A "Rancho Deluxe" party poster hangs by the registration desk at the Murray Hotel. At left is actor Sam Waterston, at right Jeff Bridges. STARS SHINE BRIGHTLY FOUR DECADES LATER; LIVINGSTON PLANS A PARTY TO CELEBRATE STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER LONG AGO, when I was a young reporter, a movie parody of a western made a name for itself. Although 'Rancho Deluxe' film was not greeted by critics as a great film, its made-in-Montana stamp, Jimmy Buffet score, engaging story and talented cast created a lasting appeal. Today, "Rancho Deluxe" is beloved by many. A roster of Montana-loving folks created the 1975 film: Thomas McGuane crafted the screenplay. The gifted novelist and short-story writer lives on a ranch near McLeod and writes for The New Yorker. His evocative characters and landscapes are drawn from the Montana he has known for decades. ACTOR JEFF BRIDGES, who lives a good portion of the year on his Paradise Valley place, donates time and money to worthy Montana causes, including a fight against child hunger. Jeff Bridges skips around with kids, whose health and well being he champions when he is in Montana, enjoying his home in Paradise Valley. Bridges and Sam Waterston portray the two drifters who rustle cattle and try to outrun the law in then contemporary Montana. Both of these versatile actors have gone on to success and accolades. Bridges, known as both a devoted family man and talented actor, had been nominated for a best-supporting Oscar in 1972 for "The Last Picture Show." Five years ago, he won the coveted best actor trophy for "Crazy Heart." WATERSTON HAS enjoyed success in film, TV and on Broadway, winning a Tony for "Abe Lincoln in Illinois." His career includes a lauded Lincoln mini-series, Golden Globe nominations and fame for his "Law and Order" role. The Murray Hotel will be full of movie lovers later this week, when an outdoor screening is held across the street for "Rancho Deluxe." LEGENDARY singer-composer Jimmy Buffett has maintained long ties to Montana, dating back to the 1970s when he wrote the music for "Rancho Deluxe." He performed "Livingston Saturday Night" with alternate lyrics within the film in a scene set at a country/western bar reminiscent of those in downtown Livingston. Local Livingston residents remember the movie premier and the filming, which took place largely in Montana, supplying me with some of my first "star" interviews as a young reporter. Waterston is known on TV for his "Law and Order" and Abe Lincoln mini-series. But I enjoy him more in Shakespeare in the Parks, where this summer his wisdom and wit as the marooned sorcerer Prospero in "The Tempest" won raves. Like many of today's fine actors, he came up through the stage and is returning to it in his older years. (He is 74; Bridges is a younger 65.) AS THE THIEVES steal cattle from wealthy rancher John Brown, Harry Beigh is called in (Slim Pickens.) Clifton James is a hoot as the rancher -- the actor is alive and well at 94. Watching him and Pickens go after the two young rustlers is chief among the movie's pleasures. The bombastic Brown and Beigh (a former rustler) provide a merry kick in the pants. Enter hapless ranch hands with rhyming names of Burt and Curt: Harry Dean Stanton and Richard Bright furnish giggles as they fail to capture the thieves. Pickens died in 1983, famous for riding the bomb in "Dr. Strangelove." A rodeo cowboy for 20 years, he's the "real deal" and his is is the most authentic character in the picture, aging detective Harry Beige hired to find the rustlers. Pickens garnered the best reviews of anyone in the film.. All four supporting players garnered fine reviews for "Rancho Deluxe." One critic said McGuane wrote the script "purely out of a desire to keep from fallin’ asleep” (mimicking rustler Jack’s definition of capitalism) but our group of movie aficionados found the writing engaging and the characters and their shenanigans entertaining. Best of all, we loved seeing Montana on screen. The 'Rancho Deluxe' film footage of Paradise Valley includes a scene at Chico Hot Springs, and another when the helicopter spots the rustlers. We marveled at the film's lovely lighting by William Fraker and we tapped our toes to the Jimmy Buffet score -- written before he gained Margaritaville fame and a following of Parrotheads. Downtown Livingston is there, too, and it's fun to see the familiar Depot, restaurants and Murray Hotel, which have aged as well as the actors. Elizabeth Ashley has appeared on Broadway and is known for her portrayal of sultry Tennessee Williams women. AN ELDERLY MAID at the Murray Hotel a couple days ago recalled cast and crew staying at the Murray, partying in the fourth-floor outdoor jacuzzi (long since gone) and drinking and trading movie stories while soaking. Elizabeth Ashley, known for her moving interpretations of Tennessee Williams' southern belles, played the part of Cora Brown, married to a wealthy ranch owner. Actor Clifton James, who played the wealthy rancher married to Ashley, is still alive at 94 and living in Spokane. Here is Elizabeth Ashley during the filming of "Rancho Deluxe" in 1975. The film's director Frank Perry, who died 20 years ago, was also known for "Mommie Dearest," "Diary of a Mad Housewife" and "David and Lisa." When he found he was dying of prostate cancer, he filmed his own story, which was an international success. He, too, loved Montana and returned to vacation several times.

Bill Jones was a wonderful painter, whose one-man shows drew crowds in Phoenix and Los Angeles galleries. Here is a favorite self-portrait. Here's looking at you, kid: Artist, writer, traveler, funny guy BILL JONES --- a TRIBUTE By CHRISTENE MEYERS A DECADE HAS elapsed since Billy’s passing. This week, we celebrate his rich, but brief life: Bill and Cookie traveled the world, here in Portugal in 1997. BILL WAS BORN in Indiana and liked to say he moved his parents to Arizona when he was not quite a year old. He considered himself a native Arizonan and wrote and painted the desert with affection. He was a curious global citizen, an enthusiastic world traveler, always up for a trip, a new adventure. Bill Jones, Cookie, researching their novel He drew marvelous comics and stories from an early age. His mum, Katie, recalled that she would often pull him from his art for a meal. He was a lifelong devotee of museums and art. HE GREW up playing in the desert, loved to hike and remembered running barefoot to escape the wrath of an irate farmer when he and his buddies snitched a watermelon. Despite chemotherapy and radiation which took the usual toll, Bill Jones, left, continued to travel, here cruising the Caribbean with Cookie and his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Misha and David Minesinger. He served in the U.S. Army in Korea, where his charm and good looks earned him a high prestige job of driver for the General's wife. He was a proud member of the color guard. HE EARNED a B.A. in English with a philosophy minor. He was a fine poet who also wrote and co-wrote several novels, including “Lilian’s Last Dance,” which he and Cookie began in the 1990s and Cookie revised and published in 2014. He marched to his own drummer, “cut his own trail,” as they say in Montana, his second home. He wasn’t easily labeled – a truly original thinker – with a sharp intellect and cutting ironical wit. Billy's hair was growing back, when he was able to take a six-month trip after his surgery and treatment for cancer in 2003-4. Here he and Cookie enjoy a stroll through Central Park in New York. · His film reviews were concise, thoughtful and provocative, earning him a national reputation in his days with the Phoenix Gazette and Arizona Republic. He interviewed many 20th Century’s greats of film and theater, from Katharine Hepburn to Robert DeNiro to Meryl Streep. He liked interviewing directors and particularly appreciated Martin Scorsese. HE WAS a fan of John Updike’s writings and interviewed him twice, treasuring complimentary notes from his favorite writer. He loved “Les Miserables,” Stephen Sondheim’s musicals, white wine and his retriever Ruth, who lived to be 17, "the longest relationship I had with a female." He had two sons whom he loved and influenced. Christopher and Jason, both unique in their talents, pay honor to Bill’s memory in their love of family, art and the natural world. Bill Jones with his grandson Rowan Jones, in the back yard in Phoenix, where Billy spent his last days. His grandchildren didn’t have him very long, but he loved knowing that they were on the planet! Grandson, Rowan, visits “Bill’s Hill and “Grandpa’s Tree” in Sun Ray Park, Phoenix, keeping his memory alive. Bill was a devoted brother to sisters Karen and Marcia. He enjoyed “Siblings Night Out” and was proud to welcome daughters-in-law Katie and Carole to the family. HE MET Cookie on July 15, 1977, during a movie junket to London and the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. When their charter flight to England was delayed at JFK, Bill magically acquired a piano and Cookie played show tunes for a reception hosted by United Artists. Bill and Cookie’s first husband, Bruce Meyers, became friends during film and theater outings. After Bruce’s death, Bill’s and Cookie’s friendship blossomed into romance and lasted until Bill’s final day a decade ago. He died, full circle, on the desert he loved, as she played "It Had to Be You." Check out these links about the survival and publication of the novel Bill co-wrote: http://www.whereiscookie.com/2014/11/exploring-us-texas-to-hawaii-in-search.html http://www.whereiscookie.com/2014/12/how-characters-are-born-making-lilian.html THEATER ON TAP: Whereiscookie.com roams the globe, and occasionally offers personal pieces like the one today. Next up is a look at the thriving theater scene in San Diego, where Cookie winters and happily indulges in the glut of theatrical riches. Saturday, we'll look at the splendid array of current offerings at La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego Rep and North Coast Rep. Remember to explore, learn and live and check us out weekends and as the spirit moves us to share adventures, observations and photos.

The "Painted Ladies" near Alamo Square, San Francisco, California, represent an architecture used for Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings painted in distinctive pastel hues. The term is over a century old. HEAD TO THE CITY BY THE BAY FOR VARIETY, FUN, WITH A FEAST FOR THE EYES AT EVERY TURN STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "One day if I go to heaven ... I'll look around and say, 'It ain't bad, but it ain't San Francisco.'" Herb Caen, noted San Francisco columnist who died in 1997. The late Herb Caen, a symbol of elegance, smiling and raising a glass to his beloved San Francisco. THE LATE Herb Caen loved his town like no one else and waxed about it in his colorful newspaper columns for 60 years. Boats on Fisherman's Wharf await tourists, residents, an international crowd. Tourists from all over the world have their photos taken on Union Square. "A city is not gauged by its length and width, but by the broadness of its vision and the height of its dreams," he proudly said, of his city, San Francisco. I happened to be in one of my favorite cities when he passed. San Francisco was Caen's home for most of his life (April 3, 1916 – February 2, 1997) and he was honored by San Francisco Chronicle writers and thousands of readers in the next few days. It was wonderful and touching to follow the tributes. SAN FRANCISCO truly has vision, and she has always dreamed. Her whimsical cable cars, "crookedest street," unusual architecture (Trans-America Pyramid, one of many), bridges, the bay, the parks, landmark sites such as Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 and Union Square, unique art and gardens, bistros, bars and theaters all speak to what Caen meant when he joked that heaven might be nice, but it wouldn't be San Francisco. Much of the city's charm came from the "rebuilding" after the 1906 earthquake and fire. It re-invented itself in an imaginative, eye-catching way. In my many visits to San Francisco, I understand Caen's pride in the town he called home. Nick and Nora join us for sun and people-and-dog watching, while we enjoy coffee and pastry on Union Square. EVEN Off-SEASON, in winter, San Francisco has an elegance about her. And it's dog friendly. My family loves San Francisco. My sister Peny and brother-in-law Jim settled in northern California in the 1970s, and now a nephew and his partner ranch there. Plus a niece and her family live in Redwood City, so we often visit, always making discoveries. The "Bard of the Bay," Mr. Caen, loved his city for its vibrancy, beauty, variety. He loved its enthusiasm, daring and fearless embrace of the new, while honoring the old. Tony Bennett made his name, with a song about San Francisco. The Trans-America Pyramid is one of San Francisco's many unique, eye-catching structures. Caen loved the city's famous "Painted Ladies," by Alamo Square, those picturesque, expensive pastel Victorian and Edwardian houses. HE DOTED ON the fabulous food -- from Indian to Asian to Greek, Italian, French and barbecue -- all befitting the Pier 35 on the center of the action near Fisherman's Wharf. culinary mix prepared by and for the town's ethnic melting pot. To gourmands, that makes San Francisco appealing. The clam chowder in sourdough bread bowl withstands time's test. CAEN WROTE about the city's grand hotels. We love the Hyatt on Union Square, the stately St. Francis, the Fairmont where we heard Duke Ellington years ago, and the "Top of the Mark" Hopkins, now owned by InterContinental. We love Diva for its spirit and recently tried a fun new one, the Zephyr. It thinks big -- like San Francisco -- rising from the old Raddison on Beach Street, to cover an entire city block, all in a nautical theme (some of the rooms look out on the bay through portholes.) Thumbs up: Bruce Keller and great-nephew James Ganner enjoy the San Francisco Zoo train. Wee James is a regular. Caen wrote about that bay -- the ships which sail it, the people who work in the port, the prison on Alcatraz and its long-gone denizens and wardens. He wrote proudly about the many films made in hilly, distinctive San Francisco. Whoever said "less is more" didn't understand San Francisco's big, bold approach to life where, happily, anything goes. CHECK OUT CityPASS for San Francisco highlights -- the trolley, cable car, aquarium and other "must see" attractions, at a significant savings. We love CityPASS! COMING UP: The San Francisco Zoo is a wonderful place, for kids of all ages. From giraffes to lions and a fun steam train, it's popular year round. What makes a zoo appealing, and how does the San Francisco zoo rank for our two worldwide zoo watchers? High ratings and a fun ride coming up next at whereiscookie.com We look for adventure as we travel the world for food, family, frolic, the arts and the natural world. Enjoy, learn and live!

The Point Arena Lighthouse has history dating back to 1870 when the original lighthouse was erected. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COASTAL TOWN OFFERS HISTORIC LIGHTHOUSE, FUN FOOD, ZEBRAS AND WELCOMING COTTAGES STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Point Arena Lighthouse includes lodging and a nice gift shop with handmade aquatic-life magnets. The views are stunning. PEOPLE COME from cross-country and overseas to visit the historic Point Arena Lighthouse in California's picturesque Mendocino County. The view from the top of the Point Arena Lighthouse is spectacular. They climb gamely up the 1870 landmark -- stopping to rest and admire the view at the four convenient landings. Then they browse the gift shop and study the museum's unique contents. With luck, they catch a glimpse of a passing pod of dolphin or a transiting whale. We had such good fortune on a recent visit, one of many we've made through years of driving from our southern California winter base to Mendocino County. LIKE MANY small coastal towns, Point Arena is proud of its place in California's history and landscape. On the north end of the town is the historic lighthouse which also offers lodging with spectacular views. At the other is a pier where you'll see fishermen haul in today's catch, stopping for a bowl of chowder or tasty fresh fish and chips (and an impressive collection of beer and ale.) A gift shop browser narrows her choice from a selection of marine life magnets. This tiny fishing town is built around a small harbor. It offers fun shops and a rugged beauty that many consider tops on the California coast. POINT ARENA'S main street is located on the always alluring Highway One, California's coastal artery. The user-friendly village sports some buildings in need of repair. But other restored vintage homes and offices reflect pride of ownership. It's a comfortably walkable little place where you'll be welcome in the neatly kept library. There we were invited to use our laptops to meet a story deadline. We appreciate the pleasant, quiet environment. Locals strolled in to check out the latest best-sellers and use the computers. Old-fashioned welcomes and friendly banter are a way of life in Point Arena. THE TOWN also has a historic theater, a pleasant city park, well used bike path and an array of eye-catching Victorian and Queen Anne buildings. A beautiful French lens is a highlight of the Point Arena Lighthouse museum. The lighthouse has a colorful history. If your schedule permits, consider staying over. Point Arena has several interesting options but one stands out: the Lighthouse cottages. We were based with relatives on a nearby farm, but we're hoping to stay next visit in one of these cozy homes. Cozy lodging at the Lighthouse offers spectacular views. Enterprising lighthouse director Mark Hancock is developing guest houses from buildings no longer needed for staff in this computer age. One of the pleasantly decorated cottages is pet friendly, and the views! Wow. In its day, the Point Arena Lighthouse was manned 24 hours a day by a revolving staff. Today, their homes have been converted into attractive guest houses on the coast. THE SHINING star of Point Arena is the lighthouse itself, and its fascinating small museum. A Fresnel lens (pronounced "Fre-nel," with a silent "s") has a prominent place. The lens, named after its inventor, was retired more than 20 years ago, but remains an attraction because of its superb craftsmanship and ability to concentrate light into a powerful beam. Its glass lenses bend and amplify the light source giving ships at sea better light for coastal navigation. "Far out," as we said in the 1970s. Our guide gave detailed descriptions of the lens, along with lively lighthouse history. He recounted the damage wrought by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which sent ripples 130 miles north to Point Arena, and beyond. POINT ARENA is a treasure trove of the unexpected. Don't miss the B Bryan Preserve with its amazing array of African hoof stock, including endangered zebra, giraffe and antelope. How wonderful to see these magnificent animals in large, open fields. The Lighthouse, though, heads the "must see" list. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum offers an intimate and well orchestrated look at the life, times, challenges and accomplishments of the 40th President. UP NEXT: Even those who did not vote for Ronald Reagan admit to being charmed by his gregarious nature, his genuine people skills, his diplomatic acumen and his rise from college football star to Hollywood actor, to California governor then President of the United States. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum on a lovely 100-acre site in Simi Valley brings the 40th President back to life in beautifully designed displays and hands-on exhibits. We take it in, including a chunk of the Berlin Wall he helped bring down -- and the Air Force One he traveled in. Remember to explore, learn and live. Catch us when we post for each week. Please share the link: www.whereiscookie.com

A splendid Georgia mansion built of rare pink marble, known as "Etowah Pink Marble" is decked out for the holidays. Through Dec. 21, the Tate House offers holiday tours, with a delightful luncheon or hors d'oeuvres presentation. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" STELLAR CREATION OF a land baron, philanthropist and tycoon, Tate House -- "the Pink Palace" -- is known throughout the south for its gorgeous pink marble patina and its exquisite Renaissance revival style. Every room of the 2916 mansion is decked out for the holidays, with gorgeous trees, meticulously decorated, and each room in a color theme. It is a popular wedding venue and one of the most photographed privately owned homes in the south. It is indeed grand and glorious. During a recent family reunion and birthday celebration, we discovered how Tate House celebrates Yuletide. It is particularly beautiful in this festive season, elegantly decked out in glittering holiday glory. Can you spot the imposters? Cookie and her sister Misha join carolers in the Tate House for a colorful tour and sing. Tate House Celebrates Yuletide with music, array of trees During the yule season, nearly two dozen major rooms are lovingly decorated by volunteers and presented in exquisite form with Christmas trees, gifts, carolers, presents and dining tables ready for eager guests. The detail is spectacular. COLONER SAM TATE built the 19,000 square foot marble mansion to show off his success and to showcase the huge vein of rose-colored marble from the quarry behind his house. Elegance is the order of the day. One enters, feeling part of a bygone era. The gracefully curved stairway evokes F. Scott Fitzgerald and "The Great Gatsby," when the Jazz Age ushered in style and opulence. The wealthy lived the high life, with lavish furnishings, free-flowing champagne and indulgence of every whim. One of the Tate House Christmas trees boasts more than 1,000 ornaments. Tate's affection for Italian and English classical styles popular in the U.S. in the 1920s created a beautiful home which sadly fell to neglect. It is once again gorgeous -- thanks to restoration efforts of Holbrook Properties. Lois Holbrook and daughter Marsha Mann sunk a fortune into restoring the stately mansion and gardens, last occupied by immediate family in 1955. Colonel Sam, who never married, died in 1938 at age 78, 12 years after moving into the home. The home was neglected for two decades, and for a time unoccupied, until an Arizona woman, Ann Laird, purchased it and began a painstaking restoration. OUR FAMILY event combined a reunion and travel-writing expedition with fashion, food and holiday finery. Like the other guests, we appreciated the opportunity Tate House offers to celebrate the season. Tate House has a lovely dining room for tasty lunch or appetizer parties. We joined others dressed in holiday style, treating family and friends to a lovely bistro lunch, complemented by historical highlights and tour. Our party drove about 90 minutes from my sister's home in Duluth, Ga. It's only a 15-minute drive from Big Canoe, Ga., through a lovely wooded part of the state. The Cosgriffe siblings at Tate House, from left, Christene (Cookie), Patrick, Misha, Rick and Olivia. The famous 1920s home is built on land acquired by the Tate family in 1834. The home is a popular Georgia wedding venue. Among its other kudos, the Tate House is on the National Register of Historic Places and was named one of the "must see houses in Georgia" by Georgia Magazine. If you can't make the holiday tours (a delicious bistro lunch or evening candlelight music tour), the Tate House offers breakfast, lunch and dessert tours during the rest of the year, for reasonable prices. An all-inclusive wedding package is available for brides looking for an old-fashioned elegant southern wedding experience. To book a tour later, or during the holidays -- a bistro lunch or candlelight music tour -- call 770 735-3122 or go to www.tatehouse.com UP NEXT: Continuing in the spirit of all things yuletide, San Diego Musical Theatre presents a delightful musical, "Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play." The adaptation of the classic feel-good film is superbly directed and won a standing ovation Thursday. Remember the 1947 film? A kindly bearded man is hired in an emergency at Macy's Department Store when the regular Santa shows up to work drunk. The real meaning of Christmas -- love and belief -- is delightfully told. Call 858-560-5740 for tickets, or go to www.sdmt.org. Remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us weekends for lively arts-travel insights and features. Erin and Gary Lewis founded San Diego Musical Theatre because of a life-long love of the musical. The The current show is a well done live musical radio play adaptation of the holiday classic, "Miracle on 34th Street." Horton Grand Theatre hosts a lively adaptation of the classic "Miracle on 34th Street," a radio play adaptation in San Diego

A veritable sea of yellow awaits as the desert dandelions blanket the Anza Borrego desert in southern California. Mother Nature makes artful bouquets by the thousands on the desert floor of Anza Borrego State Park. Here, the white blooms of the desert chicory poke up through the lavender of the sand verbena. Bruce Keller takes a photographer's aim at Anza Borrego's wildflower mecca. Wildflowers appear in record numbers bringing flower frenzy to southern California's colorful Anza Borrego desert STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" FANS OF FLOWERS, heads up. Grab your camera, hitch up your hiking shoes and head for the desert near Borrego Springs, California. It's a Borrego spring bloom bonanza. Prepare to be showered with the most spectacular showing of spring flowers seen in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park since the early 1990s. We based at the lovely Casa del Zorro resort in Borrego (a stunning oasis on the desert with fabulous food, gorgeous views and splendid accommodations, to be featured later. It deserves its own separate illustrated story, not to be overshadowed by flower power). THE MANAGER at La Casa, Patrick Sampson, is an amiable Brit, fond of flowers and in love with the power of what he calls "flower frenzy." Arizona lupine, foreground, stretches toward the sky. Crowds in this normally quiet and peaceful little town bear witness to the allure of this unusual bloom, beautiful in any year, extraordinary this spring. His popular and classy property has been running at full. Grocery stores are hustling to keep product on the shelves and you may not get your first-choice time at the restaurants. It's all well worth it. Said Teresa, our amiable waitress at Zorros' fun dining venue, Fox Den, "We haven't seen anything like this in years." At the small but adequate downtown market, shelf supplies were sparse as tourists queued up for crackers, sodas and sweets to keep them nourished for the viewing. WHEN YOU first set eyes on nature's showy displays, it's as if a top-notch florist has visited before you, so artfully are the flowers arranged. Hiker's proof: shoes are covered in pollen; we call it fairy dust, a pleasant trophy. Borrego spring bloom bonanza creates awe In a completely natural setting, mesmerized flocks stand in wonder to gaze at the complementary colors, lovely groupings of sand verbena, dune evening primroses with their wide white petals, splashy yellow desert sunflowers, the diminutive desert star bloom, delicate rock daisy, showy hedgehog, happy monkey flower, sprawling onyx and checker fiddleneck -- which resembles the neck of a violin, thus the moniker. DESERT LILIES beckon for closer inspection and the queen of the desert is the prolific bright yellow desert dandelion. Roadsides are lined with the beauty, and Anza Borrego's 630,000 acres are filled with tourists. Although the town boasts only 1,300 full-time residents, more than 20,000 of us visited last weekend. Restaurants, bars and shops overflow so it's a giant boost for the economy. We joined the frenzy of camera-toting flower fans as we hit the trails, heads bowed. We had a good day, logging 23 varieties of blooms. The park's excellent complimentary wildflower guide is a huge help. More lupine, in a lovely deep pink shade, and a hitchhiking butterfly. The park's excellent complimentary wildflower guide is a huge help. Weekends are of course more crowded, so we came on a Wednesday-Thursday. If you can get there early next week, viewing is expected to be at its zenith. Early in the week promises better access, so you can find lodging and parking spots in the lots. Do make a lodging reservation and if you can't find a space in the hotels or air bnbs, consider staying in Chula Vista or San Diego, only 58 miles away. You might also consider the charming town of Julian, a charming town, then driving the 20 miles to Borrego. Go to visitjulian.com Portable bathrooms are also the only option once into the desert, and the parking lot spaces are farther from viewing spots as the day commences. The park has a wildflower hotline for information: 760 767-4684. Ask for maps and specific information about the status of the blooming season. WE HOPE we don't have to wait another two decades for this splendid wonder of nature to recur. What a marvelous few days we had. If you miss the Borrego blooms check out this website for spring flowers near you, including those on the Mojave, Joshua Tree and other deserts and venues. And remember La Casa del Zorro for a fabulous stay: www.lacasadelzorro.com www.visitcalifornia.com/attraction/californias-spring-2019-wildflower-forecast NEXT UP: Fans of aquariums, we have a great one for you. Birch Aquarium in San Diego is a user-friendly find suitable for all ages. In it, discovery, interaction and education are the bywords. This gem of undersea treasures sparkles with the natural wonders of our oceans, giving special attention to sea life right out the window. The Birch Aquarium in San Diego has a world class series of exhibits. The Aquarium also offers a splendid vantage point for viewing the mighty grey whales, now finishing its migration south from Alaska to warmer Baja waters. Remember to explore, learn and live. Catch us each weekend for a novel approach to travel, nature and the lively arts. whereiscookie.com

SeaWorld's new Orca Encounter is a more politically correct production which still captures the beauty, grace and power of the magnificent whale. Orcas exist in all the world's oceans. Media weekend Orca shows featured seaworthy pastries in ocean motifs. ORCAS LEAP, LUNGE, SPLASH AND CAVORT, THRILLING CROWDS IN NEW SEAWORLD ENCOUNTER STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Cookie and Keller give "flippers up" to SeaWorld's new entertaining orca show. Orcas still show off for the SeaWorld audience, but no longer do trainers swim on or with them. And the breeding program has been curtailed. WE LOVED the old orca show at SeaWorld. Keller grew up with it, took his kids there and retains cherished memories of the mighty orcas. So when it was announced that a more politically correct orca show would evolve, we wondered: Could it manage to entertain the way the old orca shows did? Would we still thrill at the orcas' strength and grace? Would people still get soaked in the close-up seats? SeaWorld San Diego the major change in the new program is that trainers no longer swim with the orcas. But they still interact and touch and play with the orcas. And, yes, people in the splash zone still get mighty wet, as the animals splash their mighty tails to the delight of the audience. In the wild, this orca's mighty tail might be used to catch a seal off-guard and dislodge him from his rock. SHAMU STADIUM'S stage has been transformed into a captivating Pacific Northwest theme featuring natural rock work, huge faux trees and gorgeous man-made waterfalls surrounding a 138-foot-wide screen. The impressive, three-story, first-in-the-world high-definition "infinity screen" forms a changing backdrop for the show, accompanying educational commentary about the orcas. They exist in all the world's oceans, and the digital imagery ranges from Arctic ice to tropical waters, as in "real life" the orcas swim, leap and lunge in the 1.7-million gallon tank. We saw the opening weekend in the 5,500-seat Shamu stadium. Animal behaviorists still interact with the whales and provide the commentary, with the screen's enlarged human images entertaining us as performance in the water below continues. SeaWorld's well cared for orcas will no longer breed, but will entertain. At SeaWorld San Diego the combination of live presentation with the digital backdrop is engaging and well written script exhibits its 50-year experience with and knowledge of the orca. SeaWorld's popular, internationally known orca show is enhanced by a new "encounter" which showcases the orcas against a stunning backdrop. The goal is "to immerse our guests in the mysterious world of the killer whale, which most people would never get to experience,” says Brian Morrow, SeaWorld’s vice president of theme park experience and design. The show has been developed for more than a year, using the talent and knowledge of orca behaviorists, engineers, researchers and writers. WE ENJOYED watching SeaWorld orcas breach and show off against the massive infinity screen. "We're hoping to help create an even deeper connection to the orcas,” says SeaWorld San Diego orca behaviorist, Kristi Burtis. Visitors also hear how scientific research on killer whales at SeaWorld is benefiting wild orcas. SeaWorld's orcas are meticulously cared for and SeaWorld's exemplary program rescues, rehabilitates and returns many creatures to the wild. The SeaWorld orcas are in tip-top shape, pampered and loved and given medical care and special diets depending on their needs. Like any zoo or animal sanctuary, SeaWorld's orcas spark controversy. Our thinking is that because of the exemplary care given the critters -- and the fact that other whales are still hunted -- this might be the only chance many will ever get to see such a magnificent creature up close. www.seaworldentertainment.com Off next to San Francisco's Exploratorium where we spend a delightful day! San Francisco's Exploratorium explores the world through science, art, and human perception. Its mission is to create inquiry-based experiences that transform learning -- in unique and imaginative ways. We spent the day recently and had a ball with our Bay Area niece and her lively and curious family. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a unique spin on nature, the arts and travel. whereiscookie.com

This pretty inhabitant is a contented resident at Victoria's Butterfly Gardens in Brentwood Bay, B.C. Favorite fruits of the butterflies and moths are placed where they'll enjoy. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER THE IRISH believe that butterflies are the souls of the dead waiting to pass through purgatory. These delicate little jewels have a revered place in myths, legends and folklore stories from many cultures. The symbolic meaning of the butterfly is part of the draw of Victoria Butterfly Gardens, which attracts thousands of visitors each year to study and appreciate these magnificent inhabitants of the planet. We strolled around the beautifully laid out exhibit north of Victoria, B.C., not far from the famed Butchart Gardens. Victoria's enchanting Butterfly Gardens offers an opportunity to stroll among dozens of beautiful rain forest inhabitants. FOR US, it was a rare opportunity to experience a tropical jungle in the northern hemisphere. The gardens are home to nearly 70 species of butterfly and moth, as well as crazily bold colored dart frogs, well fed tortoises, a handsome iguana, talkative parrots and macaws, gorgeous flamingos, preening ducks and enormous koi. We spent a lovely day here, then just five minutes away, at Butchart Gardens, another must-see in B.C. A restful pond at Butterfly Gardens is home to enormous koi and jungle plants. Calming sounds from the waterfalls enchanted as we wandered past pretty ponds and serene pools. Our stroll was accented by the cheery chirps of tropical birds. In preparation for our visit, we'd studied the butterfly folklore of native tribes, finding that butterflies to many represent change and balance. The butterfly has also become a symbol of ephemeral beauty, even vanity and frivolous behavior. But most cultures consider butterflies to be symbols of good luck. Some, including my grandmother's Irish clan, have strict taboos against killing these graceful and important creatures. WE STROLLED into the pleasantly humid, climate controlled environment and the warmth and moisture reminded of my visits to the rain forests of Brazil and Peru. Cookie is happy to be immersed in the glories of Victoria's Butterfly Gardens. A content sulcata tortoise hails from Northern Africa and is a full-time resident, with a dozen others, at Victoria Butterfly Gardens. As an unexpected and delightful bonus, the gardens also offers dozens of beautiful plants of the jungle and rainforest, from the purplish-blue sky clock vine of southeast Asia to the vibrant bleeding heart vine of West Africa, the open-mouthed tropical pitcher plant of Asia, which looks like an extra from "Little Shop of Horrors," and the lantanas, angel trumpet and bromeliads of Central and South America and the Philippines, plants which have also made their way to southern California for us to enjoy in our San Diego environment. On this same trip, we had seen Orcas mating -- rare, indeed -- and at the Victoria Butterfly Gardens we saw tortoises from Northern Africa mating. We also met and visited with Rosie, a stunning red eclectus parrot from Papua, New Guinea. Flamingos Houdini and Mango posed for us, and several poisonous dart frogs in the colors of the rainbow hopped about in their cleverly designed cases. THERE APPEAR to be no unhappy campers at the tranquil Victoria place, including the rest of the audience who joined us in an enriching and leisurely celebration of the glorious wonders of nature. www.butterflygardens.com/homeindex COMING UP: The Majestic Hotel, for decades known as the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park, is a venerable and much loved landmark of this national park. We take you there, to enjoy a leisurely stay below the granite cliffs and waterfalls of Yosemite. Remember to explore, learn and live and check us out weekends for a fresh spin on nature- and arts-driven travel, always beautifully illustrated. The Majestic Hotel, formerly the Ahwahnee, is a glorious old fashioned national park hotel. Its name was changed in Yosemite National Park during a trademark dispute. Please tell your savvy friends about us. whereiscookie.com

The Dukes of Dixieland aboard the steamboat Natchez are a top band. Every day's a holiday in colorful, tuneful Big Easy N'Awlins STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER EVERY DAY is a holiday in New Orleans. It's a city that celebrates life's pleasures every hour, every day. Historic Jackson Square with its horse-drawn carriages is a landmark you won't want to miss in New Orleans. New Orleans celebrates life with the food, music, architecture, water life and even the cemeteries praise our brief spin here on planet Earth. Good music is part of street life. This trumpet player offered fine tunes. WE PLAYED hard recently in "The Big Easy," and learned a few things we hadn't garnered in earlier visits. For starters: the nickname comes from the notion that it's sensible to "take it easy," said our amiable tour guide. 'WE BELIEVE that taking it easy should be done big," he said. "So we call our town the Big Easy." Our brief, memorable visit centered at the New Orleans Hyatt, at Loyola and Poydras, which locals pronounce with a French creole "pwa" sound: pwadras. Every day is Mardi Gras time, here at Harrah's casino. NEW ORLEANS is coming back loud and strong after the disaster of Hurricane Katrina. One still sees the occasional light pole ripped from its concrete holding (our guide pointed to parts of the city that were eight and ten feet under water.) BUT THE city's colorful inhabitants believe in their motto: "laissez le bon temps rouler." The skyline of New Orleans viewed from the Natchez. And roll the good times do -- from breakfast beignets and coffee au lait at Cafe du Monde to a lunch of the muffuletta (salami, ham and provolone with marinated olives and Italian bread), to a romantic jazz filled evening on the Steamboat Natchez with a Cajun inspired buffet and classic Dixieland jazz on an old-fashioned stern-wheeler. New Orleans is known for its Mardi Gras celebrations and its nearby plantations. It is also famous for its above-ground cemeteries, wrought iron gate and doors, horse-drawn carriages and stately mansions. A HUNDRED years ago, Bourbon Street was famous for its houses of prostitution! Both Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton practiced their jazz in bordellos. A visit to the Big Easy is not complete without a dish of gumbo, a beignet and a stroll or shopping around Jackson Square, where you'll hear fabulous music for free -- just leave a buck or two with the talented buskers. In a city famous for food, this Big Easy diner serves up signature "po-boy" sandwiches. New Orleans celebrates life even in the cemetery The cemeteries of New Orleans feature above-ground graves. New Orleans has elevated hosting to an art with dozens of enticing boutique and luxury hotels. We grabbed our Mardi Gras masks to book the beautiful Hyatt Regency New Orleans, an elegant, space-age property with 2,000 handsomely designed rooms. The hotel boasts two terrific restaurants, pretty cocktail lounges, a fine gym and heated pool. It's centrally located: The Hyatt's imposing interior is photographed from the fast elevator to the 37th floor! 20 minutes' walk to a cruise on the Mississippi, the French Quarter with its balconies, bistros, carriages, and Jackson Square delights. At famed Brennan's, we tried the file gumbo -- fabulous. At our Hyatt Regency, richly satisfying jambalaya. The Big Easy's the place for "Big Eating." A stroll on the pretty waterfront is a delightful diversion in New Orleans. IF YOU stayed a month, you'd not have time to sample all the oyster bars, steak houses, gumbo and "po-boy" shops and world famous eateries. The city is also a great "browsing town." So much to see! Jambalaya is a New Orleans tradition, colorful, spicy and addictive. We spent a delightful morning on a Gray Line bus tour, with stops at the fascinating cemeteries, an afternoon at historic Oak Alley Plantation and evening of great food and jazz aboard the historic Natchez. It was our sixth visit -- and we only scratched the surface. Swamp tours, vineyards, museums, horse racing, and gambling have lured us before and will entice us back for another tequila mockingbird, muffuletta sandwich and plate of barbecued shrimp. We missed the world renown National World War II Museum, and must rectify that. NEW ORLEANS has fun tours for every inclination: history, culinary, cocktails, bicycling, walking, cemetery browsing or double-decker perusing. Charm, ambiance, cultural diversity, friendliness and architecture combine in New Orleans, perhaps more than any other U.S. city, save San Francisco. YES, KATRINA left her mark, but New Orleans is back. The spirit of this lively city endures in Big Easy style.The ethnic mix, rich and varied history and pride in food, drink, music and hospitality elevate it to "fabulous" status.Whether you're here to eat, listen or simply soak it all in, prepare to let the good times roll. The savvy visitors bureau offers a free guide you can download. Search New Orleans Official Visitor Guide" in the App Store, and go to neworleanscvb.com or neworleansonline.com The Viejas lobby welcomes visitors with artful flair. NEXT UP: Experience a gorgeous hotel with Cookie's favorite amenity -- gambling -- near San Diego, at Viejas Casino and Resort in the hills of Alpine. In the soothing hotel, you wouldn't know you're steps away from a lively gambling house. Then to Spain and the classically beautiful city of Seville, famous for its orange trees, flamenco, fabulous food and unique architecture. Please share this with friends and remember to explore, learn and live! Visit us at: www.whereiscookie.com

Jazzercisers hit the Midway stage in San Diego Saturday, raising voices and big bucks in the fight against breast cancer. GLOBAL EXERCISE PROGRAM COMBINES FUN, FITNESS, GIVES BIG BUCKS TO CANCER RESEARCH Above, writer Christene "Cookie" Meyers ( whereiscookie.com ) and Jazzercise founder Judi Missett, chat Saturday after Missett presented a check for $91,000. "Girl, look at that body -- I work out!"  -- from "Sexy and I Know It" by the American duo LMFAO STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER JAZZERCISE BUFFS  from southern California and many other states gathered Saturday to jazz it up in the fight to defeat breast cancer. More than 1,500 enthusiastic women "Jazzercisers" -- and 100 or so stalwart men -- came aboard San Diego's massive aircraft carrier Midway to jump, jive, dance and raise $91,000 for the cause.   Jazzercise has a constantly updated and changing range of tunes, featuring popular artists.  Saturday's dancers were in the groove. Enthusiasm was the code of the morning, as dancers and fitness fans gathered as early at 7 a.m. for the 8 to 10 a.m. event, officially "Jazzercise Dance for Life - Rockin' The Midway." VOLUNTEERS worked efficiently to register hundreds who paid $35 each through their Jazzercise groups to join the fun, help a cause, work out with friends and get a snazzy pink t-shirt. Sponsors donated thousands to make the event work, and $5 raffle tickets (I actually won a lovely quilt!) pumped up the cancer research ante. It was a perfect event, on a perfect southern California day.  A paramedic rested in the cargo bay of a troop transport helicopter -- playing with his Smart phone instead of tending to the injured. Fortunately, there were no casualties. A Jazzercise welcome from the stage set the tone for a spirited morning. Dancers at the California event ranged in age from junior high into their 80s, united by the belief that fitness can be fun -- and for a cause. I'VE DANCED  and worked out with this remarkable program since its first decade.  Founded in 1969, it's the brainchild of Judi Sheppard Missett, who started the revolution as a student at Northwestern University in Chicago.  The forward thinking dancer devised the idea to attract students when she saw class ranks dwindling.  It took off --  and today Missett heads the worldwide company as CEO. Jazzercise wants you! So go get 'em. Saturday's stage was Jazzercise heaven. As a travel writer with a global range, I've "Jazzed" all over the world -- including Japan.  Lucky for me, Jazzercise is thriving in 32 countries and every U.S. state. I've danced in 15 or 20. Saturday, I bumped into (not literally) Jazzercise friends from Arizona, Colorado and all over California. I've also danced in New York, Massachusetts, Georgia, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and my native Montana. Go to the website  www.jazzercise.com/  and find a class near you. Easy as shake, rattle and roll. Jazzercisers from southern California and beyond had a fun, fit morning raising money for the Susan G. Komen fund to cure breast cancer. (Here Judi Missett, right in black, is interviewed Dave Scott, KUSI TV.) Saturday's Jazzercise benefit on the USS Midway was a huge success.  JAZZERCISE BOASTS  over a million participants a year, with 8,300-plus franchisees teaching more than 35,000 classes a week. I've written about Jazzercise for airline magazines, travel publications and my own blog, www.whereiscookie.com  (which you are reading now!) I was delighted to connect with Judi Saturday -- it had been decades since I interviewed her via phone in 1979 -- to tell her how much the program means to me.  I've worn out  DVDs and even vintage 8-track tapes, featuring Judi and her daughter, Shanna Missett Nelson, now Jazzercise president.  Both mother and daughter continue to teach -- in the Carlsbad, Calif., headquarters, and at my Montana ranch, their well loved tapes and DVDs engage a coterie of summer people on the West Fork of the Stillwater River.  We meet Jazzercise is way of life for nearly 95-year-old dancer   in the fire hall to catch up and shape up with Jazzercise and a mix of other workout programs, counteracting an excess of summer wine, cheese and dessert and enjoying one another's company. As I told Judi, Jazzercise enhances my entire being on mental, physical and emotional levels. It's helped me survive huge losses. Its spirited choreography has kept me laughing, socializing, arising each morning, torching calories.   SATURDAY'S GATHERING was, for me, further proof that I choose the right program -- and I'm sticking with it. Jazzercise is as important to me as my beloved theater, as critical as eating well and indulging moderately in life's other pleasures. As essential as family and love. Pretty in pink: Cookie caps a fabulous morning with her raffle prize -- an artful handmade quilt -- and one of her many beloved Jazzercise coaches,  Sharon Ticho, of Sorrento Valley Jazzercise: Del Mar Ballet.   AS MISSETT  stepped gracefully on the stage, to huge applause, the coastal fog dissipated and the sun was shining. Everyone was smiling, for Jazzercise engenders happiness and keeps us current -- I amused my 20-and 30-something nieces and nephews a few years ago when I performed a Jazzercise workout to "Sexy and I Know It." They were impressed that Jazzercise employs fusion, core, strength and dance -- with singers as diverse as Madonna and Blake Shelton. Mesmerizing glasswork awaits at Dale Chihuly's Seattle museum. SATURDAY'S WORKOUT  featured groups of Jazzercise coaches taking the stage Saturday to lead the ranks to that upbeat mix of tunes. To keep fresh and varied, Jazzercise uses music by Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Kelly Clarkson, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Paul McCartney and my favorite Tony Bennett. We tango, cha-cha and shake it off, baby! This "Jazzercise gypsy" loves it! To paraphrase a Jazzercise lyric, We have "passion in our pants" -- and we aren't afraid to show it!  UP NEXT: Enchanting Chihuly -- We visit the master glassblower's museum in Seattle where Dale Chihuly's visionary and seductive "Garden and Glass" artwork is displayed. The famed Northwesterner's creativity shines through in gorgeous glass exhibits both indoor and outdoors -- in the shadow of Seattle's landmark Space Needle. Remember to explore, learn and live and visit us weekends for more artful, nature-driven travel adventures. Tell other smart people about whereiscookie.com

A large statue of Christ is an internationally known landmark of Rio, with Sugar Loaf Mountain opposite it. From Sugar Loaf to Ipanema, Latin city serves up samba, sports, scenery and scanty clothes With Sugar Loaf in the background, and Guanabara Bay in front, Rio offers mountains, water, beaches and splendid weather. On Ipanema Beach, a pair of sunbathers stop for a cold drink, eyed from above. The beaches of Rio are always crowded but, for the most part, peaceful. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER WHILE ALL EYES are on Rio, Brazil and the Olympics, we're weighing in with our most recent trip to this teeming, colorful city. Rio de Janeiro is a city of contrasts and diversity. Nuns and the nearly naked stroll side by side on the beaches, oblivious to one another's excesses or modesties. Extraordinary opulence and poverty co-exist in many parts of town. We last approached this huge seaside city from the ocean, having transited the Atlantic from Lisbon, Portugal. Lisboa, as it is known in the Portuguese, has long and deep ties to Brazil, where the same language is spoken. OUR FRIENDS in Lisbon had just returned from Rio's famed "Carnival," the world's largest. The festival -- held before Lent every year -- attracts two million people per day to the streets, where dancing, singing and parading attract both the sacred and the profane. Copacabana is considered less touristy. The first carnival festival in Rio dates back to 1723. The raucous Carnival festival captures world wide attention with its flamboyant costumes and dancing. The Sugar Loaf cable car gives a splendid view of the city and bay below. WHERE THERE'S water, there are water sports and people watchers. The Olympians of this year's competition participated in events on both of Rio's famed beaches. Copacabana and Ipanema are the two best known -- both have songs written about them -- and tourists and locals love them. We saw scantily clad sun worshippers, families on segways, volleyball players and plenty of gawkers -- which we were. Drinks were not cheap -- $12 for a local beer -- but many people brought coolers and made their own cocktails. Samba is an art form in Rio; the dancers are elaborately clad. TOWERING about the city are two stunning landmarks -- one man made and one crafted by nature. Many memorable Olympics shots featured the Christ the Redeemer statue atop Mt. Corcovado. The famed Art Deco statue of Jesus was created by Polish-French sculptor Paul Landowski and built by a collaborative effort between two lauded engineers -- Brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa, and Frenchman Albert Caquot. SUGARLOAF Mountain is the other noteable"must see", a granite monolith with cable cars to its summit. I conquered my vertigo and climbed aboard one of the 65-person cars, happy to be a recovering sissy as we zipped over the mouth of Guanabara Bay with a terrific view of the peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic. Favellas are a colorful part of the landscape of Rio. Again, in the spirit of contrast, Rio is known for its sprawling favelas. These shanty town shacks stretch up into the mountains, while at the top of the hills are mansions. Rio is also home to more than two dozen five-star hotels, among the world's most opulent. The Fasano is famous. Ditto the Miramar Hotel by Windsor., and Belmond Copacabana Palace. The Grand Hyatt is also a places to see and be seen -- or samba to the band.-THE NATIONAL dance, samba, must be tried, and we did. The Brazilian dance of African origin has a basic pattern of step-close-step-close and is characterized by a dip and spring upward at each beat of the music. One gets into the rhythm after a few tries and the locals love to help with the steps and jumps. Explorers called the now Acari river "Janeiro" or January, thus the name. It was at a gas station near a club on the river that swimmer Ryan Lochte, drunk with his pals, disgraced the spirit of the Olympics and embarrassed the United States with hooligan acts. UP NEXT: As we say so-long to another glorious "Stillwater Summer," we share photos from the nature-driven environment that blesses us each year. Here's a favorite sunflower near the West Fork of the Stillwater River. The bears share the apples on the tree in the background and other flowers are in their glory with warm sunny days and cool evenings. Join us in a summer, sunflower swan song! Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays when we post for each weekend.

Construction is not sophisticated in Guatemala, but old-fashioned thatching appears to be carefully done. LIFE UNFOLDS IN GUATEMALA WITH SIMPLICITY, COLOR, LOTS OF FISH AND A FAMOUS BIRD STORY By CHRISTENE MEYers PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLERERS Arriving in Panajachel, tourists are met with craftswomen and venders.  RIGHTLY PROUD  of its critters and birds, Guatemala hosts more than 10 per cent of all registered species on planet Earth.   Handsome people, gorgeous lakes and forests and extraordinary handicrafts complement swimming, hiking and delightful cuisine -- fish, lobster and tasty spiced veggies -- make it appealing to tourists. Well heeled Americans and Europeans mix with yuppies from the British Isles and South America to ride horseback, frolic on the beaches, and enjoy spelunking in Guatemala's honeycombed caves.  Scuba divers come to hunt wrecks lost centuries ago in the Pacific's capricious waters. The Quetzal bird. Above, a typical meal in Guatemala features fresh fish and vegetables.  Below, a rower on Lake Atitlan. WE WERE struck by how happy the people seem. Cliched though it sounds, they seem content with little. We saw women rolling tortillas on street corners, cooking on simple charcoal grills for both families and tourists. We saw old men carving.  We saw workers wielding huge machetes, for crops are still harvested the old fashioned way, a nod to Guatemala's colonial past. School is not compulsory and many homes have no plumbing or electricity. THE   PEOPLE  are proud of their heritage and crafts. The fabled Maya flourished in the nearby Yucatan Peninsula and Guatemala for centuries. Their advanced civilization constructed grand cities, palaces and pyramids. The Maya were accomplished astronomers, artists, writers and mathematicians. Guatemala's world famous crafts pay tribute to their rich Mayan heritage and love of color. For mysterious reasons, the Maya society began its decline in the 10th century. Remnants of this extraordinary people live on in Guatemalan descendants. WE MET  some of them  in our time there, primarily in the port city of Puerto Quetzal and miles inland, the picturesque village of Panajachel. It is one of 20-plus tiny towns on Lake Atitlan, created in a volcanic crater.   IN FACT , three volcanos surround "Lago de Atitlan," one of the places where the national bird of Guatemala hides out.  The colorful Quetzal bird, after which the port is named, was sacred to the Mayans. Most children go to grade school, but only wealthy or middle-class kids have a chance for college. After years of Spanish rule, political turbulence, and a devastating 36-year civil war the government at last in 1996, signed a peace agreement with the leftist rebels. The conflict had left countless people dead and a million-plus refugees.  WHAT MORE  do we know about Guatemala?  We think of those brightly colored weavings and the compact indigenous people working hard for a living. But we naturally think of drugs, because of the country's proximity to Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador, where much of the Mexico-bound drugs are manufactured and passed on to the U.S. This was not denied by our multi-lingual guide, Roberto, on our way to Lake Atlitan. "But we are working hard to clean up this problem,” he said.  Still, in a country where unemployment is high and families are large – the people are  mostly Catholic – it is difficult to keep lucrative, illegal tradesmen out. Our guide believes his country has stabilized, but that infamous, drug-driven and corrupt neighbors may combine with civilian and military unrest to alter Guatemala's course from time to time. A breezy boat trip past volcanos with new friends: from left: Keller, Cookie, Inge and Tom.         Women in Guatemala are proud of their weavings, crafts and tortillas. WHILE STROLLING our mountain village, we were impressed with the peaceful nature of the people.  They  met us with fabrics and weavings as we boarded our boat, then followed us in their own boat, to the mountain village. THE CHILDREN  are learning the art of hawking.  “My name is Juanita. Come buy something from me,” one implored.  “I am Carmen.  My grandmother made this,” said another, showing her elaborately woven scarf.  (I made purchases from both girls because they reminded of my nieces, now in their 30s. As grade-schoolers and teens, they helped sell their father's pottery at craft fairs and art shows.) Puerto Vallarta offers some of Mexico's most attractive beaches and luxury hotels -- and a lively film history! COMING SOON:   Puerto Vallarta, or sandy port, caught the eye of Hollywood more than a half-century ago, when director John Houston scouted the perfect location for his film, “The Night of Iguana.”  Come with us to visit El Set, where Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor dined, drank and caroused with a picture perfect view of the Pacific.  Remember to explore, learn and live, and tell your friends about us as we post Wednesdays and weekends at: www.whereiscookie.com