Tag Archives: Quotes

Weekly wisdom – the best of intentions

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“I may not have gone
where I intended to go,
but I think I have ended up
where I intended to be.”

 Douglas Adams

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#streetartvalencia

On the streets of Valencia, Spain (Artist Unknown)


Weekly wisdom – the journey matters

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“It is good to have
an end to journey toward,
but it is the journey
that matters in the end.”

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Ursula K. LeGuin

The Annapurnas, Nepal


Weekly wisdom – it begins

Work finally begins
when the fear of doing
nothing at all
trumps the terror
of doing it badly

Alain de Botton

Copyright: Louise Ralph

…on the streets of Brooklyn NY


Weekly wisdom – live well

It’s too easy to wait until we get really unwell to do something about how well we live:

Eat and exercise like you’re a diabetic heart patient with a stroke – so you never become one.    

                                                            Author unknown

A great reminder – um, if only I could remember where I read it (apologies to the author).

Girl on bike (bronze)

A bronze sculpture in Singapore’s Botanical Gardens


Weekly wisdom – just start

… because if you’re anything like me, you’re doing this right now!

Don’t keep putting things off,
waiting for 12 doves to
fly over your house
in the sign of the cross
before you begin. Just start.

Jack Canfield

honeyeater

Okay, it’s not a dove or 12, but you get the picture… © Louise Creely

 

 


Something fishy in Portugal

 

productsSimple, cheap and tasty, tinned sardinha is a favourite across Portugal, for the poor and the wealthy alike – as a healthy basic, fast food or gourmet cuisine.

The riches of the sea have long sustained the Portuguese, so it’s no wonder the humble sardine has become a bit of an icon around here.

fish-product-montage

Forget those three flying ducks on the wall at grandma’s place. Here, it’s ceramic sardines up there.

The ubiquitous fish also features in paintings, accessories, homewares and every imaginable type of souvenir.

There are even street art fish (although sardines have a bit of competition here).

fish-street-art-use

 

2016-09-16-03-39-32Of course, bacalhau (salted cod, right) is another staple – but I’m guessing it missed out on the fishy audition because it’s not quite as sleek as sardines.

Surprisingly, we saw very few fish in the rivers and close to the coast – except mullet slithering all over themselves in the rivers.

Where do you catch the sardines, we ask a local.

whole-fish-meets-pescatarian

The fish that met the pescatarian… and lost

Out there, he says pointing way out to sea.

There are a lot out there, he adds with a grin.

Considering tinned sardines are exported to about 70 countries around the world, I believe him.

Later, as we crossed the border into Spain, the words of Douglas Adams were circling in my head:

So long and thanks for all the fish.

Indeed!

 


Note to self: Just start

It’s Monday morning – and that’s always a bit of a blah moment, wherever you are in the world.

If you’re like me, and especially if you often work from ‘the home office’, it’s Perpetual Procrastination Day. I’ve already pulled the coffee grinder apart and cleaned it.

Why? Because our coffee machine isn’t working, but I have an article to write. Confused? Me too.

So here’s my official note to self today, from the pen of Jack Canfield, because it makes me smile – and I thought you might need this piece of advice too…

Don’t keep putting things off, waiting for twelve doves to fly over your house in the sign of the cross before you begin. Just start.

Copyright: Louise Creely

Happy Monday!


Five for Friday… well said

Copyright: Louise Ralph

Everyone smiles in the same language (Vietnam, 2006)

I’m always coming across clever or quirky words some wise or witty person has said – words that inspire me, make me think or make me laugh.

I scribble them down on bits of paper… and they promptly get sucked up in the vortex that is my office and my life.

After scrabbling around for a bit, I’ve found some of my favourite (travel) quotes.

Here’s five for Friday… just in time for the weekend.

 

  1. “I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.” (Mary Anne Radmacher)
  2. “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” (Mark Twain)
  3. “Personally I like going places where I don’t speak the language, don’t know anybody, don’t know my way around and don’t have any delusions that I’m in control. Disoriented, even frightened, I feel alive, awake in ways I never am at home.” (Michael Mewshaw)
  4. “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” (Ernest Hemingway)
  5. “I haven’t been everywhere yet. But it’s on the list.” (unknown)
Copyright: Louise Ralph

Vietnam (2006)