Earth Day #4 OH Canada

Canada 

I recently got the opportunity to visit Canada for the first time. It did not disappoint! I look forward to my next venture. 

You may be wondering, is Canada constructed of all things maple? Dotted by Tim Horton's? Consumed with Hockey? For a while, my only look at Canada was through a TV screen and thanks to numerous sit coms and comedy specials I had a skewed idea of Canadians. Not negative mind you but not fully true (as televised stereotypes tend to be). But what I knew was only a fraction of the true character of this country and its people. 

According to Wikipedia (I don't solely rely on Wiki but they do have some good factual info) 

"The land now called Canada has been inhabited for millennia by various Aboriginal peoples. Beginning in the 15th century, British and French colonies were established on the Atlantic coast, with the first establishment of a region called "Canada" occurring in 1537. As a consequence of various conflicts, the United Kingdom gained and lost territories within British North America until left, in the late 18th century, with what mostly geographically comprises Canada today." 
"Canada is a federal parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II being the head of state. The country is officially bilingual at the federal level. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. Its advanced economy is the eleventh largest in the world, relying chiefly upon its abundant natural resources and well-developed international trade networks. Canada's long and complex relationship with the United States has had a significant impact on its economy and culture."

Canada for me was a surprise in the best ways. Yes, most everyone was very polite but there was a man flipping off a car from his bike while crossing the road. :) People are people everywhere...good, bad, ugly and everything in between. And I love it, the diversity and the similarity. I am not saying that flipping off people as you are crossing the street is a thing of beauty but in an odd way I guess I am....reminded me of home and that well, all people are people. Whether it is across the street, across the pond or couple plane rides away, I enjoy watching life go by. Now, like every other country I have been too, I have only seen a part. A tiny section of what makes the given country its own. 

Canada's provinces and territories all together make Canada the second largest country in the world by area. Over time, boundaries have changed, leaving Canada currently with ten provinces and three territories. 
The ten provinces are Alberta, British Columbia,Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. The three territories are Northwest Territories,Nunavut, and Yukon.

Canada is a country rich in history and diversity among its people and environment. I hope I get many more chances to explore our neighbor to the north. 

PS. The Caesar ( or Bloody Caesar) the National Cocktail of Canada is freaking amazing. 
"It was invented in Calgary, Alberta in 1969 by restaurateur Walter Chell to celebrate the opening of a new Italian restaurant in the city. It quickly became a popular mixed drink within Canada where over 350 million Caesars are consumed annually and it has inspired numerous variants. However, the drink remains virtually unknown elsewhere." 
It is NOT a Bloody Mary...nope nope nope...different. and wonderful. I may be slightly addicted.
My Canada trip also sparked an addiction to LUSH products. More on that later. 

Thanks Canada. 

Photos
Flag http://www.freelargeimages.com/canada-flag-545/
Caesar at Earl's (MINE)
Landscapes http://demortalz.com/2012/09/26/45-beautiful-nature-landscape-canada-photography/   (check out this amazing photography on demortalz.com)
Delta Bessborough Hotal (MINE) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Bessborough
Tim Horton's (MINE)

Information
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada

Caesar recipe!!!! My favorite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWZ2Jv1wR5E

Earth Day #3 Lebanon

Celebrating Lebanon!!

Lebanon is a country I am not all that familiar with. I know a few people that have been but most of my knowledge comes from personal research.

According to Wikipedia, Lebanon, officially the Lebanese Republic, is a sovereign state in Asia. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south. Lebanon's location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland facilitated its rich history and shaped a cultural identity of religious and ethnic diversity. The earliest evidence of civilization in Lebanon dates back more than seven thousand years, predating recorded history.

The name "Lebanon" originates from the Semitic root lbn (لبن), meaning "white," which is likely a reference to the snow-capped peaks of Mount Lebanon.

Occurrences of the name have been found in different texts from the library of Ebla, which date to the third millennium BC, nearly 70 times in the Hebrew Bible, and three of the twelve tablets of the Epic of Gilgamesh (perhaps as early as 2100 BC).

The name is recorded in Ancient Egyptian as Rmnn, where R stood for Canaanite L. 

 The main population groups of Lebanon consists of Shia Muslims, Sunni Muslims, Christians and Druza. For centuries, Lebanon has been place of refuge for the region's minorities.  

I have said it before and I will no doubt say it again, but I find history fascinating and love seeing how places and people intertwine. How when can meet one person 'by chance' and that person connects us to another and soon we are connected to faraway lands filled with different beliefs, thoughts, customs, cultures, music, religion, foods and yet we all have things in common. The human tapestry of this world is a beautiful as it is diverse.

Based on dishes I have tried (prepared by friends) Lebanese cuisine carries big flavors such as garlic, olive oil and lemon juice mixed with herbs like cumin and sumac. Here is link to great video featuring different Lebanese recipes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoVQJd9SK5I 

Resource

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon

Photos

https://johnnamcclellan.wordpress.com/developing-world-lebanon-2/

http://www.hdwallpapera.com/lebanon-city-view-high-definition-wallpaper-2/lebanon-city-view-high-definition-wallpaper-3/

http://eurotaxi.mobi/blog/sidebar-lebanon/lebanon-country-full-surprises/

Disclaimer

This should have been with the first post as well. I am well aware that many countries, all on some level, are marred by war, invasion, forms of terrorism and treason. People have been through uprisings and revolutions. While all of these can be changing moments and driving forces of a culture I am choosing to not mention them. I am striving to present a country, a people, without any agenda other than to celebrate their existence. I am choosing to highlight what I can (through my own time and knowledge) I am not a historian or expert of any kind. I only have my own experiences, eyes, ears and internet connection and a belief that all people should be seen with compassion and intrigue because every cultural has a richness to be honored. 

Earth Day Challenge #2 TUNISIA and May the 4th Be With You

 Today we celebrate TUNISIA 

Tunisia is a small country located in northwest Africa between Algeria and Libya. Tunisia gained its independence in 1956 from French colonization. This small country has been under Arab rule, part of the Carthage Empire and under the Roman empire. It is a beautiful, warm place bordered by beaches.

The capital city of Tunis, built on the old city of Carthage, is home to nearly three-quarters of a million people with more than 2 mill living in the surrounding metropolis. Tunisia is over 99% Sunni-Muslim with Arab being the dominate people group.  In Tunisia, the culture dates back centuries and I would love to get the chances to see the Roman mosaics, Carthage ruins and Islamic art that highlight the rich culture. One day I would love to walk through the market place and hear stories of families that traced through roots deep into the calms and storms of Tunisia's past.

If you see photos of this gem of antiquity, you may recognize a few things. You may even feel like you have been there before in your fantasy, geeked-out dreams. That's right.

Welcome to Tatooine!

Varies locations across Tunisia were used to film scenes including R2D2 being abducted by Jawas, Luke attacked by Tusken Raiders (these scenes include shots from Death Valley, USA), the wrecked Sandcrawler, the sand dunes west of Nefta showcases the landing of C-P3O and R2D2's escape pod, the Mos Espa salve quarters and the location of the duel between Darth Maul and (my second fav Jedi, Mace Windu in my number one) Qui-Gonn Jinn.  

Today's post is twofold. Happy Earthday Challenge #2: The Celebration of Tunisia

And Happy May the 4th Be With You!

Disclaimer

This should have been with the first post as well. I am well aware that many countries, all on some level, are marred by war, invasion, forms of terrorism and treason. People have been through uprisings and revolutions. While all of these can be changing moments and driving forces of a culture I am choosing to not mention them. I am striving to present a country, a people, without any agenda other than to celebrate their existence. I am choosing to highlight what I can (through my own time and knowledge) I am not a historian or expert of any kind. I only have my own experiences, eyes, ears and internet connection and a belief that all people should be seen with compassion and intrigue because every cultural has a richness to be honored. 

Photos are not mine and belong to these awesome people.

http://1dad1kid.com/tunisia/

https://nomadlist.com/country/tunisia

By Certo Xornal from Ribeira, Galicia, España - Decorado Star Wars en Túnez, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10722560

By Ian Sewell - Own work, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2795262

Information resources

http://www.mapsofworld.com/tunisia/tunisia-location-map.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Wars_filming_locations

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/africa/tn.htm

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/30/world/tunisia-fast-facts/