Hello! This is the infamous travel blog for OWLs (Older Wiser Ladies) ages 40 to 80 plus.
We have traveled the planet in search of comfortable places to be beau-dacious!
Join our adventures!

03 April 2023

A New Start

 Hello, Folks!

My previous websites, 12GoldenKeys.com, and, UniversalTides.com, are now inactive, although, still there somewhere in the metaverse. It's a brand new start, with a brand new website. I hope you'll find everything you need about my books at: www.mjmilne.com

If you have any questions, or you'd like to share your experiences using any of the 12 Golden Keys, you can email me at: mjmauthor at gmail dot com.

Blessings to you in this, our new world that is opening up to us. Use the key, open the door to Soul...

MJ 


 


06 April 2018

Where To Travel?

I always find it difficult deciding where to travel, especially if nothing draws me or I can't hear the call, so to speak. When this happens I ask: where have you never been that you'd like to see before you die? This usually stirs the passion in my soul. So, where haven't I been yet? --- Many places, way too many places to list. I yearn to see Ireland, or to visit places in Scotland where my ancestors were born, mostly Aberdeenshire; then there's Spain and Portugal; there is always the call to revisit Italy and France. Then again, what about somewhere completely different, like Egypt and Jordan? So, where to now, hobbit? --- Life is an adventure. But first you must go out your door!

 



14 March 2016

Have You Been to the Languedoc?



Hello travel-mates!


Anyone passing through the Langue d'doc (Languedoc) in southwestern France? Maybe driving from Barcelona or driving around the Pyrenees? I'm reading my travel journals from 2001 and remembering the fascinating secret mysteries of the Languedoc area (this was two years before Dan Brown's famous novel was published in 2003). It's the land of Troubadours, Mary Magdalene, the Cathars, and Knights Templars. Rennes-le-Chateau and the castle enclosure of Carcassonne (the largest medieval fortress in Europe) are two mysterious and historical places you may want to visit on your journey if in the area. The Languedoc and Provence  is where Mary Magdalene traveled and lived after leaving the Holy Land, supposedly bringing her children whose father was youknowwho. In fact, the cave where she lived and taught pilgrims for 30-years is near Aix-en-Provence.  Pilgrims still venture there to this day.

My most favorite wee town of the Languedoc has nothing to do with mysteries, it's Collioure [photo by MJ Milne] a small seaside village almost at the France-Spain border. Almost as quaint as Cassis. It's where all the Provencal artists hid out to paint and drink, such as Picasso, Matisse, Chagall, etc. There's a cafe in town that has Picasso's on the wall---when he had no money to buy a round, he gave the owner paintings or did a drawing on a napkin!

On your way from the Languedoc toward Provence, is the walled medieval city of Aigues-Mortes and the marshy Camargue with wild horses & cowboys, plus Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer where Mary Magdalene's boat landed near Fitou harbour, a well-traveled trade route in those days, and where the Gypsies meet every May for a festival honoring the Magdalene's black maid Sarah.  Keep your gold rings at home :-)

More Information:
Carcassonne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy2h821BBE0)
Collioure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aTuECHm8vI
Provence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQiqiQudKOQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWIhxHlcCzE
And in French, Rennes-Le-Chateau and the mystery of Saunière & the Lost Treasure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QsoC0N8aoQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gcjNrj9hU

23 February 2016

EUROPE 2016

It's back to Europe this year for moi. Lots of exciting news coming soon. I always post after-the-fact, so you'll have to wait and see. Some of the places will be Paris, Provence, Sicily, Lake Como, and to be continued. Look forward to meetups with some OWLs in various locations. Keep on HOOTING!

Ciao for now,

MJ :-)

24 May 2014

The Big Wedding

Today is the big wedding in Florence of Kanye West and one of the Kardasian sisters. They told the papparazzi it was in Paris, but no it's here in the Barbini Gardens. Unbeknowst to me, I climbed the hills of the Oltrano across the River Arno, up, up, up, and up only to discover the gardens had closed early to prepare. Beyond the iron gate I saw workers setting up. All of Florence is abuzz, meanwhile Ialian demonstrations take place everywhere to denouce the Euro, wanting to return to the countries' national currency. But what the heck, today we dance!

19 May 2014

For Gluten-free Italians

Here's what Euros are worth in May 2014 -- Canadian. I remember when the Euro was 1.34. You'll notice at the bottom is my Italian translation to show restaurant servers that I can't eat gluten. Ha! Now why on earth would a gluten intolerant person go to the land of pasta!

Actually, even the Italians  are struggling with gluten and the Monsanto-mutated wheat. In fact, if you need gluten-free pasta go to the nearest Italian pharmacy and they'll have an entire shelf of non-wheat and non-gluten products. Yes, that's right a pharmacy!

Then bring it to the restaurant of your choice and the chef will cook it for you. Or call ahead and they'll make sure they have it for you.

Ciao for now!

Ready To Go!

Passport, money, ticket...Passport, money, ticket...and wallet sith credit card and bank card(know your PIN numbers not letters). And my carry on size wheelie is good tp gp at 26 pounds. YES! Got my Euros typed up so I know what I'm spending. And I promise myself I will not get ripped off by a taxi cab driver, this time. So bon voyage, meet you in Italy!

02 April 2014

Italy 2014

Getting ready to go. All flights have been booked thanks to Jenny at Travel Concepts, West Vancouver. And I booked my own hotels--pensioni--after much stress and no availability at this late date. Italy is a busy place! Hotels are booked months in advance and here I decide to leave in one and a half months! Yikes! So, I went through all my Italian travel books, and some from the library too, and sent off over two dozen emails. Most of the hotels were full. But they always get cancellations, so keep trying your favorite ones, or call them direct--it helps. I'm trying a monastery this time in the centre of Florence, so it will be quite different. And there's an 11:00 p.m. curfew; it has beautiful gardens to walk in and breakfast is included.

In Florence, I'm meeting my sister (not that kind of "sister", the family kind). She's flying over to be part of a Bowen Therapy workshop and retreat. After a few days in Florence together, we'll be traveling to the Cinque Terre. Hopefully, the winter storm cleanup will be finished and there will be no rain. I tried to get to Vernazza in June 2011 but the rains kept everyone away.

Will keep you posted!
Ciao bella - MJ ;O)

27 March 2013

Go Walkabout

Grab your walking staff because it's time to get off the cruise ships and go walkabout, Ladies! Yes, all right, so a cruise ship has everything---does it have vibrancy and expectation and anticipation and glorious adventure hidden around every corner, and is the contents of the latest food cart still anticipatory? Perhaps, but take a walk OFF THE BOAT and see what's waiting for you!!!! It's part of the journey.

To go on a walkabout you have to first go out your door! So start packing, OWLs. Spring is here and the great adventure awaits you. Let's go walking and touring in the streets of a fascinating city, like Rome, Paris, London, Prague, Athens, or wee Lucca in Italy. So put on your hiking boots and find your own El Camino trail. 

We Older Wiser Ladies love an adventure and a walkabout is the perfect solution to our cruise ship claustrophobia. But hey, when you can't walk, a cruise ship is the next best thing to a walkabout. So I'm not knocking it, I'm just sayin'---choose your adventure wisely and you'll always be amazed! But then, life is always adventurous if you want it to be.

Ciao bella,
OWLs Unite!

BE A HOMEGROWN TOURIST

I'm off to downtown Vancouver today. Why is that such a big deal? Because I hardly ever go downtown. So today I'm venturing "overtown" to the other side of the inlet, over the Lions Gate Bridge. Being a tourist in your own town can be fun. Just walking down a familiar but not oft-visited section of your city can be just as thrilling as re-visiting a suburb of Athens, Greece, or, Rome, Italy. You've visited the place before and now there's no mad dash to see all the hot spots cause you've already seen them. Now you can choose those places you'd like to see again, or simply sip a morning espresso and watch the city come alive!

So today, I'll do that in my own city and enjoy rediscovering the place where I've been living almost all my life. Maybe see you downtown!

Ciao bella,
We, at Older Wiser Ladies, wish you a wonderful day!

PHOTO: What city is this coffee shop located in? Go here for a fabulous espresso!

17 November 2012

From Head to Yor Heart

While you're considering where to travel to, here's something to muse on. . . .


















Happy travels,
M.J.
www.12GoldenKeys.com


Furious Dancing!!!

All right Ladies, it's time for the annual Furious Dancing---winter is here in North America, although my friends in Australia and New Zealand tell me their 'summer' is fantastic so far, so let's start dancing to lighten the depressing greyness of November. Crank the music up and start dancin' . . . or else book a flight to Ozland! Which hotel chain or airline would like to pay me to go there and report on their business? I'm taking offers: mjmbiz at hotmail dot com


Touring Ireland Itinerary

Rick Steves has a tour of Ireland that hits all the important touring stops. But his tours can be pricey, especially if you're a woman traveling on her own because there's an expensive singles-supplement. I understand why many tours do that but that doesn't mean I have to agree with it. However, check out his itinerary and map and you can follow along on your own with a rental car or by bus.

http://tours.ricksteves.com/tours/britain-ireland/ireland


 

Will World End in 12:21:12?



Greetings! I had an interesting conversation last night with the husband of a co-worker who asked me point blank, “So, is the world going to end on December 21, 2012?” To give you an inkling into who he is, this fellow is a friendly Italian who likes to hunt moose, but when he actually shot one he hated it and will never do it again, he said.

In reply to his question and our previous conversation, I spoke nonstop for ten minutes and have no recollection of what I said—Spirit was unusually verbose and speaking through me this evening. From the look on his face and the fact his mouth dropped open, what I said must have been pretty interesting. It wasn’t negative. It was positive, something about . . .

A major consciousness shift has indeed happened already but not necessarily because of some great galactic event, but because there’s a tipping point of thought-energy. Speaking socially / politically, we’re tired of being taken advantage of by Big Banks and Big Government that we (supposedly) elect. We’re tired of pretending that we don’t know what’s going on when each and every one of us knows what “they” are doing and who "they" are, that the medical system feeds Big Pharma who is corrupt and greedy, that Monsanto is selling our brave farmers 'suicide seeds,' and feeding us GMO poisoned food, etc. We know all that because we are already becoming consciously connected to Source/Spirit, and most of the population is waking up together, en masse, realizing we are Conscious Souls living in multiverses of non-physical reality. The "event" is about moving us past a social consciousness and into a universal consciousness.

Okay, thanks, I just wrote out most of what I said, consciously remembering. There was more, but that’s the jist of it. So there will be an “event” of sorts, and I think it’s important for us to do a contemplation on 12:21:12 if only because most of North America will be waiting with baited breath for “something” to happen, and a good portion of the rest of the world, too.

No matter what your belief paradigm, I'm certain we can agree on bringing more LOVE onto our tiny planet EARTH. Contemplate by singing HU and on giving loving energy to the whole, while envisioning the Earth surrounded by the field of a glowing light energy in the shape of a HEART. I mean, like, what else are you going to do on 12:21:12?

To listen to what HU sounds like, go here: http://www.eckankar.org/hu.html

Love is you,
M.J. xoxo
www.12GoldenKeys.com
© M.J. Milne 2012
[HU artwork by Eva]

21 January 2012

WISE WOMYN ELDERS ARISE


Wise Womyn Elders and the Rise of the Feminine Principle
By M. J. Milne

There are over 100-million menopausal womyn on the planet. That’s the population of a small country! In fact, it’s the population of Mexico. What does this mean in the big picture? The word ‘menopause’ means ‘change’ and yes, our world is changing.

It means for the first time in the history of our planet, there are 100-million Wise Womyn Elders whose purpose, whether realized or not, are here to assist en masse in the rise of the feminine-Yin* energies and the shift of our planetary consciousness. This is not by accident; it is ordained.

It also means that as we age and bring in the Goddess/Feminine energies the world is changing from aggressiveness to a heart-based energy---from fear to love.

We are being inundated with fear in the last decades of the aggressive-Yang* domination, a suppressive era. Now the flip side of the same coin, the Yin, is steadily taking its place as the major influence. No matter how much they refuse to change, there’s nothing anyone set in the Yang-based consciousness can do about it because it’s based on the shift of our planetary consciousness.

I believe that most of us---meaning Souls incarnated into a physical body---have not lived to this ripe old age before. Our Elder years are totally new to us. Most of us died in our thirties from such things as rampant plagues (e.g., the Black Plague that swept through Europe in the mid-14th century), all kinds of wars both ancient and present day, earthquakes and ice ages, invading barbarian tribes, bad hygiene practices throughout the Middle Ages, and a million other things that can cause death of the physical body.

So is it any wonder that we the over-sixty crowd are now wondering what we’re supposed to be doing?

The media keeps telling us how we should handle old age, what we should be doing, how we should be planning for retirement, asking us to give over our money so so-and-so-company can help us grow old gracefully, and other such retirement makeovers. There’s no graceful way to age gracefully! You just do it and hope for the best! No amount of planning and preparation will stop the flow and ebb of karmic change and chaos in our lives.

So how do we live gracefully? --- It’s easy to answer that question: Everything comes back to living your life with gratitude and unconditional love.

As you grow older, and hopefully wiser, we are growing closer together with one another. This is because of the rising Yin energies that without even trying are nurturing and loving. We over-sixties are in this together and we can, and are, helping one another. In my book “12 Golden Keys for a New World” I write about helping one another help others. Meaning, help one another. That’s the simplicity of growing older and wiser. We are learning at an accelerated pace that we’re in this together and we’re meant to help each other thrive, not only Elders, but young people too. Young people are banding together. 

Unfortunately, the media calls them ‘gangs’ giving them negative connotations, but they are actually meant to be similar to ‘pods’ assisting one another as a pod of dolphins swimming in unison.

We are in this ocean of love and mercy together. Start swimming in unison.

Copyright © 2012 M. J. Milne

[*Footnote: In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang (yīnyáng) describes how seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world. Yin is characterized as slow, soft, yielding; the intuitive, receptive, nurturing side of ourselves; and is associated with the moon and femininity. Yang, by contrast, is fast, hard, solid, and aggressive; the action-oriented, forceful side of ourselves; and is associated with fire, the sun, and masculinity.]

Artwork by Georgia Lambert, 'Chalice Well Deva'