Jan 31 Journey to the East - H.H. - Ottawa

No matter how far a specific date may seem, that day will arrive... time never stops. When I was a kid I used to see the year 2000 as a distant moment in the far future. I knew I would be 28 at the time, and in my mind that seemed like an eternity! Well, the year 2000 came along and is now long gone; in fact, it's been a decade ever since (you do the math).
Days inevitably arrive and the 31 of January, 2010 is now here. What does it mean? My trip to Africa and Russia is imminent.
I farewell Ottawa on a warmer day (-5 degrees). My first destination: Frankfurt, as a via point on my way to Abuja, capital of Nigeria. My author of the day is Herman Hesse, whom I thought to be a pure German but he happens to be a Swiss depsite his Black Forest birth in Southern West Germany. Journey to the East (published in 1932 as "Die Morgenlandfahrt)is a relatively short novel that involves famous characters such as Plato, Mozart, Pythagoras, Paul Klee, Don Quixote, and Baudelaire. They are all involved in this search-for-ultimate truth journey. "Truth" (as we may know) is a controversial word often charged with heavy expectations. Philosophy can certainly theorize about it, and Hesse does it quite well... but the truth about Truth is mirage.
I like journeys. They imply a great deal of learning and adventure. I am about to visit four countries I have never been to. I am glad I am starting in Frankfurt; a place that has become familiar to me, since it is an easy stop on the way to Africa and Eastern Europe. Frankfurt is the hometown of Goethe... another big thinker of our times... wished I had a moment to re-visit "his" house in the heart of the city.
I am a bit tired but not as jet-lagged as I thought I would be.

My tip of the day: Read on planes, it shortens distances and brighthens one's night. If you can accompany it with music... I recommend 'Bose' headsets and a good iPod playlist! Share