Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly in the film, "Singin' in the Rain." Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds will be featured Friday, Jan. 7, in a lauded HBO special which was moved up for airing after their deaths. ON SHOW BIZ, MOTHER-DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIPS, ADDICTION, COURAGE, HUMOR, MENTAL HEALTH Good morning, good morning, We've gabbed the whole night through..... Good morning, good morning to you. Good morning, good morning, Sun beams will soon smile through Good morning, good morning, to you and you and you... (from "Singin' in the Rain") STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS by BRUCE KELLER others courtesy AP, Girl Scouts & Hollywood studios I GREW UP with those wonderful, innocent, 1950s musicals. "Singin' in the Rain" was a family favorite. Debbie Reynolds was only 18 when the picture was made, but held her own with Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor. Debbie's snappy time steps and my mother's tap dancing skills encouraged my lifelong love of tap dancing. A young Debbie Reynolds proudly displays her Girl Scout badges. IN 1969, I WAS not much older than Reynolds was when she made that film. That was the year Lee Newspapers chose me to interview Reynolds. I was sent to Wyoming in a snow storm as a cub reporter to cover her keynote speech at a Girl Scout jamboree. Long a Scout herself, Reynolds charmed the overflow house with witty show biz tales. Wyoming's movers and shakers gave her a standing ovation. A fellow Girl Scout on my first of hundreds of "star" interviews, I was thrilled to get 15 minutes with her. When I dropped my pen, she graciously returned it to my shaking hand. Debbie Reynolds, Eddie Fisher and youngsters Todd and Carrie. "Now be calm and confident and promise to write a good story," she said, "Scouts honor?" I still have her handwritten thank-you note. Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia. DEBBIE SAID during the interview that she wanted to be the world's oldest Girl Scout when she died. I don't know if she was -- at 84 -- but the Girl Scout blog is paying tribute to her for a life of artistic achievement, philanthropy and Girl Scout devotion. Debbie's beloved daughter, Carrie, had just turned 13 when I interviewed her 37-year old mother. Years later, in an interview with Fisher in Phoenix, Az., I asked her what she might have been doing when I was interviewing her mother. (Her father was famed crooner Eddie Fisher, who left the family to marry Elizabeth Taylor when Carrie was a toddler.) Cookie (Christene Meyers) and her late mother, Ellen Cosgriffe, also tap danced, sang and wrote. Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher photographed five years ago. "Oh, I was probably misbehaving, or having lunch at Cary Grant's," she joked. Her self-deprecating charm delighted the audience at her one-woman show later that day. ("When I was a teen, my mother was concerned that I was experimenting with drugs. So she did what any other mother would do: she called Cary for advice.") I loved her entrance in the Scottsdale Performing Arts Center. She came down through the house in a well worn house coat and bedroom slippers, which she kicked off. For 100 minutes on a cleverly chaotic set, she was mesmerizing. We laughed and cried at her touchingly told tales. The line between comic and tragic is a thin one as she proved in her prolific career as writer and producer. Carrie Fisher performing her hit autobiographical stage show, "Wishful Drinking" in 2009. She died at age 60 this week. WE REMEMBER her brief marriage to musician Paul Simon and her role as Princess Leia in "Star Wars." Her most lasting contribution, though, which combined fine acting and writing, was her ability to enlighten us, giving us insight and compassion on the complex subjects of mental health and addiction. My family has had its own share of both of the above, so I was moved to see Fisher's honesty and humor on the subjects of alcohol and drug use, bi-polar disorders, mothers and daughters and the relationship between mental turmoil and brilliance. What a mind she had, using her own knowledge of depression, alcoholism and creativity to share the vivid emotional landscape she inhabited. Debbie Reynolds passed at 84. Here she is at her Las Vegas hotel-museum, which failed to make it. Some of the star's costumes have gone to museums. I'D HAVE LOVED to have interviewed the two of them together with my mother, Ellen, a huge fan of both women. We'd have spent an afternoon together, just the four of us. Even though I grew up away from Hollywood in landlocked Montana, I identified with Fisher's one-woman show. Her tumultuous adolescence and the challenges of growing up with privilege, in the shadow of two famous parents, had universal truth. It couldn't have been easy, yet she described the pain, elation, loneliness and fear with elegance and self-effacing charm. I drew understanding from her thoughts, which echoed my mother's descriptions of her challenges. Debbie Reynolds in the lead of "The Unsinkable Molly Brown." PHOTOS OF of Fisher and Reynolds together in recent years show Reynolds' pride and their mutual love and respect. The pictures also reveal a spirit of optimism. I admire that, and their chutzpah. Both had it in spades. Both had multiple relationships yet persevered despite disappointment. While Fisher was signing books and touring her one-woman show, Reynolds was selling out her show at Bemelman's in New York's famed Carlyle Hotel. She continued her humanitarian interests and even tried her hand at the hotel business in Las Vegas. When her husbands squandered her fortune, she kept her cool, appearing on TV and in productions of "Mame" and "Hello Dolly." There's a wonderful lyric from "I Ain't Down Yet," a great tune in another family favorite, "The Unsinkable Molly Brown." The film earned the unsinkable Reynolds an Academy Award nomination in 1964. The lyric goes: Respect, admiration, optimism, courage: Debbie Reynolds and daughter Carrie Fisher worked things out. Happy trails. I'm goin' to learn to read and write, I'm goin' to see what there is to see, So if you go from nowhere on the road to somewhere And you meet anyone, you'll know it's me. Thanks for sharing the road with us for a short time. Happy travels, you two stars. And keep an eye out for my mum. You three would like one another! Keller and Cookie pause on a recent trip to Rome in front of the newly renovated Trevi Fountain. Yes,they threw their coins with their right hands over their left shoulders. Imagine yourself where you want to be for 2017! UP NEXT: Usher in the new year and salute it with all the style and energy you can muster. It's time to book that trip, master a new language, take tango lessons, learn to play the saxophone, plan the Alaska adventure you've talked about for decades. Head to Rome -- or another city you've longed to visit. Carpe diem and tempis fugit yourself into the new year, making your dreams into plans then reality. It can be done. We'll share some secrets that keep us traveling. Remember to explore, learn and live with whereiscookie.com. where we deliver a fresh look at travel and the arts around the world.

We photographed Italy's famous Lovers Arch before it collapsed into the sea on Valentine's Day this year. The natural limestone arch, a beloved landmark on the Adriatic coast, was frequently used for proposals and photos, collapsed into the sea during severe storms associated with "Storm Oriana". Editor's Note: We begin a three-part series on the wonders of Puglia, flying into Bari, the capital of southern Italy, renting a car, heading south to Lecce, our base for daytrips, and on to the wonders at "the tip of the boot." Story By Christene Meyers Photos By Bruce Keller "The Carpe Diem Kids" If you've been reluctant to rent a car in Italy, a perfect way to conquer your fear is to fly to Bari, rent a car and drive south to Puglia -- to Lecce and beyond. The colors of Bari are particularly bold at holidays, but the town lights up year round, here with Keller & Cookie Puglia is a relatively undiscovered gem, an appealing landscape of olive groves, stone walls, stunning coastal views and well preserved wonders. Lecce is a perfect base for exploring Puglia and the southern Salento peninsula by car. Bari is easy to reach from other European cities to start your Southern Puglia Road Trip. We flew from Brussels in just over two hours, rented our car and headed south. Driving here is nothing like navigating the frenzy of Roman streets. In Lecce, Matera and the villages of Puglia, Americans seldom visit. Speak even a few words of Italian and you'll be welcomed with a relaxed vibe, friendly people, authentic villages and a charming pace, the opposite of Rome's hustle and bustle . I'd been to Italy 20 times so I figured I knew what to expect here. But Puglia is another world, and should be on a well traveled person's radar. In scenic Puglia, Manuella, right, greets friends "Cookie and Keller" at Santa Cesarea Terme, for an afternoon tour. We thank our friend Manuella for encouraging us. We met her on a cruise a couple years ago. She is from that alluring corner of southern Italy and convinced us that a visit to Puglia, its villages and the Sassi of Matera should be on our must-see list. In fact, she lobbied that a Southern Puglia Road Trip is essential to our knowledge of southern Europe. So we spent two weeks of wonder and delight, taking an Italian road trip which included a visit with Manuella and her family and a rewarding venture into this lesser known but truly corner of her country. The coastline of Puglia is a mix of ancient sea walls, welcoming resorts and cafes and water views at every turn: -- the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Strait of Otranto and Ionian Sea to the southeast and Gulf of Taranto to the south. Gorgeous views abound as you leave Bari and head south. The cliff-side drama of Polignano a Mare can be enjoyed as you sample a panino col polpo (octopus sandwich) and watch cliff jumpers. It's famous for its tiny beach tucked into a cove. The distance is 152 kilometers Bari to Lecce, so get an early start so you can linger along the way. Lecce -- the 'Florence of the South,' a Baroque Jewel We arrived in Lecce in time to explore the Old Town, whose history spans ancient Messapian settlements to a flourishing Baroque period reflecting Roman infrastructure, Norman rule, and eventual Spanish control. Lecce's Old Town is a charming mix of narrow streets, ornate facades, hidden squares, casual eateries and elegant shops. Here, Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers view the options for lunch and gelato. After Roman times, the city endured invasions before the Normans revitalized it, leading to a prosperous county and eventually its integration into the Kingdom of Naples. The most significant transformation was under Charles V, which ushered in the 17th-century Baroque era, defining its unique architecture. Lecce's Baroque architecture is mesmerizing. We strolled from one piazza to another, enjoying shops and restaurants and talented buskers. By day, it's sunny and welcoming. At night, there are lights and couples strolling after a late meal. It's scene after scene of golden lights on a modern day nativity setting. Lecce Duomo. We walked the town in an easy half-day, returning two other days to admire the Piazza del Duomo with its intricate baroque design, and Basilica di Santa Croce, Lecce's crown jewel, in various light. To truly soak up the atmosphere of this beautiful city, you'll want to stay several days and be sure to visit the Old Town for dinner one evening to enjoy the dazzling lights as they come on. Otranto Castle made a fun day trip, here Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers pose in front of the 11th Century Castle, built between 1485-1498 to protect from sea invasions by the Ottoman Empire. Fun Day Trip, a Coastal Escape to Otranto We took a day trip to Otranto, less than an hour from Lecce. It's a jewel of Puglia on the Adriatic coast, renowned for its 11th-century Cathedral with stunning mosaics, the imposing Aragonese Castle, and a charming, whitewashed historic center. Great place to stop for lunch and a leisurely walk. Otranto lighthouse is an active facility in Capo d'Otranto, the easternmost point in Italy and narrowest point of Strait of Otranto. It was abandoned for years, but reopened for tourists after historians realized its importance and began renovation efforts. It is now a beloved and often visited landmark for locals and tourists. Highlights include the breathtaking Baia dei Turchi the unique Cava di Bauxite the Lungomare promenade, offering a perfect blend of history, culture, and coastal beauty. The Adriatic views and harbor are picturesque, the seaside walls impressive and the mosaics are well preserved. We suggest lunch overlooking the harbor. Lecce is known as "the Florence of the south" for its beautiful arches and golden hued limestone which was carved into elaborate patterns. The Triumphal Arch is one of three gates to Lecce, here behind Keller and Cookie. Italy's Gallipoli -- The Ionian Coast Surprise Another day trip is a visit to Gallipoli, not the more famous Turkish site of World War II battles, but another Gallipoli, a laid back fishing village with beautiful sunsets along the Ionian Sea. Italy's Gallipoli is famous for its seafood markets and an island old town connected by a bridge. Another great place to park the car, stroll, grab lunch or gelato. The Southern Tip of the Heel Capo Santa Maria di Leuca Lighthouse We drove to Santa Maria di Leuca, where the Adriatic and Ionian seas meet. The coastline is dramatic and its lighthouse has a fairy tale allure. Our friends insisted we take the time to get there, past olive groves and estates nicely shrouded by the landscape. Italy has more than 400 lighthouses, many in southern Italy where they were necessary navigational tools. Why a Car Makes Puglia Special A road trip through the sun-washed towns of Puglia reveals a side of Italy where centuries-old traditions, whitewashed villages, century-old olive groves and unforgettable cuisine come together around every bend in the road. For travelers seeking authentic culture beyond the crowded icons, exploring southern Italy by car unlocks the hidden beauty of Puglia’s historic towns and Adriatic coast. We quickly learned the parking rules. Look for blue lines meaning you pay, white lines meaning free and red meaning don't park here. We took a photo of our rental car license so we could easily find it. For us, the magic of our Puglia road trip was discovering that the most memorable moments are often found in the smallest villages. We recommend a road trip here for several reasons: Easy drives between villages Hidden countryside where you can take your time and not worry about being lost Olive groves, villages to explore, reasonably priced lodging and splendid food -- pasta the pastries. We recommend the pasticciotto, a delicious cream-filled pastry. There are picture book olive groves, too, and whitewashed villages all around Puglia. Surrounded by Matera's stunning hillsides and cave houses are Cookie and Keller, exploring. If it looks like a scene from a James Bond movie, it is. Matera was the scene of "No Time To Die." The cast and crew spent several weeks filming in the world's oldest continuously inhabited city, above and below. UP NEXT: Matera beckons. It deserves its own separate story with its unique cave hotels and restaurants, its fascinating pedestrian only areas, its stone churches, bridges and distinction as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the oldest continuously inhabited city on Earth. We explore the city with two guides, one in a jeep and one on foot.

Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout: historical site, scene of a ferocious 1795 battle. King Kamehameha I led his forces to the unification of the Hawaiian Islands. Story By Christene Meyers Photos by Bruce Keller "The Carpe Diem Kids" If you’re an international traveler searching for the perfect mix of culture, scenery, history, and fun, the best Circle Island Tour in Oahu is created by E Noa Tours. This highly rated company delivers a lively mix of sights, stories and nature in one memorable day. On the island of Oahu, every curve of the coastline tells a story-- of ancient Hawaiian royalty, Polynesian voyagers, battles to the death, plantation life, crops and Hawaii's legendary surf culture. Bruce Keller, E Noa guide Turk and Christene "Cookie" Meyers enjoy scenery and treats on a tour stop. We enjoyed this full-day experience for the second time, with a terrific guide named Turk (Portuguese, Chinese and 50 per cent Hawaiian). Turk blended breathtaking scenic stops, sacred sites, cultural immersion, personal anecdotes, Hawaiian history and iconic treats. He did it with ease, stories and humor -- even singing a couple songs. It was a stress free day without the anxiety of a rental car to navigate it ourselves. Here’s what makes this circle island tour one of the best things in Oahu for international visitors from U.S., Japan, Europe and beyond 1. Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout: Winds, Warriors & Royal History Our journey began as we boarded a small, comfy van then drove high above the windward coast to Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout. The panoramic view is cinematic: emerald cliffs plunge into the Pacific, with the lush Koʻolau Mountains a dramatic backdrop. We saw the vacation home of Barrack Obama, "Magnum P.I." locations and more. Turk set the scene for the stop at this historical site, scene of a ferocious 1795 battle. King Kamehameha I led his forces to the unification of the Hawaiian Islands. Standing in the powerful trade winds, we felt the energy of the warriors who won -- and the sorrow of the mourners whose loved ones opposed the king and died. For culture-focused travelers, this stop sets the tone: Oahu is not just beaches. It’s living history. The exquisite Byodo-In Temple is a much photographed stop on E Noa's Circle Island Tour. 2. Byodo-In Temple: A Peaceful Japanese Sanctuary in Hawaii Next, Turk drove us to the tranquil grounds of Byodo-In Temple, at the base of the Koʻolau Mountains. The graceful Buddhist temple is a replica of a 950-year-old temple in Uji, Japan. Bruce Keller and Cookie Meyers ring the Byodo-In Temple gong which is said to bring happiness. We rang its three-ton gong for tranquility, blessings and happiness. The reflection of the red temple against the koi-filled ponds and misty green cliffs feels dreamlike. Accents from Asia and Europe greeted us -- international travelers here to appreciate the stop because it highlights Hawaii’s multicultural identity. Japanese tourists admired the beautifully manicured grounds, especially meaningful to them because Japanese immigration played a major role in shaping the islands. This serene setting offered us all spiritual calm and stunning photography opportunities. 3. Tropical Farms – Macadamia Nuts & Local Crafts Macadamia nuts by the hundreds are offered for tasting in many flavors at Tropical Farms. This large carved wooden sculpture at Tropical Farms features a husband and wife and is called "Honor Your Father and Mother." The Lakes were influential figures in Hawaiian history. Master carver Victor Niu is the artist. From spiritual serenity to island flavors, the next stop was Tropical Farms. Here, we sampled locally grown macadamia nuts in a variety of flavors -- honey roasted, garlic, Kona coffee, cinnamon and chocolate-covered varieties. We bought hot sauce and other Oahu-inspired agricultural exports and sampled Kona coffee from the Big Island. Beyond snacks, Tropical Farms showcases locally made crafts and souvenirs. The shops were doing brisk business with lovely seascapes, and other authentic, locally sourced gifts. It’s casual, friendly, and wonderfully Hawaiian. 4. Polynesian Cultural Center and Lunch at Pounders A highlight of the day is the immersive experience at the Polynesian Cultural Center. This is not a theme park -- it’s a cultural living museum representing the diverse island nations of Polynesia: Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, and Aotearoa (New Zealand). Tour participants watch traditional dances, learn about navigation by the stars, observe coconut husking demonstrations, and understand how ancient Polynesians crossed vast oceans using only natural elements. For international visitors, this stop provides cultural context. Hawaii is part of a much larger Polynesian story, and the Center makes that connection vivid and interactive. Lunch is included at Pounders Restaurant, known for hearty island inspired dishes. We shared a zingy and satisfying Thai stir-fry with veggies and tofu and expertly seasoned shredded pork. Generous portions, fresh ingredients, and local flavors. 5. Waimea Valley: Gardens, Waterfall & Optional Swim Nature lovers will be captivated by Waimea Valley. This botanical valley is both culturally significant and naturally stunning. The paved path winds through tropical gardens filled with native Hawaiian plants, ancient archaeological sites, and shaded rainforests, listening to the sounds of birds on a 1.5 mile walk awaits a picturesque waterfall. Swimming is an option and a couple from our small group brought suits for a refreshing dip beneath the beautiful tropical waterfall. We wanted to stay dry, so the walk itself was our choice. The combination of culture, conservation, and natural beauty makes Waimea Valley a top North Shore attraction. 6. Scenic North Shore Drive: Surf Culture & Small-Town Charm The first and oldest surf shop is a fun tour stop. After Waimea, the tour continues along the legendary North Shore. In winter months, these waves attract the world’s top professional surfers. My husband, our photographer, is an old surfer with three boards in our garage. In summer, the ocean becomes calmer and crystal clear. Either way, the drive itself is spectacular long stretches of coastline, turquoise water, and dramatic surf breaks. The charming surf town of Haleiwa was our next stop. Here, we found my surfer's favorite shop in all the islands: the oldest surf shop in Hawaii Surf N Sea with the original signed board of the state's most famous surfer, Duke Kahanamoku. Others of the tour strolled boutique shops, art galleries, food trucks, and the world's most famous surf shop. Even if you’re not a surfer, stepping inside connects you to Hawaii’s deep surf heritage. This stop blends fun and authenticity. It’s relaxed, colorful, and full of character, a refreshing contrast to Waikiki’s bustle, traffic and resort energy. 7. Dole Plantation: Pineapple Dreams Bruce Keller enjoys his favorite treat: ice cream at the famous Dole Plantation. No circle island tour would be complete without a sweet ending at Dole Plantation. Here, you’ll learn about Hawaii’s pineapple plantation era — a major part of the island’s agricultural and immigration history. But let’s be honest: most visitors are here for the legendary pineapple soft serve. Served with fresh strawberries on top, this refreshing treat is the perfect finale after a full day of exploration. It’s sweet, tropical, and instantly Instagram-worthy. Why This Is the Best Circle Island Tour Oahu for International Travelers E Noa has a long, proud legacy of touring and the highly rated tours combine learning, scenery and pleasure. E Noa means freedom without restriction and E Noa tour stands out because it combines: Cultural education Scenic photography stops Local food experiences Nature immersion Surf history Agricultural heritage The end of a long but satisfying day with E Noa Tours finds Keller and Cookie tired but happy. It covers nearly every side of Oahu in one well-paced day without feeling rushed. The Circle Island tour makes many pleasant stops. Here at a macadamia nut farm, a separate room offers beautifully crafted Hawaiian jewelry, perfect souvenirs or gifts. For travelers visiting Hawaii for the first time, especially from Europe, Asia, Australia, or Canada, this tour provides context. You don’t just see Oahu, you understand it. You’ll experience: Hawaiian royal history Japanese cultural influence Polynesian traditions North Shore surf lifestyle Plantation-era agriculture Few day tours manage to weave all of that together so seamlessly. And don't overlook the Waikiki Trolley, We always book Waikiki Trolley to enjoy its four routes. The color-coded routes offer many stops covering Honolulu's best attractions and stops, from museums, to the beach, parks, palaces and more. Hop on and off at your own pace and choose from many options, including a single day, several days or a week. Practical Tips for International Visitors Bring comfortable walking shoes (Waimea Valley means walking.) A lovely outdoor cafe and gift shop await if you don't feel like the mile-long falls roundtrip. Pack swimwear and a towel if you want to dive or swim by the waterfall. Carry light layers wind at Pali Lookout can be strong. Bring a reusable water bottle. Charge your camera or phone you’ll need it. Most importantly, come curious. Ask questions. Engage with the cultural guides. Hawaii is a place of stories, and the E Noa tour introduces them. You'll get Turk or another interesting guide, proud of the island's rich history and knowledgeable about every aspect of Oahu. Final Thoughts, Tips The Best Circle Island Tour Oahu (by E Noa) is more than sightseeing -- it’s storytelling through landscapes, people and legends. From sacred cliffs and peaceful temples to surf towns and pineapple fields, the island reveals itself layer by layer. For international travelers seeking both culture and fun, this is one of the most comprehensive and rewarding experiences we've found on Oahu. If you only have one full day to explore beyond Waikiki, make it this one. The spirit of aloha awaits. To book the Circle Island, a Pearl Harbor tour or Waikiki Trolley: enoa.com Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers explore San Francisco and the Exploratorium as part of a cityPASS. The nifty tourist card is available in 18 North American cities and our travel writers use it in many places to save time, money and hassle and get the most out of a short time in a chosen destination. Up Next: We explore the advantages of an excellent tourist card, CityPASS to explore 18 North American cities. The passes save money, time and worry and allows visitors to enjoy each city's unique attractions and experiences. We highlight five CityPASS destinations, with insight into what you'll see in San Diego, San Francisco, Atlanta, Seattle and New York. Remember to explore and catch us weekly for travel tips and a fresh spin on performance, culture, nature, family and more. Share the links, and let us know what you'd like to see.

Jungle Queen is an institution in Fort Lauderdale, a beloved icon of the city and a four-generation enterprise. She's "reinvented" her evening cruise, dinner and show on a private island. Delightful! Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers transit the waterways of Fort Lauderdale on its beloved water taxi system. Fun sights and lavish homes abound along Fort Lauderdale's waterways. Here, a narration aboard Jungle Queen. JUNGLE QUEEN IS 'REIMAGINED' WITH NEW DINNER SHOW PLUS FUN ON THE TOWN'S WATER TAXIS The Jungle Queen has its own private island and takes you there for a new show. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" WE LOVE Fort Lauderdale, that seductive southern Florida city long beloved by the rich and famous. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had a bungalow there. Superstar Jennifer Lopez and retired NBA star Shaquille O'Neal both own luxurious waterfront properties with six bedrooms, eight bathrooms and impressive outdoor pools. Movie, sports and music stars own lavish homes with opulent dining rooms, Olympic size swimming pools, spas and outdoor kitchens as big as most peoples' homes. Many stars and sports figures keep yachts here. Stephen Speilberg gigantic vessel was anchored near our hotel. If you're flush, you can rent it for $1 million a week. We enjoy playing tourist, admiring these homes again and again aboard Fort Lauderdale's Water Taxi. We also enjoy Jungle Queen with its fun entertainment, waterways tour and revamped dinner show at its private island. We booked the "full Monty" including cruise, dinner and show. The Polynesian show equals ones we've seen in the South Pacific, with authentic dancers, fine musicians and traditional hula garb. JUNGLE QUEEN is one of South Florida’s best-known attractions, and recently debuted its new river cruise and island experience. It's called “Ignite the Night." The moniker derives from fire torches waved artfully about in Jungle Queen's Polynesian show which follows a tasty island inspired dinner. WE VISITED with other tourists after boarding near the Bahia-Mar Yachting Center. Libations in hand, we began a lively 90-minute sightseeing cruise along the New River past luxurious homes and the eye-catching downtown of Fort Lauderdale. Thousands have enjoyed Jungle Queen dinner cruises since the family owned company was born in 1935. The evening's tropical isle visit is a tourist must with its entertaining Polynesian show and time to enjoy the gardens, birds and other wildlife. One may book the sightseeing cruise only if dinner and entertainment seem too much, but the four hours of the combined event offer a good deal for a family gathering or date night. Fantastic Fort Lauderdale -- Where to stay? We like to stay at the well located Hotel Bahia Mar on Seabreeze Blvd., a Hilton Doubletree. We enjoy it because it's an easy walk to both Jungle Queen and Fort Lauderdale's famed Water Taxi dock, so we don't need to rent a car. Once on board the spiffy Jungle Queen, we relaxed for a 90-minute sightseeing cruises along the New River past luxurious homes and downtown Fort Lauderdale. Beautiful waterfront homes are part of the allure of a water taxi ride. Jungle Queen The interesting commentary of the rich and famous and their homes is followed by arrival on the island. Then the feast begins. Drinks are available here and on the boat, from simple house wines to signature concoctions. There's time to wander, admire the trees and flowers, and an area devoted to the place's interesting history. Don't miss this fascinating display of memorabilia -- pictures and mementos -- when you get to the island. The Polynesian show is one of the most lively we've seen and we've seen dozens of them in Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa and elsewhere. This one is first-rate, with hula and fire dancers, fire eaters and more, expertly presented by Drums of Polynesia. IF YOU tried Jungle Queen a few years ago, it's time to revisit the evening because you'll see an entirely new show. Says third-generation president Michael Faber. “We are excited that we've taken the evening in a new direction." He calls the show, "a new, reimagined Jungle Queen experience. Times and tastes change, and today’s audiences want something new." SO THE old-fashioned Polynesian island show of yore has a new look, and is now what many consider one of the world's best. The new adventure starts at 6 p.m. with the hour-long narrated sightseeing cruise. We joined 385 other passengers as we traveled down Fort Lauderdale’s New River and the Intracoastal Waterway, nicknamed “The Venice of America” The four-hour dinner and show ticket includes a tropical isle visit, a satisfying meal including chicken, ribs and all the fixings, and high quality island entertainment. We've seen dozens of shows in Fiji, the Hawaiian and Cook Islands. We were surprisingly pleased with the high quality of this show. It is respectful and lively, an authentic homage to the Pacific Islanders and their colorful songs, dances and religion. FOR YEARS, we've enjoyed fantastic Fort Lauderdale and its unique Water Taxi system which offers 20 stops ranging from high-end shopping areas to seafood restaurants, a lovely state park and a variety of bars, museums, galleries and historic sites. It's a lovely way to transit a beautiful city whether you're looking for a beverage at Margaritaville, a souvenir to take home or a stroll along the gorgeous winding Riverwalk. We always enjoy this easy going and relaxed mode of revisiting the highlights of the city. Aboard both water taxi and Jungle Queen, one may contemplate the city's history, beauty and attractions while watching its vibrant water life pass by. Fort Lauderdale's Water Taxi program can take you many places. junglequeen.com watertaxi.com ************************************************************************* NEXT UP: Now that we've journeyed around Fort Lauderdale by water, we explore this inviting Florida city by land. Not just any land transport, but a Segway tour! If you've been afraid to try a Segway, you're not alone. But our chief writer and editor, Christene "Cookie" Meyers, is a reformed Segway coward and born again Segway enthusiast, thanks to a wonderful guide and a beautiful venue. Enjoy Fort Lauderdale's pleasures on land next time, remembering to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, performance, art, family, nature and more: www.whereiscookie.com

By CHRISTENE MEYERS     SOMEHOW , some day, somewhere.      The lyrics to that memorable “West Side Story” song always make me think of my mother, Ellen, and my youngest sister, Robbie. Heretic though I claim to be, I like to think that somehow, some day, somewhere, I’ll see them both again. Cavorting on a cruise ship, from left: Robbie, Ellen and Cookie.  I miss them. On a recent, rare melancholy rainy San Diego day, I thought of them:   Of all the plays they’ve missed since they died – mum in 2008 and Robbie two years later in 2010.   Of how much joy they received from travel – we had many trips together.  Thinking how they'd both have voted for Obama.  Of of how they struggled to stay happy – each with her personal demons – depression, troubled relationships and more. Thinking of how damned funny they were, how humor helped patch them through.  Both were wise-cracking dames, quick with the one-liner. Neither suffered fools.  Both loved children.  Robbie was a doting and supportive step-mum to an adopted son and daughter during her 22-year marriage. She excelled as an advocate in her childcare profession.  Mum was a lauded counselor, pursuing advanced degrees in social work and counseling well into her forties. Both were devoted to family and friends.  Robbie as a married woman enjoyed hosting all of us to elaborate Thanksgivings, much as mum had done when we were youngsters. THE TWO  were deeply connected to one another – Robbie was the much adored baby of the family and she and I were the “bookends,” oldest and youngest. Rob loved to hear mum tell the story of her impending birth, on a wintry January Friday evening while the family was preparing for a basketball game. Mum died of heart failure at age 79.  We had hoped we'd have her as long on Earth as we did her mother, my beloved gran, Olive.  Yet mum lived eight years less than gran.  Which of course prompts my wondering: how long have I on the planet? Carpe diem. Robbie was 47 when she died – suddenly of an accidental prescription drug overdose on her way back to our Montana home.  A toxic mix of two powerful drugs took her from us but I think she died partly of a broken heart.  She never recovered from our mother's death. Robbie loved the water and taught the Yorkies to swim .      I owe so much to both of these irreplaceable, compassionate women.  Both loved Europe and getting there on non-stop, first-class flights.  Both loved theater – we saw “Fosse” together in London, “Anything Goes” in New York and many shipboard revues and musicals, the three of us holding hands, sitting side by side, laughing, applauding.  The acorns fell close to the tree because gran took our mother to plays and musicals as a babe in arms.  In 1964, mum held baby Robbie on her lap for Rob's first Broadway play.  It was at the Imperial Theater in New York City. Center-orchestra, Row D tickets to “Oliver” were $4.95! Robbie loved "Where is Love," the soulful song young orphan Oliver sings, yearning for affection, hoping for parents. Cookie, Nick and Nora outside Robbie's home in Davis, Calif.      AFTER THE  musical, we dined at Sardi’s.  The next day, we toured the city. Daddy carried Robbie into the torch of the Statue of Liberty and all over the World's Fair grounds. He loved to tell the story of the policeman who approached him outside the "Pieta" exhibit when he couldn't get Robbie to stop crying.  Mum had taken the rest of the brood inside the gift shop to purchase miniature statues.  After a long conversation, and mum's return, the policeman was convinced that Rob wasn't being kidnapped.      Both mum and Rob were lifelong dog lovers and adored the Yorkies, Nick and Nora.  Robbie was the conduit for bringing them into my life.  I’ll always be grateful to California – not only for providing Keller and San Diego as my winter inspiration – but for producing Nick and Nora.      In November of 2005, the day after my husband, Billy, died, Robbie flew to Phoenix immediately, scooped me up after we delivered Bill's body to the crematorium, and suggested a week in Davis, while we awaited Bill's ashes.  Our four ancient dogs had died in the months of Billy’s final fight with cancer.  Smedley the sheepdog, Max the pound rescue mutt, Eddie the basset and Ruth the retriever all lived into their late teens.  To have them all die – then my daddy, then Billy – was “a powerful visit to the world of death and grief” as my grandpa Gus might have said.    Days before he died, Billy wheeled his IV into his office and made a print-out on the Yorkshire terrier, suggesting a pair would be good pets for me after his passing.  “You could call them “Carry” and “On” he penned in his farewell note to me, knowing I'd be flying with them. Nick and Nora spent a lot of time in Davis, Calif., with sister Robbie and Cookie.  Robbie's professional connections found the Yorkies.        WHEN ROBBIE  received an in-house memo about two Yorkies for sale, we raced over to the house in Sacramento and met my future pups.  I wrote a check that evening. The pups spent much time with Rob in Davis.  She taught them to swim and helped potty-train them while I was in Europe.      My mother loved the pups, too. Nick and Nora quickly worked their way into her heart. They were sleeping at the foot of her bed that cold January night she died at home in Montana, surrounded by 18 Cosgriffes and the Yorkies.      Neither Robbie nor mum saw my home in San Diego.  Neither had a chance to walk the beach here with me and watch the gorgeous La Jolla sunsets.     THEY DIDN'T  see “Threepenny Opera” at the Lyceum, or “Sweeney Todd” at the Cygnet or “The Lion in Winter” at North Coast Rep.  My gran, the family’s champion dog lover, adopter of hundreds of strays and player of both church organ and “bordello piano,” might disagree with that.  “In heaven,” she once told me, “one may see a play or hear a concert at a whim.  And since there is no concept of time, one can see and hear what one wants, at one’s chosen pace, whenever one chooses.”  Presumably, without intermission!         She also believed in time travel and the ability to visit from the beyond. “Everyone we love is with us forever,” she told me.  “All we have to do is think of them.” Cookie and her mum, Thanksgiving at Robbie's in Davis, Calif.          She believed spirits stick around and can be communicated with. “Think of them as little birds on your shoulder.  Talk to them.  Tell them what you’re  thinking.”        I welcome the Robbie Bird, the Mummy Bird.  Come pet the Yorkies.  We'll hit the beach, grab a cocktail and appetizer at La Jolla Shores while the sun sets. Then we’ll head for a musical.   Maybe book our next European cruise. Somehow.  Some day.  Somewhere. COMING WEDNESDAY:  Cookie and Keller take a road trip to Hellhole Canyon Preserve, with a nod to the flora and fauna of that little known part of California. whereiscookie.com Do sign up for the blog if you haven't yet. And  watch the sunset in a different place each night!

Before the restaurant opened to the public, our small tasting group was invited in to El Siboney, a small, family-run eatery part of an enjoyable food tasting tour in Key West, Florida. Conch fritters are on the menu at Mangoes, a lively fish eatery in Key West. The walking tour features five fun restaurants and lots of local history. Pork, beans and rice are a staple of the Cuban diet here served casually at El Siboney. CUBAN FOOD, VINTAGE CARS, MUSIC, COFFEE SCENERY SUGGEST HAVANA -- BUT YOU'RE HAPPILY DINING IN KEY WEST, U.S.A. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" ONE CAN dine like a king, snacking your way through a leisurely few hours in Key West, where the scents and tastes of Cuba and the Caribbean are a very real part of life. We took a fun foodie's walking and tasting tour and we're going back for seconds! El Siboney takes its name from the Indian people who inhabited the Key West region. Kayla introduces herself and the menu's offerings. What a moveable feast -- small bites of food, glorious food, with the emphasis on spice and seasonings one associates with the Caribbean, Cuba and South America. Throw in vintage cars sprinkled around the town, a walking tour with stops at historic places, and you've got a fun three or four-hour escape. The Speakeasy Rum Bar is a Key West landmark. It and its adjacent inn are popular with tourists. Key West food tour highlights WE BEGAN eating while our guide, Kayla, introduced us to the restaurants and our first dish, a classic pork, beans and rice offering. Cubans eat lots of pork and the Florida transplants brought their dining traditions. Kayla, who grew up in Mexico, is studying business and saving for her own food truck to specialize in Caribbean cooking. She comes from a family of good cooks, knows her Key West history and has flair and ambition. Every stroll in Key West is bound to encounter a protected rooster or two. WE TOOK OUR comfy chairs at our first restaurant, El Siboney, with its colorful posters and friendly, family oriented ambience. Many consider El Siboney the most authentic Cuban restaurant in Key West. It is named for an indigenous tribe that inhabited Cuba circa 1492. It's also the name of a small town where the Cuban revolution began. Kayla gave us an overview of our two-plus hour adventure while a group of six enjoyed a small plate of shredded pork, rice and a side dish of beans, served in the traditional way, with a wedge of lime and a slice of buttery Cuban bread -- slightly sweet and tasty. Vintage cars are part of the Key West allure, much as in Cuba, where old cars are on show. Mahi mahi with goat cheese and mango is a hit at Kaya. The signature key lime pie, with whipped cream and berries. AFTER A FUN, quarter-mile stroll through a pretty palm tree-lined neighborhood, we arrived at the Speakeasy Inn and Rum Bar for a refreshing libation. The bar tender briefed us on the history of the famous landmark. Now a bar and guest house, it was once the home of Raul Vasquez, who was a cigar selector at the Gato cigar factory. Raul’s passion was rum-running between Key West and Cuba. Kaya Island Eats is one of the stops on the tasting tour. It is favorite with locals. WE CHOSE a non-alcoholic alternative to the rum cocktail since it was barely mid-day, then we were off again, headed to Mangoes on Key West's main artery, the colorful and lively Duvall Street. Here, we enjoyed the town's most famous menu item, conch fritters, served fresh and hot from the fryer, with lime and a tangy aioli. At each stop, we were given time to stroll, ask questions of the chef, enjoy the artwork, and relax between courses. Next, Kaya Island Eats, where the chef, a Maui transplant, served us a delicious small-plate serving of delectable mahi mahi, perfectly seared and topped with lovely goat cheese crumbles and a lime reduction. After the food tour, Keller and Cookie took a short stroll to Key West's beautiful lighthouse. The town is walkable and user friendly with historic homes and museums all around. LIMES ARE as much a part of the Key West culture as are the roosters and chickens which stroll about, protected by law with stiff fines for annoying or hurting them. So our finale was that classic dessert -- Key Lime Pie -- served on the palm lined patio of Cuban Coffee Queen, where we'd stocked up on coffee beans the day before. The savory pie and a small glass of sweet, kick-ass Cuban coffee capped the tour. Each of these places would make a fun separate stop, but the food tour's the way to go for a delightful edible overview of a fascinating town. Fla-keys.com/key-west/ keywestfoodtours.com; historictours.com; cityofkeywest-fl.gov/ keywestchamber.org A fun family outing to swim with the dolphins awaits at Hilton Waikoloa Village on The Big Island of Hawaii. UP NEXT: The dolphins are calling. And Hawaii beckons. One of the few places in the world where families can swim -- supervised and with care -- with dolphins, is at Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island. In search of dolphins and a chance to swim with them, we give pointers on booking a family dolphin outing. Fabulous fun for the generations. Then we take you to Kauai, and the Big Island for some fun away from crowds. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, cruising, the arts, family, nature and more: www.whereiscookie.com

Bruce Keller and his mother, Jean Keller, board a harbor cruise at Oceanside, where Jean taught Keller to paint as a lad. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS RECENT PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER, and CM "The Carpe Diem Kids" It's always a bit melancholy in our home on the second Sunday in May. Both Keller and I are orphans now. We remember lavish brunches, parties, cruises, corsages and other merriment when we think of our mums. We had similar celebrations, albeit thousands of miles and several states apart. Both of us fussed over our mothers. Our two mums never met, but if they had, we think they'd have been friends. Keller's mother, Jean, was a talented watercolor painter with a snappy sense of dress and style. She painted into her 90s and loved colorful scarves. She always had a bouquet in the home. The writer, Christene, with her mother, Ellen Cosgriffe, during a Thanksgiving celebration in Davis, Calif. My mum, Ellen, was a gifted musician and singer who owned a steamer trunk of beautiful shoes and loved hats. My mother was drum major in college and played violin in the university orchestra. She and I played piano duets even on her last trip to my Beartooth Mountains Montana place. She, too, loved posies. Keller's mother pursued a promising art career at University of Minnesota, and left in her senior year to be an artist in Hollywood. She told her family she was going on spring break, but returned from southern California only on holidays. She gave Keller his sense of adventure. My mother had wanderlust, too, planning trips to Europe and touring Montana and Wyoming as a high schooler, playing dances with the Nystul Family Orchestra in World War II days. Her $5 fee per gig fed her shoe fund. She planned our family's ambitious six-week trip to New York and New England in 1964, complete with 19 pieces of baggage and trains, boats, cars and planes, Broadway plays, Yankee games, Monticello, Plymouth and the World's Fair. Both mums were funny women. Quick with one-liners. When I met Jean near the end of her life, she was in an assisted living complex. As we were helping her out the door for a harbor brunch cruise, she told me, "You're not the first woman he's brought to see me. But you're definitely the most interesting." A few months later, when Alzheimer's altered her memory, she was looking through vintage albums with Keller and came across a photo of Keller's dad Bill. "That's your father," Jean offered. "He was a handsome man, but I don't believe we ever met!" Baby Cookie and her parents. My mother liked to say that her mother wasn't a big fan of sex. "Close your eyes and think of something pleasant," mum quoted gran. "But she must have had sex twice," mum demurred, "or you wouldn't have a mother or your Uncle Bob." My mum taught me the actor's good luck line: "break a leg." Keller's mother taught him "forgive and forget" and "don't go backwards." Both liked dancing and gardening. Both were inventive cooks, who didn't need the luxury of a recipe. Memories of Jean's lemon pie make Keller misty-eyed. Or picking bags of pomegranates with her, steadying the ladder as she reached for the fruit. My mother's specialty was Sunday brunch for each birthday, with a buffet of pineapple, ham, biscuits and Hawaiian punch. Both loved us dearly. So their legacy lingers as we remember what they taught us this weekend. Baby Keller and his mum and dad. My mother taught me to tap dance and play piano. We practiced comedy routines in the bathroom and she helped me draft my first essay, "How to Eat a Daisy," which I delivered in the best deadpan I could muster to the delight of my fifth-grade class. When I bowed to accept the applause, I experienced a Julia Child-like sense of breathless elation. Thanks, mum. Her high school principal told me that she became valedictorian "by her astounding brain power. It wasn't by studying or going to school because she missed class half the time and still aced every test." Mum would rather play piano, write poetry, sketch or listen to Bizet. Keller's mother pulled him from school for day trips to the sea in Oceanside near their family home. That's where she loved to paint and she set an easel for little Keller, teaching him colors and shapes, and an abiding wonder at nature. He swam in the ocean, brought her shells, shared her picnic and learned from Jean the painterly sense that marks his fine photography. It is evident in his beautiful photos, always framed with his sharp eye. And he knows every seashell, sea plant and amphibian. Thanks to Jean for fanning those fires. Ellen enjoys a cuddle with Nora, just out of a bath. The relationship with one's mother is one of life's most complex. Everything wasn't always roses in our family. Nor for Keller and his parents. Like many households of the 1950s, both of ours experienced alcohol abuse. Both my parents struggled with alcohol and daddy was not always faithful, leading to divorce when I was 17. (Both were, happily for all, clean and sober for many decades.) But as a child, little Cookie became her mother's "little helper." I was 10 when the wheels came off the van, and the next years were tough for the family. Thank heavens for having gran next door. Looking back, I figure that all the turmoil short-changed my childhood. But it also made me strong and generous of heart, empathetic to others, capable and self-assured. Mum, brilliant mum, emerged from her darkness, returned to college, finished a couple degrees, learned Spanish, forged a career in counseling and became my pal. Remarkably, she and my father remained lifelong friends and mum became my father's caretaker when he contracted Alzheimer's -- even though they had been long been divorced. Keller's parents, Bill and Jean, on an outing in the post-war 1940s. After daddy's death, mum often visited my country place in the Beartooths of Montana, and we spent long weekends at High Chaparral listening to Broadway musicals, talking about family, watching birds, reading, fixing lovely meals (no recipes!) doting on the Yorkies. I regret that Keller and mum never met -- she died the year we started dating. An only child, Keller dearly desired a baby brother or sister. When he asked his parents if he could please have a sibbling, he was around age 10, my critical time, too. He was told "no way, it's not going to happen." Keller's parents had begun to argue -- his dad, too, had an alcohol problem. So Keller left home between high school and college, removing himself from the conflict. When he journeyed to the Middle East to work on the Red Sea for several years, he pursued his travel and aquatic interests. When he returned to finish college, he reconnected with his parents and after his father passed away, he became his mother's treasured friend and visited her weekly in Oceanside. On Sunday drives, they drove to the harbor of Cookie and Jean board a harbor cruise at Oceanside, with Keller's son, Branden, and his girlfriend Karie. Keller's youth, where Jean taught him to paint and explore the shore. He misses those Sunday drives, their day trips to the harbor they both loved, their suppers in the fish place or her favorite Chinese restaurant. At the harbor, Keller would bring pictures she'd painted 50 years earlier, and those evoked memories and stories. Memory is what keeps our loved ones alive. Love is the link between life and death. So here's to our mothers. Their mothers (that's another story!). Your mother. Mothers everywhere. If you've lost touch, it's not too late to rekindle the friendship. If you're an orphan like we are, honor the good things your mother did for you. If you're lucky enough to still have your mother, do something fun for her. I am thankful to have traveled to Europe several times with mum, seeing the world she introduced me to with the wonders of theater, restaurants and museums. I'll treasure to my own urn the knowledge that mum had a happy marriage -- for a while -- that she and daddy loved one another then came full circle late in life. Keller believes his parents had good years, turmoil then stabilization. They were married nearly 50 years. Cookie's parents, Ellen and Richard, had many happy times. I think of our mothers' love of travel, passed on to us me. I see my mum smiling in the entrance of the Paris Opera House, climbing the steps to the Louvre, sailing under London Bridge. Sitting to the captain's left on a world cruise! Keller's full circle with his mother was completed on the same beach where she taught him to paint. Lucky, lucky, us. I picture our two spirited mums sitting around a coffee table or in a bird-bedecked garden, gossiping about books or politics, planning a cruise together, singing '40s tunes, or hitting the casino for a little blackjack. Maybe they'd take in a Broadway play. Break a leg! COMING WEDNESDAY: San Diego hosts its second chocolate fest on the harbor in the Berkeley ferry. We learn about the delectable concoction and its history, sample a few chocolate treats and prepare to sail on the historic Californian complete with cannon boom! www.whereiscookie.com, and remember to explore, learn and live.

Cookie joined thousands of other Jazzercise dancers on the USS Midway in San Diego, to fight breast cancer. COME JOIN, GET FIT, JAZZ IT UP!  Here's how Jazzercise helped one woman survive widowhood twice -- and more International fitness program fosters friendships, is good for what ails you  (This story first appeared in 2013.  It is having a second life thanks to national interest in a Jazzercise star, 96-year old singer Betty Lowe. Cookie's Jazzercise moves around, like she does. The Moose Lodge venue is no more but Cookie is at Jazzercise Carmel Valley and Morena Blvd.) Judi Sheppard Missett, founder of Jazzercise, was interviewed by Cookie many years ago for an airline magazine article on fitness. They reconnected during a Jazzercise fundraiser on the Midway in San Diego in 2016.  STORY and PHOTOS By CHRISTENE MEYERS and BRUCE KELLER Jazzercise was born in California. This group works out in San Diego. That's Debbie Walters in the center, one of Cookie's Jazzercise coaches. GETTING UP,  getting active, getting your fanny to exercise. That's the challenge for millions of us who embrace daily fitness rituals. Like most good habits, they become a valued part of our routine because they improve our lives. No, it's not always easy to arise, get dressed, grab a coffee or banana and get your weary self to exercise. But when we do, we're glad we did. SO IT IS  with my almost daily Jazzercise ritual. When I'm on the west coast, I rarely miss Jazzercise.  The San Diego area -- just south of the birthplace of Jazzercise in Carlsbad -- has several Jazzercise venues. I currently enjoy weekday Jazzercise in  Carmel Valley with Sharon Anthony-Ticho. Saturdays, I'm at the Musicians Union with Rick Nesbitt's group. I've danced with Jazzercise around the globe. Jazzercise, along with Nick and Nora and a desert garden helped Cookie recover from the loss of her second husband in Arizona. Jazzercise is welcoming, fun, reasonably priced and pleasantly addictive. It's also therapeutic. After the deaths of two husbands, Jazzercise helped me rebound. Travel, gardening, music and my Yorkies helped me regain health in the mountains of Montana and the Arizona desert. I'm especially grateful for Phoenix Jazzercise friends and empathic coaches P.K. Callison and Cindy Schulz who shared their studios and fitness tips to help heal body and soul! THROUGH JAZZERCISE,  I've met fellow teachers, artists, musicians, world travelers and writers, gardeners, gourmet cooks and bird watchers. I've found fellow play-and-opera goers, avid walkers and hikers through Jazzercise. In San Diego,  favorite Jazzercise venues are the Moose Hall on Ruffin Road, and the Musicians Union on Morena, near Mission Bay.  I've been following Sharon Ticho's Jazzercise because I like her style, enthusiasm and roster of teachers -- each unique and spirited. I first met Sharon when she subbed for my friend Debbie Walters at a funky Jazzercise venue with  a giant moose head San Diego Jazzercise instructor Debbie Walters was honored after class on her May birthday. overseeing our moves.  The Musicians Union has a beautiful wood floor and is light, airy and near the ocean. Both are fun with excellent coaches and enthusiastic followings. Some devotees, such as Betty Lowe featured here June 19, have been doing Jazzercise for decades. I've "jazzed" in New York state during my post-grad studies at Sarah Lawrence College, in Atlanta when visiting my sister Misha, and at many other cities during work and press trips -- San Francisco, New York, New Orleans, Portland, Philadelphia and Chicago. I worked out to Jazzercise with my late mother, Ellen, a treasured memory, and with sisters Olivia, Misha and Robbie. When I'm  in Montana, I exercise with a group of a half-dozen friends at the local Fire Hall. We use Jazzercise DVDs I've collected through the years -- one concentrates on abdominals, and there's a fun one on street jazz. Others combine jazzy Latin rhythms with weights and aerobics.  Some of the girls bring other DVDs, ranging from yoga to pilates, so we mix it up with our coach Laurie Beers figuring the venue each day to keep everyone happy. When Cookie's in Montana, she  and Keller hike to the top of the property on a series of switchbacks. Here friends and the Yorkies join the couple. When I'm  the only one able or interested, I opt instead to walk briskly to "the top of the prop" -- a switchback trail up the mountain behind my country place here in Montana. Sometimes I drag a couple friends along. And the Yorkies, Nick and Nora. Sometimes I play my saxophone up there, listening to it ricochet off the rock. Since there is no gym here in the rural northern Rockies in the shadow of the Beartooth Mountains, we are on our own to keep fit. (The town of Nye is "blink and you'll miss it" in fact a sign near the Post Office says, "entering and leaving Nye".) In place of a formal program, we devise our own, and have been at it for three years. Billings, the nearest "big city" -- around 100,000 -- offers several venues of Jazzercise, too. Brenda Jazzercise is followed by jazz.  At the "top of the prop" in Montana,  jazz comes  from Cookie's saxophone. Friends enjoy a cocktail. Binstock, who leads us at the Knights of Columbus Hall, has been jazzing nearly as long as my coaches in San Diego. One of my  California instructors, the amiable Rick Nesbitt, tells of meeting the dynamic Jazzercise founder and CEO Judi Sheppard Missett many years ago in the days of paisley and flower power. The shapely Missett has turned Jazzercise into a worldwide phenomenon, with catalogues for jazz togs and classes to sample in Europe and even Asia (the Japanese, especially, love Jazzercise.)  One of the San Diego substitutes, introduced to us by Debbie at the Moose Lodge, is named Hiroko and is a native of Japan. The DVDs  we enjoy in Nye feature Missett and her daughter Shanna Missett Nelson, along with Jenet Morrison and others in the fit and jazzy California Jazzercise contingent.  Many have been at Jazzercise for years. Cookie's California time  encourages fitness, with fine climate, hiking and outdoor exercise, here near Morrow Bay with Keller, Nick and Nora. What I like about the program is its combination of lively music, a total body workout and socialization. This lifelong tap dancer loves the dance aspect, and we move to the tunes of time honored crooners such as Tony Bennett as well as newer talents such as Adam Levine. At fitness centers and gyms, there is seldom much banter or conversation. Jazzercise provides an opportunity to have fun, chat a bit, and still get the important exercise we all need. In cross-country driving trips, I've noticed that people are fatter in the Midwest and northern climes. It's not a mystery. Keller is coaching Cookie's sailor prowess. He has been on boats and oceans since boyhood, growing up in southern California. One has to work harder to keep fit in places plagued by long winters and harsh cold spells....... that's why in my San Diego time, I notice little obesity. It's a fit, outdoorsy place. I love my time there, which most days includes some ocean and hiking time.  Often, we go sailing.  Wherever Cookie is, I'm doing my best to wage war against the ravages of gravity and changing metabolism.  It's possible to combine exercise with nature watching. Thanks to Jazzercise for inspiring me to keep in shape in California and on the road.  My Nye pals enjoy my summertime Jazzercise DVDs. Call 1 800 FIT-IS-IT or go to www.jazzercise.com and plug in your zip code to find a close-by Jazzercise venue.   Montana's summers offer welcome chance to explore Here, Cookie's family hikes up Sioux Charlie trail, river raging.  COMING UP:  It's officially summer in Montana. The birds are back, the hummers are sucking up sugar water, the bears are visiting, the rivers are raging, snows are melting and the green, green grass of home is wet with dew. We'll take you to the Arizona desert for star and saguaro gazing, to Europe, with tips on how to make the most of treasured time there. Plus pointers on getting a first-time California driver's license, flying high at the Torrey Pines glider port and more. Check out our posts at: whereiscookie.com   And remember to explore, learn and live!

Lake Atitlan offers beauty, culture and an insight into ancient ways of doing things. This woman is washing for her family. These young sisters at Lake Atitlan were dressed beautifully in traditional elaborate dresses created by their mother and grandmother. PLAN A TRIP TO RELAX, LEARN, ADMIRE TEXTILES, CLIMB A VOLCANO, DREAM OF A VAGABOND VACATION, MEET FRIENDLY PEOPLE STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" "Atitlan: the place where the rainbow gets its colors"-- in the Maya language This woman in the village of Panajachel, Lake Atitlan, offers beautiful hand sewn Guatemalan quilts and other textiles for sale. ON OUR SECOND visit to Lake Atitlan and the remote Guatemalan village of Panajachel, we decided to "go with the flow," take a yoga class, watch the sunsets, enjoy the environment. Unlike other trips, we didn't plan every day to the minute. We floated, like butterflies, in a lovely garden. The place encourages relaxation. The air is fresh and at a mile high, you'll find nature, birds, calm. There's plenty to do, whether you're looking to unwind, learn about the Mayan culture or stroll the crooked paths winding around the lake. Don't be surprised if you see the occasional drug deal going down. We did -- and found the police look the other way. Still, we never felt threatened or unsafe, although we also encountered a few harmless intoxicants and and some very persistent craftsmen. Although the villages around Lake Atitlan are remote, cell phones and old-fashioned textile work are compatible. WE NEVER mind hawkers promoting their wares -- it's honest work. We like to bring home the unique offerings each country's craftsmen and women create. It's a happy memory to walk around our home, remembering where and when we purchased each piece of art or handmade work. Lately, this sleepy little corner of Guatemala has been promoting many things to do in Lake Atitlan. It's a wonderful place to get away from it all and relax. A pair of friends planned a week there, and ended up staying around Lake Atitlan for much longer than expected. They'd visited American ex-pats in Antigua, enjoyed their lovely home for a long weekend, then hiked around Lake Atitlan. Our small boat approaches a village from the lovely Lake Atitlan. Guatemala Lake Atitlan calls -- some attractions BESIDES THE country's volcanoes, rain forests and ancient Mayan sites, you'll find palaces and fine hotels -- in the capital, Guatemala City. Then, into the rural villages around the lake for foot paths, pristine areas, and the massive volcanic crater around Lake Atitlan. Hotels in the busy resort town of Panajachel offer a place to rest while awaiting a boat ride into the lake. It's lovely to visit the stately National Palace of Culture, and the National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology in Guatemala City. Antigua, west of the capital, offers beautifully preserved Spanish colonial buildings and new, opulent homes built by Europeans and Americans. But Lake Atitlán, formed in a massive volcanic crater, is a step back in time. Surrounded by coffee fields and villages, the lake rests inside the crater. If you want to pack in, you'll prefer the backpacker-driven San Pedro La Laguna in the The largest town on Lake Atitlan is Santiago, famous for its hand made work,its market, and the saint Maximon. This views from the lake beckons to San Pedro Volcano in the distance. You can climb it from here. country's southwestern highlands. Ringed by steep, verdant hills, it’s known for its Mayan villages and volcanoes' striking pointed cones. THE BUSY town of Panajachel, where vendors sell traditional textiles, is the reason we answered the call of Lake Atitlan Guatamela. It is a popular gateway to the lake. On a former coffee plantation, the Atitlán nature reserve offers trails and a butterfly garden. Both Panajachel and the larger Santiago have good tourist services, where you'll find pensions, air bnbs and all manner of lodging -- cheap to luxurious. Plus yoga classes to help you chill. Check out Tripadvisor.com; lonelyplanet.com; guatemala.gob.gt/ Bruce Keller left Scripps Green Hospital in a record three days, three years ago after transplantation. More next week. UP NEXT: Time to give thanks! Three years ago, Bruce Keller left the hospital with a new liver. We reflect on our good fortune in finding a match, having the advantage of a world class facility, with brilliant physicians and nurses to help us. Until COVID19, we resumed our world travels -- and hope to again. We'll explore the complex world of transplantation and share the challenges and triumphs. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each weekly for a fresh view on travel, the arts, nature, family, health and the effects of the virus on our lives: whereiscookie.com

VISIONARY PHILANTHROPIST AND HIS ARTIST PARTNER CREATE DESERT ART Bighorn sheep, who roam on the desert, are perched playfully for a stand-off during mating season. A tyrannosaurus rex awaits your discovery in Borrego Springs. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" THE DESERT  beckoned with Borrego Springs sculptures and we answered the call, delighting in the surprise art. We've been to the desert many times, enjoying the spring flowers and bird life,  favorite places to stay and some wonderful restaurants. This time, we discovered prehistoric life --  dinosaurs, mammoths, and sabre-toothed cats and tortoises that would have charmed Darwin. An ancestor of our modern birds picks up his prey and flies. Beautifully crafted metal sculptures including elephants, eagles and even a desert jeep with passengers are positioned to suggest roaming the deserts of San Diego County, near our home here in southern California. Outside of the town of Borrego Springs lies Galleta Meadows, inspiration of the late entrepreneur and philanthropist Dennis Avery. An imposing Indian chief joins the ranks of prehistoric and modern life. HE CALLED  these massive steel sculptures "Sky Art," probably because he placed them on the desert scrub to jump out at the tourist and draw the eye skyward. Framed by the blue desert sky and mountains of the Anza Borrego desert, the giant sculptures catch the eye and tickle the imagination. This tortoise is worthy of a Darwin nod. Avery, a visionary land owner of Galleta Meadows Estates in Borrego, conceived of the idea of adding “free standing art” to his property. He commissioned Ricardo Breceda of Temecula, California, to create the metal sculptures you see today. Breceda operates Perris Jurassic Park along I-215 just south of Perris. Keller takes an imaginary ride in a desert jeep. The late Mr. Avery.  MOST OF  the animals depicted are from various prehistoric periods. However, there are a few that represents modern time, such as Desert Bighorn Sheep that Borrego Springs is named after (“Borrego” in Spanish means sheep). There are also a few that are more fictional, such as the 350-foot serpent that was erected in July of 2011.  Cleverly, it appears to slink under the highway, so its slithering length is on both sides of the road! HOW WONDERFUL  to come across these sculptures, installed remarkably since April of 2008.  The surreal menagerie -- a gift of Avery -- sit on private parcels of Galleta Meadows Estate -- open to the public and accessible from Borrego Springs Road. A pack mule and a miner's supplies seem to be taking a rest. THE ARTIST  Breceda, is a master welder who uses scrap bars, wire and metal then pounds the materials with various hammers for life-like texture and skin.  We counted more than 60 camels, sloths, saber-tooth cats, wooly mammoths, raptors, wild boars, bighorns and tortoises, along with giant birds large enough to carry off a small pig. All are peacefully co-existing over a span of several square miles.  The wild horses and bighorns may be modern desert dwellers, but some of the vertebrates date from the Pliocene-Pleistocene era up to five million years ago. A padre and his faithful dog preach the gospel in Borrego. ALTHOUGH AVERY  died in 2012, his widow, Sally Tsui Wong-Avery, continues to sustain his generous  gift.  Her husband and the artist added humans to the collection in 2010, including a missionary, explorer and field workers -- all of whom shaped desert life. The local chamber has published a helpful "Village Guide" with directions on discovering the llamas, mammoths, grasshopper, tapirs, peccaries, and more. I took pleasure in discovering Galletta Meadows and this intriguing art because galletta means cookie and that, as we know, is my nickname! UP NEXT: THERE'S MUCH more to discover of the desert's spring gifts and plenty to do in Borrego Springs -- from buying delicious dates and grapefruit, to enjoying a fine meal, discovering nature close-up on Palm Canyon Trail and learning to identify a few cacti. We'll look at that next week, but first, we salute the lively current theater scene in San Diego, with a look at a trio of fine productions.   Remember to explore, learn and live, and tell your friends about our Wednesdays and weekend posts at:  www.whereiscookie.com

NEW ZEALAND, AUSSIE BIRDS, SOME BATTLING EXTINCTION, RANK HIGH ON 'MUST-SEE' LIST We watched two pair of Australian white ibis -- at two different times -- intrigued by their mating rituals and beauty. They are so much a part of the scenery that they are sometimes ignored in the cities. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER This friendly gull is waiting for the appetizer, not the fake wine, with Sydney Bridge and Harbour behind him and a patient Bruce Keller. HAVE YOU ever looked a kakapo in the eye in the middle of the night? Or watched an ibis vie for your fish and chips at an outdoor cafe? Birds are so much a part of daily life in Australia and New Zealand that residents give scarcely a glance to feathered friends exotic to us. After widespread bird extinction, the abundance and "come back" seems ironic. Today's flightless birds include showy ostriches, emus, kiwis and other winged non-flyers. They're called ratites. At a Sydney cafe, this ibis caught our eye. Other diners didn't notice. THE ODDITY and variety of the Southern Hemisphere birds has helped biologists define a larger group of mostly extinct birds, many of them flightless. They're called paleognaths, who knew? The kakapo or night parrot has alluring beauty and is making a comeback from near extinction. We learned that these feathered wonders are key to studying evolution of birds. To our amazement, all living ratites are found in the Southern Hemisphere, or S.H. A tern on New Zealand's south island near Milford Sound. MANY FLIGHTLESS birds were wiped out by European and Polynesian settlement and introduction of rats, cats and predators -- no surprise. We loved our time with the kakapo, observed at night in a sanctuary. They have a voice like a foghorn, gorgeous greenish-yellow plumage, a pleasant musty smell and intelligent eyes. Thanks to a successful recovery program for this unique parrot, they've gone from near extinction to 126 in number. The kakapo possesses flightless features: small or absent keels on breastbones; smaller, simpler and fewer wing bones; larger leg bones and body; and feathers not inclined to aerodynamics. ANOTHER OF our favorite southern hemisphere birds can fly, as we witnessed. The beautiful Australian white ibis is as common Down Under as is our North American pigeon. Folks call them "bin chickens." Gannets in New Zealand's Muriwai Park are protected. We watched them at outdoor cafes -- as people shooed them with newspapers, sometimes smiling at their beauty, sometimes not. We observed a mating pair for a couple hours, while we munched on fish and chips. They swooped in on a next-door table's remains with the confidence of seagulls in our San Diego coastal parks. Maori hunted birds, eating their meat and using their feathers for capes. They pay homage to feathered friends in this Okains Bay Maori Museum. This red billed swan enjoyed a swim in Melbourne's Yarra River. Fiordland's colorful crested penguins often mate for life. THE IBIS HAVE an elaborate courtship and nesting ritual -- almost dance like -- involving bowing to show off white plumage and black head and neck. The female plays hard to get, but finally gives in. The male finds twigs and she builds the nest. In flight, flocks of Australian white ibis form distinctive V-shaped flight patterns, much like our Canada geese. The Southern Hemisphere is also known for its fabulous gannet colony in Muriwai. Thousands of these graceful birds nest in the crags and cliffs north of Auckland and are protected by the New Zealand government. We also viewed that famous black and white flightless bird -- the penguin. Mainly residing in the Antarctic, penguins migrate to the southern tips of Australia and New Zealand. We love knowing that the handsome Fiordland crested penguin is monogamous and mates for life! DUNEDIN DELIGHTS: Coming next Wednesday, we visit Dunedin, one of New Zealand's charming cities. The Dunedin Train Station is the second most photographed landmark in the Southern Hemisphere, behind the world famous Sydney Opera House in Australia. Delightful Dunedin, settled by the Scots in 1848, is known for its remarkable train station. Remember to explore, learn and live and tell your friends about www.whereiscookie.com where you'll find pieces on travel, adventure, hotels and cruising. For theater, books, film and the arts, check us out at our new blog: www.lilianslastdance.com

Hikers begin the up and down hike to several sky bridges in Costa Rica HIGHLY MOTIVATED COUNTRY RANKS EDUCATION HIGH, ATTRACTS EX-PATS FOR ITS NATURAL WONDERS STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" Lush, colorful vegetation is partly what makes Costa Rica so attractive to foreigners. Here orchids and their fronds on a gorgeous tree in full bloom on the grounds of Pura Vida Gardens, Costa Rica. I WAS SO nervous my palms were sweating and my legs were shaky. But my coach and partner assured me everything was perfectly safe. I'd be fine. So I accepted the walking stick our guide offered and headed toward the first sky bridge. Pura Vida Gardens offers this colorful cafe on a waterfall. As I walked carefully across the swaying bridge, I saw glorious birds and listened to a toucan's glorious cry. HOWLER MONKEYS screamed and century-old trees swayed and I watched parakeets take flight. Eco-tourists and bird watchers worldwide consider Costa Rica a mecca. Hikers begin the up and down hike to several sky bridges in Costa Rica. Costa Rica's allure is great for HORSEBACK aficionados too, for its trails through the enchanting Valley of the Monkeys. White-water rafters take to the Corobici River for thrills. Hikers follow the edges of the largest crater in the world. And coffee lovers load up on bags of the world-famous Costa Rican coffee beans, maybe taking in a tour of one of the coffee mills and watching how it's processed. WE SAILED into Puntarenas ("sandy point"), closest coastal town to the capital, San Jose, with its fine museums and shops. Costa Rica is beautiful year-round, but the main, non-rainy tourist season is November through April. We headed for the wilderness, past miles of gorgeous beaches, into the lushest tropical rainforests we've seen since the Amazon. We were to see birds, monkeys and more. I'M AFRAID of heights and suffer from vertigo. But the skywalk was fun. Here we were on suspension bridges, walking over gorges and ravines. Beyond the rainforest, we admired Costa Rica's allure in its bold coastline and nearby Tarcoles River. Costa Rica, bordered by Panama to the south and Nicaragua to the north, enjoys two bodies of water -- on the east coast, the Caribbean Sea and on the west, the Pacific Ocean. Costa Rica is a booming destination, with surfing, beach vacations and ecotourism. Visiting is easy; U.S. citizens need a valid passport and a return ticket. A bell pepper, perhaps? No, it's a cashew! WHAT made us feel a pull to Costa Rica? American ex-pat, right, David Stannard, and guide, flank Cookie at Pura Vida; below left, a monkey frolics. First, the people are educated and school is compulsory, so Costa Rica feels more "first world" than third. Crime is virtually nil. Costa Rica has enjoyed interesting historical events, including a visit from Christopher Columbus. Our country's own "discoverer" was so impressed with the colony that he lobbied, unsuccessfully, to be named its governor. The honor went to a rival. An iguana cries for lunch -- and moments later -- get papaya slices. The country had a civil war that led to the dissolution of the armed forces. TODAY, Costa Rica is considered one of the most politically and economically stable of the Central American nations. Without an army, Costa Rica doesn't participate in wars or conflicts. And it's a pleasure not to be confronted with heavily armed guards at every turn, as happens to us in many other parts of the world. A growing contingent of American and European ex-patriots is moving to Costa Rica, in search of cheap land and tranquil surroundings. Cookie and Keller near the end of the last sky bridge! We David and Cindy Stannard, who invited us to their beautiful Pura Vida Gardens for a tour and lunch. HE HAS knocked around in the real estate business, living in La Jolla, Calif., then moving to this lovely corner of Costa Rica. His kitchen prepared a typical Costa Rican meal of rice and beans, barbecued chicken and fish, plantains and pasta salad. We had enjoyed fruit earlier in the day – beautiful papaya, melon and the sweetest pineapple I’ve had outside of Hawaii's Molokai and Lanai. Since education is compulsory in C.R., ambition leads to accomplishment. In nearby Guatemala, youngsters are often recruited to help farm or sell handicrafts and pulled from school after grade six. Young Costa Ricans with means and family backing travel to America or Europe for their educations, returning as doctors or other professionals. “We know how important education is,” said our guide. “It is a ticket to a better life.” Cartagena's sculptures are abundant and massive, a main tourist draw. Come explore, learn and live with us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, performance, nature, family and more at: www.whereiscookie.com