2006 :: grateful for moving into Carmens lovely home, then my big beautiful room at Trout Lake with a huge backyard/garden/yoga room &
everything i wanted in a house. March San Fran Beats Without Borders tour playing gigs & radio shows (thank you Amar & Dhamaal), finishing Blackhurst "Global Modulations & the Infinite Technique" full length album, June World Peace Forum volunteering, World Urban Youth forum live pa on CBC radio & dj gig, July Folk Fest stage time & after-party again with BWB (thank you Sarah Kim!), Portugal trip to Boom Fest to work the CosmiKiva psy-crisis tent (check CosmiKiva tribe), Burning Man (including more work at safe space tent, dj'ing & tons o' fun!), Earthdance Northern Cali with dad, India trip!!! Thank You 2006!

2007 :: My intentions are to continue nourishing my body-mind-soul! Travelling more of India, Europe, back to India, & to Thailand
studying yoga, massage & healing arts, & cultures along the way. Daily discipline with kriya cleansings, yoga, pranayamas, & meditation. Practice massage regularly & learn a few new techniques. Continue to eat very healthy. Write my book "We Are Here Now". Write more travel stories & get more published! Write more MUSIC! BiOnIc LoVe SoUnD SyStEm launching in India & progressing as I travel, recording with many musicians & vocalists, doing many live shows, & recording a cd that gets international attention, record label deal, & sells successfully. Study eco-villages, communes, cooperative living arrangements on my travels (document for book & my own research for what I would like to be a part of), manifest $ & invest wisely in things aligned with highest self,
Find deeper relaxation in my life by simplifying my life, deeper stillness by letting go of restlessness, deeper sleep by
doing my disciplines I have learned, deeper equanimity by surrendering to non-attachment, deeper peace by letting go of struggle,
deeper love by giving & receiving love in abundance. Aho. May All Beings Be Happy!

link to my Travel Blogs with more stories & photos!

realtravel.com/member-m24...rian_b.html
______________________________________


India :: month 5 & final conclusions

Goa 2nd visit & Mumbai :: dj gigs, laser eye surgery, meeting another guru & the usual tourist stuff!

I went back to Arambol, Goa for 6 fabulous days back on my favorite beach. My main mission was to have Enrico finish my tattoo, pick up my passport i forgot in a xerox machine, & manifest another dj gig at Pyramids. And all that was accomplished...plus unexpected surprises! On the bus heading into town I met two young Russian women that were very socialable & wanting to be friends instantly. We ended up hanging out on the beaches sharing massage, eating coconuts, & good times! I organized my 4th dj gig at Pyramids, the grand finale for my Goa gigs, & the show was an incredible success! I had a fiddler & flutist play on a few tracks, but then some surprise performers showed up which included a tight rope walker (he actually came & put a rope between two trees & walked it!), a crystal ball juggler, & little kids on the microphone. Oh and about 150+ people having a jolly good time (see pics!)!!! This was one of my funnest performances to date! I showcased two new original songs as well.
to see pics of this check out my pics on www.myspace.com/blackhurst
After many more swims in the Arabian sea & the freshwater lagoon, & more coconuts...my time here ran out. I'll miss Arambol. I want to do like some I met & come rent a nice room here for 3-4 months & just stay put! Record
an album with some of these amazing musicians that flock to this scene!

Mumbai madness. 16 million people, give or take a million. A city where people are constantly on the move. The traffic
just keeps on flowing past you & crossing the street becomes a big goal involving a test of patience, courage & determination! At least the air seems cleaner than Delhi due to being near the ocean winds. Still, I found myself with my bandito bandana covering my nose in the back of taxis, listening to the horrendous neverending honking that you never get used to in India. My first day in Mumbai I payed a taxi driver the 800 rupees to go around the city & check out a few sites. First I went & visited Mumbai's favorite guru, Ramesh Balsekar. Formerly a president of the Bank of India who later became a disciple of "I am That" author Sri Nasargaratta, & later become enlightened himself. He has written over 30 books & now, 89 years old but still full of energy he gives talks everyday from 9am-11pm at his flat near the Haji Ali temple. He asks & answers questions, which generally get one hour answers! Ramesh follows a different path of yoga than Amma. Amma follows the path of bakti yoga, or self-less service & devotion, while Ramesh is a jnanna yogi, following the path of knowledge. I didn't feel a big energy shift or easy mediation in his presence, but did see quite the cosmic sparkle in his eyes! The sparkle of one who has figured IT out, ended their suffering & merged with God-consciousness or unity! What an interesting guy! I was one of 2 out of 25 people that asked him a few questions. My question (the one i've asked a few masters on this trip) was ..."If the way to be happy is to be fully at peace in the present, and not desiring more, how can we rest & be at peace when the it seems like the world has begun the prophesized World War III, a long holy war where nuclear armegeddon seems probable. How can we ignore this & feel happy?" His answer was that there is nothing to be concerned about with mass destruction because there was never a creation. That this is maya,
the great illusion, & if a world war III were to happen, it would just be more illusion. Destruction is part of the process
of new creations & in the bigger view, it is all one process & all under Divine Mother's control. I had recently come to a similar
conclusion myself...that there is nothing to fear because all is unfolding as it should. Trust. Trust in the process. This is all
we can do! If the world is devastated & 90% of the population killed, it may just be for the better? We can learn from our
past & begin a new civilization. This is hard to accept, but...it really would be better for the planet to have our population
lowered. We have become a big burden on mother Earth! A big virus really! Sad but true. Humans are just sucking
the last of the oil, gold & resources & making a huuggggge mess of things in every sector. The global
warming/climate change & the bigger natural disasters that happen as a result are just another impending 'process' that are leading us into a major planetary change. Whatever happens in our lives, i've come to accept any of the paths that manifest in this lifetime. Total annihilation from WWIII does not seem so scary anymore. Natural disasters mentioned in "An Inconvenient Truth", major cities covered from ice melting/water rising - with the outcome of millions displaced & countries economies crashing...not so scary anymore! Change is good! This form of
extreme capitalism has proved itself to be an ecological & mental nightmare! What is scary is to think of 'business as usual'
continuing, the population continuing to increase exponentially, & the corporations/governments/militaries increasing. These
would be darker days with increasing fear & destruction, rather than an archaic revival that disasters would bring which would take us back to non-industrial living, a chance to start over & heal the Earth from it's previous damage. Well...these thoughts are surfacing again as I sit here in this massive city pondering my six months in India & the year to come traveling abroad.

Oh yeah. Practical tips for Mumbai :
Hotel New Bengal - a gem for budget travelers as this is not in Lonely Planet (all those rooms were full!)
285Rs single room, cheap cheap & not a bad place! very central location, short walk from Crawford Market & CST railway station. 3 restaurants on premises, but the Shanti Bhavan next-door is even better! Taxi from CST railway
should only cost you 20-40Rs for the 2 minute ride so don't pay 80Rs like my friend did. If you can, walk the 5 minutes (towards Crawford Market, on right side, huge billboard in sky & everybody knows this place).
Bollywood extras :: to be one, either go hang out in Coloba & wait for the inevitable person to approach you with
an real offer to be an extra (don't worry, there are no scams going on with these offers, & after traveling i'm sure
your apprehensive about being approached on the streets, but this is how it's done in this biz).
Or....email a pic to Reetu at : reetu.paul@gmail.com
& let her know how long your in town for.

_______________

India Conclusions ::

Cultural shock waves continually flowing through my mind-body-soul. From the Arctic North to the South Pole. Like a black hole, fully in control, consuming lightwaves until I feel full!

We are light beings dancing with our shadows of samsara in an eternal cycle of harmony & chaos of the Kali Age. The ancient Indian holy texts of the Vedas state that we are going through a long dark age of humanity called the Kali age, where fear & suffering seem to be increasing. India, the place where Buddha himself found a way to end this suffering & cultivate deep lasting inner peace. India, the land of Hinduism & it's massive temples & many deities. India, the land of the yogi's! I came to India, partly, to learn more about the spiritual history of yogi's, guru's, & enlightened ones that have given India & the world the jewels of enlightenment. From the times centuries before Christ to NOW, these saints have showed us a scientific path, logical straightforward techniques to end this darkness inside & manifest a lighter way of being. This is the path of self-realization, through daily medtiation, devotional ceremonies, pujas, chanting, intentions, internal cleansings, yoga & constant prayers to Divine Mother. This is a culture where people don't just go to church on Sundays for an hour, but life becomes their church & prayers roll off tongues during their daily routines. You can sense it everywhere in India...these
people are somehow closer to God & 'the goal' than us & our Christian/Catholic/Puritan cultural programs from the West.
I saw more people here smiling than any other place i've been to. Everyday....big smiles! Good energy! Innocence, playfulness, curiosity. A people ready to make new friends, "Hello friend! What is your good name?" they asked (about 10,000 times!).

I have to say that I came to India as one of these so called 'seekers' that come for the yoga, ashrams, gurus & to be around the
happy smiling Indians! I have never been comfortable with being a 'seeker'. Now, I feel that with what i've 'found' & discovered,
I am no longer a 'seeker'. What did I find you ask? I found a yoga school that is fulfilling with a five year program I intend
to go to throughout the next few years. I found a few retreats & ashrams that I can come to throughout the years when need be.
I was reminded that..."there is nothing to seek, nothing to attain." simple. be here now, & be here with gratitude! keep life simple. this is it!


But as many others have already said about India, I have to agree that it is most definitely a LOVE/HATE relationship!

What I love: The people have big smiles, open hearts & a genuine friendliness that I have not seen elsewhere!
The food was almost always delicious, and cheap! (of course, I was mostly eating non-Indian international food at touristy places). It was sooooo cheap to get a hotel room & meals! 6 months in
India for what some spend on 2 week vacations!
The cheap yoga schools & massage courses that can teach you for one-fifth the price of back home! The Tibetan community of McLeod Ganj & the little I saw of the Himalaya's! Rishikesh, the holy Ganges, & many Sadhu's & yoga community there. Beaches of Arambol Goa! The people of Goa, Kerala & Tamil Nadu (they didn't seem to stare as much as up north & i felt they were more relaxed due to the beach lifestyle). The people wrapped in saris, dhotis, & turbans of every possible color....soooooo colorful India is! The live Indian music available often, & also a bargain price for admission. Taking trains to travel around, much better than the ole Greyhounds back home!

What I hate: The people were too friendly! Over-friendly to the point that you got harassed so many times EVERYDAY,
and do not have much personal space in this country. Being a foreigner, you are approached many many times, with
the same questions "From which country do you come?" & it just gets tiring over the months! It gets very tiring!!!

The staring problem. Why or why must they ALL stare so much? A completely different concept to our culture where staring
is very rude - here it is very much accepted, normal & you will get stared down like Bruce Lee about to begin a fight! Intense gazes that seem hostile at times, emotionless, black/brown dark eyes locked on you. You feel as you
are being judged (and maybe you are? maybe they are thinking "ugly stupid foreigner. why do you have money & not I? go home foreigner! go home infidel!"). My last days here after 5.5 months & I am still not used to the staring...it annoys me!
From the amazing book Shantaram (which i am excited to hear is being filmed now & Johnny Depp is the main character), Gregory Michaels says " "Foreigners were stared at in India. Somewhere in the five or more millennia of its history, the culture had decided to dispense with the casual, nonchalant glance. By the time I came to Bombay, the eye contact ranged from an ogling gaze to a gawping, goggle-eyed glare. There was nothing malicious in it. The staring eyes that found and followed me everywhere I went were innocent, curious, and almost always friendly. And that intense scrutiny had its benefits: for the most part, people stared at what I was, not what I did. Foreigners were stared into invisibility." It's true, they were almost always
friendly stares, and often...if you just did the Indian head wiggle or said hi, a huge smile would appear from their formerly-perceived-as-serious faces!

The noise pollution! Honking cars in every city, every highway, honk-honk-honking & LOUD horns that somehow get turned up past maximum volume (beyond any honk you have ever heard....somehow?)...very bad on the nerves!
Also, in the very early mornings around 4am-8am, and also sometimes during the days at many small village temples throughout the country modern music, Hindi pop or new religious music, is played at this same volume setting - turned up so loud, beyond belief, to the point of distorting horrendously! Guess they want to wake up devotees & all signs of life in a 10 mile radius.

Perhaps what I hate about India the most is the way they treat our foreigner women....grabbing their bodies at times= mass sexual abuse! This is happening everywhere, everyday, & needs to stop! The theory is that Indians have seen Hollywood movies often showing women in mini-skirts & seen as promiscusous compared to their non-traditional ways. If I was a women that got groped, I would be breaking some noses! Totally unacceptable! You can look, but don't touch!!!

The post offices! Too many rules! Takes an hour to mail a package! You have to get it specially wrapped by a tailor. If it is books it has to be only books, and the package needs to have a hole on the side. You have to fill out FOUR forms for customs that are identical. Sometimes you have to photocopy your passport, sometimes you don't. And the packages don't always make it to their destination, as they probably make good presents for the dishonest employees.

Having to bargain ALL the time...for taxis, shopping, even hotel rooms. Rarely prices are fixed. It takes so much energy to do this all the time. If you don't, you get charged the tourist price, 2-10x more the regular local price! We'd tell them sometimes, "this is racism? why do you do this to our people?" But really, this is the asian way & has been since time here began....so...i really don't think it will change soon. Good thing I went to so many garage sales & learned how to bargain back home!

But........Love conquers all. And...

Sometimes curiosity is greater than fear. I came to India with deep curiosity about these ancient civilizations, religions, people,
& places that make up this subcontinent. I admit that I came here with much fear as well. Fear of letting go of what I had back home :
good meaningful jobs doing social work, making music events, writing & performing music with a career starting to lift off, many good friends & family, and a beautiful room in a lovely big dream home that I was uber-comfortable in. Fear of traveling alone for many months in a strange new region where I knew next to nothing, did not speak any of the 300 dialects, where diseases run rampant, professional thieves & con-artists on every block, & of course fear of the unknown. I am glad I conquered these fears & jumped into this Indian abyss. I have learnt much & am grateful for this experience.

Trip mishaps :: dog attacked me & I slipped & fell & scraped up my lip & gums (nearly knocked out teeth), monkeys attacked me because there baby was scared of me, almost had a motorcycle accident in Rishikesh, but I got off 5 minutes before the driver crashed, Furuncle nose infection in Goa, allergic skin rash on thighs in Goa/Tamil Naud for 10 days, big bug bite on thigh that got infected & had to take
antibiotic & apply creams. All part of the adventure , huh?

How did you like India I am asked? I agree with
Amy from Auroville who says, "I have immeasurable admiration & respect for the ancient traditions here but I find the external environment very challenging. Sometimes I literally feel like my brain cells are boiling with the heat."
But...as the Indian Hinglish (Hindi & English mix) saying goes...."What to do?"
"What to do?".

_____________________________________
India :
month 4 - South India

Tamil Nadu :: South India

Bodhi Zendo retreat. 7 days of mostly silence & lots of deep meditation. Arrived Monday January 15th, 2007, after 48 hours of 1 overnight bus to Bangalore, 1 day in that sardine can of 6 million souls city, 1 overnight train, another 3 hour bus, one last 1 hour bus, & a quick taxi ride up a mystic mountain...has brought me to the auspicious BodhiZendo retreat center, located near KodaiKanal in Tamil Nadu south India.
"Nirvana is right here before our very eyes. You are looking at the Lotus Land. You are the very body of Buddha." (ancient Zen saying)
"The journey begins with the first step Here & Now, and it is always the first step" (Amy Sama - master at Bodhi Zendo center)
"Emptiness is not to be understood as something seperate from or beyond our actual universe. It is the relative nature of all forms inthe universe, in other words relativity itself, which is the emptiness of these forms." (pg. 51, Zen for Beginners)
"Shikan Taza is sometimes said to be the most difficult, most advanced type of zazen. It is just simply sitting without any object of concentration...(It) is often compared to the alertness of someone involved in a life or death sword fight. Most important is to sit in the faith that this "just sitting" can and does naturally unfold to total self-realization, called Buddhahood." (pg 74, Zen for Beginners)

I feel right at home here. I have re-entered the dojo & here is my new food for thought:

Enter the Dojo. the gongs have once again been struck & the ringing of singing bowls is calling you to trancendance. It is time to practice the art of emptiness, to realize the nature of your true self. there is no duality. unity surrounds us always & in all-ways. flow into the harmony of the unstruck sounds & surf the cosmic echo your heart has longed for.
Enter the Dojo, where silence is not the only thing that is golden. your true self is golden, pure & full of love. you may have forgotten along the paths of illusions & delusions of the Six Worlds of Samsara, but you are infinity, manifesting equanimity, attaining emptiness Here & Now. with emptiness you are free. free of opinions, ideas, ego. back to beginner's mind as they say in Zen. Yes, it is life's mysterious riddle. there is in actuality...nothing to attain. in emptiness we become full again. This is It! Zen.
It is simple. letting go & surrendering to balance in nature. non-judgement & complete acceptance of our imperfect selfs. butterflies & chirping birds know this, so now it is our turn? This isn't rocket science. It is the science of meditation, which is a direct path to save us from our own troubled restless monkey minds. moments of Satori bring encouragement, but do not strive for only bliss & joy. life is dramatic & naturally full of ups & downs. Enter the Dojo & bow to eternity & rejoice for this space & time is always for you. It is always here. freedom is yours...again...Now.

For 220 Rs ($5.50 CAN) you get a beautiful room, very good gourmet vegetarian (mostly grown locally), & the practice.
The practice is about 8 hours of meditation done at 25 minute sits about 16 times a day. In between you eat, drink tea, do one hour
of selfless service work, laundry, shower, read, be. My seva (selfless service job) is to rake, tidy & clean the Japanese stone garden.
perfect! Just what I needed to further empty this hectic monkey mind of mine! This place is like another dream manifestation for me.
There are probably many many other Zen retreat centers worldwide, but this one is very much to my liking. Japanese & Asian culture has also been a life long interest for me, starting with Bruce Lee & other kung-fu movies as a child in the '80s, to taking Japanese goju-ryu martial arts for 4 years in high school, to having many asian friends & girlfriends throughout the years. I am drawn to their cultures
perhaps as much as India. I love the resonance of the gongs, the humming of the singing bowls, the pounding rhythms of the wooden blocks. this is Zen & i forgot how much I love it (it's been awhile since i read any Zen or practiced this meditation). At night after a long day of many meditations, a series of drums & bells are played and a standard Zen message is read:
"Let me respectfully remind you, life & death are of supreme importance. Time passes swiftly and opportunity is lost. Each of us must strive to awaken. Take heed, do not squander your lives."
Another good idea I got from Ama Samy the Zen master here is that alot of us so called spiritual minded seekers have these goals of reaching enlightenment, samadhi, satori, & so on, BUT...that is not important he says. To be here now in full acceptance without desiring, striving, & pushing too hard. If those states come naturally, then great. But many have their heads up in the clouds when they progress on the paths & reach certain states & forget that they still have their imperfections. "Head in the clouds & shitting in the toilet." I have to admit...he's got a good point! Anyhow, I love this place & highly recommend it. Could easily stay here a few months in the Dojo!



India :: week 2 of 6 month trip. In McLeod Ganj-Dharamsala area of Tibetan community, Dalai Lama, & lots of tourists.



well, things have been coming together for me here in Dharamsala this past week. I am feeling at home...abroad! Very comfortable here. Being up in the mountains with lots of trees, green rainforest environments, & now October weather getting cold in evenings...this is alot like back home in Vancouver & Pacific NW. For the first 9 days here or so, it was all about eating 3 big fantastic meals at various global restuarants (they have Thai, TIbetan, Japanese, Korean, Continental, Italian, Indian...) & this was a big part of my day. The food is $1 for a meal. $2 if you want a drink & dessert! back home this would be $10-15, so with the $3-5 motel rooms & this price for food....life is cheap. And the talk is cheaper! well, not really. Had some good talks with a few fellow Canadians, Americans, & some English blokes, some Aussies, a Swedish guy, some Indians (mostly shopowners urging me to come in), & many new Tibetan friends. Went to see Superman Returns at one of 3 local theatres that are run inside someone's cement garage (very bad movie...save your time & money). But the past week has been about me getting involved in the community & doing more than just partying & eating like alot of tourists do here.

Finally found an Ayurvedic massage course & am on day 2 of 4 week intensive program. Learning Anatomy, Oils, mostly Ayurveda full body, Shiatsu, Reflexology, & other stuff. cost $250. would cost $2000 back home.

My teacher, Shivadas, is from Kerala where this science comes from. I will be doing his yoga classes as well & have moved out of the Green Hotel & into one of his flats. There are 2 photos i will upload, one of him sitting near drums, & other of outside his & my room with his business signs.

I've been doing yoga all week 2pm-4pm from this gentle older guy, Vijay at his Universal Yoga, but it will be more convient to do yoga with Shivadas right outside my room before breakfast, much healthier than right after lunch with a full tummy like i have been doing (a big no no... feel sorry for the people in my gaseous vicinity!).

I have been teaching conversational English all week 4pm-5pm to a group of 4-8 Tibetan people (some different people each day). This has been FANTASTIC! I learn from them, they learn from me. This has been a real good exchange & has got me really involved in the community. I"ve said it before & i'll say it again, these people are kind, loving, inquisitive, & gentle souls! Obviously, like any other people, there are all kinds of personalities & one should not idealize a group of people such as the Tibetans. I'm sure they have there assholes & jerks, but generally speaking, their stereotype is what i mentioned. In class, we have talked about things ranging from Tibetan Buddhism (their favorite subject), vegetarianism vs. meat eating (a very interesting subject with them considering Buddhism is against killing, but most Tibetan Buddhists eat meat due to traditions of survival on remote land & their history), world events such as North Koreas recent atom bomb test, China & their atheist view that Tibetans are religious fanatics & need to be cultured, etc... After class, I have been hanging out with this guy Dhorji, & sometimes 2 Tibetan 20something girls. (see photo i will upload, although nobody but me is looking at camera!). I am trying to learn some Tibetan jokes & have asked them to bring me some for homework! Some of these young Tibetans have literally escaped from Tibet by hiking a dangerous 21-45 days out of Tibet over the Himalayan mt range & to this community of refugees. If they get caught coming or going...3 months in jail & that includes beatings & torture by expert Chinese military aggression with no mercy.

I hear that the Native Amercican "Grandmothers Council" of a few 70 something elders that i saw at Earthdance festival are here in town & giving a week of lectures on current affairs, earth changes, prophecies, etc.. I hope to meet up with them & help take photos to document their trip.

so...my days are like this & im loving it!

yoga class everyday 8am-10am, massage course 6 days week 10am-1pm. stuff my belly for lunch! English teaching Monday-Friday 4pm-5pm. after...hang out with TIbetan friends 5-6pm then...pig out some more for dinner! watch movie, or read, hang with others...

oh yeah....MISS TIBET pageant this weekend of all things! I think...it is cheesy like Miss USA & like other young Tibetans i have talked to....I will miss MISS TIBET pageant & choose to do something else.

Some author is in town doing a slide show called "Gurus, Ganges, & Goa" that i may go see so that I can get a better idea of places i want to go throughhis 20 years of travel experience here, and so that i can get inspired to do the same type of presentation with my photos, videos, & stories some day soon!

Last but not least...

some tips i picked up (some i already knew & was reminded) that i'd like to share for those interested ::

always sleep with your head facing to the East (the direction of the rising sun).

This allows the magnetic North & South poles to influence our bodies in a good way. If you can't do East, then South. Never West or North.

best to drink water & drinks in between meals & never during ....for better digestion.

best to avoid white rice, white flour, white sugar (the 3 white poisons) and instead use brown rice, spelt/kamut/wheat flours, & sugar alternatives like stevia. White rice has no nutrition & sits in your tummy like a big gooey white ball that will give you a round belly eventually. white flour clogs up our system. white sugar, obviously is just pure taste & indulgence & is very hard on the bodies immune system.

best to avoid red meats as much as possible. some blood & body types seem to need meat more than others. just try & eat organic free range, meaning no drugs injected into the animals & not raised in super tight cages & animals allowed to roam free & happy (before being murdered).

best to eat light breakfast, heavy lunch, & light dinner (dinner around sunset best natural time.....not too late like most Europeans 10pm-11pm....and most definitely not before going to bed!

eat fruits in between meals as not to mix acids with alkalines! eating a mono diet of fruits is actually best. Bananas one day. Apples another day. not mixing them (this i don't understand why yet), but watermelon definitely on its own & in between meals as it does not mix good with other foods.

get regular massage to detoxify, improve blood circulation, improve immunity, help with sleeping better, release emotions, & RELAX YOUR BEAUTIFUL SELF!

that's enough for today. limiting my internet use to a few hours a week & trying not to be online too much when there is so much to experience & do outside of cyberspace!

Namaste (Indian Sanskrit for the divine in me recognizes the divine in you)

Tashi Delik (Tibetan for hello, please to see you, thank you, goodbye)


_____________________________________
Portugal :: July 2006 , Boom Festival, Lisbon, & South.

so...i'm back from Portugal 3 weeks of fun, adventure, hard work,
sun, & new friends! what a trip. the Old World. finally!

things i liked ::

- the fact that you can drink in public, and
even passengers in vehicles.
- Bairro Alto club/bar scene with 1000's hangin out
in the streets
- the streets! so tiny, cobblestone, ancient labrynths of Lisbon
that i got lost in many times. lost in a good way!
- the people. except for some Portuguese people (who i won't name) that
were overworked, stressed, & therefore rude. or maybe they always are?
- Boom Fest. 50% was trance. the other 50%
was very inspiring theme camps, art installations, huge bamboo hut for
movies & workshops (my friends from Sunshine Coast actually organize this),
a 24 hr. 7 day Chillout Zone for downtempo music (my fav), and a world music
live band stage! this made the festival really cool!
We all worked real hard at the CosmiKiva Sanctuary psy-crisis tent & that was good experience. We are proposing to do this work at many other gatherings around the globe!
- the ancient Moor Castle, National Palace, & other things in Sintra (half hour
from Lisbon). this place has been compared to Lord of Rings because of it's
elfin mountainside charm.
- the beaches! Portugal is like the California of Europe. West Coast, baby!
Hot sun, beautiful beaches, surfing. the good life!

things i didn't like so much::

- Europe is so expensive compared to Canada/US. eating out at restaurants
3x day didn't help i guess, but we didn't have a kitchen. i was missing all
my favorite North American health food & home cooked meals. Plus,
being a pescatarian (only fish) that eats mostly vegetarian was challenging.
And...they don't eat breakfast in Portugal! just wine, pastry, espresso & off to work!
- The vibe in Lisbon feeling too cramped, dense, less space than my open young
Vancouver or other North American big cities i'm used to. I hardly saw any houses
in Lisbon. mostly ancient 1800's apartments & narrow streets. no backyard luxuries
here, unless your one of the few lucky rich folks that own a castle or to up in
the other side of the hill near Sintra.
- Driving like a maniac. People drive way too fast for comfort on the highways!
Very dangerous, but it kept me awake & alert!
- Not knowing Portuguese sucked. Language barriers suck. Can't wait til we can
download language software for our brains. I want to speak them all! Or maybe
English should just be the Universal Language & to hell with the rest of them!
They're all dying languages anyway, right?

Overall :: The trip was fantastic. I can't wait to go back to Europe & spend time in each & every country there, & find faults in every single one too!

that's all for now!

Ithaca (replace word Ithaca with wherever you are travelling!)

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not set them up before you.

Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.