anadiomene

The success of a trip can defined by many measure, my weekend in Uruguay, La Barra – truly one of my favorite all time destinations – was not as I expected. The cold was fiercer than I was, and I was nothing but unprepared.  Hence, I spend a lot of time indoors, a lot of time sleeping and an equal amount curled up in bed enjoying all there is to enjoy of a man I truly love and admire “JL Borges”.  Very few writers of his era are able to tease, dance and inspire with the flow and play of words as he does – and actually even less writers are able to do so today.  So other than a top meal at La Posta Del Cangrejo, and a great stay at Le Club, the only other highlight was the discovery of the writer ‘Eduardo Galeano’, I finally bought the book open veins of Latin America, bit of an eye opener – I guess we know all about the history, but rarely do we see it in all its naked truth.  So a cold stormy weekend, turned into the perfect opportunity to enjoy, be inspired and savor time with some of the best writers and thinkers in Latin America has to offer…. am sure there are many more, but I’ll save them for other long rainy days….. 

From Open veins of Latin America:
“We have maintained a silence closely resembling stupidity”  - From the revolutionary proclamation of the junta tuitiva,
La Paz, July 16 1809

And it’s a very weird feeling too – it only hit me the other day, on the street in the city I saw a Buenos Aires billboard and I realized this is it – the moment – that I spent 6 months waiting and hoping for – its here and its now!  I’ve had little time to let that or any thoughts sink in for the last few months.  Had a great send off – which I thank most dearly to the friends that were able to attend at the last minute. It was such an amazing night and I really wish I could’ve taken everyone with me. And since then have been full pace ahead – and dealing with the common reaction to locales when I say I am living here, which is followed by a why and then the full interrogation as for them it seems so hard to believe.  Then they ask how long I’m staying for – my standard response it depends on the day, as not all days are created equal, and I suffer on some more than others.  But then trying to get the office organized, find a flat and sort everything out is neither fun, nor easy.  But I keep following up with most used phrase (just to manage my own expectations and stop myself from going mad) ‘little by little’, am getting there slowly but surely.  At the end of the day, my dream of going to a few polo games as well as the final was realized, and La Dolfina won (yippee) – it truly was a great day.  I also had fun new years, in my favorite bar, under the stars at Belushi, dancing the night away – which I hope will mean this is going to be a super year, and I can make all my other dreams, hopes and aspirations come true too.  And I wish the same success to everyone else who I am lucky enough to have in my life – HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! ;-*

‘Pilgrims are poets who create by taking journeys’
Niebuhr

Click to open gallery

This goes down as probably the most amazing place that I’ve been lucky enough to have had the chance to visit.  It was everything I had hoped for – other than all the tourists which seem to come as part and parcel with every site nowadays.  The only thing missing was the dragon which you have expected to fly over head and swoop in any minute.  I also slept on the isle, which luckily not everyone does, so after the last buses leave I had the place to myself and on the last day I got up at 7 – and I had the whole place to myself other than a few cleaners. I loved the hotel I stayed at, more like a room at the inn – very simple but comfortable, friendly, affordable and in a great spot. The food was also real basic, but tasty French as only the French can do. On the day I went up into the abbey I was also lucky it was a Sunday, entered just in time for the church service – which was pretty wow – and of course fascinating and sounded more magic as it was all in French, the sage smoke/ music/ singing all set the stage, I have to say that I have never felt more at peace or even closer to god’ if I would be one to say such a thing.  I really felt swept back to as it would / could have been a hundreds of years ago. It was enchantingly magic and I would highly recommend it to anyone – pilgrim or not! 
To read: The art of Pilgrimage
Hotel where I stayed: Mouton Blanc
A friends B&B nearby: Tulip Noir

I missed the last bus and as information was scarce had to catch a taxi, so as a warning and safe guard here at the bus times to Saint Mont Michel from Rennes:
Mon – Sat:                   9.30, 9.40 
Everyday:                    11.30, 17.30
Except Sat:                  18.30
Saturday:                    18.40
Sun & public days:         12.30
If this doesn’t work out you can also catch train to Pontorson as there are more buses from there or a much cheaper taxi.  Good luck.

http://www.linktv.org/globalspirit/wisdom 

I watched through tears, how can we not in the west feel responsible for where we are right now – the mess that we have gotten ourselves into – and the looming question is can we with the same amount of force wake up and make the changes needed. Can we change our mindset, our hearts, can we learn to listen – re-connect to the planet and let go of our ego. I would like to think so, but I fear there are so many people out there that will not wake up until the moment of true catastrophe – right now we live in a time of warnings. I love this film, I have always thought and believed in the wisdom of indigenous people – for what might sound simple is actually the most profound.  Thank you all for sharing your wisdom, I hope you can get this into schools – where the adults of tomorrow can start seeing the world with new eyes. Anyway, and everyone out there I highly recommend you also take half an hour of your time to enjoy some other cultures perspectives to life and the world in which we live.

Click to open gallery 
Like there is such a thing as life after BA.  But the good thing is I did get to experience a bit of BA here, Fernando Fierro played last week at the Bimhuis – and despite the naff toilet paper decorations they took me all the way back to the crazy energy that is BA. Had a great time… Then headed off for a madcapped 4 days in London attending conferences, catching up with friends and trying to squeeze in a little unsuccessful shopping. But oh how the city has changed, much cleaner, and more spacious – more cyclists, and they are obviously already getting it all ready for the Olympics which is great to see. Just goes to show you can change anything if you really want to.  Next France, then Athens – aiming for full world domination…..

6 May , 2006

So why do we have that urge as humans to move… to believe that there must be better more luscious pastures elsewhere. Is it due to some build up of our psyche which is never satisfied with what we have, or is it a sub-conscious nomadic past that we have not quite been able to forget? As nomads we followed the sun or our food sources…. Today there are many people who long to or do the same. Of course there are those who talk about it and never manage to take that first big step. There are those that take the step, like their new pasture and stay. Or those like myself; forever restless, always moving – sometimes back to old countries – and sometimes more often, onto new ones. No, not always successfully, but not doing to badly either.

And although while others of my species aspire and attempt to take that first step of moving – I long for another step; that of actually staying – maybe even forever?? Somewhere to call home, where I could stay evermore, which still to a nomad like myself, sounds like a very long time!

But if you have ever moved country, you might just understand. It’s not quite as dreamy and adventurous as it first sounds. While your imagination runs wild on the possibilities, the actual reality is what jolts you back down to earth. And while I have only trans-located to over 12 cities in 8 different countries there comes a definite point where you just want a real home. Learning yet another language becomes harder every time as the more languages you know the more jumbled your (well my) brain becomes. Adapting to a new culture and way or live – this I found to be the most difficult in places where you least expect it, for me both the place I grew up as well as the country I was born. And while I have been incredibly lucky, meeting new friends, the older you get and the less you go out, this also becomes harder and harder.

Although do not for a minute get me wrong, while I have loved every challenge and country for different reasons, and they all led to me being who I am and what I am about today – there just comes a point, where I would like to wake up in the morning, knowing I belong, and that I am home. I can travel, use it as a base, however when that plane comes in to I know that I am home.

Hence following a period of complete mediocrity in my life, with the steady job, nice house, good friends in a well organised but unchallenging country – I decided to throw a spanner in the works. So, after full analysis of my situation; of my wants, needs, and desires for the future, as well as incredibly long lists of possible places and opportunities. I narrowed it down to 2 places, one where I could earn a lot of money and the other where I could, and would really be able to call home. I went for Italy as I could see it being my home and due to the fact I that I wanted to retire there anyway, I figured now was a good as time as any to see if I could learn the language and make any of those dreams a reality. This is all based on logic, on the somewhat more un-logical side, I also had a dream about this magical place I would call home. When I looked it up in the following morning, it not only existed but it also sounded enchanting and very much a reflection of the elements I had dreamed about. So a few weeks later I headed off to see if the actuality resembled my dream or my logic. And I wasn’t at all disappointed, so within the space of 2 weeks, I’d rented my house, stored my things, found a place to rent in Sicily and was on the plane and out of a life of mediocrity and into a whole new adventure. The start of my journey had begun…….

And is the grass here greener? No it’s just different like anywhere else. 11 months later I am still here – living my adventure and my dreams. There are days it is better and days it is not, here the grass grows in the sun, near the sea and a different pace to life. There is no pressure, the unconditional love one receives from family and friends – the nourishment it gets from the un-processed home made food builds a different kind of strength. The things that are important in life vary and people live from moment to moment, here in the now, not in yesterday or tomorrow. This brings one closer to the moment more absorbed by what is happening –one grows, and basks in life and moves on as you would anywhere. It’s not greener, but it is my grass…. And I feel finally I am in my garden and it’s just as green as I would have wanted it, and I won’t be going home as I am here already….. Now all I need to do is to keep sowing the seeds and watching them grow.