The Land of Lost Luggage

Just a short walk from our hotel in Fortaleza, the bright lights of the cities skyline bounce brightly off the cool, black water of the Atlantic Ocean.  The colorful creatures of Fortaleza’s nightlife gather along the boardwalk and entertain passersby with warped sexiness and magic tricks. 

 

Tonight we walk in their midst searching for trilling night of fun in honor of fellow cast mate, Diego’s birthday.  We’re hit with the strange paradox of watching yellow and orange bands of li...

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After spending the majority of the past week confined to either the hotel or the theatre across the street, Jarred and I ventured out on our first official day off to see a bit more of Sao Paulo, Brazil.  We didn’t want to wander too far, as we were still feeling the effects of last night’s round of caipirinhas, Brazil’s official cocktail made with lime juice, sugar and a Brazilian distilled liquor called cachaca. 

 

Luckily about five or six blocks from our hotel we stumbled upon D...

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After much anticipation, yet relative ease, I've made my way to Sao Paulo, Brazil.  After a somewhat long wait in the customs line, I wearily wobbled towards the luggage carousel, and I'm sure the Avianca attendant standing near the belt instinctively knew I was in need of help.  He asked to see my baggage claim ticket and his brow instantly furrowed as he read aloud "American Airlines".  

"Your bags," he began apologettically, "are in Bogota."  Having been through this exact scenario more tim...
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As it turns out, I did have to resort to high school Espanol in transit today.  My plane buddy for my flight to Bogota, Columbia was a sweet, little old lady who wanted to chat, regardless of my inability to form complete sentences in Spanish and her inability to understand anything beyond "American".  

I learned she was from a canyon somewhere near Bogota with the held of the maps in the inflight magazine.  I managed to communicate that I'd flown from Colorado to Miami and was heading to Sao ...
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A cold shower to wake me up, last minute toiletries packed in my carry on, peanut butter toast carried in the car and gobbled up one hour after taking my Malaria pill, all before the sun peaks over the endless ridges of the Rocky Mountains.  

It's another day at work for me and I can't believe how lucky I am.  Off to Brazil to begin a tour with Mickey's Magic Show.  The rest of the cast is by now hopefully in the hotel in Sao Paulo, but because of bad weather in Denver two nights ago, I've bee...
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In the early hours of morning before the sun peaks out from the horizon, the aroma of fresh bread baking wafts up to the third floor and into my room at the Palace Hotel in Senigallia, Italy.  I check my watch, and discover it’s nearly three hours before the alarm will begin its incessant chirping.  

I layer myself up in running paraphernalia and tiptoe out of the small room, trying my best to not wake my roommate.  As I creep down the carpet-lined stairs, avoiding the small, shaky eleva...

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"If you get a chance, go to Taroko Gorge."  

Not really much to go on, but it was my father's only advice when I asked him what to see while in Taiwan.  He served in the Peace Corps in the Philippines after graduating college, and visited the nearby island during one of his breaks.  After spending a week and a half bathed in the brightly lit chaos of Taipei, I was craving some rural landscape and decided to give it a chance.  

I woke early the next day with determination to make it to the break...
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Pure Yoga is a yoga studio chain located throughout Taiwan, and while staying in Taichung, a city in western Taiwan, some of my fellow performers took dance and aerobic classes there on our days off.  On the Fourth of July I woke early hoping to catch one of the classes but was disappointed when the studio appeared closed after 9 a.m.  I decided to go for a run instead despite the intense heat and humidity, and ran towards the large science center not far from our hotel. 


The center is surroun...
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Our first leg of our Taiwan tour begins in Kaohsiung, a city lining the southwest beach of the island.  Near our hotel is a large park surrounding the cultural center where groups of people gather to practice tai chi, ballroom dancing and group exercise of several kinds.  This morning I leave the hotel early in the morning to photograph some of the massive statues that surround the park.  After circling the park twice, I'm drenched in sweat and look for a place to rest for a moment.  


Near ...
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Ok, I'm going to have to go out of order here.  There are still several blogs I need to write on the rest of my trip in Japan, however, they'll have to wait because I am currently in Taiwan, and this country is amazing!  So many things to write about...starting with an ever hectic travel day...

The night before my departure, my sister and I sat on the couch of our screened porch, riffling through aged photographs to use in a slideshow for my brother's 30th birthday.  Mom sat beside us drifting...
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