Sur-Vi-Vah.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret: I was in the original cast of the first season of Survivor. When the rest of the cast found out they would be competing against a real live Redheel, they mutinied and I was cast off before the show even started. I was too much of a threat--they must have realized that the competition wouldn't have even been fair. Despite all that, I have remained a loyal fan. Last night was the season finale of "Fans vs. Favorites" and I was disappointed my favorite (The Ice-Cream Scooper) didn't win--but it sure was an exciting season.
I'm going to miss next season, because I'll be out making my own Survivor--umm... sans the major TV studio, expensive cameras, medical crew, and porcelain veneered host. But really, who needs Jeff Probst when you have Rockford Bernstein?
Seriously.

Mothers Day, Around the World

It's Mothers Day, and I couldn't help but wonder if this really was (as a mentor of mine put it) "just another holiday created by Hallmark."
What is Mothers Day like around the world? Is this just a North American thing we do?
I thought I'd find out.
Like many of the holidays we celebrate today, the origins of Mothers day are a little bit muddy. Ancient Greeks celebrated the "Mother of Gods", named "Cybele". 16th century Britains practiced something called "Mothering Sunday", where one would go back and visit their mothering church annually. This would in most occasions reunite Mothers and their children together. Over the years, the religious side has faded and the focus was eventually put on the reuniting of Mothers with their children.
In the United States in the 1870's, a social activist by the name of Julia Ward Howe, inspired by the British Tradition, made a proclamation to unite women against war. While nothing came of her proclamation, another women was inspired by Julia and tried to unite women in the Civil War. When she died, her daughter wanted a day to honor the memory of her mother, so she handed out 500 white carnations at her mothers church. Later on the day was adopted as a celebration of all mothers.
Today, however, I was surprised to find out that Mothers Day is actually celebrated in far more places than just North America (I counted close to 130 countries!), although in most of these countries the modern concept of Mothers day has been copied from western tradition.
Whether it's from an ancient Greek Tradition, or a fabricated Hallmark Holiday, I don't think it really matters--Happy Mothers Day!

(above--My adoptive Great-Grandmother and Grandmother)

Bavaria!

Today I thought it was necessary to make a stop at a great little Bavarian restaurant in Abbotsford, to prepare my palate for some of the foods I'll be experiencing while in Central Europe.  You know, because getting used to Schnitzel and Warsteiner is a hard thing.  And that sauerkraut...

...Umm...okay, to be perfectly honest, I just really wanted a Warsteiner and some Schnitzel.
Who can blame me?

...And I l-o-v-e sauerkraut.  LOVE.