Word of advice

Last weekend I met few of my friends from the event management course that I took around three years ago. One of us is leaving for Korea, so the occasion was a farewell party for her. We were 4 of us and there seemed to be two generations at that table as two of us were above forty and other two in their twenties. During our party one of them asked me if there's anything that I would do differently with my life. And I said: "No. The only thing that I'd do differently is to live my life to the fullest and live it now. Yes, you need to plan and schedule, but yet the only thing that you have is NOW because you have no idea what is going to happen to you tomorrow".
When I had my ski accident this January my life was completely on pause and if there's something that I've learnt from this is to enjoy the life and take chances and opportunities that come to you. Before I'd analyze a lot and hesitate in my decisions, question everything, but now I don't do this any more. Whatever shows up in my life, I go for it!
Another lesson I've learnt is to stop feeling guilty and pleasing others instead of yourself. If you're not happy with yourself everybody around you will suffer because of it, including yourself. So, you have to have the courage to be genuine and to be true to yourself, even if it hurts and disturbs other people.

Another exotic tropical fruit - Fig

I like figs because they are available almost daily in Canada. It has a very different taste from our usual fruits.
I like to eat it raw and I use it very often in a fruit salad. It gives a pop of color and life to your fruit salad.
Figs are very good for your health because they have a lot of calcium and fiber in them.
The dry figs are available all year round and everywhere. Most of the time they are used in bakery.

This is a fig fruit that is ready to be picked.

And that's how the fig tree looks like.

Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier, Québec

These are the pictures taken while visiting Sépaq National Park.
And this below is one of the activities you can do at that park - it`s called zip lining.

By the way, did you know that Canada is the biggest producer of mustard? This is how it looks when it's growing.

Vallée de la Jacques Cartier, Québec

Another Exotic Fruit - Pitaya (Dragon Fruit)

I learnt about this fruit when I went on a trip to St. Thomas, US Virgin Island. At the hotel I was staying they had an exotic fruit tasting and that was the only fruit that was not growing on the island. Because it was the only fruit I've never tasted it got my attention and OMG I was in for a surprise!
It tastes something like in-between kiwi and pear and its flesh is very soft and juicy. The seed are really small and barely noticeable.
A very interesting fact about this fruit is that its tree belong to the cactus family.
Here what it looks like:

And that's how it looks when cut and that's exactly how I eat it!

Enjoying nature

US Embassy in Ottawa

It's always nice to remember that the USA is my country, too. When I am in front of its Embassy I feel the belonging and the longing to go back.

Ottawa through my eyes...

And would you dare to play with a giant spider?

Sculptures usually are meant for observing and appreciating and never to touch. But this is an exception to the rules. Here, these two little cute wedding guests after a tiresome speech in the Cathedral ran out to attack the giant spider and play with it. It's good to see that to them it's not just a sculpture, but rather a character or living thing.

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These pictures were taken at the National Art Gallery, Ottawa. It's a sculpture by Louise Bourgeois. She  was a renowned French-American artist and sculptor, best known for her contributions to both modern and contemporary art, and for her spider structures, titled Maman, which resulted in her being nicknamed the Spiderwoman. She is recognized today as the founder of confessional art. You can read more here or watch this video below:

Catching up with Indian Summer at Byward Market, Ottawa