Today, I shipped a pair of silver Kokeshi dolls to Canada, and it reminded me of my long-standing feud with Canada that began innocently with two Canadian tourists I met in Cabo San Lucas. It was a simple thing that brought my ire, but who could blame me.
Darrell and I had signed up for an eco-tour with the promise of seeing fossils on the Baja Peninsula. The promo material had in big letters to wear hiking boots or other well structured footwear.
Well, when the bus stopped to pick up the two prom queens from Canada, they were wearing strapless dress sandals. The tour guide looked down at their feet when they boarded challenging their foot wear, but their comeback was, “It’s all we have.”
The consequence for me and the other fossil hunters was that we could only hike so high before it became “too dangerous” for the ballet shoes they were wearing and so we had to turn back. The tour was altered, and I could not fathom their lack of conscience to not buy a pair of suitable shoes for the eco-tour. Why didn’t they just explore the mall. Certainly Canada has tennis shoes, I thought.
Darrell and I had signed up for an eco-tour with the promise of seeing fossils on the Baja Peninsula. The promo material had in big letters to wear hiking boots or other well structured footwear.
Well, when the bus stopped to pick up the two prom queens from Canada, they were wearing strapless dress sandals. The tour guide looked down at their feet when they boarded challenging their foot wear, but their comeback was, “It’s all we have.”
The consequence for me and the other fossil hunters was that we could only hike so high before it became “too dangerous” for the ballet shoes they were wearing and so we had to turn back. The tour was altered, and I could not fathom their lack of conscience to not buy a pair of suitable shoes for the eco-tour. Why didn’t they just explore the mall. Certainly Canada has tennis shoes, I thought.
Flash forward to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and I sat wishing I could have hopped a plane to be there. The beautiful country and lifestyle amazed me as NBC took me on a nightly tour of restaurants and residents.
I was at the point of tears in my gratitude for Canada as I watched Tom Brokaw report on Gander, Newfoundland, where they had welcomed 7,000 passengers, diverted from New York after 911 as the US closed airspace following the attack on the Twin Towers. I had known about it, but never thought about the impact on Canada or knew of the warm welcome these passengers received by this great town and country.
My love and respect for Canada have grown so that I wish I could box myself up with the Kokeshi dolls and wing my way to Canada.
I was at the point of tears in my gratitude for Canada as I watched Tom Brokaw report on Gander, Newfoundland, where they had welcomed 7,000 passengers, diverted from New York after 911 as the US closed airspace following the attack on the Twin Towers. I had known about it, but never thought about the impact on Canada or knew of the warm welcome these passengers received by this great town and country.
My love and respect for Canada have grown so that I wish I could box myself up with the Kokeshi dolls and wing my way to Canada.
Our eco-tour guide referred to his rig as a Mexican limousine.
Darrell (above), wearing fossil hunting gear, and our guide showing Alvin the fossil test: if the would-be fossil sticks to your tongue, it’s the real thing! The guide demonstrated this by picking a fossil off the ground and sticking it on his tongue–sure enough, it stuck!
Of course, Alvin had to conduct the fossil test himself.
A note regarding the Kokeshis: They have been long boxed up, and were part of an estate from a lady who had an antique shop in the 80s. They are Japanese in origin. The taller one is a lipstick tube and the shorter one a perfumer that still holds a rich perfume scent. The outer canisters have remarkable craftsmanship, which makes them mini sculptures of art from a country of artisans.
