Mother’s–

This is Mother’s in New Orleans.  This is usually my first stop when I arrive in town.  Gotta have a spicy Mother’s bloody mary, red beans and rice, and a fried oyster po’boy.  Tasty, tasty, tasty!  I love this place. . .and you will too if you ever get here.

Other great things to eat here include their ham–absolutely delicious, a crawfish etoufffe omelet–crazy good, an order of jambalaya–wonderful, an order of gumbo–fabulous, a couple bags of Zapp’s crawtator potato chips–my favorite chips in the world, and another bloody mary.  Then you will be ready to figure out what to have for lunch.

I send you massive food vibes from New Orleans. . .go ahead, feel them all.

It’s lovely out there.

Clover Grill–

When it is four in the morning, and you need grease. . .this is the place to hit in New Orleans.  Chicken-fried steak, biscuits and gravy, eggs any way, burgers, fries, bacon, tasty iced tea. . .they have it all.  And it is all served with a smile by their professional staff.

In addition, they have a wonderful juke box so you can keep the tunes going if they are not already going when you walk in.  They used to turn the volume way up high, but now they don’t turn the volume so high. . .but the tunes are abundant and cover all genres.  So pop some dollars in, make your selections, and dig into that greasy chicken-fried steak.

Plus, they filmed scenes from the Brad Pitt movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, here.  The place is cleaned up a bit since the filming so some of the ‘charm’ has been lost, but it is still well worth a visit.  Maybe I will see you there some time.

I send you heart-stopping vibes from the Clover Grill in New Orleans. . .feel them. . .they will make your pulse race.

It’s lovely out there.

New Orleans–

POW!  Here I am in New Orleans. . .one of my top five cities in the world.  No city in the world has better music, food, beverages, and people than this town.  Absolutely world-class, period.

For example, above you see Henry Butler cookin’ on the keyboards at a tiny place called The Applebarrel on Frenchman Street.  What a lucky night this is. . .he just strolls in, and the band asks him if he wants to play.  So he sits down and rocks the joint.  Amazing player and singer.  Go ahead and type his name in at YouTube–Henry Butler–then treat yourself to some tasty musical experiences.  You will love. . .I gar-ron-tay?

Below him you see a place simply called ‘dba.’  One of the hottest music venues in all of New Orleans, and it is small and cozy.  I have never heard a bad act in here, and I gar-ron-tay that you will not either.  Check it some time if you are ever down here.  Looks warm and inviting, right?  Yes, it does.

I send you amazing musical vibes from New Orleans. . .feel them. . .they are cookin’.

It’s lovely out there.

Turkish tea–

They also drink tea in Istanbul.  Turkish coffee is fabulous, but Turkish tea is the primary beverage consumed by most people here throughout the day.  Drop in a cube or two of sugar, stir, and suck it down.  Tasty, refreshing, civilized.

The fragrance is soothing. . .the water temperature is hot. . .the cup is elegant.  I love drinking Turkish tea. . .but only in Istanbul.  Snob, I know.

I send you easygoing tea vibes from Istanbul. . .feel them. . .they are warm.

It’s lovely out there.

Turkish wedding–

These folks just got married in the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul.  How about that?  Getting hitched in a building that is fifteen hundred years old. . .wonderful.

Of course, the age of the building is not what matters;  rather, it’s the deepness of the commitment that is forged between two people that counts.  But, damn, a fifteen hundred year old building built by Justinian. . .whoa!  Niiiice.

It’s lovely out there.

Lima beach–

I love Lima, Peru, but it is hazy here quite a lot.  Humid, breezy, and hazy.  Feel the moisture. . .perfect weather for working inside all day.

And this hotel is the main game in town: the JWMarriott.  Great views, great staff, and lots of tasty ceviche.

I am honored to be here.  Travel makes me more and more humble.  I am lucky to have the opportunity to interact with people here and in so many other places on the planet.  Absolutely lucky to bring smiles to people’s faces and warmth to their hearts. . .even in the world of business.

Remember to appreciate your time here on the planet doing whatever you do.  I send you human vibes from Lima. . .feel them.

It’s lovely out there.

Hookah and coffee–

I cannot get enough of this town.  The Turkish coffee and hookah (smoked with apple-flavored tobacco) keep drawing me back here.

Above you see me puffing away with a friend and then below us you see perfect cups of Turkish java. . .tasty and invigorating.  Use with caution.

I send you smoky, caffeinated vibes from Istanbul. . .feel them. . .they are revitalizing.

It’s stimulating out there.

Work?

Occasionally I have to work out there in the world, but simply talking with people is never really work-work.  It is an honor to travel around and help others communicate.

Above you see me in Seoul pretending to spread the good word. . .horrible pose, I know, but it seems to go over well.

How many languages do I speak?  Only one, barely.  But I have dictionaries for many languages and trusty Google to help me find the right term in the right language.  Wow, the 21st century is amazing.  And so is the world.

Go to http://www.partnercommunications.org to learn more about my work if you are curious.  (shameless plug!)

It’s lovely out there.

Lima, Peru–

Lima is a cozy world capital situated on the coast of Peru.  Above you see the city’s central square.  It is hazy here a lot because of the winds and weather that constantly arrive from the Pacific Ocean.  I recommend that you Google this town to learn more about it because a lot of wacky history has gone down here.  I mean how does a Japanese guy end up running the show in a major South American country for so long?  Fascinating to read and learn about this place.

I have worked here in the past, and I can tell you that the people are fabulous.  I love the people of Lima.  Sweet, smart, alive, and ready to mix-it-up if necessary.  But the humid haze puts a strange damper on things. . .hmmmmm. . .I will survive.

The most famous food of Lima is ceviche.  This is fresh, raw fish ‘cooked’ by letting it marinate in lime and lemon juice.  They slice the fish thin, douse it in lime and lemon juice, and let it sit for a few minutes.  It is then ready to be eaten, and it is yummy.  As long as the fish is absolutely fresh then this is a dish that can be made and enjoyed anywhere.  Though I prefer my ceviche in Lima.

I send y0u fresh vibes from Lima. . .feel them. . .they are tasty.

It’s lovely out there.

Modern times–

There used to be lots of trees and crops growing at Machu Picchu.  Now there are one or two trees and no crops.  Trees were chopped down by locals for firewood, and the crops have been removed and replaced with lovely green grass for us tourists.

In addition, a fabulous lodge has been built just outside the ancient site for gringos who want a ‘real’ Machu Picchu experience.  Hey, why not, right?  If you wanna drop seven or eight hundred dollars a night on a hotel room, then you can stay here and breathe the night air that the king of the Incas used to breathe five hundred years ago.

Nevertheless, Machu Picchu is an incredible sight to see.  Wonderful walking around here.  Yes, there are lots of other people around, but we do not need to stay near them.  There are plenty of nooks and crannies where you can hole-up and take it all in on your own terms.  We don’t need to be led around by a guide.  We can read our guide book later and Google this place when we get home.  But right here right now all we have to do is breathe in the king’s air and breathe out.  That’s all.  Just ‘be’ here, and feel the life force.  It’s here. . .it’s everywhere. . .and it certainly is in each of us–you can totally feel that here.

I send you wonderful life force vibes from Machu Picchu. . .feel them. . .they are everywhere.

It’s lovely out there.