Bye Bye Birdees Travel Blog

T his  evening I found an old  recipe for a "Mango Margarita".   One of my favorite Wedding Site Familiarization trips was hosted by  the Karisma Properties in "Riviera Maya."  A few years ago, "The Gourmet All-inclusive: concept was just introduced.  Karisma hired a new chef, and travel agents were treated to a tasting festivity.  I'm not big drinker, but this particular trip we must have experienced every "new cocktail" under the sun.  A sip here, a sip there, a tequila tasting here.    One drink that comes to mind is the "MOSQUITO" .  It's a "Tamarind" liqueur.  The rim of the glass is garnished with chili.  The initial effect is a slight tingle on the lips that catches the victim off guard  before savoring the effects of a semi-sour elixir. Thus, rightly named the "MOSQUITO". The Mexican Nation is known for it's tequila. In tequila tasting, you should swirl the tequila first before swallowing.  Th...

I think of the days when good manners were a priority in the U.S.  Old flicks of Andy Griffith, Aunt Bea and Mayberry where everyone is nice.  The shows were in black and white and we used to see parents stick a soap bar in their children's mouths.  The truth was that all parents pretty much did that.  Spankings were okay and the kids learned discipline through the old saying " Spare the rod, spoil the kid." Those days are long gone.   Child protection limits how we train our children, and communication plays the major role in how we raise our kids.  Manners extend much more than how we were raised and how our children grow up.  Every country has their standards.   Excuse me, or pardon me sometimes is just not enough.  Over a series of torn magazine parts, and books I make a note of which culture is accepting of what?  Sometimes it's to say or not to say.  Many times, I  offend someone because the American culture is just s...