50 Countries And Counting: A Naturalista's Adventures and Black "Herstory" Perspectives in Europe, Part II--Italy, Portugal and The Vatican

We're still in Black History month and my chosen cities in Europe continue. Why because as mentioned in a previous piece during this Black History month, wherever I go, it's Black "herstory" because I'm a sister! Beyond travel discussion about the marvelous countries where primarily Black people dwell, I will continue to share my travel journeys, as I have done previously when discussing Africa and other beautiful places but Europe is a place where Black people travel too so let's go to Italy, Portugal and the Vatican!

While a young girl growing up in Queens, NY, there was a pizza place in a location called Jamaica Avenue that had excellent Margherita Pizza. So delicious! I had an odd way of eating it. I would eat the cheese first because it was so scrumptious, and then the bread. This pizza feasting led me to always imagine doing so in Italy. Many years later, it was also a place that my daughter desired to visit, so off we went as a family to visit Rome, Tivoli, Assisi, Tuscany, Verona, Pisa, Venice and Florence. There was so much to do and see that the decision was to go on a tour, which I am never fond of doing, so it is rare for us. However, it did ramp up our ability to see a lot in a stress-free format. Essentially, every aspect of the trip was arranged for us. All we had to do was pack and go!

Venice
No trip to Italy would be satisfying, in my eyes, without a romantic ride on a Gondola, while viewing the beautiful architecture on the water, after enjoying a Bellini at Harrys. That is some kind of wonderful! It is seemingly impossible not to love this. We did indeed! Venice is a place of joyous frivolity including the glass blowing, carnival masks and constant eating of gelato. I actually could not believe how much gelato our son ate in Italy at large, but Venice was a place to really enjoy it. The Piazza San Marco is a fabulous hangout spot. I absolutely felt like a kid again sitting on the lion pictured below. I can go on and on discussing Venice because I loved it so much. Every moment while there, I felt a sense of aliveness and enjoyed just sitting in cafes sipping and eating until my stomach said ENOUGH already and it was time to walk it off. This is a place to go with family for an assured good time but the notion of dieting should be left at home. Your plan should be to eat, drink and be merry!

Florence
Florence is a very special place. For me, it translated to art as the Uffizi was worth every moment of the time spent there. I was thrilled to see the Birth of Venus by Botticelli, which of course I was excited to do, but there was so much more to see. We also saw David, by Michelangelo, at the Accademia Gallery (although there is so much more to see beyond it). I wondered if David would be as excellent as I had always imagined it to be and indeed it was. Honestly, I couldn't stop looking at it. The statue exceeded my expectations. The detail is impeccable and we marveled at it for a considerable period of time. This magnificent piece of art is a sight to behold and there is a sense of profoundness while analyzing it.

Beyond the museums and magnificent art, there was outstanding architecture, beautiful churches and general impressiveness, everywhere we walked in this city of cities. Of course there was eating too. The thing about Italy is that, no matter where you go, you must eat. You have to convince yourself that the walking will balance it all out and that the most important thing to do is to let go of any notion of feeling guilty. Dieting is not an option. Pasta, bread, pizza, cheese, coffee, pastries--just all of it is there for you to consume and enjoy. No matter where you go, you will see people eating. Just indulge yourself and then walk it off. Florence is wonderful! If you have the opportunity, definitely check it out.

Portofino
We also visited Portofino, as mentioned in my last post where I highlighted our experiences in France and Monaco per a yacht cruise. Portofino is absolutely charming. It's one of those quaint cities that is so picturesque that you feel like you are in a postcard setting as you're walking around. It's a cute little fishing village with colorful buildings and beauty all around. There is a restaurant in Miami that my husband and I often go to named Portofino. We love it because the food is delicious and we get to reminisce while there, as there are perfect artists renderings of it at the restaurant. Portofino is a place for romance and love!

Rome
Basically, it is perhaps accurate to say that you shouldn't do Italy without visiting Rome. Beyond the Colosseum, which is magnificent, there is also Trevi Fountain and other sites, too numerous to list. In Rome, there is a sense of going back in time. History is all around you in terms of ruins and beautiful sites in general. Of course, the food is amazing! Being there felt big. There was a sense that although I have traveled much of the world, standing in Rome was outstanding. You can tell, as you walk around, that a lot went down there, historically speaking. Essentially, if you go to Italy, don't miss Rome. It is an absolute must see. Also, try to visit Tivoli nearby. There is a statue there you probably don't want to miss.

Portugal
Our interest in travel to Portugal was to see Lisbon on our way to West Africa. Portugal was the first country in history to participate in slavery, in terms of Africans and the New World. I don't find this to be a positive claim to fame but the city is indeed formidable. In Portugal, we enjoyed a hop on hop off, double decker bus tour. These tours are great when you have limited time, but a lot to see and indeed we did. While there, I bought a fantastic bottle of Port wine. Unfortunately, I forgot to put it in my suitcase and had it in my carry-on when we left so it was confiscated by TSA. That was tremendously disappointing. But, nevertheless, we enjoyed Lisbon. One of our meals was an excellent paella. If paella is made right, you will experience a treat indeed and we did. But I was so eager to get to Africa that perhaps I did not absorb Lisbon thoroughly. We saw the Torre de Belem (tower shaped like a boot), Bairro Alto, Pradrao de Descobremente (Wall of Discoverers/Colonizers) and the Piazza de Mare amongst other sites. Each of these sites were wonderful! Lisbon was worthy and I definitely recommend a visit there.

The Vatican
The highlight of the Vatican, was the Sistine Chapel (Michelangelo), of course. I was intrigued by the fact that although I am not Catholic, the Vatican is the place where the Pope resides. The architecture was incredible and there was a feel to the place that was different from other places in Italy. I loved seeing La Pieta which is Michael Angelo's rendition of Mary and Jesus. The intricacy of this sculpture is phenomenal. The Vatican did not feel like a vacation spot, by any stretch of the word, but more like a religious experience that I am sure for Roman Catholics is a tremendous experience. I do believe it is worth the visit.

Pisa
Essentially, the reason to go to Pisa is to see the leaning tower of Pisa. I remember learning about it as a child in school and finding the notion of a building leaning, very interesting. Although there is a bit more to see there, seeing the leaning tower is essentially sufficient and then you move on. I'm glad we checked that off. Checking it out is definitely fun and interesting!

We also took a few side trips which included Verona to see Romeo and Juliette's Balcony and to rub the statue there for good luck. We visited Tivoli near Rome to see the multiple breasted statue (pictured above) and the gardens, Assisi to see and understand the life of St. Francis of Assisi (I find him particularly intriguing because of his love of pets) and Tuscany, where we saw beautiful sunflowers and enjoyed delicious wine. I definitely would love to return to Tuscany and chill out there for awhile. A longer stay would be wonderful there.

Below are travel tips that I hope you will find useful for your journeys. Next I will explore Spain, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, which you won't want to miss. Stay tuned!

Check out my Travel Tips, which you don't want to miss!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patti-r-rose/50-countries-and-counting_7_b_9293752.html

Follow Patti R. Rose on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Naturaliscool

50 Countries And Counting: A Naturalista's Adventures Through Europe And Black "Herstory" Perspectives, Part I--Monaco and France!

In my last installment of my naturalista travel adventures, I mentioned that I would write about Europe and then as my fingers hit the keys, I recognized, hold up, wait a minute, it's Black History Month! I started to change my places to write about my travels to locations where primarily Black people dwell, as I have done previously, namely Fiji and African nations, then I changed my mind. It is befitting to write about a naturalista's experience in Europe because no matter where I go, on this earth, as a Black woman, it becomes a part of black "herstory." Why? because I'm a sister! So here goes my journey, through Europe, from a Black "herstory" perspective, Part I.

We started our journey, which was part of a yacht cruise that I took with my husband. The trip included Monte Carlo, Monaco, Villefranche, France, Portovenere and Portofino Italy, St. Florent, Corsica, St. Tropez, France, Cannes, France and then returning to Monaco, followed by a few days in Nice, France. A colleague of my husband owned the ships, of which there were two, with 100 cabins each. He prided himself on the luxury his ships provided, which promised champagne, caviar, amazing food and comfort. We truly enjoyed those offerings in abundance. I will discuss our experience in Italy, on this voyage and other trips, in Part II of this European journey but this, Part I, will focus on Monaco and France (per the voyage and other visits there).

Monaco
The one word that I will use to describe Monaco is decadent. Of course, part of our experience there was to visit the Monte Carlo Casino. We are not gamblers, by any stretch of the word, but when in Monaco, do like the Monegasque! Outside of the Hotel de Paris in Monaco, there is the supposedly, lucky bronze statue of Louis XIV. You rub his right knee and legend has it that you will have good luck gambling inside so of course we did that! There were Rolls Royces and other vehicles, exemplifying wealth and luxury, in front of the casino.

In addition to the casino, as our time was limited in Monaco, we ran around, trying to see as much as possible before heading back on the ship to get ready for our next destination, Villefranche, France.

France

During the cruise mentioned above, Villefranche was our next destination on the Mediterranean coast. We visited the Citadel and other interesting sites. The highlight of this location was the outstanding seafood and beautiful vistas by the bay and the fantastic shopping at the antique market on square Amelie Pollonais. There is a lovely beach and we took excellent walks down narrow streets where we found all types of interesting gifts to buy. One very cool point about Villefranche is that Tina Turner was so impressed with it that she bought a palatial villa there. This was a trip that we took without our children so it felt very much like a second honeymoon. We were the only Black people on the entire ship, while on board. It's always interesting when that happens but our travel is our focus and we are just happy to bring some diversity to the experience.

Corsica

We also visited Corsica, which I loved. First of all, there is a brother (a Moor) on the Corsican flag, which was great to see! The highlight of this location was the food (delicious-- including lamb and goat and cheese from sheep's milk, delectable desserts and fine wine and Corsican Muscat--a must try!) We visited the old port, the Citadel, the cathedral and some excellent shops and of course there was swimming! The ocean was lovely and we enjoyed every moment. Corsica is quite a unique experience and definitely a place to spend some quality time.

Tahiti Beach, St. Tropez

Our next destination was St. Tropez, which is a truly cool spot. We did the usual--walking, shopping, eating and the beach. Wearing a top at the beach didn't seem like the right option there, or perhaps you won't want it to be ladies, so go for it! There are lots of cool yachts in the port, Club 55 on Pampelonne Beach and excellent nightlife. My recommendation is to spend most of your time there on the beach until you must go and then head to the port area for eating, shopping and people watching. Such a must do place! Don't miss it!

Cannes

Usually, when thinking of Cannes, the first thing that comes to mind is film screenings. I'm sure that's great so of course we had to visit the Palais de Festivals Et Des Congres. It's a formidable city with beautiful sites, great architecture, excellent shopping, lovely beaches and awesome coffee shops. I have to say that most of our shopping was done there as Cannes is one of the French Riviera's top chic clothing spots. We walked so much and ate many, many pastries while sipping coffee and enjoying Orangina. We soaked in every moment of our time there. We visited Grasse, the town that claims to be the perfume capital of the world so you can imagine what I bought at one of the perfumeries! Cannes is a special location, with it's own uniqueness. I found it lovely, while simultaneously exhausting, in a pleasant way.

Upon our return to the ship, after a late night and into the morning activities, we were ready for that champagne and caviar that was a highlight of the ship. It was worth the wait. Every moment on the ship was fantastic!!

Nice

After departing from a wonderful time on our cruise and visiting so many special places, we decided to spend a few days in Nice, which is one of my favorite cities in the world. I love Nice including the architecture, the ocean, the parks, the market, the mussels and beer, and our quaint hotel, The Hotel Vendome, which was charming and elegant.

We stayed out each evening until about 3:00 a.m. walking and taking in every moment. There were street performers in the square, night shopping, and a general sense of aliveness and fun at all times. It also has beautiful scenery, wherever you look. It's a city to live, not just to visit, for sure. My favorite meal was mussels and french fries with a big mug of beer.

Paris

Of course, Paris is my favorite place in France. I have been there several times. First, with my husband and children. They were very young. I remember going up to the top of the Eiffel Tower with our children and an elderly man came over to our son and said, "You are very lucky. I waited my whole life to do this." That was a moment to cherish because we were delighted to have our children there with us. My greatest memory there is of our children running around the gardens of the Palace of Versailles and marveling with us at it and everything inside of the palace, particularly the Hall of Mirrors--truly amazing! I also loved watching them sip hot chocolate at cafes. They were just adorable.

I returned to Paris at a later point to give a presentation at an international health conference and then again in 2015 with my husband for our 30th Wedding Anniversary. Yes! Thirty amazing years so Paris seemed so perfectly appropriate. We got home just days before the tragedy that occurred in November so our beautiful memory of a joyous time, included reflection on the sadness for the people of Paris. We felt deep compassion for the Parisians and their beautiful city.

We enjoyed our anniversary there immensely, especially our journey by a short train ride to the Reims region of Champagne where we visited the Charles Heidseick Estate for a tour and champagne tasting. Another highlight was theMusee D'Orsay, which holds original impressionist Masterpieces by Monet, Degas and other outstanding artists. Just fabulous! We stayed at, the Hotel Astor St. Honore, which was delightfully Parisian and our romantic dinner cruise on the River Siene, topped it all off.

Each time I visit Paris, I understand why Black expatriates such as James Baldwin, Josephine Baker, Maya Angelou and others chose it as their destination for a period in their lives, to escape the ravages of racism that they experienced as artists in the U.S. Eventually they returned to the U.S., but they found respite in Paris.

Below are travels tips that I hope you will find helpful. In my upcoming posts on Europe (Parts II and III), I will cover, Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, The United Kingdom, The Vatican and Portugal!

To see these tips that I think are very helpful, visit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patti-r-rose/50-countries-and-counting_6_b_9171144.html

5 Essential Questions to Ask About the Zika Virus Before Accepting the Hype!

As the readers of Natural Is Cool Enough (N.I.C.E.) know, I often take a pause to discuss important issues/news that arises beyond natural hair.  Let's talk about Zika!

Before becoming racked with fear over the Zika virus (a flavivirus, which for the most part, have arthropod vectors, eg. mosquitoes) we may want to take our time and explore this emerging story in depth as the fear mongering has begun. First, it is important to ask questions. Asking questions is NOT an avenue towards conspiracy theorizing, but thinking. During my studies as an MPH student, at Yale University's School of Public Health, followed by the acquisition of my Doctorate, in Community Health Education, from Columbia University Teachers College, I was taught to question everything, from an epidemiological vantage point and beyond, in terms of diseases and how they spread.  Beyond educational training/research, there is also common sense that leads to inquiry.

Facts
The Zika virus is not new as it was identified in 1947 . Microcephaly (in this instance, referring specifically to babies born with small heads) is also not new. According to a recent article in the New York Times "An estimated 25,000 babies receive a microcephaly diagnosis each year in the United States. Microcephaly simply means that the baby's head is abnormally small -- sometimes just because the parents themselves have unusually small heads." This fact is shared, from my perspective, with deep compassion for the babies, mothers, parents and families dealing with this issue.

Geography
The Zika virus has been in the Pacific Islands, and other parts of the world, as we are being told, before now. The question is, where are all the babies with microcephaly in the Pacific Islands ?"Other regions that have experienced recent Zika outbreaks--mostly Pacific islands--have not reported an increase in microcephaly" Furthermore, "How many cases of microcephaly in Brazil have actually been linked to the Zika virus? Of the nearly 4,200 cases reported, only six have been linked with certainty to the virus" per NPR.

Causal Relationships
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke "Microcephaly can be present at birth or it may develop in the first few years of life. It is associated with Down's syndrome, chromosomal syndromes, and neurometabolic syndromes. Babies may also be born with microcephaly if, during pregnancy, their mother abused drugs or alcohol, became infected with a cytomegalovirus, rubella (German measles), or varicella (chicken pox) virus, was exposed to certain toxic chemicals or had untreated phenylketonuria (PKU)."

Sexual Transmission
As for sexual transmission of the Zika virus, which has surfaced in recent discussions as a possibility, there are only two cases which are questionable. There is also one new case of purported sexual transmission recently reported (see # 4 below).

Therefore, the bottom-line is that before fear and hysteria set in regarding the Zika virus, the following key questions should be asked:

Identification
1. If the Zika virus was identified in 1947, were there a significant number of cases of microcephaly then and beyond, before current stories, and if not why?

Correlation and Causation
2.   Are all of the cases of microcephaly currently in Brazil, and other locations in current stories, directly correlated with the Zika virus?  If not, how many and is the number significant enough to establish positive correlation and hence, causation?

Evidence
3. Is it a proven fact, that the Zika virus, in general, causes microcephaly with specific, established, scientific, documented evidence?

To review the remaining questions, particularly # 4, regarding Sexual Transmission and #5 Other Possible Causes, visit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patti-r-rose/5-essential-question-to-a_b_9132910.html

50 Countries and Counting: A Naturalista's Travel Adventures in Fiji--A Jewel of the South Pacific

I recall meeting with one of my former colleagues at a University where we were both Professors. We were talking about obesity and how it is viewed culturally in the U.S. vs. some other countries. I began to tell her about this wonderful place called Fiji, where the women dancers, as an example, for the most part, are large, in terms of weight, in comparison to what the U.S. considers the standard of beauty, in terms of size.

She interrupted me, in a very condescending way and stated, leaning forward and placing her hand on my knee, "Oh you mean Fuji." I looked at her thinking to myself, another White person thinking Black people don't travel and need to be schooled about places in the world. I moved back and gave her a look, knowing that I had just experienced a microaggression as described in my book on cultural competency, which promptly led her to remove her hand from my knee. I summarily informed her, albeit politely, that I did not mean Fuji, but Fiji. I then explained to her that Fiji, the place that I had visited with my husband and two children, is an archipelago consisting of 330 plus islands inhabited by people, of primarily African descent, that are referred to as Melanesians.

I corrected her by stating that she, I believed, was referring to the word that perhaps she had heard in relationship to film or the mountain in Japan, that I had also visited. She looked at me with a blank stare of embarrassment at which time I reverted to our previous conversation about obesity and the beauty of Fijian women and the people overall.

You see Black people do travel, which leads me to my discussion of Fiji. It is a place of warm, gracious, predominantly Black people. We traveled there from Miami and broke up our trip by stopping in Los Angeles before heading to the Airport for our connecting flight, via Fijian airlines. There, we began to see Black people with Afros, waiting to board their flight. We looked at them and they looked at us, noting our differences and our sameness--the reality that we were all Black, but from different places and cultures. Our smiles connected us and when we reached the island of Viti Levu, in Fiji, as we walked around our hotel and ultimately visited one of their villages, we were greeted heartily with the word, Bula (the Fijian word for hello), with the biggest smiles you can imagine. 

Before going there, I had a lengthy discussion with my younger brother who, while a Columbia University student, spent much of his time studying abroad in Europe and Africa, and subsequently, continued to be a world traveler. He informed me that the Fijian people were African. He had not traveled to there but read about them and desired to go there. One of my other White, Professor colleagues argued that Fijian people were not African but rather Melanesian. He had not been there either. I listened to both of their positions and decided I would find out. I would go with my family to Fiji and ask the people myself, and so I did.

The Fijian people are very gracious and the gentleman that we met who ran the kids program at the beautiful Sheraton Fiji Resort, where we stayed, was named Moses. Moses organized games and playtime for the children and chatted with us when we picked them up from their activities.

He was delighted to see Black people, from the U.S., and invited us to his village to attend the wedding of one of his family members and to visit the local school. We were thrilled to do so! I asked him if Fijians were of African descent and he laughed and replied "of course!" We went to the village and I had the privilege of sitting with the men, along with my husband and children, during one of their meetings, which was generally not permissible as women do not sit with the men when meeting with the Chief of the Village. But because I was a Professor, I was permitted to do so. It was at that time, that the Chief shared important information with all of us, in Fijian, as translated by Moses, after I asked him where were Fijian people from originally. He explained that the people of Fiji are indeed of African descent, from East Africa, as they had traveled on ships called druas to Fiji and settled there in their early history.

Although there are some who consider this to be Fijian lore, I have no doubt regarding the accuracy of their understanding of their history as everything about them appears to indicate that they are of African descent. I valued and appreciated the connection between them and my family during our visit--one group of people of African descent to another. We attended the wedding and participated in our first kava ceremony.

While in Fiji, besides the wonderful time spent getting to know the Fijian people, we enjoyed scenery so beautiful that I couldn't imagine leaving. The water was warm, crystal clear and vividly blue. The food was fresh and delicious including lots of seafood, rice, bread, coconuts, curry, fruit and general deliciousness. The people kept telling us to eat because they thought we were too thin! That was remarkable and enhanced my desire to stay there forever. There wasn't a great deal to do there, but that was the joy of it. We went snorkeling, which was exquisite--the best that I've ever experienced anywhere in the world, and enjoyed an excellent day cruise to visit other islands. On that excursion, we tried kava again with the Fijian people and other guests on board. We also spent a great deal of time in hammocks, I had a wonderful beach massage and we traveled around daily absorbing the loveliness of it all. We marveled at their crafts, particularly their skills with coconuts and masi (Fijian bark cloth) and purchased some hand carved statues and a mask for my collection. My husband and son wore lapas (cloth worn in a skirt-like fashion), as is the custom of the men there. We also took a ride on a shotover jet, which is a very fast jet boat ride and a highlight for our children and us!

To find out my overall opinion of Fiji and to see my latest travel tips:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patti-r-rose/50-countries-and-counting_5_b_9091244.html

50 Countries and Counting: A Naturalista's Travel Adventures in Egypt and South Africa--Bucket List Must-Dos

 I have always had an interest in traveling to South Africa and Egypt. I was deeply interested in learning about the impact of the apartheid atrocity and I was intrigued by Winnie and Nelson Mandela. As for Egypt, my younger (by five years) brother, who is now deceased, had lived there as an exchange student while in college. I was supposed to visit him there but I didn't make it before he returned home. He told me so many wonderful things about it, including Cairo, the Pyramids, the Sphinx and so much more, that I knew I would get there as he told me that my life would not be complete without this experience. It became a bucket list item that had to be accomplished and so it was, with my husband and son.Below are some highlights of these two amazing trips. I highly recommend both travel options as you don't want to miss seeing these phenomenal places.

South Africa This trip was truly outstanding! Johannesburg is a formidable city of great magnitude, beyond what I had expected. We roamed through the city, marveling at all there was to see from the people to the shops and the energy of the city. Normally, I prefer not to travel via arranged tours, but there was so much to see that we took that route for this trip. It was a private tour, so it was just the four of us (my husband and I and our son and daughter) and a driver. All details were arranged beforehand, which made the trip easier to manage.

We had the sad but deeply enlightening experience of visiting the island where Mandela was imprisoned and saw his prison cell which was heart wrenching.http://naturaliscoolenough.blogspot.com/2013/12/nice-pauses-to-pay-homage-to-nelson.html We also went to Soweto to visit the home where he once lived (now a museum of sorts) which was in stark contrast to the home that we saw that he lived in while President. We also visited the Soweto museum. Our visit to Capetown was very interesting, as well as our enjoyment of a day and night safari at Kruger National Park. The night safari was a little scary as we ran into a herd of elephants of which one of the males came charging toward us. Luckily, all ended well but I don't think I would participate in a night safari again. For a portion of our trip, we also stayed at the Palace of the Lost City which has a large tidal wave pool! This hotel is tremendous in size and scope. Additionally, the food in South Africa, overall, is fantastic. Be sure to visit Wandie's Place in Soweto which was our favorite food spot http://www.wandies.co.za/. The seasonings used in food preparation there are great and all was delicious. So if you visit, be sure to eat heartily!

Egypt

Egypt, by far, has been one of the most wonderful experiences that I have had in my life. Seeing the pyramids caused a visceral reaction for me. They were so huge, mysterious and interesting that I felt emotional as I stood before them. The Sphinx was also a site to behold. We (my husband, son and I) cruised down the Nile for a week, on a lovely cruise ship, stopping to see numerous great, temples throughout the voyage. We also made our way to Abu Simbel to see the Temple of Ramses the Great, which was mind blowing. Our hotel in Cairo, which was a Marriott was absolutely perfect including the ambience, the pool, the food, the rooms and everything about it. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/caieg-cairo-marriott-hotel-and-omar-khayyam-casino/ I highly recommend this hotel as a selection.

The temples and tomb visits were intriguing because by looking at the drawings on the walls, made by the Egyptians during antiquity, my knowledge that the Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs and their Queens, children and the people of the land then, were, in fact, Black people, was solidified. This is also confirmed by timelines, which reflect when other groups, such as Europeans and Arabs arrived in Egypt. After all, Egypt IS in Africa! This is easily proven with any map or globe! Lastly, the Cairo Museum is also an experience worth every moment. Give yourself time as it is huge and be sure to pay a bit extra to visit the mummy room. There you will see mummies of Pharaohs and others and understand the incredible skill set involved with mummification. I wrote about this some time ago so check it out here:http://naturaliscoolenough.blogspot.com/2010/08/african-hair-in-antiquity-hair-of.html. Egypt is a trip that is definitely a must do!

For travel tips, advice especially for Naturalistas and updo tips for seriously hot travel weather and photos of Egypt, visit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patti-r-rose/50-countries-and-counting_4_b_9055854.html

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Cultural Competency For The Health Professional

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Cultural Competency For Health Administration And Public Health

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50 Countries and Counting: A Naturalista's Travel Adventures in Glorious Africa, Part I--Kenya, Senegal and Cabo Verde!

There are many misconceptions about travel to Africa, which is a beautiful continent with many wonderful places to visit. After all, it is the Motherland! My first trip to Africa was to Nairobi, Kenya in East Africa, which was fantastic! Subsequent journeys to the continent, on three different occasions, included my husband, our daughter and our son as we visited Senegal and the Cabo Verde Islands (which is where my husband's family is from on his maternal side). We started with Portugal (Europe will be covered in a separate post) on this trip, as we wanted to begin with the colonizers, as one of our goals was to understand the impact of the slave trade and to explore family history. Next, we visited South Africa including Johannesburg, Capetown, Soweto and Robben Island, where Mandela was held as a prisoner for a significant portion of his life. Lastly, my husband, my son and I visited Egypt, which was outstanding and one of the best trips of my life. In brief, it is challenging to give thorough coverage of these experiences but I am thrilled to be able share some highlights of glorious Africa (North, South, East and West)! In this first parti, I will cover Kenya, Senegal and Cabo Verde!

Kenya

I traveled to Kenya alone and stayed at the Hilton Hotel, which is close to the Convention center in Nairobi and the Maasai market. I went to Kenya to give a presentation at an international health conference. The people were absolutely gracious and warm throughout my entire trip. Beyond my work, I traveled on several excursions including a safari at the Maasai Mara, which was as great as I imagined it would be. I also visited a Maasai village, which is a beautiful experience. The people were so regal and everything about their culture intrigued me. I purchased a blanket and other wares from them that are all special pieces in my home. A visit to Lake Nauru National Park was spectacular as I saw 100's of Flamingos in one place, which was just breathtaking. Shopping for Kenyan crafts, etc. was a cultural joy as I selected masks for my collection, beautiful jewelry, fabric and dresses and other hand-made pieces that will always remind me of Kenya. The Karen Blixen Museum and Giraffe Manor was a special treat as I had the opportunity to stand very close to a giraffe and touch it, which was very cool (http://www.nahdytravel.com/tours.php?active_page=safari&safari_idea=15). My experience in Kenya left fantastic memories and began my desire to see more of the continent. I looked forward to returning to Africa and did so with my family.

Senegal My trip to Dakar Senegal with my husband, our daughter and son included a brief voyage to Goree Island, which is a UNESCO world Heritage site (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/26). It began with a visit to the Maison de Esclaves (House of Slaves) where we each stood in the "Door Of No Return." This is a necessary but heart-wrenching experience. I believe that it is important as it provokes thoughts and feelings about what it must have been like to be taken from West Africa, across the Atlantic ocean, to the awful situation of slavery, never to return home again. Maison de Esclaves is a museum, which renders an experience that does not bring joy but true understanding of a horrific tragedy that impacted negatively, the lives of so many African people, which sadly was the fate of my ancestors.

Dakar, Senegal is awesome in so many ways including the people, the food, and the artisanry--just everything about it. I also enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the city, as the vibrancy of the people is always present. You see it in their attire, their beautiful smiles, welcoming attitudes and their businesses as they tend to their daily activities. Our hotel in Dakar was on the ocean and was perfect for our stay. It accentuated my romantic notions of the beauty of Africa as I stood once again looking at the ocean recognizing the importance of having this experience with my family. Visiting a small village outside of Dakar was a highlight also as we had an opportunity to spend time there and to get to know the people and their humble lifestyle. It was a wonderful experience overall!

Cabo Verde Islands

Cabo Verde (aka Cape Verde), is a West African nation, which consists of ten volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean. It is known to many as an exporter of hurricanes. Our trip to Cape Verde consisted of a visit to three islands there, which are Sao Vincente, Praia and Sal. For many Europeans, Cape Verde is a vacation spot. It consists of pristine beaches, fantastic food, beautiful scenery and lovely, kind people. My husband's maternal grandparents and other relatives were born there. In Praia, the capital city, we saw the home of the famous, now deceased singer, Cesara Evora known as the "Barefoot Diva" (https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/a-local-life-singer-cesaria-evora-was-called-the-barefoot-diva/2011/12/17/gIQAp2710O_story.html). In Sal, our hotel was on the ocean and there we had the opportunity to meet the Cape Verdean soccer team. We ate delicious Cape Verdean dishes, that I had come to know through my husband's family, including Manchup, which is the national dish (http://leitesculinaria.com/9998/writings-manchup-cape-verdes-national-dish-is-a-savory-mix.html), jag (rice and beans) and other traditional specialties. This trip was especially important for us, as my husband had the opportunity to see the homeland of his mother's family and our children now know what Cape Verde is like since they had heard so much about it growing up and it is part of their lineage. I enjoyed each island that we visited. We had to take a small plane to get to each one and my favorite of all was Sao Vincente (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g482854-Sao_Vicente-Vacations.html). We stayed at a hotel in Mindelo, which was perfectly quaint. The beauty of this island was such that I decided then, that living there someday for a time, to write and get to know the people more would not be an implausible option. No trip to West Africa should take place without visiting some of these lovely islands. The history of Cabo Verde is also incredibly interesting! (http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad50).

So this concludes Part I. Stay Tuned for my next post, which will take us to South Africa and Egypt! You don't want to miss either of these amazing places! Until then, below are some travel tips to ponder. 

To see the travel tips, visit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patti-r-rose/50-countries-and-counting_3_b_9018180.html

50 Countries and Counting: A Naturalista's Travel Adventures, On the Road, in the U.S. and Canada

Who makes a decision to pursue a doctoral degree at Columbia University, Teachers College, as a young married woman with a two year old toddler and another baby on the way? That would be me. The next question must be "what were you thinking? " Well, I guess I was thinking that I was superwoman and I could do it all and quickly learned that I am not. It was so challenging that in actuality if you ask me how I did it, I would have to say it is all a blur. I relied a great deal on the support of my loving husband and my mother. He was my rock and she was an angel mother/babysitter/food preparer, goddess. If you have people that believe in you, you can do anything! My babies were wonderful. I already had our daughter, who was two at the time, and our son was born, just before my first semester was to begin. I put a time frame on this endeavor, telling everyone that I would complete my doctorate in two years and I did. I had taken a break for two years, after completing my Master's Degree at Yale University, and felt that I handled that pretty well, worked a bit after and being a wife and a mother came naturally so why not mix it up? And so I dived in, head first, of course, dragging my body along for the ride.

Little did I know that one day, in class, when one of my Professor's announced that he had received funding from AAA for the development of a survey that would require a doctoral student to travel to ten locations: eight states in the U.S. and two provinces in Canada, I would end up doing that too. He explained that all expenses would be paid and data used from the study would lead to completion of a doctoral dissertation. "Is anyone interested?" he asked. I raised my hand so quickly and so high that I knew it had to be involuntary. My brain said yes and directed my body to follow suit and I was the only person in the room that responded. "Ok," the Professor responded. See me in my office after class so we can discuss your participation. Then he proceeded with the lecture. I sat there thinking, but my babies, husband, travel, suitcases, breastfeeding, life! What have I committed to? I was screaming with excitement and fear on the inside, while appearing outwardly calm.

We met, I became a Research Assistant and also learned that this role would pay for a good chunk of my tuition and I would get a stipend. It would also facilitate my plan of finishing in two years. Yes! The travel would be done over a period of six months and my husband and mother agreed to pitch in to help with the babies as always, stepping it up even more. I would work harder than ever, to get this done. I literally lived out of a suitcase at that time. I traveled to Providence, RI, Omaha, Nebraska, San Francisco and Los Angeles, CA, Pittsburgh, PA, Miami, FL, Grand Rapids, MI and Alberquerque, NM in the US and Edmonton Alberta and Hamilton Ontario in Canada.

I was met by a AAA representative in each city. My only requirement for each trip was that upon my arrival, I would be taken on a tour to include the inner city of each location upon landing. I required the inner city because I wanted to see the people and the living conditions, as although I had taken on this project, at the core of my interest was culture and health disparities--the gap between the health status of Black and White people in America and the role that socioeconomic status plays in that scenario. I am writing a book about the latter now and others on cultural competency (http://blogs.jblearning.com/health/2012/10/04/special-author-event-dr-patti-rose-at-books-books-in-coral-gables-fl/) as the gap still remains a problem. The survey from my research for the travel proposed by my Professor would ultimately be used to assess the drinking and driving attitudes of Young Drivers. My Professor, Dr. James Malfetti, Sr. became my mentor and guide throughout this process, which I knew was a blessing. He was truly a brilliant, professional and heightened my learning experience with his wisdom. Although he is no longer with us, I am so glad that I had the opportunity to thank him for helping me to accomplish my goal of acquiring my doctorate and graduating in two years so I could get back to my family.

My husband joined me on the California portion of the experience as two of the locations were Los Angeles and San Francisco.

We had a blast, as I visited high schools, in between fun to conduct my research.
I enjoyed every state that I visited and realized the vastness, beauty, similarities and differences of every location. Some of the highlights were Alberquerque, New Mexico where I was very intrigued by the presence of Native American people and developed my love for turquoise jewelry, handcrafted and intertwined with silver and other traditional, native American art pieces. I loved San Francisco, although it was colder than I thought it would be, and I realized that I don't like sour dough bread but love dungeness crabs. I was shocked by the contrast in Los Angeles as I collected data from students at a high school in a high socioeconomic status neighborhood where there were lamborghinis and beyond in the parking lot and a school in Compton where I collected data from students in a trailer, which was their classroom. That is just not right, I thought and that resonated with me deeply. I found Nebraska interesting because I was shocked when I saw Black people there. I don't know why but I hadn't envisioned that until I remembered that Malcolm X was born there and then I appreciated it more.

To see the rest of this story, details on other great locations, beyond my dissertation research destinations,  along with  travel tips, visit this site:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patti-r-rose/50-countries-and-counting_2_b_8946100.html

Naturalistas, just believe in yourself and you can and will achieve your dreams!!!

50 Countries and Counting: A Naturalista's Travel Adventures -- Number Two -- Honeymoon In the Bahamas

When I was a young girl, I decided that I would get married in the Triangle Church, which was actually entitled, St. Albans Congregational Church, in St. Albans, Queens.

I was not a member of this church nor was my family but I just thought it was so beautiful that someday, I would have my wedding there. I have always been big on deciding what I want to happen, seeing it in my minds eye and then manifesting it through repeating my desires and visualizing. It sounds hokey but I later put this into action through vision boards and I find it amazing that this process truly works. I also decided that I wanted to honeymoon in the Poconos. When I reflect back on the latter choice, it makes me smile because my dreams were not solidified in terms of international travel. I had been to Canada and Aruba but my travel ideas were still small.
When it was time for me to marry, after meeting my wonderful husband while we were both students at Yale University, soon after we graduated, I fulfilled my dream of having a beautiful wedding in the Triangle Church.

As we planned for the wedding, I shared with my best friend at the time, the Poconos honeymoon idea. She laughed and said, "You can't honeymoon in the Poconos. You should go to the Caribbean. You don't have to go far. What about the Bahamas? That will be so romantic." That definitely seemed like a great idea so I shared it with my then fiancé and he loved it. The plan was on. We chose Nassau, as it was a popular spot, and once again I was dreaming of crystal blue water, white sand beaches and the joy of traveling internationally.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patti-r-rose/50-countries-and-counting_b_8896258 Our wedding was beautiful, followed by a lovely reception, which included all of our family and friends, a champagne fountain and other libations, delicious food, a lovely cake and gifts galore. I was now Mrs. Rose, a married woman, and off to my honeymoon with a young man whom I loved with all my heart. We arrived at the airport, with luggage in hand and excitement beyond my imagination, ready to check in and board our plane (there was no TSA then). However, upon proceeding to check in for our flight, we were advised that the rules had changed ten days earlier. We needed a passport, birth certificate or baptismal record, or another form of ID, none of which we had on us. This situation was unbelievable! We called our travel agent (yes, they were very active then -- no online bookings) and he panicked advising that he had forgotten about this change and said he'd re-book us to fly out the next day. Immediately, I began to cry, comforted by my husband and we left the airport. I called my mother and my best friend Valerie, who tried to console me. Valerie rushed to my mother's house and they had all of our wedding gifts on display on my mother's dining room table, for us to open, when I arrived in an effort to try and bring back some joy. My mother had my birth certificate ready for me.

My husband's hometown was in Connecticut, in a small city called Norwich. We would have to drive there (It would take us 2.5 hours). When he called his parents, they told him they could not find his birth certificate in their house. They would have to go to their church (they were Catholic) to get his baptismal certificate. We headed there with earnest. I was a bit calmer because all seemed resolved and my husband assured me that our honeymoon would be just as wonderful, a day later. We arrived at his parent's home and he went to the church with his mother. To make a long story short, they came back about an hour later and Jeff's mother was in tears. My husband had a look of shock on his face. It turns out that there was some confusion in locating his baptismal certificate at the church when the priest couldn't find it. Jeff's mother then recalled that the reason was because the priest should look under a different last name. My husband was surprised and confused and then it happened. They found it and he learned that...
For the rest of the story and travel tips (especially tip number 3 for Naturalistas specifically), check out--http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patti-r-rose/50-countries-and-counting_1_b_8908314
Believe it and you will achieve it Naturalistas!