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Tag: friendship

Coming Back to Barbados?

We took our friend Richard to the airport. We’ve been neighbours for a year and a half; we’ve shared a rental car for a year. We would walk into each other’s houses after yelling a token “knock knock!” would see each other almost daily on the water, surfing, and would get together for drinks and … Continue reading Coming Back to Barbados? →

kholopainen Uncategorized 5 Comments June 10, 2022 3 Minutes

First Ski in Europe: Les 3 Vallées

We sit at 2800 m elevation, having an espresso and a platter that includes whole prawns, smoked salmon sandwiches, ceviche, salad and, of course, a basket of French bread. There is live music and the sun sparkles off the snow on the mountains around us. Life is good. I’ve always visited Europe in the spring, … Continue reading First Ski in Europe: Les 3 Vallées →

kholopainen Uncategorized 3 Comments March 6, 2022March 6, 2022 3 Minutes

Barbados Paddle Board Adventures

The five of us walked into the beach bar after pulling our stand-up paddleboards (SUPs) above the waterline and digging face masks out of our dry bags. “Wow, we watched you come in,” said a man at the waterside table. “We’ve mostly just seen people falling in all day. You are impressive!” I was secretly … Continue reading Barbados Paddle Board Adventures →

kholopainen Uncategorized 8 Comments November 1, 2021November 4, 2021 3 Minutes

Home After a Year— or After a Month?

“I’m heading home.” But what does that mean? It’s a fundamental question for me right now. Sometimes I solved it by putting air quotes around “home.” Other times I avoided it altogether by specifying: back to Canada, back to Barbados. Which way is the plane facing, when I’m going home? I thought Canada, my home, … Continue reading Home After a Year— or After a Month? →

kholopainen Uncategorized 3 Comments September 10, 2021 2 Minutes

My Barbados Evolution

We were walking down the driveway, on our way to dinner, when Richard looked at me, startled. “Is that a CARDIGAN?” Simone, who was also carrying one, and I exchanged a men-don’t-really-understand glance. “I might get chilly.” Simone nodded in agreement. “But it’s still 28 degrees!” “But it might get down to 26 tonight. And … Continue reading My Barbados Evolution →

kholopainen Uncategorized 4 Comments July 27, 2021 3 Minutes

A Day in the Life, Barbados version

I’m lying in bed at 6am, before my first coffee, and I reach for my phone. Not to check the weather— that’s going to be a high of 30 or 31C, low of 25 or 26C, every day, because it’s July. Predictions of rain are erratic— it could be pouring rain here and sunny a … Continue reading A Day in the Life, Barbados version →

kholopainen Uncategorized 2 Comments July 10, 2021July 10, 2021 3 Minutes

To Stay or To Go?

“We’re leaving tomorrow.” Kaity and François are going back to New York. I’ve watched their daughter Louise become a full fledged toddler as she traveled down our street over the last five months, with whichever parent wasn’t surfing. The semi-tamed cats on the street learned to move more quickly in tandem. Once it rains, no … Continue reading To Stay or To Go? →

kholopainen Uncategorized Leave a comment June 6, 2021April 1, 2022 3 Minutes

Not a Tourist any Longer

“So what are your stories going to be, from Barbados?” Richard and I were swapping accidental travel stories: my participation in a parade and horse race in Italy, his in a small French village’s wine festival; my travels on a local water taxi on Aberdeen harbour in Hong Kong, his line dancing at a small-town … Continue reading Not a Tourist any Longer →

kholopainen Uncategorized Leave a comment March 2, 2021March 2, 2021 2 Minutes

Ringing in a New Year

For the second time since I was 11 years old, I did not stay awake to see the old year out. My only other missing of the countdown was 7 years ago, when my flu turned to bronchitis turned to pneumonia. I canceled the party and went back to bed. I still remember my first … Continue reading Ringing in a New Year →

kholopainen Uncategorized Leave a comment January 5, 2021 3 Minutes

Barbados, (Mostly) Open for Business

“This is a really good place to stop for lunch, if it was open.” “You’ll have to come back when St. Nicholas Abbey is open— It’s worth seeing.” “When it’s open, you’ll go down these steps and be able to swim inside the caves.” Animal Flower Caves The situation has changed dramatically since our first … Continue reading Barbados, (Mostly) Open for Business →

kholopainen Uncategorized 2 Comments December 21, 2020 2 Minutes

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All the content is written by me; all the photos are mine, and I have asked permission before taking any identifiable photos of others.

After many years of “discretion” and secrets, I have chosen to live my life as a (relatively) open book. So feel free to share my posts with anyone you think might be interested in a topic, or who might benefit from knowing that someone else is going through similar life situations.

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