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

Jan 18 Via Rail and the Fifth Business

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Jan 17 - Rideau Canal and The Kingdom of this World - Ottawa

My book of the day is The Kingdom of this World/El Reino de este Mundo, by Swiss/Cuban Alejo Carpentier. Alejo is not from Haiti but his story is. He actually grew up in Havana and took exile in France. This intellectual, influenced by European Surrealism, was one of the pioneers of Magic Realism in Latin America. The Kingdom of this World was published in Spanish in 1949 and it is about the history of Haiti before and after Haitian revolution against French colonizers. Carpentier uses the voice of slave Ti Noel to narrate the four chapters of this short novel, not exactly interrelated, but connected as a whole. In the face of disillusionment following independence, Haitians turned to their African traditions and rituals to give their lives meaning... History is an important legacy that can help us understand the present. El Reino de este mundo was published in English in 1957.



The Rideau Canal is Ottawa's waterway. Inaugurated in 1832, this UNESCO World Heritage Site connects the city of Kingston with Canada's Capital city. It is perfectly navigable during the late Spring, Summer and early Autumn... Once it freezes it becomes the longest skating rink in the world (7.8 K). I went skating on it today and it was awesome. You can see families, kids, visitors, volunteers flying over the smooth surface of the ice... mind the bumps though!

Tip of the day: When skating in the Canal (a MUST DO when you vist Ottawa in the Winter time), do not miss a great cup of hot chocolate and especially... our famous beavertales (more on this delicious pastry when I talk about Winterlude!

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