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| Norfolk, England Ah listen, for silence is not lonely! Imitate the magnificent trees that speak no word of their rapture, but only breathe largely the luminous breeze. D.H.Lawrence |
FLOWER TOWN
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| The Aibonito Flower Festival has been running for 50 years. |
AIBONITO - The old roads that lead to this small town in the mountainous mid-section of Puerto Rico wind along steep hills. It is luscious countryside. The hills are padded with bright green foliage and the flamboyant trees along the way sparkle with flaming red blossoms. Some flamboyant trees jut over the road to create a triumphal flaming arch, as if to welcome you to this part of the island.
Once on the outskirts of town, it's not far to your chosen destination, Aibonito's famous flower festival. If you follow RT 722 to Los Polluelos Coliseum, the festival grounds are right near by with plenty of parking space to accommodate the large crowds drawn to the event.
The festival celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and it's no surprise it remains ever popular. Nature gives such joy and the sheer amount of flowers and plants on display is positively head spinning with all participating kiosks in seeming competition with each other to attract buyers with the beauty of their horticultural products.
To be sure, you will find other things for sale at the festival such as crafts and food but the star of the show is the island flora in all its endless manifestations: orchids, bromeliads, succulents, miniature roses, hibiscus, and herbal plants like basil, rosemary, and yerba buena.
With most people on a budget, it is gratifying to see that growers have kept their prices within a very accessible range. Most plants at the festival retail for under $10 and some can be had for as little as $1. Now that's a bargain and a half.
Given the wide range of choices available, it's a good idea to look around before you actually start buying anything. This way you can determine your preferences and get an idea of how much you want to spend. Don't forget to bring a large bag for your purchases, it will come in handy.
The festival runs every day of the week, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. It can get pretty crowded so it's a good idea to visit before the crowd and the traffic get heavy. Don't miss it, it's wonderful.
The 2018 Aibonito Flower Festival kicked off on June 29 and runs through July 8. Parking is free but there is an entry fee: $6 (Mon-Fri) and $7 (Sat,Sun & July 4th). Children under 12, $2.
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| Perugia, Italy Photography by Marvin W. Schwartz When we exist, death is not present and when death is present, we do not exist. Epicurus |
A SIMPLE TIP
If you are automatically tempted to
throw away your tea-bag after a
single use, don't.
single use, don't.
That tea bag is good enough for a second cuppa that will be just as strong, or mild, as the first one, depending on how long you steep the bag in hot water. You stretch your money, so stretch your tea bags too.
VERSATILE STENCIL
A new coat of paint can do wonders to freshen up the look of a home without spending a lot of money.
And to kick it up a notch, as food guru Emeril Lagasse was
fond of saying on his cooking program, how about decorating your newly painted surface with a stencil?
Royal Design Studio Stencils offers an incredibly varied collection of stencils for use on different kinds of surfaces, such as walls, floors and furnishings. Moroccan, lace, damask and floral patterns are among the designs the company offers through its website,
royaldesignstudio.com/.
royaldesignstudio.com/.
To celebrate the Fourth of July, Royal Design is offering a 25 percent discount on all its stencils. Check them out!
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| Imagine me; I shall not exist if you do not imagine me. Nabokov "Lolita" |
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