Cuba
“The Prehistoric Mural in Viñales, Cuba, is a mural painted in 1961 by Leovigildo Gonzalez Morillo on a rocky side of the mountain Mogote Dos Hermanas. The mural has a length of nearly 400 feet, and is one of the biggest open-air paintings in the world; it took four years and 20 farmers to complete.”
“The mural represents the evolution of life in Cuba, from prehistory to the arrival of the first indigenous inhabitants. It is divided into different sections that show species of dinosaurs, giant mollusks and primitive human figures, among other elements.”
-Normal Faner, Retired, LADWP
Thailand
“I visited Thailand for a Christmas vacation along with my girlfriend, Niecy Webber. Here is a picture of me on my vacation to Phuket, Thailand. I couldn’t wait to take a picture with my Alive! newsletter to share with others.”
-Tracy Gant, Retired, Rec and Parks
Tokyo
“I recently visited the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. It is still the official residence and workplace of the emperor of Japan today. It is used for state functions, ceremonies, and daily imperial duties.”
-John Otoshi, Retired, LADWP
Vietnam
Larry Campita, Retired, Controller’s Office, and his wife Fina cruised Halong Bay in Vietnam. “The name Ha Long means descending dragon in Vietnamese and is famous for its view of the thousands of islands and islets in Northeastern Vietnam,” Larry reports. “We also toured Thien Cung Cave, also in Halong. It’s one of the most beautiful caves we have ever seen.”
-Larry Campita, Retired, Controller’s Office
Letter From Lafitte: Valentines in the Bayou
Unfortunately, Valentine’s Day has been turned into a commercial event between Christmas and Mother’s Day, with token cards, chocolates and red roses. (Guys – never send red, it means it’s a last-minute gift.)
But for those of you who still have a romantic streak and a sense of adventure, why not think outside the box (forgive the chocolate pun) and surprise that special someone in your life with a long weekend away somewhere totally different?
How about a romantic fishing trip deep in the bayous (stagnant rivers) around Jean Lafitte on Barataria Bay in deep Louisiana, in a lovely small hotel full of Southern charm and hospitality … looking like the cover of a romantic novel of the true south, standing in its own lush green grounds. Sitting on its balcony watching the sunset with a glass of wine at Elsa’s Place is the perfect way to end a day of exploration or fishing. This really is a phenomenal place, ideal for a romantic getaway.
There is even a boat dock nearby to rent a guide and small air boat to explore the countless waterways that are lined with twisted bald cypress trees, draped in Spanish moss and home to numerous species of birds, plus the bayous’ rich earth banks provide burrows beneath for alligators and sunning spots above for not only them but the countless snakes and turtles that infest these waterways. These bayous are one of the last unspoiled parts of the country, with their slow-moving, swampy waterways and shallow lakes surrounded by marshland, all oozing with mystery and intrigue as the early morning mist seems to conjure distant visions of twisting, dancing Voodoo figures.
It was here where the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s ill-fated Acadian heroine, Evangeline, was deported by the British from Canada on her wedding day to spend the rest of her life searching for Ga-briel, her childhood sweetheart. She often passed by him while he slept a stone’s throw away in the tall marsh grasses, the poem goes, until they were reunited on his deathbed many years later.
Skimming across stretches of open water and weaving between grass islands, blue crab pot floats and flying fish, it is easy to imagine how Barataria Bay was once the haunt of buccaneers and pirates like Jean and Pierre Lafitte. Many years ago, they ran a highly successful smuggling operation, bringing rum and slaves from the Caribbean Islands to the nearby city of New Orleans and selling other contraband through Pierre’s blacksmith shop on Bourbon Street. The town of Jean Lafitte and the surrounding bayou area are steeped in Cajun and Creole lore. Legend has it that Jean Lafitte turned down a captain’s position in the British Navy to aid General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans, in exchange for pardons and amnesty for his crew, or with stories of buried treasure and his mysterious disappearance around 1823.
Pirate or Patriot, he remains a beloved, yet controversial, figure, a smuggler who became a national hero, forever linked to the swamps and stories of Old Louisiana.
According to local fishermen, most of the blue crab sold in Baltimore is caught from around here!
Cajuns like their food with a little kick, like Crystal Hot Sauce or the world-famous Tabasco Sauce, so try it on your meals back home.
Laissez les bon temps rouler!
-La Kapitèn
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