Greetings from the beautiful city of Madrid! I had hoped to post some from here-but the days have been pretty full of sight seeing and, since they eat late here, getting back to the room and falling straight asleep. Have done a lot and seen a lot. Will post my observations on the city once I get back to the icebox Germany.
However, on the flight down here, I came across this quote in a section of the in flight magazine. For a long time now-ever since I went off the deep end, and decided that life in Japan and the expat life style was for me- I have repeatedly gotten the question from friends and former friends to the extent of, " Why can't you just settle down, put down some roots and build a solid life in just one location? Don't you realize what an isolated lifestyle you lead?"
No I don't. And for what it's worth, it beats the hell out of a suburban lifestyle in any one of a 100 cities in the USA. Here is why:
Without the possibility of travel, we would be confined within meager limits; travel raises us up the status of gods, with no restriction or obstacles. The myth of the flying carpet is this: there is something magical in the inner transformation that comes from leaping a new frontier. The customs officer believes he's locked you into your official identity by checking your passport. But in fact you have only handed over an empty shell, the photo of someone who is no longer you. Your true life is about to begin, the multipile possibilities within you start to soar, and you are snatched from your small private self to become a citizen of the world.- Dominque Fernandez.
I love that quote. It speaks to me in so many ways-and I understand it so very well. There are some men who are meant for the familiar suburban lifestyle, tending to the yard and driving whoever, back and forth to [fill in the blank of mindless mundane suburban chore here]. That is not me. Nor can it be me. And if you are wondering why, Ms Fernandez has an explanation for that too:
Go your way, seducers, flatterers, idlers, those glib of tongue and charlatans; I am not a seed that you can force to grow; my goal differs so from yours that I would be wasting my time in trying to explain where my inclination drives me.
When I get back, I will fill in some of my observations of the city that is Madrid. I really like it-and it was very different from what I had expected. Stay tuned. Till then-the prowl beckons.