Karmic-Dragonfly

Let's have a separate post to talk about the love interest on the trip. I'm still texting w/ him, and he has been in my thoughts a lot since I got back! I'm going to assign a letter for his name, so it doesn't get confusing. Let's call him "K"

Here's how it all went down --

The first day out, K and I met and interacted, but K was very guarded. I remember taking his photo at one of the Sete Cidades viewpoints, and he took mine in return. But even that very first day, I noticed something -- I laughed with him. One of my primary considerations with a romantic interest is sharing a sense of humor. If we don't laugh at each others' jokes, romance is not going to happen for me.

I believe it was the second evening of the trip when I texted a friend back home to say that every time I was around K, my heart glowed. And all the pictures I have of myself from the trip of me were ones he took.

As days went on, I found that K seemed to be flirting with me. He told me I was really funny. One day, I was talking about how I always created a spreadsheet to document the expenses of each trip. He seemed surprised that I would do that, and I heard him joke "Huh, you think you know a guy, and then you find out something like this! I really dodged a bullet!"

One night at the elevators, I was pushing the elevator button with both K and a friend standing behind me, and I heard him tell the friend that he and I were "sleeping together". This was news to me, of course, and I didn't have an answer. I just figured he was teasing my friend...so I just turned back and said over my shoulder "Done! If that's what you want, Done!" We all laughed and continued on.

As the days went by, I found that he and I were walking closer, sometimes slightly bumping into each other; at breakfast, touching backs or arms as we said good morning. He would sometimes describe a place as somewhere to go with a romantic partner, and then as an example would say "If you were my partner, we could totally visit here."

Our constant laughter and companionship did not go unnoticed by the group! K had the habit of wandering off to take photos, so at one stop where we had a pastry and espresso, the tour leader asked "Where's your buddy?" I sensed a bit of jealousy in the group, and truth be told, I really enjoyed their jealousy lol!

One morning at breakfast before the rest of the group arrived, I told K I had gotten very fond of him on this trip. I saw from his face that that he heard the comment, but he continued talking about something else.

By the end of the trip, I found myself always looking out for him as we walked around the cities -- where was he? Making sure he was still around. And often I would look up, and he would be looking at me, checking on me too.

One night, he came into my room to help me with the controls for my shower -- this was at the last hotel in Lisbon. Sounds like a really great opportunity, right? He helped me, and before I could turn around, he had run away out of the door! I felt like he sort of disappeared before I could turn around and say or do anything.

Some of you are now wondering why the hell we just didn't hop in bed together, right? Well, I'm a slow mover in the affairs of love, and evidently he is too, so we continued the flirting, talking, laughing, touching. And here's the deal - I did NOT want to just have a quick roll in the hay with K. I didn't want him to be "just" a holiday lover or just a good story about my trip to Portugal. I really meant it in a previous post that Cupid hit me hard this time with his arrows -- I caught feels for this guy really quickly.

The last day of the trip was fast approaching, and I had planned to talk to him the 2nd to the last evening. I can't remember what happened, but we didn't have time that evening either! I think that might have been the evening when we all met in the bar downstairs for drinks, so there wasn't any opportunity for me to have direct conversation with him.

Last Night

So the very last night after our last dinner, we arrived back at the hotel on our Uber, walked into the hotel lobby, and I immediately sat down on 1 of the couches. I saw K notice me do that, and he sat down on a DIFFERENT couch from me, lol. But then 2 of the other guys continued to stand there talking with us while K and I were seated on different couches.

After a while the 2 guys standing SAT DOWN on a 3rd couch! (Internally at this point, I'm rolling my eyes and calling them cock blockers lol....). When they sat down, I immediately got up and sat down on the couch directly beside K. Close to him. At that point, fuck it, I had stuff to say, and I was tired of waiting.

One of the other guys FINALLY went up to his room, but ONE stayed behind 🙄. After a bit, I started playing with K's fingers -- catching my pinky and ring finger underneath his. The other talking guy noticed. Eventually we all went upstairs to our rooms -- thank goodness the other talking guy's room was on a different floor.

As K and I walked down the hall to our rooms, I asked if we would stay in touch, and he said yes. I told him that was good news. We stopped at my door, and I leaned in and kissed him on the neck, at which point he completely folded into my embrace. We stood there in the hall for a while, holding each other, and then he separated, kissed me, and then ran away down the hall to his room! Huh...this was the 2nd time he seemed to run away 🤔. I was both elated and disappointed, if you get my drift.

Next morning

At breakfast the group as usual gathered downstairs, and K and I continued our habit of sitting beside each other and touching arms/backs. At one point, I mentioned I had not gotten much sleep! One of the other guys said "Well, you don't have to brag!" LOL -- they thought we were sleeping together...but sadly, we had only had the 1 kiss and embrace at that point (I guess 2 if you count my kiss to his neck).

We all went back upstairs to get ready to check out. As K and I waited for the elevator down, the group leader arrived. K and I went into the elevator, but the group leader decided to wait. Well, K and I were laughing and talking so much that we forgot to push the button. The doors opened again on the same floor, and the group leader just stared at us -- totally judging us because we were laughing and giggling. So we pushed the button to go downstairs.

K and a friend and I had flights in the same terminal, so we sat together. My flight was out first, so when I walked away to go to my flight, K hugged me and kissed me (which caught some attention from passersby).

So now here I am texting with him...still thinking about him...and he lives in a different country. Also wondering why he ran away a couple of times...

It was a really good trip...probably the best I have taken. But there are some pros and cons to planned trips like this one vs planning one yourself.

For this trip, a lot was included -- hotels, entrance fees to sites, some meals, etc. That is so different from planning a trip myself, where I have to find out times, get tickets, etc. The con of a planned trip though is the cost -- it was a costly trip! We stayed in 5 star hotels...something I would NEVER do for myself. The rooms were really nice, but I only stay in the room at night or during some planned rest times - so I normally only want a room that is clean and bug-free and an okay place to stay - nothing luxurious.

We ate so much. And drank quite a lot, and that is expected on holiday. The folks in the group have money than I do, so the meal costs were also quite excessive. Often the bill was split among everyone at the table, which is fine. But again, if I had planned my own trip, I would not be eating at a lot of Michelin starred restaurants!

All was good experience -- not complaining at all. Just for example, I spent more 1 night on one meal than I have EVER spent in life. I mean, wow.

The trip to the Azores and Madeira (both autonomous Portuguese regions), and then the cities of Porto and Lisbon on the mainland was a really excellent trip.

I'm still culling through images and processing my memories.

This was a group tour, and there were some really wonderful people on the trip, and I also felt warm feelings for several of the tour guides, van drivers, etc. This was already planned out, so the sites were beautiful and interesting.

This photo was one of the first sites we visited - the beautiful Sete Cidades (Seven Cities) in the Açores (Azores), named for a founding myth of 7 cities. The Azores was really beautiful -- lakes, cows, beautiful scenery. I'll post a separate entry about this location, but here's a taste.

Cupid struck hard and early!

No really, I mean it. He let loose big, strong arrows.

On the first day, I noticed one of the other guys in the group while we were at Sete Cidades, and he must have noticed me too. From then on, we would talk and laugh together, touching each other on the arms and back, often sitting together at meals or on the minivans.

The first kiss was on our last night...followed by a goodbye kiss at the airport the next day. So I guess I now really know the meaning of the Portuguese word saudades, because I am missing him today. As we text this morning, I can already tell texting is not a good substitute for laughing and talking.

I finally checked off a bucket list item to visit Fallingwater, the Frank Lloyd Wright designed house in the Laurel Highlands area of Pennsylvania located a little over an hour outside of Pittsburgh. The owners were Kaufmanns - Edgar Sr., Liliane Sarah Kaufmann, and Edgar Jr. The house was always intended as a weekend getaway, not a full time living space.

It's a famous house because of its design, and it's well worth the visit. It is built into the hill, and OVER the creek, fulfilling FLW's desire for architecture to blend into the landscape. As with seemingly all of FLW's buildings, the roof leaked. The guide gave the story that at the first rainfall after the house was built, there were 50 leaks! Also the stone walls of the house are built into the hill, so the stone seeps water.

I saw a quote from Edgar Sr. calling the house "Rising Mildew" instead of Fallingwater, and I can confirm that there was water seeping into the stones, and on the tile upstairs. The guide said that the rain today would cause ceiling leaks tomorrow.

Also, at one point the cantilevered terraces had to be repaired because they were in danger of falling down. The steel beam supports were not sufficient for the job. Also when the terraces were built, they were built level -- evidently with cantilevered terraces, they should have been sloped up a little to account for later sagging.

The guide was great, and I learned a lot. Again -- well worth the visit!

I also didn't realize there would be a 'gay angle' here. Edgar Jr. was an artist/architect whose life-partner (as the guide described him), Paul Mayén was also an artist/architect. After Edgar Jr. died and before Paul died, Paul designed the visitor center for the property. Both of their ashes are scattered on the Fallingwater property.

Maybe because I was primed to be interested in Edgar Jr. because he was gay, I actually felt drawn to his part of the house -- his bedroom, terrace, and the hallway where he moved his bed. The guide didn't give a complete explanation for the move, but it seemed related to sunlight. I also think where he slept had an airier feel to it, in addition to more sun.

It was raining for the first part of my visit. At first I thought that might be a problem, but the property is so lush and wet with thick trees and the creek that I think the rain was perfect! This shot is taken from the area labeled on the trail signpost as "The View". I like the foggy/rainy quality along with the creek and trees here --


This shot was taken from the bridge. See the stairs? They come from inside the living room all the way to the creek. I love that!


Another view from actually inside the living room looking down to the creek.


This is in the living room. See the stone sticking out? That was already there, and FLW just incorporated it into the design.


Living room --


On the living room terrace, looking back towards the house.


Narrow stairways. The guide made the point that FLW designed to guide you where he wanted you to go -- living room, out onto the terraces, etc. And other parts of the house were narrow, low ceilinged, and dark -- to push you outside or into the living room.


I was sort of fascinated by this canopy covering the walkway to the addition. It was designed all in 1 piece and installed in one piece. It mimics the creek waterfall.


The Kaufmanns had wanted a swimming pool, which didn't make it into the first phase. So it is located outside the guest rooms in the addition.


Picture of "The View" taken after the rain cleared --


This makes my 3rd FLW property visited. The first 2 were the Pope-Leighey "Usonian" house in Northern Virginia, and Taliesin West, FLW's studio and school and winter living space.

I was in a chat w/ friends about how people who can't read navigate in society. I mentioned having friends and family to help, but it also reminded me that sometimes you just have to look for someone who looks kind.

I still have a leaf that a kind looking man in Bangkok grabbed off a nearby tree, on which he wrote directions for us.


Se juntar, o bicho foge -- If we stick together, the beast flees.

I really miss being able to travel. A lot of countries are not accepting travelers from the US right now. And I'm not even particularly comfortable right now with flying anywhere -- US or otherwise.

And truth be told, I'm afraid I'm becoming too much of a homebody. I find myself pushing myself to get out of the house and go down to the river. I'm just getting too comfortable being in my own cocoon.

I was looking at pictures from previous trips, daydreaming --

This was a good trip for me...I am taking time off from work, and I needed to do another trip out of the country. I needed the 'disruption' of not being able to understand the language...I needed the 'disruption' of not being comfortable. I needed to learn to exercise my caution again. I needed to mind my Ps & Qs again as I interacted with another culture.

(Actually, I take 1 thing back -- I WAS able to read many of the signs, and understand maybe 20% of what was being said, just because I can speak a little Portuguese!)

The proprietors' of the guest house were lovely souls, and you can see the 2 of them here as we say our final goodbyes and as he is giving us a gift of some crystals to take back home with us --


Final goodbyes -- I think there were 1 or 2 of us not here --

What I Lost

I lose something in every international trip. I'm not sure why, and it's not some deep, emotional thing -- it's usually a very tangible item. For example, in Brazil, I set aside some really nice hand-painted souvenirs that I bought for people, and then forgot to re-pack them! So everyone got airport keychains as souvenirs from that trip, lol!

In this instance...I lost something on Day 1! I was in the airport where I was supposed to meet my group, and I went to an airport ATM. When I travel, I use a separate travel account at a different financial institution. This is something that I do in case of 'skimmers' at the ATM, so that if my account is compromised, then it doesn't cause any problems with my primary financial institution.

In this case at the ATM, I asked for MX$4500, which is about US$250. I got my money, and then my receipt and walked away. What did I lose? The card itself! The machine was one of the old style machines that gives you the card last, so I forgot about it!

There were 2 additional transactions at the ATM for about MX$1000 -- about US$57, so I imagine someone walked up behind me (perhaps watching me all along?), and conducted 2 transactions. And perhaps the ATM requires a password after 3 transactions? Who knows why there were only 2 additionals.

As the group was gathering, I suddenly realized I no longer had the ATM card, and I realized what I had done. So from the airport on day 1, I called that bank and got the card cancelled! The bank eventually credited the 2 fraudulent transactions so no harm no foul from my perspective.

But what a way to start the adventure!

I was surprised by the variety of murals that are still on the walls at various places we visited. Many of these were not part of the main Teotihuacán site, and many of them are in pretty bad shape, some still exposed to the elements. I believe that many of the murals have been transferred to museums for safekeeping.

A friend thought this one looked like a Hieronymus Bosch painting, and I don't disagree!


The one below is said to represent human genitals, and I could clearly see the Fallopian tubes...but I had to ask about the others. I was told they are stylized testes -- or like the vas deferens --

The day we climbed the Pyramid of the Sun was also the balloon ride day. So we left the guest house at 6:15AM for the balloons, came back and had breakfast and crashed for a 1/2 hour or so, and then off we went back to Teo!

Even though there were several more levels on the Sun Pyramid, I found it easier to climb than the Moon. For 1 reason: The Moon was the first that I climbed and at first, I was not sure how to handle the steep steps. I eventually learned that going up, I would lean very far forward, and actually touch the step above as a way to steady myself. Coming down, I learned to either walk in a sideways-zigzag down, if there was open space on the stairs, meaning I was facing to the side, and moving forward a bit each time I went down a step -OR- I just went directly down but sideways. Partly that is because I have a weak knee, but also, the steps were just steep and I had a heavy-ish backpack on!

The story the leader told was of seeing a woman once, probably from Mexico City, arrive in stiletto heels and a white tube dress, who climbed the Pyramid of the Moon as easy as if she were out for an every day stroll! Very impressive and with lots of style!

The leader asked us to pick someone to climb the Sun Pyramid with, presumably to call for help if we fell or something. By this time in the trip, I had already buddy-ed up with a particular guy for these kinds of activities, and this same guy and I ended up hanging out in the airport on the way home since we had the same flight back to the states -- it turned out we traveled well together.

We climbed and climbed again, rested at a level, then climbed and climbed again. I was somewhat out of breath, but it wasn't too bad. There were butterflies at the top -- the leader said they were drawn to the energy of the pyramid, but I suspect it was the wildflowers growing on the sides of the pyramid.

Lots of space to walk around on the top level, and there is a further climb of jumbled rock / concrete to climb to the 'very top'. This is where we ran into a dude from Italy, who had already pegged us for gay because he asked if the buddy and I were together, and then proceeded to tell us how he was in a long distance relationship with a guy from Chicago. Diego was his name, and evidently Diego and his boyfriend travel transatlantically once a month to see each other -- that's a very hard thing to do, and I think eventually a couple has to decided to fish or cut bait. Diego was cute and softspoken. Seemed a nice guy!

This is a shot of the Sun Pyramid a couple days before, on a Sunday when the site is free for Mexican citizens -- it was PACKED! The shot is taken from one of the plazas in the center of Teotihuacán.


The day we were there to climb it, things were less crowded. Here is the approach --


The top was fairly crowded, but not horribly so. Here's a pic and of me and the buddy --


I found the view to be less impressive than the Moon. I think that's because it is slightly offset from the rest of the site. Here is a view (looking towards the Moon) from the Sun --


Compare that to this view from the Moon (looking towards the Sun), where you can see other buildings in the site --


So we climbed 2 actual pyramids -- the Moon and the Sun -- and we climbed what is termed the 'citadel' up one side and down the other to get to the foot of Quetalcoatl.

So, my bucket list item of seeing pyramids is definitely checked off!

Room and board was included in the price we paid to attend this trip. We stayed in a place called the Dreaming House -- the proprietor and his wife were very good people, and we were well treated and fed the entire time we were there. The man is an artist, and I bought several souvenirs from his shop.

The guest house was actually walkable to the pyramids site, but the roads were not great for walking -- both from a security standpoint, and also from a muddy standpoint. Also, once you got to the site, there is a ton of walking. The Dreaming House provided transportation each day to where we were going.

Cute courtyard -








Huge Century Plants --


Cute room --




Remember toilet paper does not go in the toilet, but in the trash can next to it --


One thing to keep in mind...this guest house is about simplfication, and no distractions. So there is no TV in the room. And there is only hot water in the shower, not the sink. I rather enjoyed the room -- except for maybe the TP thing, lol!

Our last night at the Dreaming House, there was a celebration of the Lady of Carmen, who is evidently the patron saint of the Meatizus -- mixed race people -- of Mexico. (Brazilian Portuguese also has that word, but it is Mestiços in Portuguese.)

First we were given these sort of crosses -- they had a word for them, which started with an X, but I can't remember right now. There's a picture of the Lady, and a bag of bread, which we could eat later. We danced a conga line round and round the compound with these crosses bobbing up and down...then the main event started.


The Lady was positioned in the courtyard to face El Toro -- the Bull -- 3 times. Each of the 3 Toros (someone who has put on the Toro costume) lights up the fireworks attached to his costume, and charges the Virgin (our Lady of Carmen) while selected women stand to guard the Virgin and withstand the sparks, and while the crowd runs away so as not to get burned. After the attached fireworks burn out, Toro bows before the Lady.

Here is a video of one of the 3 Toros. The reason for pointing the phone down 1/2 way into the video is because the crowd was pressing into me as they ran away from the fireworks sparks!