Breaking away from the European Union
Although the hallmark of the new calendar year so far was the debilitating flu, thankfully I recovered just in time for festivities in Taiwan.
Moreover, my appetite is recuperated, which is of utmost importance when visiting Formosa island.
Call me pessimistic or superstitious, but I am a bit cautious and suspicious as to what will happen in a year not only ending with a bad luck number, but also because it is the year of the black water snake.
As accounted in his book The Stone Raft by the brilliant writer José Saramago, I do not think something as far-fetched as the Iberian peninsula escaping the European continent and near-missing the Azores will happen (but it would be amusing to see how Cataluña proceeds with its independence endeavors under such circumstances). Anyways, I highly suggest this book. It reminds me of his other book, Blindness, in which Saramago placed characters in a very disastrous scenario to describe certain aspects of human connection. What is more is Saramago’s ability to connect the characters with the reader so well that the absurd events seem like true historical events.
In The Stone Raft, there was a great migration of citizens within and out of the Iberian Peninsula. Last week, I attended an exhibit in Museo Ico featuring the architecture of Ma Yansong and his group, MAD architects. Entrance is free and located in a clandestine street with a vegetarian restaurant I like a few doors down. Weaving through the miniature models of the colossal works — recent and future — I marveled how China’s urbanization is sucking people to its centers causing them to inhabit among the clouds (…of pollution) in skyscrapers.
The farther one dwells from the soil…does that mean the farther out of touch we are becoming from Mother Nature?
On the other hand, some are now being forced to migrate due to climate change. For example, the population of Kiribati will have to uproot and purchase a part of Fijian land as their new home because their Pacific archipelago is threatened by rising sea levels.
While I do enjoy Chinese New Year celebrations in Taiwan, I mainly look forward to the Lantern Festival. This year’s message is to have love for Mother Nature. Timely because some experts argue that Anthropocene has begun “because human- kind has caused mass extinctions of plant and animal species, polluted the oceans and altered the atmosphere, among other lasting impacts.” (Smithsonian Magazine).
In order not to end this post on a bleak note, I will finish with a funny story (well, it was not funny at the time) of bad luck that greeted me during the start of a new calendar year while in Paris several years ago.
I believe it was bad karma getting revenge on me and my flatmates for not only cutting in line to leave a long trail of freezing tourists obediently waiting to enter Musee d’Orsay, but also sneaking into Orsay without paying admission.
Because the next day, we locked ourselves out of our flat. Having stealthily entered Orsay, we concluded we were invincible, so we decided to ignore the problem and enjoy our day in the sun’s short guest appearance whose rays do not warm in the Winter, but illuminates for visual pleasure. Or maybe we thought the door would miraculously unlock upon coming back because our brunch was this:
Of course no New Year’s miracle happened, but quite the opposite. When the locksmith came he hammered and he drilled for one hour — all to no avail. Then he took out a simple plastic square and slid it along the door with a little shaking until the door opened in about 45 seconds! But because he hammered and he drilled our door knob, it was in need of new locks which he quoted to be about 4000€ on top of the 1000€ fee for opening the door. Conniving locksmith…..
I hope your year is coming off to a fabulous start! The beginning of this year starts with my own separation from the EU for a few months.
After Taiwan, I will be in Vietnam to visit some friends who have been doing social work there for some years now. Cà phê sữa đá aka cafe su dua aka Vietnamese iced coffee and banh xeo aka Vietnamese crepe twice daily is something I am excited about.
Then I have to be back home in Hawaii for April in order to help my mother with her business (the epitome of capitalism, but oh well, it’s my duty as her daughter). I guess I can’t complain…it is Hawaii after all.
One last quote written in The Stone Raft that I re-read a few times and I am still pondering:
We must deplore this yielding to the temptations of anthropomorphism, which sees and judges everything in an essential rapport with human beings, as if nature had nothing better to do than to think about us. It would all be much easier to understand if we were simply to confess our infinite fear, the fear that leads us to people in the world with images resembling what we are or believe ourselves to be, unless this obsessive effort is nothing other than feigned courage or sheer stubbornness on the part of someone who refuses to exist in a void, who decides not to find meaning where no meaning exists. We are probably incapable of filling emptiness, and what we call meaning is no more than a fleeting collection of images that once seemed harmonious, images on which the intelligence tried in panic to introduce reason, order, coherence.
You really write so well. 🙂 I am amazed at how you take me from place to place with each & every post. Hawaii FTW!
I wish that this year, I will be able to write travel posts as well. That’s my goal & thank you for inspiring me 😀 *hug*
Hello there! Thank you for the compliments (blushing)… Yes, go out and travel to experience new places ! The world is so big and the choices are endless 😉
Whaaaaaaa I will this year!!! 🙂
Wow, you get to be in Taiwan for a few months. What a change!
That French locksmith was a crook! I can’t believe how much it costs to open a door and get new locks. Crazy.
I look forward to posts from your travels in Taiwan and Asia. 🙂
Many thanks for visiting ! Yes, it’s always nice to spend time in Asia because it’s the polar opposite of the EU. When we paid the locksmith something that I was hoping was that he would at least buy a new pair of pants because watching him squat down to fiddle with the door was not a pretty sight! I hope the new year is treating you well so far 🙂
I finished Blindness two days ago. And thus discovered the wonder of Jose Saramago; he simple rocks.
“Inside us there is something that has no name, that something is what we are.” — Saramago, Blindness.
Saramago does rock! In Blindness he displayed a use of long running sentences which at first disconcerted me, but impressed me because he never lost control of his storytelling despite this. I also want to read his book “Seeing” which is a sort of sequel to “Blindness” and even includes a character from “the Stone Raft”. Thank you for visiting my blog !
Wonderful, personally I love Asia so look forward to more travel posts from you.
Absolutely, Asia is quite different from the EU so it is an nice place to visit. Yet, being in Asia can reminds me of living in the USA that has many Asian immigrants that provide the same quality and abundance of foods that I find in Asia. When I go back to places I was born and grew up in the USA, I am very satisfied with the opportunities for gluttony because Oahu and Southern California are full of Asian choices. Unfortunately, I cannot find this type of satisfaction when in the EU — unless its Middle Eastern or Indian food in London.
thanks God you recovered from the flu! you’ve been to Taiwan recently? wow.
i love the opening quotes. and that blue and yellow montage picture is really spellbinding. ^_^
Thank you for the compliment on the yellow and blue picture. I did that because the sign to this small museum is yellow and blue which stood out on a rather dark alley despite Madrid’s ever strong sun rays shining. Well, I like being in Taiwan for Lunar new year festivities so I am back on Formosa Island… hey! I’m in an island just a few hours from you, LOL!
Another brilliant write up. Thanks for that and the pictures. You always go to so many nice places. 🙂
The world offers nice places to travel–near or far :). Thank you for stopping by!
Haha… yeah, it’s only Hawaii after all! And you know… London welcomes you anytime if the wind ever blows you over this direction.
Although the weather is not like Hawaii, I do like London visits! Although I’m not much of a shopper, London brings out some serious consumeristic qualities within me — I really think it’s due to the attractive window displays. I have to be careful whenever I’m back in London 🙂
Haha… I don’t often travel into the central parts of London. It certainly is a shoppers heaven! I tend to stay more in the outskirts visiting hidden gems and independent shops 🙂
I’m so jealous of your adventures and what beautiful pictures. I need to catch up on here, but I have the travel bug/am itching to leave my 9-5, and you inspire me. Maybe you have advice? Love your writing!
Thank you for your visit Natalie…yes, break the 9-5 routine and enjoy a quick or long getaway! How about South America? It’s warm there during this time of year 🙂
No Manila in your itinerary, not even a quickie? 😦
Dear Addie, I wish I could!!!!! I haven’t had yummy Filipino food forever! Unfortunately, I also have some work to do here and my travel/work schedule does not allow even a quickie visit. Boohoo!
good, that there is more than only Europe …
The world is so much bigger……
What a wonderful post frances. We have our annual Chinese New Year parade tonight, I may go out to watch it or I am stay home. Either way, it will be an interesting year…
Enjoy the parade! today marks the end of Chinese New Year festivities. It is said on Lunar new year day the gods come down among us humans and today the go back up to the heavens to watch over us.
the Stone Raft it is then.
I hope the story delights you!
Wow Frances! I’m sorry I had to ask, as I kept reading I got more and more curious … what are you doing in Taiwan / Asia and how are you finding it? 🙂
Well, I am mainly in Asia for holidays, and a bit(sadly) to complete some work. I try to visit Taiwan every year — I have friends to stay with over there. I also like to visit my place where I spent sometime of my childhood—Kyoto. Then headed to Vietnam because my friends that lived there announced their engagement….so, yes…many things bring me to Asia. Ohhhh…and to E A T !!!!!!
I see Frances, that you have a beautiful trip lined up for your time in Asia! Do enjoy and share photos when you’re free! 🙂
A great place to travel. So vibrant and full of everything exciting. Truly an adventure. Have a great weekend.
Yes, I love going to Taiwan for Chinese New Year festivities! It’s a wonderous time to spend with family and friends.