In his newsletter Luka Bloom mentions that it is 50 years since the Dalai Lama went into exile. He hasn't been back to Tibet since, which is so sad. When I first saw Luka about 10 years ago here in Utrecht the song that moved and impressed me most was "As I Waved Goodbye", which he had not recorded yet. Luka also still had his sruti box at the time, which provided beautiful accompaniment to the song.
Looking at the documentaries about the history of Tibet and the current situation makes me sad. And there is no sign of things getting better out there yet.
Luka recorded the song in Whelans in Dublin last February, and it is beautiful as ever: As I Waved Goodbye
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Lovely Monday Morning
Some days just start out right. As I walked out of my street this morning I could see the tram at the stop. I started running, but then the tram started moving. I slowed down, but so did the tram driver, and he actually stopped for me. I told him he was wonderful!
Friday, March 06, 2009
Luka
Luka was back in the country, I had to go to Utrecht this time to see him, to the mythical Tivoli. I had never been to Tivoli before, not to the old one anyway. This is where people first started to sing with Luka in 1990. People still sing, though for some reason other people felt it necessary to talk all the way through the concert. I don't understand this, why go to a concert if you don't want to listen to the music.
Luka was his own opening act for the occasion, and what an opening act. He started of with "Diamond Mountain", such a beautiful song. And he just went on from there. Before the break he sang some ten songs by himself, and then came back with the boys, which made for a different kind of Luka concert. Familiar songs, but they sounded different.
He began his encore with "Don't be Afraid of the Light that Shines Within You", which I love. It is such a song of hope. Then he went on by himself to sing a request, "The Man is Alive". When I heard the first chords I couldn't believe my ears, this was the one song I wanted, didn't expect, but got anyway. It completely blew me away, and has been sustaining me ever since.
Luka was his own opening act for the occasion, and what an opening act. He started of with "Diamond Mountain", such a beautiful song. And he just went on from there. Before the break he sang some ten songs by himself, and then came back with the boys, which made for a different kind of Luka concert. Familiar songs, but they sounded different.
He began his encore with "Don't be Afraid of the Light that Shines Within You", which I love. It is such a song of hope. Then he went on by himself to sing a request, "The Man is Alive". When I heard the first chords I couldn't believe my ears, this was the one song I wanted, didn't expect, but got anyway. It completely blew me away, and has been sustaining me ever since.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Oma
It would have been my grandmother's birthday today. She would have been 100, but she only lived to be 60. Such a long time ago, and I can remember so little, except for a great feeling of warmth and love. And chicken soup, sweet pears, and little dogs. I often think of her, when important things happen to me in my life. That is lovely to me.
Monday, March 02, 2009
Alienation
My first few days back home are always difficult. Suddenly everything changes. Walking down the the street here in Amsterdam I kept seeing familiar figures, Pavel, our zodiac driver, or Mariano, the owner of the bookshop in Ushuaia, somewhere on the street. One of those tricks of the mind or the eye. Moving from one world to the other within 24 hours.
Suddenly I find myself cycling again, after almost three months. First on my bike in Delft, which is unusual anyway, then on my bike here. I first have to drag that down three flights of stairs, something of an effort, but then it feels like I was cycling only yesterday.
Coming back to work is strange. Everything seems the same, I am the one who has changed. And then I see part of the office has been redecorated, we now have a sheepy reading room and lounge area. And I see a lot of new faces, again. I've read about people leaving and saying goodbye, I didn't realise there were so many new arrivals.
When you leave the ship you see so many faces after seeing so few for a long time. Travelling back, flying up to Buenos Aires, during the taxi ride to the international airport, then flying to Madrid and on to Amsterdam. So many people. And again, out here.
What is strangest perhaps is having time to myself. After working most working hours every day for the past 11 weeks, I now have spare time again. I need to decide for myself what I want to do, I have a choice. My life is no longer governed by the regular hours and schedule of the ship.
Being on the move, working all day long, you need a little time to readjust to a different way of life again.
Suddenly I find myself cycling again, after almost three months. First on my bike in Delft, which is unusual anyway, then on my bike here. I first have to drag that down three flights of stairs, something of an effort, but then it feels like I was cycling only yesterday.
Coming back to work is strange. Everything seems the same, I am the one who has changed. And then I see part of the office has been redecorated, we now have a sheepy reading room and lounge area. And I see a lot of new faces, again. I've read about people leaving and saying goodbye, I didn't realise there were so many new arrivals.
When you leave the ship you see so many faces after seeing so few for a long time. Travelling back, flying up to Buenos Aires, during the taxi ride to the international airport, then flying to Madrid and on to Amsterdam. So many people. And again, out here.
What is strangest perhaps is having time to myself. After working most working hours every day for the past 11 weeks, I now have spare time again. I need to decide for myself what I want to do, I have a choice. My life is no longer governed by the regular hours and schedule of the ship.
Being on the move, working all day long, you need a little time to readjust to a different way of life again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)