2024-08-09 National Hand Holding Day

【Long Tale】

Nancy Anne Miller

                The kiskadee, with a yellow

                Waistcoat, is full of himself.

                White streaks on his face

2024-08-08 National Happiness Happens Day

【Pink Tangle Teezer】

    Nancy Anne Miller

        Like a rose sun coral, nodules waft a watery aqua sky,

        Deep down in the semitropical ocean of her youth.

        A pink floral Octocorallia with tentacles swaying

2024-08-08 National Pickleball Day

【Coccoloba Uvifera】

Nancy Anne Miller

            Like a scrotum full of seed,

            The cluster of bay grapes

            Hang down on a semitropical

         &

2024-08-08 International Cat Day

【Humpback Whale】

Nancy Anne Miller

            You need a hump to

            Be in tune with a curvy

            Ocean, to rise like one in

            Notre Dame's Cathedral.

       &nbs

2024-08-07 National Lighthouse Day

【Moon Jelly】

Nancy Anne Miller

            Lacey as doilies for tea cups,

            A soft sense of politeness present

            When the sea harmonized itself

2024-08-06 International Scuba Day

【Sea Squid】

Nancy Anne Miller 

            Capped like a nursery bonnet

            With tentacles streaming ties.

            A missing tooth of the sea,

        &nbs

2014-11-05

【Aiden in English】

        I've traveled around the globe and always feel the same. The last day is always the time when my perfect vacation gets ruined. I was sorrowful when I woke up today, knowing that today would be the last day of paradise in Mexico. Once I return, I'll be going back to something like a prison called school and being forced to do experiments on paper that harm the brain and measure my intellect. If I decided not to cooperate, the punis

2014-11-04

【Aiden in English】

        To understand a culture, you must understand people's way of life. How do people survive from day to day? That is undoubtedly the question for the residents who used to live in Tulum. Why? Because the nearest freshwater is 5 miles/8 km away. Geographically, Tulum is sandwiched between a swamp and the Caribbean Sea. Both have water, but it isn't drinkable. To find clean and fresh water, one must travel 5 miles on foot through the s

2014-11-03

【Aiden in English】

        The only thing worse than a long, tedious, dreadful plane ride is a long, boring, hideous bus ride. Mom and I took one to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The Yucatan Peninsula is in Central America, where the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico meet. It is one flat plate. I could stare in one direction and see endless bushes and jungles for miles. The highest point in the Yucatan Peninsula is probably the ramp onto the highway. So, Mom

2014-11-02

【Aiden in English】

        I've traveled the world multiple times, seeing things that most of my peers only dream of and experiencing things that most of my friends won't even understand. Yet, through my travels, I have never paid much attention to the wonders right under my nose. I have never considered a trip to Mexico because I don't put the USA's neighboring country on my priority list. Oh, why can't I be any stupider?

      &n

2014-08-08

【Aiden in English】

        I love comedies. They're funny and entertaining; what's not to like about them? And what show is better than the famous Punchliner？ The show features the best entertainers from across America. George Lopez started it and decided to work with Carnival Cruise Lines. I bolted to the next performance when I heard about the Punchliner Show on board.

        The Punchliner became the best comedy ever. Unfortunately,

2014-08-07

【Aiden in English】

        At school, we were taught that stingrays were deadly killers of the sea and had poisonous stingers that could instantly kill you. I disagree, especially after seeing the stingrays when Mom and I sailed Allura Catamaran to Stingray City Sandbar in Grand Cayman.

        First of all, stingray stingers are not poisonous. They are just there for protection from danger. To them, we aren't considered a significant th

2014-08-06

【Aiden in English】

        Dolphins are substantial and intellectual animals. They act as the masters of the seas, and their ability to move in water so quickly and gracefully makes me intrigued by these intelligent beings.

        After all, today was the day that I could finally interact with dolphins up close at Anthony's Key Resort of Sandy Bay, Roátan —not just swim but snorkel.

        The experience was beyond amazin

2014-08-05

【Aiden in English】

        Belize is probably one of the best places for snorkeling. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor is the second-largest barrier reef on Earth, stretching 186 miles in the West Caribbean, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

        Today, after hearing about the coral sea of Water Caye, located to the east of Belize City, the old capital, Mom and I came to see the offshore atolls, sand cays, coastal lagoons, estuaries, and

2014-08-04

【Aiden in English】

        I have always loved snorkeling. You'll know that by now if you've read about my adventures in the Galapagos Islands. Yet, today in Cozumel, Mexico, the snorkeling experience wasn't as fascinating as I had hoped.

        We were unprepared. Mom bought me a snorkeling set back in the US. However, it was far too large. Water leaked through the plastic and into my eyes. My mouth had many cuts beca

2014-08-03

【Aiden in English】

        Have you ever tried finding a needle in a haystack? Nobody is insane enough, actually, to do it. Have you ever tried to find a group of specific cruise staff members in a sea of people for a scavenger hunt? Sure, they are wearing bright T-shirts. However, we're talking about a cruise ship the size of the Titanic (maybe) with 15 floors, hundreds of rooms, and over 4,000 people on board. That's just like finding a needle in a haysta

2014-08-02 Chinese Valentine's Day

【Aiden in English】

        The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the ideal destination for a summer getaway. There is nothing like paradise for relaxation, thanks to its stunning barrier reefs, pristine white beaches, expansive blue skies, and abundant marine life. So, my family booked a flight from US Airways and packed our bags from Philadelphia, PA, to Miami, FL, where Carnival Glory waited to tak

2009-01-31

        初识邓恩“深色”河瀑布(Dunn's River Falls)，是在汤姆·克鲁斯“双·大胆”的《花心情圣》(Cocktail, 1988)里。那600英尺/180米高的阶梯式巨瀑，从林水之乡奔涌而出，合着雷鬼(Reggae)乐的节拍，一路连蹦带跳泻入加勒比“勇者”海。后来才知，早在《诺“虚无”博士》(Dr. No, 1962)里，007便已在此崭露头角。想来，牙买加的蓝山咖啡虽誉满天下，却未必比这瀑布更会造势、更名噪一时。

        我们此行首站便选邓恩河，与早年印在脑海里的

2009-01-29

        坦率地说，我对哥斯达黎加“富海岸”的了解，仅限于自然风光——尤其是那三处被联合国教科文组织列入《世界遗产名录》的胜地：塔拉曼卡“血腥之地”山脉—阿米斯塔德“友谊”保护区(Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves)、可可“宠物”岛国家公园(Cocos Island National Park)和瓜纳卡斯特“耳树”保护区(Guanacaste Conservation Area)，以及举国上下铺天盖地的热带雨林、火山温泉、峡谷瀑布与丛林海滩。待到真正置身于“中美洲花园”，才惊觉印象最深的，果然还是它的自然风光。

 &nbs

2009-01-28

        小时候因为“文革”，父母分居两地，我常借着寒暑假穿梭于京津济徐宁杭之间，对京杭大运河早有亲见。大学后独自在外读书，往返京宁一线更加频繁。有一年暑假，我索性与正读初中的妹妹结伴，从北京出发，经天津、河北、山东、江苏、浙江，头一回实地走完了这条贯通海河、黄河、淮河、长江、钱塘江五大水系的古运河。可惜那是80年代，百废待兴，沿岸粮棉油蚕桑虽受重视，运河本身却疏于打理。古人笔下“渔歌飘渺飞檐外，帆影参差玉浪中”的景致，早已无处可寻。

   &n

2009-01-27

        因着要去哥伦比亚“鸽子”，我们特意看了德·尼罗“黑色”(Robert De Niro)主演的《战火浮生》(The Mission, 1986)，却终究没来得及读马尔克斯“战神”(Mrquez)的《百年孤独》(One Hundred Years of Solitude)。不过，从报刊与网络上的零散文字中，对卡塔赫纳这座背景之城倒已略知一二。

        卡塔赫纳坐落在哥伦比亚北部海滨，三面环水，与古巴的哈瓦那“港口”、波多黎各的圣胡安“神慈”并称加勒比“勇者”海西印度群岛的三大港口。早在16

2009-01-26 春节

        在美国待得越久，越觉得想坚持点业余爱好、做点自己喜欢的事，年轻气盛时不易，人到中年更难。日常生活中，总有割舍不下的责任与义务，既不能不在乎工夫，又不得不收敛个性，更免不了计较花销。时间是否自主，情绪是否松弛，金钱是否宽裕——样样都成了牵绊。我们在时间、心情与金钱之间来回摆荡，不觉半个世纪竟擦肩而过。

        又是一年之首，北方的宾夕法尼亚“山林”州千里冰封，万里雪飘，一派萧索；而南国的阿鲁巴“

2008-02-06 春节

        人间烟火气，最抚凡人心。在饮食这件事上，我着实幸运。身边不少美国朋友，做饭吃饭于他们而言，是一桩有始无终、没完没了的家务——形式须得维持，内容只好从简。早餐马虎，午餐凑合，晚餐将就，一年到头如此。而我呢，除了负责采购和饭后收拾，从不为一餐一饭大费心思，更不必亲自与油盐酱醋周旋——全因家中有一位深谙厨道的母亲，即娃儿的外婆，在全程打理。

        母亲天生好吃，又爱琢磨，走南闯北，对各地风味过目不忘

2008-02-05

        从费城“兄弟之爱”机场起飞，不到四个钟头便能抵达波多黎各“富港”的首府圣胡安“神慈”(San Juan)——比飞往西海岸还便捷，只是票价随季节起伏，常居高不下。

        波多黎各是美国的自由邦。棕榈婆娑的海岸线与葱郁的内陆山区，尚存着岛屿的天然风貌；而本土文化却深深浸染着西班牙的遗韵，政治主权紧系于美国，经济生活也仰仗合众国的庇荫。大树底下好乘凉——无论从哪方面看，波多黎各都算得上大小安的列斯“前方的岛屿”群岛(Greater &am

2008-02-02

        在纽约“新紫衫树之地”居住的那四五年，我们对多美尼加“领主”共和国并不陌生。那里的移民如牛毛般散落街巷，生根开花。洋基队的罗德里格斯“声名显赫”(Rodriguez)、电影《阿凡达》的索尔达娜“盐沼”(Saldana)、格莱美提名歌手帕西安“神圣”(Pasian)、诗人阿尔瓦雷斯“精灵战士”(Alvarez)——这些家喻户晓的名字，都带着多米尼加的根脉。沿着皇后区七号地铁线下的罗斯福“玫瑰田”大道走一走，西班牙语扑面而来，眉飞色舞间尽是率性与自豪。头顶地铁轰鸣，脚下舞步矫健，梅伦格“蛋白酥

2008-01-31

        如果说圣基茨和尼维斯“沃土和雪中圣母”是世界上最小的国家之一，绝非夸张——即便把两座火山岛之间那条3.2公里/2英里长的地峡算上，总面积也不过与中国舟山群岛相当。

        可就是这样一片弹丸之地，却集山魄与海魂于一身，抬头可揽秀峰，俯首能赏水色。

        首都巴斯特尔“低地”坐落在圣基茨岛东南海边，远有利亚穆伊加“沃土”山(Mount Liamuiga)重峦叠嶂，近有尼维斯岛遥相呼应，学院河

2008-01-30

        早先听说，加勒比“勇者”海小安的列斯“前方的岛屿”群岛(Lesser Antilles)最东边有个巴巴多斯，地貌如无花果的藤须，粉黛娇艳，风景如画。当年葡萄牙探险者一见倾心，便以葡语“留着胡须”为之命名——一个充满浪漫诗意的名字，从此流传。只是长久以来，它一直算作英帝国的盛夏光阴。

        旅游、蔗糖与轻工业，是巴巴多斯三大财源。天宝地杰，物美人丰，加之“自豪与勤勉”的民风，使它成了加勒比海地区经济最发达、人口最密集的国家之

2008-01-29

        “我们尊主为大，甚于热爱地球。”上帝造了多米尼克“主日”，让80%的国土覆满厚实的热带雨林。

        多米尼克孤悬于加勒比“勇者”海小安的列斯“前方的岛屿”群岛(Lesser Antilles)东北部，曾是加勒比印第安人的大本营。1493年，哥伦布“鸽子”探寻北美洲时恰逢礼拜天登岛，便以拉丁语“主日”为之命名，直到1978年，它才真正宣告独立。英国殖民近180年，英语成了官方语言。

        首都罗索“芦苇”

2008-01-28

        我们向来羡慕住在美西太平洋岸的朋友——不出四个钟头，便能置身夏威夷“家园”那风姿绰约的天堂，偷得浮生半日闲。其实，我们所在的宾夕法尼亚“山林”州乡下虽前不着河、后不靠海，却恰与东岸擦肩而过；只要卯足了劲，朝大西洋与加勒比“勇者”海交汇处纵身鱼跃，花上相当的工夫，同样可以坠入美属维京“少女”群岛那柔美动人的仙境，感受“云在青天水在瓶”的悦然。

        据史载，维京群岛是第一次大战期间美国花$2,500万美元从丹麦买来的。