Thanks for reading the August 2024 issue of This Awful Awesome Life. I hope you enjoy the Cherry Salsa recipe in “The Twelve Months of Salsa.” Previous issues are available to read on our website. Go to www.thisawfulawesomelife.com and start scrolling or you can enter specific search criteria.
Our September issue is about “The Power of Words,” and will of course include the latest statistics on Banned Books.
I’m excited to announce that we will have a Q&A with singer/songwriter Lisa Reagan. She’s agreed to answer my questions about her career and her latest project – singing a compilation of famous poems set to music she has composed with a partner. How does she interpret the musicality of poetry? How did she select the poems she set to music? We’re about to find out in our September issue.
Orlando Bartro and I will be back with interesting articles for you.
We’ll have another author birthday and our next salsa recipe because you need something tasty to snack on while you read the September issue.
We’re moving some of our regular features around to shake things up a bit and keep you on your toes.
I’ll have more streaming and reading recommendations. “What’s in a Word?” and “Dare to Believe,” will be back but we’ll be alternating some of our content. We’ll continue the monthly quizzes to exercise our brains, and we’ll continue reviewing books.
I’ll have a short story for you about censorship.
Stay safe. Stay well. You are important, and you are loved.
All my best,
Fran
Answers to the August 2024 “Where Am I ?” Quiz
We’re visiting a city in the fifth largest state by area in the United States. This city was the earliest European settlement west of the Mississippi River. One tenth of all employment here is related to artistic and cultural industries. Writers and authors make up the highest proportion of the labor force of any U.S. city. It’s home to the Georgia O’Keefe Museum. We’ll be hiking, mountain biking, and rafting as well enjoying the adobe architecture and visiting Meow Wolf. Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.A. - Photo #2
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, this historic district is home to the world’s most photographed hotel, Château Frontenac. It’s the only fortified city north of Mexico. We’ll take a walking tour, visit the Pierre-Dugua-De Mons Terrace at sunset, and have some of the world’s most delicious ice cream. Old Québec City (Québec City Old Town) Québec, Canada - Photo#3
Known for its variety of mole, a complex sauce that is a melding of Spanish and Arabic food, this city is also famous for its chocolate bars, traditional breads, and chapulines (fried grasshoppers). The Aztecs occupied the area. It was officially designated a city by Hernán Cortés in 1529. We’ll eat and visit museums and archaeological sites celebrating Zapotec and Mixtec cultures. Oaxaca city, Mexico - Photo#6
This village On the Caribbean coast is part of a national park that’s beaches are a major nesting site for green turtles. We’ll take a guided wildlife tour, a boat excursion through canals, and go kayaking. Tortuguero, Costa Rica - Photo#14
This 15th century Inca citadel is often referred to as the “Lost City of the Incas.” Get ready to burn some calories because we’ll be hiking through steep and narrow trails with panoramic views of ancient ruins. We’ll visit an incredible butterfly sanctuary and take part in interactive butterfly releases. Machu Picchu, Peru - Photo#12
We’ll be visiting one of the oldest European centers on the Portuguese Way of the Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James). It became a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1996. Known for its sweet red dessert wine, this region also produces dry, semi-dry, and white varieties of wine. We’ll visit ancient churches, the Rivoli theatre, Casa da Música, and the Lello Bookshop, one of the best-known bookstores in the world. Porto, Portugal - Photo#4
We’re visiting the “Venice of the North.” It’s one of the world’s cleanest metropolises because of the lack of heavy industry in the city. We’ll visit the Gamla Stan (Old Town), National museums, Riddarholmen Church, and then venture over to the Moderna Museet to look at modern art. Stockholm, Sweden - Photo#8
We’ll be visiting the Arboretum, Trsteno, the oldest arboretum in the world (dates back to before 1492), and the third oldest pharmacy in the world (1317). There’s a famous naturist beach if we dare. The walls of this city were a popular filming location for the fictional city of King’s landing in the HBO series, Game of Thrones. Dubrovnik. Croatia - Photo#13
This federal territory is home to the Petronas Twin Towers, the Petaling Street flea market, the Central Market, Perdana Botanical Garden, and Batu Caves, which is over 400 million years old. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Photo#5
This city is home to Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, palaces, and gardens. Maybe we’ll get a tour of Nintendo’s world headquarters. Since we’re visiting in August, we can attend the Hachigatsu Bon Festival or catch a baseball game. Kyoto, Japan - Photo#15
We’re visiting this former British penal colony to enjoy it’s popular beaches, national aquarium, famous opera house, and the Taronga Zoo. Sydney, Australia - Photo#1
This city, a fusion between Eastern and Western culture, is known for its beautiful beaches and water sports (jet-skiing, parasailing, banana boat rides, and water scooter rides). It ranks 6th in the top Nightlife cities in the world according to National Geographic Travel. Be sure to also visit the Naval Aviation Museum and the National Institute of Oceanography. Goa, India - Photo#7
Famous for its beautiful beaches, exciting nightlife, shopping, and dining, this beach town is home to surfers, swimmers, and lovers of water sports. We can attend a surf school, take yoga classes, hit the gym, or be pampered at one of the many area spas. Cooking classes and food tours are available. During a day away from the beach, we’ll visit Petitenget Temple and climb the dragon stairs to the very top. Seminyak Beach, Bali, Indonesia - Photo#11
This ancient city of red sandstone buildings was founded in 1070. We can go to the Jemaa el-Fnaa, the city’s center of activity, history, and trade to shop at different souks. We can visit beautiful gardens throughout the city and marvel at its architecture. Marrakesh, Morrocco - Photo#9
Known for its architectural heritage, this city combines the architectural traditions of the Netherlands, France, Indonesia, and Germany. We can go whale watching, and see dolphins all along the coast. Swimming and scuba diving are popular water sports and there are several excellent golf courses in the area. Beginner to intermediate surfers will enjoy the Muizenberg area of the False Bay coast. Cape Town, South Africa - Photo#10