by Irene Butler
Published in Today’s Senior News Magazine
The Firewalkers of Fiji have long baffled scientists with their feat. It is my chance to get to the bottom of this, so to speak, as the chief’s son Madigi obligingly raises his ample barefoot in front of my camera, while he and his two companions chuckle at my request.
My wristwatch, mistakenly an hour fast, resulted in my early arrival at Pacific Harbour’s Arts Village and in a serendipitous encounter with this shy, lanky 22-year-old firewalker who had come out to the bleachers to meet his friends before the firewalk began. As Madigi leaves, he nods in agreement to my appeal for, “Another photo after the firewalk please.” Continue reading Firewalkers of Fiji →
Published in Impowerage
2009 BC Senior Games Athletes break records and boost hearts
by Irene Butler
Athletes and dignitaries were piped into the Olympic Oval by the Legion Colour Guard and Bagpipers. At this gala ceremony to open the September 16th to 19th 2009, Richmond BC Seniors Games well-wishers and singers took to the stage. A torch relayed around the Oval culminated in the hands of 95-year-old Norma Spencer, the oldest participating athlete. Barely coming to mid-chest level of her escort MLA Rob Howard, Norma with the torch held high, lit the cauldron to start the Games.
Early the next morning, Norma was at the snooker table scrutinizing every shot and by day’s end came away with the Gold Medal in the Womens 75+ category. Norma caulked her first a cue at age 65.
Read on and be inspered…Impowerage_BC_Seniors_Games/
Click to view our Slide Show presentation of the B.C. Seniors Games
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by Irene Butler
Published in Travellady E-Zine
A tepid breeze gently rocked my hammock strung between coconut trees, a stones throw from the expanse of cream-coloured sand and the dazzling blue of the Pacific. “This is as close to paradise as earthy possible,” I muse, as I wave to Lusia, my ‘butler’ who comes my way with an exotic cocktail of fresh pineapple, papaya and Bounty Rum. Yes, a butler service is a bit of added indulgence provided with a bure (bungalow) at Outrigger on the Lagoon Resort.
Nothing could entice me away from this delightful cocoon…except a pampering spa treatment.
Read on…Travellady.com/
Our Fiji Photo Gallery..GlobalTrekkers Fiji/
Power of Age
Watch as our seniors, ages 55 to 95 years young Go for Gold
Click to be “inspired” by the Power of Age
Senior Games/
By Irene Butler
Prima’s powerful flanks move in an easy rhythm as she nears me, her rich brown coat glistens in the sunlight. I see my reflection in her gentle eye as she puts her nose close to my face and whinnies a greeting. Paschar then nuzzled in, followed by Micah. Amongst these Warmbloods (sport horse breeds), I notice two Shetlands, and…what? a bull! – his stocky form nonchalantly munching hay alongside several large equines. Continue reading The Secret behind “the Secret” of Gateway2 Ranch →
Pics by Rick
See Nature’s harshest yet most tantalizingly beautiful landscapes of Death Valley
Click to start your visual journey
Death_Valley/
By Irene Butler
A shorter version published in Canadian Traveller Magazine
The BFTE was ideally held at the Sheraton & Weston Denarau Island Resorts and Denarau Golf & Raquet Club in Nadi on the main island of Viti Levu, 25 minutes from the Nadi International Airport. BFTE Planning Chairman David J. Voss kicked off the event with a Bula Vinaka welcome to 602 delegates comprised of 155 Buyers and 8 media from around the world that had come to meet 420 Sellers/19 sponsors from Fiji and the Pacific Islands to increase tourist arrivals to these tropical paradises. Continue reading BULA FIJI TOURISM EXCHANGE June 3 – 5, 2009 →
By Irene Butler
Photos by Rick
Published in “TravelingTales.com”
“He’s too short, and too ugly to marry,” said Asayo. At first it was thought this “picture bride” was in bad sorts from her long journey from Hiroshima Japan in 1923 – but she meant it. As was the practice of the time, Japanese immigrant workers chose a bride from a picture, then worked via a matchmaker to arrange her passage to Canada. Refusing to wed this troll-like man, Asayo was obligated to pay back the $250 it cost to bring her to the fishing village of Steveston, which she did by working in a salmon cannery for two years.
Read on.. TravelingTales/
Thousands gear up for record-breaking BC Senior Games
By Irene Butler
Published in Impowerage e-zine
The city of Richmond will pulsate with grey power from September 16-19th. Thirty-eight hundred 55+ aged participants have registered, making it the largest sports event the city of Richmond has hosted and the largest BC Seniors Games since they began in 1988. The Games will be supported by thousands of event volunteers and community groups working together.
There is no entry fee for spectators coming out to see the games, which will include 29 sports, such as: soccer, track & field, ice-skating, horseshoes, cribbage, golf, pickleball….pickleball? Never having heard of this sport, I had Nettie & Ralph Jonker, Co-Chairs for this event, bring me up to speed. The odd name was coined from a natural ball chaser Pickles, the dog of one of three Seattle area men who created the game. “It is a cross between ping pong, tennis, and badminton, and is played on a badminton court,” said Nettie, “using hard paddles and a perforated plastic ball”.
Read on…. impowerage/
By Irene Butler
Published in Travellady e-zine and Canadian Traveller Magazine
My spirited steed Bambino galloped along the white sand beach. The sapphire Sea of Cortez lapped the shore on one side; desert shrub nodded lethargically in the sun on the other. This same stretch of sheltered beach was once a hideaway for pirates bent on raiding Spain’s galleons. Many of today’s local business owners and fishermen are descendants of the buccaneers who stayed behind. After her exhilarating spurt, Bambino fell back to a more leisurely pace along with the six other horses and riders until we were back at the corral. On other trails people zoomed along on ATV’s. For sure there would be no shortage of fun things to do in this little slice of paradise.
Read the rest of our adventure Travellady/
