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Trimble Inc.
935 Stewart Drive
Post Office Box 3642
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
1.408.481.8000 phone
1.408.481.7781 fax
Trimble Introduces EZ-Sync Wireless Data Transfer Solution
The EZ-Sync solution is compatible with Trimble handheld devices with wireless capability, such as the Trimble® Juno™ SC or Trimble Nomad™ 800XC. Both field-ready devices use EZ-Office Mobile software. This makes it possible to wirelessly send GPS maps such as soil sampling, field scouting, and boundary maps from the field to the office.
From the tractor, sprayer or combine cab, EZ-Sync also works for transferring data wirelessly to or from the Trimble AgGPS® FmX™ integrated display. This capability provides growers and agribusinesses the ability to wirelessly send work orders, including variable rate prescription maps, from the office to the field. When a job is completed in the field, the "as applied" map can be sent back to the office in order to streamline data management.
"Continuing to build on Trimble's solutions for the Connected Farm, EZ-Sync offers a way to easily transfer data wirelessly between the field and office," said Erik Arvesen, vice president and general manager for Trimble's Agriculture Division. "The data collection and transfer solution enhances field record keeping and reduces the chance of data being lost due to damaged media or human error. EZ-Sync can simplify and improve on-farm record keeping throughout the growing cycle."
About Trimble
Trimble applies technology to make field and mobile workers in businesses and government significantly more productive. Solutions are focused on applications requiring position or location—including surveying, construction, agriculture, fleet and asset management, public safety and mapping. In addition to utilizing positioning technologies, such as GPS, lasers and optics, Trimble solutions may include software content specific to the needs of the user. Wireless technologies are utilized to deliver the solution to the user and to ensure a tight coupling of the field and the back office. Founded in 1978, Trimble is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.
*Service availability in the field may vary depending on wireless connectivity options and data coverage areas.


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Requirements for MAGAM:
The garment must be for me - check
My Requirements
The garment must be for me - check
It must fit well - hopefully! I embarked on this sewing journey to get well fitting garments.
It must fill a gap in my wardrobe - check - my target garment are trousers, fitted blouses, fitted jackets and fitted dresses
It preferably uses a pattern and fabric that I already have -check
Requirements for PR.com Fitted Blouse Competition:
"a. The blouse must use shaping through the use of darts, or dart equivalents such as princess seams, gathers, tucks, or pleats, to follow the contours of the body through the bust and waist
b. Closure required (buttons and buttonholes, loop buttons, zippers, hook and eye, tie, frogs, etc.) Because the blouse is fitted, it can't be a pullover.
c. Collar required
d. Fabric - Woven or Stretch Woven only. Knits are not allowed. Can be a print or a solid - any color.
e. Set - In Sleeves required - Either short or long. Raglan/Dolman/Cut on sleeves not allowed.
f. Wrap-type blouses with tie closures ARE allowed.
The gallery entry must be a photograph of the fitted blouse on a person since the judging criteria includes 'best fit'. Photos of the fitted blouse on a dressform, hangar or lying flat will cause entry to be disqualified. Photos MAY crop the head out of photo, if desired for privacy issues"
I looked at quite a few patterns. Two New Look patterns - the first was 6078, which is a blouse with a Peter Pan collar and a couple of sleeve and front variations. Buttons up to the neck. The sleeve caps are slightly puffed and this put me off as I don't like this look on me. The second was 6407, which I really liked. It used bust and waist darts to contour. A couple of sleeve variations. I don't know what to call the neckline but essentially a V neck was created. There were a couple of collar variations. Eventually, however, I decided on the Simplicity 2151. There were a number of reasons for this - it's an Amazing Fit pattern, so hopefully no need to do a FBA; shaping is by use of princess seams, giving quite a bit of fitting flexibility and lastly, I thought the style would suit my lifestyle better and suit the material I already had.
Here, I've shown the pattern with 2 lots of fabric - red and also cream with a small black polka dot. The first of my original fabric choices, a pale blue light weight denim, was too heavy for a blouse (will make a great heavier weight blouse/jacket in due course). My second choice was a lovely fabric with a slight peachskin feel and a self pattern; I feared it might be more difficult to sew and my class tutor advised me that it would show up the fitted features well.
I have adjusted the pattern pieces. After deliberation, I chose the 'C' cup front. I had to drop the bust fullness by 2.75 inches and lengthen the pattern at the lengthen/shorten point by about the same. I had some difficulty dropping but point as it then sat in waist area! So, I lengthened the waist first. I decided against lengthening the pattern any further. As has happened previously when I've dropped the bust fullness on a princess seam, following Palmer Pletsch instructions (I did the same with my 'Little White Dress'), I found it very difficult to redraw and true the seam on the side panel from bust level to shoulder as my alteration quite simply looks very different - perhaps because I've had to make such a big adjustment. I haven't seen anywhere, however, suggesting that there is a maximum size for this adjustment.
I prepared both the red and the polka dot fabric. as time is now so short, I decided that I would make up in the red fabric, a cotton blend, as this was not an expensive fabric. If it turns out well, I have a wearable blouse, and if it doesn't, then it becomes the muslin for my final garment.
I've cut the pattern out of the red fabric, so hopefully I'll get to start sewing it together tonight. I should have enough time, provided there are no disasters on the way! I'm doing view C, by the way - it has a slightly more military look and I haven't decided yet whether to do the epaulettes.

subset: commoncrawl


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Have any task carried out at an affordable price
Lowering costs is a crucial aspect of any Fencing Company process. On the other hand, you want quality end results, so Fencing Company Guys provides you with both. We will work with just about any spending budget with specialized strategies to be sure that you are able to afford your Fencing Company process.
Fencing Company Guys can accomplish any project fast
While many organizations might be obscure regarding when they'll appear and when they'll finish the job, Fencing Company Guys will give you a detailed estimate for the stretch of time necessary for your task, inform you when we can arrive to get started, and help you stay up to date on our development and any sort of changes to the timeline when they transpire. We know that finishing your project promptly can save you cash, and our goal is to try to conserve your money and time wherever we're able to. We don't squander your hours with the common errors which occur with many businesses. As a result, you save more time and money thanks to our skilled professional excellence. This additionally will save you money on materials, because we know exactly what we're doing, so we do not waste resources on blunders.
We will be there for you! Contact us by dialing 888-320-4449 to start setting up your Fencing Company project.


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12 to 5 pm
Vancouverites for Steampunk is delighted to invite you to join us for our Brass in the Grass steampunk picnic in The Royal City of New Westminster. Enjoy a relaxed afternoon of al fresco dining and fun, in the company of other differently-dressed folks.
Pack your parasols & straw boaters, and your picnic hampers, blankets, cushions, chairs, stools, shade canopies & tea-serving automatons, and other such necessities for your comfort.
We will bring croquet and bocce, and possibly horseshoes. Feel free to bring any other games and entertainments, or even a wee project to work on. This is a casual costumed event.
DRESS CODE: Steampunk, Victorian, Edwardian, Dark Victorian, Goth, Lolita, neoEdwardian or your best effort at such. Message me if you're unsure what to wear!
Event is FREE! It is BYOR – Bring Your Own Repast – whether this be sandwiches and iced tea, kippers & lemonade, or anything else you think to bring. We provide the grass to sit upon, fresh air, and hopefully sunny weather. Look for the Union Jack bunting!
LOCATION: Queen's Park in New Westminster (the Royal City). Map with precise details is below.
IN THE EVENT OF INCLEMENT WEATHER, notice of event cancellation will be made by 10:30 am, and will be posted on this website, and in the open Facebook group Vancouverites for Steampunk.


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Reconnect with nature whilst staying at Tepee. We are located 5 minutes from Matakana Village and 10 minutes to beautiful Omaha beach.
- Por noche
- $99 - $125
Comunícate con nosotros
Acerca de
Staying in a tepee provides a great opportunity to experience and reconnect with nature, while still enjoying the comforts of home.
Our tepees are set up on large timber platforms. We provide quality beds, duvets and pillows, pure cotton linen, shower towels and solar powered LED lights. An eco toilet is close by and beautiful outdoor shower facilities are a two minute walk away at our house.
A healthy breakfast bowl and barista made coffee or tea is included in your stay. We try our best to source organic produce from local suppliers wherever possible.
Dirección física
Tepee, 28 Schollum Road, Matakana, Auckland, New Zealand.
Horario de apertura
- Meses de funcionamiento:
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec
Instalaciones y características
- Breakfast
- Children Welcome
- Courtesy Transport
- Pet Friendly
- Safety Deposit Box at Reception
- Proximidad con el aeropuerto:
- 90 km to Auckland airport
- Proximidad con el terminal de autobuses turísticos:
- 15 km to Warkworth bus terminal
- Proximidad con el pueblo:
- 5 km to Matakana Village
- Cantidad de habitaciones:
- 3
Precios y condiciones
|Por noche
|$99.00 - $125.00
- Más información sobre precios:
- Please read the terms and conditions on our website.
Apoyo lingüístico


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The theme for the scientific part of the 2002 meeting was Tree improvement and regional diversity. This highly topical issue could have impacts on the work of BIHIP because the Forestry Commission is about to set up a genetic management policy review group. The decisions reached as a result of its deliberations could have implications for the use of improved seed.
Sam Samuel of Forest Research
Told us of two sorts of variation which exist in trees:
- Adaptive or selective variation, which is the basis of most field trials to determine suitability of genotypes for planting. Trials with many species generally show that native material performs better than foreign stock since it has often adapted well to the locality in such aspects as time of bud burst, though trials are often lacking with a British emphasis.
- Neutral, non-selective or random variation, which is most commonly determined by molecular methods, can help elucidate such questions as the origin of particular populations and gene flow.
He also explained three terms about which there is often confusion. Adaptation is the variation in a population that exists as a result of selection in the local environment. Adaptability is the potential of a population to adapt to heterogeneous or changing environmental conditions. Conservation aims to maintain or increase adaptability. The important questions for BIHIP are whether a combination of adaptation and selection for quality and performance are acceptable, or are they mutually exclusive, and at what level breeding programmes should address the region of provenance or seed zone structure? There are four regions of provenance in Great Britain, which are subdivided into a total of 24 local seed zones, and Ireland as a whole is regarded as only one provenance region and seed zone at present.
Gordon Patterson of the Forestry Commission's Policy and Practice Division
Gave us a valuable overview of 12 issues concerning policy on the genetic conservation of native trees, stressing that he had no clear answers yet, though developments to date are outlined in FC Technical Paper 31 (2000). Among those that will be important to BIHIP are:
- The use of genetically improved material rather than local seed sources
- The choice of seed origin and rules about transfer
- The use of foreign material (e.g. eastern European oak) in existing woods
- Responses to environmental change
- The influences of tree genotype on woodland fungi and fauna
Particular research needs will be into adaptive variation and choice of seed origin, and the potential for seed supply in Britain. At present about two thirds to three quarters of all broadleaved planting stock comes from continental Europe, and large scale movement of seed across Britain is common. The Forestry Commission's current policy is to encourage the use of local seed sources, especially in ancient semi-natural woodlands (ASNW). Though the use of improved material in ASNW is not likely to be ruled out if genetic conservation is not compromised, a particular problem is likely to arise if a large amount of specially selected stock is planted in native woodlands, especially if it is introduced from distant sources. Research is needed to determine how local it should be. Major reasons for this are that the UK is a signatory to the European Convention on Biodiversity, and also the "precautionary principle".
A wide spectrum of policy responses is likely to be developed between conservation on the one hand and production on the other. Where timber production is a major objective the use of improved stock would be allowed, and even encouraged. The main aim is not to allow the British gene pool to be changed too rapidly, and the challenge is to determine the desirable balance between genetic conservation and production. The genetic management policy review group mentioned earlier will almost certainly have a representative of BIHIP on it.
David Boshier (Oxford Forestry Institute)
Quoted the EC Biodiversity Strategy guideline which states that "native species and local provenances should be preferred where appropriate", and forest certification requires this approach too. The problem is to decide what "local" means. For example, should seed be collected from the same wood, the same watershed or anywhere in the same country? Two sources of information are available to help determine this:
- Molecular studies which enable neutral variation, gene flow and population structure to be investigated, and
- Field trials which allow adaptive variation to be studied. The extent of this will depend upon the number of generations over which selection has occurred, and also the extent of environmental variability.
He said that it is necessary to maintain genetic variation in trees (which are twice as diverse as herbaceous plants):
- To provide adaptation to changing environments
- Because it can be of direct use (as in BIHIP's work)
- To maintain viability of populations in the short term and avoid inbreeding and outbreeding depression. While there is no evidence yet for outbreeding depression in temperate trees, there is plenty for inbreeding.
- Dr Boshier went on to explain that the "reciprocal transplant" experiments being planned at Oxford with ash will, at least for this species, elucidate the scale at which adaptation occurs, relating geographic distances between seed sources to ecological differences. This will provide a scientific basis for any adjustments that may be needed to the existing provenance regions and seed zones. However, policies for one species may not necessarily apply to another, for example due to different dispersal mechanisms or responses to site differences. He suggested that it would be important for BIHIP to identify where there is genotype-environment interaction in its trials and what this was caused by.
Other speakers were John Fennessy (COFORD), Ireland, and Hugh Williams (National Forest) who outlined their organisations' perspectives on these points.
Dr Peter Savill, Woodland Heritage Trustee


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Paperback, 179 Pages
Price: $22.52
Prints in 3-5 business days
Vocal score of "Patience" by Gilbert and Sullivan including the dialogue. This book is also available with spiral binding as item 9217559.
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Product Details
- Copyright
- The GIlbert and Sullivan Archive (Standard Copyright License)
- Publisher
- The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive
- Published
- September 21, 2010
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 179
- Binding
- Perfect-bound Paperback
- Interior Ink
- Black & white
- Weight
- 1.2 lbs.
- Dimensions (inches)
- 8.26 wide x 11.69 tall
- Product ID
- 12666520
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Woman awarded £85MILLION after blaming her ovarian cancer on Johnson & Johnson baby powder
Lois Slemp, 62, of Wise, Virginia, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012 and blames the company's products
THE makers of Johnson's baby powder have been ordered to shell out more than £85million to a US woman who says she got cancer from using its products.
A jury in St Louis, Missouri, awarded the record sum to Lois Slemp, 62, of Wise, Virginia, in the latest court case against pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson.
Slemp, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012, blames her illness on her four-decade-long use of the company's talcum powder products.
The disease has now spread to her liver and she was too ill to attend the trial.
But in an audiotape of her testimony played in court she said: "I trusted Johnson & Johnson – big mistake."
Jim Onder, one of Slemp's lawyers, today said she was "thrilled" with the verdict and hoped it would "send a message".
Most read in news
Johnson & Johnson said it would appeal and disputed the scientific evidence behind Slemp's claims.
The company also noted that a St. Louis jury found in its favour in a similar case in March, while two more cases in New Jersey were thrown out by a judge.
A statement from the company said: "We are preparing for additional trials this year and we will continue to defend the safety of Johnson's Baby Powder."
Much research has found no link or a weak one between ovarian cancer and the use of baby powder for feminine hygiene, and most major health groups have declared talc harmless.
But the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies genital use of talc as "possibly carcinogenic".
Lawyers cited other research that began connecting talcum powder to ovarian cancer in the 1970s, claiming women who regularly use it on their genital area face up to a 40 per cent higher risk of developing the disease.
Three previous juries in St Louis have awarded a total of £152million to claimants in similar cases.
One of those was ovarian cancer sufferer Deborah Giannecchini of Modesto, California, who was awarded more than £58million in October last year.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or call 0207 782 4368


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On Wednesday 7th February 2018 Carolina will be taking part in a panel discussion at the third BLC Professional and Entrepreneurial Women event, sharing her stories and advice on launching a company here in Luxembourg. She will also be giving advice to women looking to set up their own business, discussing the challenges faced in doing so in Luxembourg. Carolina has been based in Luxembourg since 2000 and is well versed in the challenges of the day to day running of an architecture business here.
She will be joined on the panel by Joanna Denton, an entrepreneur and Chair of the British Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg, and Tina Radford, Gweek Ambassador at Speech Intelligence Analytics.
The event will take place at the Residence of the British Embassy, 16 Boulevard Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 2450 Luxembourg. The event is also open to non-members. We hope to see you there 18.30 – 21.00.
Further details can be found here


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CytRx Corporation (NASDAQ: CYTR), a biopharmaceutical research and development company specializing in oncology, today announced that additional preliminary data from its Phase 2b clinical trial demonstrating aldoxorubicin's potential advantage over doxorubicin in the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) will be presented at the 18 th Annual Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS) Meeting on Thursday, October 31 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel. The Company previously reported that patients in the trial treated with aldoxorubicin had an Overall Response Rate (ORR) of 22%, whereas those administered the widely used chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin had an ORR of 0%. The Company expects to report top-line data for the global Phase 2b clinical trial in December 2013. "Because CTOS draws thought leaders in the treatment of sarcoma from around the world, it provides an ideal forum to gain awareness of this compelling data and to acquaint the oncologists with our phase 3 study in patients with relapsed or refractory soft tissue sarcomas," said CytRx President and CEO Steven A. Kriegsman. "Discoveries of new sarcoma treatments have been relatively few, particularly when compared with treatments for breast or prostate cancer, but the preliminary clinical results thus far drive our optimism that aldoxorubicin can fill an important medical need in patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma. " STS is a cancer occurring in muscle, fat, blood vessels, tendons, fibrous tissues and connective tissue, and can arise anywhere in the body at any age. There are more than 30 types of STS, and according to the American Cancer Society more than 10,500 new cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S. In addition to the Phase 2b trial for STS, the Company has received acceptance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a protocol to conduct a Phase 2 clinical trial with aldoxorubicin in glioblastoma, a difficult-to-treat and deadly brain cancer, and also plans to conduct a Phase 2 clinical trial in HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma.
About AldoxorubicinThe widely used chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin is delivered systemically and is highly toxic, which limits its dose to a level below its maximum therapeutic benefit. Doxorubicin also is associated with many side effects, especially the potential for damage to heart muscle at cumulative doses greater than 500 mg/m 2. Aldoxorubicin combines doxorubicin with a novel single-molecule linker that binds directly and specifically to circulating albumin, the most plentiful protein in the bloodstream. Protein-hungry tumors concentrate albumin, thus increasing the delivery of the linker molecule with the attached doxorubicin to tumor sites. In the acidic environment of the tumor, but not the neutral environment of healthy tissues, doxorubicin is released. This allows for greater doses of doxorubicin to be administered while reducing its toxic side effects. In studies thus far there has been no evidence of clinically significant effects of aldoxorubicin on heart muscle, even at cumulative doses of drug well in excess of 2 g/m 2. About the Connective Tissue Oncology Society Formed in 1995 and incorporated in 1997, the Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS) is an international group comprised of physicians and scientists with a primary interest in the tumors of connective tissues. The goal of the society is to advance the care of patients with connective tissue tumors and to increase knowledge of all aspects of the biology of these tumors, including basic and clinical research. About CytRx Corporation CytRx Corporation is a biopharmaceutical research and development company specializing in oncology. CytRx currently is focused on the clinical development of aldoxorubicin (formerly known as INNO-206), its improved version of the widely used chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin. CytRx is conducting a global Phase 2b clinical trial with aldoxorubicin as a treatment for soft tissue sarcomas, has completed its Phase 1b/2 clinical trial primarily in the same indication and a Phase 1b study of aldoxorubicin in combination with doxorubicin in patients with advanced solid tumors, and has completed a Phase 1b pharmacokinetics clinical trial in patients with metastatic solid tumors. CytRx plans to initiate under a special protocol assessment a potential pivotal Phase 3 global trial with aldoxorubicin as a therapy for patients with soft tissue sarcomas whose tumors have progressed following treatment with chemotherapy. CytRx also is initiating Phase 2 clinical trials with aldoxorubicin in patients with late-stage glioblastoma (brain cancer) and AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. CytRx plans to expand its pipeline of oncology candidates based on a linker platform technology that can be utilized with multiple chemotherapeutic agents and may allow for greater concentration of drug at tumor sites. CytRx also has rights to two additional drug candidates, tamibarotene and bafetinib. CytRx completed its evaluation of bafetinib in the ENABLE Phase 2 clinical trial in high-risk B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL), and plans to seek a partner for further development of bafetinib. For more information about CytRx Corporation, visit www.cytrx.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events or results described in the forward-looking statements, including risks relating to the outcome, timing and results of CytRx's clinical trials, the risk that any future human testing of aldoxorubicin, including the conclusion of the Phase 2b clinical testing of aldoxorubicin as a first-line treatment in patients with metastatic, locally advanced or unresectable soft tissue sarcomas who have not been previously treated with any chemotherapy, might not produce objective response results similar to the preliminary data described in this press release, or might not correlate with the trial's primary endpoint of progression-free survival, risks related to CytRx's ability to manufacture its drug candidates in a timely fashion, cost-effectively or in commercial quantities in compliance with stringent regulatory requirements, risks related to CytRx's need for additional capital or strategic partnerships to fund its ongoing working capital needs and development efforts, including the Phase 3 clinical development of aldoxorubicin, and the risks and uncertainties described in the most recent annual and quarterly reports filed by CytRx with the Securities and Exchange Commission and current reports filed since the date of CytRx's most recent annual report. All forward-looking statements are based upon information available to CytRx on the date the statements are first published. CytRx undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.


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Summer is officially here, so we're rounding up our fave photo-friendly events every Friday this summer in our weekly TO-DO LIST
Saturday June 27
- There's no party like an art party, and you have a couple of options this Saturday. First, warm up at MoMA PS1's first Warm Up music series, a dance party at the great Queens art space.
- There will also be a fun time to be had at the Gowanus Darkroom, where our very own Justin Lin will be serving up jams while you buy prints and explore the space.
- Another totally unique and quintessentially Brooklyn option is to create your own water tower! The Brooklyn Historical Society has put together this fun, late afternoon drink-and-art event.
Sunday June 28
- Fresh after the announcement of national marriage equality, Pride in NYC will be bigger and more exciting than ever. Sunday's parade will be the place to be. Find yourself a spot to watch and cheer and bring a camera because there will be unlimited photo ops. Commemorate this event on film, and then take our Crash Course: Darkroom Basics class to see all of the photos you captured.
Monday June 29
- Mondays don't have to be boring. Treat yourself after work by watching The Killers, a film noir classic, on the big screen in Bryant Park.
Tuesday June 30
- Fall into the rabbithole with a special exhibition on Alice in Wonderland at the Morgan Library. It's been 150 years since the famous story was published; track its progress over the years.
Thursday July 2
- Looking to add a whole new layer to your photography approach? Getting into the studio might be the thing you need. Learn all about lighting indoors for professional portraits and product shoots with our Field Guide IV: The Studio class.
Got any other suggestions for fun summer activities? Post em in the comments below!


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Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Employed again, at least temporarily
If you've been wondering about the lack of posts this past week, that's why. It's a contract job, but I may be working for the rest of the year. Posts will be somewhat sparse for now - hopefully picking up once I get back in the swing of things.
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Thursday, November 28, 2013
Happy Thanksgiving!
To All My Friends and Family I wish you a truely wonderful Thanksgiving.
Posted by Frugal Tumbleweed Acres at 2:54 AM No comments: Links to this post
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I am a mother, grandmother and great grandmother. I do my best each day to fulfill the purpose the Lord has given me. I am a frugal gal who loves to find new eco-friendly products.


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Sunset Lanes offers 36 bowling lanes equipped with flat screen displays, automatic scoring and High Definition large screen televisions so you can follow the big game or check out the latest music videos. We also have 12 lanes with comfortable couches and a lounge atmosphere, perfect for an event or party. Enjoy lane-side service with food and beverage from the B-Town Bar & Grill. Top off your visit to Sunset Lanes with a trip to the arcade where you will find the latest video and redemption games. Sunset Lanes is your entertainment destination for friends, family, groups and corporate events.
Location - 12770 S.W. Walker Road, Beaverton, OR 97005
Neighborhood - Near the City
Categories - Bars/Pubs/Taverns, American/New American, Attractions, Events Services


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Ekta is the moniker used by Swedish artist Daniel Götesson (b. 1978), for a career now almost two decades long. Artist first but also animator, sculptor, designer and illustrator, Ekta has been able to challenge traditional categorisation and definitions by — no matter the context — adhering to a clear artistic vision and integrity, steering clear of compromise.
Götesson's achievements so far include painting a 36x12m mural in Gdansk, collaborating with the Italian fashion house Marni for a capsule collection, illustrations for the New York Times and painting countless walls and canvases. His work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions all over Europe.
Götesson's art is an endless string of variations and evolutions. Achieving balance and harmony is just as important as subsequently destroying it, in a rhythmical yet relentless fluctuation between two extremes. These clashing but inseparable aspects are at the heart of Ekta's groundbreaking and influential artworks.
"During one of our frequent visits to Ekta's studio, the artist allowed us a rare peek into one of his sketchbooks, hidden in a drawer under his table. It completely blew our minds. We immediately knew that we had to publish it."
Lundgren+Lindqvist, on the conception of the project. Read more about L+L and ll'Editions in the collaborators' section.
Ekta's sketchbooks offer a unique insight into the Swedish artist's mind and world. These books, densely filled with pages thickened by collages, drawings, layers of paint and tape, allow us to view the artist's personal moments of creative relief. At the same time, the books represent the arena for the endless experimentation characterising Götesson's process and output. When Götesson has worked through one of the books, he will start over from the beginning and work his way through the book again. This process is repeated until he feels that the book is finished.
With drawings and collages, unexpected textures and notes, the pages have the quality of original works, both referencing the past and offering glimpses into the future.
The three books in the set are beautifully crafted facsimile reproductions of the artist's sketchbooks. Each page of the original books has been scanned by one of Sweden's foremost experts on art scanning and meticulously post produced. The books will be printed and bound in Sweden, with textured, black leather covers and titles embossed in gold. The books will be printed on a state-of-the-art Komori HPT press, with unparalleled colour reproduction, on delicate, uncoated Munken paper.
The set includes three hardcover volumes of 120 pages each (360 p. in total). A supplementary leaflet, enclosed in a pocket inside the back cover of volume III, features a critical essay by artists and gallerists Mattia Lullini and Alina Vergnano (Nevven Gallery). Also featured is an essay by author and artist Henrik Bromander, who has been invited to associate and write freely based on the content of the three sketchbooks.
Each volume has been assigned a colour, which is used for the endpapers and the silk ribbons. The three volumes are contained in a handmade slipcase.
Books: three hand numbered and signed hardcover, leather-bound books.
120 pages per book (360 pages in total), each page measuring 155x225 mm.
Box: one handmade, cloth-bound slipcase.
Leaflet: supplementary leaflet in A5 format, in a pocket inside the back cover of Volume III.
Texts by: Henrik Bromander, Mattia Lullini & Alina Vergnano
Paper: Munken Kristall 150 g/m2 (uncoated). Coloured Colorit end papers.
Print: 4+4 Hybrid Print Technology Offset print.
Published by: ll'Editions
Designed by: Lundgren+Lindqvist
Scanning and post production: Sandeng
Printed by: Göteborgstryckeriet (GBGT)
When we initiated and started planning this project, around eight months ago, we were planning on publishing just one of Ekta's sketchbooks. However, we soon realised that when the books are read in sequence, the sum of the parts is far greater than when just reading one book. Consequently, we decided that instead of one book, we would publish a set of three volumes, each highlighting a different period of the artists work. To hold the books, we also decided to make handmade slipcases. Staying true to the original sketchbooks, making softcover reproductions, which had cut our costs considerably, was not an option. Avoiding to cut any corners, the aim of producing a beautiful facsimile edition of the books also required extensive work on the scanning and post production of each the spreads - adding up to a total of 360 pages.
We now turn to the Kickstarter community for help in making this project come to life. Thank you very much for viewing this project and for your support.
Ekta Coins
Ekta Sans Typeface
Printed original oil stick drawing
Unique framed fine art print
Original work: Paper Collage
Studio visit in Gothenburg
Commissioned mural
Miniature Wooden Table Sculptures
Original drawing in book
Risograph prints
Unique wooden sculpture
Lundgren+Lindqvist is a Sweden based design studio led by founding partners Andreas Friberg Lundgren and Carl-Johan Lindqvist. With an approach that is conceptually driven, the studio has built an international reputation for crafting high quality solutions that are equally compelling to the eyes and the intellect. The studio undertake projects of varying scale within a range of areas; from cultural institutions and artists, to fashion brands and tech start-ups. Lundgren+Lindqvist have initiated and designed the Ekta Sketchbooks I-III.
Alina Vergnano and Mattia Lullini are two Italian multidisciplinary artists living and working in Gothenburg, Sweden. Together they run Nevven, a gallery and art book store in the Majorna neighbourhood of the city. Nevven Gallery trusts strongly in the importance of a return to critical writing and printed matter and for the Ekta Sketchbooks I-III, Vergnano and Lullini have contributed a written conversation between themselves and Daniel 'EKTA' Götesson.
Henrik Bromander is a writer, dramatist and cartoonist. He debuted in 2005 with the comic book 'Hur vi ser på varandra' and he has since written four more comics and four novels. In 2017, Bromander was nominated for the prestigious Swedish Radio's Award for Best Novel. For the Ekta Sketchbooks I-III, Bromander has written a story, based on his interpretations of the sketches.
Arctic Paper is a Nordic paper house producing fine paper of the highest quality ideal for book printing. The company's first paper mill in Munkedal, Sweden, was founded in the 19th century and today the company own mills in several European countries. Arctic Paper is the leading paper company in the industry when it comes to environmental work. The paper used in the three volumes is Munken Kristall, produced in Sweden and sponsored by Arctic Paper.
Göteborgstryckeriet (GBGT) is one of Sweden's leading and most prestigious print houses. Founded in 1918, GBGT have since long established themselves as the printer of choice for the uncompromising designer. GBGT has an extensive production of books, from limited edition art books to many of the best photography books produced in Scandinavia (many featuring multiple high-end printing techniques). GBGT is both printing and sponsoring the Ekta Sketchbooks I-III project.
ll'Editions is a publishing platform for creative cross-disciplinary collaboration, run by design studio Lundgren+Lindqvist. Each year, a limited number of items, ranging from books to multiples, are released in small editions and made available through the imprint's webshop and selected resellers.
Tor Weibull is a Swedish graphic designer, working at Studio Claus Due in Copenhagen, who is specialised in typography. He is a graduate of HDK - School of Design and Crafts, and has also studied Visual Communication at the Zürcher Hochschule Der Künste in Zürich, Switzerland. In 2015, Tor received the Nordic Creative Talent Award. Based on sketches by Ekta and in collaboration with Lundgren+Lindqvist, Tor have digitalised the Ekta Sans.
Additional credits: The video was directed and shot by Jonas Andréen of Lynx Pictures. The sound was recorded and mixed by David Kirchhoff of Dave Lynx Music. The music is 'Sen Sen No Sen' by Fontän (Höga Nord Rekords). A thank you also goes out to Elvine for support and the photographers Kalle Sanner, Mario Prhat and Per Englund for their contributions.
For more information about Ekta and his work, please visit his website.
Risks and challenges
ll'Editions is a publishing imprint run by Lundgren+Lindqvist, a design studio based in Gothenburg, Sweden, with over ten years in business. Over the years, the studio have worked with a vast range of clients, from the contemporary art outlet Edouard Malingue Gallery in Hong Kong to Apple in California. The studio have designed a vast range of publications and printed matter, including the HBQT* publication, previously released through ll'Editions.
Göteborgstryckeriet, who have established themselves as Sweden's most awarded book printer - with seven nominations out of 25 in Svensk Bokkonst 2015 (the Swedish Book awards), are both a long time client and collaborator of the studio. So is Arctic Paper, and all other suppliers in this project.
The studio also have a long going collaborative relationship with the artist.Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
Funding period
- (30 days)


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Searching for cat treats on Amazon when…
Everyone that's seen the new Fantastic 4 movie
Pulled up to see my mom was getting rid of the older model.
No one wants your mixtape bro
Long distance relationships
Drag out
Barber understanding
I am taking you with me
Did I scare you! No…Okay 🙁
I feel sorry for the little guy, he's trying so hard to be scary.
Stylish escape
A little girl in a LED costume.
This gigantic bear hyper like a puppy
Seinfeld- cell phone calls. This literally holds no relevance today
Giving Big Cats Catnip
Mother poses for selfies at a playground.
Man Walking Backwards through Tokyo – TOKYO REVERSE


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Creative technology extends and amplifies
Posted November 23, 2016on:
The small things matter. So do the little actions. Technology can amplify both.
The local press almost gleefully reported how a Singaporean teenager might have played her part in helping Trump win the US elections.
Hrithie Menon charged S$140 and took two hours to create a Prezi presentation that was "shared across various colleges and university campuses in the US aimed at capturing young people's votes".
Trump might describe her an example of a foreigner "stealing" jobs from the US.
I would describe her not as a "digital native" — that was the paper's overused and poorly understood phrase.
Instead, I would describe her simply as efficiently and effectively using the tools available to her, just as her parents did before her, and their parents before them. The difference now is the reach and impact of the technology she had access to.
The paper listed some of her other tools: Adobe After Effects, VideoScribe, and Instagram. Though different, all the tools have one thing in common — they are tools of creation, not consumption.
While many vendors and schools still push for tools of consumption because they can be controlled and limited, learners of all ages who are unfettered outside of school have found tools of creation on their own.
For example, they learn from YouTube and they create and share on the same. When they do, they extend their reach. The audience is not automatic. The creators learn to amplify their voice, like Hrithie did when she advertised her services online.
The tools are free, the learning is meaningful, and the learner takes ownership. These are just three of many things that those behind the walls of school should learn.


text: Drawings, Paintings, and Maquettes are available for commission. All images are digital and will be delivered by email. Maquettes may be shipped in separate pieces for safer shipping. If you're interested please email me with your commission request. Please note that I do hold the right to refuse requests that may be offensive. Thank you!


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Working with nature, in nature, for nature, and through nature has enriched my life, widened my perspective, left me in awe, and given me purpose.
My latest painting is a tribute to this journey—a path taken, a perspective changed. A tribute to all that is green and good in this world! It is still a work in progress and far from finished, but I will give you a sneak preview at the creative process!
As you know by now, my work process is completely sustainable. This starts with the surface I choose for my work. For this painting, I used burlap because it is a sustainable material and biodegrades. The burlap needs to be glued and prepared with a gesso to create a surface ready to paint on. All of the materials I use for making glue and gesso are carefully chosen.
With this painting, I wanted to start with green from the very beginning! So I mixed in green pigments with the glue and later with the gesso. The result was a green canvas to start working with. I deliberately left some of the burlap exposed, wanting to show the material as is, appreciating and respecting the materials given to me by nature.
When it comes to creating my image, I often work on the idea for a long time, sketching it out in my mind. The process of drawing itself takes a long time but I don't mind, because I know this part of the process is so very important!
Once the drawing is complete, I start adding the first layer of paint. Working with paint made from natural pigments is a slow process—you have to add thin layer over thin layer to build up colours and depth.
I will be working on this painting whole summer and will be experimenting with changing colours with natural acids. This will (hopefully!) expand my range of greens. I will also be working outdoors a lot, because the sun will work with the acids. And because it is just so blissful and humbling to be working in nature!
Working with nature, in nature, for nature, through nature…researching, discovering, failing and learning along the way. I love every part of it! For me, the best part of my work is not the end result, it is the process, the journey…


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Travel Journal
From the travel journal of Paul Franzetti
Engedi Mountain Springs & the Dead Sea
Think of it: cooling off in the same mountain pool as David himself when he was fleeing King Saul; surrounded by palm tress and date trees; haunted by the hyrax (think large ugly gerbils); plenty of Nubian Ibex roaming all over. At the Dead Sea we had an oily float (careful not to get even a drop of the saline drenched liquid in my eye). Everything is truly dead here.
Yes, a Dead Sea. When God punishes, He punishes: Sodom and Gomorrah, gone, encased in clay and salt. Lot's wife - I have seen her - in a pillar of salt.
From Israel to Jordan
All these layers of civilization have left my head and my soul spinning. The Middle East is like the middle of nowhere in certain places.
From Israel to Jordan: Nothing is simple here. Getting from X to Y to Z requires patience. Just getting across the Allenby Bridge was a trip full of tension and drama, with armed guards, the dogs, soldiers; mobs of Arabs, Palestinians, Jews; the conglomeration of vehicles.
Jordan: One flat desert plain after another until we got to Petra. A journey replete with endless cups of Turkish coffee; a landscape dotted with sheep, goats, monkeys, donkeys; women in every conceivable veil and garment; and afterwards, leaving the famous temple, a challenging camel ride out of Petra Canyon.
It is unique. In fact, if it weren't for a few signs of modernity, you would think you were walking around in the 10th century A. D.
Docked at Luxor on the Nile
I have heard the muezzins from the minarets blaring the call to prayer twice in five minutes. We were docked in Luxor and I was on the top deck last night to savor the stars and to pray. The night air was full of donkeys braying and microphones full of Arabic prayers.
This morning I got up at 4:45am and went on deck to finish the star gazing; to say morning prayers and to watch the dawn rise. At about 5am, four loudspeakers blasted calls to prayer, which started up a cacophony of cocks crowing and more donkeys braying.
What should I expect, it's the Middle East, it's an "antique land".
Our "Canvas Suit" in Huascaran National Park
Unaccustomed to spending a dark, cold, cramped, hard-earthed-sleeping-bag night, we slept in the same clothes, shivering and sleepless. Just getting used to lying flat, using a sweatshirt for a pillow, a thin mat underneath the sleeping bag, requires practice. Then comes the least pleasant of unpleasant moments: excretion.
There was a perpendicular narrow tent which David had set up, with Jeannette's [the cook} help—a curious sight on Day 1. He entered this canvas "suit" and began to wriggle inside it, pushing it forwards and outwards, expanding it, again pushing, forming it, as if he were blowing it up like a balloon, but with his arms, not his lungs, being the agent of exhalation. For a moment I did not comprehend the purpose of this "tent" (shaped like one of those mausoleums in marble).
Then I learned, examined this outdoorsy water closet, and pondered it. This takes a zipper-lined entrance, a low plastic toilet seat, and a bag descending a foot to receive the cargo of human waste. David and Jeannette disposed of the contents, but I never saw them utilize it. It was our own private place to further ponder the inconsistencies of things.
The usual, "take-for-granteds," that peremptory natural chain of biological happenings: drinking leads to urination; eating leads to defecation; both lead to noisomeness. This ordure repository remained unflushed and full-bellied, as it were. It was to this place that I stumbled, especially the first night, out into the wet, utterly black night, wearing a light on my head; fingers numb, hoping to complete the aforementioned biological cycle of my body in order to get a modicum of rest.
The Emerald Lagoon, Mt Osorno and Llanquihue Lake
Yesterday our guide, Christian, took us up the snowy Osorno (second largest volcano after Fujiyama, Japan). Llanquihue Lake and the remote, small, but quiet Emerald Lagoon were the other attractions.
A short walk through the rain forest in the cold, gray weather lent a somber quality to the visit. Views of Osorno, usually but not totally obscured by mists and clouds, formed a background "canvas" of panoramic proportions; but the trip up to the café where skiers warm up and eat, was rainy, unpleasantly dark, and the slopes sadly hidden. The snow, and dark, volcanic outcroppings made a contrasting view. I will remember the cold, the white-out sensations and the disappointment.
The Pantanal
Joe rose at 5:30am for a morning sample of dawn on the Pantanal: a soft, cloudless sky that quickly disperses its multitudinous hosts to the cover of daylight. An amber and grey blue; in a full circle, the horizon, which is dotted by trees and grassland, focuses its attention on the yellowish, orange sun that comes up first through an escutcheon of trees, and then, like a large gold coin popping out of a small green piggy bank of leaves, begins its ascent.
So I found him, Joe, that is, sitting on his perch, part of a fence, savoring his last morning on the Pantanal. Since our arrival to this wild district of the Mato Grasso, the weather has been unvaried; in a good way, and not the crap-shoot of Osorno [Argentina's snowy volcanic giant in the Lake District] where 215 days of the year it rains.
But the expanse of the sky, like a circular diorama, never varied these days. The sun warmed the chill of sunrise and then you're into short sleeves and bug spray; only to sink again behind the trees, with the temperature dropping and the first stars appearing like ushers in a theatre until—and this was non pareil; the piece de resistance—the sky show outside the Rio Claro: the stars! The Milky Way, the arc of the entire universe.
"The Living Statue of Time": An Encounter in Huaraz
Always looking for colorful denizens to inhabit my calendar paintings, I find myself hiding and filming or putting down the camera to avoid being seen with it.
Many women are superstitious or shy or annoyed or embarrassed by being photographed. Many of these poor have learned to make the tourist's curiosity pay. Hence the word, "propina," which the old, small, bent-over lady spoke in a forest clearing where Joe and I lurked in the shadows of trees. This attempt of capturing on film one of the "indigenous ones" led to our first encounter with this Peruvian word.
Up Huascaran Day 2: "Soul Hiking"
The mountains were ever crisp when I awoke, stronger, more refreshed. Jeannette had food and coffee in that cold, but larger, tent; I warmed my hands over the fire and prepared for the long trek up to El Refugio, a beautiful guest house at 15,000 feet.
We rode horses part of the way, with deep drops assailing the eyes, on the right, then on the left, then on the right. I took pictures and filmed it from my equestrian perch, bumping up and down. Horseback riding is "natural" to us after six trips. We've ridden in Peru, Brazil, and Ecuador—all kinds of excursions. But still, the narrow defile was not easy. A loose saddle, a hoof misstep, my loss of balance, anything could have resulted in catastrophe.
At the cold, forbidding, alluring summit, El Refugio, we had some coffee and proceeded down another way, or so we thought. Carefully scrambling over the moraine's countless number of boulders, the guide, David, left us to scout out a path. About twenty minutes later he returned to inform us that there was no longer a passageway that was negotiable.
"There was one when I was here last," he said.
"How long ago was that?" we asked.
"Eight years ago."
Rains and mudslides had made the way impassible. So back we went: one slip and disaster awaited. Then the descent: gorges and gorgeous vistas; pounding of the knees and ankles. (Down is easier than up, but the muscles take a different kind of beating.) Then, bone-tired, we arrived.
Returning to a base camp has a certain satisfying something about it, like returning home. Maybe such a reunion and return to home is a foretaste of heavenly gates open to accept more weary Soul-Hikers; or, more correctly, Hiking-Souls.
The Peruvian Altiplano: God's watercolors on the Road to Chivay
The "voyage" to Colca Canyon brought us through the vast and productive copper mines, where well-paid miners toil ceaselessly to keep Peru going. It may be Incan and ancient, this area, but it is also modern and productive.
We passed through remarkable land, zig-zagged with pools full of rivulets of clouds and mountains, full of geese.
Then the scene took a turn for the dramatic as we glided through the Altiplano, dotted with vicunas, wild alpaca and llama, often with the great Il Misto jutting up at us from its flank side. The foreground was not the metropolitan Arequipa (its north port was its poorest neighborhood) but this wonderful mixture of hills and highlands, little lakes and gritty sierra, all painted in sudden strokes of God's watercolors.
The apex of the journey to Chivay was the apex, the high point, a crisp, cold, spectacular pinnacle of rock -strewn hills and water. Surrounded in all directions by the towering Peruvian sacred peaks, Mt Ampato, the focal point at 22,000 feet, the Incan last stop for human sacrifice, the place where "Juanita" and numerous of her virginal confreres were marched from Cusco, amidst strange and somber prayers and awestruck "pats on the back." Up and up steep mountain byways, precipitous, a breath-stealing treading of sandaled feet braced for frigid mornings and even more frigid nights.
O strange hush, O grave grouping!
"A Desert With Benefits": The Atacama of Chile
Atacama was, to paraphrase a modern saying, a "desert with benefits," with its rich venue for hiking, the Moon Valley, the Geysers, the salt Lagoons; more vicunas and mountains on the Bolivian border. Like jewels this wonderland of rock and dunes; and snow and ice; fox, and vicuna grazing in a landscape of steel-blue lakes and slate-colored hills laced with snow.
Ximena is the second guide we met whose parent (in her case, the father), disappeared, taken off by Chilean dictator Pinochet's death squads. The Museum of Memory commemorates this Chilean stain of torture and death. But a long way off from that is this magical, hot, cold, dry, flat, mountainous place called Atacama.
Long walks, long drives; variegated landscapes—a treasure of surprises, a well to dip into for a few paintings, God willing.
Colca Canyon. Accessible Condor Action: Nature's Airbuses
From Chivay we traveled to Colca Canyon, the high point of any traveler's search for accessible condor action. Our guide took us on a longer, winding route, along the 13,000 ft canyon walls. Behind them rose the snow-capped "Captains" of the Andes.
It was a well timed trip that Alonso and his driver had covered many times, timed to get us to where we needed to be to witness "the moment": a shadow covered the floor of the hillsides. Then a large gliding pterosaur—the Andean condor, largest land bird, with a wingspan of twelve feet across; a hang glider; a thermal hunter; a prehistoric thing, a graceful buzzard, an Incan pilot in a white fur-colored black flak jacket.
Then other birds of thermal-heated feather swooping, often only a dozen feet about the gawkers' oohing and ahhing at, inarguably, Nature's airbuses.
Paracas National Park, Pisco, Peru: Bienvenidos
Erica [our guide] informs us that our greatly anticipated trip to the Ballestos Islands [Peru's "Little Galapagos"} is not possible; the ocean is too rough [waters whipped by El Nino]. The one chance of a lifetime to see the Ballestos lost.
I prayed to the Holy Spirit not to grumble at so little a loss amid such a laundry list of great gifts. But as the saying goes, "If you don't have a Plan B, you don't have a plan."
Then God said, "OK, so the Ballestos trip isn't possible today. I've got an idea! Instead of a few hours, half of which will be spent traveling back and forth to a few rocks with pelicans, penguins, and so forth, in a boat with a crowd of passengers, how about this: You drive into the Paracas Reserve and go to to a place where your favorite artists, Mr. F. Lee Jacques went, and discover a land so breathtakingly indescribable…Wait, Wait, I'm looking for the right words, to a place so perfect a fit for yours and Joseph's imaginative needs that by contrast the Ballestos Islands will be, to this Paracas Coast land, what bubble gum is to a porterhouse steak.
True, compared to heaven, Paracas is no more than a doorstop to an outhouse toilet, yet for your painter's eye and traveler's heart, it will raise your mind to ME, your Creator, the one who turns all Plan B's into Plan A's. What if I make the day clear and cool and give you solitude to indulge your joy at my Peruvian creations? What if I throw in enough adventurous exercise to tire those tireless legs of yours? And let you climb up the salt-rock dunes, ever higher, where each new point of observation will pull forth from your heart more and more awe? The sweep of the height of the cliffs; the green and yellow and white water with unfolding waves that break their white knuckles ceaselessly against My rocks?
Wait! I'm just getting started. I will show you the birds of the air, pelicans, terns, turkey vultures, boobies, gulls and sandpipers; their rookeries; those hidden homes made colorful by their own excrement. Waves of pelicans will come to meet you as their wings grace the places where you stand and sit. At each new overlook you will look into my green dens of waters.
Surprise after surprise awaits you. There will be sounds like the crashing of cannons along the field of battle. Waves obey My Will, with a mixture of spray and dazzling mist. I will take you to a small restaurant who a man named John, I will inspire to take you later on to three terrifying cliffs overlooking the profound beauty which, despite Mankind's sin, I provide to delight visitors.
Trust me. In missing the Ballestos Island and accepting this with trust, you will have one of the best days of your South American travels. Bienvenidos to my world."
A Machete and Termites: Into the Peruvian Jungle
6pm Inkaterra Lodge on Madre de Dio River
Let's begin with this: it's hot, steamy, humid. No cellular connection. Bugs abound (need a spray); but our introductory trail walk and some monkeys (red howlers), birds, and an obligatory river sunset. Our guide Gabriel provided some tidbits. He spoke good English, seems knowledgeable. I filmed him as he said, when I asked him what was absolutely essential to survival in the jungle: "A machete and termites. Grab a handful of termites and squeeze them to get water and protein; a machete to cut palm fronds (double them) for a softer-than-the-earth couch. Use them to make a covering between the huge fig tree roots. Build a fire; but not for sleeping because the fig tree attracts mosquitoes, vampire bats, fruit bats, ants, et. al. The redwoods are better for shelter at night. Nobody has an easy life here, for sure.
The Real Peru
These days at Cotahuasi have involved arduous walks and climbs, not as rapturous as Paracas, but more real, so to speak. The Real Peru, the people in isolated places. It is my swan song to Peru. I don't think I'll ever return to this country and its simple, kind, hard-laboring folk, with their [Catholic] faith intact. At 6:15 AM we left Villahermosa and the two women who served us so well, Evolena and Graciela. I tipped them 250 soles, and a calendar, each. Needless to say, their joy was complete. These Peruvians melt your heart; they would melt many a harder heart, in fact. It's easy to romanticize people and places. With pen or paintbrush in hand, it's almost unavoidable, and even necessary; akin to needing to color the sleep with dreams.
Climbing to the Huito Stone Forest
So, what to say that is true? True in rural Peru is this. We drove from Cotahuasi to Pampamarcha to start our climb to the Stone Forest of Huito, at 14,000 ft. The trail zigzagged like a relentless dirt and stone juggernaut. Endless upward cutbacks, not "long" in length (one and a half miles); but under the sun of Peru, it took three full hours—half the time, going down.
Bowed by the Curse of Eve's First Reaching
As we began our ascent I saw a woman in the typical tri-color dress, hat, blue leggings and so forth. I took some photos, from a distance, as usual, just in case, for possible calendar images. We greeted her, Joe and I, and chatted with her with the help of our guide Omar. Joe gave her ten soles. I think her name was Maria: cheerful, a smooth brown complexion, but missing the upper two front teeth; about 40 years old.
So there, on the trail she was, pick-axe in hand, clearing stones from the trail walk. Why? I don't really know, but she worked, her traditional thickset peasant body bent over its task as if she were a rustic Michelangelo banging against an earth of marble, making another David or a Pieta; an image of Mary with Jesus in her arms. She embodied human labor, its victory over sloth, bowed by the curse of Eve's first reaching for a fruit she couldn't earn.
This Maria was atoning for that lady eve. Her work brooded over the trail. She symbolized Peru, exerting power despite the limits of her world.
Pampamarcha and the Centuries
The village of Pampamarcha sat on a precipice of land overlooking a vast arena of terraced mountainside with Mt Soleman in the distance; overlooked by Huito's Stone Gardens. Time slows down here. The centuries aren't marked by technological evolutions or grand achievements in art or music; only by the families huddled together in defense against sheer magnitude, relentless rocks, hurtling hills and vast distances.
Iceland 2015 Part 1: "The Discerning Traveler"
Jon Frosti
And so we met Jon Frosti, an Icelandic-looking Anthony Hopkins, younger than myself by twenty-five years, owner of a Mercedes van that held up to twelve; except that for this 8-day excursion, the van will be like an old "bicycle built for two." Soft-spoken, clearly successful, Jon resembles many of our one-on-one guides in his personable, easy-going manner, his mixture of information and sightseeing.
Thurs July 16, 7am. A lady is complaining to the Alda Hotel clerk about something or other. The phrase "It's outrageous" begins her short recitation of touristy grievances. A nice model of us earthly tourists traveling in this vale of tears. So much beauty, so much anxiety. So much for human ingratitude.
"In the Nooks and Crannies"
Ingratitude, hopeless, vain expectations. Why? Because we continually peer through the wrong end of the spiritual telescope. It is—our time on earth, that is—not what we "deserve," "have paid for," "have a right to"; it is all gift and grace, a succession of opportunities to pursue the "clues" of God's love which he places in the nooks and crannies of reality: a bitter look from a one-time friend; an immaculate green sward in Iceland. Everything is jumbled together to be sorted out, almost instant-by-instant by the discerning traveler.
Iceland Part II: "A Pristine Expanse Unsuitable For Agoraphobics"
Thurs July 16. A few touristy locales, including a major water fall [Iceland's Niagra is Godafoss]. The geysers I could have by-passed, but the drive through the Icelandic wilderness, a pristine expanse unsuitable for agoraphobics, was punctuated by two treks to isolated treasures of natural wonder.
Iceland's water we drank from streams, tasty, cold and clear. Volcanic rock structures abutted waterfalls; fern glens and lupine—and innumerable gnats (just to make sure one doesn't forget to distinguish between earth and heaven.)
The crystalline air reminded me of the Andean Mountains, almost sweet with the scent of flowers. The volcanic snow clad glaciers were another matter. And the waterfalls were impromptu sermons, a visitor's manual to "seek" and (you will) "find." Forceful, full of sound, alarmingly refreshing were these waterfalls that I see biblical metaphors sprouting out of the mist. There are, according to Jon, ten thousand waterfalls in Iceland.
The casting of a coin into the Troll's Pool [Brimketill] goes like this: Ask a Yes or No question, then follow the coin. If it lands out of sight, the answer to your unvoiced question is No.
Iceland Part III The "Dreaming Self"
The natural diversity took our usual breaths away.
But there was one place, one alone, high, high up in the mountains. As soon as I saw it, I asked Jon to stop. This one place, it alone "spoke" to me, saying:
"In all your travels, you have longed to see with your eyes what, in summary, all your dioramas and paintings have tried to accomplish. This is the one place that corresponds to your dreaming self: that exact beauty, beyond wildness; maybe, let's call it "holiness"; yes, strange to the ear, this word. Then again, words are just no good in communicating just what a vision means."
The beauty transposed itself, sort of entered me; for a tantalizing, twenty, cold, windy minutes; among mountains surrounding all around; snow, zigzagging with volcanic browns and grays and blacks and jagged, iron, resembling zebra skins, like the zebra rugs in an African hut. Prehistoric.
These are finally the mountains in all my paintings in my dreams and in all the dioramas in the Museum of Natural History.
I would not have been surprised to see a woolly mammoth strolling up the slopes. I imaginatively digress.
Iceland Part IV
God's Wash Basin: Glacier Lagoon
The highlight of the day was the glacial mountains and Glacier Lagoon, with its terns and icebergs against the moody afternoon sky and its mellow, filtered light upon the glacial mountains. There was a solo seal swimming back and forth; and the circus motion of the small ice pieces near the black, volcanic sand beach; and there were the terns living and herding on the ice.
The sense of this scene, private and grand, belonging only to you, the beach goer. Unearthly beauty all of it was, unearthly.
This too had the paintbrush of F. L. Jacques' arctic scene with the walruses in the Museum of Natural History. All that was missing were the walruses.
Explosive and epochal. If ever I saw it in a painting I would recognize the artist's attempt to the paint the finger tip of God. God's wash basin. With words I am facing, as usual, their lousy inadequacy: "gray, black, blue ice"—what a dull palette of vocabulary! "Misty, solemn, galactic, unspeakably ravishing"—more helpless lugging up the hill these dead weights of words.
That I felt as if—yes, now I am coming closer to the transaction—I felt as if I were in the diorama. Yes, exactly that. Life and art merged as the river flowed back and forth between the Atlantic and the Glacier Bay. Terns skateboarding.
Some of the huge chunks of ice had taken 500 years to work their way into the water. There they sailed for a brief day, wearing their inner blue, ice-coat-fleece lining. Then white will take over. Then the water will lick into the ice until, being too top heavy, the iceberg turns over. This, from a non-geological point of view is the ice cycle of these aquatic entities.
I saw them in whimsical shapes: twisted towers, upside down boots; perfectly pyramidical or lumpy footballs; some were lined with black dirt in stripes. It looked like a traffic jam of ice on an Ice L. I. E. In this circus-like central, small water basin; they moved in clockwise motions.
To end this I'll return to the phrase that popped into my head at the moment when I first stood like an ice stargazer and beheld Nature's grandest Icelandic diorama: "Unearthly, unearthly beauty."
A Farewell to Iceland Part V
A Divine Peep Show
"The Icelandic Alps" is a tease because the wind and color and the urgency of the itinerary forbade a lasting enjoyment. It was a tease, also, not "the real thing," which is not "possessible" in our finite, fragile, human form. But it was a divine peep show; a tantalizer; a slide-show of beauty.
From our pine guest house, a warm hearth, sheltering us from the cold outside, a cold uncharacteristic of July. But for the traveler in me, looking for the remote, it satisfied my needs for the moment. Iceland's land is vast here in this top part of the country where dizzyingly vast tracks of land, alternating in all sorts of colors, encircle us with mountains. Imagine the American plains, but with icy-blue distant mountains full of endless waterfalls, rivers, basalt cliffs, gray, brown and mossy.
Then off to Echo Hills where there are huge mounds of basalt rock in irregular shapes. The populace see trolls everywhere, and Iceland loves its elves and trolls.
Aviary of the gods
Then it was off to the northern coast lands. The landscape was alpine, with large, ever expanding farmlands with mountains full of sluices of snow and ever brooding clouds moving slowly, leaving the mist-enshrouded lake region behind.
Then the cliffs: the million-bird stuttered cliffs. The noise was deafening: gulls, guillemots, puffins; by the countless thousands; an aviary of the gods. The noise made by these countless thousands made the most hilarious symphonic aviary that Mother Earth could produce. Beethoven would have thrown his piano and 9th Symphony manuscript into this amphitheater of bird music and retired to pace the cliffs and brood on how artificial fiddles and trumpets sound by comparison to this oceanic gaggling. It was all sea smells, wind, and the continual flight of graceful gulls; the torpedo-shaped, short winged-strutting puffins and the squawking razor-billed birds.
The celebrities themselves, the orange-footed, red- beaked, black and white puffins. So used to the continued human audience and gawking camera clickers that they pitter-patter, or perch, or preen themselves; appealing to our quest for the slightly comic, but immensely novel aviary of the gods.
No other bird dwellings can match this northernmost diorama of winged glory; as if this place, at the edge of the world, where Iceland's coast offers its feathered populace to the Lord of Heaven and Earth. It is a fitting end to our journey. Thoreau wrote, "I did not want to live what was not life, living is so dear." Where else can I bump into the remote, the beautiful, and the God-provoking mysteries?
Farewell to Iceland
Iceland's seemingly absence of religious faith reminds me that any time you replace paganism with progress, without looking to the real Lord of Land and Sky and Sea, you narrow the true inner landscape, however vast the outside shell appears. We saw and smelled and tasted beauty here, from the glaciers to the rookeries; we heard the voices of angels in all the birds on the cliffs of the Westland. But it was always You, Lord, that we saw, heard, felt, touched, smelled in all the crystal fountains of Iceland.
Costa Rica I "The Death Bringer's Classic Glass-Eyed Stare"
Manuel Antonio National Park: some arrow poison frogs; up-close monkeys; capuchins; and a junior fer de lance, curled under a bench. Had another guide not pointed it out to ours (how they see stuff like this mystifies me), we could have been bitten. They are recklessly aggressive, but the junior snakes don't know how much venom to inject and overdo it. There is no anti-venom kept at the Park. Just 30 minutes to "the sleep that outlasts love."
A bocoraca—so named for its propensity to hang midway in the air near where a human is passing by will be a pleasing target. The snake darts out, bites the cheek and face, near the mouth. The fer de lance, however, was the more lethal of the two we encountered. "How fast?" I asked our guide.
"Like a cat pouncing."
So when a few people came to the end of this short trail where the waterfall lay beyond the small wooden bench and one crouched near the snake to take its "graduation photo" our guide told him politely to move away. The tourist demurred as he took his sweet time. I studied the death-bringer's classic glass-eyed stare; curled like any brown leaf; and I felt a metaphor coming on.
Nothing happened. We left, our guide cautioning other guides, with groups, as they approached that little wooden bench beneath which Junior Fer de Lance was waiting.
Playa Cativo: "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes"
The jungle is not "user friendly" and it is awfully dark, and the further away we got from the lodge, the darker it got. That night there was no moon out, and the stars, though bright, could not penetrate the canopy of trees. Our small pen lights were all we had and they were capable of focusing only a small beam of light. On the path we stayed close to our guide, stopping only when he stopped and moving only when he moved. Our untrained eyes saw nothing on the forest floor.
Suddenly our guide told us to hold our lights up close to our faces, at eye level, next to our ear. Well, there are lights and there are lights. What was not apparent until that moment was now suddenly, alarmingly, very apparent. The entire night sky seemed spread out on that grassy meadow. The jungle floor became a blanket of a myriad of small points of crystal lights—very lovely, very eerie.
"The eyes of spiders," our guide Alan informed us. A galaxy of incandescent beads were those thousands of eyes; thousands upon thousands of eyes; each two lights equaled one spider; hordes of spiders waiting in the dark for a meal. For small bugs it was a minefield of mandibles. Ah yes, the night has a thousand eyes.
From my vantage point as a human being, I was frightened, but when I reflected on what it would be like to be the size of an ant, those lights became a horror. That little light I held at eye level alone revealed the truth about the jungle floor.
Padre Pio once said this about the demons: "If all the devils would take bodily form they would blot out the sun." The field of spiders was a visual picture. We blithely skip among all the false lights of the world, scarcely giving them a second thought, unaware of the true nature of our spiritual predicament. And even though our journey on earth is "photo enforced" by guardian angels, we remain in moral peril.
The glamour of the world presents a grave threat to every living soul. Divine grace is the flashlight that illuminates our path. To ignore the sacraments, to ignore prayer, to ignore the reality of the spiritual reality is to make a foolish assumption about our personal safety. It is to risk being devoured by the Enemy of Souls.
Costa Rica III " The Little Theatre of Jungle Movies"
The black and white owl called, and we came, only to see it suddenly turn towards a large flying moth and pursue it briefly; all in a graceful ballet movement of wings and talons, as it carried the living meal back into the branches and consumed it.
And the tropical rain forest chirped on, its symphony of life like the musicians to the baton wielded by this nightly horror show of death and dining. A snake stealthily glided above the fronds over our head, looking for a frog; spiders with three-layer webs: the sticky middle layer for prey of consumable size (it wouldn't do to catch a larger creature); blue lobster-like creatures iridescently darting in the night waterways; leaf ants endlessly busy, ignoring the exigencies of bodily sleep.
Darkness invites sleep. Here is the middle of "Jungle nowhere," there is none of New York's foolishly lit darkness of partying youth, where the night's utter echo of blackness and fear are temporarily pushed aside—hid from—ignored among the shrill saxophones and the drum beat of raucous musicians who keep life's party goers from meditating on the night.
The jungle at night is deeply dark and we were grateful for the night lights given us by Allen, not just to observe the little theatre of jungle movies, but to acquire spiritual insights; for, for all its paradisaical affect, a closer inspection at night reveals the soul's need for light. The Cosmos itself is pretty dark. In between planets is darkness.
The Galapagos Islands, Ecuador: "Prehistoric Days"
Espanola, Isabela, Floreana, Santa Cruz, Bartolome, Baltra, San Cristobal, Rapida, North Seymour, Fernandina…Geographical names—unless, of course, you actually set foot on these volcanic wonderlands.
On a map the Galapagos Islands looks like a bracelet of puckered brown lumps of moonrock. But in the memory, this volcanic archipelego suddenly form themselves into a glittering necklace of gemstones worn by Lady Memory when she opens her travel album and relives the glories of her youth. Her prehistoric days.
What was expected occurred: a gorgeous ocean; unforgettable star-strewn skies; sunsets ablaze; sparkling flora; odd-shaped mountains. What was unexpected: outrageous animals in their pristine habitats.
Espanola's glorious coasts with its masked boobies and albatrosses.
Santa Cruz's prehistoric tortoises (they hiss when they feel threatened and fill the lagoons with their green excrement).
The white sand beaches of Floreana and Bartolome, crowded with sea lions.
The distinctive iron-red sand of Rabida, where a "beach master" patrolled the waters and charged at swimmers that got too close to his harem.
North Seymour with its romantic view of Daphnis Minor—its thickets full of frigates and blue-footed boobies.
Isabela's moon-like terrain of razor-sharp-edged volcanic rock (no place to sit or kneel, especially wearing shorts). There were prehistoric-looking dragons—land and marine lizards (these spit at tourists who got too close).
And the wading pools of Fernandina, full of stingrays and flightless cormorants.
Joe and I always wanted to travel back into Prehistoric times. The Galapagos Islands was just that, a "Land That Time Forgot."
Quito's Three Volcanic Mountains.
Look once, once only, at paintings like Heart of the Andes, Chimborazo, Morning in the Tropics Antisana, and Cotopaxi and you're hooked.
Art may be only Nature's Apprentice, but compared to a camera, it is the Master. Nevertheless those recording machines were always in our hands when that summer of 2009 Joe and I trekked the hill country of Ecuador.
It is no small thing to visit the same wonders that captivated the American landscape painter, Frederic Church, whom the 20th century critics dubbed, "The Michelangelo of Landscape Art." To put it another way, Cecille B. Mille had nothing over Church whose large depictions of Ecuador's mountains are more operatic than lyrical. Church's trip to Ecuador in the 1860's provided him with images to produce the most exotic art ever produced by anyone else.
So it was thanks to Church, that Joe and I visited Ecuador. Although Quito is a city and cities don't "do it" for us, our twilight tram ride up a mountain gave us a coin of vantage from which we got to watch the sun set over those three gargantuans Chimborazo, Antisana, and Cotopaxi blazing in streams of sun-dying gold light, with clouds swirling and turning red and purple. It can get confusing: nature, art, cameras.
"Something Smaller But Much Larger Than Inca Stones"
Guidebooks provide you with the basics on Ingapirca. For example: largest site of Inca ruins in Ecuador; top tourist destination one hour north from the city of Cuenca; in the province of Cañar in the Andes mountains of Ecuador. Or: "Cañari stones are larger than Inca stones but not as smooth or snugly fitting."
But on that one hour drive one Sunday morning into the hill country north of Cuenca, we encountered something smaller than the stones but much larger.
Walking along the road were a grandmother (sporting that distinctive Ecuadorian bowler hat) and her granddaughter. We asked our guide to offer them a ride and the grandmother accepted. She was bow-legged as the indigenous elders invariably are (yet she was only fifty years old) but happily accepted because they were late for church.
During the the fifteen minutes of driving before we reached the church, we chatted with her, with the help of our interpreter. As always, interactions like these create a more vivid photo than pictures of landscape or the buildings.
"Why would anyone from New York, from America, come here?" she asked.
To her we lived in a country grander than Oz, so what was wrong with us? She, who lived in poverty and in no place special on the planet, was genuinely curious. But telling her our "calendar story" would have been silly. But we did ask her if we could take a picture of them and she accepted our gift of two dollars. Mountain people, as a rule, hide their faces when gringos try to photograph them because they think a photograph is bad magic. According to our guide, it robs them of their soul. But she was grateful for the ride because they were able to make mass.
They smiled for the camera.
Joe quipped, "Now we know the price of a soul here," but after we resumed our drive to "the most visited and impressive of Inca ruins" I calculated the distance we had traveled on that road of staggering uphill's and downhill's, and figured that every Sunday she and her granddaughter were walking ten miles to church.
Suddenly the Ingapirca seemed no more than a rock pile, and that diminutive mountain woman's Catholic Faith rose like a cathedral, larger than the stones of Ingapirca, and more ancient and ageless.
Camelid Days in Peru
Tourists love animals, the bigger the better: alpaca, llama, guanaco, vicuna. They don't belong to the antelope family (my first guess) but to the Camelids (camels).
These are the real beasts of burden; as common as dogs and, like dogs, almost everybody's got one. A herd of llamas out of nowhere surrounded us as they stampeded down an embankment make a nice foreground to the distant brooding, snow-clad Ampata. They hang out everywhere: Machu Picchu, Ingapirca, Cuenca, Cotahuasi, in town streets, and backyards. Their hair is the coarsest of all but they are prized. We encountered a herd on a sandy hilltop in the high Peruvian Andes. They galloped past us.
Thrilling us, but more at a distance, was the endangered vicuna, especially favored by Inca royalty. We saw them in the most gorgeous, picturesque sweet spot in the Atacama desert. There they were in the high mountains on the border of Bolivia, grazing beside ice blue lakes and among snow packed patches of land. Their fur (warmest patch of fur is on the stomach) almost got them exterminated. They are proliferating and 80% occupy Peru.
The Franzetti trophy for camelid "moments" goes to the guanacos in Chilean Patagonia, where they swarmed by the hundreds in front of our diorama-like Torres del Peine Mountains. (There are plenty of these, a half a million of them, mostly in Patagonia and Argentina.)
Last but not least, the shiny fleeced, bulky alpaca which number over four million. Without these animals, the high Andes would be seen as barren.
No place for Claustrophobics: Easter Island Day One
Characteristically, we had done no research, followed no plan, and arrived with a vague idea we'd figure things out. Our motto: no plan is a plan and the remoter the better. Because we had put no restrictions on our tour company, they sent us zigzagging back and forth over South America, over and across the Andes three times; around and down; and finally out over to Chile's Easter Island, the most remote inhabited island in the Pacific.
So we flew into Easter Island and landed on a football field sized airport. For a fleeting moment we felt like those guests on Fantasy Island, except that there were no
Rapa Nui island girls to place leas around our necks.
I take that back—Chris Brower, our guide, the American husband of a Rapa Nui wife, did. Chris, originally from the South did his best to show us his island. He loved his job and his island home and he was determined to take us to see every one of those 887 Moai heads. In the end, Joe would say "One more Moai head and I'll—"
Make no mistake, it's thimble sized, this island. Population: 5000 people (half, I was told, of Rapa Nui descent), 6000 horses, and plenty of caracara birds.
But the island's a jail, a beautiful but large deforested jail. The immense Pacific is its Warden.
That first day, we walked around the coast for six hours, too excited to rest, even though we had been in the air almost a full day. The cool afternoon breeze and the crashing foam on the rocks were just what the doctor order, as was the double rainbow. But there was no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow. Everything, because it has to be shipped in, was costly. Breakfast, for starters cost fifty dollars. It was empanadas after that.
Outsized Heads and Bird Eggs: Easter Island Part 2
Outsized Heads
There's a thing about those outsized heads. For sure, no heads = no especial interest in Pascua (Easter) Island. Who visits Pitcairn Island, except Mutiny on the Bounty buffs or that select cadre of insatiable curiosity seekers. But Easter Island remains a popular destination.
Something about those heads.
The best a traveler does is to record, snapshot-like, what he hears, sees, and is told to him. The Guide becomes the door to a place. The heads were easy to find, but meaning was not.
A brief googling on the MOAI –the heads—will…well, let me quote from the Imperial Google, this century's Encyclopedia Britannica:
…archaeologists suggest that "the statues were thus symbols of authority and power, both religious and political...To the people who erected and used them, they were actual repositories of sacred spirit. Carved stone and wooden objects in ancient Polynesian religions, when properly fashioned and ritually prepared, were believed to be charged by a magical spiritual essence… a representation of the ancient Polynesians' ancestors. The Moai statues face away from the ocean and towards the villages as if to watch over the people. The exception is the seven Ahu Akivi which face out to sea to help travelers find the island. There is a legend that says there were seven men who waited for their king to arrive.
Each Moai presented a status: "The larger the statue placed upon an ahu, the more mana the chief who commissioned it had." The competition for grandest statue was ever prevalent in the culture of the Easter Islanders. The proof stems from the varying sizes of Moai.
Completed statues were moved to the coast, then erected, sometimes with red stone cylinders (pukao) on their heads. Moai must have been extremely expensive to craft and transport; not only would the actual carving of each statue require effort and resources, but the finished product was then hauled to its final location and erected. The quarries in Rano Raraku appear to have been abandoned abruptly. Now it is understood that: some statues were rock carvings and never intended to be completed…Some were incomplete… the carvers would abandon a partial statue and start a new one ….Some completed statues at Rano Raraku were placed there permanently and not parked temporarily awaiting removal….Some were indeed incomplete when the statue-building era came to an end.
Arguably, this is a bit dry. A guide is a necessity, but one has to pick his way through a narrow description of the natural features of the island and to interrupt his factual presentation with questions that really troubled us: "Who were these Rapa Nui and what did they believe about the heavens, and what were they thinking?"
"Did I understand you right—stealing was OK as long as you didn't get caught? But if you got caught, the reason was that you forgot to pray to God of Theft?"
"What superstitious fears led them to imprison the first Catholic missionary for a few years?"
Bird Eggs
"They had to climb down there, swim out there, then climb up with a bird's egg, as commanded by the Birdman cult?"
Google again:
Originally, Easter Islanders had a paramount chief or single leader. Through the years the power levels veered from sole chiefs to a warrior class…the figure of a half bird and half man was the symbol of the Matatoa. Creating the Moai was one way the islanders would honor their ancestors; during the height of the birdman cult there is evidence which suggests that the construction of Moai stopped.
"…. Considered the sacred spot of Orongo, Mata Ngarau was the location where birdman priests prayed and chanted for a successful egg hunt. "The purpose of the birdman contest was to obtain the first egg of the season from the offshore islet Motu Nui. Contestants descended the sheer cliffs of Orongo and swam to Motu Nui where they awaited the coming of the birds. Having procured an egg, the contestant swam back and presented it to his sponsor, who then was declared birdman for that year, an important status position.
So we left Easter Island a trifle bit better informed. Just a trifle.
But if you travel around strange places you start thinking strange thoughts. You look at your own land as strange too; travel creates a sense of wonder. Queens, New York is just as strange as Easter island, even if there are no Moai statues dotting the landscape. And no gorgeous crashing waves on volcanic rocks.
Of course, for seascapes, Easter Island's beats Queens, New York hands down.
Ah Brazil, Ah Humanity
When it comes to waterfalls, Iguassu dwarfs the competition. Anyone who travels to that jungle water junction where Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay meet, would agree with me that compared to Iguassu Falls, Niagra resembles two rusty faucets in a Bronx tenement. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, when she saw Iguassu Falls, said "Poor Niagara."
Our first trip to Brazil in 2011 included not only Iguassu but also the Amazon, Manaus, Rio de Janeiro, etc.
But Iguassu, thundering in such a vast amphitheater, provides me with a giant simile—memories are like waterfalls, always cascading, creating mists, wetting you with another angle of thought that changes with one's own weather system. Here a few of our memories, in no particular order:
Big, round, water lilies floating on a lake in the Amazon jungle, crowded together, some rotting on the edges, like circular row boats tied together.
A woman feeding a piranha on a hook to other piranhas that jumped up and reduced it furiously in ten seconds to bones. It is the "devil fish."
That huge but sedated anaconda which Joe and I picked up in our hands, while a little girl with a ho-hum look on her faced, held its head and mouth shut.
A sunset as beautiful as an orchid. Sunday in Manaus: a drunk sleeping off his Saturday night beer fest in an alley; the long mass in the hot cathedral where the priest decided to give an hour-long sermon. A beet-red faced uakari monkey in the trees.
Immodest men and women in immodest attires on Rio's Copacabana beach; the seller of coconut drinks deftly slicing, his machete swirling like a dervish, our drinks.
That threesome who sauntered into this small cafe 5 am: one King Solomon and two Bathsheba's: glittering jungle royalty; one of the women was goddesses posing as Brazilian party girl.
A zoo in Paraguay where three children taunted a jaguar throwing it peanuts and laughing while it suddenly rushed at the bars, alarmingly fast, and roared its deep throated annoyance; the kids laughed off with their children's indifference the imminent danger. The horrible incarceration of the beast, all that feline muscle and sinew trapped and useless; the proximity of their arms to the claws. Yet, all the while a female zoo official, ignoring the kid's insane behavior, kept her suspicious weather eye on us two gringos to make sure we didn't put our cameras through the bars for a good photo.
Ah Brazil, ah Humanity.
A Walk Around the Block
As a child growing up in Brooklyn, I was always held by the hand, guarded by adults and restricted to playing only on the sidewalk in front of my house.
Then one day I found myself alone and decided to walk around the block to explore the world beyond that small slice of pavement on Farragut Road and 96th Street. I can still taste the thrill of it.
That first journey set in stone the template for exploration. Like other "firsts"—first day at school, first movie, first train ride, the first kiss—it was unforgettable.
Perhaps for me traveling around the world has been nothing more than an extension of that first walk and the wonder of childhood.
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Leadership in Action: Riaz Siddiqi
Riaz Siddiqi with Baruch College PSA Students
Riaz Siddiqi Baruch College Pakistani Students Association Talk (Part 1/3)
Riaz Siddiqi Baruch College Pakistani Students Association Talk (Part 2/3)
Riaz Siddiqi Baruch College Pakistani Students Association Talk (Part 1/3)
"I was very fortunate to be born in a family where serving others was considered to be the essential purpose of one's existence…it was a DNA level attribute of every member of my family. For that, I will be eternally grateful" – Riaz Siddiqi
Riaz Siddiqi is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Pakistan Foundation as well as a Founder and Managing Partner at the private equity firm, Denham Capital. Originally from Lahore, Pakistan, Siddiqi developed a strong sense of giving back from his father, who ingrained the importance of helping others through a particular event that has a lasting impact on his life. On a monthly trip to the bazaar at the age of six, Siddiqi witnessed his father purchase food and clothes for a needy mother and her children. The money he used to help the family came from the funds usually budgeted for a toy purchase for Siddiqi and his siblings. Although Siddiqi and his siblings were upset at the time because there were no toys for them that month, his father's generosity stayed with him for the rest of his life and served as the impetus for his life of public service.
A founding member of the APF Board since its inception in 2009, Siddiqi and the other members of the board have worked tirelessly to build the organization into a unique national organization dedicated to building bridges and lasting ties between the people of the United States and Pakistan; strengthening the Pakistani-American community; and catalyzing development at scale in Pakistan. "Effective leadership starts first and foremost from the desire to serve in the first instance," notes Siddiqi, "then it is the ability to visualize and articulate lofty goals, and to persuade colleagues and peers to collaborate selflessly. The principles I refer to as the abiding principles of entrepreneurship, can be applied universally to all aspects of life. I approach public service with the same fundamental desire to learn, inspire, collaborate, replicate, and scale."
Siddiqi alongside a team of motivated and passionate team members are applying this approach in Houston to grow the APF Houston chapter. The chapter kicked off the national launch of a panel discussion series entitled Pakistan's Emerging Economy, in partnership with the Woodrow Wilson Center with support from the U.S.-Pakistan Business Council. The event brought together the Houston business, academic, and philanthropic communities to explore economic growth in Pakistan.
Siddiqi believes fervently in inter-generational collaboration. He and other members of the APF Board dedicate their time to provide guidance to young students, entrepreneurs, and emerging leaders. In engaging with youth, he encourages them to use their most precious commodity to the fullest, "time is not something to be wasted, it should be productively utilized…interacting with another human and collaborating with them is crucial to creating value added relationships to build a sustainable future."
The advice he shares with students is clearly something the entrepreneur says he tries to follow in his own life. In addition to being part of a "healthy vibrant family, who are all involved in constructive endeavors," which he calls his greatest accomplishment, Siddiqi invests his spare time outside of Denham Capital to creating a better world. His work and dedication to APF's mission not only strengthens the Pakistani community nationwide, but builds a platform for greater collaboration among people, places, and ideas – promoting a world that uses its resources for the greater good. One final thought he shares is, "the universal aphorism, from those to whom much is given, much is demanded, puts a huge burden on those who are fortunate enough to be able to have in excess of their needs and the obligation to serve others is magnified for those lucky people."