Pas De Deux

Bon anniversaire a mon blog, pour deux ans.


And to all you guys who've read, followed, and commented on my ramblings, let me just say how much I've enjoyed our little dances together.


And to those few who became my friends IRL - merci merci beaucoup.


Salutations de l'autre côté de l'océan.

Cirque du Soleil

Like Liesl Von Rhuman following the spring, my flight followed the morning sun.

Departing a stormy Manila in the pitch-black wee hours, a majestic Arabian sun greeted us in Abu Dhabi, from whence we followed it across the sky as ancient Egyptians followed Ra. We blazed a trail through the Middle East, chasing the morning sun as it crossed over into Europe. From there, it transformed into Apollo downshifting his chariot of fire into a lazy Parisian afternoon.

A lovely, sun-dappled Gallic summer afternoon which quickly became overshadowed by torrential rains that came out of nowhere. Heavy, punitive droplets of icy fury descended upon us with cold, pitiless vengeance the moment we alighted the airport shuttle, slicing us like liquid razors as we scurried like shivering rats to the hotel.

And after the drenching, the radiant sun smiled once more in the late afternoon like a benevolent - if mocking - Louis XIV enveloping Versailles with his royal luminance. A brilliance and warmth that was shortly and finally eclipsed by thundering gray and angry storm clouds that molded the remains of the day into an Ingmar Bergman movie.

There's a story about circles and cycles in all of this somewhere. I'm just too tired to see it right now.

Paris, Encore

As you read this, I shall be some 40,000 feet in the air headed towards 48°51′24″N 2°21′03″E / 48.856667°N 2.350833° E. at some 529 mph, more or less.

Seven long years and nineteen hours later, I will find myself in Paris once again.

As usual, I am unenthused and unexcited about the whole trip, but one hopes the City of Lights will illuminate my heart and soul, as there have been too much of shadows and fog there of late.


À tout à l'heure, messieurs.

Fade To Black

Everyone leaves.


The reasons may vary, the circumstances may differ, but sooner or later, everyone leaves.


But knowing this doesn't make things easier.


Not.

One.

Fucking.

Bit.

Buddha Bar None

Today is Asarnha Bucha Day in Thailand, when the predominantly Buddhist populace marks the occasion of Lord Buddha's first sermon to five disciples, introducing the middle way, the noble eight-fold path, and the four noble truths.


It also means there is a liquor ban today.


Ah, well. Tomorrow is another day, Miz Scarlett. Howevah, tomorrow, July 16,  is Buddhist Lent Day - the beginning of the Buddhist rain retreat which lasts three months.


While monks may not sleep outside their temples during this period, it also means - oh, guess - no liquor.


I picked a great time to be in Bangkok.


Oh, well...I suppose the fates knew this, which is why I drank myself silly for two nights before leaving Manila.


So while no alcohol will pour tonight, I shall go with the flow and all that.


Om shanti

Shanti shanti

Shanti om