The past could never predict such a disaster as a presidency being lowered to Trump. It started out so unbelievable and comical, until the impossible happened. I can’t help but think that it’s all our fault and it pains me to see people blame this on unknown others. Like the rich separating into their private enclaves, the educated have abandoned and blamed half of a group that they belong to.
One of my favorite Texas surprises is that fruit trees grow in front yards. On a particularly glorious November afternoon, I passed a family harvesting their orange tree, filling several baskets with plump fruit. I waved, complimented the tree, and without hesitation the mother grabbed two oranges and brought them down to me at the fence. A man, who seemed to be the caretaker of the household, gave her a comment about not giving me so many. She rushed backed and stuffed my arms until I couldn’t carry another fruit. I politely accepted two and walked home laughing. The women …
I knew very little about Havana besides that I would see cool old cars and get to witness vibrant street life. My week ended up being a roller coaster ride. Right off, the highlights was the ten piece bands playing on almost every corner. I was surprised and amused by the 90s fashion and imaginative haircuts. The street life was as promised – people live their lives in public and are incredibly social. For friends taking a visit, I would recommend checking out Fabrica De Arte which is a complex equipped with a theater, art galleries, multiple venues and eateries. …
Salento’s wax palms make fools of all other trees. I took an 8 hour bus ride to see them. It’s my second visit and it was a completely different experience from the first. It reminds me that there are no repeat experiences – if only because personal perspective is constantly shifting giving you a new angle. Along with the people around you who are in the same state of flux and contributing to your vision. At the hostel, I briefly felt like I was starting to be *the old guy*. Although it’s hard to feel old with trees that have …
Making jokes for those who are looking.
Meet Janet and Piper. Right when I started to lament not witnessing enough street quirkiness in SF, here she is feeding Piper a leche con arroz popsicle while waiting for the 49 bus. She even missed two sets of buses while we chatted and she showed me pictures of Piper’s home and we discussed her animal whispering talents. These are the treasures of a flaneur. Here are I am with piper. I got to hang too A photo posted by Alfred Megally (@alfred_megally) on Jul 27, 2015 at 5:31pm PDT
I start my day by looking at Bernal Heights, and end my day by running to the top. At first I could barely make it past the first steep section without searching where on the sidewalk I was going to puke. It’s been three months in San Francisco. Assimilating back to The Bubble after a year away was a surprising struggle. Everyone is busy. I’m busy. Filtering events and prioritizing personal time is necessary. I have to make quick judgements about people. I have to sharpen my wit or else I get filtered too. At the same time, it’s stimulating …
I was told to only spend a day in Da Nang and that I would cover everything. As I rode a motorbike around the Son Tra peninsula I quickly realized that this place isn’t given the credit it deserves. Son Tra has stunning mountain roads that are near deserted except for the occasional monkey family crossing. I’d go back only to ride a motorbike through that peninsula again. The city itself, compared to Saigon, is clean, spaced out, has many walkable areas including a board walk and beach front. Like Saigon, it has many restaurants and the usual vietnam cafes …
Spending the afternoon watching the coffee grow on the porch. Josh lives here with his wife Rolan and baby Lee. Baby Lee is on the the porch too making his first sounds: “ca deedle dooo”. The roosters are all over the soundscape so I’m not surprised. Of course I had to know how they met. Josh started out like many travelers, teaching English in Ho Chi Minh, then eventually moved to leading vespa tours through Vietnam. He would stop by Rolan’s village in Dalat every other week and that start is all that really matters. Now they grow, roast and …