TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

12:31 AM
Posted by jodi rose

Philippa arrived on Saturday from London to watch Eurovision with me, and share the remarkable good fortune of a comfortable house with a fine bath. After the excitement and disappointment of the finest pop culture europe has to offer - realised we could vote, oh my god the exhilaration - so each sent an sms for Ukraine, and were devastated when they came second.

We've settled into a rhythm of long walks, writing and exploring the city. Today she took me to her favourite places along the nine streets, paying homage to the popular design mecca of hema, before rampaging through h&m, the atheneum bookstore and a truly wonderful hand made shoe shop across the road from the brightly coloured mexican design kitsch palace which is home to my dream panniers. Silver with Frida Kahlo-esque flowers sprawling over them. Gorgeous.

We've been talking a lot about the shift from one kind of lifestyle to another. Something more soulful and present, being deeply engaged with life. Rich in spirit rather than cash - which comes easily to some of us ;)

I skimmed the pop psychology book 'excuse me your life is waiting' to find the main idea about vibrations somehow familiar. Resonating at a higher frequency. Consciously and with intent. Have read a similar concept in Sufi mysticism, and some pagan writings. Right now the pink bakelite switch Tiki gave me at our last session has become a glowing lighthouse. Beacon of pure energy beaming out into the world with slowly sweeping rays lighting the path across the rocks.

Refining the process of seeking guidance and help from wherever. You can ask and ask, but need to actually recognise it when it arrives and receive it.
Like the man in the flood, sitting on the roof of his house while the waters rise. Someone comes past in a boat and says: 'Hey, hop in!' and the man replies 'No, I'm waiting for God to save me.' The boat putters away and the water starts lapping at his feet. A little while later, a helicopter flies over, with a ladder dangling down within reach of his fingers 'Climb aboard', the pilot calls. 'Thanks, but I'm waiting for God to save me', replies the man again. He drowns, and strangely goes to heaven. Where he asks God, 'Why didn't you save me?'. God sighs in exasperation and says: 'Well I sent a boat and a helicopter, what more do you want?'

On my morning walk along Erasmusgracht I see a white bicycle abandoned in a waterlogged wooden boat. Next to it is a floating birds nest, with two tiny chicks and the round black mother with red beak accepting another twig from the papa bird. That would make a great photo, I think, the bicycle in the boat. Walk a few steps further, turn back, and think - actually, that would make a great bicycle! So I continued around the park and as it was still there when I returned, decided it really was meant for me. Pulled it out, half drowned, the handlebars caught on the rim of the boat, then almost knocked the poor birds out of their nest as it swung round. Finally managed to lever and haul the bike up next to me on the grass, where upon closer inspection it had one completely frayed tyre, but was otherwise intact, and seemed to pedal smoothly. It's exactly the kind I was dreaming of, an old-style dutch step-through with backpedal brakes and no gears. The essence of simplicity. Walked into the house and said: 'Philippa, God has sent us a bicycle!'. She had the tyre fixed and is out now gallivanting around the city on it.

There's some definite synchronicity going on here. Walked into Philippa's old work studio after saying 'we need to find someone with a boat', and her colleague said, 'Let's catch up on Thursday, I'll call a friend with a boat to take us around the canals.' Spooky! Even more than Berlin. Now if God would just send me $50,000....

Very much enjoying the down-to-earth life I have here.
Yesterday I scraped the rust of my borrowed bike, after I learn to change the tyre last week, and then painted it purple. Leaving the remains of the old crest intact.
Then dug the moss out from between the glass on the new windows for the van, and cooked 'surprise chef!' in the kitchen. Emer used to love that game whenever she came over to my house. Shell pasta with spinach, tomato, garlic, onion, mushroom, courgette and blue cheese. It was ok, not nearly as strange as some of my Slovakian bridge guard meals, and perfectly filling.
Watched 'The Station Agent' for atmosphere, and some very macabre, but funny French animation.

This evening Sara took me out for dinner, told me about her trip to Slovenia, and discussed the vagaries of creating a life that can be both mobile and grounded. Talked about the intensely present and yet completely suspended state I'm in now. Couldn't have got to this point without breaking down, falling apart, and letting go completely through the time in Berlin, and now starting to see how the path unfurls before me. Walking home tonight along Haarlemerstraat I noticed a familiar sparkling colourful display of lollies, and realised I had found the papabubble shop. Bizarre juxtaposition of old life and new, being a lollygirl in previous incarnation, and proximity of close friends in another time and city. Made me a little teary.

'How long have you been here?' asked a friend last Thursday. I honestly couldn't remember. 'Years', I replied. It feels like it. Checked my diary and it was exactly a week. Lizzie wrote to me about a dream she had which captures this mood and sense of time.