of the reasons I ignore all that is the massive information thrown at me and that makes me want not to know it -!

And then I remember, that they do it on purpose. They want me to get tired of the news so that I start to banalize these happenings and go on consuming and living business as usual.
And I remember Ayn Rand: “The hardest thing to explain is glaringly evident which everybody has decided not to see.” as well as Thomas A. Edison: “Five percent of the people think; ten percent of the people think they think; and the other eighty-five percent would rather die than think.” or Charles Darwin that once said: “Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.”And I could go on and on stating these great thinkers just to see and feel how stupid I became by joining this willful ignorance of the masses, only to live in a fictitious peace of mind.

But I don't! I don't like this! I want this to change. I don't want my two little girls to tell me in the future that I had the opportunity to do something and didn't!

So I want to see, to hear and most of all I want to speak, out loud. Maybe someone hears me or reads me and also decides to change ... ... ...

James A. Michener

“An age is called Dark, not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it.”

Good luck to all of us!

Are you sure you want to come and enjoy the World Cup here in Brazil?

No words needed, just watch this video and think!

Gun victim is "transported" by police to the nearest hospital!

And Vacation comes to an End

Never thought that two weeks could pass so fast. But as everything that is fun, this trip also came to its end.

We had a few more rainy days at the hotel pool, two BBQ's, one of witch actually was a vegan one ... Yes, I know, but most of the time we spent with the horses.

It was absolutely breathtaking for me to watch my babies riding these amazing animals and getting better at it by the minute. I never thought I could be so proud and happy at the same time. Two times breathtaking! I was taking classes too. The main question though was, why for Christ's sake did I take so long to try this out? I had so many opportunities in life to ride horses, but never did. How stupid can someone be?

The kids had the best time ever, so they said, and when we left the farm, we cried, together.  Taking with us, along with tons of wonderful memories, a few hundred pictures, a few minutes of video, two pairs of replaced horseshoes from Dolca and Pipo, new friendships, great experiences and the desire to come back as soon as possible.

But, it wouldn't be a vacation if, yes if ...

Marc, our host, was so kind to take us to the airport for our trip back home. Since it was also his mothers birthday he just dropped us and went on with his day. After all this wasn't the first time we traveled and I really didn'd need a baby sitter. Lucky he!

When we reached the counter, happy to get there fast since the line wasn't that long, the first news we get was that our flight was one hour late! Well, we had to get to Ezeisa International Airport in Buenos Aires by 5 pm to get our connection flight to Rio de Janeiro. With this delay we had only two hours left from Aeroparque, witch is located in downtown Buenos Aires, to Ezeisa, a 45 minute drive. We can make it I thought!

What I didn'd thought, better, what I didn't consider was that I was in Argentina, kind of a little Brazil - may they never read this-!

So we boarded the plane with already 1:30 hours delay and, we had to wait for another hour at the runway to get clearance and finally take of to Buenos Aires ... Holly sh....! I started to become a little concerned.

That pilot did wonders and somehow made up some time so we got there 30 minutes earlier than expected, just to wait again at the runway to be taxied in! AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! At least we checked our baggage priority so we wouldn't have to wait for it ... ... ... ... Did I mention that we were in Argentina?

Friends for 38 years!

Priority means dead last! So we found out today. Well, Matias was there waiting for us, we had arranged to meet and that he would take us to Ezeisa so we had some time to chat and maybe have a couple beers. By his look, I knew, we would not make the connection, and of course we didn't!

The people at the counter were very helpful and trying anything to get us booked into a new flight. There were not many options and I truly believed I'd have to spent one night at the airport with my girls waiting for the next flight. But no! And now comes the good part. There was an Emirates flight leaving to Dubai later the evening and it would scale in Rio de Janeiro, and somehow we got on it!

Best thing ever. OK, we would arrive only long past one AM in Rio and we would have to pay a lot for a cab to take us home, but, who cares! We were on the best airline in the world and this aircraft was just amazing and the service, well, the best!

First of all, the aircraft was twice the size the one we took to come to Argentina. Than we had individual monitors and phones (remotes) on each seat! They served us real food with real silverware!!!! Everything was free!!!! No one selling you anything! My kids even got their personal blankets with a toy thing hugging it - and they could keep it! Well, I had to promise the kids to always book Emirates whenever we travel again!

We made it safely home. Exhausted but happy. Many stories to tell. Anxious looking forward to our next trip, no matter where it goes!

By Matias Schweiger

yeah ...

By Matias Schweiger

By Matias Schweiger

by now you know by whom!

Our own monitor!

There are dozens of games!

Games, games, games!

I am so tired, but look, games!

Do not disturb!

So, so tired...

Games? No, movie!

What?

Almost there ... 

Look, real food!

Me to!

Our Best Day So Far

After two days of rain and alternative activities, basically indoor swimming and sauna in a 5-star-hotel, some bowling, some cooking for friends and stuff, finally the sun came out inviting us back outside and to the horses.

With days not practicing we needed to get back on track, better, back on horseback and see if we didn't forget to much of our training. 

As a matter of facts, no! We not only didn' forget, as everything seemed so familiar. We really got into it and practiced a lot only one thing in mind, if the weather stayed firm we'd be on our big ride the very next day!

Kids went to bed early and after a long, long night we woke up early and immediately checked the window to see ... ... a partly clouded but in general sunny day! Yes! Our meeting was set to 2 pm, we had to rent two extra horses so we could all ride on one, that left us with the morning to prepare mentally for our adventure. We coocked us a delicious chicken meal, after all we had to be physically prepared too, stuffed the backpack with water and some snacks and of we went! 

When we got to the farm and saw the rented horses, that funny feeling from the first days came back. We knew Dolca and Pipo, after all we trained with them, but these new guys, Toto, a gorgeous light brown and particularly huge horse and a mustang like black and white beautiful horse, who's name I do not recall, were somehow frightening. But there was no time for formal introductions, we had to saddle them and get going so we'd be back before sunset.

At this point I could be writing in every detail how this trip went, so many emotions, a beautiful sight, abundant nature and a gorgeous afternoon. But no, I'd just like to resume it like so:

The best day ever, so far!

Unfortunately I have no software with me to edit all the pictures taken, but as soon as we are back home I will prepare an album and post it to my facebook account for you all to see. I will also edit these posts and add some pics, so if you want you can come back after the 7th of February and check it out. 

So far, thank you for being with us on this amazing vacation.

This was our view!

100% nature

always behind - for safety!

Happiest family ever!

My dear friend Marc and his almost mustang!

Me and my new friend Pipo!

And While it Rains Outside ...

This is what I call rain!

So we went bowling.

Made some BBQ

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And enjoyed our new friends!

It wouldn't be a real vacation if there wasn't a sudden change of plans. So what supposed to be one more day of horse bussines turned out to become a day of pure ralaxation, a BBQ, new friends, a bottle of wine - or two, can't remember - and a very good night sleep.

Why all that? Well, it started to rain! Pooring rain at first and a constant pain in the bottox rain since.

I am not shure, but somehow I believe that our horses have something to do with this unexpected wheather change. That look in Dolcas eyes the last time I rode on her, than her exchanging sounds with Pipo while looking at us and nodding heads ... ... noooo, that can't be! Or can it?

Well, since our plan B isn't that bad eather we took this opportunity to just relax a little and enjoy life on a different level.

It is supposed to stop raining this afternoon. If so, we'll be back on horses soon. Our big ride out, well, we do it tomorrow. Still have 8 more days to go.

You Never Stop Learning

Holly cannoly! You got to be kidding me! Honestly, I take care of my doughters nails (finger and feet) since they were born, as I do with their hair - but this is not the issue, and I don't really like it. It is kind of gross, for me - not as bad as pimple squeezing like most woman like to - but anyways, today I promissed myself never again to complain about doing it.

I mean, really? Have you ever seen how they change horseshoes and take care of them nails? Never ever would that be a job for me. It takes about an hour to change a horses irons and giving the nails a treatment, it needs a lot of strength to do so and you at any time are at risk to get your bottom kicked, and all this for so little money! And if I thought that my kids nails are gross, wait to see horsenails, they are the mother of gross, the grossest!

Yeah, by now you figured out that today we had a lesson about horse maintenance. I know, it is part of the fun, but ... Argh!!!

We spent the entire afternoon watching and helping to do horseshoe change and nail polishing! It was interestingly weird, strange, as I already mentioned gross, but anyways it was a great afternoon. Specially because for doing so, our reward was an extra hour of horseback riding and trainig for our great trip on saturday! 

Now I understand that german saying that goes: Das grösste Glück auf Erden ist auf dem Rücken der Pferde!

Don't wory, I am taking photos of everything and I will post them as soon as I am back home and have them edited.

Now I gotta go! Tomorrow comes more!

Meeting the Horses

I am 51 years old, love animals but the closest I came to a horse was to barely pet its nose. Never ever I had the idea to mount and ride one, I mean, have you seen horses? They are like 900 pounds of pure muscles ready to kick you in the bottom whenever you blink an eye. Come on ... ... ...

Well, but my girls want to ride them, already did a few times, on a leash, now they want to learn it for real, and that is why we are here - and I have to do it to!

So hello Dolca, Pimpo and Flamenco, these are the horses names, nice to meet you and please don't kill me!

Initially me and the kids were a little shy managing this situation, me specially, but very soon we (I) realised that these fellows actually aren't that bad and with a little dedication we could become real friends. Jennifer and Jessica couldn't be happier, they love every second they can spent among them horses and specially on top of them. Since they already had some experience it was easier and faster for them to get it going, but after a little theory it was my turn to ride ... ... ...

I heard many stories about people in near death situations having flashbacks of their life's, you might have to, well, now I know what they are talking about. You know, when you are standing at a cliff, about to jump, than realize that you have no shute ... or you are driving your car and suddenly see this huge truck coming in your direction and you remember that you forgot to buckle up ...
None of this compares to what I felt standing next to Dolca, a very sweet but huge horse, and about to mount it! But I did!

And what I felt next I haven't found a way yet to describe it with words ... ...

I died! I died because I felt I was in heaven, I felt peace, I felt strong, confident, at ease, I felt happy. Nothing I ever felt before, at least not all together and at the same time. 

Oh, I felt stupid to! What the heck was I thinking before! 

I don't know if you ever rode a horse, but if you want to feel close to nature, close to heaven, close to everything that is good for you, do it!

Just do it!

By the way, I am posting pictures of all this in my facebook page, in case you are interested, check for the album called: Férias na Argentina. Right now you will find pictures of our trip coming here. The horse pictures come soon!

 

First Day on the Moove

Like any other vacation, as far as I remember, ours started full of expectations. We had to be around 9AM at the airport so I decided we could leave the house around 7:30 and we'd have plenty of time to get there. 

At 6:20 AM everybody (but me) was ready pushing me to get out and going. 

We left at 7:27! No way I'd start vacation in a hurry.

At the airport everything went smoothly. Check in was fast so we had enough time to shop around and have a seccond breakfast, unfortunately I forgot to tell my babies that everything at the airport was tripple the price so they ordered as usual and I went almost broke even before vacation actually started.

3 and 1/2 hours later we stepped on argentinian soil at Buenos Aires international airport Ezeisa. Now we had to get our stuff becouse we had a connection to catch at Aeroparque airport witch is located downtown Buenos Aires, about 1 hr ride from where we were. No big issue since we had about three hours time. The only thing I needed to do was exchange some money, grab a cab and get there ... Easier said than done. At Ezeisa there is only one bank that would exchange money and the line was huge!

But, life is good to me. It took only a little over an hour for me and the kids in line to get to our turn and ... ... I am already bald. If not I would have lost all my hair.

The cab ride was  smooth though very expensive, of course, we got there in time even to have some pizza. I cannot imagine why for Christ's sake I would toss everything of the table and break a salt container the moment I touched the menu, but, well, you get the picture.

Another 2hr flight and we got to Salta where my good friend Marc picked us up at the airport. The rest was just fun and happiness. Yes, we had a good trip.

Next post I will tell you how our first day with the horses was!

Travel Diary

Here is the deal, after four years of being divorced, tomorrow I will go on vacation with my girls! For the first time overseas. Well, it is a big deal since Brazilian laws do not allow me to travel with my kids, although I am the legal guardian, without the authorization of the kids mother. My ex!

Since she firmly believes that I will kidnap the girls as soon as I leave the country, she never gave it to me. Until now!

Now we are heading to Salta, Argentina, to a friends farm - horseback riding, another thing I will do for the first time...

So, I decided to write a travel diary, starting tomorrow. A different kind of posts than I usually do, but why not, it could be fun. And you are very welcome to accompany us!

Let's see how that works out.

Seeya tomorrow!

The Other side of World Cup or What the Drug Lords have to Say about it!

Do not believe in pacified slums in Rio de Janeiro. This is just make up! Crime rates are climbing but news won't tell. It might scare you away!

British TV already knows!