Angels Among Us

Posted on by kwundrow

It had started out like any other trip.  The plethora of planning items to check off, airfare, hotel, rental car and the never ending list of things to pack.  We were ready for our trip to the Seattle area.  And for the most part, things went as planned.  We arrived safe and sound, picked up our rental car and found our way successfully to the hotel suite.  One minor detail, and at the time it seemed like such a good thing.  The rental agency had offered us a free upgrade from the midsize car we had paid for to a brand spanking new full size.  Who wouldn’t take that deal and we did.  But more later on that.

We spent the first two days and evening exploring the downtown area of Seattle and took in some nice west coast seafood.  Day three found us on the road to Astoria, Oregon, a beautiful old fur trading center at the mouth of the Columbia River where it meets the Pacific Ocean.  On the way there is where my story begins.  Traveling down the interstate we suddenly hear a loud crack as a stone seemingly thrown at us out of the sky cracks the windshield of our brand new car.  Now had I taken the insurance coverage offered, that would be the rental agency’s issue, but then you see I didn’t take that offer.  When quizzed by my loving wife, I explained that the windshield, thanks to our $500 comprehensive deductible, now belonged to us.  “But fear not, said I, I am sure that lightening does not strike twice.”

We spent a really nice evening in a quaint hotel on the riverbank of the Columbia.  After a nice dinner and exploratory hike around town and up to the “heights”, we had almost put the windshield issue in our rear mirror.  Oh yes there was the suggested scrimping on our choice of restaurants due to the looming $500 bill, but all in all, the issue was fading.  Then came the morning of the next day and the realization that lightening does strike twice.  Sometime in the wee hours someone had pulled out of the stall behind us and managed with the precision of a demolition derby driver to scrape off most of the paint and some of the plastic of our rear bumper.  Of course they would be too ashamed to just drive off you think.  Well apparently the thought never crossed their mind.  My wife, god love her, shrugs and says, “Well at least we already used up our deductible, so it can’t cost us anymore.”  This is when I get to explain the difference in an insurance policy between comprehensive coverage and collision.  After a call to our insurance agent to verify what I thought was obvious and my wife thought was collusion, not to be confused with collision, which my agent explained was a $1000 deductible, we now owned the bumper of this car as well.  With our luck, we just might buy the car one piece at a time before we had to turn it back in.  The better part of this day would be spent getting my family to back away from the emotional cliff we were now poised on the edge of.  But thanks to resilience, humility on my part and a beautiful Oregon Coast beach, we were soldiering on.

We have by this time reached the city of Port Angeles.  Port Angeles is the exit point for the ferry to Victoria Island in Vancouver, Canada.  I wish to insert here several key facts.  You need a passport to get into Canada, Victoria is an island, coffee can cost a lot more than you think and the ferry is not cheap and even more expensive when one takes their car.  These facts will play a key role in a series of decision I will soon make.

We have spent a day and a night in Port Angeles in a motel booked weeks in advance.  On the morning of the second day, we are to drive our car onto the ferry and head to Victoria Island.  After doing a little math on the cost of the ferry, with car, and parking for same car on the island let alone getting a hotel room on the island, it has become obvious that coupled with the multiple car parts we will be paying for soon, that a more fiscally responsible plan might be the order of the day.  And thus the decision that will set me on my course to hell has begun.  I have decided, against the better judgement of my wife, to stay one more night in Port Angeles and leave the car there for the day.  Simple, go speak with the hotel manager to book our room for one more night.  Not so simple he explains.  There are no rooms available and we cannot leave our car in the lot.  But then what seems like our first good fortune.  There is a room available at a motel right next to the ferry and not only is it less than the cost of taking the car over to the island, we can leave our car in the parking lot all day, no cost.  And the die is cast, or as the French say, and I like the feel of this, “the carrots are cooked.”  We park our car and merrily board the ferry for the next leg of our vacation.  After a nice day touring the island and its quaint history, we are disembarking from the ferry and walking up to our motel.  As my wife actually mentions that this turned out to be a good decision, I am struck by the emptiness of my pocket.  Not just any pocket, but the pocket where there should be a heavy set of keys.  After a mad dash back down the hill to the ferry and a desperate request to search the boat.  Remember the passport, I left it with my wife on her way up the hill to our motel, you know, the one with our brand new car in its lot with all of our luggage securely locked in its trunk.  It turns out that the ferry is actually considered Canadian soil.  No passport, no getting back on the ferry.  After relaying my tale of woe they agree to have a crewmate search the boat for me, did I mention that this was the last ferry trip of the day to or from the island?  No keys!  Did I really think my luck would change?  I am thinking now that when we stopped into buy a cup of coffee at that inviting java bar on the island, my keys were left on the counter.  This may turn out to be a very expensive cup of coffee.

I am back up the hill now and explaining to the hotel night manager that our vacation has gone off the rails, our luggage is locked in the car and I have no keys.  Time to give you another fact.  Port Angeles interpreted means “City of Angels”.  Enter angel number one.  The hotel manager gets AAA on the move and offers us a free upgrade for a room, one my family can at least enjoy while I suffer quietly in the parking lot waiting for AAA.  By the way, misery DOES love company.  But the manager doesn’t stop here.  He next offers us his car to drive downtown to get something to eat and even offers us money to buy some clothes for the night.   Meanwhile, AAA has informed me of my next problem.  Any other car and they would come out, pick the lock and we would be on our way.  Any other car, but not the brand new car we rented and equipped with an electronic smart key.  Never fear, the driver would come out and tow it to the nearest Chevy garage, where I could go work the problem with them tomorrow.

Did I mention that when I parked the car early that morning the lot was empty and the last thing I was concerned about at that time was needing to have my car towed?  The lot is now full, and my car is neatly tucked in between three rows of tightly parked cars.  Enter the tow truck driver.  As I point out the location of my car, he groans and says “This is going to cost someone a lot of money….” but I stop him mid-sentence and painfully fill him in on our vacation story to this point.  The windshield, the bumper and now the lost keys.  He sucks in his breath and finishes his sentence “but not you.”  Angel number two has arrived.  He is going to call a friend with another truck and through a miracle, sounds better than what actually took place, they will drag this car out of there.  Once the extraction begins, he reminds me not to watch and when I ask if this is hard on the car, he reminds me in a calm and soothing voice “just remember, it’s not your car.”  After what seems like an eternity, I watch as my car, dangling from the hook of a tow truck, heads away on its journey to the garage.

Early, very early the next day, the night manager comes to my rescue again.  He has returned to the motel to give me a ride to the garage to retrieve my car.  This guy is amazing in his determination to rescue us.  Arriving at the garage, I am given more bad news.  They do not have the key codes to cut the key as the car is so new.  But they are not giving up either.  They are Port Angelinos and they are duty bent to save me.  After two failed attempts by local locksmiths, we have no luck with an ignition key but they have cracked the trunk and I now have luggage.  Enter angel number three and four.  The service manager knows a guy in town with a rental car business on the side.  It turns out he has an arrangement with our rental agency and that he is going to give us, yes give us, a car to continue on our way.  Ten minutes later he rolls in, throws our luggage in his car and beckons me to get in.  I tell him I need to settle with the service manager, who tells me “no cost, I didn’t fix anything.  Just enjoy the rest of your vacation.”  Meanwhile, as I enter the agent’s car, I ask “what about that car and the damage?”  His reply reminds me for the fourth time, “not your car, not your problem.”  He explains that he will deal with the rental agency and I should no longer think about it.  He then drives over to our motel, picks up the rest of the family and then at his place of business, provides us with a car and a full tank of gas.  As we drive out of town, we pass the garage and the “cursed car” as my family now refers to it.  Port Angeles has lived up to its name.  Facing a ruined vacation, they have not only come to our rescue, they have bolstered our spirits and reminded us of the power of generosity.

Upon returning to Seattle to turn in a car that certainly does not resemble the car we rented, we are actually greeted with an apology for all that has happened to us on our trip, a personal cab ride to our motel and a “no charge” bill of receipt.  To not put in a shameless plug for the agency would not be in the spirit of this story.  The company, I will now always attempt to get my rental from, is Enterprise.

I will end this story with this antidote.  There are angels among us and to recognize them is to acknowledge that we need to be no less when our opportunity arises.  Don’t miss your opportunity.  It just might be your only chance to be someone’s angel.

 

Courage

Posted on by kwundrow

I want to make it clear that there is a difference between bravery and courage.  When a firefighter rushes back into a burning building or a soldier steps in harm’s way to face down the enemy, these are acts of bravery.  They are willing to risk their lives for the sake of others and generally people they do not know.  Courage is the day to day acts that we perform.  They can be as small as telling your two year old “no” in the middle of the candy store or even just lying with your arm in that awkward position that only cuddling can create.  You know, the one where your arm and hand is slowly falling asleep but you are committed to the caring act.  At the other end of the spectrum lies true courage.  That point, where faced with the unknown or even the end of life, one carries on for the people they love and those same people surrounding them.

I was going to title this “Fearless Courage” but I believe that the true meaning of courage involves a certain degree of fear.  Without fear it would not be courage bur rather irrational behavior.  It takes courage to act in the face of fear.  It is in that unknown that we muster the strength to act even when our rational brain would tell us otherwise.  It is in that arena that true courage rises to the top.

As I sit here writing this piece, I have a dear friend demonstrating this courage.  Diagnosed with cancer and the inbred logic of a surgical nurse, Carol knew that the ultimate outcome of her battle was sealed in her fate.  Do not doubt for one minute that she did not put up the most valiant of fights but even as she spoke of the battle she was clear on its outcome.

In this setting, it would be so easy to be angry, be angry Carol, to give in, let us take care of you Carol, or just plain whine about your fate.  I need to tell you that from the moment we learned of the diagnosis there was never a moment when we thought that she would allow any of this.  She is sassy and full of life.  She is mine and my wife’s role model in strength of character, parenting and grand parenting and how to be your spouse’s soul mate while still keeping him in line.  Carol is courageous.

Through this all she has prepared her family and encouraged them throughout her ordeal.  And let’s not forget them in this battle.  They too are courageous.  I can see the concern, even fear in their eyes, but they carry on.  They love each other.  They are there for each other and they demonstrate in every imaginable way that they are all in this together.  As Carol reminds them of what she needs them to do, they give each other strength to be courageous.

Bravery is a lack of concern but courage is just the opposite.  Courage uses concern as its weapon against fear.  My dear friend has found her courage and she inspires me.  Not just to write this piece, but to live my life better and deeper.  I thank you Carol for the battle you have waged, for your courage you have displayed and for the road you have paved for all of us.  It is on that road that your family will live out their lives as a testament to yours.

Dominican Republic Day Eight: Homeward Bound

Posted on by kwundrow

It is hard to believe that we have been here for eight days.  We are somewhere over the Bahamas, winging our way back to the States.  I wanted to end this blog with some observations and memories that stand out.

While spending time here it became apparent that as Americans, we have come a long way with the fight for smoke free environments.  In the resort and its restaurants, in fact everywhere we went, we encountered so many Europeans smoking but far fewer Americans.  It took readjusting to sharing your dining experience with smokers.  Oh how I longed for a smoke free room.  Perhaps the European diet and propensity toward drinking wine offsets the damage done by smoking.  At least for their sake I do hope so.

Then there are the cell phones.  It seems civilization cannot go more than a few minutes without checking our phones for emails and texts.  So often, couples, here to relax and spend quiet romantic time together, would instead be staring intently at their phones.  So much for quality time.  I know this is a choice and if I actually had service outside of the US, (I might have but I didn’t want to check) I am sure I would have been no better.  Make a promise, next time you travel, turn off the cell phone and talk to people.  At least for a few minutes at a time.  They might be even more interesting than that email or text.

My favorite memory will be the night.  As darkness sweeps away the daylight, the whole place becomes so quiet.  Walking the grounds in the moonlight, palms swaying softly in the ocean breeze, will be my memory to revisit over and over.  One very special night provided us with the added highlight of a lightening streaked night sky.  The backdrop to the evening solitude was “perfecto”.  No photo could do it justice.

We have been pampered for the last eight days but then that is what we paid for.  Still, every once and awhile, a staff member would emerge that was more than just doing their job.  They showed genuine interest and a hope that we would take back favorable opinions of their country, its culture and its people.  They showed a passion for what they had to offer and delivered it with the skill of an artist painting a majestic landscape.  I will remember each of them and their spirit of generosity and friendship.

Thank you Dominican Republic for the memories and the pampering, because after all, everyone can use a little pampering once in a while.

Dominican Republic Day Seven: Holiday

Posted on by kwundrow

We call it vacation but every where else in the world it is referred to as on holiday.  This brought about the following thought.  Why do we call it vacation?  The root of this word is vacate, or in other words emptying something.  Vacation is then the process of vacating.

This description begs the question as to what are we vacating?  Perhaps it is our workplace.  My desk, provided they didn’t get rid of me in my absence, is certainly empty.  Or maybe it is our stress filled lives that have been vacated.  Either way, the thought of emptying something doesn’t really sound all that cheerful.

Holiday, on the other hand, interests me. A holiday is something to celebrate.  It is in most walks of life a day off and not something you must earn, if not actually beg to get off.  My apologies to those of you who work through holidays routinely.  When they tell me they are on holiday it somehow seems so much more interesting.  As a result, I am officially on holiday.  I have even named it.  It is the holiday of the week I owed myself, WIOM from now on.

Unfortunately, even holidays come to an end and this one ends tomorrow at noon Dominican time. Until then I will be on holiday and tonight is the eve of the last day of the Week I Owed Myself.

Thank you Dominican Republic for giving me a place to celebrate..

Dominican Republic Day Six: Breaking the Language Barrier

Posted on by kwundrow

Hola,

The beauty of travel lies in the universe of languages and customs one experiences.  At a resort they all co-mingle.  Tonight we ate dinner in a Korean restaurant, served by waiters from the Dominican, Mexico and Cuba while sitting next to a couple from Germany.  When we ordered our wine in Spanish, our waiter literally lit up.  He then assisted us in the rest of the Spanish we needed to know to get through the meal.

But I need to go back.  We were never that good at this.  When visiting our daughter in Spain we didn’t need to speak as she took care of all conversation for us.  But then came time to say goodbye to Kathryn. It was Sunday and we were outside the downtown district of Barcelona.  After a nearly 20 minute wait for the only taxi to come by, my sobbing wife and I said our goodbyes and waved as the taxi pulled away.  As my wife tried to dry her tears, I said “don’t stop now”.  That taxi took 20 minutes, we don’t speak a lick of Spanish and I am pretty sure neither one of us knows the name of the hotel.  After a 15 minute walk toward what we hoped was a busier area, a taxi suddenly appeared and pulled over, door open, waving us in.  The driver knew no English and we could only say “del mar” as it was the only part of the hotel name we could remember.  We later learned that “del mar” only meant “by the sea” and everything i that area was referred to by that phrase added to the name. We somehow magically wound up at our hotel and it wasn’t until 3 months later in the O’hare Airport, picking Kathryn up upon her return that we figured out our good luck with the taxi driver in Barcelona.  Kathryn sidles up to me and says”how did you like your taxi ride”  She had rescued us without our even knowing.

The lesson learned that day was to try harder.  We have traveled more since then and though we still can’t speak Spanish, we give it our best shot.  This morning at breakfast I greeted the hostess in my best Spanish phrases and then gave our room number in Spanish as well.  Upon over hearing this, the waiter gave me a fist bump and then took off in the fastest, seemingly longest non-stop conversation until the hostess begged him to stop.  I told him I had picked up “mi amigo” and “mi amiga” and that was it.  He laughed heartily and asked me to not stop trying because he was proud of our efforts.

And that is the secret to successful travel.  Don’t stop trying to communicate.  As much as we harp about new immigrants not speaking our language, we as Americans traveling abroad are often too lazy.  We just act helpless and expect them to speak to us in our language.  Only when we try, do the doors open and the warmth and friendship come out.

To that end, we will not stop trying.

Buenas Noches

Dominican Republic Day Five: Pacing

Posted on by kwundrow

Pacing is everything.  To win the race it is important to find your pace so that you can still sprint to the finish.  Today is Friday and we have done a good job of pacing ourselves.  Today was about doing nothing and a resort makes it easy and guilt free.

We start the day by sleeping in and then down to the beach for yoga, I am now a seasoned veteran.  I breeze through the positions and end alive.  We follow this up with a very late, very laid back breakfast buffet.  Chairs on the beach and some reading and so much for most of the morning.

We definitely got this pacing down.  A leisure hour on our veranda and then a couple laps around the lazy river pool.  And we are back down to the beach.  I sit and watch the beach competitions of volleyball, coconut toss and darts knowing full well there is a ringer in each game.  The coconut toss actually has this giant with arms that look like small trees.  Seriously, I make the logical  conclusion to save my energy, not to mention my pride, for this evenings dinner.  We have done Italian, Caribbean, French and tonight will be Mexican.  We have been rating them by food, service and ambiance.  Last night we gave high marks to ambiance as we ate on the beach in a really authentic looking sea side restaurant.

We have had perfect weather all week in the face of rain in the forecast every day.  Tonight as we leave the restaurant the rain has finally caught up and will cancel the outdoor show for the evening.  Oh well, back to the veranda.  No sense messing with the pacing now.

And tomorrow is another leg.  Got to pace myself.

 

Dominican Republic Day Four:New Experiences

Posted on by kwundrow

Okay, it finally happened, or should I say I finally gave in to the mounting pressure.  It was 9:30 am on day four and I found myself on the beach with a bright blue mat beneath my feet and a very German fitness trainer asking me to get in the downward dog.  Oh my god I am in a yoga class.  After some brief stretches and encouragement from the other participants, I am actually doing it.  Now I am not going to say I was immediately grounded, “no judgement of our bodies”, or yet at peace but I promised to respect  relaxation and here I was.  I am proud to tell you that in spite of my clumsiness, I think I pulled it off.  I reached the sky with open hands in my “grab the mountain” position.  Pretty sure that’s what she called it and managed both the table top and as previously mentioned the downward dog.  Really kind of enjoyed the child position.  To you other males out there saying “not I”, pull up your big boy pants, my wife’s favorite motivational line, and try it.

Now as long as I had handled the yoga, it was on to my next experience.  An afternoon at the spa.  No, I didn’t get a facial and I for sure didn’t have cucumbers on my eyes, but I was in for the rest of it.  If you have never had the full massage treatment, let me enlighten you on the foreplay steps before the massage.  First there is the hot shower followed by the cold water bucket dump.  This was actually pretty enjoyable considering you are outdoors and the temperature is in the low 90’s.  Next step, the sauna.  Let me clue you in here.  I would personally use this step as a method of torture.  Threaten to keep me in there until I cracked and believe me you wouldn’t be waiting long.  We entered the room and the attendant set the timer for 5 minutes.  After what seemed an unbearable passage of time and noticing that my fingers were melting, I asked how long I had made it?  30 seconds.  This is definitely not good.  Step four, back under the bucket of cold water.  After the sauna, this was heaven.  From here our massage preparedness takes us to several pools.  Cold pool first and comfortable, time allowed 5 seconds.  Next pool, bone jarring water cascades on your shoulders, lower back and eventually, your bum. Don’t even ask.  Final pool, the bubbling cauldron.  Now as a side note, today is American Day at the resort and all meals are american themed.  Five minutes into this last pool and I am beginning to think I am the american they are having for dinner.  I ask my wife to warn me if she sees anyone about to dump vegetables into our pool.

But enough pool play, we are ready for the massage.  We are escorted in our robes to our massage room and after removing them, butt naked for the shy, we are ready for what brought us.  I will tell you now that I had no idea you could make your knuckles and toes crack that loudly.  Lest you get the wrong idea, this was somehow delightfully wonderful.  The complete body massage took 50 minutes and I was ready for 50 more.  Every knot and cramp, every achy muscle and tendon were addressed thoroughly.  By the end, I swear I was physically re-sized.  I am now back to my full 6 foot height, my feet are 1/2 inch smaller, my sandals literally fell off leaving the room, and my knees actually thanked me.  As with yoga, if you ever thought this to not be manly….. pull up your big boy pants.

Today will go down as my rejuvenation day.  Tonight its down to dinner by the ocean followed by a beach party that promises to be memorable, except for the alcohol which may end up negating their efforts.

So as I reach up to the sky from my downward dog position, with hands open to grab the mountain…….. Namaste’ until tomorrow.

Dominican Republic Day Three: Victoria

Posted on by kwundrow

Our vacation representative has offered to have breakfast with us this morning and will then help us decipher our vacation club membership.  Vacation is easy, booking and contracts, not so much.

Victoria is from Mexico and has been here in the Dominican for over a year.  She is incredible at what she does and is using her “Woo” strength to not only put us at ease but engages us in the process.  She is determined that all of her guests be treated royally and feel like family.  I am here to tell you she does her job “perfecto”.  She is caring, energetic and generally good at what she does.  We will seek out her manager and tell him or her as much before we leave.

After breakfast with Victoria, we are back to our routine.  The rhythm of the island is taking over a little more each day.  I am actually learning to relax.  Long walks on the beach and leisurely reading are becoming comfortable.  Slowing down, more desirable.  I need to capture this feeling and take it back with me.  Life is too hectic otherwise.

Perhaps I will ship back a ton of sand, some palm trees and beach chairs and continue practicing in my back yard.

Just saying.