This Sunday Kingsley and I got back into the swing of things and went yoga and sushi lunch. Later on the way home Kingsley kindly offered to go grocery shopping with me for the week and to help me with the heavy carrying of groceries.  Of course it had to start torrentially raining while we were in the store so we walked out with a shopping cart full of food and NO TAXI’s available.  Our only hope was to catch the number 11 bus but the bus stop was quite a distance from the store exit.

Rainy Sunday from Lynn Wood on Vimeo.

On March 23rd the "leader and visionary who through struggle and backbreaking years of work established Singapore as a nation and grew it to be an economic giant" passed away.

Throughout the, appropriately rainy and dreary day,  there was an outpouring of love and support from around the world. I was inspired to capture a few of the many impressive quotes I read that day about Singapore's amazing leader.

May you rest in peace Mr. Lee.

“A big man on a small stage.”
— Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State

“The leader who, perhaps, impressed me most was Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore… He was an individual who changed the course of history… Lee Kuan Yew took the right decisions for his country; he chose the right values and the right economic policies to ensure the development of a successful society. In this, he was an artist painting on the largest canvas that society can provide.”
— F.W. de Klerk, former President of South Africa

“This is one of the legendary figures of Asia in the 20th and 21st centuries. He is somebody who helped to trigger the Asian economic miracle.” (October 29, 2009)
— Barack Obama, President of the United States

“Lee Kuan Yew took a small spit of land in Southeast Asia, which became independent in 1965 after great struggle and anguish, with no resources and a polyglot population of Chinese, Malaysian, and Indian workers, and turned it into one of the economic centers of the world… He is still indisputably the father of Singapore. I was struck by the depth of his understanding of the world — China, Russia, and the United States — all at age 85.” (September 21, 2008)
— Fareed Zakaria, editor-at-large of Time Magazine

“The smartest leader I think I ever met.”
— Tony Blair, ex-Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

“In my long life in public service, I have encountered many bright, able people. None is more impressive than Lee Kuan Yew.”
— George H.W. Bush, former President of the United States

"He and Dr Kissinger are probably the only two world statesmen who, after leaving office, find an open door to every head of state and government anywhere in the world.”
— Lord Carrington, former British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

“Over the years Lee has been called many things — unflattering as well as admiring. But perhaps the single most fitting description is: The Man Who Saw Tomorrow.”
— Zoher Abdoolcarim, Asia Editor of Time Magazine

Nestled in the son vida hills of Palma de Mallorca, is a 13th-century castle-turned-luxury-hotel that overlooks the bay and the city center of Palma about 14 km away. The property is bordered by golf courses on 2 sides.  We spent 5 nights here in our complimentary upgraded room with a stunning balcony view where Kingsley and I would have enjoy our morning tea in the glorious island sunshine.


Another highlight of the hotel for me was the food.  They were very kind to cater to our gluten free restrictions and even made us cheeseburgers with a gluten free bun which Kingsley stated was his favorite meal of the trip!

A MAJOR highlight of the trip for me was a two hour trail ride that I convinced Kingsley to go on with me through Hipica Formentor. They also offer two and four day trail rides through the mountains of Mallorca but somehow I am not sure Kingsley is cut out for a multi-day riding event.

During our horse riding adventure, I promise you, I have never laughed so much in my life. Kingsley, as an absolute beginner was placed on an big gentle giant of a horse who quickly figured out that Kingsley hadn't a clue so took full advantage of the situation doing as he pleased hanging back and then cheerfully trotting to catch up with my horse all the while Kingsley was bouncing around hanging on for dear life. It was priceless, just priceless. At one point I was laughing so hard I thought I might actually fall off my own horse! 

Formentor – especially the ‘Cap de Formentor’ in peninsula’s Eastern end – is postcard perfect. Starting with 13.5km of winding roads that defy all safety and logic, the peninsula’s several lookout points and the lighthouse are beautiful and quiet spots to stop and reflect on the beauty all around.

Our first day in Mallorca was spent driving along the West Coast of the island which many have said is the most beautiful part of the island and I have to whole-heartedly agree.

We began the drive from Palma heading west on C-719, our first stops were Camp de Mar and Port D/ Andratx, two beautiful spots with sandy coves. Here summer vacationers mingle with fishermen in this natural port, which is set against a backdrop of pines. Port D'Andtax was once a haven for smugglers.

Leaving the port, we continued northeast along C-719 to reach the town of Andratx, 5km (3 miles) away. Because of frequent raids by Turkish pirates, this town moved inland. Located 31km (19 miles) west of Palma, Andratx is one of the loveliest towns on the island, surrounded by fortifications and a Gothic parish church.

After leaving Andratx, we took the C-710 N, a tiny winding road that runs parallel to the island's jagged northwestern coast. This road was for us the highlight of the trip; most of the road is perched along the cliff edge and shaded by pine trees. We stopped at the Mirador Ricardo Roca for some lemon sorbet and the panoramic view of a series of coves. These coves can be reached only from the sea.

We then continued to Estallenchs, a town of steep slopes surrounded by pine groves, olive and almond trees, and fruit orchards. Valldemossa, was the next major town and is where the composer Frédéric Chopin and the French writer George Sand spent their now-famous winters.

Beyond Valldemossa, the road ran along cliffs some 395m (1,300 ft.) high until they reach San Marroig, the former residence of Archduke Lluis Salvador, which is actually within the town limits of Deià. He erected a small neoclassical temple on a slope overlooking the sea to give visitors a panoramic vista.

We decided to stop and have lunch once we reached Deià. This was the home for many years of the English writer Robert Graves. Many other foreign painters, writers, and musicians have found inspiration in Deià, which is a virtual Garden of Eden.

Salzburg is a romantic little town that sits in the foothills of the Alps. I have heard so much about this city so was pleased to have a chance to meet up with our good friends Gulay and Ian for a wintery weekend getaway in Salzburg

In addition to its natural charm, Salzburg gave us Mozart AND The Sound of Music. Both of which I am incredibly fond of, however, The Sound of Music was a particular favorite movie of mine growing up.




During the afternoon, we stopped at Cafe Tomaselli for some tea and a small pastry dessert. Dating from 1703, it is the classic Salzburg coffeehouse. Evidently Mozart used to come to this cafe often. The waiters were all men who wore fancy suits and took our orders for drinks and food. Seperatly there is a pastry lady who comes around with a tray of AMAZING looking pastries for you to choose from. Word of warning you will not be able to say no to the pastries, and they taste as good as they look! You pay for these items separately, which I found kind of odd.

The cafe obviously does very well in Salzburg and was buzzing with customers while we were there. What stood out to me was that none of them were looking down at their cell phones or any other devices for that matter...I thought that perhaps we had found some kind of magical place where cell phones and social media had not yet reached, but then I noticed the NO CELL PHONE sign hanging on the wall of this 300 year old building and had a sad thought that no where is "safe" anymore...

Our weekend in Salzburg flew by with some wonderful new memories made with some special friends.

One of the highlights of Salzburg for me was our beautiful Hotel Sacher accommodation. Due to the fact that it was off peak season we were able to get a very good rate for our room and we were even upgraded to a room with the view of the river. Later I learned that the 2015 rates for the hotel were 700 Euros per night! Yikes!

We selected the Hotel Sacher for the location and, if I am honest, because the Trip Advisor breakfast reviews were incredible!  It is directly across the river from the old city and within easy walking distance of all the key areas in Salzburg.

Even with the glowing reviews buzzing around in my head leaving quite a high standard to live up to...I was incredibly impressed by the morning breakfasts. They even served gluten free bread for Kingsley and I, though I have to admit I cheated later by indulging in their non-gluten free world famous chocolate torte. It was worth it! We had fresh squeeze grapefruit juice with a splash of champagne, omelets, cheeses from all over the world and so much more and everything was delicious.

I am a big tea drinker, some might even say a tea snob, and have been known to bring my own tea bags when we travel just in case the selection is limited wherever we are staying. Hotel Sacher scored even extra points from me by having the most divine tea selection. I especially enjoyed their Althaus green tea and without fail woke up each morning obsessing thinking about it to the point where ordering a pot of it via room service was required to pacify me.

Before vacationing in Barcelona I’d never heard of Gaudi, a Catalan architect considered a master of Modernism. If you’d asked me what Gaudi meant to me, I would have said it meant “excessively showy” (as in “gaudy”, which ironically is not related to Gaudi since the use of the term, “gaudy” dates back to the 1500s.)
It has been called "A great petrified wave". This building was commisiioned by Pere Mila and his wife to be used as apartments and a family home. This was built when Gaudi was 54 at the height of his career and was declared a UNESCO Heritage site in 1984.

What makes Casa Mila a genuine architectural masterpiece is the fact that there are no load bearing walls; the building, including the façade, is supported by a structure of columns and curved iron beams surrounding an open courtyard from the lobby to the attic.