I have a flat in Paris! It's beautiful, it's perfect. Right on the edge of "Le Marais", in the heart of the old city. And I have a courtyard...a French one, where I can look out and see windowsills overflowing with flowers. And inside, it is a cozy but elegant studio with an adorable little kitchen. Tall ceilings, equipped with an antique crystal chandelier and walls covered in paintings remind me that I am in Paris. I love it here. And it is mine for 2 weeks. My location is perfect. I am technically in the 3rd arrondisement, on the right bank of the Seine River...known as the "quieter part of Le Marais". But, a few steps and I am in the bustling frenzy of it all...with alluring Jewish pastry shops and art galleries on every corner. And...the best Gelato in town! This is exactly where I had envisioned myself...and here I am!
I am excited for this weekend and am in the process of making plans. Chocolate is on the agenda and lots of it. For Halloween, one of the events I plan to attend is called, "Salon du Chocolat" at the Paris Expo. It just happens to be the world's largest event dedicated to chocolate. Sounds appropriate!
Happy Halloween to everyone! :)
Friday, October 29, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
At the Airport
I am at the airport. The trip to Budapest has ended and I am returning back to Paris. I have missed France and French culture this week! In fact, when passing French tourists on the street one day in Budapest, I stopped to listen and felt immediately warmed and nostalgic...how funny.
Anyway, there have been a variety of adventures here in this new landscape called Hungary. Some good, some I could have happily done without...including an impromptu escape over a locked fence! (More on that later...)
Today, I saw a pigeon in the subway. He/she was down by the escalators, all alone, determinedly eating crumbs on the floor. Completely unconcerned about being enclosed, indoors, or the many people walking by in very close proximity, she didn't even bother to flutter her feathers to move out of the way of foot traffic. She just held her ground. It seemed strange and drew my attention. In some way, I thought, I must be like this pigeon...either I am, or I need to learn to be...? There must be a poetic metaphor here...any thoughts, dear reader?
Anyway, although I can't say I was completely enchanted with Budapest and Hungarian culture...particularly the seemingly high population of homeless people for such a small city..., I did meet some really interesting people that I am glad to know and I do hope I will see again in the future. However, I'm glad to be returning to Paris and I think the contrast has helped me appreciate it even more.
Anyway, there have been a variety of adventures here in this new landscape called Hungary. Some good, some I could have happily done without...including an impromptu escape over a locked fence! (More on that later...)
Today, I saw a pigeon in the subway. He/she was down by the escalators, all alone, determinedly eating crumbs on the floor. Completely unconcerned about being enclosed, indoors, or the many people walking by in very close proximity, she didn't even bother to flutter her feathers to move out of the way of foot traffic. She just held her ground. It seemed strange and drew my attention. In some way, I thought, I must be like this pigeon...either I am, or I need to learn to be...? There must be a poetic metaphor here...any thoughts, dear reader?
Anyway, although I can't say I was completely enchanted with Budapest and Hungarian culture...particularly the seemingly high population of homeless people for such a small city..., I did meet some really interesting people that I am glad to know and I do hope I will see again in the future. However, I'm glad to be returning to Paris and I think the contrast has helped me appreciate it even more.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Lost
So I've been writing lots of accounts of my activities lately...but the question is, where am I in all of this? The truth is, I am still not really sure. I feel myself still hiding in the shadows. Now, completing my 5th week of travel, I have not taken one dance class, have not sung one song to anyone (except to teach a song to the Turkish group for the play and to learn a children's song in French from a friend). I am exploring, but I still feel lost...why do I remain so allusive to the things I want most, and vice versa? I can't chase after my dreams, I have to situate myself in a place where I can allow them to manifest. I just don't seem to understand how to arrive at that place!
My current host is a recording engineer. Is that I sign that I am getting closer to something I desire, or just another vague breeze that will meaninglessly pass me by? Will I end up recording something in his basement, meet other musicians, make connections...or will it just end up an ironic coincidence that he has a recording studio in his home?
I am not ready to go home yet. I still need time to be away from everything familiar and any predetermined roles...so I am deeply grateful for the next few weeks ahead. I pray that some of this time will somehow, by some magic guide me more deeply into the inaccessible parts of myself, so that I may find my direction! I pray, pray, pray!
It's strange and funny to travel and witness everyone running around in their lives, caught up in their immediate surroundings and day to day realities...and feel that I don't have this luxury...to just feel my place in the world, be grounded in my duties, friends, responsibilities. My world feels so overwhelmingly big, that I end up feeling lost. Other times, it feels so painfully small that I can't breathe and that also makes me feel even more lost...
Simultaneously, I feel so grateful for the opportunity to gain this broader perspective and be able to witness so many concurrent realities, so many ways to be a human, to create a life, to design your place in the world...I just realized, I meet many people I envy in one regard or another, but a precious few who actually inspire me to live a richer, more gutsy life. I want to meet more of these people!
Sitting down to write this blog entry, the song on Hungarian radio went like this..."I've gained the world and lost my soul, maybe it's cause I'm getting old. All the people that I know, have gained the world and lost their souls..." Yikes. That's so...ominous!
My current host is a recording engineer. Is that I sign that I am getting closer to something I desire, or just another vague breeze that will meaninglessly pass me by? Will I end up recording something in his basement, meet other musicians, make connections...or will it just end up an ironic coincidence that he has a recording studio in his home?
I am not ready to go home yet. I still need time to be away from everything familiar and any predetermined roles...so I am deeply grateful for the next few weeks ahead. I pray that some of this time will somehow, by some magic guide me more deeply into the inaccessible parts of myself, so that I may find my direction! I pray, pray, pray!
It's strange and funny to travel and witness everyone running around in their lives, caught up in their immediate surroundings and day to day realities...and feel that I don't have this luxury...to just feel my place in the world, be grounded in my duties, friends, responsibilities. My world feels so overwhelmingly big, that I end up feeling lost. Other times, it feels so painfully small that I can't breathe and that also makes me feel even more lost...
Simultaneously, I feel so grateful for the opportunity to gain this broader perspective and be able to witness so many concurrent realities, so many ways to be a human, to create a life, to design your place in the world...I just realized, I meet many people I envy in one regard or another, but a precious few who actually inspire me to live a richer, more gutsy life. I want to meet more of these people!
Sitting down to write this blog entry, the song on Hungarian radio went like this..."I've gained the world and lost my soul, maybe it's cause I'm getting old. All the people that I know, have gained the world and lost their souls..." Yikes. That's so...ominous!
Friday, October 22, 2010
3 a,m.
It's almost 3am, but I can't sleep yet. I just got back to my new crash pad in Budapest after a night of gallivanting with my new host. We went to an "underground" concert in some obscure part of town that seemed on outskirts and involved taking a series of buses and a tram...then walking through warehouse parking lots till we finally found a locked door that opened when we knocked. It was a hippy-musician commune that housed around 15 people. The band was good; an ensemble of 3 guys: a keyboard player, percussionist and bass guitarist, and 2 girls: a lead singer and a flautist/back-up singer. They had a very middle-eastern-meets-lounge sound. The lead singer oozed with sensuality, as she wailed and trilled in various languages.
I tried a shot of the traditional Hungarian liquor, made from plums and known as "Pálinka".
After the concert, we made our way to the city center via another series of buses and a tram, and met a nice Hungarian friend of my host. We went for tea and chatted as we listened to old '80's songs. Then we went for French fries at a Turkish joint. There is a lot of Turkish food in Budapest. And all Europeans seem to like to put mayonnaise on their French fries.
I tried a shot of the traditional Hungarian liquor, made from plums and known as "Pálinka".
After the concert, we made our way to the city center via another series of buses and a tram, and met a nice Hungarian friend of my host. We went for tea and chatted as we listened to old '80's songs. Then we went for French fries at a Turkish joint. There is a lot of Turkish food in Budapest. And all Europeans seem to like to put mayonnaise on their French fries.
Adventures in Hungary
It's interesting to experience autumn in a new part of the world. Familiar smells and tastes of windy days, falling leaves and hot chocolate, mingle with unfamiliar sights of foreign streets and languages yet unknown. This is my 3rd day in Hungary.
My first night here, I spent the evening in a charming and mysterious underground pub...located on a shady street. I was led there at night...to an apartment building across from an elementary school, that appeared empty and dark from the outside. The only clue was an empty, gold picture frame hanging above the door. We rang the doorbell, the door slowly opened, and we were led into a cozy room with a glowing wood stove and an eclectic variety of old Russian radios hanging on the walls. From the ceiling hung a pair of old, wooden skis. The walls were carpeted, there were old-fashioned lamps, upholstered chairs and antique tables. American hard rock clanged from the speakers...Teenage Wasteland and other such classics. There was an upstairs and a downstairs room, but I preferred downstairs, where the cigarette smoke was less concentrated. It was a fun evening and I imagine it was a glimpse into what the American speak-easy days might have been like...when alcohol was forbidden and the nightlife was hidden...
I have made a new female friend my age. She has been my couchsurfing host for the past 2 nights. I am always excited to hit it off with a woman my own age...for some reason, it is a rare experience. She is Hungarian and studying Spanish with the hopes to move to Barcelona. I spent all day yesterday talking with her on many topics from dating, to hitchhiking Europe, to employment opportunities in Spain, to the variant degrees of modesty for women in different cultures. In the evening, she led me to a Hungarian pancake house (a version of the French Crepe) and we chatted over chocolate-smothered pancakes and tea. Then we walked in the crisp autumn air up many outdoor stairs, to a castle tower. With the moon almost full and an amazing view of the city, we chatted away, enchanted by the sights. Both of us grew up with older brothers and tend to have more male friends then female, so I think we both felt a little hungry for this quality woman-time. Or at least, I know I did.
On the way down, after visiting 2 hill-top castles, my new friend mentioned that she happened to have my favorite night-cap beverage at home: dark, Jamaican rum. So, we made a pit-stop back at her apt. Picked up enough for 2 shots each, then went out again for some hot chocolate. For her, it was a winning combo. For me...I couldn't quite stomach it!
Next, we met Toni at a Turkish restaurant which appeared to be a fast food joint at first glance...but then you go down to the basement and it's a Hookah lounge with traditional ambiance and cushioned tables on the floor. We hung out there, nibbling on salads, rice and veggies for awhile. None of us cared for smoking. After a while, a band of young, male musicians crowded into a corner near us and began playing a guitar and various old time, traditional instruments...wooden flutes, etc. It was great. One of them took a fancy to me from across the room and in shy, broken English told me I looked really nice. They invited us to a party where they were going to play music. We declined.
Today, I hit Hero's Square, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Modern Art Gallery. Now, I am taking a break in a coffee shop. A beautiful, sunny and warmish fall day, it has also had some tinges of loneliness and a bit of nostalgia for the familiar. Still eager to keep traveling and feeling greedy for more experiences abroad, I somehow have these moments that mingle in of wanting to be nurtured, to be close those I know well.
My first night here, I spent the evening in a charming and mysterious underground pub...located on a shady street. I was led there at night...to an apartment building across from an elementary school, that appeared empty and dark from the outside. The only clue was an empty, gold picture frame hanging above the door. We rang the doorbell, the door slowly opened, and we were led into a cozy room with a glowing wood stove and an eclectic variety of old Russian radios hanging on the walls. From the ceiling hung a pair of old, wooden skis. The walls were carpeted, there were old-fashioned lamps, upholstered chairs and antique tables. American hard rock clanged from the speakers...Teenage Wasteland and other such classics. There was an upstairs and a downstairs room, but I preferred downstairs, where the cigarette smoke was less concentrated. It was a fun evening and I imagine it was a glimpse into what the American speak-easy days might have been like...when alcohol was forbidden and the nightlife was hidden...
I have made a new female friend my age. She has been my couchsurfing host for the past 2 nights. I am always excited to hit it off with a woman my own age...for some reason, it is a rare experience. She is Hungarian and studying Spanish with the hopes to move to Barcelona. I spent all day yesterday talking with her on many topics from dating, to hitchhiking Europe, to employment opportunities in Spain, to the variant degrees of modesty for women in different cultures. In the evening, she led me to a Hungarian pancake house (a version of the French Crepe) and we chatted over chocolate-smothered pancakes and tea. Then we walked in the crisp autumn air up many outdoor stairs, to a castle tower. With the moon almost full and an amazing view of the city, we chatted away, enchanted by the sights. Both of us grew up with older brothers and tend to have more male friends then female, so I think we both felt a little hungry for this quality woman-time. Or at least, I know I did.
On the way down, after visiting 2 hill-top castles, my new friend mentioned that she happened to have my favorite night-cap beverage at home: dark, Jamaican rum. So, we made a pit-stop back at her apt. Picked up enough for 2 shots each, then went out again for some hot chocolate. For her, it was a winning combo. For me...I couldn't quite stomach it!
Next, we met Toni at a Turkish restaurant which appeared to be a fast food joint at first glance...but then you go down to the basement and it's a Hookah lounge with traditional ambiance and cushioned tables on the floor. We hung out there, nibbling on salads, rice and veggies for awhile. None of us cared for smoking. After a while, a band of young, male musicians crowded into a corner near us and began playing a guitar and various old time, traditional instruments...wooden flutes, etc. It was great. One of them took a fancy to me from across the room and in shy, broken English told me I looked really nice. They invited us to a party where they were going to play music. We declined.
Today, I hit Hero's Square, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Modern Art Gallery. Now, I am taking a break in a coffee shop. A beautiful, sunny and warmish fall day, it has also had some tinges of loneliness and a bit of nostalgia for the familiar. Still eager to keep traveling and feeling greedy for more experiences abroad, I somehow have these moments that mingle in of wanting to be nurtured, to be close those I know well.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Arrival in Budapest
I arrived in Budapest this morning. My friend Toni, who I met at Mission Wolf in Colorado last winter and who invited me to visit here, picked me up at the airport. He took me into the city and treated me to the best pizza in Budapest. It was admittedly delicious.
Budapest is a quiet, pretty, tame city so far as I can tell at first glance. Today is cold and rainy and last night in Paris I got no sleep...so that makes walking the wide, long streets here a bit tedious, even though they are beautiful.
This afternoon, I met a couchsurfer from Germany and his friend from the Philippines at the big spa I mentioned in the post below. It was enormous. I paid and went in to change, but found the setting and ambiance a bit spooky...it was huge and ornate, but very clinical feeling, with big, long corridors and people dressed all in white, with plastic slippers bustling about. Apparently, it is a spa, health center for the elderly and hospital, with different wings that all seem to merge. It reminded me of the old time asylums for "mad" people. It was creepy. In the women's changing room, the floors were tiled and dirty and there was no option to have slippers or anything on your feet. The whole atmosphere weirded me out and I decided not to partake in the baths. It was a huge escapade to get a refund, which took half an hour of insisting. I felt pretty "mad" by the time I got out of there!
Then I came to Moscow Square, where I am now. I hate to admit this, but I am in McDonald's! My feet are aching from walking all day with my bags and I was craving a place to sit and write with free internet and a vanilla milkshake. So, here is one of those rare times where I sell out to Micky D's.
In a little while I will meet with my couchsurfing host here in Hungary. I hope I like her!
Budapest is a quiet, pretty, tame city so far as I can tell at first glance. Today is cold and rainy and last night in Paris I got no sleep...so that makes walking the wide, long streets here a bit tedious, even though they are beautiful.
This afternoon, I met a couchsurfer from Germany and his friend from the Philippines at the big spa I mentioned in the post below. It was enormous. I paid and went in to change, but found the setting and ambiance a bit spooky...it was huge and ornate, but very clinical feeling, with big, long corridors and people dressed all in white, with plastic slippers bustling about. Apparently, it is a spa, health center for the elderly and hospital, with different wings that all seem to merge. It reminded me of the old time asylums for "mad" people. It was creepy. In the women's changing room, the floors were tiled and dirty and there was no option to have slippers or anything on your feet. The whole atmosphere weirded me out and I decided not to partake in the baths. It was a huge escapade to get a refund, which took half an hour of insisting. I felt pretty "mad" by the time I got out of there!
Then I came to Moscow Square, where I am now. I hate to admit this, but I am in McDonald's! My feet are aching from walking all day with my bags and I was craving a place to sit and write with free internet and a vanilla milkshake. So, here is one of those rare times where I sell out to Micky D's.
In a little while I will meet with my couchsurfing host here in Hungary. I hope I like her!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Week 2 in Paris
I am proud to announce that today I rented my very first flat in Paris! Rue Archives. Right in the heart of it all: Le Marais. Well, technically the 3 arrondisement, but close enough! It is a very sweet, charming, classical French studio with a tidy kitchen, a comfy double bed, a quaint dining table, plenty of paintings on the walls, an ancient bathtub, and a courtyard. I am on the 2nd floor and wonders of wonders...there's even a lift (elevator)! I begin living there on Oct. 26 and will stay for two weeks. Hooray!
My second week in Paris has included many wonders such as: My first French roadtrip...(woohoo!)...an excursion with a friend to Val de Loire...land of many castles (we visited 3, including Chateau de Chambord: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Chambord), Eating French Fondue, Eating a home-made, 5 course meal, witnessing my first French worker;s strike (3 milliom strong) on Boulevard San Germaine, Attending an American movie at the cinema, Having tea at the Swedish Institute, practicing French with several new language partners, Drinking orange-infused hot chocolate, Watching part of a Flamenco dance class, visiting the suburbs, picking apples, making new friends, seeing the film "P.S. I Love You", visiting the home of Leonardo da Vinci, and many hours and days spent searching the city for a temporary flat...which paid off!
And today, I was offered a modeling job for trashy lingerie...which I turned down. Now, I leave for the airport in less than one hour (it is 4:15 am here) to go to Budapest for 1 week! I think I will try to rest for at least a few minutes!
My second week in Paris has included many wonders such as: My first French roadtrip...(woohoo!)...an excursion with a friend to Val de Loire...land of many castles (we visited 3, including Chateau de Chambord: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Chambord), Eating French Fondue, Eating a home-made, 5 course meal, witnessing my first French worker;s strike (3 milliom strong) on Boulevard San Germaine, Attending an American movie at the cinema, Having tea at the Swedish Institute, practicing French with several new language partners, Drinking orange-infused hot chocolate, Watching part of a Flamenco dance class, visiting the suburbs, picking apples, making new friends, seeing the film "P.S. I Love You", visiting the home of Leonardo da Vinci, and many hours and days spent searching the city for a temporary flat...which paid off!
And today, I was offered a modeling job for trashy lingerie...which I turned down. Now, I leave for the airport in less than one hour (it is 4:15 am here) to go to Budapest for 1 week! I think I will try to rest for at least a few minutes!
Monday, October 11, 2010
1 Week in Paris
I arrived in Paris exactly one week ago. This week has included a satisfying consumption of pastries, drinks in bars with friends, a couple of days of being home sick with a cold (my medicine was raw garlic and spicy Indian take-outs delivered to my doorstep), witnessing my first Burlesque show (my favorite was the Australian girl who I had met earlier that day at my flat...she danced as Prince...it was hysterically funny and really well done!), eating late-night crepes, a Parisian picnic at Sacre Coeur, witnessing a wild parade and wandering through a wine and food harvest festival in Montemartre, and an elegant dinner at a friend's apt.
A very satisfying start to this month and a half I will spend here. I have yet to find some dance classes, rent a temporary flat, and explore a million other things this beautiful city has to offer!
A very satisfying start to this month and a half I will spend here. I have yet to find some dance classes, rent a temporary flat, and explore a million other things this beautiful city has to offer!
The Performance in Turkey
I feel there is yet still more due on telling of my experiences in Turkey. I have not told of the deeply stirring experience of witnessing the reactions of the children as they watched the original show we created. Despite bad lighting, a tiny stage and poor visibility, the children in the audience could not have been more enraptured. Straining in their seats for a better view, their eyes were wide and sparkling, as though they were at a movie premier.
At one point in the afternoon performance, I was moved to tears during a poignant moment in the show, as I watched how openly the children were absorbing the message of inclusion and diversity. I thought, "Wow. Here I am in this country I had never even expected to visit, in some city I've never even heard of, and I just helped create an experience that is stirring the hearts and minds of 600 kids." It was both humbling and empowering to realize the possibilities that were indicated in this experience.
And then, at the end of the show I was honored with a huge bouquet of flowers and deeply acknowledged by the heads of the University, who told me privately that they hated to imagine what would have happened to the project if I had not come. Outside the school entrance, hoards of children were waiting like Paparazzi to catch a glimpse of the "stars" of the show. We were goggled at by shy teenagers who desperately wanted to shake our hands, ask our names, have their photos taken with us. It was like walking the red carpet at a film promotion! They followed us in large crowds, to our "tour bus" and once we were on, one bold teenage girl, snuck her way onto the bus, asking to meet one of the blonde Latvian guys! Shy and only 17, this guy was suddenly a teen idol! As we drove away for lunch, dozens of children stood waiving.
After all was said and done, I was paid 250 euros by the University, as a contribution toward my expenses in coming to volunteer in this project. My first pay in euros! It was a cool moment.
Oh, and I have not mentioned that the Bollywood dance that I choreographed to the song "Ringa Ringa", from Slum Dog Millionaire (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zPi6w1TWBg), was a huge success! We set it as our grand finale to the show, inspired by the Bollywood tradition, where all the characters of a story, friends and foes, come together at the end to dance in celebration. With 25-30 people dancing on stage, it was crowded and a bit chaotic. I danced in front of the stage, leading the guys part and the girls all danced on the stage (the stage was too small to fit the whole cast at once). Many of the cast were doubtful about the dance and had trouble remembering the steps. Everyone liked the idea of ending with Bollywood, but nervous about the execution.
The show was diverse in style, a combination of pantomime, music, comedy, drama and clowning. When, at the end of each performance I posed the question to the audience, "What was your favorite part?", we all expected the answer to be " The clowns"...but instead it was, to our great surprise, an emphatic and unanimous..."Bollywood!" And then all the children started clapping in rhythm and chanting for an encore!
Thus, after both shows, we had to perform the entire dance a second time through! After the second show, we danced the encore to the much faster song, "Jai Ho" and it was funny, as though in fast forward! We invited all the children onstage to dance it with us...and many of them happily joined us, jumping up and down merrily.
At one point in the afternoon performance, I was moved to tears during a poignant moment in the show, as I watched how openly the children were absorbing the message of inclusion and diversity. I thought, "Wow. Here I am in this country I had never even expected to visit, in some city I've never even heard of, and I just helped create an experience that is stirring the hearts and minds of 600 kids." It was both humbling and empowering to realize the possibilities that were indicated in this experience.
And then, at the end of the show I was honored with a huge bouquet of flowers and deeply acknowledged by the heads of the University, who told me privately that they hated to imagine what would have happened to the project if I had not come. Outside the school entrance, hoards of children were waiting like Paparazzi to catch a glimpse of the "stars" of the show. We were goggled at by shy teenagers who desperately wanted to shake our hands, ask our names, have their photos taken with us. It was like walking the red carpet at a film promotion! They followed us in large crowds, to our "tour bus" and once we were on, one bold teenage girl, snuck her way onto the bus, asking to meet one of the blonde Latvian guys! Shy and only 17, this guy was suddenly a teen idol! As we drove away for lunch, dozens of children stood waiving.
After all was said and done, I was paid 250 euros by the University, as a contribution toward my expenses in coming to volunteer in this project. My first pay in euros! It was a cool moment.
Oh, and I have not mentioned that the Bollywood dance that I choreographed to the song "Ringa Ringa", from Slum Dog Millionaire (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zPi6w1TWBg), was a huge success! We set it as our grand finale to the show, inspired by the Bollywood tradition, where all the characters of a story, friends and foes, come together at the end to dance in celebration. With 25-30 people dancing on stage, it was crowded and a bit chaotic. I danced in front of the stage, leading the guys part and the girls all danced on the stage (the stage was too small to fit the whole cast at once). Many of the cast were doubtful about the dance and had trouble remembering the steps. Everyone liked the idea of ending with Bollywood, but nervous about the execution.
The show was diverse in style, a combination of pantomime, music, comedy, drama and clowning. When, at the end of each performance I posed the question to the audience, "What was your favorite part?", we all expected the answer to be " The clowns"...but instead it was, to our great surprise, an emphatic and unanimous..."Bollywood!" And then all the children started clapping in rhythm and chanting for an encore!
Thus, after both shows, we had to perform the entire dance a second time through! After the second show, we danced the encore to the much faster song, "Jai Ho" and it was funny, as though in fast forward! We invited all the children onstage to dance it with us...and many of them happily joined us, jumping up and down merrily.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
A Bit More About Turkey
There's so much of my trip to Turkey that I never sat down and blogged about...such as the day I tried driving in Istanbul...in a Ford, of all things! Or the fact that that same day I crossed the bridge over the Bosphorus River that straddles Europe and Asia. Within half an hour and without leaving the same city, you can cross two continents.
Here is one entry (transcribed) that I wrote by hand my last evening in Turkey on Oct. 3, 2010:
"This is my last night in Turkey and I am spending some quiet time by myself in Sultanahmet. Sipping red wine, nibbling on olives and pita, waiting for an aubergiene and lamb kebab...this is by far the most atmospheric and relaxing dining I have had so far on this trip...which seems a good segue to arriving in Paris tomorrow.
Today, I went to the Spice Bazaar and then spent the evening in the Hammam (Turkish Bath) with an American girl from Wisconsin who is living here in Istanbul. While we were in the Hammam, there was a 4.4 earthquake in the Marmara Sea. It was mildly felt here in the city, causing furniture to rattle around, but in the ancient, stone walls of the Hammam, we were completely unaware.
The Hammam was bizarre...not nearly as luxurious as the one I went to last winter in the South of Spain, yet more expensive. We couldn't afford the option with massage, so we took the middle-grade option, which was a hot water soak, plus "body scrub and soap". We undressed (women only in this bath house) and, cloaked in towel wraps, walked into a huge, circular, gray-marble room with a large, round stone in the center. The stone was covered with nude women of all ages and body types, waiting their turn to be soaped down.
The attendents reminded me of Oompa Loompas. They were a full squad of short, fat, Turkish women in black bikinis who all seemed to look the same and ordered you to lie down on your towel, while they roughly threw warm buckets of water over you. The scrubbing felt great and then came massive amounts of foamy soap that inescapably made its way into your face and ears, prompting more buckets of water to be hurled at you in almost sinking-pirate-ship fashion. My favorite part was the 30 second foot massage.
After the scrub, came a shampoo that was equally foamy and splashy. Then, you were sent to finish off in the bath, which disappointingly consisted of a relatively small, cavernous room with murky-looking water and bad lighting. I wasn't very impressed, but I did enjoy sitting in the bright and airy lounge afterward, sipping tea and watching the Oompa Loompa ladies taking their break."
Here is one entry (transcribed) that I wrote by hand my last evening in Turkey on Oct. 3, 2010:
"This is my last night in Turkey and I am spending some quiet time by myself in Sultanahmet. Sipping red wine, nibbling on olives and pita, waiting for an aubergiene and lamb kebab...this is by far the most atmospheric and relaxing dining I have had so far on this trip...which seems a good segue to arriving in Paris tomorrow.
Today, I went to the Spice Bazaar and then spent the evening in the Hammam (Turkish Bath) with an American girl from Wisconsin who is living here in Istanbul. While we were in the Hammam, there was a 4.4 earthquake in the Marmara Sea. It was mildly felt here in the city, causing furniture to rattle around, but in the ancient, stone walls of the Hammam, we were completely unaware.
The Hammam was bizarre...not nearly as luxurious as the one I went to last winter in the South of Spain, yet more expensive. We couldn't afford the option with massage, so we took the middle-grade option, which was a hot water soak, plus "body scrub and soap". We undressed (women only in this bath house) and, cloaked in towel wraps, walked into a huge, circular, gray-marble room with a large, round stone in the center. The stone was covered with nude women of all ages and body types, waiting their turn to be soaped down.
The attendents reminded me of Oompa Loompas. They were a full squad of short, fat, Turkish women in black bikinis who all seemed to look the same and ordered you to lie down on your towel, while they roughly threw warm buckets of water over you. The scrubbing felt great and then came massive amounts of foamy soap that inescapably made its way into your face and ears, prompting more buckets of water to be hurled at you in almost sinking-pirate-ship fashion. My favorite part was the 30 second foot massage.
After the scrub, came a shampoo that was equally foamy and splashy. Then, you were sent to finish off in the bath, which disappointingly consisted of a relatively small, cavernous room with murky-looking water and bad lighting. I wasn't very impressed, but I did enjoy sitting in the bright and airy lounge afterward, sipping tea and watching the Oompa Loompa ladies taking their break."
A Word on Leisure
It is a perfectly blue-sky autumn day in Paris. I had breakfast at my favorite pastry shop in the all the world: Laduree (check it out: http://www.laduree.fr/public_en/maisons/royale_accueil.htm) with a new friend from the Czech Republic...St. Honore Rose Frambois is the name of the one particular pastry I call pure Nirvana. I accompanied that with "Marie Antoinette Tea", a worthy combination.
After breakfast (at noon), a stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries, watching children play by the fountains and taking in the sun. A word to the wise: don't wear fashionable shoes on such occasions! I thought I was tough...but man! I ended up torturing my poor feet and having to give up sight seeing for a desperate journey back to the flat to relieve the pain and recline for awhile. I know I "should" know better, but keep in mind I am in one of the most intoxicatingly fashionable places on the globe! My Brazilian grandmother used to say, "You must suffer to be beautiful"...
It's interesting how those of us from the U.S. quickly forget the importance and entitlement we all have for some leisure in our lives. In our fast-paced, super-sized culture, leisure means either you are wealthy or lazy. And either way, you are supposed to feel guilty!
But in Europe and much of the rest of the wide world...leisure is an imperative part of a healthy life. Time to stroll through a park or a beckoning "Rue". Time to relish a good meal and enjoy some wine...whatever time of day it might be! This is a balanced life. So, please dear reader, find some time to relax and trickle your fingers on the piano, pet the cat, read the paper, or just sip some cappuccino and take in some sunshine!
Speaking of which...to emphasize the point...someone is playing piano from across the courtyard as I write this!
After breakfast (at noon), a stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries, watching children play by the fountains and taking in the sun. A word to the wise: don't wear fashionable shoes on such occasions! I thought I was tough...but man! I ended up torturing my poor feet and having to give up sight seeing for a desperate journey back to the flat to relieve the pain and recline for awhile. I know I "should" know better, but keep in mind I am in one of the most intoxicatingly fashionable places on the globe! My Brazilian grandmother used to say, "You must suffer to be beautiful"...
It's interesting how those of us from the U.S. quickly forget the importance and entitlement we all have for some leisure in our lives. In our fast-paced, super-sized culture, leisure means either you are wealthy or lazy. And either way, you are supposed to feel guilty!
But in Europe and much of the rest of the wide world...leisure is an imperative part of a healthy life. Time to stroll through a park or a beckoning "Rue". Time to relish a good meal and enjoy some wine...whatever time of day it might be! This is a balanced life. So, please dear reader, find some time to relax and trickle your fingers on the piano, pet the cat, read the paper, or just sip some cappuccino and take in some sunshine!
Speaking of which...to emphasize the point...someone is playing piano from across the courtyard as I write this!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Some Feedback, Please
There is so much of my journey that I haven't written about...it's overwhelming how much more I want to document of my travels! And is any of this relevant or even interesting to anyone else out there? I have no idea. Please let me know. And feel free to tell me which parts of what I write about you might like to hear more or less of (or both)! What are you interested in hearing about? I really would like your feedback as my reader. Thank you!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
In Paris Again
I have so much catching up to do. I just returned from dinner with my friend Jean-Francois, the acoustician here in Paris. It's the first time we've seen each other in 3 years! We met at Pont Neuf, crossed over the oldest bridge in Paris and ate at a traditional French restaurant on Cite Island (with an accent over the "e"). Soupe l'oignons, grilled duck with pineapple and potatoes au gratin. To drink, Bordeaux. It's good to be in Paris again!
The price was not cheap for a middle-grade meal...40 euros! Yikes! But it was my first dining experience here this trip...so I wanted to splurge. Conversation was good and I enjoyed the company. It's amazing what a difference it makes to talk with someone who is actually interested in what you have to say and not just listening politely with their mind on other things! I have been missing this kind of conversation/dynamic on this trip, so it was extremely refreshing to rediscover it!
Paris is such a charming and beautiful city, that I can even appreciate it in rainy weather! This evening was drizzly and gray, but it seemed elegant somehow!
As for me, I attended an interesting event earlier in the evening called "Franglish". It's a language exchange event I found out about on Craigslist. You pay 10 euros to go sit in a nice bar and talk with people for 10 minutes at a time. Then you switch to a new partner. It lasts an hour and a half, so you end up speaking with 8 or so people. You speak in English for 5 min. and French for 5 min. with each person. It's like "speed dating", but instead of looking for a date, you are practicing foreign language skills and networking with people in the process. I think it's a great idea. I might have found a language exchange tutor tonight. A nice guy who is studying engineering and is dreaming of living in the U.S. I realized tonight how long I have to go till I will truly be able to speak French!
The price was not cheap for a middle-grade meal...40 euros! Yikes! But it was my first dining experience here this trip...so I wanted to splurge. Conversation was good and I enjoyed the company. It's amazing what a difference it makes to talk with someone who is actually interested in what you have to say and not just listening politely with their mind on other things! I have been missing this kind of conversation/dynamic on this trip, so it was extremely refreshing to rediscover it!
Paris is such a charming and beautiful city, that I can even appreciate it in rainy weather! This evening was drizzly and gray, but it seemed elegant somehow!
As for me, I attended an interesting event earlier in the evening called "Franglish". It's a language exchange event I found out about on Craigslist. You pay 10 euros to go sit in a nice bar and talk with people for 10 minutes at a time. Then you switch to a new partner. It lasts an hour and a half, so you end up speaking with 8 or so people. You speak in English for 5 min. and French for 5 min. with each person. It's like "speed dating", but instead of looking for a date, you are practicing foreign language skills and networking with people in the process. I think it's a great idea. I might have found a language exchange tutor tonight. A nice guy who is studying engineering and is dreaming of living in the U.S. I realized tonight how long I have to go till I will truly be able to speak French!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Back in Istanbul
This city is really fun and every day...I am falling more in love with it. I am back in Istanbul now...arrived on Thurs. afternoon. Am back at Halil's apartment near Taksim and the hospitality has been really nice.
So much writing to catch up on.
So much writing to catch up on.
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