Jane's blog

Summer Get AwayValencia, ES, 2010

In old Hawaii the people danced because they did not have a written language and hula with chants was their way of passing down history.

The hula today is just thought of as an entertaining dance by many tourists, however it has a very long and interesting history. The hula in fact began as a worship dance and evolved into a story telling dance that was accompanied with mele or chants. The hula is not just a woman dancing with a grass skirt on and moving her hips in a provocative way. In fact, there are two types of hula. The Modern Hula and the Hula Kahiko.

The second type of hula is for both men and women and although both styles are a little different they both require significant dedication and practice. The women’s hula is smoother while the men’s hula is active and full of movements. There is even keiki hula, which is for children, that is interesting. In order to learn this type of hula the individual must be dedicated, strong and willing to concentrate on the hula 100%.

Source: myhawaiianholiday.com

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It is Monday morning and it feels like I have just returned from a quick break holiday. Fact is, it was nothing like lying on the beach doing nothing but actually it was three days of constant retrieval of new information, ideas, impressions. What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just be brain-dead like most people desire for themselves? I sometimes wish I could be that simple!

Every time I go on holiday I have this idea in my mind. It is some kind of urge to do something exploring and valuable for myself. I have tried to ignore it by booking my ticket to some sort of relaxing place the average holiday person would go to. Nevertheless I found myself ended up renting a car and driving around exploring like crazy. Can’t sit still for long. That’s the way I can find my inner peace to the fullest! And I don’t mind because every time I do so it leaves a smile on my face. So now I’m brainstorming on my next holiday destinations. There are so many options. It is almost impossible to choose! It doesn’t really matter to me which place it will be. Good news about any place on the earth, there’s always plenty of things to explore!

December is approaching soon. A month to spend valuable time with family and friends. A month to feel connected again. To enjoy drinking hot chocolate with whipped cream. To enjoy the company of your closest friends. I love the colorful and shiny X-Mas decorations and the beautiful lights that decorate the streets this time of the year. I love the many lighted candles that you see through the windows of people’s houses. I simply cheers me up and I feel the energy to finish this year and make a new start into the next year. Thanks to all my friends!

Hello dear reader!

For most of the people summer holiday is almost over. Mine is yet to start. I’ve worked all summer and now I will get my well-deserved days off! I’m working out my holiday plans for the coming period. At first I wasn’t really looking forward to committing myself to anything due to never ending changing circumstances but now I’m getting hope again and joy in the fact that I can decide and do all I want by myself.
So what’s the planning I hear you say? Since it’s not 100% arranged yet I will not tell you the details at this moment in time. To me it’s part of the excitement to build up this story to you in the next coming weeks. What I do want to share with you is that it’s a combination of adventure and pure relaxing combined with luxury! Wow wow wow, looking so much forward to it! It will be a huge challenge but I know I can do it and that it will be more than worth the preparations!

Here comes the kick-ass girl from Utrecht!
Love to you all – Xxx

I think it is time to take some time for a mini-holiday once again. I have defined a mini-holiday as a weekend away from Friday to Sunday. For my terms it has been some while ago since I went away for a mini-holiday. I think the last time I went out for a whole weekend was the end of April. Exactly one year ago on this day I took the plane to Rome and stayed there over the weekend. This was my second time in this Italian city and it was amazing. I fell in love there again. Great to be back and see all those wonderful old architecture. It was very relaxing to walk around in a city that seems to sleep since holiday season just started. Thinking of the wonderful dinners in the evenings and the delicious ice creams during the day makes me want to go on a city trip again! So what’s on the long list (again) for this year? First of all I need to cross off at least one of those three: Prague, Copenhagen, Lisbon. I am still aiming at visiting all European capitals. However, I think this month I will end up by just visiting my friend in Cambridge – which actually can become a fantastic break as well… By the way, having talked only about city trips, I don’t exclude some days at some beach resort can’t be a mini-holiday. Just surprise me with a good offer and I’m good to go!