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Thursday, January 15, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The Old Depot in Marshall, NC on Friday Night
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Still in Dili, but ran across this picture that I snapped just after Christmas in Marshall, NC. Every Friday night at the old train station there's live music. It's packed with locals who sing, dance and walk for cakes. It's the place to be on Friday night for traditional, folk and old-time country music.
Still in Dili, but ran across this picture that I snapped just after Christmas in Marshall, NC. Every Friday night at the old train station there's live music. It's packed with locals who sing, dance and walk for cakes. It's the place to be on Friday night for traditional, folk and old-time country music.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Roosters and Lizards
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I was up at 3am -- blame it on jetlag.
I awoke to the night creatures -- creatures that I had missed while I was home in the states.
The two crowing roosters, in the neighborhood, one sounds normal, the other sounds like he uses one of those mechanical devices at his throat to crow. The normal sounding guy is the lead off, followed by Mr. Mechanical.
Off in the distance, I hear other roosters and the occasional dog -- except when the heavy rain on the roof drowns out everything else. The rainy season has finally begun!
The other night sound that I missed was the Toke -- a beloved lizard here in Timor Leste. If you have a Toke in your midst, you are very lucky. I like them, too, because they eat mosquitoes.
The Toke has a particular sound -- almost mechanical -- it almost sounds like it is saying To-ke, To-ke, To-ke -- hence the name. It's quite startling the first few times you hear it, but you do get a warning -- a scratching-like sound and then three or four To-ke's.
I've never seen the Toke, but my colleagues tell me these lizards can be up to five inches long -- much larger than the gekos -- which I also enjoy having around -- since they, too, feast on mosquitoes -- and make a more gentle, clicking-like sound.
I awoke to the night creatures -- creatures that I had missed while I was home in the states.
The two crowing roosters, in the neighborhood, one sounds normal, the other sounds like he uses one of those mechanical devices at his throat to crow. The normal sounding guy is the lead off, followed by Mr. Mechanical.
Off in the distance, I hear other roosters and the occasional dog -- except when the heavy rain on the roof drowns out everything else. The rainy season has finally begun!
The other night sound that I missed was the Toke -- a beloved lizard here in Timor Leste. If you have a Toke in your midst, you are very lucky. I like them, too, because they eat mosquitoes.
The Toke has a particular sound -- almost mechanical -- it almost sounds like it is saying To-ke, To-ke, To-ke -- hence the name. It's quite startling the first few times you hear it, but you do get a warning -- a scratching-like sound and then three or four To-ke's.
I've never seen the Toke, but my colleagues tell me these lizards can be up to five inches long -- much larger than the gekos -- which I also enjoy having around -- since they, too, feast on mosquitoes -- and make a more gentle, clicking-like sound.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Pampered in Singapore
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The airport here in Singapore really pampers the traveler -- and for those with long layovers there is plenty to do. Ther
e's a free shuttle into the city -- which takes about 35-40 minutes -- depending on traffic, there are free nap areas, free gaming, massage, a free movie theater with comfortable seats that shows films 24 hours a day, free WI-FI, tons and tons of free internet portals -- and lots and lots of shops.
This is my third visit to Singapore and it is always a pleasure to spend a few hours or a few days here.
Yesterday, I visited the Singapore Art Museum, where there was a new exhibition on modern Korean paintings. One painter, Kim Tschang Yeul, uses droplets of water on his still wet oil canvas to create an amazing transparency. The sprinkles of water give his paintings lots of depth and texture.
Water and oil mix well in this medium.
Before the art museum, I stopped by two temples -- one Hindu, the Sri Krishnan Temple, and the Chinese temple, The Goddess of Mercy. They are almost side-by-side -- located on Waterloo Street in the City Center.
The photo on the right is one of two statues that guard the entrance to the temple. There is a rather large Hindu population in Singapore.
e's a free shuttle into the city -- which takes about 35-40 minutes -- depending on traffic, there are free nap areas, free gaming, massage, a free movie theater with comfortable seats that shows films 24 hours a day, free WI-FI, tons and tons of free internet portals -- and lots and lots of shops.This is my third visit to Singapore and it is always a pleasure to spend a few hours or a few days here.
Yesterday, I visited the Singapore Art Museum, where there was a new exhibition on modern Korean paintings. One painter, Kim Tschang Yeul, uses droplets of water on his still wet oil canvas to create an amazing transparency. The sprinkles of water give his paintings lots of depth and texture.
Water and oil mix well in this medium.
Before the art museum, I stopped by two temples -- one Hindu, the Sri Krishnan Temple, and the Chinese temple, The Goddess of Mercy. They are almost side-by-side -- located on Waterloo Street in the City Center.
The photo on the right is one of two statues that guard the entrance to the temple. There is a rather large Hindu population in Singapore.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Returning to Timor
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Tomorrow I return to Timor Leste after a long, somewhat relaxing, break in the US. I had a chance to hike a few hills and mountains, commune with nature, visit some friends and spend a lot of time with family.
In some ways, it was a difficult visit. My grandmother, the woman who essentially raised me, passed away two days after Christmas.
I was lucky to be able to spend time with her beforehand. She lived a long, rich life. She was 99, but looked much younger. At times, she was amazed at her long life. She told one of her health care workers just a day or two before her death -- "can you imagine living 99 years?"
I would joke with her that she was around before the Bolshevik Revolution -- and then she outlived it. My grandma passed away almost five months to the day that she would have been 100.
My other grandma, who is 91, lives in a nursing home and I was able to visit with her every day. When I first saw her, she was lying in her bed, curled up, eating almost nothing -- and when she spoke -- it was in a whisper.
I was so lucky to see her come out of this -- her appetite came back -- at first I fed her, but she was soon sitting up in bed and eating on her own. She loved for me to push her around in her wheelchair -- and she loves to laugh. It was very difficult to leave her. She is in good hands with my mom.
I think it is so amazing how we humans love to be touched -- I rubbed my grandma's face and forehead -- and held her hand -- I could feel her responding to being touched. It is so vital to human life and re-generation.
In some ways, it was a difficult visit. My grandmother, the woman who essentially raised me, passed away two days after Christmas.
I was lucky to be able to spend time with her beforehand. She lived a long, rich life. She was 99, but looked much younger. At times, she was amazed at her long life. She told one of her health care workers just a day or two before her death -- "can you imagine living 99 years?"
I would joke with her that she was around before the Bolshevik Revolution -- and then she outlived it. My grandma passed away almost five months to the day that she would have been 100.
My other grandma, who is 91, lives in a nursing home and I was able to visit with her every day. When I first saw her, she was lying in her bed, curled up, eating almost nothing -- and when she spoke -- it was in a whisper.
I was so lucky to see her come out of this -- her appetite came back -- at first I fed her, but she was soon sitting up in bed and eating on her own. She loved for me to push her around in her wheelchair -- and she loves to laugh. It was very difficult to leave her. She is in good hands with my mom.
I think it is so amazing how we humans love to be touched -- I rubbed my grandma's face and forehead -- and held her hand -- I could feel her responding to being touched. It is so vital to human life and re-generation.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas!
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It was really great to be able to wake up early and watch my nieces and nephews crowd around the Christmas tree and rip the wrap off their gifts to the sound of Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow on the Ipod. It was a snow-less day -- unseasonably warm, actually. Quite nice.
My brother and I took advantage by riding down to a neighbors' farm to check out his buffalo herd -- the kids weren't interested in straying from the house since they had their new Ipods and other electronic goodies.
The herd of buffalo reside about three miles from my parent's home -- and apparently belong to the actor Dan Ackroyd.
Our next stop was a stroll along the streets of Marshall -- reminiscing about the shops that were there when we were kids and how the town has -- in the last few years -- sprung back to life -- with three restaurants, a coffee house, grocery store and several art galleries. Boom town!
As I write this, I am relaxing with my youngest niece and nephew -- they're playing Twister -- in between whacking each other with their new stuffed toys -- I'm vowing not to eat any dinner tonight -- since my mom cooked one of the best Christmas meals I've had in a long time. The corn casserole at lunch was awesome!
My brother and I took advantage by riding down to a neighbors' farm to check out his buffalo herd -- the kids weren't interested in straying from the house since they had their new Ipods and other electronic goodies.
The herd of buffalo reside about three miles from my parent's home -- and apparently belong to the actor Dan Ackroyd.
Our next stop was a stroll along the streets of Marshall -- reminiscing about the shops that were there when we were kids and how the town has -- in the last few years -- sprung back to life -- with three restaurants, a coffee house, grocery store and several art galleries. Boom town!
As I write this, I am relaxing with my youngest niece and nephew -- they're playing Twister -- in between whacking each other with their new stuffed toys -- I'm vowing not to eat any dinner tonight -- since my mom cooked one of the best Christmas meals I've had in a long time. The corn casserole at lunch was awesome!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Internet....a bit faster!
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A couple of days ago I mentioned the slow internet speed at my parent's house. Turns out there was a new option available and my parents decided it was time to get something a bit faster than dial-up. Satellite-delivered internet. It's not real fast, but it is fast-er. The technician arrived in late morning -- working in 20-something degree weather -- that felt even colder because of the wind. By the end of the day though, my mom was making Skype calls and surfing the net from any room in the house with her new wireless connection.
A couple of days ago I mentioned the slow internet speed at my parent's house. Turns out there was a new option available and my parents decided it was time to get something a bit faster than dial-up. Satellite-delivered internet. It's not real fast, but it is fast-er. The technician arrived in late morning -- working in 20-something degree weather -- that felt even colder because of the wind. By the end of the day though, my mom was making Skype calls and surfing the net from any room in the house with her new wireless connection.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Home in the Blue Ridge Mts
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I've been traveling a lot these past few weeks with intermittent internet access -- in the United States. It feels a bit odd since one would think the
US would have very good internet access, but my parents, for instance, live way out in the country in North Carolina -- and rely on a very slow dial-up connection. I have to drive five miles to a cafe in the town of Marshall to get wi-fi.
It's great to be home to visit with family and friends and re-acquaint myself with those wonderful Blue Ridge Mountains. I've been able to do two hikes since getting back -- both were fantastic and familiar trails. One hike was through a sprinkling of snow and fog -- it was refreshing to feel cold air again -- after heat and humidity in Timor Leste.
The hike was about four or five miles each way from US 25-70 near Hot Springs, NC to the top of Rich Mountain. The
view was spectacular -- even through the fog. The sun made its way through the dark clouds -- spreading light across some of the mountain peaks.
I could see all the way into Tennessee from the top of the old fire tower -- whose wooden steps creaked as I climbed up. The temperature, with the wind-chill must have been around zero or even a bit lower. It was truly exhilarating!
US would have very good internet access, but my parents, for instance, live way out in the country in North Carolina -- and rely on a very slow dial-up connection. I have to drive five miles to a cafe in the town of Marshall to get wi-fi.It's great to be home to visit with family and friends and re-acquaint myself with those wonderful Blue Ridge Mountains. I've been able to do two hikes since getting back -- both were fantastic and familiar trails. One hike was through a sprinkling of snow and fog -- it was refreshing to feel cold air again -- after heat and humidity in Timor Leste.
The hike was about four or five miles each way from US 25-70 near Hot Springs, NC to the top of Rich Mountain. The
view was spectacular -- even through the fog. The sun made its way through the dark clouds -- spreading light across some of the mountain peaks.I could see all the way into Tennessee from the top of the old fire tower -- whose wooden steps creaked as I climbed up. The temperature, with the wind-chill must have been around zero or even a bit lower. It was truly exhilarating!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sunday at the Beach
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It was an overcast day in Dili today, but the light made for a nice photo-op just outside town along the beach. The tide was out and the reef was teeming with life and color.
It was an overcast day in Dili today, but the light made for a nice photo-op just outside town along the beach. The tide was out and the reef was teeming with life and color.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Loss of a friend
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I still don't believe it. My friend and colleague Brent Hurd was struck and killed by a bus in Bangalore, India, over the weekend. He had gone to India's third largest city last summer to teach film-making for a year.
Brent was always enthusiastic about what he was working on. In Azerbaijan, where I met him, he had just started work on a film about Sufis. He had traveled all over the country, gathering interviews for his documentary -- and in between times -- he was a broadcast journalism teacher.
He taught our journalism students how to shoot and edit -- how to tell a story with pictures. The students loved him. He loved teaching and it showed in the way he could inspire his students.
I had a chance to speak to Brent just last week -- on a scratchy Skype connection from Bangalore. He told me he was loving his work and had some great students.
Brent, we miss you.
Brent was always enthusiastic about what he was working on. In Azerbaijan, where I met him, he had just started work on a film about Sufis. He had traveled all over the country, gathering interviews for his documentary -- and in between times -- he was a broadcast journalism teacher.
He taught our journalism students how to shoot and edit -- how to tell a story with pictures. The students loved him. He loved teaching and it showed in the way he could inspire his students.
I had a chance to speak to Brent just last week -- on a scratchy Skype connection from Bangalore. He told me he was loving his work and had some great students.
Brent, we miss you.
Dili Heat
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The fever finally broke today in Dili -- a cloudburst unlike any I have seen in a long while struck in the middle of the afternoon. It was such a welcome relief after sweltering he
at and humidity.
It rained so hard that it was almost impossible to hear the person next to me speak. The rain was accompanied by gentle winds - creating a natural air conditioner.
Thunder roared overhead -- shaking the building - flashes of lightning dances among the banyan trees and the flaming trees with their bright orange flowers against their dark green leaves.
I could almost sense the trees and plants breathing a huge sigh of relief and a very long, hot dry spell -- I know I was.
at and humidity.It rained so hard that it was almost impossible to hear the person next to me speak. The rain was accompanied by gentle winds - creating a natural air conditioner.
Thunder roared overhead -- shaking the building - flashes of lightning dances among the banyan trees and the flaming trees with their bright orange flowers against their dark green leaves.
I could almost sense the trees and plants breathing a huge sigh of relief and a very long, hot dry spell -- I know I was.
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